Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Some of my homemade gifts this year.....

(The best gift I ever made--Briggy!)




I made quite a few homemade gifts the year. I am posting this hoping that my mother-in-law and sister-in-law amy wont be checking the blog, since we should be arriving there around 4 pm. So if you are looking....Don't scroll down, or you'll ruin your Christmas gift surprises!

Jocelyn showed me how to make tutu's, so I made a green and pink fairy princess tutu for my little niece addy. I wrapped it up before I took a picture...but its very cute! (thanks jocelyn!)

Another Addy gift was a ribbon holder. I am sure she will be wearing lots of pretties in her hair, and this is a cute way to organize them.


For my mother-in-law I wanted to do something with Briggy photos, because we have never got professional photos done, so I havent had any nice ones to give her. I got this idea from my friend liza (twigsandtwinedesigns.blogspot.com) she was kind enough to send me these nesting boxes--I couldn't find any ANYWHERE out here! What I like most about this little project, is that the pictures are on scrapbook paper that are hung on hooks. So every few months, I can send Tina updated picture/scrapbook cut outs, and she can hang the new ones up....so it grows with him!
I painted it a chocolate brown and distressed the HECK out of it! I would have liked to have sewn the pictures on like Liza did, but I don't have the machine or the skills! maybe my next set of pictures for tina will be sewn! Anyway, I think it turned out pretty good...and I think she will really like it.


Then for my mother and Tina I made some quick little brag books (filled with adorable pictures of my little guy--of course!!)



When Briggy was born, my aunt sent the coolest gift. Matching polo shirts for Tom and Briggy. Briggy's said "Chip" and Tom's said "Block"
So I painted a frame Navy blue and had white chipboard letters saying "Chip off the Old Block" its another one I didn't take a picture of yet, but here is the picture that's going in the frame!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Cookie # 1

Well, I planned on having a cookie making extravaganza on friday with my lil' sis and my mom. I planned all these yummy snacks, music, briggy's outfit, aprons, and of course a menu of cookies we would make. Then we had our BLIZZARD of snow, which spoiled everything :(

So, yesterday, since I DIDNT GET TO GO TO THE WARD CHRISTMAS PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY :*(
I tried to cheer myself up, and made my first batch of cookies for christmas. Tom loves Oatmeal raisin cookies. I really don't like raisins in my cookies....so I compromised. We both like toffee and oatmeal, so I found this great recipe (on the back of the hershey's toffee bag)
They are reallllly really good. I added the optional coconut. If you are extra homemakey you could make your own toffee bits and use them.....or buy them on sale at price rite for $1.69...up to you :)

Oatmeal Toffee Cookies


Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) toffee bits
1 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes(optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; beat until blended.

2. Stir in oats, toffee bits and coconut, if desired, with spoon. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack. About 4 dozen cookies