12 Gifts for Christmas

Canning jars aren't just for canning...

Gift Jars filled with AVON mini's and Chocolate.

These gift jars are easy to make and you can finish 12 gifts in less than an hour.

They make a perfect gift for Teachers, your Mail Carrier, Hair Dresser, or anyone you like to show appreciation to during the Holiday Season.

You will need:

AVON mini or trial size products such as mini holiday hand lotions, hand sanitizers, lip balms, and

holiday bubble baths.  These products can be purchased through my web site below.

www.youravon.com/tkosinski

1 quart canning jars

Basket filler

Rafia Ribbon

6" Fabric pieces

labels and a printer

Or, print on sheets of paper and use scrapbooking glue dots

to paste labels to jars.

I used a template from Microsoft label templates that fit 6 per sheet,  That way I only

needed to print 2 sheets 

Any other treats you would like to include.

AVON is Home for the Holidays

AVON was recently featured on the Martha Stewart Show and in the November Issue of Martha Stewart magazine.  Follow the link below to enter for a chance to win fabulous gifts for the Holidays from AVON.

Martha Stewart give away

The Reason for the Season

I was in a gift shop in Nashville today and like every other store in America the week after Christmas, all the Christmas items were 50% off.  My daughter was looking at a tree filled with ornaments and saw one she liked and ran over to tell me about it.  "Mom, look at this ornament.  Isn't it pretty.?   It says "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."   I agreed the ornament was very pretty.  She went on.  " That is the reason for Christmas isn't it Mama?".  I said "Yes, Honey, Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas.
A man was standing right next to me and my daughter and I know he had heard every word.  He was staring at us, nonspeaking and unmoving.  I looked the man in the eye and said  " You are such a sweet girl to remember that."  The man walked away.
On the drive home, I was wondering what might have been on that man's mind. 
There was a car in that parking lot with a Minnesota license plate.  Did he recognize a Midwest accent, but was afraid to ask where we were from?
Did he agree with my daughter , but was just too shy to say so?  Or,
Was he part of that 14% that does not believe we should be celebrating Christmas or uttering the name of Jesus or God or Christmas in public, but kept it to himself because of the "Go ahead, challenge me" look on my face?
I have heard more people wish me a Merry Christmas this year than any other year in recent memory.  Jesus is indeed the reason we Celebrated that Holiday with Family and Friends.  I am so thankful and so grateful that my 8 year old knows this and is not afraid to acknowledge it.
Have a Safe and very Blessed New Year's.  And... MERRY CHRISTMAS even if it is a few days late.

Poly Mesh

The easiest, most festive decorating tool I have found in awhile.  This "ribbon" is 21 inches wide and comes in a 10 yard roll.  I made this wreath in just under an hour. (It was my first one).  I used almost the whole roll of poly mesh and a 2 inch wide accent ribbon.  I bought this roll of poly mesh at our local flea market, but found it available in several craft supply stores and on e-bay.  I used a wire frame specifically made for this project, but a foam wreath form and floral pins can also be used.
I have enough mesh left over to make a matching bow, wrap some AVON Bubble Bath or my favorite wine to give as a hostess gift.

House Project #5 Complete

Still Working on projects 1,2,3 &4, but our new living room is complete.  I love it.  I chose a denim blue for the color below the chair rail, and a carmel on top.  I used Glidden paint for the first time.  I will never use anything but Glidden again.  It covered in two coats and dried to a beautiful Satin finish.  This started out as a dining room redecorating.  It was so beautiful and cozy when we finished, we decided to move our TV room to this room. 

The kids loved helping.  They both did so much and such a good job

Bailey's testing the new location of moms favorite chair

Here you get the full effect of the denim blue and caramel.  Yummy.

Determined to tackle my dining room tomorrow...

I found the pictures I was looking for.  Here is a before picture of my dining room.  Tomorrow....I paint!

I was looking for some specific pictures tonight, but came across all these little "creatures" that live with or around us. 

"Lizzy" likes to hang out on the front of our house

Our goofy Setter Hunter.  Never has enough attention

Bailey Beagle.  There is no bad time for a cookie... or a nap

Hunter with his sister who came to visit this summer.  They had so much fun.

Jasper Jacks.  Every meal is a new adventure in cat yak.

Joker.  Too smart for his own good.  Finally found a fence that will hold him.

Our Sweet Rosie.  So spoiled, so gentle              

Bailey looking for "Lizzy" out the front room window

Two of the ugliest toads I have ever seen.  I hope this is just an innocent game of leap frog