Sweet Tooth

So, I’m giving up sugar again.  At least until Christmas (eve/week).  I feel much better without it.  But that means enduring withdrawal for a few days while it exits my system.  In the meantime, this has prompted much virtual sugar ingestion.  These are just the highlights of my (virtual) binging over the last two days.

Our Best Bites is an incredible site.  Warning!!! This is another one to make sure you view with food in your stomach.  Otherwise you might found yourself gnawing on the screen.

• Homemade Hot Fudge
• Dipped Pretzel Rods
• Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

And those are just my top three from that site.  Moving on…

LollyChops is very crafty with paper and stuff.  She’s also hilarious just to read.  This site may give you the uncontrollable urge to buy pretty paper!

• Sneaky idea that makes awesome gifts and totally makes me want a Xyron
• Awesome foodie templates to go with some of the OBB stuff above

Gingerbread Snowflakes is all about the holidays!  Mmm… Holidays…

• Truffles
• Brownies
• Storing/Freezing Cookies

Other random goodies….

• Hot cocoa mix (bag templates from LollyChops)
• Cookie mixes in a jar (I’m thinking this one may be a must.)
• Super easy fudge from Kraft.
• Homemade peanut butter cups and s’mores cups and marshmallows

I know this is just a small sampling, but these are what is weighing heavily on my mind (and hips) lately.  What about you?  Making any goodies to give for whatever holiday(s) you may be celebrating?

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Sam surprised me last night with a perfect little Christmas tree!  Then he braved the very chilly outdoors to venture into the shed (in the dark) and find the Christmas decorations and tree stand.  After a little clever (on his part) shimming of the tree and some careful trimming, we decorated!

Do you know how hard it is to properly photograph a lit tree?

I even got my sexy hubby to pose with our cute little tree!

I’m starting to feel a bit more Christmas-y…

Menu Plan Monday

Ok, I’m trying something new.  To give myself a little motivation to have my menu planned earlier in the week, I’m going to try this Menu Plan Monday thing from OrgJunkie.

With the purchase of the new back door and lock set, and the upcoming payment to have it installed, money is fairly tight this week.  Add to that payday isn’t until the 18th and things look a little scary (especially when you open the fridge).  So this week, it’s cooking out of the freezer and pantry.  I will need to do a small grocery shop for a few essentials (like milk), but otherwise it’s time to put on my parka and dig.

Monday: (Hey, that’s today!) Chicken Curry with rice.  And bread if I’m not too tired.  We’re out and I’d rather make it than buy it.

Tuesday: I have a work dinner, so hubby will have to fend for himself.  Probably leftover chicken curry from Monday.

Wednesday: Potato soup or corn chowder.  (There’s very little difference in the ingredients, so it’s really just how I’m feeling and what I dig out of the freezer.)  Corn bread on the side using this recipe.

Prep: Take the ground beef and pre-made sauce out of the freezer to thaw for Friday.

Thursday: Yarn night, so that means slow cooker.  Pork shoulder with potatoes and other veggies I may dig out of the freezer (or maybe that bag of frozen stew veggies I keep seeing…).  I tried to get to this last week, but my week kind of exploded after the tamales.  They were sooooo good!  Thanks again, Liisa!!

Friday: Spaghetti with meat sauce.

Saturday: Dealer’s Choice. (There’s a Girls Night Out to be held at my house, so we’ll see what happens.   It may end up a grilled cheese night.)

Sunday: Shepherds Pie made with leftovers from the pork shoulder.

With this menu, I have a minimum of groceries to buy.  I could probably scrape through the week without going to the store if I had to.  At this rate, I can do a very minimal shop and make it through.  Next week will be more freezer diving, stay tuned!

Truth

Read this.  Then think long and hard about it.  We are all equal.

Top Ten Things…

…I would rather be doing instead of going to work this week.

1. Steal this idea and use it to display a gorgeous piece of fabric.
2. Make *anything* from The Hungry Mouse. (Warning!  Don’t view with an empty stomach!)
   
3. Work on my Holiday Traditions Exchange package.
4. Get started on holiday baking.  (Cookies?  Oh yeah!  Maybe these?)
5. Preparing various holiday beverages like eggnog, hot buttered rum, and Irish cream.
6. Make a ton of stuff from this list.
7. Make salt dough ornaments.  (Recipe coming soon!)
8. Stalk this giveaway.  (Do you see the polka dots and the elephant fabric?!)
9. Go to St. Vinny’s and buy tons of vintage plates and cups to make these display dishes.
10. Locate my decorations so I can fancy up my house for the holidays.

Wanted: A Perfect Sweater

I am on the quest for a perfect sweater.  For myself.  Hubby’s sweater will be underway soon (just need to finish the rest of the clogs…), and I’ve been thinking how I would like to have  a sweater as well.

Sweater Component Wish List:

1. Cardigans preferred, pullovers need not apply.
2. Must be interesting to knit.  No miles of garter stitch, stockinette, or ribbing.
3. Cables are a plus.
4. No long stretches of purl bumps on the right side (around cables are fine).
5. I am an equal opportunity knitter when it comes to zippers or buttons.
6. Worsted or DK weight yarn only (I have sweater quantities already on hand).
7. Hoods: I have no strong feelings one way or the other.
8. Must look good on a busty, plus size woman.  (No curve hugging, cropped length, or other shenanigans.)
9. I am no longer afraid of seaming, so both top down or bottom up is acceptable.
10. Preferably in my library or available online. (Basically, once I find it, I don’t want to go hunting for the pattern.)

Current candidates (in no particular order):

• The (in)famous Central Park Hoodie
• Cassidy from ChicKnits
• Jackie from KnitSpot
• Dollar and a Half Cardigan

Thoughts?  Any suggestions/comments are greatly appreciated!

Holiday Spirit

The past few years, I’ve had a hard time getting in the holiday spirit.  I’m not sure what it is.  I just haven’t felt like decorating or anything.  To help myself feel a bit less like a humbug, I whipped up a new winter/holiday collar for Chloe.

Her old one was too summery and was getting pretty nasty.  Of course I must pay homage to Keyka Lou’s dog collar tutorial, without which I would never have figured out how to recycle Chloe’s collar hardware.  If you haven’t tried this yet, it is some of the simplest sewing you can do.  It took me longer to iron and cut the fabric than it did to sew it.

Chloe seems pretty happy with it.  (Although I had to hold the ball next to the camera to get this last picture.  Too cute, huh?)

Thankful

What makes a perfect Thanksgiving dinner?

A perfectly done turkey.

A table neatly set with food made by everyone.

Dad carving the turkey.

And most importantly, the family gathered to celebrate together.

Here’s hoping that you had a wonderful day filled with family, food, and love.

Nearly T-Day

The turkey has been de-necked.

And placed in its brine bucket.

The table cloth is finished (no pictures, sorry) and the house is mostly cleaned (in the morning will be the final sweeping/mopping of the kitchen).  Tomorrow, there’s egg nog to be made, apple cobbler to be baked, and a turkey to be roasted.  It’s gonna be a heckuva day!

Preparing for Turkey Day

Turkey Day is looming and I’m preparing like crazy.  As is the new tradition, we are having Thanksgiving at Casa Yarngeek.  This year, I am celebrating with my new-to-me table!  To pull it off in style, I’m making a new tablecloth from high-end (but extremely discounted) fabric and cloth napkins.

One dozen Thanksgiving napkins.

The fabric is Debbie Mumm in three coordinating Thanksgiving/fall prints.  I made six in one fabric and six in the other, backed with matching fabric.  They ended up a little over 12″ square.  I definitely over bought on fabric, so I’m thinking a table runner may appear, time permitting.  Thankfully, I have the rest of the week off!