Christmas, The New Year, and Rothenberg

Happy New Years Eve everyone!!  Boy it has been a long while since I have seen this computer screen.  With the hub off for all this time we all have fully been enjoying our time together.  I have all these pictures, crafts, and even a recipe to share but just can't get my fingers a typing... until now that is. 

I am going to back track a bit.  We had a wonderful Christmas together and got we got to visit a beautiful medieval city we visited called Rothenberg.   

I have seen pictures of it in the spring where it is absolutely gorgeous but we went to visit their Christmas market and it was just darling! 

 It was freezing cold but we stayed warm visiting the little shops and bakeries.  It's kind of our little tradition to sit in a cafe and have a little cappuccino and a pastry when we travel.  I love it.

After months of being away from each other it has been a true blessing to be a family again.  Having my hubby home for Christmas was the best gift I could have received.  

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!  And after making some jelly filled doughnuts, I am now ready to jump into the New Year with some new crafts, projects, and going full force into party planning mode.

Liebster Award

We just got back from a mini trip and now I am all kabobbled.   Trying to get back into our routine and getting all the laundry done always seems to be a challenge after we return.  Anywhoo, I was nominated for the leibster award thanks to Adria from The Crunchy Lion and Meg from Borrowed  Heaven.   Since Adria was the last to tag me I am going to answer her questions.  But first, here are 11 things about me....

1. I am the most impatient person.  2. I don't usually wash my hair everyday. 3. I am very sentimental, borderline hoarder.  4. Christmas is my favorite.  5. I hate driving.  6.  I dream of having a cleaning lady.  7. I LOVE being a stay at home mom and I don't want to go back to work  8. I drink a glass of milk every single day.  9. I look forward to getting dressed up for parties. 10. I'm a night owl.  11. I wish I was a good cook. 

I't's me from our most recent trip to Rothenburg.

Now for Adria's 11 questions, in case you want to know even more about me:

1. What is your earliest memory? 

I have a few but a happy one is always going to McDonalds.

2. What makes you feel most at home?

Having my husband here and being his wife.

3. What types of things do you do for personal-time away from daily schedules and demands?

A craft of any form.

4. How did you do in school? Did you enjoy it?

Loved school.

5. If you had to eat one meal and drink one drink for an entire year, what would they be?

Enchiladas and Milk

6. If you had to live the rest of your life in the body of an animal, which would it be?

A giraffe

7. Do you donate money to charity? Why or why not?

Yes because God blessed us with more than we need.

8. What is your favorite Christmas movie?

It was the Grinch until my lovely daughter asked to watch it every single day this month.

9. How does your life now compare to how you imagined it would be as a kid?

Surpassed my imagination.  I got to be exactly what I wanted to be even as a kid, a wife and stay at home mom.

10. Do you prefer country or city living? Why?

Country for SURE!  I love seeing some form of nature.  I hate the busy-ness of the city, the cars, buildings, and commercialism. 

Thanks ladies for including me and now you know a little more about me. 

Crocheted Fingerless Gloves

Can you believe Christmas is in less than a week?!  I can hardly contain myself.  I am probably more impatient than any little kid out there.  To help pass the time I have been staying busy with crafts.  This includes learning to crochet.  Whenever we get close to moving to our new base I get antsy thinking I won't have my craft supplies or sewing machine for months.  I usually make an attempt to find a craft that is easy to travel with and crocheting seemed perfect.

My mom taught me the basic chain stitch when I was nine and that is probably the extent of my crocheting knowledge.  I really have a desire to learn though and just like with sewing it takes time to learn.  My first few projects are sort of duds but I'm going to keep pressing and with practice I hope to get better.  Want to learn with me?  Well thank God for youtube tutorials!  I would be lost otherwise.

My first project was fingerless gloves and it is very fitting considering we have already had snow and it is freezing over here!  I watched THIS youtube video for help and then sort of made it my own.  I like the ribbed look, but I like for the lines to be vertical instead of horizontal so I made some changes.

I started by chaining 27.  This will be the length of the glove so you can make it shorter or longer depending on your preference.  Just like in the video I went into the third chain from the end and start with the double half crochet stitch.

Double half crochet to the end, chain 2 [where the arrow shows], turn and continue with double half crochets in the back loop. 

You will continue to stitch until it fits the width of your hand.  I did 11 rows.  Once you are finished it will look like this.  Be sure to leave lots of extra yarn at the end.

Fold over the rectangle and using a yarn needle, stitch the two ends together.  Once you reach down about an inch you will leave an opening for your thumb.  This is where you will only stitch on one end. You can see the needle on the right side of the glove.  Once the hole is big enough, stitch it back together until you reach the end. 

Before you know it, you will have a pair of fingerless gloves.  This was such a great beginner project.  If the pictures are too hard for follow, be sure to check out the video.

Framed Christmas Banner

Last week was just BONKERS!  We got lots of snow, Boo Bear had dance rehearsals, and I was cleaning like a mad woman prepping the house for my hubby's return from his deployment.  It was crazy!  Now that my better half is home and the winter ballet recital is over, things are starting to calm down.  We are getting back into a new routine and fully enjoying being together as a family again [just in time for Christmas!] 

I had all these projects and things I wanted to finish before my hub came home but I guess I put too much on my plate and didn't get to finish.  This photo collage was one of them.  I saw this beautiful picture of someone who took a window pane and turned it into a frame for her Christmas banner.  I fell in love.  Mine isn't nearly as good but I am still really happy with how it came out. 

It was no easy task.  I collected all our random frames and Boo Bear and I painted them all cream.  I wanted all the frames to match and of course match the living room.  There she is painting away at that one dollar Ikea frame.

Once they were all painted I filled the bottom ones with cozy Christmas themed scrap book paper.  It kind of reminds me of knit sweaters.  I love it. 

Then I used the same paper to create gift tags.  I don't use my Slice often but it is always handy when I need it to cut some letters.  I was going to jazz up the gift tags but maybe next year!   The one thing I love about this is I can hang up a banner for every holiday and if it isn't one I can hang up pictures. 

I punched out the glass of the frame and used this picture hanging screw with the open hole on the top.  I obviously don't know what it is called.  The trick to putting it in without using a drill is by hammering it down first.  Then, you can just twist it in the frame.  I braided some twine, attached it, and hung the gift tags with mini clothes pins. 

And to personalize the collage I added the pictures from this year's Christmas cards!  

It really does make the room feel more Christmas-y and cozy.  Now, I have to go start on those ruffled throw pillows!