The Ninja!

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Whoot!  One of my most favorite gifts for Christmas from hubby was ... the NINJA .... perfect for my kitchen!  Now this thing is the King Daddy of food processors according to him.

              

This machine does it all!  It juices, it mixes dough, it blends and it processes!!!  I have been cautiously giving it a try....the easy steps first.  Blending ... no problem .... chopping .... well except for an incident with some onions, it has been good!  Mixing dough and smoothies will need some work.  I am a tad apprehensive giving those a try.

I envision many treats, slushies, smoothies, meals and homemade goodness in our future with the help of this thing.  Do you own one or know someone who does?  I would love tips and tricks that you might have learned along the way.  Off to read my manual .... I want smoothies for breakfast!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug and thanks again honey!

It's Over

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Another Christmas has come and gone.  I contemplate wondering where we will all be at this time next year.  Time passes, things change and we can only be thankful for today and of years past.

The gifts have been exchanged and oh what lovelies were had.  The turkey and all the fixings filled our tummies along with so many wonderful baked treats that are only made this time of year.

Now comes rest.  Once family members return home, the tree and all the decorations will slowly be packed away.  The house tidied and items placed back in their pre-Christmas spots around the living room.  Once all this has been accomplished, which I like it to be done by the 1st of the new year, then the time to rest will come.  The settling in with knitting or to catch up on some reading or much needed napping.  The time to relax and the glorious hibernation after the flurry of activity and excitement in the month of December.  We have a long winter yet ahead of us.  Time to dream and plan for spring and gardens and flowers and waiting for the trees to begin budding ... but for now, for now, these old bones need to rest and rejuvenate.

From this old homestead to yours ... we hope your holidays were filled with family, food and fun and we hope your time to rest is close.  Enjoy those leftovers, those gifts and those moments of doing absolutely nothing and please always remember to give your loved ones a hug!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

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FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS,

WE WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Please remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Merry Christmas Eve!

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As the sun sets, trees are lit across the world, stockings are hung and children will be tucked into bed tonight with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, my heart goes out to those who are not spending such a lovely night.  Those who are hungry, homeless or who have just lost someone they love and I feel so blessed.  Blessed to have people in my life who love me and care about me, a home, a job, pets (albeit naughty ones), clothes to wear and food to eat.

These thankful thoughts always bring me to Linus from Charlie Brown who said .....

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

- Luke 2:8-14

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May we remember those who are less fortunate tonight and say an extra prayer for all who are struggling in every way.  May they find peace tonight even if it is fleeting.  Peace to celebrate the reason for the season and find some joy in their lives.  

Hold your loved ones close, we never know what the future brings.

Holiday Dough

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Between hubby and I we only have 3 nieces and nephews .... on hubby's side, one niece (who has a son and daughter of her own so a great niece and a great nephew for us as well) and on my side of the family, two nephews.

Hubby's niece always gets something homemade by me for Christmas.  She is close to my age and we are very casual in gift giving.  She usually asks for a knitted hat, a knitted cowl, homemade jam/jelly or a crocheted afghan which I am more than happy to make for her and her husband.   Her son and daughter and  my brother's two boys are always given cash now that they are older.  Years ago we limited the gifts to $20 so it would be a burden for any of us and it has worked well for many years  BUT  I try to find clever ways in giving the $20 so the gift is a little bit different each year.  I have wrapped the bill in toilet paper rolls so the gift looks like a holiday cracker, I have placed the bill in a small box, which was then placed in a larger box, and then another larger box .... etc until there was one big honking box, I have put the bill in an old CD case to try and fool them ... so each year, I spend more time devising a plan on how to wrap the $20 than I do earning the $20!!!

Well this year, I found a fun and easy way to give them their $20.  I spotted this idea pinned to a friends board on Pinterest and knew I just had to do it!!!

Saving my one dollar bills was actually easier than I thought it was going to be and I didn't even notice the money missing from my budget which was a bonus!

Once I had gathered enough dollar bills, I rolled each bill and tied them individually with a festive ribbon.  Next I typed up the little saying on my computer and finding a clip art gingerbread man on Google images, I printed everything out.  Sorry, for some reason the red candy cane border will not show up around the saying .... ugh, computers!

Gingerbread men with yummy icing,

Are oh so good and extremely enticing

I set out to make a dozen or two,

But ran out of time, oh what do I do?

So instead of the cookies, I tied with a bow,

Your own personal serving of Holiday Dough!

Merry Christmas!!

I filled each Ziploc baggie with 20 - $1 bills, sealed the baggies and stapled the saying and the gingerbread man on each baggie.

I think they turned out ADORABLE and the baggie sure looks like it is holding more than $20!

Now only if a secret Santa would do the same for me but use $100 bills.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Homemade Printed Pillows

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Fabric, pictures and pillows.  That is something I have been working with lately.  Being just a tad bit behind on my homemade Christmas gifts, I started with the easiest of them all.  

I have been checking out Pinterest and other blogs that have been using the trick of printing pictures on fabric.  There are a gazillion tutorials out there and trying to find just one that was easy to follow and cost effective was an enormous task.

All I wanted was to make a pillow out of this picture ...

I had taken it this summer when I was visiting with Lucas and Sarah.  It was Sarah's first time in a lake and she was quite apprehensive.  I think the shot is quite touching. 

So I continued with the hunt and found a tutorial that Monique posted over at Pocketful of Whimsy a year ago!  Here directions were clear and simple and the best part was the only item I needed to buy was the freezer paper.  Therefore it was quite frugal. 

First I searched through my stash for some plain white cotton fabric ... found some.  Then for a suitable homespun fabric that would match their decor ... found it.  Now for the scary part.

Ripping off a piece of freezer paper .....

 

I then ironed my piece of freezer paper to the back of my white cotton fabric.  The fabric was roughly 10 inches by 12 inches.  I didn't measure it but made sure it was larger than 8 1/2 by 11 inches.

After the freezer paper was ironed onto the fabric, I then trimmed them to fit into my printer.  8 1/2 by 11 inches .... a standard size piece of printer paper.  Taking a deep breath I placed it face up in my printer so the picture would be printed onto the FABRIC, not the freezer paper.  After two tries ( the printer did not seem to want to grab the fabric ), I gently guided the fabric through and it then worked great.

Watching the fabric come through the printer and looking good was exciting.  It actually turned out better than I expected!

Peeling off the freezer paper was easy and I had my picture for the pillow printed on fabric! 

Cutting the homespun cotton I had chosen to a generous size of 15 by 18 inches, I carefully trimmed the photo portion and sewed it all together.  

Being short of time, I didn't piece the fabrics together, instead I ironed over the edges of the picture and sewed the picture to the center of the front piece of fabric.

Adding a blanket stitch to the edges of the photo fabric in a coordinating thread color and choosing a vintage button, finished the pillow off nicely.  

I think it will be cute addition to their little living room.

I enjoyed doing this project and can see limitless possibilities that I will be playing around with in the future.  If you like sewing, give this a try.  You won't be disappointed.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Homemade Soup, Falling Snow and my Son

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Yesterday, I made the trip to pick up Lucas from school for a Christmas visit, albeit short visit since Sarah is unable to make the trip with him.  This time of the year, the roads can be less than desirable to drive on with snow, ice, limited visibility and with my eyes getting older each year, well lets just say I am glad we made it home safe and sound.  I was suppose to pick him up on Sunday but a blizzard hit the area which prevented any driving that day ..... the highways were closed.

This next week will be spent baking cookies, catching up on news that only college kids can tell, exchanging gifts and just enjoying each others company.  A few games played perhaps or the old tradition of watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" 

and "The Muppet's Christmas Carol"

 .... two of our favorites that just HAVE to be viewed with a big bowl of popcorn and hot chocolate .... or maybe he is just too old for these ... I truly hope not.  I hope he is never too old to cuddle under the quilt with me.

For today, well today will be spent making homemade soup while watching the snow fall gently outside the frosty windows.  Today we will make homemade bread and sit around the kitchen table enjoying good food and each other's company.  Today I will be thankful for the fleeting moments in time that I have with him.  Today I will thank the Lord my God that I was given such a wonderful gift of a son.  

Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

The Eve of December 5th

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The eve of December 5th.  An exciting night around here I'll tell ya!  My Mother who was born in the Netherlands, carried over the tradition of Sinterklaas when my brother and I were growing up.  For those of you who are not familiar with Sinterklaas, well here he is ....

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Sinterklaas visits good little Dutch boys and girls on the eve of December 5th and brings them ....

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goodies!  Candy and fruit is the norm and maybe a few coins.  Being that it was such fun and helped to pacify us until Christmas Eve, I carried on the tradition with my son when he was little.

Each December 5th, Lucas would put his wooden shoes (yes, we each have our own pair of wooden shoes) by the door with a carrot gently placed inside (for Sinterklaas' white horse of course), hoping to find something in them in the morning of the 6th.  If he had been naughty that year, he knew that he could expect a lump of coal (from Sinterklaas' helper Black Peter instead).  

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Now Black Peter must have made quite the impression on my Mother when she was a child as she still recalls hiding behind her Mother's skirt when Black Peter and Sinterklaas rode by in the parade back in the old country.  Apparently Black Peter was black from dirty chimneys that he was expected to slide down when delivering the lumps of coal to the bad children each year.

So my brother and I and now my son must all be pretty good as none of us ever received that lump of coal.  What fun it was!  Even though we are older, all of us still find wrapped under the Christmas tree each year one of these ....

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the favored chocolate letter of our first names.  These letters have to be the BEST chocolate I have ever tasted!  Some years, I even steal hubby's "B" and eat it!!!  Now this year, Sarah will find wrapped under the tree her first Dutch chocolate letter .... and so the tradition will continue.  

Do you have any fun or different holiday traditions in your family?  Ones that are carried over from years past ... maybe from before you were even born?  I would love to hear about them.  

Let's hope no one wakes to a lump of coal in the morning!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug.

December ..... the planning and holiday month

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Where oh where did November go?  Time slips through my fingers oh so very quickly.  Soon the holidays will be upon us.  I need to sit down and write out a plan ...... soon!  My baking, shopping, decorating plan.  My writing the Christmas card plan, mailing parcel plan, my picking up Lucas and my Mom for the holidays plan.

This holiday season will be a little different.  Lucas has decided to stay with Sarah this Christmas.  Sarah is unable to cross the U.S. border and through customs due to her nationality and her Chinese passport.  We did not realize the paperwork involved for her just to enter the United States for a visit.  Oh me, oh my.  What a disappointment for us all.  My son Lucas has taken the caring/loving/protector role and will visit with us for a week soon and then return to her and they will spend the remainder of the Christmas break together in their little apartment.

When I drive Lucas back, I have plans of a small artificial Christmas tree finding its way into the trunk of my car along with the gifts that they will open on the 25th.  I made Lucas promise that they will at least pick up a  rotisserie chicken from the supermarket on the evening of the 24th and enjoy that with some potatoes.  He promised.  It saddens my heart to think of these two young adults spending the Blessed holiday alone .... but they are together and together they are making their own memories.

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Again, time slips through my fingers oh so very quickly.  I remember when Lucas was only a year old...celebrating his first Christmas.  Soon Bob and I will be in rocking chairs on the porch watching grandchildren running through the yard..  That, however. will come all in good time.

For now I reminisce of Decembers past while I sit at the kitchen table with a hot bowl of cabbage and ham soup, catching up on some reading and admiring the pine cones I gathered during my morning walk.  After I am done lunch, I will quickly wash up the dishes and get started on some projects that need to be attended to now that it is December.  With the snow beginning to fall softly outside my windows, maybe some Christmas cookies are in order this afternoon.  How are your plans for December coming along?  Are some of your traditions being adjusted as children grow and family members change their plans or will your holidays look like holidays past?

December is upon us.  The holidays are here.  Enjoy each day as it unfolds as soon these days will be only memories.  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Black Friday

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Today I will be too busy today doing this .....

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because of this .........

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Woo hoo!  I have my list, checked it off twice and am ready to face the crowds .... only making one stop but that's all I need!

If you are out shopping today, be careful and have fun!  Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Rice Bags

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Oooh, rice bags .... they are making waves on Pinterest right now.  I would assume it is due to the fact that the cold weather has either started to settle in around some parts or is on it's way.  

Nights have gotten chilly .... really chilly.  Rice bags are the perfect solution to this problem.  They are wonderful to heat up and place under the covers at the foot of the bed a few minutes before crawling in.

They are wonderful on the lap under the quilt that covers my legs while watching television in the evenings or when I am curled up with a good book or while I am knitting.

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Rice bags are also great pain relievers ... either warmed up or used as a freezer pack, rice bags take away aches and pains oh so very easily.  They mold nicely to the small of the back or around the neck and on the shoulders.  Best of all they make great Christmas gifts!  Easy to make and easy on the budget, rice bags are a gift that everyone will love!

Remember my huge fabric stash?  Well this is another way of slimming it down.  I have done quite a bit of searching for the easiest pattern so they would not become a chore to make and as usual, the good old internet came through once again!  Selina over at Sew We Quilt gave the fastest, easiest and had the clearest instructions.  Making six bags at a time was the perfect solution to sewing them up quickly.

Digging through the stash, I found some odd and end pieces of flannel.  I have a few people in mind to give as Christmas gifts and I was lucky enough to have flannel that suited each person's personality.  The flannel will be used as the 'outer', removable bag.  This way the 'outer' bag can be washed when needed.

Selina mentioned using only 100% cotton for the lining of the rice bags and I found it in an old, flat bed sheet!  

Perfect!  Cutting the fabric for the inner bags and the outer bags, I increased the size a bit .... I never can seem to keep to the exact patterns!  

My outer bag was cut at 24 x 8 inches and the inner bag was cut at 25 x 8 inches.  I thought that was strange the inner bag was bigger but then it dawned on me that once the rice was added, it would actually 'shrink' the bag.  Duh.  Sometimes I am slow on the uptake.

Anyhoo, I cut six outer bags and six inner bags and sewed them up.  So easy! and fast!  

Filling the inner bags was of course messy since I am a born klutz and more rice ended up on the counter top and floor than in the actual inner bag but I wasn't complaining! In under one hour, I had six bags made for three very special people on my Christmas list and I know they will be appreciated.  

How wonderful is that?  Making something homemade for the ones you love and in your heart you know that they will be used and used gladly.

Doing some more searching, I found a cute Rice Bag saying that will be printed on hardback paper and added to the bags.

 The Rice Bag                                                                    

This little pillow filled with rice                                                                                             

Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on high,                                                                                  

And kiss those aches and pains goodbye

Apply it to the troubled spot,

The heat will ease the pain a lot.

Or warm those little toes so cold,

You’ll find this nice to have and hold.

Or freeze it for a little while,

And fix that boo boo up in style.

Instead of a compress made of ice,

Use this pillow filled with rice.

    

Remember to give your loved ones a hug!

Happy New Year!!!

Pin It Just wanted to pop in quick and wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Blizzard Bertha hit us on the 23rd and we have been snowed in since Monday. We could not leave the property and no one could make it in. It has been horrible! Talk about a quiet Christmas!

I was suppose to pick up my Mom on the 26th but the dangerous roads held us off until yesterday. So I will be spending the next few days with her.



I hope the new year brings everyone much luck, good health and wealth!