pretty much all set. sorta.
Okay, well the crafting stars have aligned this week. We got some baking done. These small loaves of cardamom orange coffee cake (from this month's issue of cooking light) are being given out. But, I have to keep that red one. These flippin adorable little ceramic loaf pans are on sale at Kitchen Kaboodle for you Portland folks.
Cookie bags were packed this morning. 5 kinds of cookies this year with some fudge. Some have already been mailed. I still can't believe I got these done. It was pushing it this year. Not the year for baking. It's the babe in arms + hot oven thing. Not so good. Bar cookies would have been a much better idea. But, they are done and they are tasty, so it all worked out.
And here are some small holiday gifties for our wee friends. Each year, for the holidays, I try to make something super fast, very inexpensive, and not totally lame. I love this challenge. I have dyed silk scarfs in the past, and last year I made these crackers (not the eating kind.) The year before we gave out these music wands. This year we have personalized picture hangers. Enclosed are little wooden clothespins with stars glued to them. I used these way cool transfers to spell out each child's name on the star and then added some baking twine as the line.
The girls love hanging up photos around the house, especially of their friends, so I though this would be fun for other kids, too. I included a printed photo of them (sized to look like a small Polaroid) to start the photo collection for each kid. Okay, this was the most fun I have had making a project in a long time. It took about 1/2 hour and rubbing the transfer letters on was so thrilling. It makes me feel like I am 10. The clothespins and stars are at Michaels, along with the twine.
Okay, whew! The list of things I haven't gotten to is long, but I am so over it. I am really looking forward to being on cruise control from now until the holidays and hopefully a bit after that. Grammie and I might try homemade marshmallows next week, and I might (big might) have a little sewing/paper cutting left in me, but I have back up gifts so there will be no pressure. Plan B, that's what I am about. I have a ton to wrap and a few gifts left to make/buy, but other than that we are lookin' good.
Christmas music is on heavy rotation around here and The McKenzie Brother's 12 days of Christmas song still makes me laugh. I love the old timey Christmas songs, but nothing says Christmas to me as much as stuff I heard between 4th-6th grade. Like Band-Aid's, Feed the World. Remember how bad everyone looked in that video!? Wow, Bananarama looked horrible! That was awesome.
You're killing me over here - another great idea!
By the way, I have to tell you, I referred back to your "not made in china" post so may times this gifting season (and passed it along to several friends), I can't even count. I love the stuff I got for my boys at Willow Tree Toys - compasses, a bird call, a magnifying glass - all setting us up for some great outdoor adventures (which is a big deal for a homebody who hates winter, like me, LOL!)
Posted by: Lisa Clarke | January 01, 2008 at 08:15 AM
Cooking Light.com
December 2007
Orange Cardamom Cake http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1687711
Posted by: Jennifer C-L | January 11, 2008 at 08:27 PM