Well I need a little Christmas....

We do have some snow, so with Shawnee hosting a new SWAP...how could I resist???!!!

And we have to answer these questions:

1. What are your hobbies?
2. What are your favorite colors?
3. Do you collect anything?
4. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals?
5. Do you have any pets?
6. Coffee, Tea, or Chocolate?
7. What do you like to read?
8. Do you prefer Cookies or Candies as a sweet?
9. What is your favorite holiday treat?
10. Describe your favorite holiday tradition.
11. Did you believe in Santa as a child?
12. When do you open presents?
13. Do you put up a tree and when?  If not, how do you celebrate?
14. Does your tree have a theme?
15. What has been your favorite gift to give?  to receive?

1l  My hobbies are crafts!  Like sewing, knitting, crocheting, a little scrap-booking, painting...and then walking, running, playing tennis, ice skating, travelling...oh boy!!

Favorite colors: pink!!  Turquoise, mint green, robin's egg blue....silver!!

I collect Hello Kitty stuff (I know...I'm dorky), Madeline dolls (that little French orphan....) craft supplies...salt and pepper shakers that are vintagey,...

Not allergic to anything!

Now down to one cat...and a beta fish.

I am a coffee addict...but also love a good cup of tea..

I like to read mysteries, and "feel-good" stories, magazines, (love craft magazines and house magazines)

I like cookies and candies!!

Holiday treat:  shortbread cookies!!  The nice scottish kind!!

Holiday tradition:  I used to love to go with my family to get a tree, when I was a kid and livef where there actually were trees to cut down!  But now I just enjoy putting up all the decorations, right after Thanksgiving.  Although this year I am not sure that I can wait that long!!

Still believe in SANTA!!

We open presnets Christmas morning...stockings, then breakfast, then presents!!

Of course we put up a tree...as soon as I can convince my husband to haul everything in from the shed!

My tree is a little vintage...Hallmark ornaments, red and white and green.

My favorite gift...oh boy...can't think of just one...LOVE hand-made gifts!!

And what I sent!

So here is what I made for my swap partner!

These are photos that Ellena took after she received my parcel!  The goodies on top are the tuck-ins I added...a cupcake stnad (paper), cupcake bubble bath, an owl cookie, sanitizer...cake scented...a cupcake candle, and I forgot what else!

I collect old trim pieces from pillowcases...I think my Gramma made this crochet edging in the 40's! 

Another Swap!!

Well...another year...and no posts yet....hmmmmm.  Anyways...here is what I recieved in the latest swap from the Flirty Apron Swap hosted by Shawnee.  The  participants were sent a fat quarter of lovely cupcake fabric and instructed to create something out of it.  My partner Ellena and I decided to make table runners instead of aprons.  Here is what she sent me!

Notice how beautifully her co-ordinating fabric matches the cupcake fabric!

Here is what else was in the package!!  Chocolate!! and a cute doggies note book!  And just look at the light green polka-dot underside!!

And here is my little Starbuck's Valentine Bearista about to have tea!!

Happy
Valentine's Day to all! xoxo

Look what I won!

Well I just opened up my "IN" box to find that I am the winner of these lovely goodies from this contest:

 http://apronmemories.blogspot.com/2012/10/21-days-of-daily-giveaways.html  I get scrapbooking software PLUS a gift certificate!!

http://www.lotsofbuttons.com/  Check out their HUGE selection of buttons!!  And I get $25 to spend there...how will I ever chose??

New Swap!

Well...trying a new swap!

Tryin' the Hooky-thing!

One rainy summer in my teenage years, my mother decided that learning to crochet would be an invaluable skill which my girlfriend and I needed to learn.  So we spent weeks cooped up in our cabin by the lake, learning to make granny squares...or rather one LARGE granny square....in the form of a seventies poncho.  Now my girlfriend took to crochet more than I did ...and I am sad to say I have done precious little of it since those days.  Well...take a look....

Decided to have a go at those squares!

Very satisfying to see those little piles growing!

I've decided it will be a queen-sized blanket....hmmm...

Christmas in February!!

Well hello!!  I see I've not managed to keep my blog very up-to-date...probably earning me one of those "bad-blogger"  or "no-post" blogger titles!...But I am resolved to get back at it!

Please don't eat me!!!

So Christmas has come...and gone...and we enjoyed a traditional BOUCHE NOEL...a cake rather like a jelly-roll...with a very decadent cream filling (chocolate in our case).  It is always in the shape of a fallen log...and I made some little marzipan wood-land creatures to play hide and seek on it!

BOUCHE NOEL

You can see a small blue and purple (?) raccoon hiding from a wee white mousie!