Crafting Christmas

I'm not sure if it's because it's been so cold, or if just in my blood but we have been doing non stop craft & cooking projects at our house.

Here are a few that were big hits with the kids. I can't post about some because they are presents. 

The girls made marble painted glass balls. I bought 2 packs of 5 at Joann's 50% off so I paid $1.50 per pack.  The girls just squirted different colors of paint and mixed it around inside the ornament. Then we poured out the excess paint and waited for them to dry.  This may one of my kids all time favorite projects- they seriously loved making them and continually comment on how beautiful they look on the tree.

Lucy hung her 3 ornaments close together so they would not be sad.

We also tied fleece blankets.  Fleece is pretty expensive but there is a little hole in the wall in Fontana that sells tons of fleece for $3 a yard. The girls each picked a yard and a half of two different fabrics for their own blanket.  I cut all the tabs (2-3 in apart) and cut little holes inside the tabs, the the girls pulled all the tabs through.  Ruby especially LOVED making these and they are now their favorite blankets.  We actually made these a 2nd time with some friends that spent the night. I got fleece for them and my girls helped their friends make their own blankets. Again, huge hit and for $7 a blanket what a steal.  Joanns has had a lot of sales on fleece so if you watch or buy it from the clearance area you can get it a lot cheeper. 

Of course we made our Gingerwood houses.  Eric made small ones for each girl 2 years ago and I was going to decorate the big one that lights up... but guess what, we sold ALL of them.  I can't believe we didn't keep one for ourselves!!!  I'm sure someone wanted one and Eric said I can make another one for us, so I sold it.  Hopefully next year Eric will have the time to make a few more houses.

Couple of suggestions.  My girls got a ton of Halloween candy, so 2 days after they had eaten themselves sick... all the candy disappeared.  While they were at school I pulled it out and opened all the packages, put the candy in bowls added some store bought candy and they had no idea they were recycling their Halloween candy!

One other thing.  This year we decorated half the house one night and then the other half the next night.  This was much better because they took their time and did not get frustrated or bored.

We also made a gazillion gingerbread men and women for a party tonight.  The kids are going to decorate them with puff paint for a little activity at the party. These are the ornament cookies that you can't eat, but they smell really good on the tree. The recipe is below if anyone wants to make them.

Ornament cookies

1 c shortening

1 c brown sugar, packed

2 c molasses

1 c white glue

1 T baking soda

1T ground ginger

6 to 8 c all purpose flour

1 3/4 c water

Cream shortening with brown sugar, add molasses and glue, set aside.  Combine baking soda, ginger and 6 cups flour.  Ad flour mixture and water alternately to creamed mixture. Add enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough, knead well. roll to 1/4 in thing and cut with cookie cutter. Place in ungreased baking sheet. poke a hole on the top with a straw or chopstick. Bake 300 degrees for one hour then to thoroughly dry, place on oven racks and bake at 100 for an additional 3 hours. Makes aprox one gazillion cookies (seriously I made 4 doz and did not even use all the dough).

Good luck!