Paint for Correcting Room : Home Tips

Paint for Correcting Room

1. Beautify the ceiling : Apply paint a darker color than the color of the walls the ceiling is too high to avoid the impression of cold. Try a combination of light colors for walls and dark colors for the ceiling.

2. Expanding the room: Use a paint color or a white youth who proved capable of making a wider space. To make the space appear larger, use light bright enough lighting.

Merry Christmas

** I hope you have a very Merry Christmas **

Thank you to everyone who has made 2009

an extraordinarily successful year!

New Premium Watercolor Prints

130 lb thick textured paper

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais will host the 2010 Golden Globes on January 17th.

TimesOnline just named him the Face of the Decade.

I honestly cannot think of anyone funnier!

{remember my top 5 list ~~ funniest people}

Read his thoughts and upcoming events on his blog.

Christmas Stockings

I have always loved my Christmas stocking.  My Mom had a beautiful velveteen stocking that her Grandmother (my Great-Grandmother) made for her.  It was beautiful - with all the hand-sewn bead work - you could definitely tell a lot of time, effort and love went into making that stocking.

When I was a young child, my Mom decided to make my brother, Dad, and I a version of her stocking.  It was SO exciting to have our beautiful stockings with all the special ornaments sewn onto the Christmas trees.  And even to this day, there is something so comforting to me about reaching way down into that velveteen stocking on Christmas morning......it just feels like Christmas.

So this year my Mom made a version of my stocking (and her stocking) for Brett, Savannah and Matilda.  They are gorgeous!  Again, you can see the love that was sewn into the stockings!  And I plan to keep this tradition alive and hope to make stockings like these for my Grandchildren someday.

Brett, Savannah and Matilda's New Stockings

(we will be having their names embroidered on the top)

Some people don't care much about stockings, they just purchase one and don't think much about it.  But to me, it is one of the really special parts about our Christmas morning.  Every time I see my stocking, it makes me think of my Mom and my Great Grandma and I feel comfort, love and joy!

My Original Stocking

(made by The Cottage Mama's Mama)

Christmas Delivery

I hope you receive all your packages for Christmas...

and you get everything you asked for!

via BBB Flickr group

It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life has to be my favorite Christmas movie.

I still cry every time I see it.

Handmade Christmas Gifts

Ok, there's still time!  We have four full days until Christmas, so if you don't have all your Christmas shopping done - why not go handmade?  Handmade gifts are a wonderful way to show people how much you care about them.  I love handmade because as I am working on a gift, I am constantly thinking about the person I am creating for, imagining how they will enjoy the gift and often reflecting on my relationship with the person.

While there is nothing wrong with purchasing a gift, by all means, I have purchased some gifts this holiday season, but if you have the time (and trust me, some of these things don't take too much time), try going handmade.  I guarantee you will get SO much more satisfaction out of giving rather than receiving this holiday season.

Since we just had our first Christmas celebration (of three) I can reveal some of my handmade goodies.  So to inspire you - here are some of the things I have crafted over the last month for some special people in my life (more to come after Christmas #2 & #3)!!

Modern Baby Booties (for Savannah's Godparents little guy, Luca)

For these baby booties, I used the pattern from Amy Butler's: Little Stitches for Little Ones book.  I used wool suiting material for the exterior and a nice soft brown cotton for the interior lining.  The booties fasten with a velcro closure.

Ornament, Decoration or Pin Cushion (for my Mom and good friend Lara)

I LOVE how these turned out - SO cute!  These can be used as a decoration hung over a door knob anywhere in your home.  Or they can be an adorable Christmas tree ornament or they can even be hung on your bobbin winder and act as a pin cushion.  Here is the pattern for these cutie little hearts (www.thepatchworkorange.com) - the pattern is on the right side-bar.  This is a great pattern for a beginner sewer.  There are no curves in the sewing (all straight lines).  The heart is formed by the ribbon.  If you are new to sewing - give it a try!!

Pillow for the Cottage Mama's Mama

This pillow was made from Mary Engelbreit's fabric (Recipe for Friendship).  I used a fabric yo-yo to embellish the pillow.  This pillow will make a great accent in my Mom's new sewing studio!

Picture (for my father-in-law)

I got this idea from a blog I read (Little Birdie Secrets).  I love this picture and was trying to think of something creative to do with it - when I saw this idea, I knew this was it!  I used an unfinished wood plaque and painted it.  I then added scrapbooking papers and the picture with Mod Podge. The letters are stickers that I Mod Podged over and I then used a strong craft glue to ahere the felt ribbon.  I am posting this now because I'm quite sure my father-in-law doesn't read my blog (so don't show him this Gigi, if you are reading).

Giant Fleece Fish (for my daughter, Savannah)

This was an original idea I had.  I was searching around the net and didn't see many stuffed fish.  My daughter loves fish so I thought I would make her this neat one with lots of scales.  Fleece doesn't fray, so this works perfect because you don't have to finish the edges.  If you would like to make this fish for your little one, here is my tutorial: (www.thecottagehome.blogspot.com/2009/12/fleece-fish-tutorial.html ).

Cottage Mama's Note:  If you would like a tutorial for anything you see here (that I haven't already posted), please email me or leave me a comment and I would be happy to give you a "how to"!!