Saturday

Whew!!!

I was up early and started a big pot of vegetable soup. I placed a bag of home-frozen tomatoes, peas and corn in the crock pot to thaw. After they thawed, I threw in some browned hamburger, a can of mixed vegetables, a small can of tomato paste and some spices. Right before we ate, I peeled and diced some potatoes and boiled them in a separate pot on the stove. I added these to the soup. I also made some grilled cheese sandwiches using old-timey hoop cheese my husband brought home.

The weather is chilly and damp today after a week of way above normal temperatures, so the soup is good for a day like today. My husband has a fire going in the wood heater insert in the fireplace.

I closed up my sewing machine earlier this week and moved it to make room for the Christmas tree. My intention was to not sew until after Christmas, but I got so much done toward Christmas preparations and cleaning this week, that I drug the machine out into the middle of the room, put the ironing board up in the laundry room and went at it again!

I made some cosmetic-type bags and another wallet. My daughter loves blue so I purchased 1/2 yard of the blue print for the outside and 1/2 yard of a matching solid blue for the lining. From the blue I have made 3 bags and 1 wallet. One of the blue bags needs a closure and isn't pictured here. Then I made a large bag from the black and white polka dot and red and white pin dot fabric I bought earlier to make tote bags from. I cut out another black, red and white one, but will have to finish it later.




I purchased some inexpensive items to go in the cosmetic bags such as chapstick, hand lotion, pocket size tissue and a travel lint roller. Each bag will cost less than $5.00 and will make a cute gift, I think.

I want to experiment with some different kinds of closures for the bags. The snap closures don't seem strong enough to me. I think velcro or a button and loop closure would be neat.

I made two batches of Chocolate Chip Cookies today too! I baked one batch and froze the other batch in 2 containers. The ones I baked today are for my family and also to put a few into zip lock bags for little gifts. I found some Christmas zip lock bags at Dollar Tree for this purpose.

The cookie dough that I froze will be baked between now and Christmas for more gift bags and also for my family.

I am planning on making some white chocolate chip, macadamia nut cookies soon. I saw Paula Deen making these today on her T.V. show, except she also put in candied cherries. YUM!!! I might just have to try that.

Our family's Christmas celebration at my Mama's house is tomorrow. We always have it the Sunday before Christmas, but since the Sunday before Christmas this year is the 23rd, we are having it tomorrow. I can taste that good food already!!!

We will have a guest in addition to family on Christmas Day at our house this year who is a new "boyfriend" of my stepdaughter. I discovered that he played football at Appalachian State University and is a high school football coach now. Since Appalachian State just won its third national football championship in its division, I think it would be nice to make him a small "ASU - 3 PEAT" Pillow. We will see if time allows!

ATTENTION: THE NEWEST MOVIE IN THE LOVE COMES SOFTLY SERIES PREMIERS TONIGHT AT 9:00 P.M.!!!!! ON THE HALLMARK CHANNEL!!!!! I don't think I have seen the one that came out before it either. All of the movies are playing from the first one through the last one right now!!!