Fool's Toffee

This fast and easy toffee is always a hit - one batch makes enough for 6-10 gift tins. :) I purchased tins and holiday liners from the dollar store plus the ingredients for 10 small gifts for less than $20.

 

Ingredients:
1 box Saltines
3 cups butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
3 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 bags chopped nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with tin foil. Place a single layer of crackers on the pan. Meanwhile, boil sugar and butter stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.

Pour hot caramel over crackers and spread evenly. Bake crackers for 5 minutes. After removing from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over hot crackers immediately.

Once they have started to melt, spread evenly over crackers and top with nuts. Allow to cool for at least 12 hours for chocolate to set. Once chocolate is firm break into pieces and place into tins.

Magnetic Frames

These magnetic frames are such an easy way to dress up your fridge! Just attach extra strong magnets to the back of frames from the dollar store with a hot glue gun. Then place over you favorite kids drawings, Christmas cards or pictures. You can also use the glass to write notes to your love with a dry erase marker. ;)

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Pair this creamy homemade cocoa mix with chocolate dipped plastic spoons, a plain white mug & a sharpie for a complete DIY gift.

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted Hershey's cocoa powder
2 cups dry milk powder
1 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup powdered coffee creamer (try seasonal favorites like egg nog, pumpkin spice, or peppermint)

Recipe yields 1qt jar. Stir 3 heaping spoonfuls of cocoa mix into hot water or milk. Enjoy topped with whip cream or marshmallows!!

**Use the sharpie to decorate your own mug them bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes to make it permanent.**

Fingerprint Nativity Cards

These adorable Christmas cards are sure to bring a smile to your loved ones this year! Grab your kiddos and let's get started!!!

Supplies:
8.5x11 white card stock
Ink pads
Fine tip markers

Directions:
1. Cut the card stock pages in half to yield 5.5x8.5 sheets. Fold each of these in half to create your cards.

2. Place a fingerprint for baby Jesus in the center of the page and one for Mary and Joseph on either side. Tilting them slightly towards the manger to give the appearance of bowing. Place three fingerprints to one side of the manger that will become the three wise men, and two on the other side that will become shepherds. Finally, place a fingerprint at the top to make an angel.

3. Draw a open house surrounding Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, a manger beneath baby Jesus and a star above the house.

4. To draw the details on the characters... draw small arcs for closed eyes, crowns on the wise men, and shepherds croaks for the shepherds. Draw wings and a halo on the angel and a small o mouth for a singing mouth.

5. To draw the head coverings for Mary, Joseph & the shepherds - start by drawing a curve from the forehead to the back of the head. Next draw the back of the covering beginning your line at the forehead where you started the curve and following the outline of the head down the 'back'. Finally, draw the front of the covering from the ear-line of the covering downward meeting at the bottom if the back line in one continuous line. (See illustration above) They don't have to look perfect - the imperfections are part of the charm.

6. Finish your cards with a greeting and fingerprint family signature inside!! :)

These go quickly once you have done a few. Line up a bunch of cards side by side and finish one step at a time. Or set up an assembly line with each person assigned a specific element if the cards. Put on some Christmas music and enjoy a special time with your kids creating the adorable JOY offerings.

PS - Just as a heads up....your fingers will probably be stained for a day or two after ;) 

Coming up next week!!!

The long awaited 30 Days of Homemade Gifts series starts on Monday!!! Here is a look at what you can look forward to!! Next week is all about generic gifts that just about anyone would enjoy and gifts that you can make in bulk for people on your list like teachers, white elephant parties and those who are hard to buy for because you don't know them that well. We will be doing...

 

*greeting cards*

*magnetic frames*

*homemade cocoa*

*fools toffee*

*hand warmers*

*DIY mugs*

Week 1: Gifts for Groups & Acquaintances

Week 2: Gifts for Women

Week 3: Gifts for Kids

Week 4: Gifts for Men

Week 5: Gifts for Family

Do you plan to craft-along with me through the series?
Would a shopping list for the upcoming week(s) be helpful??

Owl Cupcakes

I made these for a local MOPS group dessert auction. They were super easy but they turned out really cute!! Owls are all the rage lately - hope these beauties bring in a pretty penny or two for an amazing group of Mamas!!

Ingredients:
1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix
1 container chocolate frosting
1 package Oreos
1 bag Reeses Pieces

Directions:
1. Bake cupcakes according to package instructions (TIP: for fuller cupcake fill cups 2/3 full and bake at 325 degrees F until toothpick comes out clean)
2. Once cooled, frost cupcakes.
3. Seperate the Oreos, keeping the frosting intact to one side. Place two side-by-side on the top half of the cupcake.
4. Place 2 brown Reeses on the Oreos for the eyes, and one orange one on its side between them for the beak.
5. Gently pull peaks into the frosting above each eye for ears/horns.

DIY Cupcake Tower

Supplies:
1 each large, medium and small round cake boards
2 empty soup cans with lids (washed well)
3-4 two inch foam discs
4 sheets 12x12 scrapbook paper
1 inch ribbon to match

Directions:
1. Trace and trim and glue the scrapbook paper to cover the cake circles and cans.
2. Mark the center of the large and medium circles. Glue the cans to the top center of each. Then glue the two pieces together and the small one on top.
3. Glue the ribbon to the outside edge of all three layers hanging off the bottom edge.
4. Lastly, glue the discs to the bottom of the large cake circle.

Crockpot Meatloaf & Potato Wedges

 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 cup each finely diced carrots, celery & green peppers (optional) - minced even if you really need to hide them from picky eaters.

 

Directions:

Line your crockpot with greased aluminum foil. Toss raw potato wedges seasoned as you like onto the foil. Combine meatloaf ingredients (above) well, and place into a loaf pan. Top the meatloaf with strips of raw bacon and set on top of potatoes. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 on high.

Don't Think I'm Perfect

My blog it has been far more popular that I ever thought it would be, but with that I feel like I may have given you all a false impression of who I am - behind the scenes. Today is my confession - real and unfiltered.

Please don't think I'm perfect.
I'm not.
My home looks more like Family Circus than Leave it to Beaver.
I have piles of dirty laundry stacking up and go to bed with the sink still full of dishes.
I don't vacuum or sweep as often as I probably should and I can't stand cleaning the bathroom.
My priorities get mixed up and have to learn from my mistakes every stinking day.
I feel guilty every time I leave my kids and can't help but worry about them every second that I am gone.
I get frustrated with my kids more than I like and I can say with all honesty that if I caught them washing my car with the windows down - my response would not be 'you missed a spot.'
I have trouble remembering people's names - if I call you by a nickname it is because I completely forgot but I am too embarrassed to ask again.
I procrastinate.
I feed my kids cold cereal for breakfast and PB&J for lunch because I don't want to clean up the mess that cooking makes.
I am a perfectionist. Watching my kids decorate cookies or do crafts is like torture.
I can't stand to spend money on anything for myself.
If I think about it long enough there is probably a selfish motivation at least partially behind just about everything I do.
I eat chocolate every day.
I have bad habits that I can't quit no matter how hard I try.
I screw up cooking dinner at least once a week.
I have trouble saying no.
I don't exercise because I am just plain lazy.
I get completely stressed if there are toys all over the place.
I care too much what other people think about me.
My life is a constant battle for control.
My faith is weak.
My hope is often crushed by fear.
My prayers are often filled with doubt.

I have a lot to learn as a mom, a wife, and as a woman. We all have our struggles and we are all loved by the One who created us - baggage and all! Be careful what you say & be careful not to judge. Don't let your own self-worth be determined by what others are doing. They have skeletons in the closet just like you!!! Do the very best that you can and keep your eyes and heart focused on your own journey.

Printable Gift Buying Sheet

Keeping track of gifts that you have bought and staying within your budget can be overwhelming --- especially if you shop for Holiday gifts throughout the year. Use this {Gift Buying Sheet} to help you keep track of it all!

Printable Holiday Planners

The holidays are right around the corner and to help you stay organized, I have created a few {Holiday Planners} for you!! :) All this week we will be getting ready to sail through the Holidays as stress-free as possible. If you are anything like me, my brain is non-functional without a pen and paper - so print away and start planning!

The 2012 Holiday Planner is a 7-week monthly calendar that includes all the weeks between

 Thanksgiving and New Years Day. Great for being able to see the big picture!

With spaces for guests, meals, plans & a to-do-list, the Holiday Weekly Planner gives you more space to plan ahead so your week runs smoothly!

Good food can make or break your Holiday gathering - use the Holiday Meal Planner to make sure everything gets into the shopping cart and onto your table with grace.

As always my printables are provided to you for free & intended for personal use only

Please share, but remember to link back here {www.2corninthians1311.blospot.com}

Thank you for respecting my copyright

DIY Skinny Jeans

I got the urge to break out my sewing machine this morning & look at what I made!!!!

Time: 30 minutes
Cost: Free!!
Skill Level: Beginner Sewer (with basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine).

Step 1: Grab a pair of boot-cut jeans that fit you at the hips/waist and upper leg.

Step 2: Turn your pants inside-out and put them on. Pin the loose material together close to your calf on both sides starting just above the knee. Take them off and mark them along the pins with a marker.

Step 3: Stitch a loose hem on the line. BEFORE YOU CUT THE EXCESS --- Try the pants on to make sure they fit the way you want them too. (The ankles and calves on mine were too small the first time). Make adjustments if needed and when you are satisfied, sew a secure line or serger. Lastly, trim the excess material from the outside at 1/4 inch.

Waffles

Waffle Mix:
10 cups flour
5 Tbsp sugar
2 1/4 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp baking powder

*Combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight container.

To Make Fresh Waffles:
Mix together 2 cups waffle mix, 2 eggs, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oil and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add water a tablespoon at a time until it becomes just thin enough to pour. Cook waffles on a waffle iron until golden brown.

To Freeze Waffles:
Slightly undercook waffles and allow to cool completely on cooling racks. Store in ziplock freezer bags. To reheat, place individual waffles in the toaster on medium-low or on baking sheets in the oven at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Overnight Bacon & Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bunch green onion, chopped
8 oz sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions:
Combine sour cream, undulated soup and cheese. Add potatoes, onions and bacon. Pour into a greased crockpot and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Out of the Rubble

Ten years ago my mom lost her battle with cancer – I was just 18 and barely out of high school. The years that have passed since then have been an emotional roller coaster, but I finally feel like I have come to a place where healing can begin. In sharing my story with you, I hope to bring you some peace in your own struggle with loss.

I had my life all figured out – I had a scholarship to the college of my choice, I was enrolled with classes picked out and bags packed ready to start my college career.  And then, in a single moment all of that went out the window and my entire world turned upside down. My parents divorced when I was 6, and my brother moved to California to live with my Dad –so I was pretty much an only child. Seeds of bitterness and jealousy were planted when my mom was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) the year I started high school. I would never experience my teenage years like any of my friends. While my friends were out, I was at home taking care of my mom. So as you can imagine we didn’t have the best relationship and most of our time was spent fighting. When my mom got cancer, I spent most of my time running away from the hurt I found at home. 

There is one memory that I cling to - It all hit home and became real for me when my mom stopped Chemo. She was put on Hospice and they moved a hospital bed into ourliving room. My mom was on morphine all the time and started sleeping more than she was awake. Until that moment we had never talked about what was going on and we hadn’t really moved on from the hurt that we had thrown at each other. She told me that she was dying and asked me if I was afraid. All I could do wascry and hold onto her – just like a child. We said ‘I love you’ and ‘I forgiveyou’ and hugged each other for a really long time. I needed that! A few days later she went into a coma; I would never hear my mom say those sweet words again.

In the years between then and now, God has been working and holding me up as I fought against a heart consumed with anger, hurt and mostly fear. “Why did this happento me? Am I going to die young too? Will I lose everything I love? I prayed so hard! Why didn’t God answer me? What did I do that was so wrong, that God would punish me this way?” All the time that I was pushing God away He stood strong at my side. God is bigger than all of our anger and he will continue to love us through it! There is a reason we can hold our children in love and forgive them time after time for even the most unreasonable tantrums and hurtful words – God is the author of love and giver of all that is good. God will not leave you in the ruble – even if you created it yourself – He is with you and will continueto bless you until you decide to look upinstead of down, and when you do you will find Him in the mess right beside you holding you up all along.

After years, I came to a point where I was entirely worn down and I had to make a choice. Was I going to continue to allow the past ruin the blessing I had been given today? I decided in my heart that I was no longer going to allow my mind to be filled with lies and past hurts – I realized that it was not God who had done this tome, and I decided that my family meant too much to me for my time with them to be wasted on fear.  Each day since then I remind myself of that and renew my promise that I will choose to live by TRUST and HOPE and THANKFULNESS! Some days are better than others, but now my mind is free of anger and my heart is no longer afraid. In life we are often dealtcards that we wouldn’t have chosen and that even seem unfair. But we have achoice of how we will react – and from one who was in the rubble for much too long, I urge you to cling to your faith and the hope that we find in Christ. I will never know why my childhood turned out the way it did or why my mom had to die so young, but I refuse to waste my life and the time I have left on regrets.

Play with your kids every day. Tell them often how much they mean to you! Pay attention to them when they are talking to you – don’t ever let them feel like your to-do list is more important than they are. Cuddle. Make memories together and write them down.  Take too many pictures.  Say I’m sorry, forgive quickly, and say ‘I love you’ even if you think they already know. Don’t fight about the small stuff. Don’t lose sight of the power of unconditional love. Never take tomorrow for granted! But most importantly, trust in the hope we have of eternal life found in Christ!

Overnight Apple Oatmeal

Ingredients:
3 cups steel cut oats *NOT quick-cooking oats
6 cups water
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
2 cups chopped apples

Directions:
Grease all sides of the crockpot well. Pour all ingredients into the crockpot. Cook of low for 4-6 hours. Stir and serve with nuts and a dollop of yogurt.

Overnight Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
Cake Dough:
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolk
2 Tbsp butter cut into pieces
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Directions:
Line the bottom of your crockpot with crumbled foil. Combine dough ingredients together until well blended. Mix on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. Place dough into a greased bread pan them into the crockpot on top of foil. (Should be lifted from bottom about an inch or so).

Make crumb topping by cutting butter into dry ingredients with a food processor or your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over dough, lightly patting it down.

Wrap the lid of your crockpot with a double layer of paper towel and place onto crockpot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. The longer you cook it the harder the crust will be.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 6

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 5

Overnight Baked Pears

 

Ingredients:
4 large pears (firm & slightly underripe)
2 Tbsp butter
Brown Sugar

Directions:
Cut pears in half, and remove stem and core. (TIP: I use a metal teaspoon to scoop out the core section and seeds). Place cut-side facing up in your crockpot in a single layer. To help minimize oxidation, spritz the pears with lemon juice. Place a small piece of butter in the center of each pear and sprinkle the layer with brown sugar. Additional layers may be added for more servings.

Just before you go to bed turn your crockpot onto low. Ideally, they should cook for 6-8 hours. In the morning, serve with fresh yogurt and granola. Super easy and such a yummy treat for breakfast!!'