DOTTY CROCHET HOOKS ...

Does anyone elses hand ever hurt when they crochet .... I mean REALLY hurt !!! Doing a quick Google search revealed that I'm not alone in this one .... Whew, I was worried there for a moment .... thoughts of arthritic hands or Carpel Tunnel Syndrome popped into my head .... surely I'm too young for all of that still (or maybe I'm in denial :-) !!!!

There were a multitude of solutions offered up to help with this - the main idea seemed to be, that the diameter of your hook needs to be made bigger, so you're not holding such a thin little piece of metal, wood etc ... Oh, anything for a crafty solution, and I found one !!!

Yes, you got it ...... Sculpey !!! Man, that stuff is so useful for so many things :-) They really were quick, economical and easy to make. I rolled my Sculpey into a sausage shape, and then I carefully pushed (more like wiggled), my crochet hook down into the center of the Sculpey sausage. I trimmed the top of the sausage with an xacto knife, to neaten it up. I flattened out the bottom of the hook, and once it was baked, stamped the hook size onto it using Staz On ink and my mini alphabet stamps. To make the polka dots, I spaced little (and I mean VERY little) blobs of white Sculpey over the sausage, and rolled the hook on a flat surface. This flattens the clay blobs and turns them into polka dots. Into the oven they went (275 Deg F for 15 mins). Once they had baked and cooled, I gave them a coat of varnish .... Voila - crochet hooks that no longer hurt my hands when I crochet !!!!
Gotta LOVE a crafty solution !!!

NEEDFUL THINGS SWAP ...

Oh my goodness ..... looking back at my list of Needful Things, I've surprised myself. The little things that make me tick, that I've never given much thought too ...... until now that is !!!
So here goes ....

- I need to walk. I try to do 5km's as often as I can. Daily would be my ideal, but sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. It's my time to think, to plan, and to put aside all of life's busyness, and just enjoy being outdoors. As a result of this, my daughter and I now have "Our Thing" .... we take part in 5km Fun Runs (we brisk walk them). We LOVE it :-)

- I need to create .... daily. Whether it's crafty creating (there hasn't been much of that lately), or creating a yummy meal for my family, I need to do it. Most of my sense of purpose comes from seeing happy, smiling, full bellied people around our family dinner table (Dinner together every night is a "have to have" for our family) :-)

- I need to record our family memories. I tend to be a little obsessive about this. I want my children to be able to share their childhoods, with their kiddos some day. While I scrapbook page layouts, I chose to do Project Life this year. I love the simplicity of it, and that it's quick. It also tells the story of not just the big stuff, but the little things too, that make up our daily lives.

 

- I need to put out my growing collection of handmade zombie dolls each Halloween. I need these for so many different reasons. They confirm to me, that I'm part of a VERY talented group of crafters. Making them, stretches my creativity, and forces me to step out of my crafting comfort zone .... I've learned so much through this process. Who can help but smile at those goofy zombie faces ... not me :-)

- I need to wake my kiddos each morning, and tuck them into bed each night. As they get older (they're both teenagers now), these moments have come to mean so much more to me. They don't need me to do it anymore, but they want me to .... that's something very special, and I'm blessed to be their Mom.

 

- I need to make all the cards I send. It just feels so personal to me. I like to think that I can create just THE right card to suit the recipient and the occasion. I was so touched a little while back, when my mother in law told me, that she has kept every card I've ever made her .... that's 20 years of cards !!!

- I need to sleep on pretty pillowcases. Flannel in winter, cotton in summer, and floral if at all possible ..... little pink roses - oh yes !!! It makes me feel feminine. I also love that they're quick to make and don't require much fabric or trim ....... they're an indulgence for me :-)

- I need to replant my Fairy Gardens each Spring. They bring me a ridiculous amount of joy. I love that they're whimsical and cute .... my little bit of fantasy land, right here on my own front porch..

 

- I need to try new recipes often. My recipe folder on Pinterest is bulging !!! I love trying new things .... vegetarian recipes are my current absolute favorite. I've had great success with most of the Pinterest recipes I've tried. I always tell my family, that we'll never know what we're missing out on, if we don't try new things.

 

 

- I need to enter goodies into the Texas State Fair each year. I did this for the first time 3 years ago, and to my surprise won a ribbon ..... I was hooked !!! I've won ribbons each year since then. It's such a feeling of accomplishment ..... and I love the excitement of seeing my items displayed alongside the other winners at the State Fair.

 

 

- I need to always have a book on the go. I don't read for hours everyday, but I do like to read a couple of pages when I have a spare few minutes during the day. I love stories of Amish life .... I admire their dedication to their faith. I could not imagine living without our modern conveniences !!!

 

- I need to have my Quiet Time every morning. Some mornings in our house are madness (like most homes, I'm sure), and I just don't get to it - the difference in my day is noticeable. It's my time to focus, to pray, and to remind myself of what is really important. I'm a worrier and pessimist by nature - this time serves to remind me that God is the one in charge, not me.

 







- I need to use pretty stationary. No ordinary BIC pens for me !!! I use colored pens, decorative tape .... you name it, I use it, at every opportunity, it just makes daily writing so much more pleasurable ..... It's girly too :-)

- I need to wear an apron when I'm doing anything domestic.  Cleaning, cooking, baking ...Yes, I even put on an apron to do the laundry ..... Maybe I was born in the wrong era !!! It just shouts Domestic Diva !!!

- I need to wrap the gifts I give beautifully. I've been known to put as much time into the wrapping of a gift, as I did the making of it. I think that the wrapping is an extension of the gift .... and who doesn't love to, and feel special, when they receive a beautifully wrapped gift !!!

- I need to bake at least a couple of times a week. Baking pushes so many of my "feel good" buttons. Girl Child has taken to sending me sweet text messages from school, asking me to bake her what ever she fancies that day !!! These messages warm my heart .... how could I possibly refuse :-) Hubby and Boy Child have their favorites too - I oblige whenever they're requested !!!

- I need to make special themed Family dinners on days like Valentines Day. We don't celebrate these days in a big way in our home, but I do like to make our dinner a little extraordinary. On these occasions I always serve a special themed dessert (we don't have dessert often normally).

- I need fresh flowers in our home, as often as possible. The just make me smile !!! I love their color, their aroma ..... They make a house into a home. Yesterday I was spoilt rotten ..... Hubby (he knows how to make me feel so special), came home with 3 hyacinth bulbs in vases (they're being grown over water) :-) I just know that in a little while, our house will be filled with their heady aroma.

- I need to be surrounded by handmade items. Nothing makes me more content from my head to my toes, than being surrounded by handmade cushions, crocheted blankets, pretty aprons ... I love the homely, cosy feel they give .... a home full of love !!!

- I need lipbalm .... a girls got to take care of herself after all !!! I can't live without it !!! I have a tube in every room of my house ..... kitchen, lounge, bedroom, bathroom, and yes, in my purse and car. I REALLY hate having dry, chapped lips.

So there you have it, my 20 needs !!!
I can't wait to visit the blogs of my fellow swappers to see what made their lists ...

BAKING BREAD ...

I don't know about y'all, but I've always felt that bread recipes, that call for the use of yeast, should have strips of that yellow caution tape stuck all over them. A kind of warning .... Don't try this unless you're a culinary school graduate !!!
Then,  well over a year ago, I came upon THIS RECIPE, and thought it could be worth a try. I even went as far as buying a dish to bake the bread in (who wouldn't want to own a beautiful, red casserole dish anyway). Then I chickened out !!! Fast forward to this week, when I came upon THIS POST, on Lucy's Attic 24 blog. It was too good to ignore, so I took the plunge last night .....

After resting the bread dough overnight, this is what I awoke to this morning ...... Hmmm, not too convinced about this !!!!
Anyway I pushed on, and plopped my floured ball into my beautiful, red casserole dish :-) Both Lucy and the original recipe used Le Cruselet pots - I don't have any (maybe one day, I'll be lucky enough to own one of those beauties ....... it will be red, of course), but my casserole dish worked just fine.

Lo and behold, this gorgeous loaf of bread appeared ....

I feel like Julia Childs !!! Bring on those yeast recipes !!!!

Breakfast this morning .... just delicious !!! Cherry tomatoes lightly sauted in a little olive oil and some garlic is a real favorite of ours at the moment. I'm eating a lot of it, with just about everything !!!

 

It was easy, dead easy to make. As you can tell from the recipe, it requires very few ingredients. One of THE best things about this bread ..... It contains NO sugar and NO preservatives. When we moved to The States 10 years ago, bread was a big bone of contention in our household .... it was all too sweet. I think I've tried every brand and bread type available in the stores !!! When my Mom and Dad visit, they wont even eat the bread here, because of that sweetness. That problem is now solved, and our bread buying days are over ....... That beautiful, red casserole dish of mine, will be getting a workout, for sure :-)

GOODBYE 2013 ...... WELCOME 2014 ....

We sit on the eve of a New Year ..... Full of possibility and expectation.

I for one am glad to see the back of 2013. For our Family it has been the worst year I can remember. We know unemployment too well. We've experienced just how ugly human beings can be, even those from whom we least expect it. We as parents have guided our children through betrayal and bullying, and we've dealt with issues, we never expected we'd ever have to. I've sat under a heavy, dark and oppressive cloud for most of this year. It's honestly the closest I have ever come to just giving up.

Highlights have been few, but there have been some.  For me THE highlight of this year, was being able to spend a month back home with my family. To take in the sights and sounds of a land so familiar, and just stop and breath, was food for my soul.

I've spent a lot of time over this Holiday period thinking. Thinking about how best, to climb out from underneath this heavy, dark and oppressive cloud, regardless of the situations we find ourselves in. The answer I've come up with ..... To intentionally look for the positive in each situation we find ourselves in, no matter how small it is. So, this is what I've resolved to do .....
- At the end of each day, I'll find something positive to focus on, and be grateful for.
- I want to grow in my faith.
- It's time to put me first sometimes (and I've realized it's OK to do that). I intend to learn how to say "no"!!!

So I pondered on how best to keep up with all of this ....... Journal !!! (Yes, y'all knew that I'd throw something crafty into this mix !!!). I have created 4 journals, that now live on my nightstand, together with a cute pen pot, filled with fun pens and stationary. They're labeled, and at the appropriate time each day, I'll write my thoughts into each one. Nothing long winded, just a short little something that reminds me to look for, focus on, and be thankful for the positive things each day.
I used 6" x 6" hardcover sketch books that I got at Hobby Lobby. I prettied them up with scrapbook paper, and some quotes I found and liked. I think they'll fit the bill :-)

 

I've also taken on the challenge of doing Project Life this coming year. I thought about it last year, but decided to look over other peoples work during the year, and then decide whether or not I thought it was doable. I'm excited to get started. It was my Christmas present from Hubby.

 

 



I think it'll be wonderful to look back, this time next year, and see just how much our little family accomplished. One of my little journals is for me to jot down day to day happenings, so that when I get to the end of the week and work on the weeks layout, I don't forget any of the finer details.

All that's left to do now, is wish you all a Happy New Year. May 2014 be full of love, laughter and dreams come true. Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog for a visit this year, and for all your sweet comments and kind words - I appreciate it more than you know.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES ....

What would Christmas be, without the opportunity to put on that apron, pull out a cookie recipe or two, and bake? Christmas Cookie baking, ranks right up there, as one of my favorite Christmas activities. I bake tons, all through the year, but Christmas Cookies are - well - just special !!!

Our Middle School PTA hosts a Staff Cookie Exchange each Christmas. Parent volunteers bake cookies of every shape, size and variety, and the staff members get to choose a dozen to take home to their families. It's a sweet idea, and a nice way for us to show our appreciation for all that these people do for our kids.

So yesterday was the day ..... flour flew, butter was beaten, and boy, was it fun. Both recipes I used were new to me, and both were extremely delicious !!!
First up ..... Decorated Sugar Cookies.
I used a recipe that called for 1/4 cup Almond Paste ....... Absolutely the best sugar cookies I've ever made !!! I kept it simple ...

 

This magazine cover was my inspiration ...... Simple, but gorgeous at the same time.
I had 3 different Christmas Tree cookie cutters. I used 3 different colored green icing colors, and I used white and red as my accent colors. The result ..... A Christmassy feast for the eyes ...

Such Christmassy perfection.

My second contribution - Peppermint Cookies .... Hmmm, how would I describe these .... quick, easy, no bake, and the closest thing I've ever tasted to Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies.

Even the non bakers amongst us could make these, they're THAT easy.
Here's what you do ..... Melt Andes Mint baking chips, Drop Ritz Crackers into the melted chocolate, and coat them. Place on a baking tray in the fridge for 10 minutes until the chocolate sets. Melt a little white chocolate, crush a peppermint candy cane or two. Drizzle white chocolate over cookies and sprinkle with crushed candy cane. Return cookies to the fridge for a few minutes to set again. Enjoy !!!! You see, I told you they were easy !!!

As the big day approaches, I will get a second opportunity to bake .... this time it'll be for us, and our neighbors. It's sure to be fun !!!

CHRISTMAS CANDY GIFTS ....

These would be great gifts for your neighbors, teachers or mail carrier. They're cute, quick to make and inexpensive.
As I mentioned in my previous post, these were all made for the Christmas Faire I was taking part in tomorrow, but as a result of Icemeggedon (that is how infrequent events like this happen in Texas), the Faire has been cancelled. It's the right call .....roads are treacherous, and we couldn't even get out of our driveway if we wanted to.
So I'm here today to share these cuties with you, and maybe spark some of your creativity.
All of these ideas came off pins I'd seen on Pinterest. I just worked with what I had (paper punches, Cricut cartridges and good old cardstock and scissors !!!), to create my version of what I'd seen.

 These are my Hot Chocolate For 4 Santa Boxes. I filled each box with 4 sachets of hot chocolate, 4 peppermint candy canes and 4 marshmallows. The box only required one 12" x 12" piece of red cardstock to make. I fiddled around with the dimensions and shape, until I was happy with it. I finished it off by decorating it to look like Santa's belly !!! The little dangling mug, I turned into a gift tag.

 Next up, Santa and his Snowman sidekick !!! The Santa is a Dove Milk candy bar, and the Snowman is a Hershey's airy, bubbly bar.

 Santa Rolo tube, and Santa candy cane.

Believe it or not, this is constructed, box and all, using just one 12" x 12" piece of cardstock, that I cut to size. The acetate for the window came from an old chocolate box. Again I just fiddled around with the dimensions and construction method, until I was happy with it.

If anyone wants me to write up my dimensions and construction method for either of the boxes, just let me know. I'd be happy to oblige.

Until next time ....... Keep crafting !!!!

OH BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE ......

I've always been told that it seldom snows in Texas ....... Well it certainly came down last night.!!! Not snow but ice !!!
Schools are closed today (always a happy day in our household), and what was to be a jam packed busy weekend, has become clear. We'll all be spending the weekend house bound, as the ice is thick and treacherous. We wont see temperatures above freezing , until Sunday afternoon, and then only briefly, before they plummet below freezing again for the night.

 There's no denying it's beautiful .... This is the view from our front door.

 The holly bushes, are clothed in their icy, winter coats.

The ice is piled high (above the window sills in some places). This ice pile must be at least two and a half feet deep.

We were to have a community Christmas Bazaar this weekend, which I've been busily making items for, for a while now. That has been cancelled ....... I have a lot of Christmas items hanging around now !!! Oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles I guess :-)
As soon as I get a moment, I'll take some pictures, and write up a post ....... there are some very cute and affordable gifts you may like to try for yourself.

Until then ..... We'll be trying to keep warm :-)

EDIT: I just had to add these pictures I took later today (I'll need to remind myself of this, when we're sweltering at 110 Deg 6 months from now !!!) ....... It's 10:23pm, and I've just stuck my head out of the front door ....... It is sooooo cold, I could barely even catch my breath !!!

 Ice piled high ...

 We did our Family Christmas Card photo shoot ....

 The ice cast of a leaf ...... have I mentioned that I find ice absolutely, exquisitely, beautiful ...

 Frozen down spouts ...

And Mom's solution to the cold ..... Hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles !!!