Christmas 2014

Happy New Year, blogging friends! I'm finally back after a little blogger Christmas vacation. Here are some pictures of our week that was Christmas!

My family was here in Maine visiting for about 12 days, as well as some of my other cousins. On Christmas day there was 58 of us all in the same house. Some of my cousins I hadn't seen in 4 years, so it was a great day full of fun, laughter, family, and food.

It was wonderful to have so much time with my family, and hard to see them all go. However, it is exciting to start a new year and make plans for the month ahead!

I've got a lot more coming in the days ahead, as well as some new features for this blog that I think will be helpful to you. For now though, would you share some of your Christmas highlights with me? Comment below with one of your favourite parts of Christmas this year, and feel free to share some pictures on my Facebook page so I can see your celebrations in action!

Cyber Monday: 30% off! (And Last Day to Save)

We're wrapping up our Black Weekend event with a cyber Monday sale: 30% off your order!

This is the last day to get a discount at So Sew Organized. If you have been putting it off, now is your chance! Use the code CYBER30 to get 30% off your entire order. Offer ends at midnight Monday night!

I've been busy sewing away and am so thankful for those of you that have taken advantage of the sales this weekend. I trust that So Sew Organized can be a blessing to you this holiday season, and that you will remember the One that gave us the Ultimate Gift...the true reason behind our Christmas.

Need some more gift inspiration? Check out these selections from the shop:

Totes and scarves make great pairings!

One of my new favourite things to do it pair two different colored scarves with an outfit. It adds a nice fullness and warmth plus the different stripes of color is fun! (pictured is the purple with dark gray, and navy with light gray.) Adding multiple things to your order helps save on shipping, too!

These burlap totes have been a hit, too. They are machine washable, and shed very minimally. It would be a great gift to fill a tote for a teen girl or adult lady instead of a traditional stocking! What gal doesn't want another handbag??

What items catch your eye? Which ones would you love to give...or receive!....this year?

Gift Idea: Baking Kit

I really love the challenge of coming up with relevant, practical gifts at Christmas time, and enjoy sharing my ideas with you each year! This year for a gift exchange I threw together a Christmas baking kit, and I think it was one of my favourite ideas yet. (See last years ideas here)

I know...this post is so totally after the fact. But it doesn't just have to be used for Christmas...this would make a fantastic gift for a wedding, bridal shower, or the birthday of a friend that likes to cook.

The idea started with these potholders and oven mitts. I thought the gingerbread theme was fun, and what does gingerbread make you think of? Baking! Okay, and eating...

These cupcake papers were gingerbread men as well, so I grabbed a package of those and a few other "bake-y" items. I included cookie mix, a small bag of flour, frosting, and shortening. Lets face it, that cute little bag of flour is just plain fun.

To round out the gift I grabbed a Food Network holiday magazine full of recipes and ideas.

Had I been prepared, it would have been fun to get together all the ingredients needed to actually make gingerbread men...but I was working on a spur-of-the-moment decision so that didn’t happen. Maybe next time!


Here is a quick budget breakdown. There are Canadian prices, so you can probably do better than this in the States!

Crisco - $2.27
Flour - $3.18
Chocolate chip cookie mix - $2.27
Frosting - $2
Potholder set - $3
Oven mitt - $1
Baking papers - $2.47
Food network magazine - $5.50
Total: $21.69

Don’t you just love buying gifts for the people or events in your life? Do you have any suggestions for the readers as to what to buy for gift exchanges? How about hard-to-buy-for people? What was your favourite gift to give or receive this year?

Christmas 2013 in pictures

I enjoy snapping still life pictures, so I thought I'd let my camera tell the story of our 2013 Christmas. So much more happened than this - like family time, games, food, and lots of other fun stuff. But this gives you an idea, shows you some of what I've been soaking in and enjoying the last two weeks.

What did your Christmas look like?

Taking a Deep Breath and Enjoying Family

For the past couple weeks I’ve had the opportunity to visit my family in Canada (see more on why I’m not living there by clicking here). You may have noticed my absence from the online world recently - now you know why!

In preparing to come, I knew that I wanted to not be busy busy with shop & blog stuff the whole time I was here. I did have some sewing projects to finish up for Christmas, but wanted to also take time to enjoy my family during the limited time I have with them.

My wish was more than granted when, shortly after my arrival, my mom was flat on her back with a sciatic nerve. Guess who became chief cook and bottle-washer?? Yours truly! :)

The last two weeks have been interesting to say the least. Just before Christmas is not exactly a convenient time to be laid up, especially since mom was the one directing the Christmas program at church. She had shopping to finish, preparation for our trip to the States for Christmas, plus the normal baking and activities that come with the season. Hard to do any of that from your bed, now isn’t it?

I’ve been helping as I can, and 14-year-old Rachel has been a big help as well. I think we’ve all survived my cooking, at least. :) Mom is steadily seeing improvement with her leg, although she is still limping around. The Christmas Program went off without a single hitch. And there are 6 stockings, hung with care and bursting at the seams. All is right with the world. :)

Here are a few pictures from around the home place...it is so good to be here again!

We had a snow day on Sunday, so we stayed in our PJ's and watched movies most of the day. So cozy!

I wonder if anyone has ever kept track of how long it takes to dress a toddler for snow??

Judah loves to be "matching" with his big brother. "Matching" to him is anything with the patriots emblem on it. :) 

I’ve been soaking up all the time I can with this little guy. He turned 2 just before I came home, and he is currently in one of the most fun stages of toddler-hood. He is so, so smart and comes up with funny things to say every day.

We sat and sang the same 6 Christmas carols over and over again, and he surprised me by knowing “Away in a Manger “ word perfect! Then today I caught him singing "Silent Night" to himself in the mirror. Such a precious boy!


At this time of year its so nice to just relax and enjoy the gifts that God has given us: our family, friends, and most of all our salvation. What special things are you enjoying these last days before Christmas?

2013 Christmas Gift Guide from me!

If you've been paying attention to the Christmas deadlines at So Sew Organized (I've been sharing them on Facebook and via our newsletter...are you signed up for that? You can in the right sidebar!) you've probably noticed that the deadline for Christmas orders is coming soon...like, tomorrow!

So I would be remiss to not sneak a little reminder in here for you guys. And I've made it into a post for our 2013 Christmas Gift Guide. This collection is all from my own shop!

Here are some of my personal favorites as well as the price point for each item. Should make it easy for you to shop for anyone on your list! There are even more items available at So Sew Organized right now, so click on any picture to be taken to my shop.

Which item is your favourite? Do you have any more Christmas shopping to finish up?

2013 Christmas Gift Guide for Baby

Is it just me, or are baby's just the most fun to buy for out of anyone? Hopefully you have a few on your lists this year. Here are a few cute picks from some of my favourite handmade shops. Hope this sparks some ideas for you!

1. Crocheted Sock Monkey hat from  Sweet Stuff

2. Maine Onesie from Map My State (or pick any state, major city, or country!)

3. Pattern for a Onesie style Dress shirt from Mae's Joyful Noise

4. Personalized Crocheted Hat from Kraven It

5. Crochet Afghan from Kadyladyloo on Etsy

6. Appliqued Onesie from CSW Designs

7. Zebra Bow from 20 Pink Roses


Which of these items would you want your baby to own?  Let their grandparents know! ;)

I'm Having Overnight Guests! Now What?

With Christmas approaching, there is an anticipated weight falling on many a homemaker’s shoulders - having house guests! This doesn’t have to be a dreaded event. With the proper preparation and the right outlook, this can be a positive time for you, your family, and your guests. I personally think house guests are fun!

Today I’m sharing some of my tips and ideas for preparing for overnight visitors. All of this comes from personal experience, so this is tried-and-true stuff! I have personally stayed in over 100 homes throughout the US, so I’ve literally seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to hospitality! Trust me, I could tell so many stories...instead, I decided to turn them into a post preparing you to be the best hostess you can be. :)

1. Have an attitude of hospitality
Not only will your attitude towards guests be visible to them, a good attitude will set them at ease in a strange place. Hospitality is a Biblical command as well, so why grumble about doing it?

Greet your guests cheerfully and genuinely welcome them into your home. They will be able to tell the difference between a genuine greeting and a forced one, I guarantee it!

2. Prepare the guest room...or substitute guest room.
Whether or not you have a formal guest room, you will need to prepare a bedroom for your guests to sleep in. If a “real” guest room isn’t an option, you can put your kids on the living room floor and give their room to the visitors! Although it may seem a bit cruel to kick your own kids out of their beds, this is a good lesson for your children to see real, heartfelt hospitality at work. And chances are, they won’t mind an impromptu “sleep-over” anyway! Your guests will feel appreciated, and your whole family will learn the importance and blessing that comes with putting others first.

Be sure that the bedroom is clean- surfaces wiped down and floor vacuumed. Put clean sheets and guest pillows on the bed, plus extra blankets in the room. Don’t assume that your guest will come with their own pillow!

Be sure that all toys are cleaned up or stowed away, and give your guests room to open their suitcase and spread out a little bit during their stay. And be mindful of pets! Maybe your son lets the dog sleep at the foot of the bed, but guests will NOT appreciate the hair throughout the bedspread. Launder or change it so your guests can sit on the bed without fear of dog hair...or worse!

3. Clean the washroom!
Oh, I can’t emphasize this enough! Get that bathroom spick and span. Polish the fixtures with a dry rag and mop the floor. Generally, germs from other people make anyone nervous! Make it obvious that this well-used room is clean, don’t leave your guests to wonder, “does she ever clean her bathroom?”

Be sure guest towels are laid out, and tell your visitors which ones are for their use. If you buy new towels for this occasion, be sure to launder them first!

4. Don’t forget the small touches.
There are so many ways to go above and beyond in showing your guests they are loved and that their visit was thought out ahead of time. Leave some extra toiletries in a prominent place in the washroom, perhaps with their towels. Put a box of kleenex and a trash can in their room. Leave a basket of snacks or some chocolate on their pillow. Provide them with light reading material or mind games such as crosswords. Leave a note with your wifi password so they don’t have to ask. The possibilities are as endless as your creativity and thoughtfulness!

5. Meal plan
Who wants to spend all their time cooking when they could be spending it with their guests? Not me! Plan ahead at least to give you a general plan for what you will serve. Keep things simple...use your crockpot or order out if that works best for you. Also, take advantage of offers from your guests to help out! Allow them to prepare side dishes, set the table, or help you with the overall meal plan. Be sure to ask about food allergies before they even arrive!

Need some visual help with the meal planning, preparing to host a dinner or party, or just need to make a holiday list? Check out these free Christmas printables that include holiday baking, as well as many others available at So Sew Organized!





 
Those are the first and most important things that come to my mind...what areas of hosting guests are important to you? Have you ever had any negative experiences? Any other tips to share?