Superfluous

Self Portrait

2012-01-30T14:23:00.000-06:00

One of my new favorite blogs is the Paper Mama. She is having a Self Portrait Challenge over at her blog. So I thought I might join the fun. Although after I took this photo, I thought, Hmmm... I might have a large forehead? Or maybe it's just the angle? And doesn't it look like one eye is looking one way and the other eye another way? Am I cross-eyed? Or just have magical eyes?

Just got over the flu, no makeup, dirty hair. But happy to be feeling a bit better!

Obsessing over…
Friday Night Lights! For years everyone and their mother has been telling us to watch this show. We finally did. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose. Love this show!

Working on…
Lots of random craft projects. I found this really ugly wooden calender thingy at the thrift store and I'm determined to give it an amazing make-over!

Thinking about…
Portlandia... Put a Bird on It!

Anticipating…
My husband coming home from work. He called to tell me he has flu like symptoms. I feel really bad for him because I know exactly how he feels.

Listening to…
Lissie Station on Pandora. It plays a great mix of all my favorite bands.
And my baby in his crib "talking". It's the sweetest sound of all!

Eating…
I'm not eating much because I've had the stomach flu. So I nibble on toast and I had some chai tai, but it kind of made me feel worse.

Wishing…
I had more time in the day to get all the things I want to get done. It just never happens.

Elisandra Art!

2012-01-28T09:10:00.000-06:00

Don't you love when you discover new art?! Yesterday I stumbled upon this beautiful artist Elisandra and I love everything she creates! The colors and illustrations are so whimsical and pretty. Every time I look at her prints, I think of a different room I would hang them in my home.
Right now at Society6 there is free shipping through Sunday on all her artwork (and others too)! You can read Elisandra's blog and she also has an etsy shop, Sevenstars Treasurebox! I hope you'll stop by and say hello and check out more of her beautiful artwork!

This one is by far my favorite and I just had to buy it!

And here are a few more of my favorites!

(I wasn't compensated or given anything to write this, I just really love her artwork!)

Bathroom Makeover Update

2012-01-27T17:22:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I posted my bathroom. Yes, the bathroom with the broken medicine cabinet, ugly lights and 1980's drawer pulls. Since then we have made a few changes to update it and make it look 100x better. It's still a work in progress mind you. I still need to put up some art, sew the curtains, get a new rug and maybe put up a shelf.

So here we have the before:

And the almost finished after:

I could say "We" but in reality my husband did all the work. I just picked out everything. So yeah, we make a good team! Thus far we have new lights, a new mirror, new drawer pulls and a fresh coat of paint on the vanity. When it is all done, I will post awesome pictures with all the details.

I'm sharing my Before and After over at Shine Your Light.

And Link Party:

Clothespin Wreath is a WINNER!

2012-01-24T13:56:00.003-06:00

At the end of December I entered a photo contest at Better Homes & Gardens website. They were asking that you submit a wreath you had made for the Holiday season.
Well of course I knew right away that I wanted to enter my Christmas Clothespin Wreath. It was so fun to make and I couldn't believe all the hype I was getting from it.
I was so excited when Better Homes & Gardens had contacted me about winning!
You can read a little blurb about it on Facebook right now. I am just giddy with excitement and happiness! Of course the $250 prize isn't so shabby either!
Yippy!

P.S. Thanks to all my wonderful friends and family for getting me past round 1 with all your votes! You're the best!

Sunday Stuff

2012-01-22T19:38:00.000-06:00

Today I had a chance to get out and spend a little birthday money. So of course I headed to the local thrift store. There is a new one in the city I live in and it by far as the best stuff. Who doesn't love a good thrift store? Lots of variety and a ton of craft stuff and children's books. And other random ~~crap~~ stuff I don't really need.

I found a few books I have been wanting

Peter Rabbit's Giant Story Book by Beatrix Potter. Who doesn't love reading about that naughty Peter Rabbit and his friends? Of course the illustrations are beautiful and whimsical too.
Good Night Minnesota by Adam Gamble and Joe Veno. This is a new spin on Good Night Moon, but only this time they highlight all the famous Minnesotan Landmarks. Oh yah, you betcha!
101 Things to Do for Christmas by Debbie Trafton O'Neal. This is a really fun book for kids (and adults) during the Christmas season. There are lots of fun crafts, projects and treats to make.
The Monster at the end of the this Book. I was seriously so excited to find this book today. Everett received his own copy for Christmas, but this one is for my brother. I owe him a copy. You see back when we were wee lads hanging out we would read this book over and over. We had it memorized and we would freak out when Grover would freak out. Now, you can only read a book so many times until you start to get a little surly and sassy and you start making up your own version. Changes were to be made. Oh I don't know, maybe I might have scratched out all the times it said "MONSTER" and I might have written the word "POOP". I'm not advocating for this behavior, but when you are a kid and you can make your brother laugh by saying "Poop" over and over, it's pretty funny. Especially when Grover now says, "Oh I am so afraid of POOP!"... See.

I have been searching for an old school ice bucket. My grandma had a similar one, that I believe my cousin Kelly now owns. I just love the yellow and white stripes and acrylic lid and handle. Now I can serve my cold beverages in style.

.............

A little cuteness for you:

Too cool for clothes.

Some other things:

So bummed that my favorite photo editing site Picnik is closing shop. I really hope Google+ will be as great as they are saying it will be. Picnik will be missed.
I watched a documentary on Pearl Jam Twenty. It definitely brought me back to my Seattle-Grunge wannabe years. Who didn't have a crush on Eddie Vedder? Did you see him on Portlandia? I died.
We finally got our guest room\office\craft room finished. Now we can have all the sleep-overs we want! (Pictures to come)
We also organized the bathroom vanity and linen closet. Doesn't it feel so good to get rid of stuff that you never use? The big bathroom reveal will be coming up next week with lots of before and after pics. I can't wait to share what we accomplished. (on a tiny budget! yippy!)
I had a great birthday with lots of love. I am blessed!
Almost time for Downton Abbey. See ya!

Fabric Ink T-Shirt

2012-01-18T21:53:00.000-06:00

I have been loving my Silhouette Cameo!!! My in-laws got me a couple of the starter kits for my birthday. Using the Fabric Ink Kit, I made a cute little shirt for E to wear.

Blotting the ink on.

The finished shirt.

Happy guy

Birthdays...

2012-01-17T00:00:00.009-06:00

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I don't know why, but for some reason I'm finding it hard to believe that I am 35 today. It's not old. But it's not 25 either. I don't feel 35, but what does that feel like anyway? Well the nice thing about having a birthday in January, is if your resolutions for the new year don't pan out, you can start again at your birthday. I didn't make any resolutions for this new year, but if I did they would be something like this...

Tell my husband and baby I love them Everyday! Lots of hugs and kisses too!
Be grateful. Even when I don't like what is given... choose gratitude.
Generosity of Spirit. Give from a place that is not selfish or self-seeking.
Eat one plant based (vegan) meal a week. My gut will thank me.
Read, Craft, Blog, Decorate, Have Fun, Listen to Pandora, Be Silly, Bake Goodies, Eat Yummy Food Go the Thrift Store, Watch Movies, Enjoy the Sun, Go Swimming, Be with Friends, Cultivate Friendships Spend time with Family, Play with the Baby, Kiss the Husband... But above all else: Love God and Seek Him First.

Valentine's Clothespin Wreath

2012-01-16T15:30:00.018-06:00

t's back!! The newest clothespin wreath in my collection. In December I made a Christmas Clothespin Wreath and now I have made a Valentine's Day wreath!
The clothespin wreath was so fun and easy to make!
Supplies you need:

Wooden clothespins
scrapbook papers
Washi tape (or decorative tape) You can buy washi tape at Hambly, Amazon.com, etsy, Michaels or most craft stores)
Glue
Thick cardboard for circle (or Michaels sells pre-made circle forms)
Felt to cover cardboard (although I skipped that step)

Decorate your clothespin however you like. Mine were a combination of scrapbook paper, decorative tape from Cath Kidston and glitter.

I attached my paper strips to the clothespins using clear glue, but you could also use Mod Podge. Then once all the clothespins were decorated I attached them to my cardboard circle. You will need as many clothespins that fit around the circle, so the bigger the circle the more clothespins you will need.

Linked to:

Silhouette in the House!

2012-01-12T12:22:00.001-06:00

It's here!!! I am now the proud owner of a Silhouette Cameo! I have been wanting one of these for awhile now. But because we are a one income household, getting a Silhouette was definitely out of the budget. I just couldn't justify buying something so expensive when it was only going to be used by me. So we waited until we found it at a good price (Amazon) and then using Amazon credit and some gift cards we got the total down to a really amazing budget friendly price! I have been playing with it non-stop, learning all the tricks to cute paper cutting. I have a lot of projects up my crafty sleeve, but in the mean time I made these two cards as my first projects.

There's no stopping me now! I'm taking Superfluous crafting to a whole new level!

Craft Room Part 1

2012-01-10T12:34:00.003-06:00

It's time to get my craft room\office\guest room in order. But mostly it will be a craft room. My husband got me something totally awesome for an early birthday present. It's the ultimate crafting tool! I'll share more about it when I get it and get it set up. But let's just say it's so AWESOME and I've wanted one for a long time!! In the mean time I'm cleaning and organizing a space where I can craft to my little heart's content. So far I have all my fabrics organized. I love me some fabrics! It's nice to have them all in one place and not in piles all over the house.
I

Oreo and Reece's Peanut Butter Cup Sandwiches

2012-01-09T21:56:00.000-06:00

I normally would NEVER make something like this for just the two of us at home. But since Sunday was the last day of my husband's vacation, I wanted to make these for him. He loves Oreos and he LOVES Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, so what better way to bring the two together AND dip them in chocolate. They were rich and amazing! I only made four though (good thing!).

I found the recipe over at this cute blog
Fun with the Fullwoods, so you should go check it out!

Basically you need 3 things:

Oreos
Reece's Peanut Butter Cups
Dipping Chocolate.

Make a sandwich using the Oreos and Reeces and dip them in chocolate. Easy, Delicious, and Awesome!!!

Sunday Instagrams

2012-01-08T16:14:00.000-06:00

I picked up a few books at the library. Time to start reading again!

Book Worm

Always watching...

Independent

Snuggling

Silly Boy!

Costco flowers from my mom :)

a message to my husband...

Today is the last day of my husband's vacation. Two weeks of having him around all day and we are spoiled. We decided that we were just going to have a laid back day. I made my husband a big breakfast of bacon, eggs and hash browns. For a treat I made, Oreo Reese's Peanut Butter Cup sandwiches dipped in chocolate (i'll blog this another time) and for dinner I'm making him Spaghetti Carbonara. I made Spaghetti Carbonara for him when we were dating and it pretty much sealed the deal! Huzzah! I hardly ever make this now because it's an egg based meal and I don't eat eggs (they make me feel icky).
I'm really excited because for my birthday (8 days away!) My husband had me sign up for Jeanne Oliver's E-Course Creatively Made! I think this will really help me get the creative juices flowing! I can't wait to start creating and sharing my art!

8 Months!

2012-01-08T11:53:00.001-06:00

Happy 8 Months to my sweet baby boy! Mommy & Daddy love you so much! Hugs and Sloppy Kisses! MMMMWAAAH!!!!

Bathroom Makeover Part 1

2012-01-07T07:32:00.000-06:00

We have been living in this house for a year now. There has been a plan in the works to fix up the bathroom from day 1. But being busy with a baby and my husband working long hours, so many projects fall by the wayside. The bathroom by far needed the biggest upgrade. The floors and counter are fine, but the vanity, mirror and lights are so bad, broken, boring and blah, and in major need of going away... FAR AWAY!

I had purchased a new light fixture at Macy's on clearance and a new shower curtain. But now we need a new mirror, a fresh coat of paint on the vanity, new drawer pulls, rug and curtains.

I can't wait to post pictures of when it is all finished!

Yes, the door is broken and all but one light is burned out.

This a sad looking bathroom. :(

Linked up at:

Hearts & Pom Pom Garland

2012-01-06T10:14:00.002-06:00

I love any kind of garland. I see pretty garland all over Pinterest and I want to make ones similar to it. This project is so simple. Just a few materials and within minutes I made some simple hearts and pom pom garland.

Materials:

Craft Pom Poms (I found mine at Target recently in the dollar bin)
Scrapbook Paper
Metallic Paper (I used Duck Tape brand sheets of duck tape)
Heart Shape Cutter
String

Cut out as many shapes as you would like, using a variety of papers. One by one string them on your string until you like the length of your garland.

Follow the same way with the pom poms. You could also alternate hearts and pom poms and that would look pretty cute too.

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Embroidery Hoop Love

2012-01-05T23:10:00.004-06:00

This is a really simple project I made using a few craft items I had lying around!

Embroidery Hoop
Scrapbook Paper
Metallic Paper (I used a sheet of Duck Tape they sell at Micheals)
Square Letters
Duck Cloth
Heart Cutter

I placed Duck Cloth over an embroidery hoop. Then using all the little hearts I had cut out, I hand sewed them one by one going across the fabric. Then I glued my letters on the cloth. It's a quick project to make when you have a few extra scraps and hoops around.

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Favorite Children's Books

2012-01-04T18:31:00.000-06:00

Now that we have a child in the house we are obsessed with collecting all our favorite childhood books. Both my husband and I love to read and that is something we want to pass along to our children. So I was thinking about the books that stood out to me the most. The ones I would read at home or the ones the teachers at school would read to the class. I picked 5 books and one book of poems that kids of all ages love!

The Monster at the End of the Book - Sesame Street

How can you not love Grover and his fear of a certain "monster" at the end of the book. At every turn of the page you bring Grover one step closer to the end of the book. This book is wonderful because you feel like Grover is interacting with you, yelling, pleading, begging you to DO NOT TURN THE PAGE! My brother and I would read this book over and over until we had it memorized. Does Grover encounter the Monster at the end of the book? The results will make you smile... and Grover too!

Harry and the Terrible Whatzit by Dick Gackenbach

"When his mother goes to the cellar and doesn't return right away, Harry shoves aside his fears to search for her and confronts the terrible two-headed Whatzit." I seriously think I checked this book out of the library every time for a year! We bought this recently and when I read it, I still was in love with it! The illustrations are awesome and you'll love the encounter Harry has with the Whatzit!

Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard

"The kids in Room 207 take advantage of their teacher's good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a substitute." When Miss Nelson has enough of her class, her "substitute" steps in and makes the kids' life miserable! When I first heard the story I too, along with the kids kept wondering... where did Miss Nelson go?

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina*

"Caps for Sale is a timeless classic, in print for over fifty years, and beloved by generations of readers. This easy-to-read story about a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity."
Who doesn't love a story about a cap peddler trying to get his caps back from a bunch of monkeys?! Rumor has though that more recent printings of this book have slight alterations. If you can, buy one of the first editions.

Miss Piggle-Wiggle series by Betty MacDonald

"Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives in an upside-down house and smells like cookies. She was even married to a pirate once. Most of all, she knows everything about children. She can cure them of any ailment. Patsy hates baths. Hubert never puts anything away. Allen eats v-e-r-y slowly. Mrs Piggle-Wiggle has a treatment for all of them."
I fell in love with Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle in the first grade when my teacher used to read her stories right before lunch. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle always finds ways to help children without them even realizing they are being helped.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Who could forget, Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who would not take the garbage out??? That poem along with so many others were my favorites growing up. Little witty poems about unforgettable characters and funny rhymes! And along with this book there is also A Light in the Attic which is equally amusing!

Knit Cloche Hat

2012-01-03T20:10:00.000-06:00

I was going through some old blog posts and I discovered this hat that I had posted about three years ago! I'm pretty sure this is one of the last things I have knitted, besides a few scarves here and there.
Knitting is so therapeutic and calming, and it makes me wonder why I ever stopped? I'm thinking about having a weekly blog segment about knitting along with tutorials and tips. But along with all the other projects I would like to work on (and chasing a baby around!), I don't know how much time I will devote to this. Something I would definitely like to try though...

This Knit Cloche Hat Pattern I found at Zakka Life and it's by far one of my favorites to use!

Knit Cloche Pattern

Easy to make Flower Embellishment I added.

Me... three years ago! :)

Gratitude Journal

2012-01-02T15:01:00.001-06:00

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Now that it is a new year, I think that also means time for new attitudes or should I say new Gratitudes. I don't think of myself as an ungrateful person, but I do think I am not as grateful as I should be. That is why I think starting a Gratitude Journal would be perfect for me.

I got this idea from Cassie over at her blog Primitive and Proper. She made some super cute gratitude journals that were very inspiring.

I looked around my house for things I already I had on hand to make a journal.

I had a journal I had never used, but I didn't like the cover. So I took the cover off and turned it around!

For Christmas I got some coveted Cath Kidston Washi Tape. And I also had some peel and stick glitter letters laying around.

I placed strips of washi tape over the journal until it completely covered the journal. Then I added the stickers.

Very simple, yet something that will have an impact in my life everyday.

There is always something to be grateful for in life!

Rejoice Always, Pray Continually,
Give Thanks in All Circumstances. 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Supplies used:

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Valentine's Banner *

2012-01-01T11:12:00.001-06:00

*this is a re-post to get us in the Lovey Dovey spirit*

I said I would get crafty, so I got crafty! My original plan was to make a banner that said, Happy Valentine's Day, but that got a little long, Sooo... I shortened it to LOVE. And truthfully that is all I need. It was really quite simple. I learned how to make the Rosettes from this tutorial here.

What you will need:

Scrap booking paper sheets

Felt sheets (i used hot pink with glitter on it)

tissue paper

pipe cleaner

glitter letter stickers (i used Martha Stewart's from Michael's)

paper punch

ribbon

Make the rosettes from the tutorial using scrap booking paper of your choice.

Take strips of tissue and glue them together to create a paper tassel.
Cut out a circle of Felt and then glue pipe cleaner around felt circle.
Cut out a smaller circle of scrap paper and stick glitter letter to smaller paper circle.
Glue smaller paper circle to felt circle.
Put hot glue all over the back of the felt circle, attach tissue paper tassel and quickly stick on the front of your rosette.
Punch two small holes on the top of each rosette and string ribbon through all the rosettes.

Simple and easy!

Remember: Mind the Glue Gun!

Love Banner at my Wedding!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T11:10:00.000-06:00

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Happy New Year!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches

2011-12-30T06:55:00.002-06:00

Recently we were invited to dinner and I offered to bring a dessert. Well of course I headed over to my Pinterest "Treats" board for some yummy-licious goodies!

I found this amazing recipe from the Picky Palate's Blog for Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwiches. She got the idea from something similar they serve at Disneyland.

These sandwiches are SO easy to make!! And you only need 3 ingredients. You read that right, THREE! ingredients! Huzzah!

Okay Ready?

3 Cups Chocolate for melting (like chocolate chips, I used Hershey's Chocolate Chips)
12 Graham Crackers Squares
2 Cups of Peanut Butter

If you want to thin out the chocolate you can add some shortening or vegetable oil. I used a dash of vegetable oil so the chocolate would be extra smooth & silky. Also have a small cookie sheet ready that is lined with wax or parchment paper. This is essential because this recipe, although DELICIOUS, it is a bit sticky and melty. And you will need to keep these cool, either in the fridge or freezer.

Step one:

Melt your chocolate according to package directions... low heat is the key! No burnt chocolate. UGH.

Once your chocolate is melted, take your 12 Graham Cracker squares and dip them one at a time into the chocolate. Place them on your wax paper lined cookie sheet and then put them in the freeze to quickly harden them up.

Step 2. Once your chocolate is set, remove the pan from the freezer and spread the Peanut Butter on each cracker. The amount you spread on there depends solely on how peanut buttery you want these to be! Once that step is done, pop them back in the freezer for about 10 minutes until PB is firm. While the PB is firming up, turn the heat off of your chocolate and let your chocolate thicken. (But not harden! big difference!)

Step 3. Messy Messy Messy. With a spoon poor and smooth the chocolate over the PB crackers. Coat the top and each side until covered. Once they are all covered, put them back in the freezer so the chocolate can get firm. It doesn't really matter if your chocolate squares are perfect right now, because you can break them into squares once they harden.

Step 4. When your chocolate is firm, take the last of the chocolate and drizzle over the top with a spoon. It doesn't need to be fancy, just have fun. Because these sandwiches are gooey, keep them in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to eat them. They are oh so good!!!

Chocolate Peanut Buttery Goodness!!

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Top 10 Projects of 2011

2011-12-29T17:33:00.010-06:00

2011 Has been a great year at Superfluous! Moving into a new house always brings plenty of projects to work on... and work on... and... And then there was the invention of Pinterest, where I was and continually am inspired to create. So I wanted to highlight the Top 10 Superfluous Projects of 2011.

DIY Fabric Lampshade Cover

While working on E's nursery I took a boring ol' lampshade and made a fabric cover. It was a super easy project and I loved how it turned out!

Goodwill Chair Chevron Makeover

I found a really ugly chair at the Goodwill. I spray painted it white and put a chevron cover on the seat.

Amazing transformation!

Word Art Project

Canvas, Stencil and Scrapbook paper made a really fun and inspirational word art project.

Halloween Wreath

Thanks to Pinterest, I got the idea to make a Halloween wreath! Spooky!

Knockoff Anthropologie Mirror

I love Anthropologie, but I don't love their prices. I saw a mirror I really liked, but decided to DIY my own.

House Love Projects

Around the house I worked on a few little projects...

Chalkboard makeover and Everett Banner!

Entryway photo collage and fresh coat of paint.

New Curtains and pictures.

Glitter House

I love collecting glitter houses, but they can be rather spendy. So I decided to make my own! I found the houses at Hobby Lobby and I had fun decorating them!

Clothespin Wreath

This by far was one of my favorite projects I've made this year! Clothespins, scrapbook paper, glitter and decorative washi tape was all I needed to make this awesome project.

Christmas Decorating

First Christmas at our new house and I had fun decorating and making look festive and fun!

Baby Everett is Born!

On May 8, 2011 I gave birth to Everett Timothy! By far my FAVORITE thing I've ever created. (with help from my husband of course!) Everyday is a delight to stay home with this little guy!! Oh how we love him!

2011 was a great year for projects! But I have a feeling that 2012 will bring many more DIY projects, home improvements and crafts! (although I can't guarantee there will be another baby. ;)

Happy New Year!

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Final TWD ~ Thumbprint Cookies!

2011-12-27T04:13:00.000-06:00

Thumbprint cookies (picture is from a previous baking session)

What is TWD you ask? Those of you have been reading my blog for years and years know that I used to bake alongside other cyber bakers in a weekly baking adventure. We are part of a group called Tuesdays with Dorie, an online baking club of sorts. For four years bloggers got together on Tuesdays and posted the weekly recipe out of Dorie Greenspan's book, Baking: From my Home to Yours. It was quite serendipitous that I had found this book at a thrift store and within the week found the Tuesday with Dorie baking group.

This past year I have not been doing much baking and TWD fell by the wayside... you know with getting married, getting pregnant and a new baby in a 9 month span.

But when I was baking with TWD I truly enjoyed so many things about it! I made so many fun blog friends, where each week we would encourage each other with our successes, mishaps and sometimes total failures.

For myself, I learned how to bake things I never thought possible, improving my skills and gaining insights into baking that I would've never learned otherwise.

This is the final week of Tuesday with Dorie. And although I haven't contributed to TWD in awhile, it's bittersweet to see the group wind down. Dorie Greenspan even posted about the group coming to an end on her blog. I love what she said about our little group, "TWD is proof of the power of community and yes, of baking, of learning to make something with your own hands. That you can share what you’ve made with those you love is another gift."

I can't tell you how heartfelt and true this is to me. Sharing what you have made with your own hands, whether in baking something or crafting or sewing is so much sweeter than anything store bought.

Thanks for the fun memories and farewell to a wonderful group!

Happy Baking!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T20:49:00.000-06:00

I hope your days are Merry & Bright! Happy Christmas!