Christmas Coffee Cozies

Most people these days are on a tight budget, and the lack of funds can really bring a person down rather than making them "holly jolly." I love to give gifts, and it makes me super sad when I realize my bank account won't allow it. I am going to beat that bank account! This year there will be small handmade gifts for loads of my loved ones to enjoy. My gifts, obviously, won't be ipods or Wii games, but they will be from the heart, and hopefully things my friends and family will consider (somewhat) useful. My quest for holiday happy gifting started the other day when I made these coffee cozies for all those coffee lovers in my life. They are cute, easy, and GREEN! Perfect! (Green in the sense that you can use the cozy over and over rather than use the paper ones when you buy a coffee out and about.) What do you think?

What you need:
-Wool sweater (must be at least 90% wool) I made all of these that are pictured from two sweaters.
-felt
-glue gun or fabric glue
Step 1- Wash the sweaters with HOT water, and dry on HIGH heat. You will need to do twice, and to create more friction, wash towels or jeans with the sweaters. You want the sweater to shrink up, so it won't fray when you cut it.

Step 2- Cut 2 1/2 to 3 inches off the sleeves for each cozy.

Step 3- Add a little detail with felt. I googled templates, such as an "apple template." I printed it small, cut it out, and used it to cut the shape out of felt. Hot glue or fabric glue will work to attach felt to cozy.

Step 4- Wait, there are no more steps!! ENJOY!

This one is for my step-dad who loves to sail. shhhh don't tell!

Thanksgiving Tasties

This year the Crosby clan made a few hard choices, and decided to stay home for the holidays. Since Andre's family is in LA, and my family is in FL...this leaves us in the middle...alone. BUT fear not! We have a beautiful church family, and our amazing Bishop Coleman and his wife asked us over. We have spent Christmas with them before, and since we love this family mucho grande! we decided to accept their gracious invite. Indeed, we were filled with love, laughter, but no pumpkin pie. Well, to be fair, there was pumpkin pie on the menu, however my pumpkin cupcakes stole the show! These delectable cupcakes were my contribution along with my "go to" side dish, roasted fresh green beans. Here's the recipe for the cupcakes. We'll save the roasted green beans for another day... :)

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes
What You Need:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped Topping, thawed

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Make It:

HEAT oven to 350°F, and place cupcake papers in cupcake pan.

BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Spoon into cupcake pan.

BAKE 16 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate until cupcakes have cooled completely.

Place a couple of spoonfuls of mixture into a Ziploc baggie, and snip one corner off.

Stick this corner into cupcakes, and squeeze filling into cupcake. Do this carefully, as not to break open cupcake any more than necessary.

Decorate with a little twirl of filling on top to cover hole. Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Happy Tasting!

PS- This recipe was actually a cake when I found it, so you will have a LOT of filling left over. If you make it in cake form, you are suppose to cut baked/cooled round cakes in half using a bread knife. Layer the cake and filling, leaving the top of the cake without. Drizzle top with caramel and pecans. This way is called "Luscious Four Layer Pumpkin Cake."

Andre loves the filling, so I am going to make some macadamia nut cookies for him to slather the extra filling on and gorge himself into a sweet sweet tastie coma. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I pray that everyone's Thanksgiving is filled with love, laughter, and pumpkin pie!!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Crosbys!!

Another Secret Pal Gift- Commissioned

My friend asked me to make a Christmas wreath for her to give her secret pal. Since I am totally into yarn wreaths right now, I thought this was a perfect excuse to hone in my mad yarn skills. It turned out pretty festive, classic, and still in the simplistic fashion. I was pleased. I do hope that my friend's secret pal loves it as well.
Since I didn't finish it until about 10:30pm, and I plan to hand it off tomorrow...I had to take pic's in a dark house. Sorry for the quality.

Turkey for the Turkeys

Today was my Sunday to teach Sunday School at church to a toddler group. Since the attention span is low, the actual "lesson" doesn't really last that long. I usually like to have some kind of art or craft to get them involved in, and usually I keep it seasonal. Having said ALL of that...today we made turkey pins, and THEY ...WERE...CUTE! We all loved them; me and the kids. Cash is in the class, and he decided that we should keep them to wear on Thursday. Awww, melts my heart when I get Cash excited about crafts.

Cute + Easy = AWESOME

I found the idea in Disney Family Fun November issue. In the magazine, they used cereal boxes, but being the felt lover that I am...well, you get it.

The "How To"

-Start by tracing four small, round objects, such as a jar lid, a bottle of tacky glue, a dime, and a quarter, onto your felt (or cereal boxes.) My circles range in size from 5/8 in to 2 in.

-Cut out circles.

-Snip tail feathers into the largest circle, as shown.

-Cut one of the medium circles in half for wings.

-Use a hole punch to create tiny circles for eyes (I did mine free hand, and I dont recommend it...kind of makes the turkey look a bit crazy.)

-Cut a triangular beak from yellow and a tiny half-circle from red for the snood. (NOT pictured. I forgot this part. Opps.)

-Stack and adhere the pieces with tacky glue.

-Hot glue a pin on the back.

Done. Turkey for a little turkey. (lovingly call the boys turkeys.)

Last Sneak Peak!

Tomorrow is the big day! HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE! I am soooo excited, AND a bit nervous as well. This will be my first time putting anything I have made out there for sale to the public. Hope you all love what you've seen enough to come out and support us tomorrow!

Just so you know, I have more than what I have shown you. There just isn't enough time to get everything photographed and uploaded. Enjoy today's "Sneak Peak," and see you tomorrow.

REMEMBER: BRING A FRIEND, or TWO...:)



Don't Forget:
I want you all to spread the word, and tell everyone you know about this event. Bring a friend, heck, bring MANY friends, and come say hello. Want to earn 30% off of a Jewel Kade item? Would that entice you to come out? Ok, you got it! Here's what you have to do...

Here are the ways to earn the discount on an item. Leave a separate comment below (HERE ON THIS BLOG, and I will keep track of the names.

1--Post about the Open House on your blog, and become a follower of my blog.
2--Post about the Open House on your Facebook status, and become a follower of my blog.
3--Come to the Open House, AND bring a friend that wasn't directly invited by me.
4--Schedule a party with me! (This is the only way to earn TWO items at 30% when you book!)

All this week I will be showing a few items a day that I will have at the Open House. These will be Paper Wings' items. Let me know what you think! (If you are interested in checking out Jewel Kade items, go to JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

OH! Here is the important info. you need to know about this awesome event!
OH OH! One more thing...there will be giveaways every half hour all day!!

Where: Father’s house at St. Michael’s Church

2330 Hickory Valley Rd , Chattanooga, TN 37421-1722

When: Saturday, November 13^th, 2010

Drop by between 10am-2pm

Thirty-One

Custom gifts, bags, and purses~ Alison Leahy

www.mythirtyone.com/aleahy

Jewel Kade Jewelry

Unique jewelry~ Tracy Crosby

www.JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

Premier Jewelry

High fashion jewelry~ Andrea Weaver

www.premierdesigns.com

Pampered Chef

High quality kitchen tools~ Jamie Smith

www.pamperedchef.com

Paper Wings Studio

Hip, handmade accessories & gifts~ Tracy Crosby

Violetpaperwings.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for the support and hope to see you on Saturday!

Sneak Peak Day 3- Tid Bits for the Office or Home

Let's see.... I am going to break up the monotony of multiple days with hair accessories by giving you a day of goodies for the office. Reeeally, you could use this stuff anywhere...home or work. They are fun, bright, and cute! These would be another great idea for stocking stuffers, or small gifts for co-workers or secret pals..

These dolled up clothes pins have super strong magnets on the back. Perfect for filing cabinets, white boards, memo boards,lockers, and fridges. They would also be fun on top of a wrapped gift holding a tag, OR use them to clip your chips, hang up delicates....you can even turn them upside down for an easy photo frame for your desk.
Here is an easy, yet personable gift. These initial bookmarks are perfect for avid readers of all ages, and are the perfect size.
Another set of bookmarks.
Sassy tacks that can brighten up any cork board! Whether using these at home, school, or the office...tacks have never been so fun! :)
More colorful alternatives for your cork board.


Don't Forget:
I want you all to spread the word, and tell everyone you know about this event. Bring a friend, heck, bring MANY friends, and come say hello. Want to earn 30% off of a Jewel Kade item? Would that entice you to come out? Ok, you got it! Here's what you have to do...

Here are the ways to earn the discount on an item. Leave a separate comment below (HERE ON THIS BLOG, and I will keep track of the names.

1--Post about the Open House on your blog, and become a follower of my blog.
2--Post about the Open House on your Facebook status, and become a follower of my blog.
3--Come to the Open House, AND bring a friend that wasn't directly invited by me.
4--Schedule a party with me! (This is the only way to earn TWO items at 30% when you book!)

All this week I will be showing a few items a day that I will have at the Open House. These will be Paper Wings' items. Let me know what you think! (If you are interested in checking out Jewel Kade items, go to JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

OH! Here is the important info. you need to know about this awesome event!
OH OH! One more thing...there will be giveaways every half hour all day!!

Where: Father’s house at St. Michael’s Church

2330 Hickory Valley Rd , Chattanooga, TN 37421-1722

When: Saturday, November 13^th, 2010

Drop by between 10am-2pm

Thirty-One

Custom gifts, bags, and purses~ Alison Leahy

www.mythirtyone.com/aleahy

Jewel Kade Jewelry

Unique jewelry~ Tracy Crosby

www.JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

Premier Jewelry

High fashion jewelry~ Andrea Weaver

www.premierdesigns.com

Pampered Chef

High quality kitchen tools~ Jamie Smith

www.pamperedchef.com

Paper Wings Studio

Hip, handmade accessories & gifts~ Tracy Crosby

Violetpaperwings.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for the support and hope to see you on Saturday!

Sneak Peak Day 2

Today I am going to showcase a few different colors and styles using the same felt flower design. I think they are really cute and fun for both women and children! Check them out.




Don't Forget:
I want you all to spread the word, and tell everyone you know about this event. Bring a friend, heck, bring MANY friends, and come say hello. Want to earn 30% off of a Jewel Kade item? Would that entice you to come out? Ok, you got it! Here's what you have to do...

Here are the ways to earn the discount on an item. Leave a separate comment below (HERE ON THIS BLOG, and I will keep track of the names.

1--Post about the Open House on your blog, and become a follower of my blog.
2--Post about the Open House on your Facebook status, and become a follower of my blog.
3--Come to the Open House, AND bring a friend that wasn't directly invited by me.
4--Schedule a party with me! (This is the only way to earn TWO items at 30% when you book!)

All this week I will be showing a few items a day that I will have at the Open House. These will be Paper Wings' items. Let me know what you think! (If you are interested in checking out Jewel Kade items, go to JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

OH! Here is the important info. you need to know about this awesome event!
OH OH! One more thing...there will be giveaways every half hour all day!!

Where: Father’s house at St. Michael’s Church

2330 Hickory Valley Rd , Chattanooga, TN 37421-1722

When: Saturday, November 13^th, 2010

Drop by between 10am-2pm

Thirty-One

Custom gifts, bags, and purses~ Alison Leahy

www.mythirtyone.com/aleahy

Jewel Kade Jewelry

Unique jewelry~ Tracy Crosby

www.JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

Premier Jewelry

High fashion jewelry~ Andrea Weaver

www.premierdesigns.com

Pampered Chef

High quality kitchen tools~ Jamie Smith

www.pamperedchef.com

Paper Wings Studio

Hip, handmade accessories & gifts~ Tracy Crosby

Violetpaperwings.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for the support and hope to see you on Saturday!

Sneak Peak for Holiday Open House!

Happy Monday to everyone! It's going to be a busy and exciting week around here, and I will tell you why...this weekend is my HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE! YAY! I am very, very psyched about this for a couple of reasons. First of all, we are going to have 5 different vendors, and Jewel Kade is one of them. I can't wait to introduce Jewel Kade Jewelry to more people here in Chattanooga! Second, one of those five vendors is going to be....Paper Wings Studio. Yes, I am going to have a table selling my little handmade goodies for the first time. I am nervous, and giddy with excitement at the same time. I would absolutely appreciate all of you coming out to support this endeavor, and I am even going to give you some incentives...

I want you all to spread the word, and tell everyone you know about this event. Bring a friend, heck, bring MANY friends, and come say hello. Want to earn 30% off of a Jewel Kade item? Would that entice you to come out? Ok, you got it! Here's what you have to do...

Here are the ways to earn the discount on an item. Leave a separate comment below (HERE ON THIS BLOG, and I will keep track of the names.

1--Post about the Open House on your blog, and become a follower of my blog.
2--Post about the Open House on your Facebook status, and become a follower of my blog.
3--Come to the Open House, AND bring a friend that wasn't directly invited by me.
4--Schedule a party with me! (This is the only way to earn TWO items at 30% when you book!)

All this week I will be showing a few items a day that I will have at the Open House. These will be Paper Wings' items. Let me know what you think! (If you are interested in checking out Jewel Kade items, go to JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

OH! Here is the important info. you need to know about this awesome event!
OH OH! One more thing...there will be giveaways every half hour all day!!

Where: Father’s house at St. Michael’s Church

2330 Hickory Valley Rd , Chattanooga, TN 37421-1722

When: Saturday, November 13^th, 2010

Drop by between 10am-2pm

Thirty-One

Custom gifts, bags, and purses~ Alison Leahy

www.mythirtyone.com/aleahy

Jewel Kade Jewelry

Unique jewelry~ Tracy Crosby

www.JewelKade.com/TracyCrosby

Premier Jewelry

High fashion jewelry~ Andrea Weaver

www.premierdesigns.com

Pampered Chef

High quality kitchen tools~ Jamie Smith

www.pamperedchef.com

Paper Wings Studio

Hip, handmade accessories & gifts~ Tracy Crosby

Violetpaperwings.blogspot.com

Here is your SNEAK PEEK for today!

Button Bobbies - I have lots of designs and colors. Women and girls can wear these! Super cute.

Girls Daisy Craze gator clips. Bright and fun!

Classic brown gingham with a little sparkle.
Pink that will make a little girl's outfit POP!
Holly Jolly gator clips can put any little one in the Christmas spirit.

Remember, this is just a sneak peak of what I actually have! More coming tomorrow!