Hammer time!

I was having a hard time trying to decide what to get for my hubby for our anniversary.  He's the type of guy that likes useful and practical presents (asks for new shoes and rechargeable batteries for his power tools at Christmas).  While I was pondering what to get for him, he posted it to my wall on Facebook!

We are in the process of demolishing the lovely red brick bar in our basement - and removing that lovely red shag you see there in the lower right.  Hooray!  We've reached that point in our lives where it's time to turn the adult lounge into a playroom.  :)

So a bigger hammer, huh?  I can totally do that!  And I'll even find a cute little saying on the Internet that I can use to make a cheesy card!  Except when you do a Google image search for "hammer Valentine", you get this guy . . .

Not exactly what I was looking for.

After continued searching for cards with hammers (that didn't include some reference to getting nailed), I came up empty.  So I had to use my own creative juices instead.  While it isn't an earth-shattering little tag line, I thought I'd better post it just in case there are other ladies out there who have the need to purchase a sledge hammer for their one and only.  

Because he does!  He's always doing things for me around the house and he's a super-great dad.  Being around him makes my whole day better.  On the inside I wrote, "Here's to many years of wild & crazy projects together!" because I'm the dreamer who comes up with the ridiculous ideas and he figures out how to make them a reality.

I sneaked it into his car so he'd find it this morning when he left for work.  Then I had a nice laugh when he went down the back basement steps and took a few swings with it.  The baby and I were just sitting there eating breakfast when we heard a giant "BAM! BAM!".  He said it works like a dream and he was bummed that he had to go to work and delay the demolition fun for a few hours.  :)

Finally got to make my motorcycle!

I have had this adorable idea to make a diaper motorcycle in my back pocket for a long time thanks to Pinterest.  I finally got my excuse to make one for my sweet friend that is due on Halloween and gave it to her yesterday evening.  I had so much fun putting it together and it really wasn't even too taxing.  Wanna make one too?  Visit Sweetaprils' blog for a fabulous tutorial.  Isn't it nice that she shared?

Since I know that some mommies are particular about what bottles they get for their little ones, I decided to use a sippy cup instead.  I actually ended up liking it better because I used the cup's two little handles to hold onto the blankie and keep it secure.  It also saved me having to purchase a package of washcloths to only use one to wrap around it.  Now I'm going to have to keep an eye on baby sales and discounted stuffed animals so that I will have my supply stash ready for the next little one!

Gift Basket Bonanza

One of my favorite ways to put together an affordable, yet thoughtful gift is to assemble a gift basket.  There are so many fabulous ways to theme them whether you are creating one for holiday gift giving, weddings, baby showers, housewarming gifts, etc. The sky's the limit!  I like to get a bit of e-inspiration regarding a theme (there are several websites available to help with this - I especially like www.homemade-gift-basket-ideas.com) and then customize the basket to your recipient by adding things geared to them.  Here are some helpful tips on assembling the baskets!

To begin, you should gather your supplies and basket stuffers.  My favorite time of the year to do this is the day after Christmas.  I go to the local shops that are itching to get rid of their holiday items and stock up.  (This is my absolute favorite shopping day of the year!)  You can find these things any time of year though and if you're creative, you might find great items already around the house.

You will need cellophane wrapping, basket filler (tissue paper, shredded paper, tinsel, or even the Sunday comics), a rubber band, wired ribbon, clear tape, and scissors.

There are a wealth of options available for your container.  Of course, one of the most popular choices is a basket, but don't rule out flower pots, vases, mixing bowls, etc.  Be creative and find a container that matches your theme.

One of the most important things about container choice is making sure that your basket looks full.  You can help achieve this by use of decorative fillers, but starting with a container that is proportionate will make a big difference.  In the photo above I only used a small notepad and Santa ornament, but the container made the fit look just right.

Now on to assembly tips!  First, take the clear cellophane wrapping and position your container to that the short sides are on the left and right and you can unroll the wrap as you fit it to your container.  I like to unroll enough wrap to have it go up the front and back and have about 6-8 inches that extends above your tallest basket stuffer.

Next, gather the wrap starting at each side and working towards the middle.  A trick I learned here is to utilize a rubber band to secure the cellophane.  It makes it much easier and more secure than trying to attach the decorative ribbon at this point and gives you more leeway to adjust a tweak the ribbon later.  I gather my wrap pretty close to the top of the tallest basket stuffer to help hold things in place inside the basket.

You will find that your basket now has wings.  This is a great time to reach in and adjust the contents to make sure everything is displayed just right.  You may find that you need to secure your items together or to the container with a bit of tape here.  Just reach inside and fuss.  (Or add that one little thing you forgot like I always tend to do - such as the card!)

After that, simply fold and tape back the wings to the back of the container.  One special note here is to make sure that you have clear tape.  If you use the Scotch tape with satin finish it will jump right out at you off the cellophane and look rather tacky.  You don't have to go out and buy a new roll of Scotch tape if you have packing tape around - just use that instead.

To complete the gift, use the ribbon to cover that rubber band and add a decorative touch.  You can take creative liberties here too by using raffia, hair bows, and other items that coordinate with your theme.  This is also a good place to tie on a gift tag if you don't want to require the recipient to open the gift to see who it's from (think baby and wedding showers) or add a baby rattle, holiday ornament, etc.

Finally, here are a few photos of some baskets I put together this year for the holidays.  Happy gift giving!

This breakfast basket included homemade pancake mix, gourmet coffee and hot cocoa, a wire whisk, oven mitt, and recipes for unusual pancake ideas.

A little holiday happiness basket for our family's $10 gift exchange included a snowman, painted spoon ornament, and Cake in a Cup mix)

These baskets were made for some of our best friends and included coffee mugs, spiced tea, hot cocoa, and Cake in a Cup mixes.  I also added some cuddly socks and little fun things for the kiddos.

One last note!  You can see the basket liners that I made in a couple of these photos.  I found an incredibly easy tutorial for how to make these on YouTube.  I also used the leftover fabric to make coasters that had cinnamon and cloves inside that smelled FABULOUS when your warm coffee mug sits on them.  Here's the video!

Now taking Christmas orders!

Anyone wishing to order a piece for Christmas gift-giving can order by December 17. I guarantee to have it in the mail to you by December 20. The rest is up to the United States Postal System!