Friday, November 1, 2013

Friday Finishes and GIVEAWAY!

First up, finishes.  Unfortunately, this year's costumes required quite a bit of hand sewing.  Word to the wise:  don't let your kids browse Pinterest for costume ideas, especially costumes that don't link to a tutorial!



Sad chicken inspired by Martha Stewart.  Feather boas pinned to a tee, felt comb blanket stitched to a hat, tights.  Easy peasy. 



Jelly fish, also inspired by Martha.  Scotch tape, Totes bubble umbrella, rainbow lame, glow sticks.  Easy peasy.



Slurpee inspired by Pinterest.  Hoop from an old Ikea net bed canopy.  Lots of felt, tulle, hand sewing and Aileen's Tacky Glue.  I'd recommend a different glue, I had to re-glue parts.  Straw is a wrapping paper tube mod podged with red tissue paper.  



Peacock inspired by Barbie Island Princess.  Dress repurposed from Sharpe Evans Bop to the Top costume.  If you know what either of those things are, you have my sympathies!  Sparkle tulle and netting bustle, netting fan with feathers sewn in by hand.  Hardest costume I've ever made.  I spent $20 on feathers, and they still look too sparse. 

Whew!  That was a lot of work.  So glad I have eleven months to forget how stressful making homemade costumes is.


Next up, our first giveaway!!   Spoiler:  It's not fabric.  

November 1st is a big deal in our house.  It's the day when we start listening to Christmas music.  I know, I know, it's too early!  I know it makes me a big nerd, but my kids love it!  They talk about it all through October.  Before she went to bed last night, the jellyfish whispered in my ear, "Christmas Music!!"

I'm not THAT picky about my holiday music, but if it comes from a "NOW" album, I probably won't like it.  Here's some songs I LOVE, and one song I absolutely hate.

This super speedy Babs song is the first song I usually play on the morning of November first.  It was the first Christmas album we owned as a couple.  I like it's hurried pace and slurred melody.  It will forever remind me of the time we strapped our tree to the roof of our little Civic, and tied the doors shut.    I think we climbed in throught the windows.
  
This is probably my favorite secular Christmas song.  The movie it comes from is a family favorite, too.  

Another movie favorite we sing all winter long.  

We buy new music every year.  I'm always excited to see who is releasing and this year it's one of my favorite bands.  Silent Night sounds lovely, but I'm not sure how I feel about carols being turned into Euro Dance Club hits.

I can't get through this song without getting emotional, even though it's a cheesy pop song.

Hell, for me, would feature this song on repeat.  Like nails on a chalkboard.

I'm probably dating myself here, but this whole album is wonderful.  It's hard to find pop singers who treat Christmas carols with  reverence.

This tender lullaby is probably my favorite Christmas song.  The Mormon Tabernacle sings the loveliest version, it's heavy on strings.  I love MoTab so, so, so much.  When they sing Christmas songs, I feel the peace of the season.  Someday, if I can learn to sight read, I might audition and be a part of that group.  It would be a dream come true for me.  Again, super nerdy!  Now you know.




I'd like to spread a little early Christmas cheer and give away the album this song comes from: Sing, Choirs of Angels.  To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas song or album.  Make sure you leave an email addy so I can contact the winner.  For a second entry, do an act of service, small or large, in the spirit of Christmas.  Come back and leave a comment describing it.  I'll hold the draw next Friday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Pinspot


Linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts

18 comments:

  1. My favorite song is in Winter it's a Marshmallow World. I love Christmas but I think I'll wait a bit longer to turn on the tunes.

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  2. Finally a photo of Whitney, clever, cute and perfect for an older girl. Lovely blog post!

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  3. I love my Bing Crosby Christmas albums... they get listened to all year round.

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  4. Still Still Still and O holy Night are my favorites. I love Christmas music!!! I have to say that Whitney's costume was my favorite last night.

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  5. All of these costumes are so fun and ahhhhdorable! You rocked the homemade Halloween, nice job!
    I think I may have to be a jellyfish next year...

    Is it lame if I say Jingle Bells? I like all the classics :)

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  6. Awesome job on the costumes!! Each one is amazing and so fun!! Do you mind if I pin them or would you prefer to not have your kids pinned? My favorite traditional music is bing Crosby's Christmas and then Bruce Springsteens Santa Claus is comin' to town, and my last favorite is every song on the elf soundtrack :)

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  7. First: You can't sight read? Huh. Who knew!?
    Second: Christmas Wrapping--The Waitresses.
    Third: Rad costumes. Love all of them.
    xo

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  8. I love your post! LOVE the costumes! I am not entering the contest but I made 50 servings of beef stew for my friend's son wedding which is tomorrow!

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  9. I love Walking in a Winter Wonderland!! Hearing it makes me want to cozy up with a darling quilt by the fire! :) My email address is hshiey06@gmail.com

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  10. I love almost everything by the MoTab for Christmas music. I'm really kind of excited for Erasure's Snow Globe and I'm kind of digging Gaudete the first single from the album. I don't quilt but I do love my sisters!!

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  11. I love Mary Did You Know, it brings home the meaning of Christmas. And for a silly song, I love to hear, I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas. My email is hbrooke_ski @ hotmail dot com
    Thanks for the chance!
    Heather

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  12. I LOVE them all!! But especially the Slurpee!! Fantastic job!! (obviously I'm not entering the contest) XO

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  13. Your costumes are very cute! It does take a fair amount of work to put it all together. Love your choice of Christmas Music - very restful and dreamy. I'm definitely a traditionalist and my favourite Christmas song is Joy to the World. I love BeBe and CeCe Winans and love their Christmas album called First Christmas - they do a great job of Joy to the World.

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  14. My favorite Christmas album is Amy Grant's A Christmas Album. Yay for Christmas music!

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  15. The Muppets Christmas Carol. I love the movie and the soundtrack. I could listen to it year round.

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  16. Bing Crosby"s "White Christmas" is my all-time favorite, but I too like Still Still Still.

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  17. OH my I love Christmas albums..ok my all time favorite is Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers - Once Upon a Christmas...I don't even really like country music and this album is "da bomb!" LOL So one new one that is an all time favorite is Andrea Bocelli - My Christmas..so good even though it does have a song with Mary J Blige that my husband gags on!

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    1. Oh and I forgot to say how fabulous all your costumes look and congrats for making them all! SUPER MOM!

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