Something Delicious: Giant Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Here is a great cookie recipe I love to make at the holidays! They are a huge hit at all the gatherings and super delicious! I want to eat ALL of them every time I make them!

GIANT CHOCOLATE TOFFEE COOKIES

What You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 5 - 1.4 oz. SCORE candy bars
• 1 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts (optional)

The Process:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Beat eggs & sugar for 5 minutes on medium speed.
• Gradually add vanilla, baking powder, salt & flour, mixing as you go.
• In a double boiler (or a saucepan over low heat) melt chocolate & butter.
• Add chocolate mixture to batter.
• Place candy bars in a plastic bag and wrap in a towel. Pound gently with an mallet or heavy spoon to break into small chunks.
• Fold walnuts and candy pieces into batter mixture.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop batter with ice cream scoop onto paper.
• Bake @350* for 15 minutes.

YUU.MMMMMY.

Christmas Decor: Thirty Second Project

THIRTY SECOND PROJECT - for real!

Make this adorable vase in thirty seconds - ! Easy to change when the mood strikes you!

I love Goodwill! I love perusing the isles -  Looking at old discarded items makes me see them in a new light. I often leave the store with an armload, asking myself - now how am I going to re-purpose this?

This is not the first time I have picked up a belt and carried it home with little known purpose. They just always seem to come in handy. This pretty striped one was a great find because it was BRAND NEW! Yep - the $14.99 tag was still on her when I paid .69 cents at the counter! I love it when that happens.

As I have mentioned about a thousand times, I have a truckload of glass jars saved up. I have willed myself to start using them and this pretty little belt gave me a great idea. I just wrapped it around the jar a few times and cinched it up tight. Drop in a few twigs of holly and DONE! Now I have a pretty piece to dress up my laundry room for the Holidays and I can change it up when I get the urge! Super cheap - Super easy - AND RE-PURPOSED too! I love it!

The NEW 21 Secrets Workshop

It's OFFICIAL -  I am honored to announce that I am one of the teachers in this years The NEW 21 SECRETS ART JOURNALING WORKSHOP! This AWESOME WORKSHOP will go on sale in January, but click on the image below to read about the amazing cast of teachers this years workshop will offer!

Christmas Decor: Simple Wrapped Candles

I love these little $1 candles from Wal-Mart. They burn nicely and have a pretty hardy scent so in my book that makes a great "party" candle. Something I can set out and let burn the entire night or hand out as a parting gift! Plus I love that when these candles have burned themselves out I can re-purpose them! They make wonderful storage containers. I use them in my studio for all sorts of bits and pieces.

For the Holidays this year, I knew I wanted to dress up the jars a bit and use them for little gifts.In keeping with my goal for the year -  to re-purpose as much as I can and spend as little as I can - I started brainstorming. I had tons of scrapbook paper that I could use up - and I love the little wraps that I have made in the past for jars, but I had been there, done that. I finally decided on TWINE! I love twine. I love, love, love it - for all things! So I dug out my jute twine.I had even picked up a roll that looked like baker's twine at IKEA recently for gift wrapping...so I dug that out too!

THIS IS WHAT I GATHERED FOR SUPPLIES:

• $1 jar candles (you could use any size for this project)
• strips of torn natural colored muslin
• jute twine from the hardware store
• baker's style twine from IKEA
• hot glue/glue gun
• ribbon
• holly twigs/berries
• assorted embellishments

THIS IS WHAT I DID:

• cut a length of twine or muslin ( I used apprx. 4 yards for each jar).
• removed jar lid and set aside.
• starting at the mouth of the jar place a bead of glue and start twine here.
• wrap two or three times, keeping a tight fit.
• add a thin line of glue and wrap a few more times.
• repeat until you reach the bottom of the jar.
• trim excess twine and glue end well.
• repeat on jar lid, starting at base of lid and working your way up.
• repeat with other jars.
• add ribbon, holly, jewels, flowers and more!

These make great party favors, as well as gifts for family and friends! Have fun!

Christmas Wrap: Apple Bag Gift Wrap

During the holidays, if you are like me, you go through a lot of apples! Apple Pie,
Caramel Apples, Apple Crisps and Cider - even big bowls of juicy red apples are
usual season favorites around here.

As I am always looking to re-purpose everything in sight, I thought it might be fun
to use all of these cool stretchy red apples bags as part of my holiday packaging.
Just carefully snip the top or bottom of your apple bag, preserving most of the bag.
Then snip off the tag, keeping as much of it as well.

Adding holiday picks, baker's twine or a small keepsake ornament is an easy and
affordable way to dress up your package.

Use the plastic tag to make a coordinating gift tag or card. Now you have a beautiful
gift and you have recycled something as well! An Eco friendly way to surprise someone!

Check back often as I will be sharing more cool packaging ideas for the Holidays!

On the Worktable: Remnants to Ruffles

Lots of great remnants lately and so I thought these little gadget cases would be fun to make for the Holidays!

I am loving the mix of prints and colors for bright pops of color!

Available now in my Etsy Shoppe.

In My House: Milk Glass

In my house there is an abundance of milk glass. I love the look of simple white vessels spilling out of cupboards and piled up on counter tops. My mother has long been a collector of milk glass and ironstone. Not so long ago she declared HALF of that collection mine - she was simplifying as we all do, and knowing I had admiringly coveted her pieces for years, lovingly gifted me half of her small treasure.

Now it adorns every nook and cranny of my dining room and kitchen. I love it.

Photo Walk: November

• My view every day at 3:40 PM as I wait in car line at school.
• Things you will find in my car.
• An evening on the town with hubby.
• Headed home from town.
• My son, THE READER.
• Reminiscing. Last fall I was out west with great friends.

On the Worktable: Girls Series

I have been busy working on a few new little gadget bags - the girls series. These and others like them are available in my Etsy Shop.

On the Worktable: Custom Bible Cover

This little beauty is a custom Bible Cover for a lovely lady in Missouri. Made to protect your treasured favorite reads, this was created using several vintage quilt blocks that were once part of an unfinished quilt topper. The floral embellishment can be removed and repositioned or used on a scarf, hat, tote bag, pillow and more! I love the combination of solid and hand dyed silky materials. The stitched wool leaves add yet another favorite textile.

I love giving old quilts new life. Enjoy!