Crapty Cat Wreath

Our aunt loves cats.  

And I like making wreaths out of crap.

So it was a natural fit for me to whip up this cat wreath for her.  

Materials:
- cereal boxes  (<--crap)
- scissors
- craft paint
- paint brush
- glue/tape/some sort of adhesive
- thin Sharpie marker
- pencil

Directions:
This was super easy to make, so I'll just show some photos from my crapty night.

Happy crapting (and black Friday)!

Crapty Fridays- DIY cardboard animal trophy head (Holiday edition)

So I know that this week I already made a crapty egg carton wreath.

And I guess that technically should count as my weekly piece of crapt.  However, I just couldn't help it.  Our pile of recycled materials was growing larger and larger and the crapting bug hit me full force.

I had to give in.

So here's another crapty project:  a cardboard deer head trophy (that I glitzed up for Christmas)

Before we continue, let me give this Crapting Disclaimer:  If you attempt to try this project you will need the patience of a saint and some kick-a&& knife skills.  I didn't really have either, so it took me several days to finish everything up.  (I adapted this project from this set of original directions.  I'm not ashamed to say that their final results looked way more polished than mine.  I just used the crap that I had lying around the apartment.  If you want a more polished look, go look at their directions.  If you want a quirkier girly crapty look, try out mine!)

Still with me? Ok, let's begin.

Materials:
- deer head template
- scissors
- pen
- Mod-podge
- foam brush
- aluminum foil
- very sharp craft knife
- shoe polish
- sequins!!!
- skewer
- cardboard boxes <--crap!

Directions:
Step 1: Print and cut out your deer head template.  Trace the various pieces onto cardboard and then cut everything out using a sharp craft knife.  (Scissors really won't work.  Trust me.)

Note:  I simplified the design of the antlers because I'm just really not that patient.

Step 2:  Modpodge your aluminum foil (shiny side down) onto the fronts  and backs of the different pieces.  Let everything dry overnight.

Note:  See how my edges are still cardboard brown? Ick. I wasn't quite sure what to do with them, so I just covered each piece's front and the back.  Looking back, I probably could have covered one side with aluminum foil and then left a little bit extra so that I could cover the edges as well.  Then, I would have just covered the back of the piece and not had to worry.

Step 3:  I wasn't too pleased that my deer head looked like it was made of cardboard and aluminum foil.  So, I pulled out some shoe polish and tried antiquing everything  I wiped on the shoe polish and then used a paper towel to wipe some off. Now my aluminum pieces looked a little less shiny.

(Like this look?  I used a very similar technique to make my cute cat metal magnets)




Step 4:  I still wasn't too pleased by my results, so I went with the "more is more" approach.  I totally blinged this baby up and added sequins to the antlers and nose.  To do this, I painted on a bit of Mod-podge, and added each sequin one-by-one.  I have shaky and clumsy hands, so my fingers got really sticky after a couple of sequins.  The whole process went by much faster when I switched to using a skewer to glue the sequins down.

Warning:  Sequins are super shiny and will blind you.  

Step 5:  I waited for everything to dry and ta-dah!  My glitzed out animal trophy is complete.

So what do you think?  Is this piece quirky and girly? Or, is it just a deer-saster?  I actually kind of like it and it's definitely going on our walls during this holiday season.

Hope you have a great weekend andthanks for joining me on another crapting adventure!

It's quiet... too quiet...

"Like branches on a tree we grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other." -Author Unknown

Long time, no see

Poor Charlie.  

With Baby Chuck's arrival, he hasn't been starred in many posts.  

Here's a photo of him in his Christmas best: 

Can you believe he's 13 years old? He still looks like a puppy to me.

Yes Virginia letter

I recently got the chance to read that famous Christmas letter and response.  I enjoyed reading it so much that I posted it down below (with my favorite bits highlighted in green.)  Virginia's letter is just so sweet and the editor's response is so eloquent and touching.  Does anyone write like this anymore?


Virginia's letter:
DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in THE SUN it's so." Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

Editor's response:

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Oh happy days

Here's hoping that Baby Chuck is finally emerging from his fussy period....

Dear Santa

Our town published some children's letters to Santa in the local newspaper.  Here are two that I found particularly humorous:

Dear Santa,

Thank you for coming to my house last year and thank you for the presents.  I am glad that you did.  I hope you and the reindeer liked the cookies and the carrots.  This year I decided to make you a present.  I will leave a box on the top of the roof.  It will be waiting for you on the top of the roof.  It might look like something that you can eat, but it is not.  Travel safe!  

Your friend, Gavin S.  Age: 7

Dear Santa,

Can I have John Deere tractors?  And a John Deere Gator?  I love John Deere.  My daddy is a farmer.  He has tractors.  And spreads poop on fields.  Did you know I'm going to be a farmer?  I want a Happy Napper like my Sissy, Isabelle.  I love to eat her Chapstick. 

Bryce Mason S.  Age:  3

Christmas guests

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the lack of posts.  We're currently entertaining some guests from Down Under.  I'll remind mom to post as soon as she can.

Love,
Baby Chuck

Disappearing chocolate

What can I say?  We received this little guy as a gift and kept eying it all week.  Yesterday night we finally gave in.  At first it was just one bite, then another, then another, and then... poof, he was all gone.  Yum.  Who can resist a Chocolate mousse moose?

Gingerbread community

This weekend a bunch of gals and I created a gingerbread neighborhood:  

We built a hotel,

a church,

a door-less cottage, (*Note how the naughty neighborhood kids pushed over the snowman)

and a ski lodge.

Would you want to live here? 
Perhaps they would.

Four boys, four times the cuteness

I typically try to post one entry a day.  But I just couldn't wait to post this entry. 

Sadly, Baby Chuck won't be able to meet the other boys in our family this Christmas.  However, I'm hopeful that one day, all four little guys will meet and play together. 

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Let's catch up

Yes, Virginia, Santa Claus goes to school

This year 115 Santa Clauses attended a three-day workshop at Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, located in Midland, Michigan. Here, they learned various skills like beard bleaching, sign-language, and the art of responding to children's requests.  Boy, I'd give anything to see a hundred Santas ho-ho-ho-ing with their "little round bellies" shaking like bowls "full of jelly."   

Interested in learning more?  You can find the original photos and article here at the New York Times

He's baack

Charlie's back from his stay at the Pet Hotel.  We're so glad to have him home.  Though we trusted the employees to care for him, we worried he would have a terrible time. 
  

Perhaps my fears were a bit exaggerated.

Hubby's fears seem a bit more realistic

Luckily, we were both wrong.  He did great.

It's the most de-li-cious...

time of the year...

One certainly cannot celebrate the holidays without feasting!  Below are some highlights from our aunt's holiday meal:

VIEWER BEWARE:  Looking at these photos will cause your salivary glands to become overly excited.  Drooling will probably occur.    

Welcome to the holiday table!

Let's take a closer look at some dishes:

Shrimp baked in butter and garlic, then sprinkled with salty parmigiano reggiano

Roasted prime rib covered in a delicious coating of garlic cloves, mustard, and crushed black pepper

Apple, walnut, and craisen salad with mustard and maple dressing:  a wonderful mixture of textures 

Color me Christmas

Sadly, Christmas has come and gone.  Luckily for me, our aunt's decorated house helps carry holiday cheer into the New Year.

Five little snowmen send their season's greetings.

This tiny tree puts me in a wonderfully sweet and girlie mood.

Somewhere a tiny Santa Clause is running around naked.

Holiday message

Here's a photo taken from a local Antique store.

Can you see the (not-so) hidden holiday message?

Hope you have a happy and restful holiday season.

Twas the night before Christmas

and all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...

or a dog.  We miss Charlie!

I bet if he were here, he would comfort us like this:

Aww, I feel better already.

On the road

Today hubby and I are driving back east to celebrate Christmas with family and friends.  Sadly, Charlie won't be coming with us. 

He's going to stay at a doggie hotel.

We will miss him dearly.  

I will miss his special corn chip smell,

his tendency to follow us around,

his tongue tickling my toes,

and his snuggles at night.

But not to worry, we'll soon see him again in a week!

Holiday attire

Wondering what to wear for those special meals this holiday season?  Look no further, here are a couple of suggestions:
 

How about a bow tie for breakfast?

Perhaps a quirky tie for lunch?

Tweed for dinner?

Or velvet for Christmas cocktails?