I won!!!!!!

Hello! I won!! YAY!! I won the Secret Pal 9 contest for this month about sharing the recipes!
Thank you for my yummy smelling spices!!!
Merry Christmas!

It is getting closer!

Oooh Christmas is coming real fast...are you ready?
I am NOT! The kids are out of school and I have not finished shopping yet. I know they are going to want to go shopping for each other soon too.

My Secret Pal's gifts are almost ready to ship out. I hope she likes what I got her. This is really fun since it goes on for a little while and we get to know each other.
I have been making and mailing out squares for a Friendship afghan in a SWAP and it has been great seeing all of the squares come in my fav color....purple!!!!! LOL
I have a sick one home today from church and the children's choir is singing today. :(
TTFN

Wow. I have made myself too busy. I had to write them down in a notebook to keep up!
I got two great packages in the mail yesterday. They were from Secret Sisters in groups that I am in. One is no longer a secret but the other one didn't give me any clues to who she is!!!
So now i have to do some investigating.
I am not finished Christmas shopping yet. I am so far behind it is not funny! The kids have been involved in school activities and kept me on the go. I am too tired to do my usual. The good thing is my hubby and I decided to cut back on what they get this year...they asked for big items anyway, and have outgrown all the cutsy stuff.., except for the 7 yr old. lol
Better go and crochet some more!

You are great SP!!!!

Hello!
During a very hectic and mind boggling week end I recieved a package in the mail from my SP!!
I will get it together and post a picture soon, my battery just showed low after taking some photos. But she sent me a box of goodies including CHOCOLATE!!!!! (yum)Some adorable coasters that you can put photos in, and other things that I will wait till I have the pix to tell! LOL

Thank you Secret Pal! You made my day!!!!

My fav recipe

Hello all,
For the Secret Pal 9 contest this month I am to write about a favorite recipe that is special to me.

My mom and grandmother made this yummy Buttermilk Cake with Caramel icing. My Granny had made it for years and years. People she worked for in the past would call her to make this cake for them. She would ship from KY to California or wherever due to these requests! My Granny would bake it from memory...even in her mid 90's and I would stand there waiting for her to finish with the icing pot so I could scrape it clean! LOL
The cake recipe was always a secret, and was handed down, if you were interested in baking. My mom perfected the caketoo, and it was soooo good. We ALWAYS had it on the holidays.(among other cakes of course)

It was given to me when I got married, but I did not try to make it until a few years ago. My mom and Granny are both deceased now, but my dad (who was a great taste tester for years) said That I got it! Yay!!!!!
The flavor of the cake is so good, It is light and airy, but melts in your mouth. The caramel icing is made the old fashioned way by browning your sugar in the iron skillet. Yum!! I need to make some NOW!!!LOL

So that is my favorite recipe that has so much emotion and love tied up into it.
TTFN!

When I make it for my family wonderful memories come flooding back of Holiday baking and birthday celebrations with my family as a child. And I always lick the pot from the icing left, before I let my kids have it!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Hello All,
Happy Thanksgiving! We had a good day at the mil's house with all but 2 of her 10 children being home. It was fun, and the kids had a ball seeing their cousins.
I have some pictures of items I recieved from my C'ville Holiday Exch Pal. Her name is Bonnie and she is a special lady. She takes care of her sick daughter and still finds the time to do all of this:





She has really spoiled me rotten!
I had wanted purple stitch markers too! She had also had purchased some patterns for me that I had wanted. She is good! LOL
Thanks Bonnie!! I appreciate you!
I have more pics to take and post too.

I got a postcard from my SP9 pal. She is teasing me! LOL she said first the postcard, then I will get something else!
I can hardly wait!
Better go it is getting late!

I

Hello!
I am behind on posting pictures. I have had some awesome exchange partners this month and I need to post pictures of what they sent. I am exchanging away here . Having so much fun. I will try aand get pictures ready!
TTFN

Thank you SP!

I just want to thank my wonderful Secret Pal for her e cards and her emails! I enjoy hearing from her. It is mounting up excitement indeed!!!

I have forgotten to post here. I had to get ready for a group of men from church that my hubby wanted to have over last Saturday. Plus my hubby is on vacation for 2 weeks! Needless to say my crafting is behind as well as reading my emails!! I have gotten two sets of coasters done in pretty Christmas colors, one for a coaster exchange and another for a secret exchange.

I need to get organized. I have been buying things for my exchanges, especially the Christmas themed ones and now I need to sort them and mail!!!!

I have also done three dishcloths and I forgot to take a pix before I mailed them out! Ugh! I was trying not to be late! LOL
I must put dinner on the table, will write more later!!

Amazon.com: Your Wish List

Amazon.com: Your Wish List

Whew!

Wow!
I have been busy these past few days. Not much knitting or crocheting going on. Halloween was a blast. The kids had so much fun. We were rushed due to practice for my oldest dd not ending till 4:30. A lot of kids were out by 5 PM were at my sil neighborhood with the rest of the nieces and nephews so they could be together. Then my sil grilled burgers for them, they hd a blast. It did turn cold out though and the rain stopped but it was misting a bit. One of my dd were feeling the effects of it last night. She had started wheezing!:(
Anyway, this w/e my dh is having some of the men of the church over for steak dinner, so I have been tidying up a bit. Need to get my craft basket out of the living room!! LOL
I have to work on my Nov. exchanges after this w/e. The early ones I have sent off, but I need to do some ornaments.
I have been shopping around for my SP 9 person. This is so neat how we can sneak and look at their blog and find out things about them and buy accordingly.
I think the most of them are far better crafter than I. It is neat to see things they have made.
Better go and get busy, it will be time to get the kids and I will have accomplished nothing!!LOL

This week has been busy. The my oldest has started with her competitions with Academic Team. So we are on the road again.
Hopefully, it won't be as stressful as last year. With homework and all makes it difficult to stay on top of things!
I will have two in competitions in January. My 5th grader competes on the elementary level also, but at least the schools are right around here.

It took forever tonight to get everyone settled and homework done. The younger two were finished early, but the older two, I just sent to bed because they had too many questions(Algebra) and it was late. I guess we must get up early in the morning to finish.. Argh!! My brain had shut down by then! LOL

TTFN!

Weather/SP 9

Well, the rain has stopped, for a while at least. The temperatures did get warmer. So we will see what we will be instore for next!
I heard from my Secret Pal 9, (Thank you for my E-card SP!) I was glad to hear from her. I am going to email her the answer to her questions tonight.
TTFN

Woe is me.. We are at it again. Back to the busy schedule with the kids at school. I must organize myself so I can keep up with things!
I am crocheting some more coasters to send to a Holiday exchange partner. I have been waiting for some pretty Christmas yarn at our Walmart, but it has not arrived yet. I saw some online even some cotton Christmas yarn. I hope they hurry up and get some in!!
My dd has started carrying around a hook and yarn in her backpack! It is funny because she just makes chains,,,,, and the kids are asking her to make some for them! LOL I told her she needs to learn how to make a square now!
We are still in rainy weather. It rained all night long and is still raining now at 11 a.m.
Our temps are going back up to warmer for a few days too so they say!
Better go finish these coasters and start on a dishcloth for another exchange!

See what I made?

I love the colors in this cloth and coasters. I made these for exchanges, one coaster exchange and a dishcloth exchange. I had to go buy more of this color called Fiesta Ombre by Peaches n Cream.
I hope the people that received them liked them.
TTFN!!

HI!

Hi!
I forgot to post yesterday. I actually was trying to catch up on housework, not to mention made a big pot of homemade vegetable
soup for dinner. The cooler temperatures are starting to hit our
area and the soup was just what we needed!!

I am knitting and mostly crocheting dishcloths and coasters for
upcoming exchanges. I am one ahead on my monthly dishcloth exchange. My month is Feb. I believe. the Halloween exchanges have been so much fun too, buying for kids is one thing, but being able to buy treats and make things for the ladies have really been fun!!
Next are the secret pal and Christmas exchanges. This will really be good because you all know mom gives and gives at Christmas time...and that indeed is what I love to do! But it is nice to occasionally receive things that you love to do as gifts, and who better knows what to give
a fellow crafter than another crafter!!!!! Plus we never make things for ourselves to use!!!! LOL

Looky what I got!!!!

First of all let me say thank you to Suzi at the Knitters Tea Swap2. It was so much fun participating in this!!! My Secret Swap partner was Isobel, from Ireland! She really showered me with gifts too! She sent me two bags of her favorite loose teas and a tea ball infuser!!!! One tea is a Rooibus tea,which is a South African red bush tea. The other is a vanilla tea, yummy! I will savour the flavor of each one!!!

Here she gave me two adorable tea towels and a book called "Tea Tips" Aren't these adorable?






Oh and look here is some beautiful yarn. Some from an Irish spinner, and it has alpaca in it!!!! It is Aran Luxury Tweed.


And the color is just luscious!!! It isn't as bright purple as it appears hee, it is more of a plum or mulberry with flecks of red, green, and blues in it ever so slight.





Oh and here we have everyone's fav. Chocolate!!! My kids were drooling over this. She sent her favs here and tells me that even though we can get the Kit Kat Bar in the US, these taste different. I cannot wait to try them!!!



But wait that's not all!!!!!!!


Here are my souvenirs from Ireland. Two post cards and an ink pen that says 'Ireland', and has sheep on it!! (I collect ink pens!)
Then the sweet darling sent my kids each a green pencil with sheep on top. They were so tickle to get something!!!!
So I'd say this swap was an awesome experience, and I plan on keeping in contact with Isobel.

TTFN!!!

SP 9 Contest Info

I have to list my favs on here as a contest. Keep you fingers crossed!!!
Actor: Denzel Washington
Actress: Jennifer Garner
Animal: Panda
Band: Like classical music, and gospel music only (Donnie McKlurkin, Hezakiah Walker, Rizen}
Beverage: Diet Dr. Pepper
Book: Ooo hard one. Maybe The Firm by John Grisham, or the VC Andrews books (any of those would qualify as favs)
Bubble Bath: I like shower gels: pears/vanillas
Candy: All milk chocolates .....and hot tamales!!lol
Color: PURPLE!!!!
Flower: Orchids
Food: Turnip Greens!!
Lip Balm: Hmm using Lypsyl these days.
Lotion: Jergens
Movie: Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Song: God, Great God
TV Show: E.R./Alias/ Greys Anatony!!!!!
Vacation Spot: Hawaii (haven't been yet though!) LOL

So this was kinda hard because I never think of what my fav things are! LOL
Let me put it up so the hostess will know!
TTFN!

Monday

Hello,
I had forgotten that today is a holiday, and I have several exchanges ready to go out. Guess I have to wait till tomorrow.
I just received my Pal for the Secret Pal 9 swap. This is so excititng because I have been waiting a long time for this. I found the SP8 too late to join, so I had to wait until now to chime in on the fun!
I have secret pals in other clubs but they only last for that month's exchange. This will be a secret for LONGER!!!!

I have been watching the Knitters Tea Swap Blog and reading all the goodies everyone has received. It is so exciting to see. My Pal has assured me that mine is on the way across the water, so I will be patient and wait! It is exciting just to know that it is coming from such a distance!!!!:)
Better go light a fire under my kids who seem to want to play instead of straighten their rooms! LOL
TTFN!

Parcel on it's way!!!!

Oh my there is a package on its way to my Knitters Tea Swap 2 Pal! I mailed it out and I pray it gets there safely to her. I have mailed out another smaller coffee/tea swap and a monthly dishcloth exchange also this week. The US Postal Service loves me this week, and it's not even Christmas!!!! I have one more exchange to send out before Halloween, it is a Halloween exchange for CrochetSwapSpot@yahoogroups.com It is a neat place with some fun folks.
Better go and get busy.
Oh yes I was visiting blogs on the Knitters Tea Swap, and ran upon Cecily's blog who had an interesting post. She said to the first 5 responses to her post she would create something art wise especially for them. I was number 2 comment, so if no one else has emailed her or something I may get a neat original piece of art!!! Isn't that cool?