Oh yes, I am LOVING this time of year... the chill in the air (we're in the low 60s here, brrrrrr....), the Christmas lights on houses, all of the Christmas junk at the dollar store... I'm definitely in the mood for some gift-giving and carol-singing!
I decorated our mantle last weekend and got a little metal manger scene for 50% off at Hobby Lobby but couldn't resist flanking the manger scene with La Virgen de Guadelupe. I figure, she represents the immaculate conception so she's appropriate. You can sort of see her on the left... and then she is in candle-form on the right. :)
Here's the manger scene:
As far as gift-giving and craftiness goes I've been spending many a crafternoon making soap and knitting baby booties for a few new mamas. The booties are for baby girls and I like this yarn because it's not YOU-ARE-A-GIRL-AND-YOU-WILL-SUFFER-ALL-THINGS-PINK pink... it's more of a periwinkle with rose and mauve accents.
And then there was soap. My friend at work mentioned she wanted to make soap for her peeps for Christmas so I hijacked that train and have been making soap the past week. Basically it amounts to melting glycerin in a double boiler and adding color, fragrance and whatever else you feel belongs in soap. In my case I've made Peppermint soap, Red Rose and Thyme soap with dried thyme leaves, Eucalyptus soap with dried orange peel and Lavender soap with almond oil and lavender buds. Here is a pic of my first batch which turned out too bubbly because I melted the glycerin in the microwave and turns out that's a no-no. Can you tell the only thing around the house I could find for soap forms was a muffin tin?
And here's the eucalyptus and lavender soaps curing in their muffin tin beds:
So, that's it for now! More soap-making and bootie-knitting to do this week! And then I'm on to Christmas cards! Yes! I love love love this time of year!
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