Since I wrote last...I didn't knock on wood hard enough. The flu raged through our house again. It took me down for almost two whole days and did my system in for a week. Took out the girls again in varying degrees but the hubby didn't get it again. He instead cleaned the entire house...and cleaned is an understatement. It was quite wonderful for the most part. The smells while I was nauseous wasn't so wonderful.
We celebrated Christmas inbetween all of the fluing. The girls all got something that they REALLY wanted which is always a good thing. I think my favorite one (besides the new coat) might be the family trip to the hotel with waterpark. Instead of things...an adventure to remember.
We did a homemade Christmas with my dad and stepmom and assorted children. I had a blast trying to figure out what to give them that we could make and wouldn't automatically go in the trash...not that they would ever do that but I didn't want to burden them with something I would want to throw out.
First up the giant brandy snifters that lived in my cupboard for probably close to 5 years. I found them together on the same shelf and I knew someday that I would create something to this effect with them. 
To hold the small glass in place, I colored some salt red (a little love and to give it a patriotic flair) and placed some white on top of that to make it a winter wonderland. The girls helped me place enough Christmas trees in the snow for each grandkid.
The small glass has dried blue glitter glue and some chestnut snowmen painted white. I imagine that the snowmen jumped in together and created a big splash.
A few Radtke Customs SO bookmarks.
A Radtke Customs jingle bell bracelet.
An advent wreath painted by the monkey circus. Plastic cups with flameless candles to make them glow. Forgot to print off the instructions and prayers that I had found to go with. Eh.
I think these were my favorite to make. I found the plastic ornaments for a fantastic deal and had always wanted to do this with the monkey circus. I decided this was going to be the year. We dug out the craft bin that the receivers of this gift gave the girls before my Violet girl was a part of the family yet. We went digging through and started placing an assortment of goodies in each one. Word of warning...dump excess paint out before packaging. The one ornament's paint leaked because it wasn't fully dry yet (bad planning time wise on my part) and it mixed to look like someone poo'd in the bag.
My Violet girl found a game like this in a Christmas craft book and she was bound and determined to make it. Only the sample in the book was throwing things in Santa's mouth. Good thing I found this picture.
This was a fun one for the girls to do. The body of the angel is their foot and the wings are their hands. Then they each drew a head to attach to the body. They flew around our house for an entire day before I hid them so they wouldn't get ruined.
And lastly, the tree skirt. My Violet girl and I worked on this one together. She picked out the colors for each of her cousins. Amazingly, she picked their favorite colors (I think for all of them) and she had so much fun picking their eye colors and putting on their mittens and buttons. The monkey circus insisted on creating some gingerbread men for my mom as well and she got a set of chestnut snowmen because she was the one who helped them collect the giant bag of chestnuts this fall.
So, that what has been keeping me busy inbetween all of the fluing that's been going through my house. Now to get past the back pain or find a place in the house to sit and create comfortably. May start interviewing this Violet girl of mine for here because some of the things she says is amazing. She's having a green lunch today...key lime yogurt and pickles...not mixed together, just at the same meal.
Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and new year. I finally get to put all of the presents away and start decluttering my house. Hoping to get Christmas down before Valentine's day. Praying I talk to you all again soon.
