Author: Lois Houston

I'm a sweet tea drinkin' southern gal who loves to cook, bake, crochet, and read. Check out my blog for posts about parenting, faith, books, crafts, planning, baking, cooking, and life in general.

Season’s Greetings?

It’s that time of year again, folks… time to get out your mass-assembly-line technology, your address book and a million stamps.  Yes, it’s Christmas card time.

Before kids, I used to have all my cards addressed and ready to go on the Friday after Thanksgiving. (that was before Black Friday was called Black Friday).  They had a cutesy little “newsletter” inside telling about all the things we’d done that year and wishing everyone peace, love and happiness.

Now?

I’m lucky if I get them addressed and mailed before the 20th!

This year, I decided to create a photo card.  I did a nifty 4×6 sized card and ordered prints.  I really like how it turned out.

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Then came the dilemma.  What do I mail them in?

My husband chuckled at me as I anguished for weeks about how I was going to mail them. They were too big for a regular small envelope.  Too tall for a business one. Didn’t really fit in a card-sized envelope.  Sigh. That is what I get for going my own way.

So, yesterday we were in Hobby Lobby (dangerous place to go) and I saw they had all of their Christmas cards on sale for 50% off.  Hello!

I picked out a really adorable card:

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and will just put the pictures inside! Problem solved.

I love how this has the handmade look, but that I didn’t have to hand-make it.  I made Christmas cards one year (maybe two) when Ang was a baby.  That was enough for me.  The whole thing was just not a fun experience for me.  First, I agonized on what to create.  Then, I had to figure out what materials I would need and then how much it would cost.  Those adorably detailed cards can get pretty pricey when you are doing 20-30 of them.  (and most of my recipients are not crafty people and do not appreciate the effort, time and creativity it takes to make them)

So, after trying that out, I gave myself permission to go back to store-bought cards.  Why make life difficult?

Last year, I did a photo card as well, but I used one of those templates online where you get the envelopes with the cards – and didn’t have the dilemma I have had this year.

Now, this year’s set up doesn’t equate to the uber-low-cost plan I originally had, but oh well.  At least I have cards, and a plan.  Heck, most are even addressed at this point!

Now, if I can just talk SuperMan into going to the post office for the stamps…

Oh the weather outside is frightful…

but not snowy, alas. 

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Just rainy, dreary, and cold. (BOO!) And, it doesn't look to improve today at all.

Weather forecast

And, of course, today is the day I have scheduled to run my errands.  Thinking it may be better to postpone until tomorrow.

Although, this time of year is always hit-or-miss. December in Georgia can be warm, sunny and Fall-like, or it can be wet, cold and dreary.  We never have snow this early, but winter is usually beginning to sneak into town by now.  The past five or so years have been very warm and fairly dry – we had a 100-year drought going on.  This year, it seems all that has changed and we are having one of the wettest Falls on record.  We had a 100-year flood (we like to do things big down here in the South) that people are still recovering from, and we are falling into a pattern where at least two days each week is wet, rainy and cold.

I don't mind the rain too much – especially now that I work at home 100% of the time.  I just put my slippers on, turn on some cheery music, and watch the rain fall while I work. 

I remember growing up in Savannah – our Decembers were even more unpredictable than they are here in the North Georgia area.  Some days the temperatures were in the 80's and then they would fall into the (brrr) 50's.  It's never too cold down there.  The coastal weather is usually pretty mild. 

I think that is one of the reasons I like living where we are so much.  We have more "real" seasons than they do down there.  Nothing as extreme as my friends in Minneapolis, but we at least know when it is Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer.

This year, I'm just hoping for a cold, but dry Christmas.  I'm not so sure I'm going to get my wish, though.

Journal Your Christmas… Day 1

I’m taking a new class this year – it’s called Journal Your Christmas and it’s about capturing memories of Christmases past and present and your dreams for future holidays. 

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The thing I like is that it’s focused on words – on writing – as well as photos.  I can’t always remember to take a picture a day (as is evidenced by my sadly unfinished Project 365 album) but I can take a few minutes to write some thoughts down and maybe even find old photos from Christmases past if I don’t have a current one.

To begin with, you are to write your “manifesto” – or what your intentions are for the album.  At this point, I don’t know what my intentions are. I am simply going to take this day-by-day and see where the creative process leads me.  What I do hope to accomplish, though, is a record of why Christmas is special to me – memories of traditions, Christmases from my youth, and thoughts about the Chrismases I’ve spent thus far with my own family.  I am hoping to create something that will record a little snapshot of life today and how we choose to celebrate our holiday.

I’m also hoping this class will help me step out of the commercially-induced frenzy that captures so many of us this time of year – and helps me to refocus on what the season is really all about.

I think I’m in love…

I have been very, very resistant to Photoshop for years… It just seemed too complex, too "big" and too hard to learn.  I have been quite happy with traditional scrapbooking, thankyouverymuch! 

Then, this summer, I got the new version of Creative Memories' StoryBook Creator Plus software.  I loved it. (I still do.)  I loved all the things I could do with it.  I got hooked on digital scrapbooking and started scouring the internet looking for ideas, downloads, templates, papers, embellishments; you name it, I was looking at/for it. 

I started taking some online classes at Big Picture Scrapbooking.  Over there, everyone (and I mean everyone) uses Photoshop Elements. (at a minimum, it seems!) Classes come with downloadable templates, files to make your life easier, etc. <grrr… I don't use Photoshop!>

So, there I was re-creating the templates, re-doing all the work that had been done for me to save me time to do what I really love, which is scrapbooking!

What's a girl to do?

Well, you know how the old saying goes… If you can't beat 'em…

So, I decided to download an evaluation copy of Photoshop Elements from Adobe's website.  It has a 30 day trial period and I thought it wouldn't hurt to give it a whirl.  However, the last time I downloaded a copy, I think I only opened it once.  Not a very effective way to evaluate a tool, I guess.  So, this time I was determined to really prove to myself once and for all that Photoshop was not for me.

Let me restate that… I was going to prove that I did not need Photoshop.

Boy, was I wrong!

You know all those beautiful pictures you see on the web?  Photoshop-enhanced. (I guarantee you)  All those beautiful scrapbook layouts? Ditto.

I have taken a few free tutorials online – there's one on Jessica Sprague's website, another three over on Nan Scott's website. 

And then, tonight, I started playing.  and playing. and playing. (thank goodness the kids went to bed early!)

Oh.my.goodness.

Once you get the hang of the basics, it is soooo cool! 

Now I am dying to take some more classes and learn some more techniques. (Do you have any to share? If so, point me in the right direction, please!!)

Here's my first "real" page created in PSE…

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The template came from Scrap Girls, and the papers and embellishments were from Michelle Coleman (it was a freebie download)

I have to say it… I think I'm hooked.  I think I'm in love…

It was so much easier to just open the template, drop in the paper, pictures and embellishments! Wowee!

I'll share more of the calendar pages as I get them created… I'm sure there are going to be more!

Idle hands…

I may not have been online last week, but that doesn't mean I wasn't busy.  While I was at my mom's, I stumbled upon some beautiful, soft, variegated yarn.  I just had to have it – I figured I'd make a scarf or something with it.  When I got back to her house, I started to crochet and mentioned I wish I knew how to knit. (one of the things on my to-do-one-day list).

Mom showed me this nifty gadget that she had:

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It's called a Knitting Board.  Apparently, they have them at the Vet Center where she volunteers. The vets use them to help with their hand dexterity.  After watching the short video, I was off and "knitting."

I quickly became obsessed and found myself working on my scarf all week.  Everytime I sat down, I was "knitting" away. It is very easy, once you get the hang of it – and easy to do while you are visiting or watching TV. 

I finally finished the scarf on Saturday afternoon.  It's a little short – only one skein of yarn – but I had planned to give it to my pre-teen, so it's a perfect length for her. 

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I just love the colors, don't you?

Now, I'll be off scouring for more pretty, soft yarn. I think an outing to my local craft store is definitely on the schedule for this week.  Oh, and I'll also be looking for the larger version – I think there are sizes up to 32 inches; which would make a great afghan.

Here's the website if you are interested in learning more about them.

Let there be cookies on Earth, and let it begin with me…

Howdy!

Welcome to the first stop of the Cookie Swap Blog Hop! 

If you are visiting my blog for the very first time, I'd like to welcome you and invite you to take a look around. There are lots of interesting little tidbits here and there – cooking, scrapbooking, silliness and observations about parenting, landlording, and life in general. 

Be sure you read all the way to the bottom of this post.  There is a bonus recipe as well as the links to all of the other blogs in the Blog Hop.

But, I know you are really here for the cookies…

So, I won't keep you in suspense any longer!

My cookie is called "Santa's Surprise"  (the complete recipe is at the end of this post)

It's a yummy concoction made of peanut butter, brown sugar and the "surprise" inside:

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Now, let's get baking! (or mixing, as we must do before we can bake!)

In a large mixing bowl you will combine 2 sticks of butter (I used one salted, one unsalted), 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, and 1 cup of light brown sugar (sounds good already, doesn't it?)

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Next, add in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  Mix and add 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

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You will end up with a nice dough like this:

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Then, cover your dough and let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.

After it's chilled thoroughly, take the dough by teaspoon-sized pieces and flatten into round circles.

Place one Snickers mini on top of the dough circle and shape the dough around the candy. (your hands will smell so yummy when you are done!)

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Place each ball of dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 F for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on a cooling rack. 

Note: you will want to let them cool before you handle them too much. I put them on parchment paper on the cookie sheet and I slide the entire sheet of parchment paper onto the cooling rack.  This allows the "gooey" insides to cool and set. If you pick them up too soon, they break open – and, then, well, you have to eat the evidence!

IF you want to go all-out, drizzle them with some melted chocolate. They never last long enough at my house for me to do this, though!

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I hope you enjoy!

Now, it's time for the next recipe! 

Here’s the list of blog hop participants.  I invite you to make the next stop at Relly's blog: Scattered Poppies, or you can browse the other cookie recipes at the other sites:

And, here's the complete recipe, without my commentary and photography:

Santa's Surprises

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag Snickers Miniatures

  1. Cream butter, peanut butter, brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Slowly, add eggs and vanilla (mixer should be on low)
  3. Add flour, baking soda & salt.
  4. Cover and chill dough 2-3 hours.
  5. Divide dough into teaspoon-sized balls. Flatten into circles.
  6. Wrap dough ball around Snickers mini.
  7. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes.
  8. Cool on wire rack.
  9. Drizzle with melted chocolate (optional).

Oh, and here is a BONUS RECIPE.  I just discovered this from a friend… it is TO DIE FOR (especially if you like cookies!)

Oreo Ice Dream

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 large tub of Cool Whip whipped cream (I never said it was low fat!)
1 package of Oreo Cookies, crushed

Mix all three ingredients in a LARGE bowl.  Place in freezer to set.

ENJOY.  (and you WILL enjoy.  it is "awesome," according to the pre-teen in the house)

This looks fun…

Jessica Sprague has a design challenge posted on her blog.  I'm thinking about giving it a whirl. 

How cool is that design?  I guess Apple has become so mainstream with their nifty toys and bright colors that they are literally everywhere nowadays – even in our scrapbooks!

Want to try the challenge with me?  

I'll post my layout on the blog when I get it done… Post yours, too! This will be fun!

Better than a Baker’s Dozen

I can't wait until tomorrow.

Want to know why?

I will give you a hint:

Christmas cookies

So, be sure you stop back by tomorrow morning… You'll be glad you did!

I’m back! (did you miss me?)

Hi, everyone!

I'm back!  I hope you didn't miss me too much while I was gone. I decided to take the week of Thanksgiving as a personal holiday from my computer.  Other than to check email occasionally, I did not log in to anything for one solid week.  I thought it would be hard to do, but with the kids home for the holiday and travel to see family, it was pretty easy to accomplish. 

I was pretty proud of myself because normally I'm sneaking off to check email, blogs, scrapbook, etc.    This year, I decided to focus on my family and enjoying the moments we had together. I wasn't idle, however, and you will see soon.

I have some really neat things to share with you this week, so I hope you will come back and visit me tomorrow… Here's a sneak peek:

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Also, I will be part of a Cookie Swap Blog Hop this week! Join me on December 1st and you can hop from blog to blog to get some new recipe ideas for your holiday baking.

Until tomorrow, my friends!