Family Advent Wreath

Tonight we made a family Advent Wreath.

First, we used green construction paper to cut our our handprints.

Even GO helped.

Then, we glued the handprints onto a cardboard circle (cut out of an old gift box).

Finally, we lit our little purple tealight as our first Advent Candle.

It was SO easy, and it's a small craft.  I put our names on each handprint, then the year on the back, so we can compare next year!

It's not to late to make your own Family Advent Wreath.

~Lone Butterfly  )i(

Virtual House Party!

A few weeks ago I was selected as one of 1,250 people in America to host a Kodak Gallery House Party.  This exciting event will take place tomorrow night, where my guests will enjoy delicious food (THANKS COOKIE!), check out the nifty Kodak Gallery photo stuff that I have and then leave with 40% off coupons of their own.

BUT - lots of people can't join us tomorrow, so I thought I would have a virtual party on my blog.  If you've like what you see, leave me a comment and I'll send you the guest prize (a 40% off coupon code) - good after the "live" version of the party.

First - the Kodak Gallery site.  This is where you upload pictures.  Kodak Gallery holds onto your pictures, though they do have a minimum per year (rolling 12 months) that you have to purchase.  Personally - I have TONS of photos uploaded there and the $19.99 every 12 months is very easy for me to meet.  That is the higher threshold, if you have a smaller number of photos "stored" on the site, it's only $4.99 every 12 months.

I have personally used the Site for many gifts.  I absolutely love the photo books, even if the "new" version of the site took a little getting use to.  In the past, I've made photo books of all our vacations.  B10 and CW still pull out "their" books and read them.

I made an absolutely beautiful photo book of GO's birth.  I love the fact that I was able to use lots of text to tell the story (on special text pages) and lots of photos.  I am not a huge fan of "baby" books, the pastels and such just aren't my thing.  Being able to make a black photos book, with beautiful black and white swirls personalized GO's birth book for me.

I also use the site to print out photos for Christmas Cards and other cards during the year.  I have been trying to send out photos of the Caterpillars at least twice a year (if not more often).  To save money, I buy Christmas Cards in January.  Now, this may seem crazy, but it means that I can already have my Christmas Cards addressed and signed by October.  Then, I just take my family photo in October (the leaves have changed by that time, so it's a pretty Fall photo - and since it doesn't really snow here in Georgia - that works for Christmas).  Hubby and I pick our favorites and upload them to print at less than $0.10 per photo.

Basically, I spend less than $6.00 to send photos to all our friends and family - the grandparents and other relatives LOVE that.  Plus, I get everything in the mail by Thanksgiving and I seem on top of things!  (What a great feeling during the holidays!)

I've also made photo mugs - they've turned out well, BUT you need to use the right photo.  I recommend lighter photos rather than darker ones.  Also, the higher quality photo the higher quality end-product.  Most (while not all) of the complaints I have heard about from the site have been either user-error or poor quality photos to begin with...  Kodak is great, but they aren't magicians!

For my family, who's invested in a very nice camera, this is a great alternative to having professional photos taken.  Being homeschooled, we don't have anyone taking school photos twice a year, so this is a great alternative (and much cheaper!).

Before this "fancy" camera, though, I had two point and shoot basic digital cameras.  And I was still able to get great photos printed with them.  I even have a few black and white photos that are 8x10 hanging in my hallway - when I took B10 to Gatlinburg he took my camera and snapped a few shots.  They turned out to be beautiful nature photos (from The Great Smokey Mountains National Park).  For less than $10 I have 3 framed photos that most people think are professionally done (or at least not done by a 7 year old!).

So, thank you for joining my "party".  Browse the website and feel free to ask me any questions.  If you leave a comment saying you attended - expect the coupon code in your inbox!

Sorry I couldn't also send the chocolate covered strawberries!  :D

~Lone Butterfly  )i(

Advent Calendar

Oh Amanda! has been talking about Advent Calendars on her blog, which got me to thinking (always dangerous).

The Caterpillars have never been with me during the holidays, and I didn't have much notice this year - so I had to rush around to try and find an advent calendar for them.

Luckily, I found one I kind of liked, they seem to LOVE it!

B10 gets to open the even numbers and CW gets to open the odd numbers. Each little door has a tiny ornament behind it, that hangs on a hook on the Nativity Scene.

Thus far we have placed two Wise Men, Three Wise Men Gifts, One (poor) Camel who carried the Wise Men, a Single Shepherd and our first Angel. I didn't pay a ton of attention to what I put where, other than Joseph/Mary/Jesus being the final three.

It's been kind of fun to watch the Caterpillars get excited about even this little Christmas thing. Next year, I want to have a Jessie Tree, but I think we'll do this calendar again - just to build something.

Speaking of Jessie Trees, I came across a blog that had a great idea. Instead of trying to make your OWN Jessie Tree and ornaments, she had collaborated with friends and they each took an equal number of days and made enough ornaments for those days for everyone.

For example - there are 25 days, so if 5 people participate - they would each make 5 ornaments for 5 different days. Then everyone swaps.

I would love to do this in preparation for next year - so if you are interested in a Jessie Tree Ornament pool, leave a comment. You don't need to live nearby, we can easily ship back and forth (AFTER the holidays).

~Lone Butterfly )i(

Poopy Fun

I have had a rather poopy week and one of the (very few) darling people I work with took time out of her day to make me a card.

She's a rather nifty card maker, as she free-handed all this jazz. But the inside comment was hilarious and perfect for my poopy week.

"The Butterfly and flower are made of elephant poop - proving that even the crappiest situations - literally - have some potential for future use. Even if that future use is ammunition to get you through some pretty rough days, anger and frustration are certainly motivating forces."

Elephant poop. Elephant poop butterflies and flowers.

Tee hee hee - now that actually makes me laugh.

~Lone Butterfly (not made of elephant poop) )i(

Hey! Look What I Learned!

So I bought myself a Knifty Knitter, upon recommendation from a friend at work. She claimed it would help me easily knit all sorts of wonderful things.

I began knitting a green scarf last Saturday (August 30th) and I have already completed two and am working on my third.

Here, Edelweiss is beautifully modeling my lovely stripped green scarf. I'm keeping it for myself, though she and I found the round Knifty Knitter on CLEARANCE (70% off!) and so she's working on one right now.

I love feeling crafty - and finishing said crafts! Plus, even though the booklet says it's for ages 9 to 99, both B10 and CW love helping. Three cheers to anything that gets them to SIT STILL!

~Lone Butterfly )i(