Valentine's and New Year

So I'm a little out of order when it comes to holidays I guess. :o) I got started on a few Valentine's projects today. I know we're still in December, but ya gotta think ahead right? :o)

Here's my sewing machine set up for the day. I would have done it in the office but the TV in there isn't hooked up and I can't stand sitting in silence. Not ideal but it worked. The only bad part of doing projects in the living room is having to clean up every night instead of being able to just walk away and come back later.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year celebration!

Eat Dessert First!

I've been bitten by the craft bug again! I feel like it's been a long time since I've really done anything crafty at all. Luckily I have a pretty decent stock of paints and things to paint so it's been cost free!

I ran across this saying the other day (can't remember where) and thought it was cute. Not one that I'll live by since I turn 30 in May and I'd like to enter my 30s a lot less squishy than I am right now :o). But.... it's cute anyway.

I haven't quite decided where to hang it yet but I thought I'd share anyway :o) I'd like my next project to be a Valentine banner but I'm not sure I'm ready to wrestle with the sewing machine just yet. I'll show you if I do though :o)

Miscellaneous

A few pictures from the past few days....

David went sledding with our niece and nephew on Christmas Eve day. I opted to take pictures and take everyone out for Starbuck's hot chocolate afterward.

My husband out in the snow in shorts. He wanted to start his car and let it run for awhile since it was pretty cold out...yet not cold enough to wear pants I guess :o)

I never did show you our Christmas sign once I got it finished. You can see most of here though some of it is covered by the snow and tree.

My favorite after Christmas sales item....this platter from Walmart for only $2.50! Ignore all the random stuff on the table if you will. I took our Christmas stuff down on the 26th but haven't gotten all the every day decor put back up yet.

This is what our living room looks like as I type. I've been doing a lot of painting and little craft projects. I can't wait to show ya all when I'm done. We are having both family Christmases this week so the presents will move out soon! :o) And yes, that is an empty planter in the corner. It used to have a plant in it but I'm not so good with indoor plants. Any suggestions for a plant that is hard to kill?

What do you do....

What do you do when there's a major snow storm heading your way and you have to cancel your Christmas plans?

Bake and decorate cookies and pull out the craft supplies!

My MIL gave me these awesome cookies cutters last year for Christmas and I finally got to use them.

My husband is working tonight so I decide to get crafty. That big empty space is where I plop my butt down to work on projects. We organized our office earlier this year so I wouldn't have to use the living room floor for projects. Unfortunately it has Christmas stuff all over it right now so I'm back to the floor.

I'm all ready for the storm :o) Pretty bummed that we won't be able to spend Christmas with my family but it's always (well, almost always) fun to get snowed in.

Christmas Q & A

Grammy Linda at Behind My Red Door posted this last week... Thought I'd play along too :o)

1) What is your favorite Christmas movie? I have a few...Christmas with the Kranks, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause movies, It's a Wonderful Life, and The Family Stone

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas
(3) What is your favorite Christmas Song? another long list....All I Want For Christmas (Is You), Silver Bells, War is Over, Jingle Bell Rock, White Christmas, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Little Drummer Boy......ok I'll stop there


(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy? Can't think of anything off the top of my head
5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? I really like the Cranberry Splash Sierra Mist....my dad always mixed cranberry juice and 7Up for our Christmas dinner drink so maybe that's why I like it so much

6) What is your favorite Christmas memory? all of my Christmases spent at Grandma & Grandpa Hoxsie's house.....all the family was there, everyone was dressed up, lots of decorations, lots of food, lots of fun...I really miss that kind of Christmas


7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas? hmm...the first Christmas David and I were together he gave me a diamond necklace

where'd #8 go??

9) What do you LOVE about the holidays? EVERYTHING!!!


10) What annoys you about the holidays? people who say they're trying to make it through or survive the holidays....I think they need to reevaluate why they're even celebrating (or pretending to) if that's how they feel about it.
11) Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? either is fine with me
(12) What is your favorite recipe at Christmas? my Grandma Hoxsie's cut out cookie recipe


13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime? um..a Who probably? I've never actually seen the movie, not a Dr. Suess fan
14) Christmas light displays -Love them or Hate them? both - love driving around looking at Christmas lights but just don't understand the people who put like 8 blow up reindeer, elves, penguins, etc. next to a nativity scene...why can't people just stick with one theme?


15) Santa's at the mall - Fun times or Creepy? Fun I guess
16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no? used to, didn't do it last year and not sure we will get it done this year either


17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion? spending time with family, carrying out family traditions, Christmas Eve candlelight service
18) What is the worst thing about Christmas? see #10
19) When do you put the tree up and take it down? the Saturday after Thanksgiving, take it down a few days after Christmas

20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your truelove to give to you? 5 golden rings
(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer? no idea


22) Who is your favorite reindeer? Chet from The Santa Clause 2
24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime? pine or cinnamon

25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year? spending time with family

In the Kitchen

We got a little snow this week which really helped put me in the Christmas spirit! Just a little bit thankfully though!!

I did a little baking and treat making yesterday. I made Candy Cane Kiss brownies, peanut butter cracker sandwiches covered in chocolate, and a version of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies.

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First up are the Candy Cane Kiss brownies.

I saw this recipe over at Picky Palate this week. I don't have the mini cheesecake pan that she used but I thought I would try it with a muffin tin. And...it didn't work so well. Only four of the twelve came out of the pan without ripping apart. So most of them came out looking something like this....

I didn't really care for them - the candy cane kiss had a weird texture to it after being baked.

Next up I made the peanut butter cracker sandwiches covered in chocolate. Love those things!

I also made these faux Girl Scout Thin Mints. I think I found the recipe back when Pioneer Woman had her readers send in their favorite recipes (here's the link to the over 5,000 recipes that were sent in - definitely worth the time to dig through! I added a big chunk of recipes to my cookbook).

They are so good and easy, and actually taste pretty similar to the GS cookies. All you have to do is melt the Andes Mint Chips and then dip the crackers in (the recipe called for Ritz but I had the Town House crackers on hand so I used those instead). Yum! Definitely a keeper for the Christmas file!
Best of all, my brother-in-law and his family live here in town so I get to send off some treats to their house so we don't sit here and eat them all week!
My husband is off to a Minnesota Vikings game next weekend so I'm planning to visit my mom. I'll be baking some treats for her to take to work the following Monday. The company that she works for was recently sold and the new company that purchased it are not so nice to their employees. They've been working Sunday through Friday, about 55-60 hours a week. So I think they at least deserve some Christmas goodies while their working their holiday season away!
I'll let you know what treats I make next weekend too! Hope you all have a great week! :o)

O Christmas Tree

I got all of our Christmas decorations up on Saturday. Here's a look at our trees:

The main tree:

The countertop tree in the kitchen:

I'm hoping to get more of those little gumdrop ornaments after Christmas. I LOVE them!

My NEW tabletop tree from my husband. He bought the tree and all the vintage ornaments for me. :o)

P.S. - Black Friday was a success! I got about 75% of all our shopping done :o)