More owls for my Christmas tree!

Boy did I get excited about these little owls. I was hoping to make up a bunch of them and give them away, sell them, .. make other projects with them! For now I just made enough to go on our Christmas tree and also send some to my mom and sister for their trees. 

I bought a TON of felt from Michael's craft store and had a blast picking colors for each owl. You could really put any colors together and they would look darling! 

With some cheery Christmas tunes playing, Hubby and I decorated our Christmas tree together Saturday night. And then added the little cuties to the tree! 

Here they all are! .. kind of hard to spot?

I think our tree needs some ribbon...

I am taking a break from these owls for awhile!

The Prayer Pennies

Nobody cares for pennies anymore, so they're just carelessly tossed on the ground in stores, on the streets, or anywhere! If I ever saw a rejected penny on the ground it didn't phase me, because I didn't care either. "It's just a dumb ole penny." But my thinking soon changed {giggle, was that a pun?} when I came up with an idea...

Back when I was in college {okay, so it wasn't THAT long ago really} I decided that I would make use of every abandoned penny I found. How? Each time I would find a lost penny on the ground I would pick up that penny and pray for my future husband, whomever he would be.. sigh.. now I'm thinking back to my daydreaming days when I claimed my life song as "Some day my prince will come..." Okay, snapping back to the present!

With this new perspective, I began to really enjoy the moments I spotted these little treasures on the ground. I would find them in parking lots, inside stores, and mostly when my friends and I went out door knocking on Saturday afternoons. I remember one day finding 4 or 5 pennies all between just a couple houses!

It was exciting to use this as a way to send prayers to my future spouse. And it made me fall in love with this future mystery person!  

 I loved finding these pennies. I prayed for my future love in so many ways..

that he would be growing closer to the Lord every day... 

he would keep himself pure in mind and body.. 

strength and encouragement through mistakes and scars...

that he would just have a good day... 

 he would love the Lord with all his heart.. 

And in my little jar the pennies would go. It was so much fun to see my penny collection grow.

 I loved praying for my future husband.

My little "jar of prayers" came with me to Wisconsin for grad school, where I continued to pray for my future man as I would find those pennies. Although it seemed pennies were so hard to find there. .. {maybe because my best friend started beating me to all the pennies! Literally knocking me out of the way to grab a penny on the ground! She stole my pennies.. my precious pennies. Okay so I'm seriously being funny, just in case my best friend reads this. Not saying it didn't happen though! But we laugh about it still!}

... Little did I know that the man I would marry was also there at grad school. 

I still keep my little jar of pennies close and I still pray for my hubby when I find a lost rejected penny. They are still my little treasures, and I will always think of my husband when I find one.

What is something special that you have come up with or have used over the years in this kind of way? I'd love to hear about it.

 

HOO's ready for Christmas decorating?!

Like my little felt owl ornament? 

 I made him today from felt pieces and hand stitched him up. 

I think it's just too A-dorable and I can't wait to put him on our Christmas tree soon!

Yes, I know.. it feels like Christmas was just here, but reality and weather is saying "Christmas time again!" It's my favorite time of the year. I love the whole atmosphere of it all. 

So here's how I made my little wise guy.. 

I found images of of some owls on Google and drew up my own template. Then just pinned my cut out templates to felt and cut them out. And then I hand stitched the outline and stitched on the wings, eyes and nose... uh, excuse me, I mean beak. Pretty easy and simple. It's not stuffed, just one thin  piece of felt. Then I hot glued a piece of twine to make a loop for hanging him on the tree. 

And done! 

I think I'm going to make a few more of these for our Christmas tree.

I love him!

until next time..

hApPy CrEaTivItiEs!

Yummy Mocha Latte!

Tonight I found a recipe for a mocha latte, so I thought I'd try it out.

It was simply WONDERFUL!

And I shall make it again!

Recipe:

Ingredients (for one 12 oz. mug):

1. 4 oz. espresso or concentrated coffee
2. 8 oz. whole milk
3. 1 tbsp. sugar or other gourmet sugar, divided equally in two
4. 1 scant tsp. unsweetened premium cocoa powder
5. 1 small splash premium (or at least real) vanilla extract.

Directions:

1. Slowly heat the milk mixture with half of the sugar, the vanilla extract, and the cocoa powder over medium-low heat in a small saucepan until it just starts to steam, whisking frequently.
2. Dissolve the other half of the sugar in the hot espresso or concentrated coffee in your mug.
3. Pour the steaming milk into a blender and blend over medium or high speed for approximately 20-30 seconds (to mix the cocoa thoroughly into the milk and break up any remaining clumps and to slightly aerate the milk -- foam in milk of this sort will not endure due to the addition of the chocolate).
4. Pour the milk mixture into the coffee mixture.
5. Garnish with foamed milk, a light dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon powder, or real (sweetened) whipped cream if desired.

Recipe found from this site

... Now, coffee usually has NO affect on me.. so we'll see what happens when I get to bed! .. 

{of course, it is already almost 2am.. but we never go to bed early!}