HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT AND HELP SUPPORT A FRIEND!!

Definition of Support:

 

 comfort and emotional help offered to someone in distress.

 

 "she's been through a bad time and needs our support"

 

 synonyms:  encouragement, friendship, strength, consolation, solace, succor, relief

 

 

 



HAVE A SNOWBALL FIGHT AND HELP SUPPORT A FRIEND!! 
 
Need a fun gift for the holidays, birthday, dorm or office gift?  Indoor snowballs are fun for all ages.  People can't resist throwing them at each other.

As many of you know our family is in a really tight spot financially.  I'm NOT asking for your sympathy or a hand out and don't mean to offend anyone with this post, but if you would please take a minute and read this I'd appreciate it.
Earl is working 60-70 hours a week and since we don't have a car he's been walking 6 miles each way to and from work, he is fortunate enough to catch rides some day and we are grateful for that.  We've been really struggling for about 5 years now, BUT we are beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.   Of course every time we seem to take a step or two forward we seem to get knocked back five or six steps....such is life, but we do try to make the best of it.

Anyway, I stay at home so I can be here with my kids and I try to make extra money by sewing.  We REALLY need to earn more than we are making so we can get a car before winter and still pay our bills.  I would like to help out more and ......SO.......with some encouragement from a friend this is what I am proposing.

I am taking orders on these handmade, fun, and quality "Indoor Snowballs" and hoping that some of my Facebook friends will help us out and support us with your shopping needs.   If your not interested in purchasing any snowballs could you please share this post on your page so others will see it.

Here's what you'll be getting:  A Baker's Dozen of the Indoor Snowballs and a nice cloth drawstring bag to put them in all handmade by me all for $25.00 and that includes shipping.   The fabric on the bags will vary depending on what kind of "snowy" fabric I can find, but I can send you a photo of the completed bag before mailing to make sure it's okay with you.  If you would like a smaller set I can do 6 snowballs and a bag for $12.50 including shipping.   It takes me a few days to make them since it's all done by hand.

 

 

Each snowball comes with a handstitched face (they all vary....I just go with the flow when I'm stitching them) and a felt nose that is hand sewn on.  The cheeks are acyrlic paint.

Snowballs are made out of Cotton Flannel fabric, Stuffed with polyster fiberfill, Machine washable and dryer safe.  The snowball are sturdy (they won't melt no matter what the weather temp. is!)

I want to thank you in advance and so do Earl's feet!

Sincerely,

Sherry

sherryreneew@hotmail.com



Indoor Snowball Fights

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted.

Time definitely has been flying by for me!

 

I wanted to share what I made my grandkids for Christmas.

I just finished them and handed them out to most of the grandkids last night,

so I hope they had fun with them last night!

 

I made fabric snowballs for an indoor snowball fight and then bags to put them in.

I made the snowballs out of a variety of white fabrics and some of the

snowballs are plain and some have snowman faces on them.

 

 

 



 

168 Snowballs

 

 

 

Jace had to jump in the middle of the snowballs.

 

 

 

Three of the bags I made for the grandkids to put they're snowballs in.

 

 

Now I need to make some snowballs for my kids!!

 

This is the kind of snow that I don't mind!!

PLEASE Shop Etsy!!

Christmas will be tight or nonexistant this year if I don't make some sells,

so please remember me

 when your doing your holiday shopping.

 

I have lots of fun stuff and will take orders.

 

So please don't forget to shop with me.

Free shipping from Thanksgiving thru the following Tuesday at my Etsy shops

 

Sherry's Sewing and Crochet Shop

 

and

 

A Pinch of This - A Dash of That

 

Thanks!!!!



More of What I Made

Here is a picture I borrowed from my sister Robyn. I had her family's name for Christmas and so I Made here a scarf and fingerless gloves in a really pretty rusty, turquoise and gray blend of the Lion Brand Tweed Stripes yarn. It is my favorite color of all of the tweeds. I also made some zebra striped pillows for my niece Ashley because Robyn and Ashley painted her walls in zebra stripe and it looks so cool! I had to make something to add to it. I also made some hotpads and then Emeril's Baby Bam and some chocolate covered pretzels. I really need to learn how to make things for guys though. Sorry Matthew and Darrin!! I had fun making everything up for Robyn's family....I just wish we lived closer so I could actually see them!!

Mug Rug Swap

I was in Aunt Pitty Pat's Mug Rug Swap

and I received the most beautiful package from my partner Donnely.

I am so late in posting this and I apologize to Donnely

a thousand times over.

I don't know where the time has gone.

Donnely sent me 2 beautiful Mug Rugs. The detail is amazing and I love all of the quilting she did. She also sent some yummy Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa in a cute cup, candy canes and then a really nice sign that says "Peace" and an ornament too.

Thank you so much Donnely for all of the time you put into making my swap package beautiful!

You did an amazing job!

This is the mat I made

I also made a coaster and a napkin
and sent some hot cocoa and candy canes and some hard candies.

Thanks Aunt Pitty Pat for a fun swap and

Thank you Donnely for a wonderful and most thoughtful package!

CountDoown to Christmas Day 4 and Cathy's CountDown to Christmas

Today's box comes from Hope of Pixies Ponderings who lives in England.

She sent me this glittery little box with a super cute bottle top ornie inside.

It is so cute!

Thanks Hope!

Here's my day #4 that someone out there received.

It is a little Rudolph box with a "Nose cover" and extra red light bulb inside the box.

Cathy has been having a monthly Christmas ideas and projects blog-a-long going to inspire everyone to get an early start on Christmas. I can't really show any of the things I've been making because most of my family sees my blog......so I thought I'd share a recipe with you.

I started making Emerils Baby Bam several years ago and sending it to my family back home using it for as part of teachers gifts and giving it to my older kids in their bags at Christmas. It's easy to make and everyone really seems to enjoy it.

Ingredients needed:

3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Yield: About 3/4 cup

I make it in huge quantities because I give it to so many people. I usually go to Sam's to get the bulk spices and either save and reuse old spice jars from the year or buy plastic salt and pepper shakers at Wal-mart to bottle the Baby Bam in.

Enjoy!

Cathy's Countdown to Christmas

Cathy inspired me to get busy on Christmas last month. I have been working on Christmas presents for other people, (but I can't show them yet!) and some stuff for my house. Did you know it's only 86 days until Christmas????

I bought this vintage looking Michael Miller fabric a couple of years ago on EBay and never knew what to do with it. So I made cloth napkins for us to use during the Christmas season. I ended up with 22 napkins.

and then I used the rest of the fabric for 6 patchwork hotpads.
I'm making a table runner too, but I don't have the backing fabric yet so I'll show that when I'm finished.

Thanks for the inspiration Cathy!

I'm Starting on Christmas!!

Cathy at Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much is hosting a Christmas CountDown and a Giveaway for anyone who participates. Today is the deadline for this month and then Oct, Nov. and Dec 7 are the upcoming deadlines to enter. I appreciate Cathy getting me inspired to get started on my Christmas stuff!!

I made 13 drawstring bags for our family to use for Christmas gifts. I've made several of these in the past, but not any for our family. So I got out my Christmas fabric and got started. I have various sizes and prints. I also made some "Cars" bags for the little guys in my family. I still need to make more....some now and then I will probably add a few every year.

I think this will be a nice alternative to trying to find boxes, buying wrapping paper and tape and spending hours wrapping gifts every year. I think it will also be fun to get the bags out every year and remember what you got in that bag the previous year. A new family tradition that I think will be fun and a lot easier for me in the long run.

I have my next month's project cut out and ready to sew. I'm excited to get started and Thanks again Cathy for the inspiration!

A Couple of Cuties

Merry Christmas!

My grandson Anthony decorating their Christmas tree

Another grandson, Chad, Jr., sitting under the tree.

Chad, Jr.'s first visit with Santa

The Kids Visit with Santa

Last night we took the kids to the mall to see Santa. I didn't think we were going to get to go, but, Yay!, we borrowed a car and we all 5 got to go. Jace is asking Santa for a big Purple Present. He doesn't care what's in it he just wants a big purple present. Easy enough! Mallory isn't telling anyone what she asked Santa for because she wants to prove to her friends that Santa is real. Of course he's real! The kids all only asked for one thing and we'll see if tomorrow morning if their wishes came true! Now I'm off to sew some more because I have gifts to make to take back home. We leave in 3 more days! Yay!

Have a Wonderful, Safe and Blessed Christmas Eve!

Just a quick and random fact: "A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," was published in the Troy Sentinel on Dec. 23, 1823.
Today that poem turns 186.
It was first published anonymously, but was later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore.

Earl's hometown it Troy, NY. Every year he reminds me of this and every year the newspaper prints the story on the front page. I think it's a nice tradition.

I Have Witnessed the Magic of Christmas

I don't usually blog about our family problems, as it is so much nicer to blog about happy things, but I to share this story I have to blog about some bad things.

Earl and I have had a rough couple of years financially. We honestly had no money to buy our kids Christmas presents. I have been sewing and crocheting like crazy to make things (that's why I haven't been blogging), but I can only sew so much. I didn't know what we were going to do for our little ones this Christmas in regards to "S". Ezie and Mallory are wonderful about understanding that we don't have money, but they're still kids and they still want real toys not just things that mom made.

So I just wanted to share with you some of the wonderful miracles that we have been blessed with in the last week and to let you know that there are some wonderful, giving people out there that I will be eternally grateful to for making our family have a blessed and wonderful Christmas.

1. My mom bought me and the 3 kids bus tickets to Kansas and is letting us stay with her for 3 weeks plus some money for food along the way. Mom, it's been a long time since you've had a house full...you may regret this gift!
2. My dad sent us our Christmas money early so I was able to order the kids each a nice gift from "S".
3. Someone left a laundry basket full of food on our front porch the other night and said it was from "Santa".
4. Two of my kids and a friend gave us a total of $230.00 to use for Christmas and our trip.
5. The kids school adopted Ezie and Mallory and yesterday they dropped off 2 huge bags full of presents and a $65.00 gift certificate to the local grocery store.

You don't know how much all of the kindness that people have shown us has meant to me and Earl. It is hard, embarrassing and very depressing to be in this position and normally I wouldn't share any of this with my blogging friends, but I am so grateful and so touched by the kindness of others that I had to share some Christmas "Magic" with you.

Christmas, Snowmen and Sewing

We had a nice time the other night with all of the kids and grandkids here for Christmas. It was busy, fun and exhausting! I forgot to take pictures of the things I made, but here is some of the stuff.....12 pillowcases, 12 mice ornaments, 7 building blocks, 6 hotpads, 4 tissue cases, 3 drawstring bags, 3 crocheted dishcloths, 2 crocheted scarves, 2 baby blankets, 2 covered photo albums, 1 lap quilt, 1 baby bib, 1 tote bag, and I'm almost finished with a crocheted hat, scarf and another dishcloth. I think that's all. I still have so much more to get done!!!!

Here is a picture of Jace, Ezie and Mal with their snowman after it snowed last week.

My kids love the snow!

Here is my grandson, Anthony, with his snowman that him and his momma made.

Here is the fabric covered Grandma's Brag Books that I made. It turned out pretty nice, if I may say so myself.

I hope the recipients like them!!
There is a slot to put a piece of cardstock with the child's name and BD.

I just used the little $1.00 photo albums that Wal-Mart sells.

Okay, I have to go get busy. Have a wonderful day!!!

Today is the Day!

We're having a unusually early Christmas this year,

but with 8 kids, 5 spouses and 9 grandkids

all having different schedules this was the day that

worked out to have everyone over for Christmas.

I have so much to do today.

Clean (I really need an elf!!),

cook (a few of the kids favorite things:

beef stroganoff, broccoli soup, and cheesecake),

finish sewing (I'm still not done with a few gifts)

and then wrap everything.

So wish me luck,

have a great day

and

I'd better go get busy!

We are still having Christmas with the 3 little ones on Christmas day,

cause you know,

Santa can't come this early

and when we go to Kansas we're having

Christmas with my parents and siblings.

Yay!!!

We're Getting in the Spirit

We're getting in the Christmas spirit this weekend. I've been sewing and crocheting gifts and the kids have watching Christmas DVD's. We've all been going around the house singing Christmas carols. I just need an elf to please come help me clean the house. The fairies don't seem to want to help me so maybe an elf will???

One of Mallory's friends had a Ginger Bread House Make and Take Party yesterday. Now I think that her friends mother is absolutely crazy because she had 30 kids at her house to decorate gingerbread houses. This mom even made all of the gingerbread from scratch. All she asked was that each child bring a bag of candy to share with the others for decorating.

This is a picture of Mallory's gingerbread house and I think her brothers stuck the car next to it.

Then we had snow yesterday. The kids have been out for over an hour this morning playing with our neighbor. They are having so much fun! Jace LOVES the snow.

This is a picture looking outside of my computer room window of the snow.

If anyone needs some quick and fun Christmas gift ideas make sure and check out Twyla and Lindsey's blog, Two Crazy Crafter's and also Aunt Pitty Pat's blog. They all have some really neat ideas for Christmas.

Fairies, Birds and Mice....Oh My! An Enchanted Ornament Swap

Val from Yarni Gras hosted an Enchanted Ornament Swap and as usual, I couldn't pass it up.

I even won one of these little mushrooms from Val.

It is so cute and my first mushroom too!

Thanks Val!!

(I borrowed your picture too)

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the person who sent to me was my sweet blogger friend Missy from Fairy Child Heirlooms. I received a beautiful dish towel that she made, some yummy peppermint bark that Missy and her girls made and then the most beautiful little fairy ornament.

I just think she is so pretty! She reminds me of fairies from storybooks that I looked at as a child. This little fairy is not getting put up at Christmas but she is going to be out all year long where I can enjoy her.

Thanks Missy for the wonderful package!!


Here is what I sent to my secret partner, Jennie from J. Nichelle. The first thing on her list of things she liked was birds. I made a couple different things before I came up with this little cone that I filled with a bird and some other doodads.

Then I made her the little mouse in the walnut shell ornament.

It reminds me of Thumbelina.

and then I sent her kids a couple of my mice candy cane holders.

Thanks Jen for letting me borrow your photos! They turned out a lot better than mine did. I had fun with this swap and if you like nature based and enchanted ornaments

Val is hosting a year around swap for 2010.

It is called "A Year of Enchantment" and every month there will be a different theme and by the end of 2010 you will have 12 enchanting ornaments for your tree.

Be sure and stop by Val's swapper blog to get more info and sign up for the swap.

A Different Kind of Mice

I just found these little mice ornaments that I had made last year, but with moving over Christmas I forgot to give them to the kids.

So in keeping with my mice theme the kids will have 2 different mice ornaments this year.

It was nice to find something that was already made for Christmas!!

I just have to add the strings and I've got more mice ready to go! Yay!

I Have Mice in My House!

My Grandma used to make us kids a crocheted or plastic canvas ornament every year for Christmas that would either hold a candy cane or a Hershey's kiss. I decided that I was going to start Grandma's tradition for my grandkids that seem to have been multiplying like crazy lately. So these little mice are what I'm making for this year. I'm making one for all the kids and grandkids so I still have quite a few more to go. I think they're turning out pretty cute and hopefully the kids will like them and have fond memories of me like I do of my Grandma.

Just a Couple of Quick Things

Val from Yarni Gras is having an "Enchanted Ornament Swap" if your interested. You only have to make ONE ornament in a nature theme. Fairies, gnomes, unicorns, acorns, etc...... and signups close on Halloween night. Be sure and check it out on her swap blog, Val's swaps are always so much fun!

and next

my newest thing I'm going to be putting in my shops.

HO! HO! HO!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I just finished this little purse for Christmas. It can be for little girls or for bigger girls who still believe or just believe in fun!! It's lined with a piece of Christmas fabric and the felt eyes and nose are glued on as well as stitched for extra security. I'm going to add a snap to the top that will be under the Santa Hat so it won't be seen.

Our Belated Family Christmas Dinner

With moving and the weather we just had all 8 of the kids and their families over for a Christmas dinner on Saturday. It was so nice! There were just a few presents, mainly for the little kids, but that didn't even seem to matter to anyone. Earl had a great time talking to my boys. This is Jesse and Jeremy. I made the boys favorite Broccoli Soup with garlic bread from when they were little and Earl made the younger kids favorite Chicken Noodle Soup. Then we had all kinds of other things to eat too, but the soups were the big hit.

My two oldest granddaughters, Sabrina and Vivianna, are growing into beautiful young girls and my DIL looks so cute with her little baby belly. She is due May 31st with a boy!!! Vivianna had gotten an iPod for Christmas so I spent some time with her uploading songs. It was fun spending the time with her. I learned that she likes Demi Lavota and The Jonas Brothers.

When I was moving I found the boys old sports cards. Chad was so excited and couldn't wait to go through them. He gave Ezie a couple, but he wanted to take them home and really go through all of them. I also had found and washed the boys stuffed animals from when they were little. I couldn't believe how excited they were to see there old stuffed friends. Jeremy gave his first Teddy Bear to his son Austin, Jesse took his Smurf Bunny to give to Jesse, Jr. when he is born in May or June, and Daniel took some of his for Jordan and T.J. It was fun seeing the smile on the boys faces and talking about the memories they had.

The twins and Jace had a great time in the pac-n-play. The twins didn't want to stay off the stairs so this was the answer and they didn't seem to mind. Mallory felt so pretty in her new dress that I got the night before at Wal-Mart for $4.00.

This is Daniel.

I had found this blanket that my sister, Cathy, had made for Jesse when he was born. Cathy was only 12 or so and she embroidered all of the Sesame Street characters on the blocks and stitched the quilt together. Jesse was really excited to see it and took it home for his new son.
Here is a picture of my daughter Lexie and me. I don't know where that extra chin came from on me?? Damn!
All in all it was a wonderful night. My DIL Jenn is due next Tuesday with their first baby and she is so cute (and uncomfortable) being pregnant. My new grandson Austin got passed around and enjoyed by all. The little kids all had fun playing and the older kids all had fun going through their memories I had stored away for them. I'm so glad I kept some of their things from when they were little. It made a great night for all! I'm so lucky to have such a great family!!!

Lets Play Catch Up and Yes, I'm a Stella Stalker!

I have spent the last 2 hours visiting blogs and having the best time being back in blog land! I knew I missed all of you, but honestly, I didn't realize how much. I have cried from touching posts and laughed from funny ones this morning! Thanks to all of you for making my day wonderful! I can't wait to visit more of you today.

Over the last few weeks we are partially moved in to our new house. The weather has SUCKED! It is not cooperating at all. I absolutely love the house though. I never realized how depressing the old place was until we got out. Each room was on a different level and there was only one window in each room. It just didn't flow and there wasn't enough natural light. The new house has so many windows and the main part of the house is all on one level and all the bedrooms are on the second floor. It is bright in here and so cheery and not all cluttered.

I have been having the best time being in the kitchen. I hated the kitchen in the old place and avoided it at all costs. Here I can see into the living room and be a part of what everyone else is doing while I'm in the kitchen. The dishwasher is a nice addition too!! Oh, how I've missed having a dishwasher!! Anyway, the kids and I have been cooking and enjoying our time in the kitchen.

My craft room is amazing! I can go and sew and I have room to spread my things out and all of my supplies are easily accessible. It is truly a room sent from heaven!

The kids have been enjoying the house too. They have been running circles around the walls that separate the living room, dining room and kitchen. I know it's not the safest thing for them to be doing, but hearing them laugh and chase each around is so much fun! Since we are only a few blocks from Earls main job and right next door to his second job we are getting to see him a lot more. He can pop in and say hi and see what we are doing. Also my daughter, Alexis, is living with her boyfriend and his dad and they are only about 2 blocks away. It is so nice!!!

The plow guy for the Church next door made a big hill for the kids to go sledding on.

We had some of our stuff in a storage unit and I found so many treasures. When we first moved into public housing they told us to throw out any boxes that I hadn't opened in the last year. I'm so glad I didn't listened to them. I have had so much fun rediscovering lost treasures. The one I am most happy about and that I really thought I had lost is this wooden book that my Great Grandmother had given me. My Grandpa had made it for her out of wood and plexi glass as a thing to hold her embroidery thread. He was so smart, he came up with this idea before they were even out in the stores.

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. The first night sleeping over at the new house was Christmas Eve. It was sparse on furnishings but fun anyway. The kids have enjoyed being home and just having time together. We are having the older kids over on Saturday to have Christmas with them. I just didn't have time to get everything done before Christmas.

My little Rock Stars!

Lexie turned 18 on the 27th of December. She is such a wonderful young woman and a I love having her as my daughter!! Ezie turned 10 on Monday. He is growing up to be such a cutie pie! Lexie and Jake brought cupcakes over to celebrate and all the kids had fun with that!



Jace was diagnosed the week before Christmas as having Pervasive Developmental Disorder which is in the autistic spectrum. It really bothered me at first, but I and Jace's therapist think the dx was made mostly from Jace's past history. I'm just glad that I went with my gut feeling 15 months ago and had him tested for speech. He is excelling in most areas and has made so much progress. Even with the dx the Dr. doesn't want to see him back because Jace is making so many accomplishments that he thinks he'll be fine. Whew!!

This morning while visiting blogs I went to my friend Lindsay-ann's blog. Lindsay-ann lives in England and she made this wonderful little doll named Stella. Stella will be visiting different people around the world over the next year. On each visit Stella will get a new addition to her appearance and a nice vacation with the family she is visiting. To check out her adventures so far just click on the Linday-ann's, Lorrie's, April's or Daphine's name and you can see how much fun Stella is having. So far lucky Stella has visited England, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas. Where we her adventures take her next?? I don't know, but I'm having a blast reading about her and think that Lindsay-ann and Lorrie had a wonderful idea in creating Stella!!! I must admit I have become a Stella Stalker!

Okay, I have to go spend some time with the kids and get some housework done.

It's great to be back!!!


Sherry