Sterling Pear Photo Shoot

Sterling Pear Gold Christmas Tree Skirt

About two weeks ago my friend Janet, the co-owner of Sterling Pear asked for my help styling a photo shoot for her of some of the new products including a gold quilted tree skirt, stockings and table runner. She wanted gifts to go in the stockings and around the Christmas tree. Our friend Jeannette had picked out the most lovely gift wrap and gold silk ribbon and she needed my help wrapping the "gifts."

The papers were beautiful colors, thick and textured with multiple silk-screened layers or flocking. I wrapped each gift and then tied each bow a different way. I even used the Easiest Bow Ever Tutorial on the big present on the left. The ribbon only came in one width which would have overwelmed the smaller boxes so I cut in half lengthwise.

Sterling Pear Gold Quilted Stocking

The pictures came out lovely. Be sure to check out all the other unique items from Sterling Pear including mantle clips, keepsake storage boxes, and hand painted ornments.

Welcome December

It's all about the advent around here. My mum put out her beautiful advent calendar today. Every morning the niece opens a door to find a piece of the nativity and a treat.

The niece opening the first door this morning. She found an angel and a chocolate.

This is what it will look like on Christmas Eve.

And, we started a new tradition this year. Dana from Made posted about wrapping up 25 Christmas books and having her kids open one every day until Christmas. So, I raided my mum and sister's bookshelves and found 25 Christmas-themed books for my niece to read.

Some are fun

 Some have a good message

And some tell the true story of Christmas

I have a few favorites

 I wrapped them up and put sticky letters and numbers on them.

 Every day the niece will choose a book to read. I'll let her choose if she wants to start with 1 (the calendar day) or 25 to count down to Christmas.

Some are a little long so I put a shorter book the following day so the niece could finish the previous book. I tried to alternate the fun with the more faith-building so there is a good mix. The niece loves to read and open presents so I think she will enjoy this.

Thanks for stopping by today. If you have time, stop by my other blog, The Vintage Sheet Blog, I'm doing a little gift guide and giveaway link up party.

Vintage Sheet Love

Exciting news: I'm the new leader at the Vintage Sheet Blog! I've been a follower of the blog for a long time now so when I found out that Jen was moving on to pursue other things, I immediately raised my hand and sent her my ideas.

It's been a busy but fun project. But, I love vintage sheets as seen on these projects posted here on this blog:

Owl Bags

Pink Bunting

Green Bunting

I also have an Etsy store filled with vintage sheet fabrics pieces and pillowcases.

It will be fun juggling two blogs but I have a plan. We Grow By Own Dreams will still have recipes, holiday decorating, papercrafting, and non-vintage sheet sewing projects as well as the occassional random post. The Vintage Sheet Blog will have my projects and tutorials made with vintage sheets as well as link parties and other vintages sheet fun.

So, stay tuned because I still have a coule recipe tutorials as well as Harry Potter party details to post about here, on We Grow By Our Dreams. Thanks for stopping by today.

Harry Potter Party Overview

We do parties big at the Grow Home, especially my niece's birthday bashes. This year, we had a Harry Potter party complete with a multi-course banquet, potion-making and Herbology classes, an egg hunt, pinata, and a game of Quidditch. There were so many details and I took so many pictures that I am going to do a quick overview as well as more detailed posts with the food, decor, and games.

Welcome to Hogworts.

Party attendees were students at Hogwarts. The Birthday Girl was named, "Student of the Month."

There were many potions on display. Some silly, some creepy but the students mostly enjoyed mixing their own potions.

 

 We transformed our living/dining room into a banquet hall.

I'll do another post on just the food but in the meantime, here are pics of the bubbling punch

 chicken legs, mashed potatoes and carrots

 and the cake.

 The kids played a very competitive game of Quidditch.

 The students enjoyed learning about "Herbology."

 

 Of course we did the traditional Pinata and opening of gifts too.

All the students went home with handmade owl goody bags full of treasures. 

 Stay tuned for futute posts on all the food, the decorations, the games, and all the handmade details.  My sister spent months doing research and creating all the handmade details that made the day so special. It really paid off with an amazing event that the niece and all her friends will remember for years to come.

Happy World Card Making Day!!!

Welcome to We Grow By Our Dreams. I hope that you have had the opportunity to see all the other wonderful Christmas creations made by the talented Operation Write Home cardmakers. If not, click here.

Below is my card that I am happy to share with you before it is sent to a hero serving abroad. I hope that the hero will use this card to keep in contact with his/her family and let them know that they are loved and missed.

If you like to make cards, please consider making cards for our heroes. You may also help out by donating money to pay for postage. Every little bit helps and our heroes appreciate it.

I've Been Published Times Two

Long time no blog. Sorry. Hey, but I have some good news. I'm in two publications this Summer. One crafty, one not-so-much.

The first is Just Cards Magazine. They published a baby card that I sent them in a bundle of ten cards over 2 years ago. This is the third card from that bundle that has been published. That reminds me I should send them more cards. :)

Next, totally-nothing-to-do-with-crafting-but-still-cool, I wrote an article about remembering September 11th. It was published in our Police Officers Association publication, Justice for All. I was honored that they wanted to print it, especially since they usually only print articles written by fellow officers. It's on page 4 if you want to read it. And, look, they even printed a picture of me (the officer authors don't have that!)

Thanks for letting me toot my own horn. I'm currently trying to create the best sugar-free coconut cream pie recipe. I'll let you know (by way of a tutorial) when it happens. Let me know if you have any tips on coconut cream pie.