Felt Pizza Promise

Last Christmas *ahem* I promised Alexa I'd make her a felt pizza. Well, I did make her a bunch of other felt food but didn't get her pizza done in time for Christmas. So I told her I'd work on it after the new year and get it to her as soon as possible.
It took a little longer than I thought it would. But it's FINISHED!

Finally!
So sorry Alexa! Thanks for your patience. She really is happy with it. And has been playing with it a lot.

I'm only about 10 months past when I was supposed to have it done for her. At least I got it done before this Christmas. Which, by the way, is only 65 days, 2 hours and 16 minutes away. Eek! I gotta get crackin' on this year's Christmas gifts!

TTFN

~Tina

Christmas Season Photo Album

As this Christmas season comes to an end, I thought I would share some photo highlights with you.....

All dressed up for Christmas Eve Mass

After Mass, we always drive around for a little while looking at Christmas lights. It's so fun! We try to find Christmas music on the radio to complement the light displays we see. We've come to know where some of the most festive houses are around here, but we are always on the hunt for new ones.

At home, we have our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of breaded shrimp, crescent rolls, fries, and corn. We are usually rushed for time (either due to hungry children or having to get to Mass, depending on how things go that day), so it's good to have these convenient yet traditional favorites. And of course we have Oplatek.

We have started the tradition, a few years ago, of exchanging gifts that the children have for us and each other on Christmas Eve, after Mass. In the flurry of excitement on Christmas morning, it's easy for the children to forget to say "thank you" to a sibling for a well thought out or handmade gift. I find that if we take our time on Christmas Eve, for the children to open gifts from each other, they show their appreciation more. They've really come to look forward to this time. They enjoy watching as their sibling opens a gift that they worked so hard on. And I give them each one handmade gift from John and I, too.

How adorable is this duck that Taylor made for Evan?!!
And this snowman that she made for Skylar?! Sky loves him! He's soooo soft!
Evan seemed to enjoy his homemade dressup box from mommy and daddy......

and his family photo album from Alexa. He loves looking at the photos of people who love him.
Alexa was OVERJOYED with her felt food! I still need to make her the pizza and breakfast tray. She was especially happy with the Teatime tray.I found this cute large photo storage box for her to keep her felt goodies in. It slides under her bed (away from the exploring and sometimes destroying hands of Evan). All of the girls enjoyed some time under the cozy fleece blanket that I made for Skylar.Taylor received this adorable card/book from Alexa. She used Alice in Wonderland stickers, crayons, and her imagination to describe why she loves her sister. It really touched Taylor's heart. Alexa made another book for Sky, filled with Skylar's favorite things...
Skylar chose this Tinkerbell "magic cloth" for Alexa.....
and a Little Einstein's coloring book for Evan....
And these delightful earrings for Taylor.....

I can't seem to find photos of it, but Taylor made a messenger type, dark pink, patterned bag for Alexa to carry all of her goodies in! It even has clever pockets on the front that suit the kinds of toys Alexa likes to have with her. (You can see the pink strap of the bag over Alexa's shoulder).

I painted and designed for Taylor, a small wooden box with The Cheshire Cat on the top. She seemed to like it. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find photos of it, either.

Some scenes from around our home on Christmas Eve....

Our Family Altar Above the fireplace.

I'll have to stop here, for now. I'll continue sharing our Christmas photo highlights with you as soon as I can. Hope you enjoy your weekend!

TTFN

~Tina

~~HANDMADE CHRISTMAS~~ More felt play food

I finished up the felt play food set that I was making for my niece. Today I boxed it up to get it ready to mail (I'm only about 3 weeks late *sarcasm*). Sorry about that, Mike and Nicki.

Anyhoo, as I was boxing it up, Alexa said, "Wait, I need to say goodbye!" I started cracking up. "Goodbye to what?", I said through my laughter. She said, "the felt food." So I guess that's a good sign.

As I was creating it, I would show the girls, to get their opinions, but I never let them play with it, since it was a gift for Kyra. So here's the last few items....

A box of chinese noodles, an eggroll and a fortune cookies. These are kind of lame. I'll have to work on improving them. I just bought the take-out box at the craft store to make it more fun.

Then I made this Teatime Tray. This is one of Alexa's favorites. I bought a wooden tray from the craft store, left it unfinished and lined it with sparkly white felt that I cut down to size. Then I put a gold doily in the center. I attached some small artificial flowers at two of the corners for a feminine touch. On the tray are 5 "cookies with icing and sprinkles on them", all different shapes. And then in the little bag are felt "teabags". I tried to make them the right size for a child's sized teacup. So simple, but Alexa was really excited about this.

And last but not least is this apron. I just bought a premade "blank" , child sized apron and decorated it with fabric pens. (Alexa might like one of these, too).

So, now that I've completed my niece's felt food collection, I really need to start on Alexa's. Shhhh. I am so pleased to be able to create something that my daughter is now requesting for Christmas. That's a first for me.

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back as soon as I can, to keep you updated on our Homemade Christmas. Hope you are having a blessed Advent!

TTFN

~Tina

~~*HANDMADE CHRISTMAS*~~ Felt Play Food

I recently posted about how I hope to make as many gifts as possible this Christmas. I should have started months ago. Well, actually I did, but then stopped........for a long, long time. I started back up again in early November, but still have so much to do.

I began earlier this month, with a new project, something I've never attempted before......felt food. The first batch is actually for my niece's birthday. I was supposed to go to her BD party in PA a few weeks ago, but things didn't work out like we planned. So I knew I'd have to mail her gift. Then more ideas kept popping into my head. So she still hasn't received her BD gift (so sorry, Kyra). But that's because I came up with a few things to add that I really think she'll like.

Oh, and after seeing all of these things I'm creating for her cousin, Alexa has now requested them for Christmas, too. She doesn't know that some of what she's seeing will be hers. Shhh.

This first one is for Kyra. I'll make one for Alexa, too. I love the fact that you can put the toppings on the pizza, and take them off again. I'll think they'll enjoy pretending that way.

The cheese and sauce are sewn on, but the rest of the toppings are removable. So fun!

There are onions, green peppers, and pepperoni. Mmmmm. Yummy. I wrapped it in cellophane on a cardboard circle (kind of like you'd get a frozen pizza from a box).

I also made Kyra a breakfast tray. I bought an unfinished tray at the craft store, put a doily on it, and filled it with....

bacon,

an egg,

and pancakes with syrup with butter,

And it's all wrapped up and ready for Kyra.

Then I made this cheeseburger, fries and cookies "bag lunch" for Alexa.

Taylor made the "Mrs. Felt's" cookie bag for me to put the chocolate chip cookies in. And the cheeseburger can be put together like the pizza.....lots of parts to the sandwich make it more fun to play with, I think.
I am working on chinese take-out food for Kyra and Alexa and a teatime tray for Kyra. I'll try to post pics of those, once they are completed.



Creating felt food is so addictive! I don't use a machine. Everything is sewn by hand, so I can sit and watch a movie after the kids are in bed, as I sew. I also don't us patterns (I'm such a rebel). I just see something I think the children would enjoy playing with, and attempt it. Most of the time it works out, but sometimes it doesn't. Well, what you think? Mind you, these are first attempts, so be nice to me.

How are your Christmas crafts coming?
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!
TTFN
~Tina