Overheard This Week

Son: Mama, why did the old tree lights stop working?
Me: Ummm, probably because they had been stored in a really hot garage.
Son:  Do you think the goblins did it?

Merry Christmas

Here we are, I'm off work until after Christmas and everything is in full swing.  The kids and I have a cookie date with Grandmommy.  I'm going to attempt to make some Cinnamon buns for tommorrow morning. I'm going to try to get some more fabric bags made to cover the presents with.  I'm hoping I don't have to go to the grocery store for a few days.  I'm definately going to make some magical memories for all of us. 

Overheard This Week

Son: Is it Christmastime yet Mama?
Me: Yes, it's Christmastime.
Son: Yay!  So is Santa coming tonight?
Me: No, Santa isn't coming until you're in bed on Christmas Eve.
Son: Why is it taking so long?

Ornament

My knitting group had a small ornament exchange and I made this little guy:
He's made from this tutorial.  I'm pretty taken with him myself. I could see myself making some more.  The kids have already requested one for themselves.  Sometimes a small project is the best.  Although, I think I really need to start buying wool felt if I want to make more.

More Elving

I'm really hoping there are others with the "There's no reason to buy it, I mean I can make that." syndrome.  So far I've learned I can make a lot of stuff, but most of it is time consuming and I figure out why it cost so much in the first place.  For example, I've seen all kinds of beautiful wooden toys on Etsy and in several catalogs.  I kept looking at them and wanting to buy a few items for my kids, unfortunately my budget kept getting in the way.  I decided to use the money to make some toys for them.  I'm pretty proud of them.  The pictures are just of the food items as I haven't completed everything yet.  I used poplar wood from a hardware store, my cousin graciously let me use his band saw and belt sander, I used glob paint, and made my own sealant from jojoba oil and beeswax.  I also bought a wood burner to make the lines on the toys a bit more rugged. 


I still have half of the wood I purchased uncut, and plenty of all my other supplies. I think there may be a few more toys coming. And hopefully a lot of cooking in my little girl's play kitchen come Christmas.

Cookie Day!

It isn't Christmastime without Grammy's Molasses Cookies!  I really think of them more as being my mom's, because I don't remember ever having had any that Grammy baked.  I think she just gave mom the recipe... Well anyway, these are my essential holiday cookie.  They are big, soft and not overly sweet.  They are great by themselves and really good with coffee.  My favorite time to eat them is actually the day after they are made and have sat all night in a sealed container, they just, soften up to the right density.  Best of all, no frosting required!  I mean you could frost them, but I've never had any that were.

Grammy's Molasses Cookies
1C Sugar                 
1/2C Shortening (not butter)
1 Egg
1/2C Molasses
1/2C Cold Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Baking Soda
4C Flour

Cream shortening and sugar.  Add egg and beat well. Stir in Molasses. Add cold water and beat.  Add flour, ginger, salt and baking soda.  Mix soft dough, kneading as little as possible.  Roll about 1/2" thick for soft cookies, 1/4" for medium cookies, or 1/8" thickness for crisp cookies.  Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Oh and just a caveat, um if you have a regular kitchen aid mixer, I uh wouldn't double this recipe.... just sayin.  And I'm make sure you have the top locked down, this is a very thick dough.

Overheard This Week

Me: Hold your horses!
Son: All my horses are in the desert.
Me: Why are the horses in the desert?
Son: Because that's where they live.  They have a barn there too in case it rains.

Holidaze

I absolutely adore the winter holidays.  Honest.  I like them so much that I start thinking about them way too early, and try to start making all the things for people that I want to give them.  Today, I decided I was done with worrying.  I bought things for people whose gifts did not get made and mailed out all the packages.  Now I'm going to make this season magical for my family.  Time to start the cookie making, and evening Christmas light walks (okay Texas I gotta hand this one to you, it's nice to have the warmer temps on this account).  So Merry Christmas, and yeah I got the cards sent out today too!

For the Grandparents

I was working on something for them, but as always I fell behind schedule, well that's not really true.  I kept adding projects and had to put off the more time consuming ones.  I really wanted something special for my parents.  I found this tutorial, and thought it would be perfect.  Here it is:

I'm pretty happy with how it came out, especially considering I've never quilted anything before.  Also the only thing I had to buy was the frame as I already had everything I needed in my stash.  But can I get it in the mail in time?

Overheard This Week

I'm so glad we made it out of the froggy forest!  Mama, it was silly of you to take us through the froggy forest, but it's okay because we've made it back to the land of sunshine.

My Advent Calendar

Quite a few crafty mamas have blogged about their advent calendars.  Elsie Marley and Boy, oh Boy, oh Boy! are both advocating activity cards for each day.  As I child I only knew of two kinds of advent calendars, the flat paper kind where you opened a flap everyday to reveal a picture and this one:

This is not the one I had as a child (that one is still at my parents) but an Ebay find.  They were made by Avon in the 1980s.  We moved the mouse from pocket to pocket, there were no candy or toys involved.  As an adult I was shocked to learn that most advent calendars had treats!  I never felt like my parents cheated us, I loved moving that mouse.  I am passing on this tradition, the moving of the mouse each day, and no other treat.  It's simple, easy, adds no holiday stress.  I remember that calendar so fondly that I can't imagine candy making it any sweeter.  Here's to hoping you have a wonderful holiday season, and that your traditions will be remembered fondly by all!
Now let the elving begin!

Day 5

A nod to Habit.

He named the elf Baloney, and I thought, well how appropriate.

Day 4

A nod to Habit.

Knit a bit here, knit a bit there, and soon the sweater will be done!