Stuffin's for the foot bag....

Ok... so I'm sure I don't need to clarify what a foot bag is.... but, aaaaanyway, I will! According to my 6 year old, a foot bag is what we adults like to call a stocking.... Don't ya just love how kids see things so literally? I can still remember last year when we were decorating and he asked me where the foot bags were.... I felt bad because I was laughing (almost uncontrollably) when I responded, "W-w-w-what?". Poor guy, so serious when he asked.... tee-hee, I still get a kick out of that moment.

Any-who.... lets get to the reason why we've all gathered here today, a-hem.... Stocking Stuffers. Do you have as many difficulties as I do, helping Santa fill those darn things? Sheesh.... it seems the standard toothbrush and undies just don't cut it anymore. You know, when I was their age, I was ecstatic to find nuts (in-the-shell people), an apple, an orange and a handful of gumdrops and hard candies tucked into my fuzzy red and white stocking that my mother so lovingly scrawled my name on with a sharpie marker.... and looking back now, everything seemed eerily similar to all of the things that were commonly out on our coffee table during the holiday season.... hmmmm, weird. But, I digress....

Here are a few items that I thought would make great additions to our kids stockings:


Wooden tops, from Urban Turn on Etsy.


Peg dolls, ready to paint.... I'm thinking little ninja men for the two little men in my life. Brought to you by Gemmielou, also on Etsy.... and p.s. shhhh, a certain little ham-hock may be getting some too, shhhh ;)


Keychains like this cool Wimpy Kid item, available at Chapters online


Little flashlights to attach to backpacks. Ready for purchase at Mountain Equipment Co-op.


Pretty little crocheted accessories for the Ham.... headbands like this, some clippies, and maybe a bracelet or two.... made by Mommy.

And, of course, the old faithfuls.... For the boys; Archie comics, hockey cards, a Schleich animal (available at TSC Stores or Scribbles to Scholars where I live), toothbrushes, socks and undies, some kind of holiday treat.... And for the girl-baby; toothbrush, tub toys, hair elastics, toddler-friendly treats, Playmobil people....

I'm sure Santa has some other items that he's hand-picked especially for my little monkeys.... I can't wait to see their faces Christmas morning.... it's, by far, the best gift I could ever receive....

Let me know what great stuffin's you and Santa come up with for your own little bubs.... we'll compare notes....

Have a nice night all ;)

What two year old hands can do....

I love her....

Back soon with some quick and easy stocking stuffer ideas.... Have a great day ;)

Needed a break....

Yesterday, I delivered an order of 5 skull and crossbones hats to a friend, Christmas presents I believe.... and I still have one more order to fill by the end of the week, this one for 7 hats!!!... no biggie, though; 2 are complete, 4 just need the tags and skulls sewn on, and then just to start and finish an adult version....

I've had a great little boom in business just before Christmas, and I'm loving it! But, making that many hats gets a little mindless at times. So after I delivered the order yesterday, I came home and started a little project for myself.... yes, myself! Something just to break up my time between orders. Nothing major that would involve great amounts of time; but, something that is cute, and fast and something I need....


A bath scrubbie (is there a theme beginning here on the blog people???).... I found the tutorial here, and can I just say, this is one of the easiest projects I have ever worked on.... and for a project that is so easy, it looks so, ummm, not easy. The tutorial uses cotton yarn; but I fear that with a scrubbie that big, the cotton yarn would just need a little too much care for my liking.... I opted for a super soft, light-weight acrylic.... just something I had on hand that hasn't really suited any other project.... I'll let you know how it works out....

Bu-ut.... from the picture, you can see that it is not complete.... the reason, and it's a good one, is because while crocheting said scrubbie, I realized that my time would be best spent trying to fill my last order... So, being the self-disciplining person I am, I returned to my order with renewed hat-loving energy and was able to whip up 2 in no time.... Sometimes that's all we need.... a few steps back just to gain a little perspective....

Have a great day friends ;)

Stocking stuffer....

My love of the pot scrubbie seems to have transferred to my Hammy-girl... whenever I finish one she grabs it and plays with it until I'm able to snatch it away....

But don't misunderstand.... I'm not giving my 2 year old pot scrubbies for Christmas.... I've made three smaller, toddler-sized versions;


a red square, a yellow circle and a blue triangle.... get what I've done? Kid friendly shapes in primary colours! Nothing revolutionary by any means.... just simply an extension of my love for these things.... again, I ask you, Is it wrong for me to love these things so much?

The girl-baby and I can learn shape and colour together all the while LOVING the scrubbie.... hey, don't knock the scrubbie love.... if you had some you'd understand....

Hope you've started your Christmas shopping... just over a month away.... have a great day all ;)

A day late....

Yesterday was my husband's 39th birthday.... I didn't forget it.... I could never, and would never....

I'll just say this of him.... he is my very, very best friend, I love him so much that it hurts, and sometimes when I think of where I would be if we had never met.... all I can come up with is lost and alone.... We think so much alike; we're serious when we need to be, but for the most part we are just happy to be together and always, ALWAYS, making fun of each other, hugging each other and loving our little family....

I love this man and feel very fortunate to have realized his true spirit when I was just 18.... and so very lucky that he liked me too....

How could I not love him? He gave me these 3 beautiful children.... and whenever I'm around him he makes me smile like this....



Happy Birthday.... hope you have a great year!
xo a&f Jules ;)