Happy New Year

I am very excited to see what 2009 will bring. God bless us all!

Embellished Gloves Tutorial

Here's a repost of my gloves tutorial. I've made six different cuff variations since this one, and am working on more tutes!

Gloves Tutorial:

Supplies: Gloves, leftover apron material, leftover trim and coordinating ribbon

The gloves are easy-peasy, just a bit finicky. Purchase Playtex gloves in a color that coordinates with your apron. Then cut two 24"x7" pieces of the (polka dot) material leftover from your apron and fold into 24"x3.5" strips (A). Finished the bottom edges of the strips (I used a zig-zag stitch, but serged would be best). (I corrected the strip measurements once I made them again! Sorry if I frustrated anyone!)

After marking the centers, gathered these strips to 12" which is the circumference of the gloves. Then cut a length of the white ruffled trim to the same 12" (B) and mark the centers. Match centers of both trim, evenly distribute the gathers, and stitch the polka dot ruffle (A) onto the white trim (B) about 1/4" up from the bottom so as to have a clean edge on the gloves.

Next, pin this double trim onto the gloves and carefully baste about 1/4" from the bottom of (B), then stitch along the very bottom edge of (B), being careful to hold the top of the gloves against the trim and not catch in your stitching unintentionally. This is the tricky part, since it does not fit around the free-arm of most machines. Stitch together the raw edges of trim, overlapping slightly.

Form a bow with the coordinating ribbon, hand sew onto the center front of the gloves and you're done!

Menu Plan Monday 12/29/08

Monday 12/29- Navy Bean and Christmas Ham Soup
Tuesday 12/30 - Ginger Beef and Creamy Rice (recipe below)
Wednesday 12/31 - New Year's Eve, Gramma's Seafood Chowder
Thursday 1/1 - New Years Day, Runza Casserole (Gramma Karen makes the traditional Danish individual stuffed bread rolls that are to die for, but this easy casserole is a close second)
Friday 1/2 - Homemade Pizzas and Cheese Manicotti
Saturday 1/3 - Chili and Cheesy Cornbread (I just add a can of creamed corn and a cup of shredded cheddar to the Marie Callendar's mix from Costco)
Sunday 1/4 - Urban Garlic Chicken from my Chill MAMAs group/Fix, Freeze, Feast Cookbook



Creamy Rice
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 cups Uncle Bens rice
4 cups water (boiling)
large skillet with lid

Set your water on to boil in a tea kettle or saucepan. In the meantime, in the large skillet, pour in the olive oil. Once it's heated, add the onion and saute until clear. Then, add the garlic and uncooked rice, stirring to coat rice and then saute until rice is just browned. Next, carefully stir in the boiling water, then cover with tight fitting lid. Lower heat to simmer, and do not touch for 25 minutes. Enjoy!!

Delicious with grated carrots added in for color, slivered almonds, cranberries, frozen baby peas ... the options for stir-ins are endless!

Valentines Apron Sew Along

Hi all!

Since I'm not hosting a Flirty Apron Swap for Valentines Day, I thought I'd sponsor a Sew Along for everyone who is interested. This will be a fun show-and-tell for the holiday that perfectly lends itself to this flirty and fun fashion accessory.

Post in the comments section links to any blog posts about your sewing project. Additionally, please join and post the pictures at the Flickr Valentines Apron group, http://www.flickr.com/groups/valentinesaprons/.

I've created one button for you to post on your blog, but would love to receive your button creations and I'll post them on the sidebar of the Flirty Apron Swap blog for all to see. I'm sure you'll do better than mine; I always make the writing too small!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have had a wonderful day filled with family, fun, and time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Bless you!

Hummingbird Happenings

As I stepped outside to encourage our new puppy's housetraining habits, I was dive-bomed by a hummingbird! Apparently, they're still around and a little ticked that I was falsely advertising food with an empty feeder. He even sat on the feeder and waited while I ran and grabbed my little camera. Then, I hustled back in and filled it up!

Unfortunately, our unseasonably cold weather started freezing the hummingbird food right away.
I was able to catch my pretty bird in flight.
I was worried about my little new friend, especially when I just saw him sitting on a branch. I soon found out that the reason he was just sitting instead of eating was so he/she could ensure NO OTHER bird got to eat. It was a bit sad to see how much energy this little one expended to keep others from being able to enjoy a bit of the goodness, too. We humans are like sometimes. Wasting energy needlessly trying to protect our territory or our "whatever" (insert idol here) ... instead of relaxing and sharing God's bounty.

I hope you are enjoying and sharing God's bounty this Christmas!

Book Review - The Paper Bag Christmas

I received a pleasant surprise a little while ago; a book to review from the Hachette Book Group USA. How exciting, because I just LOVE to read! And, what a treat, too.

The Paper Bag Christmas is just the type of story I seek out to read this time of year, sweet and simple, with a message that reaches deep inside and makes you cry. Here's a link to an excerpt from the book. Enjoy, then run out and grab one for you and one for your best friend!

Oh, did I mention they have discussion questions available, too? Wouldn't your book club like this one?

Next Apron Swap

I know everyone is wondering when the next swap will begin. I will be co-hosting a Valentine themed swap with the wonderful Lucy from the Sassy Apron Swap with a new format. Sign-ups will begin December 26 and we will have limited space available. Mark your calendars, because you don't want to miss this one. Details soon!!

No School - No Concerts - Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Such a bummer that school was cancelled again. Little T's choir had their all-school holiday performance tonight AND her beginning strings group had their first performance that was to be at the high school an hour later. The double-event had me a bit stressed but I was so proud, too!! Luckily, choir was at least able to perform Saturday so we got to hear her then. They were terrific, even though it was FREEZING!

So, while we were snowed/iced in yesterday, I made a new Kids Cinnamon Rolls recipe by Paula Deen. Today's second batch will be made by Tatum and she'll learn from my mistake that the seams need to be firmly pressed closed!!

One tube refrigerated crescent rolls (8 rolls)
8 large marshmallows
Cinnamon sugar (mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon) - you'll have extra
parchment paper or SilPat

Preheat to 375. Separate the dough into 8 triangles. Place 1 marshmallow right in the middle of each triangle. Sprinkle each marshmallow with some of the cinnamon sugar.

Bring up all of the sides of the roll to completely cover the marshmallow, pinching all of the edges together so that none of the marshmallow shows. Place rolls on the cookie sheet, making sure none of them are touching. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.


Bake the rolls for about 10 minutes, until they are light brown and puffed up. Have your adult helper use oven mitts or hot pads to remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Serve warm on plates, with forks to eat them with.

Makes 8 cinnamon rolls



As you can see, my marshmallows seeped out which really annoyed me. Tasty, but you must eat while warm or they really harden up!

A Busy Week In Review

Sunday - I spent a fun day with some supper swap friends baking cookies at the Dough for Doernbecher event. Mike and a couple of gals from TriMet also baked cookies for a holiday fundraiser.

Monday - After a quick chat with the doctor and PT, I am now wearing a wrist splint on my RIGHT (dominate) hand and keeping my left shoulder immobilized/iced. Not sure what exactly is causing all my pains, but the ibuprophen therapy is helping.

Tuesday - I worked late into the evening preparing for the presentation tomorrow. Working with the brace was NO FUN!

Wednesday - I was able to be part of a panel of home-based business mommies at church, and sold some cookbooks and customized gloves. I totally forgot to mention my supper swapping clubs I'm trying to start, but that will come. Wednesday evening was a meeting the local scouts talking about the upcoming tree recycling fundraiser that the Junior Girl Scouts are partcipating in.

Thursday - Tatum's Yellow Belt test was tonight, and she did Great!! Mike held the board and she snapped that in two before I could get a great shot. The test, unfortunately, went much longer than I anticipated so I was a bit late to our supper swap!

Friday - Tate's had a play date with her best friend, and then I took Molly on a little car ride to go pick her up.
Saturday - It was freezing cold today, and Little T's choir performed a variety of holiday songs outside of Thriftway. Molly was a big hit, too!

Sunday - We got hit with the anticipated snow storm and icy weather this morning. We live in a "hollow" so couldn't get onto the main roads without traction. Mike left early enough to get into TriMet before it really hit, but little T and I were stuck home today. It was nice, though. Fire in the fireplace, puppy and kitties playing, and we decorated the Christmas tree and started on a Gingerbread house. AND, no school tomorrow!

Easy Gift - Chocolate Spoons

Here's a quick and easy gift idea for you. I made spoons like these for my nursery volunteers last week, and my co-CB Michelle brought in the wrappings and tags.

• Two bags Candy Melts or Bark, one milk chocolate and one white chocolate (I had extra from my Red Velvet Cake Balls so used those)
• Candy Sprinkles or Baking Sugar
• 30-40 Heavy duty plastic spoons (I bought the multi-pack at Kmart for $6; I could have bought 300 for $10 at Costco, but I couldn't stand the thought of owning 300 spoons)
• Waxed Paper or Roul-Pat
• Cellophane bags or wrap
• Coordinating ribbon

1. Lay out the Roul-Pat or waxed paper on large flat surface - my dining table was perfect since my counter space is non-existent.

2. In a microwaveable bowl, melt the milk chocolate candy according to manufacturers directions or use a double boiler.

3. Scoop each spoon into the chocolate, filling the bowl of the spoon, level the surface and set on pad/paper to cool. Check out a very efficient way to lay out the spoons. You'll be glad you did.


4. Next, melt the white chocolate as directed and place into decorating bag or ziploc baggy. If using the baggy, make a small snip in the corner for piping. Careful, the chocolate is HOT!

5. Since you laid out the spoons in tidy rows, it's now very easy to pipe decorative accents on your spoons. Be generous with the chocolate!

6. Before everything sets, add the baking sugar, sprinkles, etc.

7. Allow to harden for an hour or so (do not refrigerate or the chocolate with discolor), then package up real nice.

I forgot to take a picture of my finished product, but here's an idea of what your spoons can look like:

Early Christmas!

Here's T's little cutie, Molly. She's a 13-wk old Cocker Spaniel/Beagle mix and so far adorable!!