Favorite Friday

Cindylou and I are addicted to this Edy's Peppermint ice cream. At this time of the year anything even remotely reltated to candy canes has me hooked. It is slow churned and yummy...with little bits of candy canes in it. And OF COURSE it is "limited edition"....which means I better stock up on a bunch before they are all gone! A lovely winter treat!!

Merry Knit-mas!!!!!!

The Treatgirl has been very busy over here...most of my gifts were handknit. I have a big bin of yarn in my craft room with the leftovers from projects over the years. When I was away with my Soul Sisters last month we visited a little town for the day that actually has two yarn shops in it....that's pretty crazy....but, I got on a knitting roll after that weekend and haven't stopped. But as a challenge to myself, I wanted to only use yarn that I had. So I got creative...



I knit some scarves.....who knew I had so much red yarn??? I love knitting just a little scarf. I like doing them on a bigger needle, like a size 11 or so....they are quick and easy...I keep them shorter and wear them all day...even in the house.



Well, this one I actually bought the yarn for...but used all 40% off coupons at Michaels...so it was really reasonable. It took me almost all of Cub's football season, knitting at most practices...to knit this sweater for my SIL. It's a big surprise for her. I hope she likes it.



And how cute is this scrappy hat? I look at it and can see all of the different projects I knit with the yarn I used....



These are the fingerless gloves I knit for my Soul Sisters to help keep them toasty warm this winter. And check out my post from yesterday to see the A.DOR.ABLE candy cane cozies I whipped up too. I started with just a few and ended up making over 30 of them! I think I'm going to take a little break and eat a few cookies now :) Have a very Merry Christmas bloggy friends!! Many blessings to you all and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

Candy Cane Cozy

I just love candy canes....What is Christmas without them?? I've never hung them on my tree though....When I was looking around for an ornament idea for my Soul Sisters ornament exchange I came upon these cute little candy cane cozy's. I thought you could hang them on your tree, or give as a little gift.



I happened to have some white yarn in my yarn bin so I thought I would whip some up....All you need is a size 6 needle, 100% cotton 4-ply yarn, a silver bell, buttons and ribbon.



I cast on 25 stitches....I needed to play around a bit to see how long it needed to be to fit the candy canes.



Then I knit 10 rows....or until the piece measures about 1 3/4" x 5". Cast off, fold it in half and sew it together.



When sewing the bottom closed, use the yarn to add the bell.



Then sew the button on the top. Fold the ribbon in half and sew it into the inside of the cozy. Be patient, the opening is really tiny.



I made a few of them...and got the idea to make 23 more to give one to each of Cub's classmates at the Holiday Breakfast this morning at school. Weeellll....making one or two goes pretty quick....but 23 takes a bit longer! Especially when there is shopping to finish, wrapping to do, and cookies to bake...but they turned out so cute. A sweet treat :)

Favorite Friday

This is an AB.SO.LUTE favorite of mine this holiday season!! I actually bought it for myself about 12 hours after I made a promise to myself to not get ANYthing for me this season. Well, THAT didn't last....I was at home in Buffalo in my Dad's little town shopping in a cuuuute little gift shop for my cousin and aunt. Shhhhhh, don't tell :) And this was the first thing I saw. I tried it on 3 times, every time reminding me of my promise....and in the end I said to myself, "This is the ONLY thing I'll get!!" I have worn it a bunch of times already, and with all of the snow we've had already this year around here it is JUST perfect. I looooooove it for me, a little Christmas treat to myself. Have you treated yourself to anything?????

The Wishing Ornament

Have you ever seen one of these? Or heard of it??? I came across the Wishing Ornament when I was looking around for an easy ornament idea for Cub's Holiday party at school. This is the one featured over at Red Envelope for $29.99. Essentially you write a wish on a little slip of paper and tuck it inside. Whether you're wishing for peace on earth, or a kindle....you can look back on your wishes over the years and see if any came true.



Well, I simplified mine a bit by getting one of those plastic ornaments that opens up at Michaels, and making a little tag for it.



This is the wish Cubby wrote on his slip of paper. Can you figure it out???? He is wishing for a Golden Retriever. That is a topic for a whole other post............

Christmas....Soul Sister Style!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...celebrating Christmas with my Soul Sisters!! It is one of the things I look forward to most at the holidays...click HERE to see our first annual S.S. christmas......and HERE to see last years shin-dig. Ms. Joy got the ball rolling this year...we agreed again to make ornaments for each of our "Sisters" and meet for dinner. Marzipan was the first to arrive and she snagged us a table. For some reason we have gotten into trying to guess our waiters name, and we all think it is utterly hysterical ?????? But Marzipan quizzed him and she knew what it was and made us all guess it....with just one little hint...it had 3 letters! After much guessing and trying to get it out of him we found out it was Ken.....but we didn't really like that so we called him Gus all night. Ya kinda had to be there...like I said, it's hysterical to us ?????

Anyhoo....here we are for our group photo shoot...



When I found out about our party and ornament exchange, my first thought was to knit little mini pairs of mittens and hang them on a string....so I went into my yarn stash and saw that I have a boat load of yarn and kinda got side tracked knitting everyone a fingerless pair of gloves! They turned out really cute....more on all of my holiday knitting in another post to come.



But let me share with you the SUPER.CUTE ornaments my crafty little sisters came up with this year.....I love them all!!!! The hand-stitched felt cupcake was made by Marzipan (which I almost made as well!!!!!) She sent a text last weekend while she was in NYC with her hubs saying that she was working on our ornaments. Now THAT is love!!

Girl in the sticks bought all the S's that Kohl's had and put them together to make our very own bedazzled Soul Sister monograms....Soul Sisters, or Super Sexy???? hmmmmm...

And can you get over how adorable the little tea cup and saucer are that Ms. Joy made????? She actually glued the cup and saucer together and made miniture tea bags with our own little personlized tags!!!!! With glitter snowflakes and our intials to boot. We ooohed and ahhhed over these for a while.



Jennifer Juniper has had a crew of Amish men in her house for days finishing off her basement and could only work with what supplies she had in her house...so check this out......paper christmas trees. VERY ingenious!!!



I actually made cupcakes as well. I ran out right away and got my supplies....but then got side-tracked making the gloves for DAYS....and only got going on making these sweet little things the afternoon before...so thank goodness they literally only took a minute and forty-five seconds to make!



I packaged them up in a cupcake box so it looked like I got them at the bakery! It was a snowy, blustery night...but being with my Soul Sisters warmed my heart AND my soul.....thank you so much dear friends!!! Merry Christmas!

What You Can Make With Christmas Cards....

I love to get christmas cards from all of my friends and family...Some people never know what to do with those pictures that people share. Generally, it's the same families that are into sending a picture every year....so click HERE and see what I do with them......But several years ago I helped the older kids turn those beautiful cards into Christmas placemats!



We get them out at this time of the year and I get so sentimental because they are growing up so fast. But really they are so easy to make....Just get white poster board and cut it to the size and shape you want and let the kids cut the cards up and glue them all over.



When they are dry turn them over and have them personlize them with markers, and maybe an outline of their hand....



Then just take them up to Kinko's and have them laminated. Easy, Smeazy! You can whip several up in no time and they make great gifts too!



Click HERE to see what my dear bloggy friend Wendy makes with her cards.......you gonna love it! Do you have any fun ideas for your cards?????
I'm going to link up over at my friend Jennifer Juniper's tutorial Tuesday.....come check it out......

Elf

Just look at this happy guy!! I rescued him a few months ago. When my mother in law passed away in August my father in law went through all of the seasonal decorations and put everything in boxes in his garage for all of us to go through. Cindylou and I stopped over and went through everything. We couldn't resist this little guy. He was a little bit bedraggled....a few seams coming apart, his jingle bells tarnished and a stain on his white collar....but impish and cute just the same. I brought him home and last week I performed surgery, replaced his bells with shiny gold ones and used a little oxyclean on his collar. I got him looking his cutest again. I was hoping to surprise Chip with a happy memory from Christmases when he was little.....but he didn't even recognize him!!!



But I perched him on a branch on our tree and love that he is smiling at me through the holday season...reminding me that everything is fun! There is a book about a magical elf, that comes with an elf that you can move around your house....I saw it at Barnes and Noble....but this little guy is just as magical for our family. I'm hoping he will give our family many happy holiday memories.

Favorite Friday

If these aren't a favorite of yours yet....they should be. They have a "Don't gain, Maintain" program at my gym during the holidays. Essentially you get weighed the week of Thanksgiving, then again the first week of January....and the idea is not to gain over the holidays. I made a deal with myself to not eat any candy for those weeks. weeelll.....that didn't go very well. These are a FAVORITE of mine, and they only have them at this time of the year. I couldn't help myself and bought a box while I was in Target...the only place I've found that has them. I only had a few every couple of days....I'm not happy I broke my promise to myself...but oh well...a few Peppermint Junior Mints helps keep me in the holiday spirit!

Gingerbread House

Last weekend Cub and I worked on our gingerbread house...I'm not that great at baking....so I just buy the kit. And I learned a lot over the last few years...I bought a pre-made house this time....because last year there were tears ....




We of course added some extra candy because those kits come with some really dumb stuff...



And I have to say this is the best results we've had yet. But let me just ask....what is the etiquette on the house situation???? Cubby wants to start eating the candy off of it as soon as he places the last gum drop on.....I at least want to enjoy it for 24 hours before he starts picking at it. What are you doing out there bloggy friends??

Sprinkles! Sprinkles!

I got together with a dear friend of mine last week. We've been friends for 23 years....we met in flight attendent training for USairways. I've since retired, but she is still flying the friendly skies and I am lucky enough to have her bring me special treats from around the world....like these wonderful sprinkles! They are from Denmark. I fell in love with them when she made me cookies topped with them for my birthday. She shared the recipe with me when she gave me the sprinkles, but I haven't had a chance to make them yet. She pointed out that the picture on the box shows them on toast....another way they enjoy the sprinkles in Denmark....couldn't be too much worse than I donut I imagine??? Anyhoo....I have enough sprinkles here to sprinkle away for the next several years....so I better start baking!

I couldn't believe I found these sprinkles locally just a few days after my friend gave me mine...all the way from Amsterdam! So, if you'd like to try them you can visit Baldinger's and get some for yourself. Click HERE to see what Baldinger's is all about......

....and here is the cookie recipe if you'd like to try them:

Colorful Cookies

1 package (3oz.) jello...any flavor (save 1 TSBP. for glaze)
1 cup powered sugar
1 cup butter
2 1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt

colorful glaze:
1 Tbsp. jello
3 Tbsp.hot water
~mix these together and let stand for 5 minutes. Then stir in 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 1 Tbsp. jello for glaze. Mix remaining jello, powdered sugar and butter. Stir in flour and salt. Shape into 1 inch balls and bake 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets for about 8-10 minutes. Cool, then dip cookies into glaze.....Then decorate with the sprinkles...or coconut or colored sugar. They are suuuuuuuper yummy!!!! Enjoy :)

Favorite Friday

This is a new Christmas favorite.....a Santa Countdown placemat. I got it at Target and Cubby wants to keep it on our table "at all times". It's the cutest! We certainly won't be losing track of when the big guy will be coming to our house :)

A Christmas Cupcake

This is THE NEXT BEST thing to the real deal......I am in heaven over here!!! My friend gave me this candle the other day and I loooooove it!!! My whole house smells like a cupcake. All the time. Those Yankee people are just too much! Thanks again for my treat dear friend!

Happy December!!

Yep. For Reals. It's here!!! Even though the marketing gurus of the world would like us to think the season really starts in October.....it is now officially "The Season" by my book. We spent a few days after Thanksgiving getting our tree, wreaths and decorations up. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care. I've made a few repairs to some ornaments...it always seems one or two need a little glue or glitter to bring them back to life. The advent calendar is out with chocolates and treats waiting behind the doors for the kiddos to find. My cards are done and I'm planning what cookies to bake and dishes to bring for Christmas Eve....my menu for Christmas Day is set....it's always the same. Spinach salad, ham, scalloped potatoes and fresh green beans. My shopping and wrapping are well under way....and I just have to put together the Holiday Breakfast for Cubby's class on the last day of school. I have several fun things already on the calendar that I'm looking forward too....so far, no holiday stress....check back with me in a few weeks!!



And check it out! It snowed on the first day of "The Season"! It was a total suprise to me when I looked out the windows this morning. I loooooooved it!!! I'm exited for all of the fun....just stay calm, enjoy! ...it will all get done :)

Favorite Friday

This is truly a favorite thing of mine.....I actually call it the miracle cream. For those of you who aren't familiar with Unker's it works for EVERYTHING!!! Rub it on and you're healed!! It smells like mentholatum, but it's worth it. It's all natural and made by the Amish. If you have a cough rub it on your feet, put on a pair of socks...and presto! Your cough is gone. When my kiddos were little, I'd rub it on in their sleep! Back pains, rub it on....sinus problems...rub it under your nose and behind your ears....you guessed it! Works like a charm...The list goes on and on. My sister in law's mother swears by it and is my supplier....she buys it buy the case just to sell at no profit to all of her family and friends. But you can click HERE to buy some yourself. With winter coming be sure to get yourself some....you'll be so happy you did :)

Hey Snyders!!!!!!

Dear Snyders of Berlin...To the makers of Puff'n Corn... why don't you sell this stuff in Buffalo, N.Y.??? I've got all my people hooked on making Coma Caramel popcorn up there..... click HERE to see how wonderful it is and get the recipe.

Whenever I head home for the weekend I always bring a few bags up for my cousin...well she's shared the love.....and now I'm bringing a van full up there to keep everyone happy! Next visit, can I just borrow your truck filled with Puff'n Corn???? Thanks, Thetreatgirl

Cool Dangle-y Necklace

Okay...let me just start off by sayin'...this isn't the most flattering picture of me! T. had THE.HARDEST time getting a picture that wasn't blurry....so after 8 or 9 of them this was the first "acceptable" one and he ran off! But you get the idea....We made these super cool necklaces on our Soul Sister weekend.....Jennifer Juniper saw them in a magazine for $128!!! weeellll......you KNOW we could make it for mere pennies!



Just take a really long piece of leather cord and make a big loop with a knot in the middle.....then make your dang-ly things to hang off of it. Loooooooove it!!! I've been wearing it non-stop. Go ahead and try one....it's great for using up fun leftover beads from other projects.

Favorite Friday

Some of my most very favorite things are my kids artwork....I will treasure it always...especially the things they made when they were little. Cindylou and T. made these when they were 6 and 5 years old...Cub made his masterpiece when he was just 3. I helped out by adding the googly eyes. Every holiday when I get the bins of decorations out it just warms my heart to see what they made when they were so little. These little works of art will always be treasured among my favorites.

Soul Sisters Getaway....part two

This is the part where we had the day to browse and shop in a little town nearby....it is so charming and quaint...almost like the set of a movie.



Every doorway has the prettiest fall flowers to welcome you in.....



We stopped for lunch at the cutest cafe...it was the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the afternoon. We did some more shopping....each of us finding some wonderful treasures to bring home.




Along the side of the road was this little farm market....as you can see by the signs....they have just about everything!



We stopped and browsed for a bit before heading back to build a fire, do some more crafting, enjoy some snacks and homemade cheesecake goodies Marzipan shared with us and watch a few movies. A perfect night for the Soul Sisters.....our guys really have a hard time grasping the whole concept...but that's okay....we don't mind.

The Soul Sisters Getaway

Yep! We're lucky!!! Us Soul Sisters have each other all year long to be crafting, cooking, baking, blogging buddies....AND we get to go away for our annual fall getaway weekend. Unfortunately we didn't whip it together in enough time for Girl in the Sticks to join us this time...but we did get a cute picture in our favorite spot by the big pine trees.



How crazy that Marzipan and Ms. Joy went to the same wine store and picked out identical bottles of Cupcake wine??!!!



We jumped right into some crafting....we had a few fun projects lined up....and Marzipan and I brought our knitting...How great it is too have such wonderful friends that are as happy doing nothing but chatting, crafting and laughing as I am??? I had quite a bad cold...and when we went out for a nice dinner I wasn't able to enjoy much of it...but we shared a lot of laughs!!!



Ms. Joy taught us how to make a terrific scarf out of tshirts from the clearance rack in Target....bummer, that I didn't get a group shot of all of the cute ones we made :(



But here a the wooden frames and clipboards we made with a little bit of Mod Podge, scrapbook paper and ribbon....easy, smeasy!!! I'm thinkin' I may be making a few of those clipboards for teacher gifts...



Just look at these cheesecake goodies Marzipan brought to share with her sisters....of course we had to sample ALL of them to give a vote on which one we like best....YUMMY.YUM.YUM!



I baked cupcake cookies to bring so Marzipan could give me my own private tutorial on how to make frosting and decorate them. I am certainly the "baking-challenged" sister of the group and she is always so great at being patient with me...thanks again Miss :)

Before we headed home we even managed to fit in a trip to a craft show too! The days went by much to fast....fortunately no one caught my cold....but we are all suffering from soul sister withdrawl. We made a promise to try and be a bit more regular in our visits/field trips...I can't wait for next time!! Thanks again girls!!!