Stickler

I'm a stickler for a holiday and always make too much snack-y, sweet things.  That's okay though, because my neighbors are on the recipient end of our treats!  And my family is sure to have fun in the kitchen, too.  Little wonder then today, as I was thinning out my herb garden, I got to thinking about the pretzels and chocolates in the pantry.  Hmmmm.

My oldest wasn't able to make it home for Thanksgiving due to school and work obligations so my youngest was part and parcel of Mom's "Hey let's do this!" and "Come, come, let's do that!" and "Wow, we have GOT to try this!"  I think she's alright with all the projects and whims because she jumps right in and gets busy.

We melted two batches of chocolate:  one white chocolate and the other dark chocolate.  I chopped up some Heath Toffee, some butterscotch bits and some peanut butter chunks.  After coating each pretzel with chocolate and coaxing it into draping thinly, then working with our hands, we pressed the chopped bits onto the chocolate slathered rod.  I know some folks put the pretzel rods in the freezer to firm up quickly but I leave them at room temperature for a few hours.  Voila!  A quick treat.


Try putting some in a glassine bag and tie with a
festive bow and you too can treat your neighbors.

I don't have to speculate for I know we're making memories in the kitchen today and we have a batch of sugary treats to give away!  It IS the most wonderful time of the year!

Long Winter's Nap

I admit I'm a cozy, comfy sort of gal.  Given the chance to wear yoga pants instead of tailored trousers, I'm all in.  Naturally this time of year our home is all about the comfy.  I also admit I can be found shuffling through pinterest at least once a week for that next great, wow-ie-ka-zow-ie project.  When I saw these, I had to do some of my own and put a different spin on them.

Instead of boiled wool I opted for a suit-grade flannel.  Something with a soft nap.  And right about the time I settled on this project my local fabric store, much to my surprise, had several bolts of suit fabric just in.  In plenty of color options.  I nabbed up about 8 yards of each style in grays, beiges, reds, navy blues and more.  Next, I made my way over to the bolts of wool flannel which I would need for the leaf appliques.  Lastly I settled on cotton batting which would make these cozy and comfy throws a bit warmer for those long, winter naps.

High-tailing it back home I threw all the fabrics in a very hot wash cycle drying them on the hottest dryer setting as well.  Preshrinking all the fabrics makes for warmer blankets.

Next I tracked down some basic leaf patterns.  The leaves are about 8 inches long.  Place the leaf patterns on  the flannel, cut them out and blanket stitch to the top portion of your throw.  You know the drill from this point.  Cut the flannel to the size you want: mine are 72 inches by 54 inches.  Cut the batting to match and the underside flannel, too.

Stitch them together leaving an opening to turn right side out.  Slip stitch the opening closed then at every 6 inch intervals tie off the throw with either satin ribbon or embroidery floss.  Don't skip this step.  This will keep the batting from bunching when you wash them.

I'm only speculating but I bet we'll enjoy plenty of wintery nights around the fire all comfy and cozy: sipping hot chocolate and watching the chestnuts pop.  Doesn't it just warm your heart to imagine it?

Pining For Trees

I saw some wooden Christmas trees on pinterest and thought:  I can do these and I think I'll kick it up a notch, yessiree. 

I started with some scrap plywood.  I think it was from another project in which the backside of something large, hot and red needed rebuilding.
After a little measuring and a little cutting it was time to  sand and prime the plywood.  Then paint however you like.  You can use stencils of stars and other patterns; you can free-hand or you can simply white-wash them for a dramatic, wintery look.

Then it's time to drill! 

Yeah, that's the drill, baby.  She's a yellow, battery-packed hunk o' man-machine but I use her, too.  Mooorrre poweeerr...argh, argh, argh.  Oh, and that's my coffee mug on the work bench.  A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!  There's nothing quite like steel and power and the smell of sawdust to make a girl's day. I have a bit which drills the perfect size hole for small, LED, battery pack, lights.  I use the 20-pack of lights and drill as many holes. 

Once the bulbs are positioned into the openings I dab a bit of glue onto the back of each light where it meets the hole (using Elmer's wood glue but I think craft glue might work).  At the end I affix the battery pack near the trunk of the tree using Gorilla glue.  That's key because other glues will dry out and turn brittle and won't hold from season to season.  Gorilla glue it is!

After the paint and glue are dry here's the final product. Shiny and bright.  Bejeweled and blinged out!  Snow Queen Elsa would melt. 


I don't have to speculate much for I know my kids will be barking up my tree hoping to nab a few of these for their holiday decor.   FIR-realllll, Mom!  And I'll be de-light-ed.

It's All About The Boots

I've probably brought this up in these blog posts a time or two:  among my earliest memories is that of my sister and me getting a fancy pair of short, white, go-go boots.  Somewhere, someone in my family has an old black and white photo of the two of us standing on my parents' black sofa (remember it was the 60's) wearing nothing but our go-go boots and dancing to Nancy Sinatra's These Boots Are Made For Walking.  Years later I would come to know the son of the trumpet player on this tune: Roy Caton. Roy has played with greats like The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Harry Nilsson, and more.   Roy's son Bruce is a private pilot and personal friend.  Even as I type this I'm hummin' away:  bum--bum-bum-bum-bum to the tempo of the Roy Caton horn solo.  Six degrees of separation right?  Sometimes I marvel at all the fun stuff God does to entertain me.

A number of years ago I began connecting with many ol' friends with whom I went to school.  I guess our kids have grown up enough that all our time is not parsed out among running errands; driving carpool; cheering at games; fittingly clapping at recitals; making breakfast, lunch and dinner; and walking the line between being a domestic goddess and being a hot momma!  Can you believe most of my lady friends are grandmothers!

Reconnecting with friends we are doing some traveling; enjoying ladies' nights out; giving a hand up at charitable functions and comparing notes on such things as home improvement projects, grandbaby stories, and daily beauty routines.

One of my friends whose father was a beloved and  favorite teacher in high school and who was my homeroom teacher for four years, happens to share my interest in embroidery.  About 2 weeks ago she sent me a pattern and had even transferred it to a tea-stained square.  A surprise!  I got busy stitching immediately.

I got to thinking that I might not finish this by the end of the month but wouldn't it make a great Christmas piece if I tweaked it a bit?


Don't they look like three little elf'n ladies which might be busy in Mrs. Santa Clause's kitchen baking all sorts of goodies?  C'mon...you can just imagine!

And here it is fashioned into a pillow.  Don't tell her, yet, but I'm going to ship it back to her and surprise her with my jolly interpretation.

I don't have to speculate, if I know her she'll be kickin' up her boot heels once she opens her box and sees her present.

O Christmas Tree

We regularly do projects together sure to sign and date each one.  Definitely sentimental!  The idea is that one day we will rummage through our things and remember the fun we had together.  That was the idea behind these Christmas tree pieces.  We'd seen a few versions on pinterest with wee little handprints.  The idea is a good one but my wee tots are grown up now.  Still I hope they will want these in their own homes one day.

To get started I rustled up some old 16 x 20 frames and painted them antique gold.  I had some 16 x 20 art canvases on hand and forest green, chocolate brown and metallic gold acrylic paint.  We used foam brushes to paint directly onto the hands and control the amount on each rather than dipping hands directly into the paint and "stamping" the canvas.  The girls had the idea of combining both their hand prints onto each canvas rather than each having their own set of prints.  *Snap*  Great idea!

Once their hand print canvas dried each girl set about topping off their tree with a hand painted gold star.

After the star dried we slid the canvas into the frame and set atop the mantle.  For now two trees rest on either side of my mantle.  One day they'll each have one of these in their own homes.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me
That hope and love will ever be
The way to joy and peace for me.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me.

Not so much speculation about this project.  I know we'll be making this a tradition with grandchildren some day.  And I'll see the twinkling of their little eyes all excited to get their hands painted and a gold star on their hand print tree.