chewy molasses spice cookies

These were a new holiday treat recipe I wanted to try this year and they will remain on my baking list every year...these prompted Aislynn to claim that I am the best cook ever, ha! They were sooooo delicious that they barely lasted 24 hours here:) Check out the recipe here and I followed the reviews and baked for exactly 11 minutes=perfection.

how to make an advent calendar

Finally typing up this tutorial on how I made my advent calendar. When I saw this advent calendar from The Land of Nod, I thought I could make one similar. So here goes in my attempt to tell you how I put it together:)
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Supplies:
2 pieces of muslin 12.75 inches x 16.75 inches
1 piece of thin cotton batting 12.75 inches x 16.25 inches
enough felt (use whatever colors you wish) to cut 24 2.25 inches x 2 inches pieces + the numbers for the pockets (I ordered this felt from this shop and the quality rocks and 10 pieces is plenty for this project!)
about 8 inches of ribbon
basic sewing supplies

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut 24 pieces of felt squares that measure 2.25 inches x 2 inches.Step 2: Trace numbers 1-24 onto felt and cut them out. You could print off the numbers from word and cut them out and trace them, in the font and size you like, or you can dig through your scrapbook stash like me and find some chipboard numbers that are the right size. I used this chipboard alphabet set from Pink Paislee.

Step 3: Press your muslin and batting. *I do this before cutting my fabrics to size, to ensure the correct sizes:)

Step 4: Layer your 2 pieces of muslin with the batting ON THE BOTTOM (not in between the 2 pieces of muslin). Pin 3 sides together, leaving the side where the batting doesn't reach the end unpinned.

Step 5: Top stitch the 3 sides that are pinned, leaving a 1/2" seam allowance. Make sure you back stitch at the ends to reinforce the seam.

Step 6: Clip the top 2 corners (not the open end) and turn inside out so that the batting is in between the 2 pieces of muslin. Poke out the corners with a bone folder, then press your rectangle.

Step 7: Fold in the open pieces of muslin 1/2" and pin together. Press.

Step 8: Pin the ends of the ribbon (to make a loop) about 1/2" in between the 2 pieces of muslin. Do this on the open end you just pressed, in the middle of the calendar. Top stitch all the way around your calendar with a 1/4"seam allowance, back stitching at the start and stop points.

Step 9: Place your felt squares on the calendar in whatever pattern is pleasing to you and pin down. Make sure the longer side is running horizontal with your calendar.

Step 10: Top stitch your pockets on. Only stitch 3 sides, making sure the top part (remember that the ribbon is the top of the calendar) is open.

Step 11: Lay your numbers on the sewn pockets.

Step 12: Glue on the numbers with tacky glue or felt/fabric glue. You COULD have sewn on your numbers on the pockets before you sewed on the pockets, but I went the easier route, plus I already had sewn on my pockets when I realized that if I sewed on the numbers I wouldn't be able to open the pockets. Duh. This is what happens when you are a very novice sewer and are making something up as you go along. And when it is about 2 hours past your bedtime:)

Ta Da! You are done! You could of course change the measurements to your desired size. As you can see, the candy cane is a little tall for the pockets:) I plan to go a teeny bit healthier route and buy snacks I normally don't buy, like yogurt covered raisins, pretzels, and fruit strips with the occasional sweet thrown in:)
Oh, and sorry the colors are so off here...I was sneaking in time whenever I could to do this, so I couldn't be picky with the light:)

December Daily 2010

Here is the base for my December Daily album. Last year I used an 8x8 album with different page sizes and I knew I wanted to do different page sizes with this one too, but in a bigger size. I was going to do a 12x12, but then I saw this Pink Paislee album and knew immediately this was the one:) I used mostly the page protectors that came with the album, but added in a few baseball card protectors and 8.5x11 pages. I will try to explain a little about each page and my plans below:)

Pg 1: This is a page protector that holds 9 wallet sized photos. It is hard to tell in the picture, but the top left, the bottom left, and the bottom right have spots for embellies and journaling (we will be at Disney then...that's the reason for the mouse ears!) and then the rest of the spots will hold photos and ephemera.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, Lined Paper-Jenni Bowlin Memo Book, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper, Mickey Button-EK Success
Pg 2: The top right and bottom left hold spots for embellishment and the rest will hold photos.
Supplies: Patterned Paper and Die-Cuts-Crate Paper

Pg 3: Another 9-wallet sized pockets protector. The top left, bottom left, and bottom right pockets hold room for embellishment and journaling, the rest will hold pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, Echo Park, Scenic Route, Sticker-Echo Park

Pg 4: The top right and the bottom left pockets are spots for journaling/embellishment and the rest will hold photos.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Echo Park, Journaling Spot: Jillibean Soup

Pg 5: I used a 5x7 page protector. I created a border with scraps and there is a spot for a 4x6 picture. I will probably add the date and journaling on a small journal spot and layer that over the photo for the day.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Echo Park

Pg 6: The back of the 5x7 protector. I knew there were certain things I wanted to include in the album, so I made some pages specifically for those things (such as my handmade stocking I just started!).
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die-Cuts, # Sticker-Crate Paper, Word Strip Sticker-October Afternoon

Pg 7: A 9 wallet-sized pocket page protector. The top left, bottom left, bottom middle, and top right hold spots for embellishment and journaling, the rest are for photos.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-KI Memories, Echo Park, Crate Paper, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper, Punch: Marvy Uchida, Number Spot: Every Jot and Title

Pg 8: The top left, top middle, and bottom left are spots for journaling and embellishment, the rest for photos.
Supplies: Flashcard-Elles Studio, Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, KI Memories, Echo Park, Sticker: Echo Park, Pom Pom Trim-Fancy Pants, Baker's Twine: Studio Calico

Pg 9: A 5x7 page protector. I plan to include a 5x7 picture from the day in the back of this.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, Echo Park, Die-Cut-Crate Paper

Pg 10: This is an 8.5x11 page protector. I will probably add some journaling strips to the lower right part of the page.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Stickers, Die-Cuts: Crate Paper, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics

Pg 11: The back of the 8.5x11 protector.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Stickers-Echo Park, Label-Elles Studio, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics

Pg 12: This is a page protector that came with the album. It has 2 pockets that are 5x5 and 2 that are 2x5. The right side with the 2x5 pockets, folds over to the left and there is a tie closure. The top left pocket with hold a photo, and the top and bottom right pockets will feature journaling and the date.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Echo Park, Crate Paper, Stickers-Echo Park, Journal Card-LivingRoomFloor, Punches-Fiskars, Journaling Spot-Heidi Swapp

Pg 13: This is the back of the 4 pocket protector. The Bottom right and top left pockets will hold pictures and the top right and bottom left pockets will hold the date and journaling.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Stickers-Echo Park

Pg 14: This is a 5x7 page protector. On the back I will include a 5x7 photo of the day.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Scenic Route, KI Memories, Die-Cut-Crate Paper, Stickers-Sassafras, Cardstock-Bazzill Basics, Punch-FiskarsPg 15: Another one of the 4 pocket page protectors. The top left and bottom right pockets will hold photos and the top right and bottom left will hold the date and journaling.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Echo Park, Crate Paper, Stickers-Echo Park, Pom Pom Trim-Fancy PantsPg 16: The back of the 4 pocket protector. The bottom right pocket will hold a photo and the other 3 pockets will hold embellishments/ journaling, and the date.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper, Stickers-October Afternoon, Tag-Creative CafePg 17: An envelope to hold copies of this year's Santa Letters.
Supplies: Cardstock-Bazzill Basics, Bingo Card-October Afternoon, Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, Echo Park, Punch-Fiskars, Marvy Uchida, Sticker (on the back)-Echo Park
Pg 18: A 9 wallet-sized pocket page protector. The very middle pocket, the top right and the bottom left hold room for the date and embellishments and the rest will hold pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Love, Elsie, Crate Paper, Die-Cut-Crate Paper, Card: LivingRoomFloor, Date Circle-Ormolu
Pg 19: The back of the 9 pocket page protector. The middle pocket is embellished, the other pockets will hold room for more pictures+recipes of the holiday treats we will bake this year.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die-Cut-Crate Paper
Pg 20: A 5x7 page protector. The back will include a 5x7 photo from the day.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Love, Elsie, Echo Park, Die-Cut-Crate Paper, Cardstock-Bazzill Basics, Punch-Fiskars

Pg 21: Another 4 pocket page protector. The top left and bottom right will have pictures and the top right and bottom left will have the date+journaling.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Stickers-Echo Park

Pg 22: The back of the 4 pocket protector. It will have photos in the 2 big right pockets and the bottom left pocket. The top left will have the date/journaling.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Sticker-Echo Park, Label-Elles Studio

Pg 23: A 9 wallet-sized pocket page protector. The top left, middle, bottom left and bottom right have journaling/embellies/date, and the other pockets will have pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper

Pg 24: The back of the 9 pocket page protector. The top left and middle and the very middle will have journaling/date/embellishment and the others will have pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper, Label-Elles Studio

Pg 25: A 5x7 page protector.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Stickers-Echo Park

Pg 26: The back of the 5x7 page protector.
Supplies: Cardstock-Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper, Stickers-Echo Park, Rhinestones-My Mind's Eye, Me and My Big Ideas, Rub-Ons-Jenni Bowlin, Flashcard-Elles Studio, Punch-Fiskars

Pg 27: A 9 wallet-size pocket page protector. The top left, middle left, middle right, and bottom right pockets have room for embellishment/date, journaling. The others will have pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Cosmo Cricket, Crate Paper, Basic Grey, Stickers-Scenic Route, Rhinestones-Me and My Big Ideas, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper

Pg 28: The back of the 9 pocket protector. The top right, bottom right, middle left, and bottom left pockets ahve space for date/journaling/embellishment and the others will hold pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Echo Park, October Afternoon, Flashcard-Elles Studio, Sticker-October Afternoon, Numbers cut from a Jenni Bowlin Bingo card

Pg 29: An 8.5x11 inch page protector.
Supplies: Sticker-Creative Cafe, Patterned Paper, Border Sticker, Die-Cut-Crate Paper, Punch-Marvy Uchida

Pg 30: The back of the 8.5x11 page protector.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die-Cuts-Crate Paper, Stickers: Scenic Route

Pg 31: A baseball card protector (holds things 2.5x3.5 inches). The top right and bottom right will hold the journaling/embellishments, the rest are pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Crate Paper, Rub-Ons-Pink Paislee, Flashcard-Elles Studio, Punch-Fiskars

Pg 32: The back of the baseball card holder. The bottom right has room for embellishment and the rest will have pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Die-Cut-Crate Paper
and
Pg 33: The front of another baseball card holder. The top left, bottom left and middle right pockets hold room for embellishment/journaling and the others will have pictures.
Supplies: Patterned Paper-Cosmo Cricket, SEI, Sticker-October Afternoon

Pg 34: The back of the baseball card protector. The middle pocket has embellishment an the other pockets will hold pictures.
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Phew, that's it! I am so relieved this is done...now just waiting for the festivites to start;) I tried not to include too many dates so it can be more flexible. I made this with less embellishments than last year's and I really want to focus more on photos+words this year, which is why I included so many 9 pocket pages (esp. on days such as Disney and Christmas Eve and Day that will be photo heavy). I have plenty of page protectors ready to go so I can add more pages if necessary. Other notes...I did a little red stitching on each page to tie it all together (plus...how could *I* not add some sewing, hee hee) and I will als make a large pocket by sewing 2 8.5x11 pieces of patterned paper together to hold the Christmas cards we receive this year. I will definitely post the after pictures of the pages as they get finished:)