2013 Christmas ornaments finished!

Have a few extra wooden signs done... might crochet a few more signs and make some more.

Granny square scarf

Picture of the granny scarf I made for myself.  I like all the weird funky colors.

Fall Journal

Some pics of the Fall journal I am making

     

Halloween 2013 - 3rd H.Potter craft

Here's the 3rd craft I made for Halloween this year... The Black Family Line... I printed it out on a piece of paper which I scrunched up, then tainted it with tea and let dry.  bought a dollar store frame and put it in.  voilà!

Halloween 2013 - 2nd craft Harry Potter snitch

Made my 2nd craft for Halloween 2013, 3 snitches (like in Harry Potter).
Made from small styro foam balls, feathers, all painted in gold.

Halloween 2013

Here's a craft I made for Halloween 2013:

A mandrake like in Harry Potter. didn't have a pattern so it took awhile but now it's done.

Christmas in July 2013 - day 25 / Jour 25

CIJ! Enjoy your Christmas in July! Get a funny family picture you could use for your Christmas cards.
Noël en Juillet!  Profitez-bien de cette journée, et pourquoi ne pas en profiter pour prendre une photo de famille que vous pourrez inclure dans vos cartes de Noël?

Source : http://www.king-sheep.com/tag/funny-pics/

Source : http://www.hilmarc.com/tag/christmas/

Source : http://kelund.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/christmas-cards/

Christmas in July 2013 - day 24 / Jour 24 - Tea day

Today will be a relaxing day - Tea day !  We should all relax on Christmas Eve.
Journée de relaxation pour la Veille de Noël - le thé est à l'honneur.
If you are cold, tea will warm you;
If you are too heated, it will cool you;
If you are depressed, it will cheer you;
If you are exhausted, it will calm you.
William Gladstone

Si vous avez froid, le thé vous réchauffera
Si vous avez trop chaud, il vous refroidira
Si vous êtes tristes, il vous remontera le moral
Si vous êtes fatiguée, il vous calmera

Lots more where this came from: http://gardenpartyteas.com/blog/tea-poems-and-quotes/
Plusieurs autres poèmes (en anglais) sont disponibles sur ce lien.
Tea bag wreath  / Couronne de sachets de thé

               








Source : http://kojodesigns.blogspot.ca/2010/03/kojotutorial-tea-tea-tea-kitchen-wreath.html

Candle in a teacup / Chandelles dans des tasses de thé

Tutorial : http://dagmarbleasdale.com/2012/04/how-to-make-a-shabby-chic-candle-in-a-teacup/

And I love this t-shirt!  Très drôle ce t-shirt.

Christmas in July 2013 - day 23 / Jour 23 - MHH friends

Seems I’m talking alot about Magical Holiday Home. I have been part of that group for a few years now and have made wonderful friends! In fact a few weeks ago I a box with lots of Christmas & Halloween goodies from one of my friends. It is a place to discuss Christmas, Halloween and all other festivities during the year as well as decluttering, books, etc… the subjects are endless!


There is K who loves ribbons and snowmen, A who has a heart so big it is unbelievable! She joins all community groups and is always in action to help others, my Pam who gives and gives and gives and buys all year long for EVERYONE, B who sews such beautiful gifts, SN who is such a wise woman, S with her pirates, J who talks to each of us everyday, L who is a fantastic teacher with beautiful well-educated children and who goes all out for every holiday, J who is a great family mama, D who takes care of her daughter with special needs, M who has been through alot and still keeps her Christmas spirit and has a wicked sense of humor, N who does such beautiful paintings, E who never stops, L who crafts throughout the year and makes so many beautiful things, C who drops in from time to time with her love for all festivities and for her lovely boys and so many more.

My days would not be the same without all these great gals.

Christmas in July 2013 - day 22 / Jour 22 Chritmas centerpieces

A few beautiful Christmas centerpieces. De fabuleux centre de tables de Noël.

Source : http://blog.styleestate.com/christmas-decorating/2011/12/7/stylish-elegant-christmas-centerpiece-ideas.html

Source : http://www.ideasdecor.net/homemade-christmas-decorations.html

Source : http://nounoutiti.centerblog.net/118-un-igloo-comme-centre-de-table-pour-noel?ii=1

Christmas in July 2013 - day 21 / Jour 21 - Staying Zen

Ideas on how to stay Zen during the Holidays. Great article from : http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6920/5-Easy-Ways-to-Stay-Zen-During-the-Holidays.html

 

Go read the details of each idea – it is worth it.

 

Meditate for 5-10 minutes every morning
« Focus on your breath. Breathe in for 4 slow counts, feeling your belly rise and expand as you inhale. Think yoga-breathing. Then hold for 4 counts and breathe out for 5 counts. We always want to let out more than we’re taking in! »

 

Bring healthy snacks to keep you on track
« A greens drink every day will definitely help counteract the additional sugar and/or foods and alcohol that can stress your liver. Also, warm water with lemon in the morning will help tremendously with continual detoxification when you’re taking in heavier foods. »

 

Keep a gratitude journal
Write down 5 things you’re grateful for each night before you go to sleep.

Take a daily walk.

 

Smile

 

To that list I would add :

•  Tai-chi or Qi-Qong a few minutes per day.
• A nice relaxing bubble bath with candles at night
• Some soft music with tv, cellphone and laptop CLOSED.
• Read a good book
• Light a scented candle

 Any other ideas?

Christmas in July 2013 - day 20 / Jour 20 - Movie night basket

Movie night basket ideas.
Idée cadeaux pour une soirée de cinéma.


How about a Remote control pillow?  Coussin porte-télé-commande.
Source : http://www.blessingsoverflowing.com/2011/01/remote-control-pocket-pillow-tutorial/

In a popcorn bowl put a dvd, a packet of microwave popcorn, popcorn seasoning, M&Ms, a bottle of Pop and why not a throw? Fuzzy socks, ….
Dans un gros panier ou bol à popcorn (dollarama), ajouter un sachet de popcorn pour micro-ondes, assaisonnement pour popcorn, M&Ms, un jus ou un soda et pourquoi pas une jetée, des petits bas doux, ....
There are some great printables for this here : http://christmas.yourway.net/family-movie-night-gift-basket/
De superbes étiquettes à imprimer sur ce lien.
What else would you add?
Qu'ajouteriez vous àa ce panier cadeau?

Christmas in July 2013 - day 19 / Jour 19 Friday Night at the movies!

The Santa Claus movies (3 cd movie collection), which the elves will also bring this year. Looks like it’s gonna be a great year for Christmas movies!

Voici la collection dvd de 3 films que les lutins vont amener cette année.  Ce sera une bonne année pour les films de Noël chez nous!

Here’s a Santa craft (I made one of these many years ago), A bleach-bottle Santa

Un bricolage de Noël - Père-Noël fait avec une bouteill d'eau de javel (j'en ai fait un il y a plusieurs années)

Source : http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67680491.tip.html

Fun & easy.

Christmas in July 2013 - day 18 / Jour 18 - Getting in shape BEFORE Christmas

We should all get in shape BEFORE Christmas so that we can go through the holidays painlessly.


Here are some ideas to get in shape.

• Exercise daily (or at least 3-4 times a week). If you don’t want to do heavy exercises everyday, stretching exercises are good too – lots of short segments are available on youtube.
• Eat healthy foods – do NOT skip breakfast.
• Stop eating carbs after 4pm (just veggies & proteins)
• Drink 2-3 litres of water per day
• AFD (alcohol-free-days)!
• Get some rest!

  

Here’s a good article on exercising DURING the Christmas Holidays:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Exercise-at-Christmas-Without-the-Gym&id=103730

 

1. Do less

Just do ten minutes if that's all you can manage. Ten minutes of anything - walking around the house or stair stepping or skipping or rebounding - anything that fits your level of fitness and the equipment you have available at home. You can do it in the morning before your shower and it will energise you for everything you have to get done. If you can fit in 10 minutes later on too, so much the better. You'll keep up your fitness levels and use a few calories which you can probably do with at this time of year.

 

2. Do a class at home

Fitness videos are great if you don't have much time. There's no getting to the gym - you have everything you need right at home. You can pick them up for next to nothing from charity shops or treat yourself to one or two for Christmas. And it doesn't matter if you don't know the moves or have the latest fitness gear - nobody's watching!

 

3. Clear Up

No doubt you have to get your home ready for friends and family visiting anyway so make the clear up a workout. Put lots of energy into it! Clear out all that clutter then clean, vacuum and polish everything until it gleams. You'll be ready for guests, keep up your fitness levels and use some calories all at the same time.

 

4. Active fun

If you have a lot of guests and can't get your usual exercise fix organise some active fun for everyone! You could all go bowling or skating. Or try a game of charades or Twister. If it snows, you can go sledging or organise a snowman building competition. At the very least get them all out for a walk every day whatever the weather. There are sure to be some lights to go and see or a local carol service to attend.

 

5. Dance the Night Away

Don't be a wallflower. Take every opportunity to dance at parties (it will keep you away from the buffet table too) or just invite your partner to go dancing over the holidays. You'll have fun, get closer and it'll be great exercise. Dancing uses up between 270 and 540 calories an hour depending on the speed.

 

6. Offer a helping hand

Get active by volunteering your services in your community. You can help serve lunch at a homeless shelter or old people's home. Or just help your neighbours with running errands and snow clearing. You'll get a warm glow from lending a hand as well as from the exercise and feel much better than you do after sitting around all afternoon watching the re-runs of "White Christmas".

 

7. Escape

And if all else fails, next year book a skiing holiday for your Christmas break instead of staying at home. There's a whole year to save up (and to dodge the rows when you tell your family you're going away next year!) Skiing is fantastic exercise and you'll come back fit, invigorated and without those extra few pounds so many seem to acquire over Christmas.

 

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/103730

 

 

Christmas in July 2013 - day 17 / Jour 17 - Food art

Christmas food art! Things that LOOK like Christmas. Des recettes qui RESSEMBLENT à Noël.

That would be easy to do! Your fav coffee with some milk foam… and put a tree cookie cutter over it and sprinkle with cocoa!

Très facile à faire… un café avec de la mousse de lait dessus. Utiliser un emporte-pièces en format de sapin et y saupoudrer du cocoa.

Why not add a snowman marshmallow to your coffee or hot-chocolate? Pourquoi ne pas ajouter des bonhommes de neige guimauves à votre café ou chocolat chaud? Recipe here / Recette ici :

http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/2012/11/easy-snowman-marshmallows/

Christmas in July 2013 - day 16 / Jour 16 - Monthly MHH topics

Here are the 2013 monthly topics on Magical Holiday Home. Chaque mois a un focus au Magical Holiday Home, les voici pour 2013 :

January – Janvier – Notebook month (Rudy day lists + work on notebook). Mois du cartable (préparation des jours de Rudolph & préparation du cartable)

February – Février : Crafty kits month (Rudy day basket to set up with kits & ideas). Préparation de petits kits de bricolages

March – Mars : Books & movies month (inventory, list, read or watch). Livres & films (inventaire, lire ou regarder)

April – Avril : Christmas dishes month & plan Christmas magic for 2013. Mois de la vaisselle de Noël et planifier la magie de Noël pour 2013.

May – Mai : Recipe month & themes (party & decor). Recettes et thèmes

June – Juin : Party planning month & work on master gift list. Planification des party et travailler sur la liste de cadeaux

July – Juillet : Stocking stuffers month and start working on cards – and CIJ! Mois des bas de Noël, travailler sur les cartes & Noël en juillet!

August – Août : Month of the Elves – le mois des Lutins

September – Septembre : Baking month (select & plan our baking and menus) & ornament needs. Mois de préparation pour la bouffe des Fêtes (liste de ce que l’on veut faire & les ingrédients à acheter). Vérification des décorations à acheter cette année.

October – Octobre : Gifts in a jar and basket month - quick check of master gift list. Cadeaux dans des pots & paniers cadeaux ainsi qu’un regard rapide sur la liste cadeaux

November – Novembre : Wrap it up month. Wrap up other things. Advent calendar. Le mois de l’embllage! Terminer ce qui reste à faire. Préparation du calendrier de l’avent

Décembre – Décember : Relax et Enjoy. Relaxer et s’amuser.

Christmas in July 2013 - day 15 / Jour 15 - Christmas music inventory

Christmas music I own. Musique de Noël que je possède :

•  Chakidor – Le cœur en fête (4*)
• Sears – Musique du temps des fêtes (3*)
• Disney’s Christmas collection (3*)
• Christmas Carols – cd gravé que Maxime a eu par un Secret Santa (4*)
• Jigger Noël
• Zellers – au rythme du temps des fêtes (2*)
• Cool Yule – 2 CD (3*)
• Christmas treasure – volume 2 (2*)
• Christmas is for kids, volume 1 & 2
• Un martini pour Noël (4*)
• Pierre Lalonde (3*)
• Noël des crooners
• Christmas with the chipmunks
• CD gravé musique du jour de l’an

Christmas in July 2013 - day 14 / Jour 14 - Christmas Movie inventory

Today I inventoried the Christmas movies I own (think I need to keep this list close at hand when I go shopping so as not to buy the same movies!)

Voici les films de Noël que je possède (je devrais garder une copie de cette liste dans mon sac à mains pour quand je vais magasiner pour ne pas acheter le même film 2 fois!)

•  Polar Express / Le Boréal Express
• Elf / Le Lutin
• Grinch
• Christmas vacation / Le Sapin a des boules
• Fred Clause
• Miracle on 34th (old version) / Miracle sur la 34e (ancienne version)
• Four Christmases (which I don’t like) / 4 Noëls (je n’aime pas)
• The Family Stone / La famille Stone
• The Family Holiday / Une famille pour Noël
• Christmas with the Kranks / Noël avec les Kranks
• Secret Santa / Un père-Noël au grand cœur
• Jack Frost / Petit papa Noël
• You’ve got mail / Vous avez un message

 Films that the Elves will bring us in 2013. Les films que les lutins nous apporteront en 2013 :

• A Christmas Story / Une Histoire de Noël
• The 3 Santa-Claus movies / Les 3 films du ‘Père-Noël’

Christmas in July 2013 - day 13 / Jour 13 - DIY gift ideas

DIY gifts, there is a great list here with the tutorials - 100 days of Christmas gifts.  Sur ce site vous trouverez des tutoriels pour 100 jours de cadeaux faits-mains.


http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/homemade-christmas-gifts/

For example, this simple one - homemade plastic bag holder from a towel.  Par example, celui-ci très simple - porte-sacs fait à partir d'une serviette à mains.

http://www.blessingsoverflowing.com/2010/11/hand-towel-plastic-bag-holder/

Christmas in July 2013 - day 12 / Jour 12 - Friday Night at the movies!

Christmas with the Kranks / Noël chez les Kranks

I like this funny film that teaches us what is important for Christmas. J’aime bien ce film très drôle qui nous montre ce qui est important pour les Fêtes.

 

Tim Allen is a must in Christmas movies! Tim Allen est très bon dans les films de Noël.




Hmmm… how about a Christmas sweater like the mom wears in the movie? Que diriez vous d’un gilet comme la maman porte dans le film?

Not the real one but gives you an idea.  Pas tout à fait celu8-ci mais ça vous donnes une idée.

And of course a recipe for easy-peasy honeyed ham in the crockpot! Et bien sûre la recette du jambon dans la mijoteuse très facile!

Honeyed-Ham recipe

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 (8 pound) cured, bone-in picnic ham

Directions

Spread about 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar on the bottom of the slow cooker crock. Place the ham flat side down into the slow cooker - you might have to trim it a little to make it fit. Use your hands to rub the remaining brown sugar onto the ham. Cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours.

Source : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-ham/Detail.aspx

Of course you can add some spices per your taste. Vous pouvez y ajouter des épices selon votre goût.