Happy Holidays!

I wanted to take the time to wish you all a Happy Holiday Season.

This has been a wonderful year for me. I'm so blessed and thankful for everything that has come my way, I know the best is yet to come! Looking forward to what the new year has to offer and may we all find joy, peace, health and love.

Until next time, xx.

Cookie Exchange

Taking some time away from sewing today and heading to the kitchen to bake up some yummy chocolate chip butter cookies. This is my favorite cookie recipe, and if you ask my sister, she'll tell you that their her favorites too. A couple of years ago I had over baked them just a touch but didn't want to bring them to my cookie exchange. She stood next to me at the counter and as she ate many of them (I say 12, but she argues it was 16) said they were fine. I kid you not, its a true story!

So last year I shared with you my secret sour cream coffee cake recipe and this year its the chocolate chip butter cookies. I love making these cookies because its so easy for the kids to help out and they're usually fail proof.


Here's what you'll need to make them:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chip

Mix flour and salt together, set aside. Cream butter and gradually add icing sugar and vanilla. Add flour and salt to the butter mixutre gradually and mix until fully blended together. Add in mini chocolate chips. 

Make 1 inch in daimeter balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press cookies flat with the help of glass or cup that has been dipped in flour. This is where I get the kids to help. Yes the kitchen gets a little covered in flour, but we do end up haveing a good time. 

Bake at 325°F for 10 to 11 minutes (time may vary slightly from your oven to mine)

This recipe makes about 6 dozen. Once cookies are cooled you can wrap them and freeze them for up to 2 months. 

Since I made these cookies for an exchange I wraped them in cute little penguin bags. You can also put them in mason jars, pretty them up with ribbon and now they're perfect for gifting to neighbors or teachers.

If you'd like to print out some gift tags visit The Lost Bumble Bee, she has a ton of free printables!

Until next time, xx.

EYMM: All Tucked in for the Holidays Blog Tour

Nothing like a cozy sunny morning, a book, and a new nightgown to start the day off right. As Amelia slept she didn't have visions of sugar plums, but a new nightgown that I had promised her. 

Nightgowns and PJ's are the perfect gift for family gift giving so EYMM has decided to give us all a hand for the Holiday Season and has a 30% discount on Riley's Nightgown & Sleep Shirt and the Callie's Nightgown & Nightshirt (this includes the bundle too!) until December 11, 2014.Use the code SNAGABUG at checkout at EYMM (affiliate links)

Amelia was very excited about the whole thing, first a new nightgown, getting to jump in mommy's bed, with a book...Everyday should start out like this, with giggles and stories.

I used left overs from a pair of PJ pants I made for my mother last Christmas. With that being said you know this nightgown doesn't take up a lot of fabric, and the sleep shirt takes up even less (for a size 3).

And there are those cute toes! Now back to the pattern...

Riley's Nightgown & Sleep Shirt pattern details;

• Sizes range from newborn to 18 (tween)

• Easy no trim tiles to assemble

• Designed for knit fabrics

• Long and short raglan style sleeves

• Easy to follow instructions

• Amelia tested...she says she doesn't want to take it off!

I used my serger to assemble the nightgown and finished off the hems using a twin needle on my regular sewing machine. It makes for a very nice finish. 

I've seen some very cute stuff on the tour so make sure you go check out the other stops!  

12/3 — Call Ajaire

12/4 — Gracious Threads

12/5 — This & That & Craft

12/6 — BabyFish Designs

12/7 — Sew Starly

12/8 — Rebekah Sews  AND  Sprouting JubeJube

12/9 — Two Novembers  AND  Just Another Sewing Mama

12/10 — Lulu & Celeste  AND  Snickerdoodle Stew

Until next time, xx.

12 Days of Christmas; Mitten Ornament Tutorial

So happy to be a part of the 12 Days of Christmas Challenge! To be honest I had no idea what I could do that would be fun, different and gave myself the extra challenge of using what I already had on hand. 

The first idea was to make something using pine cones...I picked up a ton of them while at my aunt's up north. Searched Pinterest for ideas but I also had a serious time issue (I didn't have a lot of it!) and I wanted to make it look perfect. (I may have to post later this month what I made with all those pine cones, it turned out gorgeous!) 

I was also thinking of the quilted no sew Chirstmas ball, I've been making them for about 15 years, but again, I wanted something different.

So this is how I came up with my idea of making little mitten ornaments, left over socks from elves (I hate to waste), hummmm....Walked around window shopping....saw a couple of styles in Christmas trees and thought I should give it a go!

These are the supplies I used, 1 men's wool sock and red embroidery floss, but you can use any color you like. You can also uscycle a knit sweater.

I started by drawing on papaer the shape I would like my mittens to have, then cut the shape out adding a 3/8" seam allowance. Placed my pattern piece on two layers of the fabric. If you are making the mittens that attach with a string you will need to cut out 4 and if you want a single mitten just cut 2 mirror image.

Using the 3/8" seam allowance, stitch the shape with right sides together. You'll want to snip all the way down the "v" between the thumb and the hand with out going through your stitching. I also used a zigzag stitch to make sure that my knit wouldn't come undone.

Turn right side out and repeat for the other hand.

For the open edge of the mitten I used a blanket stitch to finish it off and make it look all pretty. I marked my finger to use as a guide to make my stitches even. 

I also embroidered a snowflake on them, but I could have made a heart, an initial, or anything else...sky is the limit!

I used a crochet hook to make a chain stitch and attached them together. 

And there you have it, my little mitten ornaments! 

Don't forget to visit all of the bloggers who are creating tutorials for the Sew McCool 12 Days of Christmas challenge! Voting will begin on www.sewmccool.com on December 13 and go through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on December 20. The blogger with the most votes will win $100 - just in time for Christmas! you can vote here for your favorite!

December 1

Ren @ The Inspired Wren * Stephanie @ Swoodson Says * Alicia @ Felt With Love Designs

December 2

Natalie @ Sew Outnumbered *Deby @ So-Sew-Easy * Ajaire @ Call Ajaire

December 3

Amy @ Friends Stitched Together * Maris @ Sew Maris * Gemia @ Phat Quarters

December 4

Amy @ How I Make Stuff * Michelle @ Falafel and the Bee

December 5

Beth @ Beth Jarrett * Jen @ Just Joshin

December 6

Lauren @ Molly and Mama * Krista @ Bee Quilted Beauties

December 7

Vicky @ Vicky Myers Creations * Deb @ Sprouting Jube Jube

December 8

Addie @ Addie K * Michelle @ Not My Tree

December 9

Ula @ Lulu & Celeste * Sara @ Made By Sara * Chelsea @ GYCT Designs

December 10

Nichole @ Bluebird & the Boy * Darcy @ Ginger House Designs * Shelly @ Coral & Co.

December 11

Amy @ Britches 'n Bloomers * Kelly @ Kelly J Designs

December 12

Maegen @ Mae and K * Jess @ Gracious Threads * Jone @ Knot Sew Normal

Until next time, xx.

Bubble Dress by Heidi & Finn

The Bubble Dress Pattern by Heidi & Finn is now available! If you were looking for the perfect Holiday dress you may have just found it. Even better, the pattern is at a special price for the launch, only 5.00$ for all sizes 12 months to 12 years for a limited time (until Sunday the 7th of December). You can get it in their Craftsy Shop.

When I saw this pattern I thought it would make the perfect New Years Eve dress so I decided to make it with a silver taffeta. I love working with taffeta it makes the poof stay in dresses and skirts.

This pattern is very easy to make, and through all the testing it was decided that there would be two different fits to the dress pattern, regular fit and slim fit. Here are more details about this pattern:

• Size range from 12 months to 12 years
• Slim fit and regular fit included in the pattern
• Belt loop options so that a belt can be worn with the dress
• Easy to follow instructions with different options for back closure (placket or button loop)
• Fully lined dress
• Must use wide fabrics (60 inches) in order to fit the pattern pieces on fabric without seams
• Recommended fabrics are cottons, taffeta, satins, suiting... different fabrics will give different looks to this dress.

And the tiara was JubeJube's idea, she said the dress made her feel like a princess.

Until next time, xx.

Omni Tempore Wrap Up & Winners Announced

Its time to wrap up the Omni Tempore Family Tour and to announce the winners of the 2 prize packs! Thanks to all the talented ladies who participated in the tour! Thanks to Annemieke of Sofilantjes for creating such a fun versatile pattern for little ones and adults.

Just in case you missed any of it here are the links to all the stops on the tour. You'll be able to find inspiration and fun tutorials for this pattern.

Day 1 -Pienkel - Mie Katoentje - Shaffer Sisters

Day 2 -Serger Pepper -  From a Box - JaimeSews

Day 3 - Sisko by Mieke - ShannonMac Designs - Felt With Love

Day 4 -Lulu & Celeste - SewOutOfControl - Filles A Maman - Sprouting JubeJube

Day 5-huisje boompje boefjes - Mae & K - House of Estrela

Day 6-Oon - Daisy Chain Creations - Sew Cool for the Tween Scene - Rebel & Malice

Thanks to sponsors we were able to create two huge prize packs of fabrics and patterns! 

Our two lucky winners are:

Prize pack #1,  Inspinration

1.5 meters of fabric from Joy Fits Fabrics
Omni Tempore Pattern Bundle by Sofilantjes
Bustle Skirt Pattern by Koda Baby Boutique
1 Pattern of choice by Filles a Maman
1 Pattern of choice by Serger Pepper
1 Pattern of choice by E+M Patterns
1 Pattern of choice by Striped Swallow Designs

Prize pack #2, Oele T.

1.5 meters of fabric from Joy Fits Fabrics
Omni Tempore Pattern Bundle by Sofilantjes
Grace Pattern by Rose & Lee Designs
1 Pattern of choice by Filles a Maman
1 Pattern of choice by Madeit Patterns
1 Pattern of choice by Dandelions n' Dungarees
1 pattern of choice by FABulous Home Sewn

.

Be sure to check your email!

Until next time, xx.