SuziSew

Sorry I've been so quiet the last few weeks. I'm working on my bachelor's degree and have two overlapping classes, and have closed my eyes to everything else. Thankfully one of the classes end on Wednesday and life will get a little more normal...well, my definition of normal! I have had time to put my supplies out and just need to decide between 2 ornaments...heck, maybe I'll just make both! I've really enjoyed seeing all of the ornaments hearing what's going on with everyone (I've been keeping up while I'm at work....shhh!) I've enjoyed the occasional distraction for sure!

Jacquie...you should definitely show the rest, it looks lovely!!

Anoka, thanks again for doing such a great job hosting!

NZquilter

I'm going to get my package out in the mail hopefully by Wednesday, it all goes according to my plans. I'm going to be in town tomorrow so I hope to buy a Christmas card and a bubble wrap envelope for the swap.

Cheesehead

Today I received a package from Leechburg, Pa with the most beautiful handwriting on the label! Now comes the hard part, waiting for the day until we can open up our packages!

Jan

Nelco

Got my package with ornament + goodies in the mail today. It has a LONG ways to go.

Anoka Quilter

My tree is very eclectic, a little bit of everything. My husband has received an ornament from his parents for every year; I have received an ornament every year from my Grandson, who is now 11; and three years of ornaments from this swap. I still have some ceramic ornaments I made as a kid, and the rest of our tree is made up of ornaments we have purchased, usually on sale after Christmas. We do a live tree every year in our formal living room, we just happen to have a Christmas Tree farm that neighbors our back yard. This year we are actually going to do a 2nd tree down in the family room. Hubby misses looking at the tree and since we spend most of our time in the family room we decided to break out the artificial and will be setting that up. We hit a great sale at Walmart after Christmas last year and pick up all kinds of fun stuff to decorate it with. I am not a fa of garland either so we usually use beads and we never use tinsel because of the cat. Wouldn't want to see her accidently eating any of that. However, believe it or not the cat doesn't really bother the tree. She will sometimes bat at the ornaments towards the bottom, but I have never caught her climbing it.

Anoka Quilter

Quilty-Louise, I have a flat free that I made from macramé could. It works really great for hanging ornaments from. It is buried in the garage at the moment but if I have time before the swap ends I will try to dig it out and post a picture. I haven't hung it up in years; however, when I was cleaning out the garage this summer I came across it and thought about hanging it up in my sewing room to make the area a little more festive.

[QUOTE=Quilty-Louise;7686362]We are now down to just 1 fur kid and she is 10 years. I am thinking about
making a "flat" tree. It will be a wall hanging, but in the shape of a tree, and
it will be able to hold my flat ornaments on it. QUOTE]

Anoka Quilter

Thank you to everyone who participated.

Jacquie - Felt Santa - Post #215
-Felt Mitten and Stocking - Post #216

Betty J - Angel, Santa, and round ornament - Post #125
- Primitive Lace Angel - Post #222

RedGarnet222 - Felt Owl - Post #224

JCT14 - Pom Pom Ball Ornament - Post #240

dotcomdtcm - Poinsettia Pattern - Post #242

K-Roll - Polish Christmas Star - Post #243

Thank you everyone for playing.

And the winner is......Betty J

Anoka Quilter

So what else makes the holidays special? All the goodies that we make.

Please share your favorite holiday cookie or candy recipe.

I will start off with one of mine.

Cookie Dough Truffles
Makes 5 1/2 dozen
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 cup packed brow sugar
2 cups flour
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 pounds semisweet chocolate candy coating

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Add flour, condensed milk, ad vanilla and mix well.
Stir I chocolate chips and walnuts
Shape into 1" balls and place on waxed paper lined baking sheet
Refrigerate 1-2 hours or until firm
Melt candy coating, stirring often until smooth
Dip balls in coating; place o waxed paper lined baking sheets.
Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes

dotcomdtcm

I'll be away until Dec. 5. So if you are mailing to me, be patient. You may know that I am coping with 2 of my 3 kids
moving to California. There will be a wedding in June, so my daughter, her sweetheart, and my son will save the cost of flying to my home in NYC for Christmas. Boo hoo. My older daughter and I will make every effort to enjoy the fun and
spirit of the season. And we have Facetime. My BFF's daughter has moved to Germany, so I am not permitted to complain too much!

Anoka Quilter

While it is sad to see them go you also have to be proud of what they are doing with their lives. Look at the bright side dotcomdtcm, at least you have a warm winter get away place.