Thursday, December 22, 2011

Chocolate Fun

Last night was our traditional "making of the fudge" night. It started thirty some years ago when my youngest son started helping me make the fudge. His older brothers were never interested, but Brandon had figured out there was a reward at the end of this task. You'll see!!
It makes sense that Brandon's kids would want to help, so what started with one helping, now adds up to five pair of hands. (Emmy, the 20mo old not included yet)
Drew does the measuring and everyone gets to add something to the pot.
Then we start stirring
and stirring
And then there's the licking tasting.
And more licking tasting.
Then we beat it
And beat it some more.
Until we have one pan of fudge without nuts.
And one pan with nuts for all the "nutty people".  (Don't know why they look different colors)
And then it's time for clean up!!



After clean-up and the fudge making five went home, I stayed up until 2:00am and made my oldest granddaughter, Madi, her Christmas skirt.
Made from the same blue velvet, glitter satin and sheer snowflake fabrics that the 6 Christmas dresses were made from.
Madi is 15 and I couldn't find a dress pattern I thought she would like, so she opted for a skirt.
Her other grandma picked it up today so she could wear it to the family party on Saturday night and match her cousins.
I can't wait to get pictures of them all...and the boys too of course. If I was a really good Mamaw, I would have made shirts for the boys too...maybe next year.


One more picture and then I'm off to bed. Wrapping presents and more baking tomorrow.
This is a tiny tree with houses and train that Dept. 56 put out the year the "Polar Express" movie came out.
We were living in our little blue and white trailer then and this was all we had room for. It has become a favorite of the kids. There is a little ticket on the front. If you pull it, the Train Whistles and starts around the track while the conductor (Tom Hanks) voice says "Aaaaall aboard the Polar Express" That's it! But the kids just keep pulling that ticket.
So see...I have a tree. Just the right size for my RV small cottage.

Just in case I don't get back before Christmas, I want to wish all of my friends in blogland and those of you in my real life who read my blog a very Merry Christmas and may you receive all the blessings of the season.



God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Human Puppy Chow

Don't laugh!! That's really what it's called. It looks like the little square powdery food you feed puppys.
But make no mistake...it doesn't taste anything like it's name.
My challenge when I make this. "I bet you can't eat just one"
It is by far the easiest, fastest treat you can make this Christmas.
15min. tops and you have 9 cups of this
yumminess.
Here's how you make it. Come on you know you want to.
1.  In a large sauce pan, melt together
1/2 cut butter
2 cups chocolate chips
1/3 cup peanut butter
Stir and blend together.
2.  In a large bowl measure 9 cups of rice or corn chex( That's almost a full large box.)
3. Pour chocolate mixture over chex and fold until chex is evenly covered.
4.  Put 4 cups powdered sugar in large bag
5. Add chex mixture and shake until all the chex are covered.
Store in airtight container or zip locks (If you have any left to store)
Great for gifting too (If you have any left to gift)
ENJOY!


I have only  put out a few Christmas decorations. Just thought I would share this little Gingerbread house with you. It's small and fit on my small kitchen island.  Wish I would have thought to put something on my cake plate.
It's a Dept. 56 house from the North Pole series. I bought a piece every year for several years for my son and his family. One year I bought two of these by accident. I guess I really liked it.
My collection of Dept. 56 is the Original Snow Village, but I don't have room to put it up anymore. So I will just enjoy this one this year.



Mr. SS is still working in Rialto, but I stayed home to finish some sewing, wrap presents and do some baking. Three of the girls are coming over tomorrow after school to make fudge.
I'll take some pictures to show you that fun.
Hope you are enjoying these last few days before Christmas as I am.


God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Friday, December 16, 2011

All American Christmas


I honestly don't remember where I found this, but thought it was so cute and wanted to share since I don't have any decorations to share this year.
It is the first year I haven't put up any decorations in my whole life, but with my sewing marathon and Mr. SS being out of town I just haven't gotten around to it.
No one to see them but me. But it is just not like me, so next year will be different. This  little RV cottage will be decked out.  It's  very "ungrandmaish" not to decorate for Christmas.

BUT while we are on the subject of Christmas. I have received the following in several e-mails and thought I would share it. Maybe some of you have seen it around too.
Most of you probably have your shopping done, but there are some good ideas here especially for that "hard to buy for" person on your list, or for the "one who has everything"
Just a thought...



As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans
with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense
of American labor. This year will be different This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for
other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced
by American hands. Yes, there is! It might be difficult to give up Dollar Tree, Wal-Mart and the like.
At least look at the sticker before purchasing. Look for the American flag.It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned
detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. If your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about
a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open. How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a
local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running. OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.
Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands. Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights , about
fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip. You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition. Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups! your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?


As I was cleaning up my sewing room today, and folding and putting away scraps of satin and velvet, I noticed this:
Yep!! All that yummy blue velvet came from Korea..
Well, there's always next year!!



God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

A New Tradition

Finally the day came.  I went to see Maggie play "Clara" in the Nutcracker Ballet.
I enjoyed it so much. Not only because I had been honored with being asked to make Maggie's dress, but because I love music and dancing and especially because there were so many talented young people performing.
Before I  had even become involved with Maggie's costume, my DIL had made plans to take her Mom and her girls as a surprise for her Mom's birthday and plans to make it a yearly tradition.
They were so excited to be invited backstage to meet "Clara"
In hindsight, I wish I had invited my other two granddaughters to go with me. (What was I thinking?)
So next year I will, and I hope it will become a tradition with all of us.
(The youngest, Emmy stayed home with Daddy, but soon she will be old enough to go to.)

From my last post until yesterday, I was madly sewing these dresses. They are their Christmas dresses, but what a perfect event to get to wear them to first.
I was on a rampage...I made one a day (will finish the last one tomorrow). I did nothing else all week. No laundry, no cooking (Mr SS was out of town), no cleaning, no bed making, no (well, only a little) time on the computer.  I ate at my sewing table...way too many snacks because it was easier than fixing a meal.  But the end result was worth it...they somehow got done. Even made there hair bows last night.

Here's Rosie wearing Emmy's dress.
Here's the bow. I was hoping you could see the glitter on the satin.

One more little Nutcracker story, I wanted to share.
When I was in 6th grade, 2 students were picked from each of two classes to go to see the Nutcracker being performed in my home town of Long Beach, Ca.
I really don't remember what we had to do to be chosen. I played violin in our school orchestra, but don't think that had anything to do with it. Anyway, I wasn't chosen, but we all got to go to the auditorium and listen to the music. Afterward, I remember my teacher saying she wished she had chosen me.
I wanted to go so badly. I have no idea why she told me that.
But, I finally got to go.  Did I tell you how much I really enjoyed it?

I know I have been MIA around here and have not been visiting my favorite blogs for a while, but hope to do some catching up in the next few days.  Still have lots to do, as we all do to get ready for Christmas, but I'll sneak in a little computer time everyday.

Tomorrow the focus is finish a dress, go get the blue (Blue velvet) taken off my fingernails, yes they look strange...
and get the enormous amount of gray covered in my hair.



God is Good!!
Life is Good!!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Friday Fun

A few weeks ago my friend Ruth and I went on a little shopping trip to a discount fabric store here in Bakersfield, to find the makings for two stockings. She wanted me to make  stockings for her two DIL's who will both be at her house this Christmas.
She still has stockings for her sons, but wanted something a little more girlie for the girls.
Now, believe me when I say...this store is no Strawberry Patches.  But for the types of things we were looking for it was perfect. It's messy and kinda (how do I say this) not clean and I always pray I will get someone that speaks so that I can understand. But let me also say that in this "warehouse" atmosphere, they know where to find what you want.
We were looking for something like brocade, fringe, cording, trims and ribbon.
My granddaughters would say "fancy" stuff.
I put the finishing touches on the two stockings today and will take them to her tomorrow. Hope she likes them.
How sweet that her DIL's will have there very own stockings this year.

What could be more fun than that?  Well taking 3 of my granddaughters to JoAnn's to pick out "fancy" fabrics and a pattern for 6(maybe 7) Christmas dresses.  We had so much fun and came up with these:
A deep royal blue Velvet (not as dark as it appears here), a royal blue Satin and a silvery white sheer with snowflakes embossed on it.
The last few years, I have gotten inspiration from a magazine called Toy Wooden Soldier and this year I wasn't disappointed when the girls liked one that looks exactly like the black and cream one on the right side of this McCall's pattern. Only, we are doing the Velvet bodice with the Satin skirt and the sheer over skirt. There wasn't quite enough fabric for the sheer, so I may do the front open or do a tabbard in the front and back to save on fabric.  The bow will be in back made from the Satin.
I will have a marathon sewing week, starting in the morning, as 5 need to be done by next Sunday to wear to see the Nutcracker.  After all...Clara has a dress made by Mamaw, so...
Anyway, I'm gonna try.

More fun. I got to have three littlest ones up just to visit and play this morning and they stayed for lunch.  Even though I get to babysit them often, "just for fun" was a treat.

Oh boy!! In a little bit we take off for more fun. My grandson's football team is in the playoffs and we will be going to that.  Unfortunately, he sprained his ankle and won't be playing, but we will go to watch our granddaughter cheer and support the team that all our sons played on too. 
This was taken in September (notice people in background in shorts)
I't supposed to be 34 tonight. Brrrr!

Can this grandmother take any more Friday Fun??
Just try me!!
(notice the posting time, because I won't be posting late tonight as usual.)
This grandmother will be falling in bed fully dressed by 10:30 tonight.



God is Good!!
Life is Good!!