Bag for Uncle Bob

I made this bag for my Great Uncle Bob.  He has been a little unsteady on his feet and has to use a walker when he ventures out.   He has a few things that he needs to carry with him when he is away from home.  They have been using an unsightly brown paper bag, so I made this to use instead.  

 When Jim and I make our annual trip to visit we take our dogs with us.  Uncle Bob really enjoys seeing them, and us too! So I used this print of a variety of dogs for the inside. 

 There isn't any pattern for this bag I just made it up as I went!! I found a great red zipper at Joann's clearance section and it kinda grew from there.  I put two pockets on the inside, thinking they may be handy.  I hope he likes it!

Christmas 2011

We had a wonderful Christmas Day in Battle Creek with my sister and her family.  This was my niece, Sophia's, first real Christmas (she was a month old last Christmas).  She was more interested in the paper that she was ripping up than what was under the wrapping, but oh so exciting! It was so nice to be able to share the memories with her.  

Here she is getting into the stocking that Uncle Bobbi made.  Next year her sister will be getting into hers for the first time.  We are looking forward to little Gabriella's arrival on January 12, if she doesn't decide to surprise us earlier!

We had a huge meal of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, veggies, etc.....the works!  I baked a pumpkin and cherry pie for dessert.  It was so delicious! 

I got a wonderful Canon digital video camcorder and nice carrying case for my gift from Jim.  I was pleasantly surprised!  I've been going through the manual but I might have to borrow a teenager to figure out how it all works!

Christmas Cookies

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Well I finally got my cookies all done and packaged up ready to go, so I can now share with you all the wonderful pictures.  I'll give you a minute to go grab a glass of milk before I proceed!!

Kris Kringles

I'm sure you all are familiar with the Peanut Butter Blossoms.  These Kris Kringles are a wonderful cookie with dried cranberries, peanuts and white chocolate chunks.

Buckeye's

These Buckeye's are a family favorite.  My Grandma Buller used to make these every year along with about 100 different varieties.  Okay maybe not that many but when your a kid and she has tons of cookies all over the back porch, it looks like hundreds of varieties!!  Another family favorite is her Shortbread cookies.  Well, mine this year would not roll out so they ended up in the bin, and I wasn't going to give them another try.  I'll have better luck next year. 

No-Bake Peanut Butter

I did an experiment cookie this year.  I made No-Bake cookies without adding the coco powder and increased my peanut butter by 1/4 cup.  They are not bad.  I think if I can find some peanut butter flavoring and add that instead of vanilla, that will give it just a bit more of a peanut butter edge!

Coconut-Lime Bars

I tried out a new recipe this year, Coconut-Lime Bars.  The crust has macadamia nuts and lime zest in them.  They are very good but could use more lime so next time I will add  the juice of the lime too.

 I picked up these cute little boxes by Martha Stewart.  After I got them opened I realized they weren't as little as I thought!  They were a little bit bigger than what my cookie allotment was!!  I just added some extra tissue paper on the top to cushion them in their travels.  Then after I got them all boxed up I remembered I bought Reese's bells and Hersey miniatures to add to them and give them some extra color. Oh well, now I'm just forced to eat them so they don't go to waste.

Christmas with my family....

Yesterday my family got together and had our Christmas celebration.  We had a wonderful time at my brother and sister-in-law's house. I do so enjoy spending time with my nieces and nephews, they grow so fast! 

I made a couple pies for desert, Pumpkin and Coconut Cream!!MMMMM...
I tried to put a braided edge on the pumpkin pie crust but it wasn't on the edge very well.

Rylan getting ready to make a few selections!

I also brought a plate full of my cookies I have been diligently baking. My sister was quite put out when I informed her that there may not be enough cookies left over to bring to her house on Christmas Day!!

Sophia reading one of her new board books.

The kids, of course, enjoyed opening presents.  This was the first year Sophia could participate (she was only one month old last year at Christmas) but she was more interested in the fun wrapping paper and ribbons!  









These are the onesies I embroidered on for Sophia.  This was an embroidery for a sweatshirt with the three showman snowflakes together. I broke it apart and put one on each onesie.  I thought it would be cute if her mom had a sweatshirt with the three snowman on it, but with her being 8 1/2 months pregnant I really didn't know what size shirt to buy!!

Christmas Cards

I'm happy to say that I have my cards all made...Now I just have to get them mailed out!!

I started with these piles of paper that I cut ahead of  time.  I followed a workshop from one of my Creative Memories books.  It has you cut 2 different solid color sheets of paper and one with a printed design.  Then you have instructions to put together 16 cards in 8 different styles.  So I did this times 3 and have all my Christmas cards (plus a few Birthday ones too!!Shh!)

I am very pleased with the results!  Some of them probably could have used  a little more embellishing but after working on them for 8+hours you kinda just say "Good enough!!" or my favorite saying, "Good enough for who its for!"

Also this week I got a few more batches of cookies made, I'll show those off in a couple days.  I also collected my unsold items from A Grand Skein.  I only sold a few items, which is great, better than nothing!  Surprisingly my Wizard of Oz bag didn't sell so I will have to get that listed on Etsy here in a couple days.  They said next year will be better.  This was the first year so next year they will know better ways of advertising and promoting it.

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

  Austin spent the afternoon with Uncle Bobbi on Thursday.  I had the tree up and ready for him to decorate. Austin put all the ornaments on the tree himself. This could explain why there are no ornaments towards the top of the tree! 

 While the Christmas music got us into the Christmas spirit,  Austin spent  some time building with his erector set, while Uncle Bobbi got some rows added to his green alligator scarf.  We had a fun afternoon together.

Speaking of Christmas "spirits", I made a bunch of bottle bags for the Holiday gift giving! Aunt Gwen (Jim's aunt) asked me to make her a couple so I made eight! I got two out of each scrumptious fabric print.  I don't know how many she will want so I may have some available if you are in need of any!  

Today is the last day of the Fiber Arts Sale at a Grand Skein in Alger Heights.  So if you haven't stopped in you better hurry.  They have a bunch of wonderful gift items for everyone on your Christmas list, or for yourself!!

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog....

I finished another commissioned bag.  This one was requested in Elvis fabric and I was lucky enough to find some. Both of the outside panels look the same except the other side is turned over so the pictures that are upside down on this side are right-side up on the other...confusing I know, Just trust me it looks good!! I love the inside fabric with all the ticket stubs from Elvis concerts over the years of his career.

I have four of my six batches of Christmas cookies done...Going to have my nephew, Austin, help decorate our little tree today...then I've got to get started on making our Christmas cards...Already got our first one in the mail today!!