It’s not too late to whip up these lovely things for the holidays.
1. Petal Pillow: http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2008/09/petal-pillow-tutorial.html
2: Gathered Cluth: http://noodleheads.blogspot.com/2010/04/gathered-clutch-tutorial.html
3. Ruffly Headband: http://heart-of-light.blogspot.com/2009/06/ruffly-headband-tutorial.html
4. Knitted ear warmer: http://imtopsyturvy.com/index.php/knit-ear-warmer-with-crochet-flower/
These fast to sew gifts are perfect for last minute crafting.
1. Tissue Box Cover: http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2009/04/tissue-box-cover.html
2. Sleep Mask: http://www.wolfandwillowblog.com/2010/07/free-sewing-pattern-whats-new-pussycat-sleep-mask.html
3. Mini Makeup Roll: http://kellyrachel.com/blog/2010/06/22/make-a-bag-sew-along-mini-makeup-roll-tutorial/
Happy December! Tomorrow we go for our sonogram and hope to find out whether baby Coffman #6 is a boy or a girl. I can’t tell who is more excited, the kids or me! We’ve haven’t even cracked the baby name book. We’ve used a lot of our favorites already, so are hoping a more focused direction will help us generate ideas.
Last night for supper we had homemade vegetable beef soup from scratch made with soup bones. We ate it with pumpkin dinner rolls and warm Molasses cake with whipped cream. Yum! It’s a blustery 26 degrees around here, very unseasonably cold and warm liquids are welcome.
I had 1.25 gallons of soup left and since it was a little bland I dumped a bunch more garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parsely in it. Kind of a spray and pray method and poured it into glass canning jars for the freezer. Now we have 5 jars waiting for desperate lunches. When I remove the 2 piece lid I can quickly thaw the whole thing in the microwave. If you try this method, leave plenty of head space or your jar will break in the freezer from the pressure of the expanding soup.
Here’s our Molasses Cake Recipe. It is modified from my newest e-book: How to Have a Grocery Shrink Christmas. I used black-strap molasses for the vitamins and the cake turned out looking like dark chocolate. The recipe only has 2 Tablespoons of sugar in the entire cake! The rest of the sweetening comes from Molasses, which gives a good dose of vitamins.
Molasses Cake
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup molasses
1 cup hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/2 cups pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
Cream the butter, pumpkin, egg and sugar. Add the molasses and water. Blend the rest of the engredients and mix into the molasses mixture. Pour into a greased 9 x 9 square pan, or 9″ round cake pan. Bake at 325 for 45-50 minutes. Eat warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Yum!
Here are some fun ideas for you from Martha Stewart.
1. Recycled Sweater Stocking: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.0e0eb51a2e6b5ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=caf32e912b11f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&backto=true
2. Felt Jingle Bell Stockings: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=b8b8767338bd4110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&backto=true
3. Felt and Ric-Rac Stocking: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=95f4809dc732f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&backto=true
4. Keepsake Stocking: http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=31fdce908332f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&backto=true
1. Felt Garland: http://underconstructionblog.typepad.com/under_construction/2007/12/felt-garland-tu.html
2. Sewing Pattern Twinkle Lights: http://velvetstrawberries.typepad.com/andreasingarella/2009/01/heres-the-other-project-i-was-telling-you-about-its-the-same-idea-as-the-fiesta-flower-in-the-previous-post-except-this-tim.html
3. Advent Calendar Garland: http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2007/11/advent-calendar.html
4. Roly Poly Santas: http://oldfarmhousegathering.blogspot.com/2010/07/christmas-in-july-tutorial_29.html
1. Peppermint yo-yo garland: http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/heather_bailey/2006/12/the_peppermint_.html
2. Almost No-Sew Christmas Bunting: http://fionacarter.typepad.com/my_ramblings/2009/12/christmas-ideas-christmas-bunting-banners-garlands.html
3. DIY Snowflake Garland: http://creatingcupcakes.blogspot.com/2009/11/diy-snowflake-garland-giveaway.html
4. Felted Wool Pomander Tutorial: http://blog.betzwhite.com/2008/10/pomander-tutorial.html
5. Easy Peasy Elf Hat: http://lucykatecrafts.blogspot.com/2007/12/easy-peasy-elf-hat.html
6. Pretty Holiday Pillows: http://www.mybackyardeden.com/2009/11/pretty-holiday-pillows-freezer-paper.html
7. Felt Ogee Ornament Tutorial: http://blog.betzwhite.com/2009/12/felt-ogee-ornament-tutorial.html
8. Whitney’s Drop Cloth Tutorial: http://shanty2chic.blogspot.com/2009/12/whitneys-drop-cloth-tree-skirt.html
I’m having a blast trying all the pumpkin recipes I can think of. Saturday we made pumpkin bagels. They were delicious, healthy, fast and easy!
The original recipe came from Taste of Home. Here’s my modified version:
Photo credit: potterybarn.com
Can you believe it's only 15 days until Christmas? I have most of my Christmas shopping done, which is amazing for me. There have been times in my life that I was running around on Christmas eve looking for anything that would do. I love to give gifts, but I'm not always good about choosing just the right thing. Part of that is my frugal nature. I dislike waste and clutter so when I choose a gift it has to be practical, beautiful and a good value.
I'm still in a quandry about what to put in the Christmas stockings at my house. Here are some of the things I've done in the past:
small sewing kit
box of crayons and coloring book
hair stuff
chapstick
candy
gum
matchbox cars
mini flashlights
pocket sized notebook
gloves
novelty yarn (for my knitting daughter)
This year I'd love to put in crayon rolls for easy art transport. I'm a little worried about finding the sewing time. I'd also love to buy each one of my kids an invisible ink spy pen with black light decoder. (I want one too!) I'm having trouble finding the deal I want. http://www.lovetolearn.net/catalog/detail/pen/5 has them for $7 each, but that's a pricey stocking stuffer if I buy one for everyone.
So, I'm calling for help! Write a comment with your stocking stuffer ideas and I promise not to send spoiler messages to your kids. Just to say thank you I'll draw one name and send the lucky winner a little something for her own stocking: A beautiful Mary Kay lip gloss in any color of her choice. Winner will be chosen December 18th. To check out your color options visit my website: http://www.marykay.com/angelacoffman/default.aspx
Lips are in for a treat with this superlight formula that's saturated with moisturizers – more than 80 percent – so lips feel amazingly soft and supple. It smooths, softens and never feels sticky.
|
The Lamb |
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life, & bid thee feed
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight;
Softest clothing, wooly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb.
He is meek, & he is mild;
He became a little child.
I a child, & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
