Five for Friday

1. It's beginning to look a little like Christmas. Not a lot (because I haven't decorated the inside of my house yet, nor have I put up our tree), but a little, because yesterday afternoon, I braved the cold and decorated our front porch. Here are a few photos.

 

2. I cannot believe that today is the last day of November! Earlier this week, it sunk in that we were approaching December 1st.... and I realized how much I need to do. Like it said in #1, I haven't decorated my house yet (but if Sage has her way, this will get done this weekend), nor have I send out my cards/newsletters/photos. Thankfully, my shopping is done, so I don't have to worry about that....

I did take advantage of a day off yesterday.... and started on my Christmas baking. I made some Mexican Wedding Cakes (I use my mom's Almond Crescent recipe, but since I'm not good at shaping them into crescents, I roll them into balls and after they're baked, dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate) , Whipped ShortbreadWhipped Shortbread and some Butter Crunch. I kept a little out for my family to enjoy, but the rest is in the freezer, at the ready if company stops by.


3. I'm looking forward to some of the fun activities we have planned for December.... Cameron & I have our work banquet tomorrow night, I'm taking the kids to see the Phineas & Ferb Live Show in Winnipeg next weekend, refereeing in a TKD tournament, the kids' Christmas concerts, etc. I'd also love to take them to see this, which looks really good!

Hmmm, listing this out reminds me that I have to get down our advent calendar and write some of these things down, so that when the kids open the boxes, they can see what we're doing that day....
One more thing to do.....


4. My local quilting store is having a Christmas "party" tomorrow afternoon and they're having a free class to learn how to crochet  a ruffled scarf. I told the owner that I've never crocheted before, but she said that was fine, so I'm going to go. I'm excited to learn a new skill!


5. I found some Fancy Pants patterned paper in my scrap folder yesterday and decided to use it to make a few cards.

For my first card, I used some Papertrey Ink cardstock (pure poppy) & Snowflake Medley die. I diecut my snowflake and then stamped on it with Versamark and my Simon Says Stamp Christmas labels set and then heat embossed it in white. I'm trying to make some cards that would be flatter and therefore better to send in the mail, but it's killing me not to add on some buttons! LOL!

For my second card, I used some PTI cardstock (pure poppy, rustic cream), stamps (love lives here:holidays) and dies (love lives here, lovely layers.) I used the lovely layers die to cut out the middle sizes flower, which I cut down to make the "ornament topper," for this week's Make it Monday at Papertrey Ink: Splitting diecuts. It was fun hunting through my dies, looking for one that would work as the topper for my ornament!

And for my last card, I used PTI cardstock (pure poppy, rustic cream) & stamps (stylish sentiments:holiday). The holly layered over top was cut on my new Silhouette Portrait.

Thanks for looking!