Man's Mason Jar Gift Recipe

Although these jars were for all the grown guys--SIL's and sons--in our family, these would also make a great recipe to take to a New Years eve gathering!  My hubby likes to make his own trail mix recipe for TV snacks.  He has definite proportions that he likes.  So he printed the recipe, made it and filled the jars for the guys of our "Mason Jar Christmas"! (See previous posts.) Recipe shared below.

 

Andy's Custom Trail Mix

• 1/2 c. Santa Fe Mix 
• 1/3 c. peanuts
• 1/3 c.. pretzel pieces
• 1/4 c. roasted almonds
• 1/4 c. Corn Nuts
• 1/4 c. M&M's
• 1/8 c. craisns
• 1/8 c, Pecan pieces

Note:  The Santa Fe Mix is a pre-made mix of peanuts, corn nuts and several small chili flavored crackers, including chili lemon sticks and sesame sticks.  It is slightly hot with the chili powder flavorings. If you cannot find Santa Fe mix at your local store, you could use small cracker pieces and use chili powder, onion powder, garlic, and paprika to season.  I don't think it would be quite the same, but you might find a combination that you like!  Be creative~!

Mix all ingredients together evenly.  Makes 2 cups

Mason Jar Christmas!

I've enjoyed looking at all the mason jar ideas on Pinterest these past few months.  So, I decided to make this a Mason Jar Christmas! We have a very large family and to keep the costs down and still cover everyone, this seemed like a good idea!  I've been talking about it among my online friends and they wanted to see what I have come up with.  I hope my family doesn't decide to take a look at my blog before Christmas!! :)  I will take the next few days to show the various jar contents.  Today, the jar for all my littlest grand girls:

I made bath mitts from terrycloth and scraps of fabric in different colors  and a bit of elastic.  Super easy!

I bought some cute little soaps from another Etsy seller:

And packed them in the jar with  rubber duckies taped to the top. Added bows and tags and there you have it!

These will go to LaRaya, Bella, Vivi, Ada and Jubilee!  Aren't they cute?

Hope you're holiday season is going well!

Christmas Dinner Party at the Manor

Been busy, busy, with Christmastime here.  No time for blogging . . . but I went to a dinner party and thought you might enjoy the experience with me.  So I will share the pictures as they tell the story!

The setting:

The dinner:

The people:

Us (hubby and I):

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas season too! 

Thanks, American Express!

Thanks to American Express, 

we have a movement to 

celebrate small businesses!   

Small Business Saturday is November 30th this year!  

Kick off the shopping season by planning to support local small businesses in your area.  They employ your neighbors and need your support!  Make a commitment, now, to visit at least one local small business on that Saturday!

As a small business owner, I appreciate everyone of my customers!  Some of my products (mainly aprons) are sold in a small retail venue, and occasionally I get to meet my customers; it is always delightful! Customers are usually happy to meet me, and ask about my sewing history or tell me how delighted they are to wear and give my aprons!  It makes my day and makes me smile. :)  It causes me to envision the future customer who will buy my aprons, when I am making them!  That makes it so much fun to sew!!!

Selection of coffee cozies from pruittcreations

I want to celebrate my Pruitt Creations customers by providing a FREE coffee cozy (a $6 value) with every purchase over $5 on Small Business Saturday!

Also, if you are a previous customer and join my newsletter list (see the right column for sign up), I will send you a free cozy just because . . . . I appreciate my customers!!!

The Big Show!

After attending the New Hope's 35th Annual Holiday Marketplace as a buyer for several years, and trying out for the show, once, several years ago, I auditioned for this juried show again this year, was accepted and participated in the marketplace this weekend!!

I don't know how it happened, but I got a supremo position on the floor! The facility has a very large lobby section and a wide expanded hall down to the gym.  I was given the space that was at the end of the hall right between the two sets of doors leading into the gym!

To top that, I was adjacent to a second big glass entry to the outside.  Traffic Galore!  Also didn't have that 'squashed in' feeling being in a long row of vendors in the larger space.  Hoorah!

There was a spot light shining down onto my booth made it the focus at the end of the hall!  Even my son-in-law as impressed!  He said, "Finally after all these years, you've got an awesome space!"

Sales were good, and the administrators and volunteers at this show were so friendly and helpful! It was truly an awesome experience!  Thank you New Hope Community Church Women's Community!

Proud Crafty Grandma!

Been extremely busy this past few weeks sewing for my wholesale client--some special order aprons and working with beautiful Fall prints for their autumn stock. Will be busy ongoing, since the Christmas stock orders are piling up too!  Anyway, I have lots and lots of scrap materials when I sew continually.  I sort them into larger pieces for future crafting projects and strip pieces for future quilting.  

On Tuesday's my grandsons come over after music lessons and spend a few hours visiting.  Last week, Padraic, age 10, wanted to know if he could make something from the materials in my strip pile while I visited with his mom and entertained his little brother.  He chose the fabrics--took his lead from my crazy quilted Christmas stockings. (Previous post about them.)

Here's what he came up with:

Strip Christmas tree!

He took it home to hang.  I don't know if he decorated it or not!  My daughter saves all kinds of materials for his projects at home, including toilet paper rolls and Popsicle sticks and boxes.  Once he made a castle with these kind of materials!  He's very crafty; he loves to make things, using his hands! Anyway, I am a proud grandma--my family is following in my footsteps!!!!

Use it up, wear it out, made do or do without!

Year in Review

As part of my reevaluating process, that usually takes most of January for me, I have been reviewing my blog posts for last year.  I find that I have a few favorites and from looking at the stats, I see that they might have been your favorites too!  I have chosen one from each month for review!  Enjoy! (And keep going--there is something extremely cute at the end!)

January 

Studio Guest!

I often house sit for a friend who has a huge sewing studio!  Lots of space with three machines, a light table, cutting table etc.  If you love studios, you will love all the pictures here!  I love it, and will be house sitting again for her in a few days!

February

At the urging of a blogger friend, I decided to tell the story behind my shop avatar. It got lots of views!

March

March was  a big blogging month if your views were any indication!  It was hard to choose since many of my posts were popular--the BBA challenge Part 1 and Part 2, the Goodbye Winter post about our local river stroll, and the Shamrock Charity Run, but I chose one post about my Sew Expo Perspective, since I did several posts on this subject and all had lots of views and comments!

Sew Expo in Puyallup Washington

April 

With the start of spring and an April Easter Sunday, I had the urge to make something new.  Sew . . . I made a new Crayon Roll-up from some fabric that is still my favorite!  Oh . . . and there was a cute post about my future crafter granddaughter Vivienne: Vivi's Pins

Favorite fabric for a roll-up!

May

May is for Mother, right? I did a post of an old vintage picture that I found of what I think is my own mother!
I also celebrated my 500th post!  Yay!  But my pick for this month was about hand embroidery, since I love and appreciate the handmade quality of it over machine embroidery.

Embroidery enhanced Cell phone case

June

In June, there were graduations, birthdays, softball, fun runs, and Father's Day!
I did a series of posts, four in all, on "Got Creativity?" Actually started them the 29th of May, but finished the series in June. Links can be found on one of the home page tabs at the top of my homepage. 

Trying something new-- get creative!

July

Summer hit and I was out doing a summer craft fair with my granddaughter! I was also involved with creating a new line of aprons for a local merchant with a relationship that started back in May. It kept me busy for the remainder of the year.

August

Not much bloggin' in August--to HOT and had vacation fever!!  But I did introduce a new line of products! Children's tote bags! 

Kid Sized!

September

Still had a little vacation fever, and went on a little trip to visit a local volcano: Mt Saint Helens.  Posted pictures of our trip.  I blogged about National Sewing Month, my patio garden, and my broken sewing machine! 

Trail head sign on Mt Saint Helens

October 

In October I became a grandmother--again, with the birth of our 26th grandchild!  Yay!  Most of the month was taken up with that, and not much blogging.  Here's a current picture of Gideon!

Doesn't that smile just melt ya?

November - December  

November was full, with the start of the holiday season, with craft shows, Thanksgiving and family  celebrations, and a yo yo tutorial.  Right after Thanksgiving, I started a "30 days of Christmas Fun" Series with lots of ideas.  Here's one that got lots of raves!  My cute little scrappy snowman pillow!

Hope you enjoyed my review and will visit some of the year's posts that interest you! 
On to a New Year of Fun and Creativity!

Christmas Eve!

It's finally Christmas Eve!   I hope you have your shopping done!  If not there is a last minute gift idea:

You can even pick this up at the grocery store, while you are getting your last minute Christmas dinner menu items!  Pick up your friends favorite magazine, wrap a colorful bow around it and give the gift of a subscription!   Just . . .  don't forget to get the little enrollment card from the magazine and mail in the subscription for your friend!

Have anything planned for the holiday evening?  

We are going to an early evening Candlelight Service then to dinner at my daughter's house.  It will be games and fun; and we are going to decorate gingerbread men!  Maybe I will show you pictures of the finished fellas tomorrow!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Cinnamon Pastry Cookies

Another quick SIMPLE recipe! If you love cinnamon---you'll love this!

Many people make pies for the holidays.  Have left over pie crust?  Then make up this quick cookie to please the kids!  It will tide them over and prevent them from asking when they can eat the pies!  (Just in case you do not make pies, nor have any pie crust, I show you how it is done--EASY!)

Cinnamon Pastry Cookies & other yummies!

You will need:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup shortening
2 T. prepared sugar and cinnamon mixture (amounts to your taste--some of us like more cinnamon!)

For Glaze:
Powered sugar
1 t. cinnamon
approximately 1 T milk

 

Add Cinnamon and sugar mixture to the flour, then use a pastry cutter to cut in the shortening into the flour. Cut  the shortening until it comes to a crumbly mixture:

Then add just a bit of water, about a 1/2 teaspoon at a time, stirring all the while, until the shortening mixture sticks together.  You don't want it too sticky.  Just add water until you can make a ball in your hands that sticks together.  Then roll it out on a floured board or pastry mat to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut it with a knife into long strips about 3/4 inch wide.  Then cut each long strip in approximately 4-5 inch sections.  Place these on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for a few minutes (8-10)  until set and just golden on the edges. 350 degree oven.  Watch carefully and Do Not over cook as they will be hard.

While cookies are cooling, make your glaze. In a small bowl or cup, start with about 1/2 cup powdered sugar.  Add the cinnamon.  Then start adding milk by 1/2 teaspoon fulls a little at a time, like you did with the water for the crust, until you have a creamy mixture that can be drizzled over the cookies. Too much milk and the glaze will be thin and "watery". Plate them up, call the kids, and I guarantee you they will be gone in no time!

Spool Tree Ornie

Need an activity for the kids? 

Have old empty thread spools?  

You will also need, wrapping paper scraps, a piece of felt, tape, glue gun, scissors, leftover beads, ribbons, and bobbles.

Be careful with the glue gun--It's hot!  Maybe adult help would be nice!

HOT GLUE!

Now, have at it!  Cut paper and wrap around each spool.  Secure with tape.  Fashion a "tree skirt" from the felt. I made mine out of red felt cutting the edges with a scalloped edging.   Hot glue the spools and the 'skirt' in place to make a "tree" then decorate with ribbon, beads, and bobbles!  I fashioned a hanger through the middle of my spool with floral wire to make a hanger, but I am sure you could do this with ribbon too!  Be creative!  That is what the 30 Days of Christmas Fun is all about!!!!!  

Only one more '30 Days of Christmas Fun' linky left--this next Friday!  Don't forget to link with us on Friday!  Show us your ideas, decorations or what the kids made for the holidays!  We want to see!!

Friday Link List 

Happy Holidays!!

Red and Green Recipe

The traditional  colors of Christmas seem to be red and green,  although we all have our favorite combinations.  The last few years my Christmas tree ornaments and decorations have been in cream and burgundy.   But this year I went back to red and green since I decorated a little pencil tree instead of our larger tree. The larger ornaments didn't fit the small tree, so I used gold and red on the green tree--a more traditional look.

If you love red and green, you might like this recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers.

2-3 Green peppers, parboiled
1 cup rice
1/2 cup sharp cheddar--cubed
1/2 cup leftover meat of choice
1 can stewed tomatoes

Core and parboil a pepper for each person that you are serving. (2-3 medium to large peppers for this recipe, depending on pepper size.) Make sure you do not over cook the peppers.  They should be only slightly soft, not limp. You can steam them in a large sauce pan with about 3/4 inch of water in the bottom.  That is enough.

Prepare a cup of rice of your choice as instructed on your package.  After it is finished cooking, add to the cubed sharp cheese, and any leftover meat that you chose.  I often use ham, but you can use cooked ground beef (maybe leftover from taco night), cubed sausage, or leftover pork pieces.    Mix the meat, cheese and rice together.  Set aside.

Open the can of stewed tomatoes, Mexican style if you have it. Place the parboiled peppers in an oven dish and spoon a bit (1-2 Tablespoons) of tomatoes into each parboiled pepper, then fill them up with the rice mixture.  When finished filling all the peppers this way, spoon the remaining tomatoes over the peppers. Place the peppers in a 375 degree oven for approximately 15 to 25 minutes.  Do not over cook--the purpose of this process is just to heat clear thru the pepper mixture melting the cheese.

Plate the hot peppers and add garnish and other vegetables/selections as desired.      

 Enjoy!

Stocking Quick!

30 Days of Christmas Fun!

Need a stocking, quick? Maybe for an unexpected guest?

grab a sock

Have some scraps of fabric handy, a couple of buttons, and some ribbon?  Look what you can do:

These fabric patches on the heel and toe are strengthened with some fusible interfacing and then sewn on the sock with a blanket stitch using embroidery floss. Here's a great tutorial for a applique blanket stitch if you need help.

Let your imagination run wild!  Have FUN creating!