Santa Milk & Cookies Mug

There are a few Christmas posts I had planned to post before the big day but of course that didn't happen so I'm posting them all at once before the New Year.  I have wanted a special Santa cookie plate and mug for Grant to set out Christmas Eve since he was born, but of course he really wasn't old enough until this year.  I bought the white mug at Walmart because for whatever reason the Dollar Tree was out of plain white ones, it cost $1.25  I did find the white plate at the Dollar Tree.  I knew I wanted to decorate them really simple with my Cricut and vinyl I already had in my stash.

 

I loved how the mug turned out and was super excited to finish the plate but after babysitting, cleaning, finishing up last minute gifts, wrapping gifts, packing, etc I had no energy left to get my beloved cricut out and finish the plate.  So instead the cookies were set out on a Christmas napkin and of course Grant couldn't have cared less as long as they were out and ready for Santa.

 

I figure I can finish the cookie plate and pack it with all the Christmas decorations, and have it ready for next year.

Christmas Pillowcase

When I read about a new tradition, the Christmas Eve Surprise box, I knew I wanted to do it for Grant and knew I wanted a Christmas pillowcase to put inside.  I bought 3 yards of Christmas fabric from Joann's after Christmas a couple years ago with intentions of making stockings for Derrick's side of the family to start a new tradition with them.  However, that never happened so I've had this fabric and have been going back and forth on what to do with it.  A pillowcase seemed like the perfect project for it.  Plus, bonus, I don't have to go buy any new Christmas fabric and I get at least a yard out of my fabric stash (that seems to grow and grow no matter what I do).

I used the tutorial here.  It was super simple to make one and let me forewarn you, these are addicting to make.  Once you make one you will inevitably try to think of every other person in your life who may "need" a new pillowcase.  I may even make Grant some for Valentine's Day and Easter.

I thought about including the magic pillowcase poem I've seen around other blogs but Grant doesn't care much for notes and poems I attach to things so maybe I'll save that for next year.

Reindeer Food

I'm starting a new tradition this year, the Christmas Eve Surprise Box and reindeer food is one of the items going inside the box.

You can find tutorials or how-to's all over the internet.  I did mine a little different in that I didn't use any glitter (cuz I didn't have any) and made my own tag using picmonkey.
I used sugar I colored myself with food coloring and regular oats I had in my cabinet.

To color my sugar I put a couple spoonful's into 2 separate baggies and the oats in another baggie.

 

I used red and green gel food coloring but you can use regular if that's all you have.

 

It really only takes one drop from each of the food colorings in the baggie with the sugar.

 

Seal the baggies and move the sugar around with your fingers until the food coloring is distributed evenly.

 

Pour the sugars into the baggie with the oats and attach your tag.

 

I made this one in picmonkey using a poem I found online.  I saved it as a picture image, copied it into a Microsoft works word document and printed it onto white cardstock.

 

If you're wanting to use the same tag you can save this one as an image.

 

I know Grant is going to have fun sprinkling this all over the driveway for the reindeer on Christmas Eve.