With the Holidays quickly approaching (yeah, I went there), what a perfect time to showcase gifts we can make, Gifts From the Heart was the title of Sherri Reed's presentation that started us off on Thursday night. She showed us many great ideas, most of them simple and inexpensive...in other words, perfect!
We also had delicious refreshments, but you know, that goes without saying. There was sinfully delicious hot chocolate and cookies to give you an I-can't-believe-I-ate-so-many Hangover. But what a way to go! .
Next we had "show and tell", cause you know, it's been too long for most of us and we missed it. Each sister that had brought something to share was invited to come forward, show her item(s) and tell about it. A good time was had by all, and when it was over as they drove out of sight, I heard a "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night." Ok, maybe I'm embellishing -just a little.
Lemon Cookies aka Cool Whip Cookies
Kristan Matthews
1 cake mix, 1 container Cool Whip, 1 egg
Bake at 350 for 8-10 min
Watch out for that hangover I mentioned! With a super easy, super yummy recipe like this the hangover is almost guaranteed.
(I took a little liberty with the name...Sarah calls it Hot Chocolate Mix)
Sarah Henderson
1 - 32 oz box of Nestle Quick
1 - 25.6 oz box powdered milk
1 - 11 oz jar Cremora
1/2 lb powdered sugar
Mix together in a large bowl.
Use 1/4 cup per mug.
Fill mug with hot water.
Renice Jones
Warning: This is another Hangover recipe, beware!
4 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
4 cups coconut
1/4 c choppped red candied cherries
1/4 c chopped green candied cherries
Heat oven to 325F. Grease and lightly flour cookie sheets.
In large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar, flour, salt and almond extract; blend well. Stir in coconut and candied cherries. Drop dough by scant tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased and floured cookie sheets.
Beat at 325F for 13 to 17 min. or until seet and lightly browned. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. 24 cookies
Hamburger Cookies
Renice Jones - these cookies taste as good as they look (sorry no picture, fire the photographer!!!)
2 tablespoons vanilla frosting
12 vanilla wafers
2 tablespoons green-tinted coconut*
6 chocolate-covered round mint cookies or patties
Honey, warmed
Sesame seed
For each hamburger cookie, spread 1/2 teaspoon of frosting on flat side of 1 vanilla wafer with 1/2 teaspoon frosting; place frosting side down on mint cookie. Brush top of "hamburger" with honey; sprinkle with sesame seed. Repeat to make 5 more cookies. 6 cookies
*Tip: to tint coconut, place coconut and 1-2 drops of green food color in jar or heavy resealable plastic bag. Screw on lid, or seal bag and shake until coconut is uniformly colored.
I didn't get a copy of this recipe (working on it!), but Rose said it is very similar to the other one. My favorite part is the name. Do you suppose that Frosty drinks this?
Rose puts this in gift jars with the recipe and fun snowman poems for Christmas. I love the poem idea, so I found one to get you started:
Snowman Soup Poem #1 by lisadh
Frosty has melted.
It's sad but true.
But he left a gift for you.
Little white snowballs
And two dark eyes.
And a nose that's quite tasty.
Just give it a try.
Pour the package in the mug.
And add the eyes and nose.
Use the candy stick to stir.
Then sip it very slow!
Poem attribution: HERE
Danell Matthews - Glove Bear
Made this adorable Glove Bear. I don't know which I liked better the bear, or the story that went with it. (Danell forgive me if I mess up your story, remember I was taking pictures not notes!) As I recall, Danell had a boyfriend and she made matching glove bears for them. Each bear had half of a little heart....ahhh. When they broke up Danell ripped his heart out. LOL Ok, maybe it wasn't exactly like that.
Danell got this pattern (it's all pictures, no text...so you'll need to ask her for it) from a woman in her Public Speaking class. Am I the only one who thought Public Speaking class was about speeches. *wink*
How cute is that?
I totally want one, but I hate sewing....hmmm,
craft swap anyone? I knit. . .
My kids are always disappointed that I don't decorate for Halloween. I'm a Halloween Scrooge, but these cute little owls could change all that! They are adorable.
Amy got the idea for these from Family Fun Magazine (a cool magazine that also has a website).
Besides being adorable, she says these little guys are easy enough for the kids to help. All you need is toilet paper rolls and cupcake liners.
Then she got a vase (sorry no picture...the photographer should be flogged), filled it with candy corn and put twigs from the yard. (The trick to keeping the kids out of the candy corn? Amy says she puts it on a high shelf!) FALL - door hanger
Amy Jackson
This darling door hanger was made with pre-cut letters, scrapbook paper, decopauge and of course, ribbon. My husband still teases me about my foray into decopauge, years ago, but he wouldn't be laughing if I had made anything this nice.
Baby Leg Warmers - Cali Cook
I know that face is adorable, but look at the leg warmers. Aren't they fantastic? Cali makes them from womens socks. You just cut off the heel/toe section, hem, and ta da!
What mother wouldn't love these? What a great gift, and the price is right too!
Ok...I know coveting is a sin, but I just can't help myself!!! I want this and I don't even have children that age.
Sarah said it took her years to make this...three? wasn't it? Still, totally worth it. Lucky children!
Above, the bear is fishing for shapes on the left, clothes with mini-clothes pins on the right. Sarah says she got the clothes pins at Wal-mart. Who knew they had cool stuff like THAT?
Left...the teepee page. One little, two little...three little.....(sorry couldn't resist)
Moving on. . .
Money-Stretching Laundry Soap, Adorable Baby Wipe Container, and Hair Bows Kira Bishop
Kira is blessed with a family that loves to spoil her and her family at Christmas with gift cards and gifts etc. Which she says is wonderful...but...how do you reciprocate when your husband is in school and you are on a tight budget?
Enter "Mother Necessity", Kira found a recipe for laundry soap that not only saves money and is good for people with allergies, but has become something of a family tradition! Every year now her siblings ask if she is going to give them the laundry soap.
Kira also showed us a clever idea she came up with for the nursery. She took a nice clear plastic container and used the vinal letters to put "Baby Wipes" on the outside. Who needs those ugly plastic bins (well, maybe for the car. . .)
And that is not all, no that is not all...Kira also makes adorable hair decorations and baby headbands. I don't have to tell you that those are a favorite among her nieces. (pretend that you don't notice that there is no picture...I didn't want to keep interupting her presentation, and she slipped out too quickly afterwards.)
Phew...sisters, I've got tell you...this is a time intensive post/activity report. So you get part I today, look for part II to come in the next day or so.
And don't forget...I need your help...I am looking for Thanksgiving disasters...the rolls that were like bricks sort of things. C'mon, you're brave enough to share your mistakes!!! And favorite family recipes. Email them to me neverstoplearning2 at yahoo dot com or call me...pretty please.
And don't forget...I need your help...I am looking for Thanksgiving disasters...the rolls that were like bricks sort of things. C'mon, you're brave enough to share your mistakes!!! And favorite family recipes. Email them to me neverstoplearning2 at yahoo dot com or call me...pretty please.
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