I was just making a last minute check of all my ingredients I will be needing for baking today. Can you believe I still need to go back to the store?? I realized I was out of meringue powder for my cookie icing, bakers chocolate, and I need red and green food coloring. Ugh! One thing i didn't want to do: go to the store.

On my baking to-do list today:

• Cheesecake squares
• Sugar Cookies (decorated various ways, including "melted snowmen")
• Chocolate Sugar cookies
• Peanut Butter blossom cookies
• Peppermint Blossom cookies
• Lemon Bars
• Hello Dolly Bars
• Rice Crispies
• Chocolate dipped oreos
• Dipped Marshmallows
• Cupcakes
• and a Birthday Cake for my Grandma!

Usually I just tape the cards I receive for Christmas to the wall or the back of the door.

I have this message board in my living room, it has bills, schedules, monthly calendars, reminders, etc. This board is on the same side that my Christmas tree and most of my decorations is on and it looked really ugly.

As I said in yesterday's post, I joined a bunch of Christmas swaps this month.

My partner for this swap was Hillary @ Our Hopeful Life. She has a wonderful blog and three amazingly adorable little boys.


Earlier this month I posted my Christmas Wishlist and she managed to tick off three of those items for me. I am so unbelievably pleased with my package. :)

Thank you so much Hillary! And special thanks to the hosts of this blog swap as well!

I have been making cards and gift tags all week. This is my mess...

Ugh! I feel horrible. Early in the week my boyfriend got sick. Now I am sick. All I want to do is crawl into a dark place and hibernate.

I manged to get all my orders and swaps finished, I just need to take them to the post office on Monday. I signed up for so many swaps this year. I think I sent out a total of 20 something handmade cards (swaps, not family and friends) an ornament, and two packages. A few of them were international. One of the packages was sent to the Philippines, and I had cards sent to Belgium, Australia, and Germany.

So far I have received only one card, but I am waiting patiently for the others.

I have a few more swaps coming up but those don't need to be sent out until the end of next week. Three lip balm swaps, and a winter package swap.

While I prefer swaps that are hosted by blogs that I follow, I have found a website that is only for swaps and I love it! You can search for the type of swaps you want to join or -after completing 5 swaps- you can make your own.

I only managed this 2 days. Shame on me. The other days I over slept by about an hour.

I don't own a single apron! At least, I didn't own one before I made this one...

I made this cute apron from some fabric I had leftover from my daughters baby bag (that I never finished).

I followed "The Flirty Apron" tutorial from The Dating Divas.

I have never done ruffles before and a made numerous mistakes. Thankfully I now know what those mistakes were and how to avoid them next time! It wasn't too hard to make and only took about two hours. It would have only been about an hour if I hadn't made a HUGE mistake and didn't have to pick an entire section of stitching.

Christmas isn't too far off now... These are just a few things I would LOVE to get...


1) Fa la la la Felt
I am very much into felt lately!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600596150/

2) Excuse our mess wood sign
I love a bunch of these wood signs from Timblecrafts, but this one is my favorite.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/94144375/excuse-our-mess-the-children-are-making?

3) Keep Calm and Make Cupcakes
CherryCute's bottle cap magnets are so cute <3
http://www.etsy.com/listing/63058355/pink-keep-calm-and-make-cupcakes-bottle

4)Lindt Dark Chocolate Chili
Sweet and spicy <3

5) Opi Nail Polish - Nothin' Mousie 'bout it
I'm in love with this nail polish.

6) Liplicious Lip Gloss - Mango Tango
From Bath and Body Works

7) Black Penguin PocketBac Holder
Isnt this cute?! From Bath and Body Works

8) Sweet Pea Shower Gel
My Absolute favorite body wash! From Bath and Body Works!

9)Nike Shox Turbo
I really need a good pair of running shoes

10) Embroidery Machine
Doesn't have to be that machine. I don't really have a preference as to the make and model.

See that? I made that. Both child and the advent calendar!

It took me about 3 days to complete. I wanted to do a larger (and much nicer) one, but I waited to long to start making it. My local Joann's didn't have any shade of green felt by the yard so I had to buy the 9x12 sheets and sewed 4 of them together. The pockets are about 2x2 inches. The numbers, pockets, star, and tree were all stiched by hand.

Christopher was all excited when I put this up this morning. His favorite part is the star, not sure how I feel about that.

I hosted thanksgiving this year. I also made my first turkey ever. I thought it was going to be a disaster and I was stressing about it all week but cooking a turkey ended up being very simple. It wasn't dry at all and tasted yummy!

 So here are some highlights from my Turkey day...