Candy Display 2015: “The Knight Before Christmas”

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“The Knight Before Christmas” (north side)

I don’t think I’ve posted much about this year’s candy window display for South Jordan. Well, now that it is done, I realized I’d better post something. Our theme was Star Wars inspired, “Feel the Force of Christmas” or something along those lines. My neighbor, Andrea (who was wonderful to work with) and I partnered up this year to do the window. She was a lifesaver last year when I broke my hand and she enjoyed it so much that she wanted to help this year, from the beginning. Her daughter Nicole came up with our idea (Yoda reading a book to three Ewoks) and then we went to work. Besides my husband, Bill (who gives more and physical support as needed), another neighbor, Cherri helped (with Yoda’s skin) and Bryce (Bill’s co-worker) built Yoda’s chair. After too many hours of shaping, painting and gluing we finished up last Friday afternoon with several hours to spare before the official “Light the Night” opening at South Jordan City Hall. If you are in the Salt Lake City, Utah area this holiday season stopped by Town Center Drive in South Jordan and see our creation. Plus you can see last years Ferris wheel just south of City Hall in the South Jordan Library.

view from the west side

close up of Wicket

close up of Teebo

Kneesa and BB-8

looking over Yoda’s shoulder

Yoda and the fireplace

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Ideas for a More Christ-Centered Christmas

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image from lds.org

I don’t know about you but I want my Christmas to be more about Christ and less about Santa and the typical stress of the season. LDS.org has some simple ideas to help us focus on the real meaning of the holiday season including simple activities to do each day for a more Christ-centered Christmas. I was a bit late getting started but I’m working on doing something each day to celebrate Jesus’s birth. If that sounds good to you too, you can find the ideas here. There are some great ideas that could become wonderful traditions for you family to pass down through the generations.

50 Button Crafts: idea #46 – Button Wreath Ornament

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button wreath ornament from MarthaStewart.com

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

This button wreath is along the lines of the stack style button ornaments I shared a few weeks ago. A great project to do with kids and it lets them do their own thing. While green buttons are necessary you might check out this post on dying your own buttons. Or just buy a bag of buttons in greens from the craft store and enjoy the time to talk about Christmas memories and crafts you remember as a child. MarthaStewart.com has instructions here.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #45 – Button Ornaments

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button covered ornament from MySecretCottage on etsy.com

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

Making a button covered ornament isn’t hard. You start with a Styrofoam ball, buttons and straight pins and get to work. I found instructions here if you need them. With shaft buttons, hot glue is the best way to attach them to the Styrofoam ball. You can see from the examples I found that there are endless possibilities on the look and style. What a wonderful gift a button covered ornament would be if the buttons came from an ancestor or beloved grandparent.

button covered ornament by Patty Schaffer via styrofoamcrafts.com

button covered ornament by Leslie Ashe via curbly.com

button covered ornament from LiveLoveDIY.com

button covered ornament from scrapendipity.blogspot.com

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #44 – Cinnamon Stick Tree Ornament with Buttons

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Cinnamon Stick Tree Ornaments from Crafts Unleashed

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

I can just imagine gathering the supplies for these adorable cinnamon stick tree ornaments for a family gathering, then having a great time putting them together as a group. They look like they would be lots of fun or all ages and would give a great opportunity to chat and share memories of Christmases past and dreams of Christmases future. Using buttons from your own stash or the inherited stash of an ancestor would make the evening even more memorable. Crafts Unleashed has a good tutorial to make this project super easy to organize.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #43 – button ornaments (stack style)

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tree ornament made from buttons by UK lass in US

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

The button tree ornament above was the first ornament I noticed using the buttons stacked to create the shape. Since then I’ve come across several more ingenious was to use buttons to make simple shapes. With each shape there are potential ways to connect with family stories and memories. Here are several more button ornaments to get you started. Click on the photos for more information, if it is available. Which shape is your favorite?

button ornaments or pendants by milomade.co.uk

button Santa ornament via Pinterest

button ornaments from Martha Stewart

button snowman ornament from funEZcrafts.com

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

50 Button Crafts: idea #42 – button embellished felt mitten ornaments

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button embellished felt mittens by Amy

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

The weather here in Utah has turned from a lovely autumn to feeling like winter, so these adorable felt mitten ornaments are just right. I pinned this idea on Pinterest a while ago and it has been repinned many times since then. No instructions, just a the photo by Amy on Flickr, but they look straight forward in how to make them. They would make the perfect addition to a story about winter or Christmas, especially if there are mittens as part of the story.

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Pupdate: Fable phase zero

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We got Fable on the puppy truck early Sunday morning without mishap. She was excited to go and started up the steps before it was our turn. Once in her assigned kennel on the truck she was more interested in saying high to the female lab across the aisle and male golden retriever next to her than in saying good-bye to us. No surprise there.

Me and Fable on the puppy truck

Our friend and fellow puppy raiser came to say good-bye to Fable on Sunday and took some beautiful photos of Fable just as the sun was coming up.

Fable – photo by Karen Fuller

Galaxy, Bill, Raelyn and Fable – photo by Karen Fuller

The big surprise that day was Galaxy’s reaction. She went with us to drop Fable off and we walked the beautiful trail by the hotel before hand. Galaxy seemed fine until we got home from church. When we got inside she stopped abruptly on the landing and just stood there like she didn’t know what to do with herself. She is adjusting and I’m learning that Fable did a great job of keeping Galaxy entertained. She has gotten herself into a bit of trouble in situations that she handled with ease while Fable was here.

Galaxy – photo by Karen Fuller

We got word that she arrived safely on the campus for Guide Dogs for the Blind in Boring, Oregon on Monday. Then we just had to wait for Thursday’s phase report to come out and hope that Fable’s name was on it. It was with the expected “0” in the phase column. Phase zero is all about adjusting to campus life and medical screenings. It can be a big adjustment to go from living in a puppy raisers home to the kennel environment. But GDB works hard to make them comfortable and happy. They get walks and play time with other dogs and kennel enrichment activities that could be anything from bubble machines to flavored ice and other tasty things.

 

 

 

50 Button Crafts: idea #41 – button star

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button star by Lisa Moran

Got a box or jar full of buttons carefully saved by your mother or grandmother? For 2015 I’m in search of great ways to put those buttons to use. Here is this week’s idea:

Stars are a favorite symbol of mine. So when I saw this button star on Pinterest it was a quick decision to share it here today. Covered in white buttons it is timeless enough for year round. But you could make a more colorful version just right for Christmas or with patriotic colors one perfect for Independence Day. If you have a family story or memory associated with stars or either of these holidays, a star like this would make the perfect opportunity to share your story. This could make a great tree topper too.

button star from Fiona & Twig

It would be a good idea to document where the buttons for your project came from and any relevant stories or information about that person or family. If you are looking for more button crafts, check out my Pinterest board.

Pupdate: Fable recall

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In about 36 hours we will be on the road to drop off Fable at the puppy truck for her trip to Guide Dogs for the Blind in Boring, Oregon. It has been a fabulous year with lots of ups and downs, triumphs and frustrations. While we will miss Fable’s big spirit we are excited to see what she decides to do with her life. She has huge potential to be a fantastic guide dog if she wants to be. The big question is does she want to be a guide dog. Fable isn’t the kind of dog that you can “make” do anything. If you do there will be unwanted side effects. She has been very challenging to raise and she has taught us many new tactics and strategies along the way. The rest of her litter have all been dropped from the program. They are an energetic, assertive and fun-loving bunch. At least two are doing other types of service careers. Fable has made huge progress in the almost 14 months that we have had her and she is ready for her next adventure. The house is going to feel rather empty without her. Good luck Fable! We love you and are proud of you no matter what path you choose.

Still working on Fable’s puppyhood book and her video. Despite plans to work on it each week, I didn’t ever get it done, so I’ll be working on it after she leaves and hope I’ve taken enough photos to complete both projects. It will be good therapy to work on them when I’m missing her.