Pajama Pants

It's all about balance.

As the mother of six children (three boys & three girls; how cool is that!), Christmas can be a tremendous balancing act! Sometimes I balance across all six children, and sometimes I just have to make sure the boys balance (or just the girls).

Enter a pair of pajama pants.

Really, I promise it will all make sense.

You see, I knitted a dragon scarf for one boy. And a handmade gift for one boy means the other two need something handmade...and Christmas was drawing ever closer! I finished a pair of fingerless gloves (see my boys' gifts here). Then I was out of time!!

In a desperate search for something to make up the difference, I came across some delightful "Toy Story" flannel, and a pair of pajama pants was born!

Boy #3 looks happy, don't you think??

And look....he balances!!

Top Projects and Posts of 2010

Before diving into 2011, I thought it would be fun to take a look back on this past year. It definitely was a busy 365 days filled with numerous projects and house updates. The following are my favorites (in no particular order) from 2010.

Metal Top Table Redo
Using my favorite painting and glazing technique, I transformed a metal top coffee table a friend no longer wanted.

Daughter’s Room Redo
My daughter’s room went from little girl blue and green to big girl pink, tan and gray. Projects included dog silhouettes, embellishing a cork board, creating a marble top side table, and adding ceiling molding.

Dining Room
Paint changed a mismatched group of furnishings – a floor sample clock, thrift store chairs and buffet, and a Craig’s list table – into a cohesive grouping. With the addition of a zig zag rug, Ikat fabric to cover the chairs and a mirror (which has yet to arrive) this space started the year almost empty and finished almost full.

Bye Bye Red Room
We lightened up our red living room by painting it white, removing accessories and adding new curtains. This space is still a work in progress and is on my “to do” list for 2011.

Secrets to Finding Roadside Treasures
Here I shared the three reasons I have been so successful in finding roadside freebies.

Block Printed Pillows
Vintage printing blocks and letters were used to create unique patterns on fabric which were then turned into pillows.

One Dollar Decorating
I found a mismatched group of milk glass vases at the thrift store and created a pretty table and mantle for only one dollar.

My Sewing Machine
The only sewing machine I have ever owned belonged to my Grandmother - proving it does not take a fancy sewing machine to sew!

Worth the Wait
This post highlighted the landscaping transformation our house has gone through since moving in nine years ago. We began with nothing but dirt and have slowly created a yard we are proud to call our own.

So there you have it – the best of Red Door Home 2010. Hope you enjoyed the past year as much as I have. I am looking forward to 2011 and all the great projects and posts the year brings.

I would love to know your favorite post of 2010? What would you like to see more of in 2011?

Link Love No.36!

You must be wondering why I am posting Link Love so soon... the reasons are...

1. Tomorrow is our New Year’s party, and I am not posting.
2. On January 1st there is something exciting I am going to post, so I really wanted this week’s link love posted soon.

Thank you again everyone for your wonderful projects. It is hard for me to pick just five every time. I always try to have a variety by picking different types of projects. Also, I want to give many different people a chance to be featured. I hope you understand where I come from and why I pick certain projects for my link party.

Ok, this week’s link love...

The Quick Un-pick shared this wonderfully done Sewn Photo Canvas Display. Her tutorial shows you how to make this, and the result is stunning!


Are you looking for the perfect gift to give in January that is useful all year long? Very Merry Vintage Style created free printable calendar for 2011 and shares a tutorial on how to create this amazingly cute calendar. This will be going on my "to-do" list. :)


These black & white fortune cookies by Homeworkwill spice up any party. A very fun and stylish idea!


Is this pretty or what? I keep my recipes in a special binder, but I might start writing my recipes on index cards, so I can use this card holder. :) Check out Life's Sweeter with Chocolate wonderful step by step tutorial!


I posted several different tutorials for brooches (including mine) in the past, and I believe this is totally new! I love the fullness of it, and it looks easy to make. Thank you for sharing Innocentia !


I can't believe this year is ending soon... I just want to tell you all how thankful I am that you to take time out of your busy day to come back to read my blog. Really, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I hope, I can keep creating and writing fun and feel good posts during the coming year.

Have a nice New Year’s Eve, and Happy New Year!

Link Party No 36!

This is a picture that I took while ago. I love this tree. Every time when I drove pass by I glance at it. Some reason, the tree gives me a very calm and peaceful feeling.

Hmmm... You guys must be wondering when I would post my new projects. Well, tell you the truth, I don't even know. I have two other dinner parties (one is for New Year’s Eve) planned out and don't have much time to work on my projects.

Although, let me tell you this, there is something very special and fun planned out for begging of 2011. I can't tell you what it is yet, because that will spoil the fun, but you will find out soon enough. :)

It is time for the link party. I can't wait to see what you have been working on!

Here are the rules;

1. Please post something YOU made. It doesn't matter if it is crochet, quilt, clothing, anything would be fine. I want to see it! If you use someone's idea or patterns please give them the rightful credit.

2. Link to your specific post, that way it is easier for everybody to find and read it.

3. Please grab the "Tea Rose Home" grab button, and link back from your post. If you can mention the party in your post or place the button on your side bar, that would be great! I want more people to have a chance to come and show off their creation.


<center><a href="http://tearosehome.blogspot.com"><img border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462799092490427250" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 126px; height: 160px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoA01dPDcxCv9Ku09VYtszSXA0_T7FXqIzGCrwEgkVFc0iH6Odrctb37Xnb2X1S-la8wBXHBzIAuYLRqt-QdLdVoVbXgOK8JmMJuJJddy66mk2pygB_tIigOtSDA50N0l7LEbzg3Ii-M/s200/GrabButtonLinkParty.jpg" /></a></center>

Thank you for your participation, and making this link party sucssesful and fun!

Link Love No.35!

It's little late, but here is the link love No.35! I have been inviting people over for dinners, spending lots of time with my kiddos since it is winter break. Watching movies, doing some crafts, more cooking...

I adore you all for linking and sharing your projects with us (while I haven't done much lately). Thank you so much!

Ok, here are my picks...

Sandy's Space shared this pretty tent dress card! The card is so unique, and nicely done. Great job!


This romantic warmers by Little Treasures was made with a little effort, a pair of socks and some lace. I love ideas like this! Thank you for sharing!


Here is one more way to use ruffles in your project. Leafy Tree Top made this ruffled tree and she shared wonderful tutorial on her blog. Cleverly done and the result is so awesome!


Just Between Friends made this amazing Anthropology inspired necklace. I love the shade of pink she has chosen, and the design is not overwhelming. Love it!


Christmas is over, but we still have plenty of winter ahead of us... check this out adorable Melting Snowman shared by Moody Fashionista! Aren't they so cute? I bet this will be a perfect treats for winter birthday parties.


Thank you all for sharing such amazing projects to inspire us all! I am starting to get the itch to get back in to more sewing and crafting. :)

Featured!

My cedar chest (one of them, anyway) has been featured on Remodelaholic!

See it here!

FOOD & WINE

Just a quick note... FOOD & WINE magazine included a picture of our kitchen in a piece entitled, Food Bloggers' Best Kitchen Design Ideas (page 56) in their January 2011 issue. It came out while Trina was in the hospital, so we've just picked up a copy ourselves. Here's the digital version as shown on their web site.

Wishing you all the happiest holiday season.

All the best,

Mike

My other hobby

When the snow started to fly, I gave up on the furniture refinishing for a little while, and moved indoors. That gave me a chance to pick up my other hobby, which is....

knitting!!

I learned to knit about four or five years ago. I taught myself to crochet from an instructional book, but knitting was different. I just didn't get it until I could watch someone do it. I walked into a yarn store in Ogden Utah (The Needlepoint Joint, if you're in the area), and one of the nice employees sat down with me and taught me what to do with those pointy sticks! I have been a fan ever since.

So here are some of my wintertime projects!

My baby turned three years old a couple of weeks ago. I finished her sweater about 1 a.m. on the morning of! That is, if you don't count the buttons! (I don't.)

Pattern: Tuckernuck by Elinor Brown

Then there was a Dragon Scarf for one son:

Pattern: Enchanted Dragon by Mary Triplett

And a pair of fingerless gloves for another son (suitable for playing basketball!). Please notice the tough-guy poses!

No particular pattern

These last fingerless gloves are on their way to a new owner as of tomorrow. They weren't exactly a Christmas present, but I did finish them on Christmas Eve! My daughter gets to be the hand model.

Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath

If you also knit, I am RedHen6 on Ravelry!

		http://redhenhome.blogspot.com/2010/12/pajama-pants.html

1 of the 12 pains of Christmas

How was your Christmas? Over all, my family and I had a wonderful Christmas.
Wait, did you catch that? Are you wondering why I said "Over all"? Well, let me tell you what happend to my little girl on Christmas Eve.

Tada...



No, the "thing" around her head is neither an exercise head band from the 80s' nor a part of her outfit. That is a bandage.

The morning of Christmas Eve, my husband and I were still in bed and enjoying that we didn’t have to get up so early... we could hear the kids playing at the hall by the stairs. Then there was a

"BANG!!!" followed by Rachel's loud cry.

"WHAT THE!!" We thought that Rachel fell down the stairs.

But, this is what happened. There was an exercise device hanging over boys’ bedroom door. Christopher didn't want Rachel to come in to their room, so he closed the door on her. That caused the exercise device to fall on her head.

She was screaming and crying, so I held her and rocked her for a while. It was after she calmed down that I found out she had a cut on her head. It was small, but deep...so I said to my husband.

"We are going to the emergency room!!"

Yup, that's how she got 4 staples.

There were several things that went through my mind when Rachel came out from the doctor’s office with my husband (I waited with boys in the waiting room) after she got treated with the bright head band on her head. First I thought;

"What is that?" then, my mind processed that that is a bandage. The next thought;

"I am a maniac, a maniac..." then some reason, the 80s' music video came to my mind. Another thought;

The famous Christmas song "The 12 pains of Christmas" popped into my head. Then I thought, oh, Rachel got 4 staples in her head from her brother...

I know it is not funny, but sometimes that's how my mind works to find the humor in bad situations...

I am so glad that she didn't get seriously hurt, and I am crossing my fingers that we get through this year (one week left!) with NO STITCHES AND STAPLES, unless they are for sewing and crafting...

NOTE: I am sorry; I have been so busy and didn't have time to go through the link list. I will post the link love next time. :)