Elf on the Shelf Ideas

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays!

I wanted to share a little holiday fun we have been having since 2012. I was in the Hallmark store getting one of my "collector" ornaments that I get every year. Of course you guessed it..... Baking! I collect the baking ornaments so each year I make sure I visit the Hallmark stores to acquire the Hallmark collector ornaments. Well I spotted the Elf on the shelf and I was sold instantly. However I didn't or even expect our little elf would be such a Huge hit.  Well going on Christmas number four with our little elves has been a nice addition to our holiday traditions. This one I think I saw on Pinterest but not really sure. It was so cute!!

This one I had bought the Barbie Doll at Target for a few bucks, I know a fabulous deal. Apparently "Baker Barbie" isn't so popular??? It would of been on my Christmas list for sure when I was like eight or so. I was like the Barbie kid!! My mother always complained to everyone I was hyper and she took me to the doctor for this, and he told her if I could play for hours with my Barbie Dolls then no I wasn't. I made them clothes, beds out of matchboxes using glue. I made dresser drawers out of matchboxes. I even took tomato packaging and made elevators to life them from boxes I had in a walk in closet. Like I said I was Barbie cray cray! My boys called this is girlfriend that he went to the North Pole to get. I used those like instant cookies from Pillsbury which the boys love! Instant magic! 

Here I started adding a chalkboard I bought from Walmart for like $3.98 and had them in a baking basket full of kid rolling pins, and giraffe whisks that I found at Target,  and tiny gingerbread houses I bought at Roses. Both Houdini and Annie the Elf.

Here I had made a zipline from the ceiling fan to the kitchen light and used candy canes to zip through the kitchen. Again I think this was a Pinterest idea.

Here those little elves had got into the Legos which is so much fun and addicting. The boys love their Legos. All though I think everyone loves Legos!

This must of been one of those nights I forgot and then bam in the morning oh yeah move the elves!! Quick before anyone wakes up. Quick thinking hang them from the kitchen light fixture. 

Here they landed on the Christmas tree I have in my bedroom which is a cheapo that I bought at Roses. It's white and I love it! It's just plain cute! They arrived in flight suit and an adorable cute tartan skirt. The elves brought plastic army men. Again another favorite of the boys!

Here is where Houdini actually arrived in his flight suit. They brought Planes for the boys from Disney. Of course with a name like Dusty he had to have Dusty the Plane.

Then one night Houdini arrived with a shaving kit for all three of the younger boys. I bought these at Walmart in the holiday gift section. They were so thrilled with these. I have videos up on YouTube of them shaving it was just funny, I laughed at them shaving.

Here is where Houdini got into those yummy Hershey bars. He even had chocolate on his cheeks.

Houdini has his football jersey on and the boys got a new football, a favorite of them.

We found them in the tree again!!

Annie has on her sweet skirt and it looks a new apron to bake with.

Houdini has his camera and Annie her cupcake outfit for Skylar's birthday every year on December 13.

We found them in the sauna one morning in their sweet little robes.

Drumroll on Christmas Eve one year.

High up on the cookbook shelf. Houdini hides. These mornings it takes the boys awhile to find him.

This was one of my favorites of them all I printed these off the internet sizing to fit. I used one of those vintage raisins from the late 80's to play Twister with Houdini.

We found Houdini with a tiny coffee cup on the cabinet door.

Houdini went and played with the snow babies. I painted these back in like 1995 and every several years I set them up.

Look at how cute his he in the sleigh with all the bears around him.

Back in the tree and breaking ornaments.  He was being a little rotten Houdini.

Hello nutcracker! Yep you guessed it we found him with the nutcracker.

Here is one my daughter Crystal sent me after the Sandy Hook tragedy. We used the idea too.

Crayons and coloring books with puzzles always great ideas and inexpensive.

Back for another year in a glitter snow angel.

I love this one a mustache. Well hello there!!! I had a whole set of mustaches for the boys from the dollar store.

Puzzles are perfect they are fun and yet challenging, and you can buy them at the dollar stores. It also keeps the kiddos from playing video games and their tablets. I love puzzles myself.

Of course Houdini got the cutest pjs off of Etsy.

Too Elfin cute!

Oh my we caught Houdini playing one of Skylar's toys. The Little Tykes Xylophone.

Well I'm guessing Houdini got beach fever.

We caught him eating popcorn at the popcorn popper. Too funny!

Then we found him on one of the Tonka Toys with chocolate tools. Of course the boys liked the chocolates.

Houdini and Annie brought the new movie at the time, Despicable Me 2.  

Here they were hanging on the kitchen bar light by the monkeys from a Barrel of Monkeys. Skylar was intrigued by this.

Here our little elves told the boys they were back for another year, in watercolors.

We are always finding them on the bookshelf. Oh my but look at how cute those little outfits are. The outfits came from Etsy.

This has to be one of my favorites! Seriously how cute is this? I found these cute outfits on Etsy. Brilliant!

We found them on the kitchen table with reindeer noses on and a note, for magic spray. The spray is used incase someone actually touches them. It is made of water and a wee bit of peppermint essential oil with extra fine glitter/ mica powder. This was a printable from Etsy.

Here we caught them putting money in the laundry room piggy bank (which is more like a doggie bank). Rufus! I toss all the coins I find in the laundry into Rufus and when I don't find change I tell everyone Rufus is mighty hungry. LOL!

Here the elves left some candy. Peeps!

On the couch with a new toy.

Haha pirate elves. Found them on Dusty's lamp with pirate coins all around. Even on the floor.

Beverly found these adorable cards at Kohls and more cute elf clothes.

Out shopping for the day with new record players, I found at Walgreens. The birthday suit for Skylar's birthday which is December 13. Happy Birthday Skylar!

More cute outfits with the Joy sign that lights up.

A day of relaxation with these adorable robes I found at Target. We found the elves in the swingasan.

The elves were out riding around in this little bicycle filled with yummy candy of each of the boys favorites.

Look at those adorable elves in their handmade pjs from Etsy. The boys also were left cute pjs from Target.

Found them out on the steps with the little wagon of the reindeer in tow. Suitcase to boot!

The elves traveled to Kamakura, Japan to see Diabutsu (The Great Buddah). I cut the Asian Gate with the Silhouette Cameo and used one of the toy Buddah figures in the tubes. I really like this one!!

This where Ginger the reindeer was introduced and I found reindeer food at Target.

Here in his football jersey with a finger football game. 

I found this adorable Captain America at Enzas Bargains.

Staying Alive in their dancing clothes and a disco ball!! I can just hear that song now.

Here the elves were on Sonny's play gym. Sonny is our cocktail bird.

Here Houdini spelled out his name with Dusty's spelling word alphabets.

Santa is coming!!! Says Houdini as he paints on his easel.

Happy Holidays I hope you Yuletide Season is a wonderful joyous time of year. 

Cyber Hugs, 

Dawn Gallop

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A year in review....working to make the market

Market to market is how we have spent pretty much our entire year. I work all week to have stuff for the market. During the summer I worked every Wednesday up until the week school started back. That had me baking on Monday and Tuesday for the Wednesday markets and Thursday and Friday for the Saturdays market. I love being outside but instead I was in the kitchen all summer.... which don't get me wrong I love love love to be baking and canning..... I have been cooking since I was seven on my own so 

It just comes naturally. I know you think seven seriously??? Yes I was a latchkey kid and my mother divorced when I was five so she worked all the time. She climbed the ladder to success back in a day when women were not so called bosses or "in charge" of an office. We're talking 1970-1977 ish time frame. I was seven in 1975. Going back to my story so cooking is definitely my thing but boy did I miss being outside all day in that 90 to 100 degree temperature. I would go collect the eggs or get Colten too. I would jams and jellies whenever I had fruits. I would get peaches by the bushels and spend half a day blanching and pealing them to can or for peach preserves. I loved every minute of it. I grew tons of veggies too and I was lucky enough to have Colten to help and boy did he help. I kept telling him he was learning life skills. Probably not what a 13 year old wants to hear.!! When I would plant he would help by digging the holes and or watering.

I grew gourds for fun. Which has always been bunches of fun!!

These are some of my raised beds, I had in early spring. I grew lots of veggies for the market. My veggies are organic no chemicals, no pesticides, just lots of love and care. This is what I call the kitchen garden.

I got a new tractor from John Deere last October for my 28th year wedding anniversary. Which was November eighth. Here I am getting my education to drive such an excellent piece of equipment. I now could go from raised beds to no limits farming.

Here is when we harvested the May peas. Dusty and Colten my two biggest helpers. I plant these every year in February usually Valentine's Day. Well I did this year too and not a good idea as in the past. With all the freezing low temperatures we had this winter they actually froze. At first when they were not coming up I thought okay did the chickens dig them up and eat them? No I dug them up to find they were froze and turned to nothing under the ground. Basically a gooshy mess. So I started over immediately.

I made homemade soap as much as I could as often as I could. I switched to 15lb molds that Bruce made to increase my pouring amounts. Which makes it more difficult to pour now.

Here you can see the 15 lb mold. I was trying to keep up with everything else and  pouring late at night mostly. I pour all the soap in my craft kitchen on the third floor of my house.

Bruce and I tended to the bees. Which I love!!

On a Sunday morning in my pjs tending to the bees and looking for the queen.

Hello!! Beautiful beautiful beautiful bees!

About every couple of days we picked tomatoes for the market and for me to can for the winter. We had a very successful and blessed season.

I canned more than a 100 quart jars for soups and sauces and salsas this winter. Oh yeah and of course tomato pudding which is my husbands favorite!

Here are my pattypan squash and tomatoes at the markets.

On a Friday morning getting ready for the
Market. Here Skylar helped me and Colten pick tomatoes. All tomatoes are organic no pesticides no chemicals just lots of love and care. I use marigolds to keep bugs out of the tomatoes.

I always have fresh eggs at the markets. On average we collect around 130 eggs a day. I use a lot in baking and just for us to eat. My chickens are on pasture free ranged fed a non-gmo feed (which cost way more than conventional feed) I try to stay away from gmos and want what I eat to also be non-gmos. My chicken are beautiful and roam everywhere. You are what you eat.....so its a good idea to feed your chickens the non-gmo feed.

Chickens everywhere!

We have raised all the chickens from tiny chicks.

Egg collecting.

Of course I have the t-shirt of girls on grass. Get yours HERE the money supports ethical farming

Fruit and fruit galore from figs to apples to peaches to grapes to strawberries. I have literally spent a year in fruits. However I have spent many years but on a small scale. I know for a fact we had over 600lbs of figs this year alone. Gosh I have no idea how many blackberries, blueberries. It's unbelievable!!!

Strawberry picking.

Of course I canned as much as a factory, okay well maybe not as much but it seriously felt like it.

Don't get me wrong I love to can but I honestly have canned so much and like everyday or close to everyday. Here are the figs in Fig preserves. Talk about YUM! 

#yumminessinajar 

It has been a very busy year but with lots of rewarding work!! That I have greatly enjoyed. I am so thankful so very very thankful for all who have believed in me and supported me. I am ever so thankful and appreciative of this! 

This has to be one of my biggest sellers my hot pepper jam. Which I have customs who buy 15 jars a month to put on all their goods. It's not just a yummy cream cheese spread but a yumminess for all foods. I usually make about 70 jars a month. Thank goodness I had an amazing year of peppers. I even sold vinegar bottles full of peppers.

Just a few of them. I seriously did a lot of these and my customers love them. I have ones who buy them and pull the peppers out to eat. Wow those are brave souls! 

When time would allow I would paint my hand painted canvas bags for the soaps. Which these are big sellers. It just makes a great gift!!! I enjoy painting them more than you can ever imagine!! I look forward to this and it makes me sooooo overjoyed when customers buy them.

Breads and more breads I will bake around sixty loaves of bread on a Friday along with the pies. Which my pecan pie recipe is HERE you will need to scroll to the bottom of the page to see the recipe. Thank you for supporting me on my baked goods and telling me the rave reviews on them it just makes me plain happy!

Let me tell you about the John Deere Gator I had the notion that I needed and to my surprise Bruce made it happen. I was hauling everything by hand from feed, to veggies, to straw and I said you know I really could use a gator well he got one. Let me tell I felt lazy at first but when your work is never done on the farm.... One could really use it! It has made duties so much easier from hauling the heavy coolers to and from the fridges. Yes I'm ashamed to say we have six full size refrigerators and six huge freezers. They are not in one place so putting things requires a lot of caring. This gator has been a back saver and a true help for all of us. I am truly thankful for it!!

Here is one of my famous pecan pies you can find the recipe HERE.

Of course when you are making as much jams and jellies as I do you need a lot of supplies and jars are the biggest need of them all! Bruce has made a lot of trips for me to relinquish supplies. Here is when we went to get a truck load of jars. There are 100 cases in the back of my FJ Cruiser.

I made beard oil this year too which is just amazing!!

Some more pics of the garden, this year.

More garden pics oh my makes me want to have fresh squash blossoms...yum!

This one was actually taken today. We love making Chinese stir frys and today we had that for dinner. Cooper helped me pick the Bok Choy we planted in early  September. Look out how beautiful they are. I love this pic of Cooper. It makes me so happy to get them involved and teach them how to grow and raise your own food. Once again I tell them "life skills".

Cooper and I picked the collards look how big and lovely they are. I have a country ham soaking now so the ham hock will be good in the collards. Not for me but I do how to make them for Bruce.

We picked huge amounts of blueberries of course we do every year, but wanted to show you. I also have other post of blueberries you can view HERE.

Cody boxing soap trust me this is not what any of the boys want to do. 

Boxing eggs. That is a huge job in its self. Colten, Bruce and I do this on a daily basis.

I made homemade vanilla this year. I started this back in January so it would be ready for this Christmas. I have only a few left now so if you want one you better get up with me ASAP.

Packing soap up for the market each week. Usually Cody does this but a lot of times I have got to the market and not have the soap I needed so now after he packs I go back and pack what I do need.

I hope you enjoyed a wee bit of a look into this past year of how and what I do to prepare for the market. Being on a farm your work is never done but it makes me happy to know what we are eating and feeding our animals and knowing what we sell is pure goodness! I thank everyone who has supported our farm and knowing that you are getting the BEST we can provide. Truly #Madewithlove!!! Thank you and I am thankful for YOU!

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Cyber Hugs,

Dawn Gallop 

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