Nativity Advent Calendar Idea for kids

(image from about.com)

Hi friends! Hope your Thanksgiving was fabulous!

I'm excited to share a fun and simple idea! At church they gave each family a Nativity Advent or countdown calendar complete with 25 vinyl images that when put together, construct the nativity scene.  Each day, our family is supposed to read a few designated verses from the Bible and put one of the stickers on our poster that helps construct the nativity scene.  It is a fun way to countdown to Christmas while focusing a little each day on the birth of Christ.

I wanted to share this idea with you, but I know many of us don't have a vinyl cutting machine.  So I have found a plan B and it only requires a printer and basic supplies you probably have on hand!  I want to be clear, this is not my idea. I found this article by Rachel Bruner on about.com  Rachel's article includes some simple printable nativity illustrations so that you can make your own calendar. I am just sharing the link to her illustrations and sharing the scripture passages that coincide.

Print and cutout the nativity images from Rachel Bruner's article from about.com (click here to print colored illustrations, or click here for the black and white illustrations). Beginning on December 1, read the designated passage from the Bible and cut out and attach one the designated nativity images to magnet or poster board or even a big piece of paper.

Here is an example of how to run your advent calendar,  though you could change it your liking:

Dec. 1 - Read Luke 1:26-27  put up the stable 3 pieces: 2 sides 1 support beam)
Dec. 2. - Read Luke 1:28-29 ,then put up the stable roof ( two pieces)
Dec. 3 - Read Luke 1:30-31 then put up a palm tree
Dec. 4 - Read Luke 1: 32-33 then put up am palm tree
Dec. 5 - Read Luke 1: 34-35 then put up a bird
Dec. 6 - Read Matthew 1: 18-19 then put up a bird
Dec. 7 - Read Matthew 1: 20-21 then put up the nest
Dec. 8 - Read Matthew 1: 22-23 then put up the sheep
Dec. 9 - Read Matthew 1: 24 then put up a lamb
Dec. 10 - Read Luke 2: 1-2 then put up a lamb
Dec. 11 - Read Luke 2: 3-4 then put up the donkey
Dec. 12 - Read Luke 2: 5-6 then put up Joseph
Dec. 13 - Read Luke 2: 7-8 then put up Mary
Dec. 14 - Read Luke 2: 8-9 then put up the manger
Dec. 15- Read Luke 2: 10-11 then put up an angel
Dec. 16 - Read Luke 2: 12-13 then put up an angel
Dec. 17 - Read Luke 2: 14-15 then put up the star
Dec. 18 - Read Luke 2: 16-17 then put up the big shepherd
Dec. 19- Read Luke 2: 18-19 then put up the shepherd girl
Dec. 20 - Read Matthew 2: 1-2 then put up the shepherd boy
Dec. 21 - Read Matthew 2: 3-4 then put up the camel
Dec. 22 - Read Matthew 2: 5-6 then put up a wise man
Dec. 23 - Read Matthew 2: 7-8 then put up a wise man
Dec. 24 - Read Matthew 2: 9-14 then put up a wise man
*Optional- Also put up baby Jesus on Christmas Eve or put him up on Christmas Day

Fabulous and Simple Thanksgiving Stuffing (with secret ingredients)

Image from the Graphics Fairy  

Friends, I don't often share recipes because, quite honestly, the food that I make is not often something one would want to repeat.  However, this recipe for Thanksgiving stuffing is fabulous with a few unique ingredients that make it great.  It is simple to  make- it may be the only recipe I haven't ever destroyed.  While it's not my own recipe, it's pretty exciting to have people ask for it becasue, as you can imagine, this is rare for me.

My mom acquired this recipe from a local cooking show in the 80s or 90s and it is a Thanksgiving staple in our family.  There is no other dressing in our minds.  So I thought I would share in case you feel like giving it a try for the holiday- you won't be sorry.  It is easy to make and fairly fool-proof.

Fabulous and Simple Thanksgiving Dressing
Serves 6-9
Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cups of chopped celery
1 can chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 chub Jimmy Dean Sage sausage
1/2 chub Jimmy Dean Maple sausage
2 cans of sliced water chestnuts
2 cans of sliced mushrooms 
1-2 cups of Craisins or any brand of dried cranberries
1 box of Mrs. Cubbison's brand herb flavored stuffing (here's a photo of the box so you what you are looking for)

*I have heard roasted walnuts and apple chunks are also good additions to the dressing but I haven't tried that yet.

Instructions:

• Saute celery and onion in butter in a big pot
• Stir milk and broth into to the pot of sauteed vegetables and cook on low/med heat on the stove until the mixture is warm
• Brown sausage
• Mix sausage, dry stuffing, mushrooms, water chestnuts and cranberries in a big bowl
• Pour warmed liquid ingredients over dry ingredients and stir until the dressing is moistened and all ingredients are mixed
• Pour dressing into a baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
• Thank me later ;)

Current Obsession: Pinhole Press

Hi friend!  I just finished my sister's wedding invitations and feel like I can come up for air again! Christmas cards are on my mind now  (though I've yet to take any photos to fill said greeting cards).  I am currently obsessed with Pinhole Press.  They are an online boutique offering many pretty personalized gifts from Christmas cards to photo books to personalized stationary- all customizable and all with a clean simple look that is oh so eye-catching.  I love their designs because they allow your photos to take center stage. The patterned envelopes they sell with their Christmas cards are about the merriest thing a person could hope to pull out of their mail box.

Here are a few fast favorites from their site.

 

/01/02/03/04/05/06

Fall Printables

The last few weeks have been a bit crazy.  I guess one good thing about crazy or difficult times, is that they help you realize how wonderful the quiet times and the simple things really are. I am grateful that I have a little time to catch my breath and reflect on this fabulous time of year.

I whipped up a few fall printables for the season that I have/am printing and framing in my house.  You can print them for personal use if you like.

Have a good day, friend!

The Most Amazing Pumpkins

(Image from lasvegassun.com- artwork by Ray Villafane)

Happy Halloween, friend!

I am somewhat freaked out, but mostly fascinated with these jack-o-lanterns carved by artist Ray Villafane.  You have to check out this slideshow of his amazing work.  Have a great Halloween!

etsy love: Go Jump in the Lake

I love the bold colors and vintage look of the signs and frames from the etsy shop, Go Jump in the Lake. You have to check them out, friend!  Here are a few of my favorites

ebay for Halloween costumes

I am a big fan of DIY projects, but most of my attempts at DIY Halloween costumes yield the same, "What are you supposed to be?" result.  So for Halloween, I employ my other hobby, online shopping. One of my favorite sources for Halloween costumes is ebay.  For the past few years, I've purchased my kids' costumes through ebay and found some great deals.  They have nearly every costume ever created and with a variety of sellers and options (new or used, bid or buy it now) you can find the deal that is right for you.

These baby animal costumes are all brand new and all available on ebay for $18 each with free shipping!  I've seen the same exact costumes sold through other retailers for double the price. So if you are still looking for the perfect costume, try ebay, friend!

Winner of the Shabby Apple Giveaway!

With special thanks to True Random Number Generator for it's assistance, I'm excited to announce the winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway.

Congratulations, Tiffany!  You've won the Teachers' Pet skirt! Please contact me by friday to claim your prize.

Last Chance to Enter Shabby Apple Giveaway (your odds are good)

Today is the last day to enter the Shabby Apple Giveaway! Your odds are still good, and the giveaway is quick and simple so be sure to enter by Midnight tonight.  Good luck!

Layered Halloween Yarn Wreath

The question, "Why didn't I think of that?" came to mind when I saw the layered Halloween wreath my my very creative mom whipped up (I taught her everything she knows....or was it the other way around?).

My mom was kind enough to let me share her creative idea with you. There isn't a formal tutorial for this wreath, but I will walk you through it.

• The bottom layer is a black feather wreath from JoAnn's (which is very much on sale right now)
• The second layer is a yarn wreath (I'll post the tutorial ASAP)
• The big flower at the bottom is simply a piece of home decor fabric (also from JoAnn's) cut out in the shape of the print and pinned to the wreath with a black felt rosette in the center

                                            

• A strip of the fabric was also used to tie the wreath to the metal wreath hanger
• You can find the directions for the rest of the embellishments here.

 Thanks, Mom for sharing your brilliance!
P.S. There is still time to enter the Shabby Apple Giveaway!

Incorporating books in seasonal decor

I haven't pulled out the autumn/Halloween decorations yet, but I'm thinking very hard about it.  One simple and fun element I always like to include in my seasonal decor is picture books. We choose a book with a seasonal or holiday theme.  It must have great illustrations and a good story.  I display it on a table or shelf in a little vignette along with our other seasonal decor.  Of course we  pull it down from said display and read it a dozen times.  We pack the book up in the same box with the decor at the end of the season.  It makes for a fun discovery the next year.

For Fall, we display Pumpkin Soup.  It is the sweetest little story about friendship and teamwork and soup.  The illustrations are as delicious as I  imagine the pumpkin soup to be. You can flip through a few of the pages here. I picked it up at Barnes & Noble, but it is available on amazon.com  (for $6.95) and probably a dozen other places.

Do you have a favorite fall or Halloween book?

shabby apple giveaway + retail therapy!

I'm almost too excited to write this post because:

A. That grey dress with the yellow heels and awesome patterned tights is just wooing me.

B. Shabby Apple is sponsoring a giveaway on this blog!!! Keep reading for details.

Fall is my favorite fashion season- the colors, the layers...the boots (sigh).  Shabby Apple just launched, Academia, their new fall line and I'm in love!  It gets an A+  in my book for sophistication and great color.  The silhouettes are very classic, which means they'll last more than one season.  After oohing and ahhing at their site for an extended length of time, here are just a handful of my favorites.

Of course the grey dress pictured above is amazing- possibly my favorite.

The only thing better than a little black dress is a little black trench dress...with pearls.

This is the perfect fall dress. I love the texture and the necklace.

You can't get any more classic than navy stripes and this skirt looks so flattering. This would be very versatile, and a go-to staple in the closet.

Three cheers for COLOR! Mustard seems to be an important color this season and I love how they've paired this fun dress with some classic fall elements and colors ( it also comes in olive green, if you prefer)

This sateen number is plum perfect.  I need it for my sister's upcoming wedding....should I dye my hair red too?

There are so many more great pieces in the Academia line, so be sure to check them all out.

Now that we've had a good dose of retail therapy, how about a giveaway from Shabby Apple?!!  I'm so excited! The great folks at Shabby Apple are giving one lucky gal the Teacher's Pet skirt!

Because I believe in keeping it simple, this giveaway is just that!

Followers of this blog, leave one comment letting me know you like Shabby Apple on facebook- that's it!

Official Rules

• Open to all Google followers of Keep it Simple, Sister
• Contest ends October 10 at Midnight, Mountain Time
• Winner drawn at random and announced on this blog October 11, 2011

Etsy Love: Mibo

(image from Mibo on Etsy)

I was thumbing through...o.k., I was clicking through one of my favorite online magazine, Sweet Paul Magazine, when I spotted these little gems:

(image from Mibo on Etsy)

Friend, meet Mibo.  Is it love at first sight?

It was for me.  Mibo is a design studio that creates amazing paper products sold as downloads that you print and assemble yourself.  The price is right at less than six dollars per kit. Their products are all available for purchase on Etsy.  They would be great in a nursery, for a birthday party or in the classroom.  Wouldn't it be a fun holiday activity to assemble these sweet little Christmas Creatures with your little creatures?   View all of Mibo's adorable paper creations here.

(image from Mibo on Etsy)

Winner of the UPrinting.com Giveaway!

Really, blogs should have a bult-in drumroll feature. I am so excited to announce the winner of the UPrinting.com giveaway (but I really wish everyone could win). The winner of 250 custom labels from UPrinting.com is:

Congratulations, Tana! 

I'll contact you with the details shortly!

Last day to enter the UPrinting.com giveaway!

Hi friend! Today is the last day to enter to win 250 custom labels from UPrinting.com.  The uses for labels are endless.  Click here to enter and get some label inspiration.

Fall Bulbs = Spring Blooms

{image via google}

I know it is hard to shift one's brain to thoughts of Spring flowers, but it's time to plant bulbs, friend!  Here is a little inspiration via Pinterest to get you in a Spring bulb state-of-mind.

I've been thumbing through the pages of the Breck's catalog, thanks to my good friend, Heather.  I've been coveting her tulips since Spring when they made a much more spectacular display than my Home Depot counterparts.  She generously shared her secret of Breck's and their fabulous direct-from-Holland bulbs.  They actually take reservations from their customers and select the cream of the bulb crop in Holland just as soon as they are harvested, to fill those reservations. You can order your free catalog, complete with some great coupons, here.  Most of their bulbs must be ordered by late October or early November. Check their ordering schedule here for details.

Here are few varieties that have caught my eye.

Aren't these Queensland tulips amazing?

I love the frayed look of their serrated edges. I don't know if this flower knows it, but it is right on trend ;) It would be fun to force these bulbs indoors for a party or shower.  They would make an amazing centerpiece.

The Peony-Flowering Tulip Mixture is a fresh take on Spring blooms.

My daughter, who loves tulips, is favoring these pink and pinker beauties and I can't blame her. Breck's calls them the Apple Blossom Tulip Mixture.

They would make a vibrant, cool-hued Spring garden with these blue hyacinths.

Apparently, I'm in the mood for pink, because I'm also drooling over these pink-yes, pink- daffodils.

The Improved Rembrandt Tulip Mixture is also wooing me.

How is a girl supposed to decide?

Do you plant Spring bulbs?  What are your favorites? Where do you like to buy them?

Spark your creativity with an easy giveaway from UPrinting.com

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Do you know what I am positively giddy about today, friend?  Printing labels. Stay with me here. Have you ever thought of the endless uses for printing labels? Whether you run a business or are just habitually crafty and creative, the possibilities are limitless:

-Holiday crafts
-Personalized mailing labels
-Home organization
-Gift wrapping
-Party decor
-Personalizing items
-Food labels
-Product labels
-Marketing materials

The wonderful folks at UPrinting.com are generously giving away 250 customizable labels for one lucky reader to use to their creative heart's content!

Uprinting allows you to upload any design to their site or create your own design with their easy-to-use website and standard label templates. You choose the product (labels, flyers, business cards, etc.) and the quantity. They do the label printing for you and ship it to you.

What would you print if you won the giveaway? Here is some label inspiration to get your creative juices flowing.  All images are downloadable files from various sources all available on my Pinterest board.  Please note: these are just examples of files you could upload to UPrinting.com to make your own labels.


Book labels would be a great favor for book club or  just keeping track of your kids' favorite reads.

Easy stick-on food labels for canning or freezer meals sure would beat the smell test.

I love themed and personalized party decor.  You could upload this free printable to UPrinting website and have a hoot with stick-on soda wraps.

Moving or storage box labels would save a lot of headaches and needless hunting.

Wouldn't Holiday gift-giving be so much simpler, not to mention more festive, with custom pre-made labels to stick on your baked goods?

I love apothecary and specimen jar decor for Halloween and they're much spookier with a label.

 

I love the concept of monogrammed stick-on gift tags.  I think I'll order a set for each family member and Christmas wrapping will be a snap.

I've always wanted custom mailing labels. Wouldn't they be fun for sending Christmas cards?  I created these on the Uprinting website in just a few minutes.

Are you giddy about labels now? Do you want to win some?

The Prize:

250 Customizable Print Labels, size 2" x 3.5", 70lb Label Matte, Front Only Printing from UPrinting.com

The Contest Rules:

 In the spirit of keeping it simple, sister, here are the details on this simple giveaway:

• Open to all K.I.S.S. followers 18 years of age or older who are U.S. residents
• Contest ends Septemeber 20, 2011 at Midnight, Mountain Time.
• Winner will be drawn at random and announced on this blog September 21, 2011
• Leave a comment and let me know how you would customize your labels
• Double your chances of winning by leaving a second comment on this post letting us know you like UPrinting.com on Facebook.