17 November 2009
Welcome to A Homemade Christmas! This is No. 1 of 4 A Homemade Christmas events.
I hope you’ll join us in sharing about homemade gifts, decorations, foods, and/or handmade things that make your home extra special for Christmas!
{Feel free to learn more about A Homemade Christmas here.}
A wonderful thing about having A Homemade Christmas is knowing that the handmade gift given, decoration hung, food enjoyed is special because it was made with love.
When something is made with love it is cherished. It doesn’t have to be fancy, nor does it have to be expensive. But when it’s made with love, it cannot get better than that.
The one who receives the gift, sees the decoration, or enjoys the dish will know and remember that those things were not there because we ran out of time, but because we took the time.
My latest project has been knitting fingerless mittens. I have not been knitting (the correct way) for very long, but have found it most enjoyable! It is relaxing (although the occasional dropping of a stitch is a bit unnerving) and easier than it may look.
The pattern is simple: a knit-pearl square that is slip-stitched together on the side, leaving a hole for the thumb. I still have yet to learn to cable-knit (I am looking forward to my sister teaching me how), and I’m sure once I’ve learned that there will be a few more projects that I will make using the cable stitch.
This sage pair of fingerless mittens is completed, and I have a couple more pairs in the making. They will be gifts to keep my family’s hands warm this winter.
Are you having A Homemade Christmas? Yes? Then I invite you to join me here by adding your link to your post about homemade gift(s), decorations, foods, and/or handmade things that make your home extra special for Christmas!
To join us, just sign Mr. Linky below (make sure you use the direct post link). You can get the codes and instructions for adding an A Homemade Christmas icons to your blog by clicking here. The next A Homemade Christmas events will be December 1st, December 15th, and December 29th! This Linky will be open for two weeks, until the next AHC event begins.
I hope you’ll join us while we learn, inspire, and encourage one another as we prepare to celebrate (though we celebrate all year round) the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!
View Other A Homemade Christmas Posts:
| 1. Kyleigh 2. Kristen~Pajama Mama 3. Bridgett 4. Susannah (sevensisters) 5. Angel-homemade cocoa jars 6. Angel-keeping CHRIST in Christmas cards! 7. Rachel 8. Maddy 9. Lady Kate 10. Rachel Grace 11. Danielle |
12. Breezy 13. Robin 14. Tarissa 15. Elisabeth LaMouria 16. Maggie @ Painter of Words 17. Rebecca @ Renaissance:: Baby Sweater 18. Rebecca @ Renaissance::And MORE presents 19. DHM, fabric ‘paper’ doll |
20. Elena 21. Peggy 22. Miss Jen 23. Hannah @ Reflections of a Face 24. Michelle 25. Jen 26. Sewmelody 27. Haley Steele 28. Watalulu 29. Esther~ Andrew’s Socks 30. Cassie |
14 November 2009
Last year I began the meme, A Homemade Christmas, where I posted every week about creating gifts to give away at Christmas, and invited others to join me.
This year will be a little bit different.
Every two weeks (dates are below), I will be posting about a project that I have completed or am working on that is either a gift, recipe/food, or something that will make the home extra special for Christmas. And, I’m encouraging you to join me, and have yourself a homemade Christmas.
What is A Homemade Christmas?
A Homemade Christmas is when you create things to give as gifts to friends and family, make decorations for the home, make Christmas goodies (food), etc.
The A Homemade Christmas meme is when you have the opportunity to share about the creative things you are doing for Christmas (such as listed above) on your blog, and drop by here to leave your link so that others can see what you are working on and be inspired in their own creative pursuits (and so you can be inspired by others’ projects, too).
When should we post about our homemade projects?
A Homemade Christmas begins this Tuesday. Every other Tuesday for eight weeks (making four events), a new A Homemade Christmas post will be up here on my blog. There will be a place at the bottom of my posts for you to add your link(s) to your A Homemade Christmas post(s) (make sure it is the direct/permanent link).
Dates to participate in A Homemade Christmas:
• November 17th
• December 1st
• December 15th
• December 29th (wrap-up with projects/gifts we couldn’t share before Christmas)
The main/opening dates are listed above, but the linkys will be open two weeks after the beginning date so that you have plenty of time to get in your posts.
The Reason for A Homemade Christmas (and extra notes):
Through this, I hope we can inspire and encourage one another in our preparation to celebrate (though we celebrate all year round) the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
If you would like an icon to put in your post or sidebar, just click here, copy the code of the icon you would like, and paste the code where desired. Voila!
And remember—to make this extra fun—I need your participation! I’m looking forward to doing this with you all!
P.S. You are welcome to spread the word about this, and I hope you participate!
12 November 2009
This dip is delicious! Below are the recipes for Chili Seasoning Mix (what you’ll add to the meat), Chili Meat (what you’ll add to the dip), and Cheesy Chili Chip Dip (which you will eat). This is the perfect snack-ish dish that goes quite quickly (if you have more than eight feasting upon it, you may wish to make a second pie plate of it!).
Chili Seasoning Mix
1 Tb. all-purpose flour
2 Tb. minced dried onion
1½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground red pepper
½ tsp. instant minced garlic
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. ground cumin
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Makes 1 package or about 1/4 cup Chili Seasoning Mix. We make this in bulk so that we have it on hand and do not have to mix a small batch every time we need it.
(If you are just wanting to make the seasoning mix for future use, store in a small jar or bag that is airtight. Use within 6 months.)
Chili Meat
1 lb. ground beef
1 – 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Chili mix (recipe above)
Fry ground beef in skillet, making sure to chop thoroughly. Add crushed tomatoes and chili mix to the fully cooked meat in skillet and mix well.
Cheesy Chili Chip Dip
1 – 8 oz. pkg. neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese)
1/2 of the Chili Meat (above)
1-1½ cups shredded cheese (sharp or Mexican)
Evenly spread the cream cheese in pie plate. Layer the chili meat on top (only half of the recipe above, you can freeze the rest of the chili meat for another dish of this delicious dip or a batch of chili). Sprinkle shredded cheese over meat. Microwave for 5-6 minutes (checking on it every minute), or bake in oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes (I’m guessing, so you’ll want to check in on it). Serve with tortilla chips.
I hope you enjoy it! When the Seasoning Mix and Chili Meat has been prepared ahead of time, it makes for a quick and easy dish. This was one of the things we ate while Sarah Mae and her family were staying with us . . . we all thought it was scrumptious!
10 November 2009
Are you ready for A Homemade Christmas? Last year I started a meme for others to post about what gifts they were making for Christmas. This year will be a little bit different. There will be four two week periods, and they begin next Tuesday, November 17th. This time you can post about gifts and recipes, decorations, and any thing that has to do with giving to others and making the home special for Christmas. Stay tuned for more information!
My aunt Lou made the quilt above for my aunt Glenna. Lou has been making quilts for quite a while, and she made the beautiful quilt here for my momma. Lately she has been working on several knitting projects (as well as her daughter), and has inspired my sister and I to start knitting again.
In the past I have knitted, but after finding out that I was had been doing it wrong (actually backwards) I retired to crocheting (the good ol’ standby). Now that I have picked knitting back up—and am doing it the correct way—I am thoroughly enjoying it! I have began working on a pair of green fingerless gloves.
If you have any left-over home-directed magazines, you might wish to cut the pictures out and make note cards! I received this dear card and envelope from Monica at The Homespun Heart, which gave me an idea as to what to do with the pages I have collected of inspirations from magazines. You may also like decoupaging something special.
And now that Christmas is only forty days away, you can start preparing to have a homemade Christmas . . . and don’t forget to enter your posts in the meme (starting Nov. 17th)!
17 October 2009
. . . to be surrounded by fields of corn.
It can be easy to get caught up in our day-to-day lives and forget to take the time to thank the One who has given us stewardship over all that we have. It is our Creator who gives us . . .
the breath of life and every heart beat
love for others that goes beyond first impressions
water to quench our thirst (both the spiritual and physical)
joy in the life that He gives
family who stands by our side and encourages us
contentment in where He places us
bread to satisfy our hunger (both the spiritual and physical)
eyes that can see the beauty of His creation that surrounds us
salvation from an eternity of torment
commands to obey and live by
hope in Him and a hope for the future . . .
The list does not end there — it goes on and on. It is a list that does not end. It is all by God’s sovereign grace that we have what we have — and all the praise goes to Almighty God!
“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
Psalm 9:1-2
Let us look for things to be thankful for so that we may never take for granted what He has bestowed us with (be assured that you do not have to look far to see the love our Lord has for His people). Let us forever thank and praise the One who deserves all the glory!
What comes to mind when you think of things you are thankful for?
8 October 2009
There is nothing that says Autumn quite like the first step into the little store at the apple orchard. The smell is enchanting and brings back many memories of cider, pumpkins, and pounds upon pounds of apples.
Unlike some, the apples at our local orchard are already picked. It does sound most pleasant to pick ones own apples, though! As the apples are already picked, each type of apple is labeled by section and contained by bushel baskets.
Not only are there apples, there are also pumpkins and a variety of gourds. Behind the store are many, many pumpkins. There was a large pile of smaller ones, and past those there were rows of larger pumpkins. Although we did not purchase any, I went out back to capture a few shots of them (as well as the brimming apple tree at the top of the post).
During our latest trip to the orchard we purchased 60 lbs of apples, the majority of which have been turned into canned applesauce. We plan on going back again soon to get more apples, and in addition to those, plenty of pears to can for pear pies!
4 September 2009
Breezy and I spent the last six weeks working on a project that the Lord blessed us with. He has seen us through every moment of painting, designing, and writing, giving us inspiration and perseverance!
All of your guesses have been most inspiring (some of you even guessed another project we have in the works), and a few of you guessed correctly! The first was Maddy (I’ve emailed you!), who gets to choose which C — or Collection — she would like.
Our project is . . . A Paper Doll Series of Historical Women in Christ’s Kingdom!
Entitled Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls, this “new series of paper dolls gives young ladies a wholesome and delightful product to enjoy while strengthening them in biblical femininity, character, and love for history. Beautifully and modestly dressed, the ladies featured in these collections are women of God who sacrificed much to serve the Lord, their husbands, and their families.”
Each collection comes with two ladies, two short biographies, three outfits apiece, two timeline figures, and a pocket to be attached to the inside of the keepsake folder. (Cutting is required, so parental oversight is suggested for younger girls.)
As to the clues . . .
— Anything having to do with food was referring to hospitality (these ladies were very hospitable).
— The Queens — Queen Anne’s Lace — has to do with future ladies which, Lord willing, will be included in future Collections (at the time we had not selected all of the ladies for the first three collections).
— The Computer desk is where I have sat for the past six weeks, cleaning up the images and laying out the booklets.
— The C1, C2 and C3 color swatches are the background colors of the collection covers.
— The Toys from the Past was hinting at paper dolls as toys from the past.
— The Clues with Abigail Adams referred to the research done for Collection Two (which includes Abigail Adams).
These dolls are currently at the printers, and should be available, Lord willing, by early October!
