Merry Christmas!!

Although Louisville was disappointing in Football, we have high hopes for basketball. Britton's mom got us tickets a few weeks ago. We had a blast. I love college sports.
Here is our "family" Christmas eve photo. Don't we look festive!? :) Hope you all had a blessed holiday. It was hard being away from Colorado for the first time, but my family made a huge effort and was super generous making me feel loved and special. Britton was super thoughtful too!

One of my favorite Karpenske traditions is fireworks on Christmas Eve! I think I am the only Karpenske who really cares about this tradition anymore, but it is unique and one of my favorites. When we were in TN last weekend Britton was thinking ahead and being wonderful and got fountains and sparklers for us to continue one of my favorite traditions. :) We had fun!
We also read "The Best Christmas Pagent Ever" which is amazing and wonderful.
I hope you all enjoyed time with family and friends and had a wonderful holiday! Merry Merry Christmas!

christmas crafts!

I tried to make most of my gifts this year. My sisters are still in progress... but they got cute frames I made with a pic of us from my rehearsal dinner. They turned out cute and I printed a picture for me, so I'll have to make myself one eventually. I made my in-laws a frame with their dog- They LOVE their dog.
For my grandmother I made a card keeper book. I started from scratch and it was a more intense project than I thought, but I think she really liked it and will find it useful. I started with file folders and turned each into a pocket page (I cut the top 1/2 of the front page off and taped the bottom to the back and bottom to create a pocket.) Then I scrapbooked each page for the month. I collected all the family birthdays and listed them for each month (with space to add more). Now she can keep track of her cards and who she has purchased cards for already etc. There are cards for every month and then extra pockets for congratulations cards, encouragement cards, condolence cards, congratulations cards, and baby cards. (I am not posting all, just my favorites)I made Holly and Lindsey's presents too. I don't have pictures of Holly's yet (I'll add them later with pictures of the presents for Britton's friends). For Lindsey I made her wall art using 5x5 canvases. I used my favorite 2008 trick- freezer paper and stenciled her name using different fonts. The fabrics I used match her bed spread. When she gets them hung up I'll post another pic. They had been in my head for awhile so it was fun to see it turn out great. I think next time I will try to remember to stencil before I staple the fabric on the canvas. (It's hard to iron the stencil onto the canvases. I am quite proud of my 2008 resolution success- to craft more :) My inlaws got me a new Singer for Christmas and I have a list of WIP, so 2009 looks good too!

Catching up...

I have been teaching a lot lately. Which is great! but wears me out! I have also been having a life and Christmas crafting in my spare time (still working on some- sorry sisters :) It will take a few posts to catch you up! I did win a subscription to Better Homes and Gardens (or BHG). I am thrilled!!! Thank you so much to Bonnie from Quiltville! She is so friendly and generous. I love reading her blog and can't believe I won. I love BHG and haven't had a subscription for a few years.
I had 4 pre-christmas birthdays. People need to pop kids out in Nov. or Jan. so Dec. is not so crowded with presents :).
I made coffee sleeves for my coffee drinkers... Brianna, Alex, and Melanie. Alex had his monogram which I handstiched and turned out pretty cool. (I had to make it tough and not girly.) Melanie's had a button closure which was also a first. I was happy with how they turned out. I forgot to topstitch around the outside on this batch. Nobody cares but me, but I think it does help it to look more finished- so I'd better remember next time! :)
Kameron prefers wine to coffee :) so she got cloth napkins to match her adorable robins egg blue kitchen accessories. I had gotten the plain white napkins on clearance at Target. I love Target! I had been plotting this for awhile. I had seen MODA stuff with a really cute trim, I thought I could replicate it. (These are the inspiration) I made bias tape and stitched it closed and then created the trim. I turned out really cute! I am excited to make more and on the lookout for cheap cloth napkins... (or I could make some if I wasn't perfectionist/lazy.... :) I'll work my way up to that.
We had a wonderful time celebrating with our friends!
I also made a housewarming gift for the hostess (Alex's mom) It is a pillar candle with ribbon and their monogram. It turned out really cute and was super easy. I need to keep the supplies on hand for easy hostess gifts.

Karpenske Elfs!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

baby blankets

I finished 2.5 baby blankets last week. One is for a girl using yarn I had.. I think I know who this one is for. :) and one is for some good family friends who are having a boy and due at the end of this week! He is their first and his name is Westin. His nursery is baby blue and chocolate. I found this light brown yarn with blue specks called tweed and bordered them with a dark brown yarn. It's small but the yarn is awesome. I hope I get it mailed this week.

Thanksgiving....

My pies turned out super yummy!! Here they are in their glory.Coconut Cream


Pumpkin (I made 2 and am enjoying the leftovers!!)
Apple
Apple Tart
Nantucket (Cranberry and walnut, it was awesome!)

Here is Britton's cousin Aaron helping me get the pie off the fridge where I'd stashed it. He's one of my favorite new relatives!Here are Aaron's sister Casey, me, and my SIL Lindsey. Hope you had a lovely weekend! It took me a long time to post- gotta love thanskgiving weekend working retail :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I got the pictures yesterday but I didn't get it posted. Sorry. Happy Happy Thanksgiving!

I am quite proud of the wreath- it cost me less than $5!!! and its really cute. I might add a bow on the ribbon hanger, but I really like how simple it is. I got the wreath for 50% off $3.99. The ribbon I already had. I bought a blue R for 99 cents, and paint and a piece of scrapbook paper for 20% off 99 cents and 71 cents. :) I had to buy thumb tacks at Home Depot- $1.31 for a whole box, but I was there getting more paint samples, so I was glad to spend a little :).- more on that later.

These are my centerpiece, also on sale I bought the 3 colors of balls and the ribbon. I think it looks classy, I love the colors and it was really easy. Have a great Thanksgiving. It has been a crazy year, I still have tons to be thankful for! Wishing you a weekend full of friends and family, food, football :) and fun! Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Family and Friends... and applesauce.

We spent the weekend in Columbus, Ohio visiting my Mammaw and family.

My cousin Shannon and Mammaw.
Cousin Phillip and Britton.

Uncle Lynn and Aunt Sarah

Shannon and Me.
I helped her with her crocheting, but she had knitted me this.
On our way back we stopped in Cincinnati and had La'Rosa's pizza with one of our groomsmen and his girlfriend.

Britton and JasonMegan and Me.
It was a fun weekend. We were both fighting colds though and that's always annoying. Hopefully we can go visit again soon. Yesterday I made applesauce from 9 pounds of Gala apples. I ended up with about 3 quarts of applesauce and a very sore shoulder. It sure is yummy though! My thanksgiving post and pies will be tomorrow. :)

More baby fun

I didn't finish too much before the weekend, but I did finish the cards for the blankets and got them packed up and mailed. I had seen a similar baby shower invitation. They turned out cute. I think they'll look better with more practice. I got this one in the mail... hopefully it will be there in time for the shower!

Sherwood Forest

This is probably not Sherwood Forest. It's fun to have my own little forest though. I am fighiting a cold I think and I decided to take it easy today and craft before work. I have subbed more regularly lately, and I am glad for some work, but it sure is exhausting.

I have been working on these for a few days. It would go faster if I ironed the interfacing on th fabric and cut the semi-circles out once, but I am stingy with my fabric and interfacing so to get them as close together as possible I cut them out of the interfacing, then iron, then cut the fabric.

I did what I said, and modified the pattern adding more cones (I increased the diameter by 1.5 inches for each semi circle. The previous trees all had 4 layers. I made 5 and 6 layer trees to group with the originals and I made a new set of three that's slightly bigger. I am going to see my Mammaw this weekend in Columbus and I am planning on taking her a set and mailing a set to CO. They are so cute! :) I have a few other projects in the works, we'll see if I get anything done before the weekend though.

Advent

It has begun... No not what you are thinking. Yes, Christmas is rapidly approaching!! YAY!! But I am talking about something else. What is it with everyone I know having kiddos!!!??? I finished the first of MANY required baby blankets today. I have 9 more on my current list that I know of... I guess 'tis the season. Welcome to Aubrey who arrived last week... 2 weeks early! She is the first recipient of this very full season of baby gifts! Off to the post office tomorrow.... I already started on the next one... its pink and white.

P.S. I you are expecting and think you are on my list- let your color prefrence be known whenever possible. :o)

i am trying to win this contest... (http://lilatuellerdesigns.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-contest-are-you-ready.htmli)
think i figured it out!! i am trying to win this super cute purse :)

Kartwheel Quilt

She's finished! I machine quilted most of it, hand quilted spirals on the outside edges and then attached my bias tape. I am proud of it since it's my first. I learned a lot. I still think I have a lot to learn. I am not sure what my next quilt project is going to be. I'd like to make a tree skirt sometime, probably next year. Yeah for finishing!! What projects do you feel took longer than you planned?