• From My Kitchen,  Good Things,  Holidays

    Holiday Baking

    December 24, 2010

    The shopping is done, the gifts are wrapped, and I've decided to spend the remaining hours before Christmas Eve baking to my heart's content! Here's what I have on the menu…

    Shrimp and Cocktail Sauce
    Honeybaked Ham
    Sweet Potato Casserole
    Summer Sausage
    Crackers
    Jack Cheese
    Sugar Cookies
    Reindeer Eyes
    Peanut Clusters
    Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
    Cinnamon Rolls
    Zucchini Bread
    Pecan Shortbread Cookies
    Fleur de Sel Caramels
    Savory Meatballs

    I think that's it, but I can't guarantee it. I have no idea why I'm making so much food, bc much of it will end up in the freezer or taken to Mike's office. But I do love it all, and I feel very fortunate to be able to do it. (Plus, some of Frieda's staples every Christmas Eve were shrimp, sausage, crackers, and cheese, and I'd like to keep her tradition going for Mike and the girls.) I'll also be taking quite a bit of it over to my parents' house on Christmas Night, where I feel sure my brother will polish off the reindeer eyes!

    Here's what I have so far (most of it baked while listening to Christmas movies)…

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    I clearly have a long way to go. 🙂 I did bake gingerbread cookies as well, but I've eaten every last one of them. Sorry, Mom. I'll make more.

    Btw, I've been making the Reindeer Eyes ever since my good friend Chris sent them to me in the mail several years ago. Get yourself some round pretzels (I got mine at WalMart) and almond bark and Christmas M&M's. Melt the bark, drizzle it in the middle of each pretzel, and drop an M&M down into it before it hardens. Voila! They're sooo good!

    I hope you all have a beautiful Christmas Eve. We're expecting snow, for which I'm happy. I do love a good snowfall…puts me in the mood to bake!

    Merry Christmas!

    P.S. For those of you who wanted to learn how to make the snowflakes that Sophie made, she posted the video on her blog! Have fun! Paper Snowflakes

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  • Good Things,  Holidays

    Wooly Snowman

    December 23, 2010

    I received the loveliest gift recently from a very dear friend.  She asked Judy Bielec of Mosey 'n Me to create this needle-felted snowman, and it's truly one of the sweetest things I've ever seen!

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    I'd heard of felted wool before, but never really knew what it was. According to Judy, "felt making predates spinning, weaving or knitting." I had no idea! Here I thought it was a brand-new invention.

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    I love the details…

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    Breanna was the lucky recipient of one as well! She liked hers so much in the bag, she kept it there…

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    This made both snowmen very sad…

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    What a lovely surprise! Breanna and I thank you, dear friend.

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  • Good Things

    Hopeful

    December 15, 2010

    Sophie's school had a Sheridan's Custard Night this past week, so I told her she could invite a friend and we'd go. Back in the summer, we allowed the Chin to come along with us, and she gulped down her doggy-custard in one swallow. (I wonder how brain-freeze feels to a dog.)

    This time, it was the Yorkie's turn, and she. was. ecstatic. She could not believe her good fortune at having been invited to come along to Sheridan's in the family car. (She still doesn't understand that if she'd stop her screeching at everything she sees outside the window, she'd be invited to lots more places.)

    After we'd placed our orders and drove up to the window, the Yorkie suddenly stopped her screeching and gazed with wonder at something inside…

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    What was it that held her in such rapture?

    Why, it was a wall full of photographs! Photographs of dogs eating custard!

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    I decided to forego asking the drive-thru girl to take the Yorkie's photo and I took out my phone camera instead.

    Here she is, after jumping back to her seat, anxiously waiting for whatever it was she thought she was getting…

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    The excitement was palpable.

    Finally, her prize arrived!

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    And when she had finished and we drove away, she went back to screeching.

    One of these days I'm going to videotape her for you all, bc I have a feeling you don't believe me when I tell you that she is Satan's spawn.

    These two can vouch for me.

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  • Crazy Kids,  Family,  Good Things,  Holidays

    How Did She Do That?

    December 13, 2010

    Sophie has been terribly under the weather lately, coughing and sneezing and getting more than her share of aww-poor-baby hugs. Since she was tired of laying around, she decided to help out with the Christmas spirit around here and came up with a most beautiful decoration, now hanging from our dining room ceiling…

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    I love having this little elf around.

    Btw, Mike is also really sick, but he doesn't know how to make cool snowflakes. He does, however, remind me of an overgrown elf.

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  • Good Things,  Holidays,  Just Cross Stitch,  Stitching

    Got Issues?

    December 3, 2010

    I recently received in the mail 3 issues each of the Halloween and Christmas ornament issues of Just Cross Stitch magazine from their very sweet editor. However, I had already purchased my issues when they were first released, so now I have 3 copies of each that I'd love to give away.

    I'm sure those of you who wanted the issues have already purchased them, but just in case there are a few of you who haven't, just leave a comment here about which issue you'd like, and I'll draw names from there. If there are only a few of you, perfect! We'll draw the first ones in line. And if there is not a single soul out there who hasn't already gotten the issue they wanted, then I'll give the magazines as Christmas presents to my family. teeheehee.

    I hope you like stitching ornaments, honey!

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    Btw, for January 2011's issue of Just Cross Stitch, I had the pleasure of being invited to be one of their featured designers! Woohoo! I designed a little piece called Winter Wind Sampler. I hope you like it!

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  • Freebie,  Good Things,  Photography

    Woot! Woot!

    November 20, 2010

    I have never won anything. So you can imagine my utter shock (if you've been so lucky as to experience it) when it was announced on Tara Whitney's photography blog that I won a camera bag! A Ketti bag, to be exact!

    I. Could. Not. Believe. It.

    ME??? Did her announcement actually read "And the winner is…. PAULETTE STEWART!!!"

    I was beaming the entire day. No matter what I did, my face was fixed in a grin. I'm so excited about it, I made a freebie to celebrate! But first, here are some pictures of my new camera bag (which is complete with awesome compartments inside for holding lenses and a body)…

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    Isn't it lovely? It's the Berry bag. Ahhhhh…. love!

    And it has the cutest little feet…

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    And hardware!

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    My sister made fun of me when I visited her in Texas this summer bc I had a camera bag the size of a suitcase (a Crumpler "Seven Million Dollar Home" bag) that I lugged with me everywhere. She let me cram my stuff into her fancy Coach bag instead, so I wouldn't look like a tourist. Now she can walk next to me and not pretend she doesn't know me!

    Anyway, I am a very happy girl for winning such a prize. If you have something to celebrate (or you know someone who does!), maybe you'd like to stitch this little chart – if you can sit still long enough to do it. 🙂

    Here is the actual .pdf to click (don't click on the image): Download Woot.

    Use whatever color – or color combinations – you want! Perhaps you'd like this way…

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    Or what about this?

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    Maybe you'd like to celebrate your independence…

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    Or help a loved one celebrate theirs!

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    Please note these changes from the original chart:

    1. The patriotic version uses white/ecru to "line" the inside of the flag, which is not shown on the printout.

    2. The "pink" version does not have the breast cancer awareness ribbon on the printout, but is easily duplicated by referring back to the above image, or by stitching the ribbon your own way.

    (Btw, I think a great gift idea to give to a breast cancer survivor would be one of The Attic's Recipes for a Cure cookbooks, along with the "pink" version stitched into a small pillow or ornament. This is by no means a plug, but just an idea. And there are other fabulous charts out there to choose from if you're not fond of this one, of course!)

    (I really hope I didn't sound presumptuous with my idea!)

    Anyway, I'm off to go sit with my new Ketti bag in my lap. Maybe I'll go rearrange the contents again, just bc it's fun.

    Or maybe I should lay off the caffeine.

    Enjoy your weekend!

    P.S. Here is Tara Whitney's blog, and here is Ketti Handbags. 🙂

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  • Good Things,  Stitching

    Pink Christmas Ribbons

    November 19, 2010

    As many of you know, The Attic Needleworks holds a silent auction each year to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. This year they went a step further and had a "cookbook with benefits" published, of which I was asked to be a small part. What an honor! The book is called Recipes for a Cure, and all of the designs in the book were stitched by Paula Sibbald of Kelmscott Designs, and then donated to The Attic's silent auction. What a labor of love!

    If you'd like to bid on any of these ornaments – as well as many other ornaments, gorgeous samplers and vintage needlework accessories! – please click on this link and head over to the newsletters to see all of the beautiful stitched pieces that are up for auction…

    http://www.atticneedlework.com/newsletter.html

    I greatly admire the effort that the ladies at The Attic – and all those who donated their time by stitching those wonderful pieces – put in for a cause that is so close to many people's hearts.

    Enjoy your day!

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  • Family,  Good Things

    Orange is…

    November 11, 2010

    …the new bag of Thanksgiving Blend, sitting invitingly on my kitchen counter…

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    …the color of highlighter I'm using on a model pattern…

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    …the cinnamon-y pumpkin hand sanitizer from Yankee Candle I put on my hands before I stitch bc it smells so good…

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    …my sweet Sophie's swim cap…

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  • Good Things,  Holidays

    Vintage Christmas

    November 6, 2010

    Recently my mom and I headed out to one of our favorite little shops called Weathered and Worn. The shop was having its Christmas open house, so we decided to visit and see if there was anything either of us "needed."

    One of the things I always tell myself I'm going to purchase each year – but never end up doing it – is a vintage-y Christmas ornament. I have to laugh at how so many things are made to look old. I imagine if I were around in the 40's or 50's and saw something in the store that was beat up or tarnished or chipped, I'd be aghast and never shop there again.

    (I also know that if someone were to tell me back in 1984 that kids in the 2000's would dress in clothing from the '80's and call it a Halloween costume, I'd be aghast at that too.)

    Anyway, this year was finally the year I purchased a vintage-y Christmas ornament, and I love it! Here it is:

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    Mom got the coolest vintage-y post card made into an ornament, and I did my best to make some more when I got home. Mine didn't turn out nearly as well as the store-bought one, but they were fun to make.

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    Here are the backs of a couple…

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    They were super easy! All you need is some paper and chipboard and ribbon, and anything you want to make it look old. 

    Now I'm ready for Christmas to get here, and I haven't even taken down the Halloween decorations.

    Enjoy your weekend!

     

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  • Good Things

    Summer’s End

    October 29, 2010

    Goodbye, grasshoppers,

    Hello, gourds.

    Hush, robin-song,

    Sing blackbird chords.

    Jump into leaves

    without diving boards.

    Goodbye, grasshoppers,

    Hello, gourds.

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    May these early fall days be the beginning of a wonderful new season for you.

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