Foodie Friday: Snickerdoodle Bread

 

Ahh the neighbor gifts.  We are very lucky to live in a neighborhood where we know and get along with almost all of our neighbors.  We have a neighborhood watch and all get together a few times a year to eat, drink, and chat.  In fact we do this almost weekly with a few of our neighbors.  To show my appreciation for them I like to give them a little something each year around the holidays.  Money is usually tight so I always have to think out of the box for something that in inexpensive but thoughtful.  This year I decided there isn't anything more thoughtful then home baked goodies.  

I scoured Pinterest for ideas on something that wouldn't take me days to make since I have eight neighbors and found this bread.  It's simple recipe that you can find at Kathie Cooks.  I did have a bit of trouble finding the cinnamon chips but lucked out at the third store I tried.  I used a mini loaf pan which makes four loaves at time and baked them per the recipe.  Man oh man my house smelled good!  Then I wrapped them up and let the kids make the deliveries.  

Since I still have a bag of cinnamon chips I think I will make a few more loaves to bring to work and for my own family to eat.

Felt Christmas Banner

 

I made this felt Christmas banner for my partner in the Secret Santa Swap.  I ordered a kit from Wool Hearts on Etsy that had pre-cut felt circles, candy shapes, and circle pictures and had to stitch it up.  Using a whip stitch I attached each picture to a felt circle then embellished with sequins.  Then I whip stitched the top circle to a bottom circle and did the same with the candy pieces.  Once all the pieces were put together I sewed them into a string and hot glued ribbon to end to hang.  

I had a really hard time sending this one away!  I don't have a Christmas bunting and would have loved to have this one hanging in my house!  I may have to order another kit and stitch one up for myself this time!

Vintage Christmas Shadowbox Ornament

 

I found these little unfinished shadowbox ornaments at Michael's and picked one up to play with.  I seem to be obsessed lately with making shrines and shadowboxes so I couldn't wait to play with this.  I joined the Secret Santa Swap on Craftster and made a few things off my partners wishlist.  I felt like I was ready to send when it hit me that I hadn't made one Christmassy thing for her!  Out comes the shadowbox!  I had quite a few different Christmas themed papers and odds and ends left over from a different project so I put them to use here. 

I covered the inside and outside of the box with Christmas themed papers.  Then I attached the flower and wreath.  After it was dry I glued the bird into the wreath.  I then glued in the tree and the deer and for a finishing touch, added mica flakes for some snow.

I am going to have to pick up a few more of these boxes to keep and play with throughout the year.

Oh Deer! My First Craftster Challenge Entery

 

Craftster had an embroidery challenge in November that I was able to participate in.  We were given this pattern and told to alter it, color it, really whatever with it as long as it was stitched.  Well I really wanted to make it a patronus from Harry Potter and stitch it all in blue with the words Expecto Patronum in the banner but wasn't confident enough in my fill stitching.  Sooo... I just used the pattern as it was and stitched it up using a back stitch and little bit of satin stitching.  I am still quite happy with the result!  The voting starts today and even if I don't win a prize I was happy to get to play along.