Christmas is for Children

We have the two cutest kids that live next door. Two little boys, Jessie and Justin. I just love watching them play together, riding their bikes pretending to be cops, or motorcycle racers, playing tag, just boys being boys but they play so well together. I have never seen them fight with one another. I have never seen them disobey when they are called inside, Their parents have told them not to come into our yard without permission and they won't. Even if their ball comes into our yard, they will not come in to get it until one of us comes outside and then they ask. They came over when Joe was working in our garden and asked a million questions about growing things and what veggies he was growing, helping him pull weeds. And when it came time to harvest, they were so excited when Joe gave them some to take home. They would always come back and tell us how good it was and how they ate it "all up" as they were rubbing their tummies. I am sure they are not as perfect as they seem to me...I am sure their Mom would tell me that they are not the perfect little boys that I think they are. But they just tickle me. Their Dad just lost his job and has been picking up some part time work with my husband so I am afraid that (like all too many families) Christmas may be a little sparse. We always donate to Toys for Tots but this year I told Joe that I wanted to get these two little guys the toys we normally donate.

I have always enjoyed making Christmas and Santa magical for my kids and I miss that now that they are older. We did Santa's footprints, magic dust at the Fireplace, a piece of velvet left where Santa caught it on the chimney, a sleigh bell left on the porch roof anything we could think of to keep the magic alive. So, of course, I couldn't just give these two the presents from Joe and I. It had to be "magical". I decided that the presents would come from Santa's elves. So I found a cute coloring book image at www.PheeMcFarland.com, colored him in and named him Fribble, the Executive Head Elf. The elves get together every year and put all the good little boy's and girl's names in a hat and they pick two names out and give them an extra present. Kind of like a "Good Kid Lottery". Here's what I came up with:

Cute? I thought this way, they would not expect it every year and, of course, hopefully, it will make them feel special.

Then I was thinking about how big "Elf on the Shelf " is and this could work with that. If you have an Elf on the Shelf, you could use this with that and make the presents from your Elf.

I didn't create any of this so I cannot take any credit for them except for the coloring. Since it not my design I would suggest PU only. I have put together a little "kit" for you to use if you would like...

You can download it HERE

I've included the original coloring book image, the pieces I used and also a page of tags. I hope you enjoy!

I also want to thank you all for your nice comments and to answer a couple of questions that have come up.

Grambie...I am so thrilled to hear from you! I have thought about you so often and hoped that you were doing well. You always brought a smile to my day with your sweet comments.

No, unfortunately, I have not heard from Anita. I did send her a few emails but...I miss her as well.

I have already made a memory locket for my daughter's bouquet as suggested by Val with her grandfather's pictures in them and a horseshoe dangling from it. (An Irish custom for good luck) I am making her a brooch bouquet, I think I already told you that and so far it is coming out beautifully. Still need more brooches and it is a lot of work but fairly easy to do. I now understand why they cost so much on Etsy!

No, I do not have any plans to open up memberships again. I just don't think I could keep up with the demands of that. So many have emailed me about the old kits and could they get them so I have been toying with the idea of opening up on Etsy and posting some of the old kits there as well as new ones. I just don't think I could design on a time line for now but I missed designing. Not sure how it will work out since there are so many great designers out there and styles have changed quite a bit. Maybe my designs are too "dated'? I don't know just yet what I will do.

And, NO! I am not ready for Christmas yet! I am so far behind...just can't seem to get moving. the only thing saving me is that with the kids being older, money is an appropriate gift! My son wants to build a computer and needs money to buy the parts he wants and we bought my daughter and her fiance two new doors for their house after they were broken into that were more secure then the ones they had. So I am just picking up a few little things so there will be something to open. Have no idea what to get Joe or my Mom, the tree (OMG..the tree saga continues!) is still not up and so far I have a centerpiece on the dining room table and the wreath on the door...that's it for decorations! I have my daughter coming down this weekend for her birthday dinner so maybe I can enlist their help in getting some things done!!

I think that is about it. Think I should finish up my cup of coffee and get my day started.

Have a great day, my friends!