Show and Tell and a GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

Happy "Show and Tell" day friends! I hope you can take a minute or two out of your Thanksgiving planning and enjoy a little fun with all of us! I can't tell you how impressed I've been!

This may be your last chance to link your Fall Decor, Projects or Recipes! Christmas is anxiously waiting in line and I'm afraid Fall is packin' its bags!

I hope you don't mind but I must show off one of my many forms of inspirations. She's tiny and soft and easy to carry! She laughs at everything I do and is quick to let me know she thinks I'm pretty darn wonderful! Who wouldn't want one of these around all day to lift your spirits and inspire!


Check out that Cheese Ball grin! I swear this girl can't smile without gettin' her whole face involved! She couldn't hide an emotion if she tried!

My Sweet little Charlie Bug is 8 months old and full of reminders of why I do what I do! Being a mom is my greatest joy, my biggest source of inspiration and my proudest accomplishment! My children and my family are my driving force behind most of my creations! I create to entertain them, find solutions to help them and capture moments in our lives that I hope they too will remember down the road.

Thanks so much for sharing with me and all of us your inspiration! I can only imagine what drives all of you to create such amazing things! It's an honor to have a glimpse into your lives!


And now for a readers special "Show and Tell"
of their own!!!
It includes a giveaway!!!!!!!

Meet XOApplesauce!!!!

A Fun Etsy Shop that you have to check out! It's full of fun and beautiful Calenders, Labels and more! Our Sweet friends over at XOApplesauce would love for you to come check them out and take a look around! Is there a Christmas Gift your hunting for! Come see if you can start checking off your list over at XOApplesauce!

And one lucky winner will win a Cool Jewel Case Calendar!

Just jump over to there site and report back telling me in the comments section what else you like from XO Applesauce!

I'll pick a winner Sunday!!!




Happy Linking everyone!!! And may you all enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving full of Family, food and Black Friday Game Planning!


Be sure to grab our Linking party button!

<a href="http://bluecricketdesign.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="BCD Show and tell" src="http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c201/rdulgarian/showingoffmyskills-2-1.jpg" /></a>

Thanksgiving 101

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is searching the internet trying to figure out how to cook a turkey! It's all I can do not to stress out about timing it right and not making my guests twiddle their thumbs in anticipation while my Mashed Potatos go cold and my Green Bean Casserol goes limp!!

While surfing the net I came across a few helpful resources that I thought I'd pass on...


Want to know how long you need to cook your bird? Thanks to WikiAnsers now you will be an expert!

USDA Roasting Timetable for Fresh or Thawed Turkey at 325° F.

These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer. The USDA does not recommend cooking turkey in an oven set lower than 325° F.

Unstuffed
8 to 12 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3 3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 1/2 to 5 hours

Stuffed
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds 3 1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds 4 to 4 1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours



And are you wondering if you bought a Turkey large enough to feed your hungry crowd? Her's what WikiAnswers says about Bird Size...

"You should estimate about one and a half to two pounds per person."

So get a head count and a calculator and see if you'll be ordering Pizza to top everyone off or if instead you'll be sending home tons of left overs!

So good luck my friends on your Poultry endeavors! I'll be saying a small prayer for all of us Hostesses out there!

Cheers!

25 Days of Christmas Count Down

With so many wonderful Advent Calendars and Count Downs out there you know I had to put my spin on the Holiday tradition! I created this smaller version of a Christmas classic for all of you out there with limited space and for those of us who's husbands would kill us if we brought home one more Huge Christmas Decoration!



Gather the following supplies...

1 pack of Library Book Pockets/Envelopes. ( sold at teacher/learning stores)
Approximately 12 Sheets of Scrapbook paper
3 Sheets of Colored Card Stock
Distressing Ink
Glue Stick
Paper Cutter
2"Circle Punch
# Stencil
Sharpie
2" Ring
Ribbon


And away we go!

Measure and Cut 25 pieces of paper. You will want the cut paper to be slightly smaller then the envelope. I used standard sized envelopes so my paper was cut to 3.5 x 3.25".


Use your Distress Ink to add detail to the edges and corners of the cut paper! This step is well worth the added time! Attention to detail always pays off!


Now you will want to lay out all 25 pieces of paper. Arrange them in a random order being sure not to put two of the same prints next to each other!

It's now time to add our 2" Circles. First we will need to cut them out! I have fallen in love with my new Martha Stewart Circle Cutter! It cuts Circles from 1" - 5 7/8". All that versatility in one tool! Gotta love it!

Cut 25 and distress!

Assign a circle to each piece of paper being sure to make it look random and complimentary!


Taking one at a time you will now add the numbered day to each circle! I used a Stencil and a sharpie but if you have awesome free hand skills by all means show 'em off!!


To make your inserts you will measure and cut a new piece of paper slightly longer then you did your first pieces of paper. In my case I cut mine 3.25 x 4.5"


You know the drill...Distress and arrange them to each envelope. At this point you can also adhere each circle to envelope.

@5 Days of Christmas Count Down Ideas



Now we need to add our Daily idea. I have created a list of 25 fun activities! Use these suggestions and add them to your inserts! I created my idea print outs on Photoshop! Come up with a customized way to display yours based on the Colors you you are working with!




Cut each Idea out and glue them to the insert cards. Be sure to lay them all out first and make sure certain suggestions are closer to the beginning of the month then the end! Putting up Christmas Decorations is something you don't want to do December 24th!

Punch a hole in the corners.


Add them to a 2' ring and tie on a Bow!

Hang on a Knob or on your Mantel and enjoy counting down the days until the Fat Man comes and raids your cookie jar!!!

Happy Count Down!