Thankful Surprises

For years now a family favorite at Thanksgiving is my pumpkin cheesecake. 

I make it two ways layered and swirled. 

Over the years, I have discovered there is ALWAYS a lot left over in the bowl before I bake them.  It's so good to lick the spoon, but I'm not sure how safe it is to eat a bowl of raw cheesecake batter.  This year, I decided to make my hubby and daughter a 'lil  Thanksgiving surprise. 

I baked the remaining batter in these cute 'lil heart shaped foil baking liners I had.  I wanted to make them look like a present, so I gathered some scrapbook paper, construction paper, scissors, glue, fall ribbon and our espresso shot glass to stencil the circles. 

I glued the circles together and wrote their names on the tags.  BUT they need a 'lil something don't they?

I cut out some 'lil leaves from another sheet of scrapbook paper.  Doesn't that look better?

If you're a jewelry maker, then you must have a bead reamer. They make GREAT hole punchers too!

TA-DA!!! Aren't they cute?? 

This is the 'lil yummy surprise inside!

They both LOVED them. It was just a 'lil extra something just for them to let them know I love them and I am so very thankful for them both. 

I'm having a celebration GIVEAWAY!!!! I'm giving away some of my new Christmas Jewelry! Check it out here and enter! 

I'm guest blogging over at What Allie's Making Now!! Go check it out! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

I am sharing this at these great link parties!!

BLACK FRIDAY SALE!!!

I am having a BLACK FRIDAY SALE in AliLilly Etsy Shop!!! Use the code blackfridaysale to recive your discount! :) Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday weekend! :)

Santa's Name must be TodaysMama

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama  and GameStop  are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? That we are all filled with joy and gratitude

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition? Strong coffee and cinnamon rolls!!

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? 

I would ask to go here. It's the Soneva Gili which is located in one of the largest lagoons in the Maldives Islands.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money? Crafting and cooking with my sweet daughter. Watching old Christmas specials that I watched as a child with my daughter.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up? My sisters and I loved to play this. 

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood? Putting up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving evening.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip? I would love to take our family to Disneyland!

I would LOVE to watch Alie ride this. Dumbo was MY MOST BELOVED stuffed animal growing up.

8. Check out GameStop  and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year? 

 Be sure to check out TodaysMama to enter!! 

Paper Christmas Decorations

I recently checked out a few Martha Stewart Christmas craft books from the library.  They are FULL of wonderful ideas and how-to's.  I really loved the Paper Stars and Tassels she made.  I tried my hand at them and this is what I came up with.

Aren't they great!!??

This is how I made them, with a little help from Martha. 

I took some printer paper and construction paper and folded it according style like this.  You can use any kind of paper and it does not have to be a perfect square.  Rectangles work just fine as well.

Fold your paper in half like this to find the center. 

Staple the center together.

Cut a design into the paper.

Carefully unfold and fan it out.  Tape all the ends together.

This is how I cut the red star.

I used two different colors for the tassel.  I glued the tops of the papers together with stick glue.  Then I cut strips leaving about an inch at the top uncut.

I rolled the tassel up and secured it with a piece of tape.  Then I added a small strip of the other color to the top of the tassel

I cut strips to make the chain.  I secured each link with tape.

When I attached the chain to the tassel (which is a bit tricky) I noticed that it was A LOT smaller and looked a bit odd. 

So, when I made the red and green one I first measured with my hand like this to make sure I cut the strips about the same size.

I cut the strips to this size.

It worked!! They fit better this way.

So, what do you think?  I LOVE them and I especially love that they cost me NOTHING as I had all the supplies already! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

I am linking up to these awesome parties!

Fall Pinwheels and A GIVEAWAY!!!

Do you remember the Halloween Pinwheel Garden I made for Alie's room? Well, I made the Fall Pinwheels Garden for her!

I got this adorable fall paper from Target. 8 sheets for a $1. You can't beat that!!

What do you think?? She LOVES it. Now, I can't wait to do Christmas!! 

It's MY week of the Nine Weeks of Amy Promotion!!! I am giving one winner their choice of ANY TWO PAIRS OF EARRINGS from my etsy shop!! Make sure you click the link and go enter!! 

Go on over and enter!! Thanks for stopping by! 

I am linking up to these awesome parties!

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