It's snowing! Big, fluffy, beautiful, snow!

I managed to get some baking done this Christmas...

I think these are my favorite; adapted from the Ghiradelli White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie recipe found on the back of the bag. If I'm really motivated, I pick out just the red and green M & M's. That didn't happen this year.


Here's my version: Lemon White Chocolate M & M
Cream together:
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter, softened (2 sticks)
Blend in one at a time:
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
Mix together and add:
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Add 1 bag white chocolate chips (12 oz. ) and 3/4 bag M & M's (12 oz)
Drop by rounded teaspoon on baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes, until just the edges begin to brown. Remove promptly to cooling rack. Eat.

another baby. another quilt.

or two. I finished up the blue and green pinwheel quilt for a shower Sunday afternoon, just in time. There's something about pinwheels and I can't seem to get enough of them. They're a great way to keep my formidable scrap pile under control too. The owls were complete and gifted away awhile back, but they're too cute not to post!

a quilt.

Five days in, and I'm still machine-less, so I've spent some time sorting through my "current" scrap pile. These will now go into bins with other scraps that I couldn't bear to throw out and wait patiently for a new life. Ideally, I'd have two scrap bins for each color family - one called "quarter-yard minus", the other "too small for anything practical"; but I'm short on bins and shelving space.....which leads me to an early new year's resolution to use up my scraps at the same rate I produce them!

What's wrong with this picture?

Yes, sad I know. A sewing table minus the sewing machine. I dropped the Pfaff off yesterday at Montavilla Sewing for cleaning and am trying hard not to panic. My hope is to catch up on organizing in the sewing room and plan out some new projects and above all resist the temptation to purchase a second machine. (Although I really really want one).
I might even get around to picking fabric for the back of the little green and blue pinwheel quilt, that's been hanging up waiting to be finished for way too long. And then there's hand sewing the binding on the quilt for little Oscar, and many many more mundane tasks like folding laundry and raking leaves....It'll be okay. I can last seven to ten days without my machine. It'll be good for me, right?

Yay! New shelves for my growing collection of fabric bolts. Ikea comes through again. One week old and they're already filled.....yikes!

bella

my new baby....isn't she beautiful?

I've been wanting a design wall for so long and I finally tackled it this weekend! I had originally planned to buy stretcher frame sections, but after I priced them out ($60!), I opted for the budget foam core version ($16.50). I used 1/2" thick foam core in white, which doesn't deflect at all, and wrapped it in a slightly off-white flannel, attaching the flannel to the back of the board with straight pins. Tape would probably work better, but the pins seemed more forgiving. I initially mounted it to the wall with adhesive strips, but the board fell during the night. Plan B will use binder clips and picture wire, with hopefully better results!

farewells

The past few days have been rough around here and I'm trying to keep myself busy on lots of little projects....

Thursday night we said goodbye to little Jane, the science rat. We had her for nearly two years after adopting her from the science teacher. She was cute.

And then Saturday morning was The Appointment for Leander the cat. I got her as a kitten, sixteen years ago! For the past five, she has suffered from an untreatable neurological condition that has made it increasingly more difficult her to walk. Add to that hyperthyroidism and blindness and it was clearly time - but, it seems so strange for her not be here, and I miss her terribly.