My new star lights. They twinkle. They said twinkle on the box. Before I paid for them wish I would have seen the word, twinkle. Sorta pretty, the little eye spasms they are.

Ry helped me bake some White Chocolate Peppermint Scones. It was given to me as a dry-mix Christmas gift. Super Yummy. So Yummy, the Y in Yummy is staying capitalized.

FYI: I am seeing the Nestle white chocolate red and green swirls chips on way-clearance everywhere. They are totally worth the buy.

**growl**excuse me, I think I need to go downstairs and eat more right now!

If  you have convinced yourself, I only spend my evenings staring at tiny bulbs and gorging myself into near sugar shock in peaceful quiet bliss. Let me correct you.

It’s noisy here.

WALL-E joined our family post-Christmas. Grammy Lu and Papa Den’s Santa sent it in the mail. The Elves said it had fallen off the sleigh. He is buzzing around our home very nicely. Thank you elves!

The above photo is of Molly’s love-hate relationship with WALL-E. She runs away when he gets too close but she never stops talking to WALL-E. We even have to say good night to him before she’ll go to sleep.

Speaking of noise. Sack race anyone?

Last night, at the final Christmas party of the year (Hi Aunt Karen!), I received a few reusable Target bags filled with lovely, fun treats and movies (yes, for future nights of staring and gorging). Little did I know that the bags would be so…how do you say?…useful?

Ry hopped right out of his Target bag as he rounded the corner.

Some of my photos can be so soothing, inspiring, and pleasant. Don’t be fooled. The noisemakers, as V from V and Co. calls her children, are always nearby.

The tree is looking a bit stressed:

• The manger scene under the tree looks more like a bus station with people littered all about.
• The, “No, Molly!”, effect has long lost its ability to thwart my little one from thinking all the ornaments are her play things, so the the tree looks like it is not wearing any pants.
• I found more mini-ornaments from the kids’ tree in the tuper-ware drawer than on the mini-tree.
• Even the mini artificial tree decorating the bathroom is starting to shed its needles. Is that even possible?

So to help me ease out of Christmastime and into this new year, besides clearance shopping myself into the poor house, I thought of a few projects to do with leftovers. No, not old ham and potatoes. Crafts, what else?

Leftover Cards

Ornament shown was made by my Aunt Mary Jo.

When I was a kid, my Aunt Mary Jo taught me how to make a circle-triangle patterned sphere ornament. I thought of publishing a tutorial here at Just a Blink, but why reinvent the wheel?

I searched the web and found an Icosahedron Ornament tutorial from a math teacher’s blog called, The Quilted Turtle, that makes this project formerly know as, Old Christmas Card Balls, sound way cool. Check it out if you want to re-purpose your Christmas cards this season.

Used Advent Nativity Calendar

Q: Want to make a fun Christmas scene for your felt board but don’t want to cut it out of felt?

A: Reuse an old advent calendar or buy one at an after Christmas close-out sale to create such a scene.

Items Needed:

• Felt board
• Old advent calender with nativity scene or other winter-y/Christmas-y illustrations
• Scissors
• Just Hooks (one sided Velcro; sold in office supply stores)
• Lamination or Clear contact paper (for longer lasting pieces)

Directions:

1. Cut out desired pieces
2. Laminate
3. Apply self-sticking, one-sided Velcro to each piece
4. Stick pieces onto felt board for a removable and playable Christmas or Nativity felt board scene

Someday Blankets

**I Heart Target** I picked-up two King flannel sheet sets, on Christmas clearance, for $5 a piece. Yes, I said King. I saw the cozy and wintry patterns on the flannel and I knew that they had to come home with me. They hopped in my cart like a match made in heaven. Little do they know, they’ll be cut-up and poked with a needle a couple thousand times.

Oh wait, I don’t know where my bobbin is or how to get sheets to become blankets for my darling little ones.

But for now I’ll keep the sheets tucked away, by my absurdly large, decor shelf collection (I just seem to attract them at every garage sale I see), in the corner of my closet for the someday blankets I know they have the destiny to become.

Summer, in all it’s sandy glory, is pretty wonderful too.

Here are some wonderful things from this time of the year, in no particular order.

1. Felt snowflakes; I made a garland of white lights and a variety of gray snow flake ornaments for over the sliding glass door.

2. Milk and Cookies; Is that patio furniture still in plain sight? Why yes it is. BBQ, anyone?

3. Handmade Gifts; Great Aunt Mary Jo and her friend Diane made a set for Molly’s doll crib; Wool socks so colorful and warm…from who else? Julie, my knitter friend and co-worker.

4. Bundled Children; I think Molly and Ry look like such a great team as they slide down our backyard together on a sled.

5. Warm Cozy Nights; That don’t start until 9-something because Ry, 4,  just has to push the limits by getting out of bed…every night.

It is a wonderful season. Thank you all that have been so loving at Christmas and throughout the year!

I think if I were given free rein over the house I could reinvent most of my life using a shovel, scissors and paint. Too much TV, plastic, sticky floors, loud toys, where’s this?, where’s that?, fast food, more TV, icky colors and dirty socks. Still we have lots of love, time and fun its not all bad.

I want to avoid frustration because I love living freely and not tied up in sad little knots. I will need a project to cure my creative home executive fix. I need simplicity. Too big I’ll get lost. Too little and it won’t help. I need The Simplicity Project (TSP).

My heart is brimming with inspiration but alas my eyelids are drooping from fatigue. My brain is overflowing with joy yet my hands are heavy laden with work. Balance, pace and commitment will all be involved with TSP.

Three steps to creating TSP

1. Big plans that are fluid. I must be flexible, easy-going and in motion.
2. Little spaces that are solid. I may not be able to move my actual house but our foundation in Christ is solid.
3. Happy hopes that are steamy. I will lift my desires upward. Seeking Him who strengthens me.