Gift Scarf for My Besties

Hello!

Hope all your holiday prep and planning is going well!

This may be my last post until after the holidays.

I need to get things baked, wrapped and packed

to head back to MI for Christmas.

I, also, need to finish up these...

While I'm home,

I get to see most of my besties!

We are getting together on the 27th! : )

I'm making them all these scarves.

They will have different fabrics on each of them.

I found these Columbia fleece scarves on clearance

at Sierra Trading Post.

I then went to CouponCabin.com

to get a coupon code for 25% off any size order.

The cost per scarf $4.80 plus shipping.

Not bad!

I wore my scarf to lunch today.

Sorry about the yellow-ish picture.

This apartment bathroom has horrible lighting!

Ok, I'm off to make some scarves and to clean.

Have a joyous and blessed holiday season!!!

Hugs!

Kim

Linking up to:

Dishing It

~Do you have any specific traditions that your family looks forward to each Christmas?

Yep, for us it's stockings on Christmas Eve
followed by the kids giving mom and dad
their gifts to them.
One more big one...
cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning!

~Is your tree real or fake?

We have 2 fake trees.

Back in MI,

one would go in the living room,

the other in the dining room.

Here in IL,

we put the dining room tree in our living room.

~Do you have any favorite ornaments?

I love the ones with the kids pictures.

I love nature ornaments.

I think I love all ornaments!

~What's your favorite Christmas treat?

I have 2...

homemade caramel corn and

homemade cinnamon rolls.

Mmmmm.

~Best Christmas gift you ever received?

I don't think I have a favorite.

I try to enjoy them all every year.

~Coolest crafty thing you made or home decor thing you tried this Christmas season?

I really love my button tree!

~Your favorite Christmas movie?

Hmmm...

I like to watch a bunch of them.

I don't have a fave.

I watch them on ABC FAMILY and Lifetime.

~Most difficult person you have to buy for?

That would be my mother-in-law.

~What's the number one thing on your kids'/husband's/wife's/significant other's list this year?

On hubby's list is a new home.

He's very ready to move on to non-apartment living again.

~If Santa could bring you one big surprise this year, what would you want it to be?

An AccuQuilt fabric cutter.


There you have it!
Join in the fun!

Have a blessed holiday season!!!

Hugs!

Kim

Creative Packaging

While wrapping my son's gifts,

I needed a roundish box.

I saved a cornmeal box,

cleaned it out,

added some paper with Mod Podge

and then added some pretty ribbon.

Easy peasy.

My daughter asked me to mail her brother's gift card for her.

She gave me an Altoid's tin and said do something with it.

With not having a lot of time on my hands,

I used the same paper as the last,

traced the tin onto it

and cut it out.

I used Mod Podge again to adhere the paper to the tin.

Added the same kind of ribbon

and Ta-Da!

Now to get to the UPS Store to mail all his things.

Slowly making progress on my

Christmas to-do list!

Have a great day! Keep warm if you're any place cold like me!

Hugs!

Kim

Post Office Day

Source

Morning!

On today's agenda...

mailing Christmas packages

and wrapping some more to take to UPS.

I'm not sure the post office will be happy to see me or not.

I know they are in need of funds but

I have 7 packages to send out.

Well, at least the recipients will be happy to see their boxes!

Hope you're staying warm and enjoying the season!

I'm enjoying the season but it's hard to keep warm!

It's soooo cold!

Hugs!

Kim

My Hair Secret

Sorry no pics today.

I have been keeping a secret about my hair.

After moving here my doctor said my thyroid

was running high.

He and I have been having a decade debate as

to what level my thyroid should be.

He wants to keep it at laboratory levels.

I personally feel my best when it is at the high

side of normal and one tick above normal.

So, as per usual...

we debated my thyroid levels in August.

I reluctantly agreed to a tiny drop in my

dosage of thyroid medication,

even though in my heart and soul,

I knew I felt great despite the numbers.

With the drop of medication,

my hair started falling out in hand fulls!

I, literally, clogged the tub when I took a shower.

(Much to hubby's frustration!)

After a month and a half of this,

hubby convinced me to increase my dose

(against medical advice)

to see what would happen.

At this point I had lost an

inch to inch and a half of hair just around my face.

The rest of my head is considerably thinner too.

My hair did stop falling out : )

I went to see the doctor who was not pleased with me.

He said many things can cause hair loss.

I told him that I knew how my body reacted.

I am very sensitive to changes in my body

and very sensitive to medication.

I have been dealing with this for over 20 years!

For some reason since my thyroid was destroyed,

my levels just won't level off.

He sent me for labs...again...

guess what they came back normal for a change!

That doesn't happen very often.

Long story short,

I know my body.

I was right.

This week...

my hair started growing back around my face.

Many, many tiny little grey hairs.

So what if they're grey...

IT'S HAIR!!!

I will probably be sporting bangs

when these hairs get unruly.

It will grow out!

At least it is hair!

It's really hard to hide

hair loss sometimes.

Mine could be worse

but I'm a girl.

I want my hair!

Now back to the holiday season!

I got my gift of hair!

Hugs!

Kim



Christmas in a Tiny Apartment

This is my first Christmas in the apartment.

It's not so bad.

I brought just enough with me from Michigan to

make it all pretty.

Here ya go...

Clarice and Mickey ornaments.

This tree use to sit in my dining room back home.

I put our favorite nostalgic Christmas cartoon

ornaments on this tree.

Along with the cartoon characters,

you'll find bits of nature,

tiny balls,

tiny candy canes

and many other tiny ornaments.

This is Emma's stocking.

Sometimes she sits near it and stares up at the reindeer.

 My pretty nativity.

The turquoise tree is from my son,

the picture doesn't show it's true color.

Turquoise is my new color for Christmas,

this year.

The picture shelf.

I finally got pictures developed for it.

Just need to add them.

The snow people pair,

I bought for hubby 2 years ago for the apartment.

My parents brought me tons of pine cones

from Florida last year.

These are hanging on the inside of our door.

I want to spray paint the frame a lime green in the spring.

I used more of the many pinecones on our buffet.

My attempt at a yarn ball wreath.

I need to run to Target to get more glitter balls

to add around the yarn balls.

I just need to find the time!

There you have it!

Christmas in a tiny apartment.

It feels great to me!

Have a great day!!!

Hugs!

Kim

Gingerbread House Disney Style

It's true!

Disney does everything BIG!!!

At the Grand Floridian Resort,

there is a life size gingerbread house.

They even sell gingerbread cookies from inside.

I didn't buy any, they have a big price!

Here are some photos

of the most beautiful

gingerbread house ever!

The detailing is amazing!

On the window to the left

you can see Tinkerbell!

It smells as awesome as it looks!

Gorgeous!

Some of the cookies dangling in the window.

I'd love a real house and porch like this!

Hope you're all having a great day!

I'll be back tomorrow with some Christmas decor.

I'm finally done decorating the apartment.

It looks great!

Hugs!

Kim



Cuteness Break!

Today, Emma met Santa for the first time!

The Illinois English Bulldog Rescue sponsored photos with Santa

at Zoey's Eatz and Treatz in Willowbrook.

She had so much fun getting lots of bully love and scratches!

We have decided to apply to become foster parents to bullies starting next month.

I'm very excited to possibly be helping out bullies in need!

Have a great day!

I'm off to Target, we forgot our tree stand and tree skirt back in MI.

Hugs!

Kim

Gift Swap Received

Hello!!!

I have some bloggy business to share.

I participated in a gift swap.

I had a really sweet partner : )

Her name is Christina and she mostly reads blogs.

Here is what she sent to me...

A cute shadow box about cupcakes.

I love cupcakes!

I, actually, really, really need one NOW!

She, also, made me this cute little trinket box.

The box contained these super cute earrings!

I LOVE THEM!

Super cute earrings : )

I made a few gifts for Christina and her daughters.

Here they are...

A yo-yo bag in her favorite color of blue.

I really fell in love with this one!

The blue bag needed a close up!

Cute little girlie socks for her her littles.

This was a fun swap!

I'll be back in a day or so with vacation pictures!

Have a great day!!!

Hugs!

Kim

P.S.  I'm linking up here...

Home!

We are home from Disney World!!!

It was sunny and 84 when we left.

We came home to snow flurries.

Drove back to Chicago on very slippery roads from Michigan.

We avoided being one of the unlucky many in the ditch or crashed into guardrails.

I will be back to regular blogging soon!

First I need to unpack and decorate the apartment.

Hope you're all enjoying getting ready for the Reason of the Season!

Be back soon...gotta edit some pictures too!

Hugs!

Kim

Happy Thanksgiving!

source

Happiest of Thanksgiving to all of you!!!

I'm sorry for lack of posts!

I'm working on my gift for the gift exchange (see side bar).

That will be in the mail tomorrow!

I received my gift from my partner. : )

Love my gift!

When I return, I will have pictures of everything for you!

We just got home from MI last night and return on Wednesday.

Friday we leave for Disney : )

Boy oh boy do we need a break from real life!

What a year...what a 3 years!

So, as you can see, I'm busy, busy!

I will be back sometime next week!

I will have pictures and pretties to see.

Have a great Thanksgiving with your families!

Hugs!

Kim

Please Hold

I'm so sorry but the blog you have reached

is currently overloaded with birdseed wreathes,

yo-yo's and other projects with a

weekend deadline.

Kim and Emma will return as soon as possible.

Kim is behind on emailing back too,

but she will be getting back to you

ASAP!

So, while Emma snores away like all bullies do...

Kim will be sewing and stirring birdseed.

Kim and Emma hope you have a great end of your week!

Be back soon!

Hugs!



Thrifty Find and More Yo-Yo Hats

Hello!

Back in MI, over the weekend, I went to the Salvation Army.

I found this really neat hanging picture frame duo.

I plan to spray paint it turquoise when the weather warms up again.

I love the details.

I, also, found these brand new hats at the Salvation Army.

(I prewashed them)

I decided to add yo-yos to these for Lifebuilders.

I love the color combos!

This is my favorite!

I have one more and I'm going to make it for me,

like this one.

Well, I am off to Michael's.

I need to pick up some supplies for my Gift Exchange (see side bar) partner's gift.

I'm linking up today...

 

Have a great day!!!

Hugs!

Kim

I Won!!!

Morning!!!

A couple of weeks ago we went to the Chicago Pet Show.

I wanted to meet the folks at the Illinois English Bulldog Rescue.

We had fun meeting Louis, a rescue waiting for his furever home

and chatting with his foster mom.

Before we left the booth,

I bought some raffle tickets.

I thought I was just supporting the organization

but I actually won one of the prizes...

A Skagen watch, valued at $95!!!

I was so surprised!

Thank you IEBR!!!

Emma sends bully kisses!

We cannot wait to move permanently to Illinois.

When we finally get a house,

we want to be foster bully parents!

Have a great day!!!

Hugs!

Kim

Yo-yos For Charity

Morning!

I've been busy getting some things ready for charity.

I have been making hats for a great organization called

Lifebuilders.

LifeBuilders is a faith based organization...

This is taken from their website:

LifeBUILDERS began in 2005 as a place where people in transition could get all-encompassing help reaching their goals. LifeBUILDERS focus was to provide encouragement, instruction, healthy relationships, transportation, employment and guidance to people in a Christian community.

I have been blessed by hearing the testimony of women who have been helped.

 I know Marilyn and Larry Johnson who run this organization...wonderful people!

Many of my friends help every week with LifeBuilders.

If I was still living in Michigan, I would do more but

from Chicago I can do something!

Last year I started making hats with yo-yo embellishments for their Christmas Store.

I, also, give plain hats for those who are not into embellishments.

Here are some of this years...

Headband hats for little girls.

Another headband hat.

A woman's hat with a little sparkle!

A little girl's hat.

A few of them all together.

Another way I am helping...

Heritage Church in Sterling Heights, MI

are big supporters of LifeBuilders.

Each year Heritage has an auction

and this year all the proceeds from

the tickets and the auction

go directly to LifeBuilders.

We will be there!

Saturday, November 20th!

I will be making one of these for the auction...

It will be all wrapped up pretty in a Christmas hat box.

Pictures to come.

Sooo...that's one way I'm giving back this holiday season.

Hope you have a great weekend!!!

Hugs!

Kim