easy-to-make rice-filled hand warmers.

happy december seventh!

here is an easy project to make at home for the holidays.

it would make a great stocking stuffer or small Christmas package for a friend.

also consider making some for yourself.

i know i will be in need of a pair!!

You will need: a piece of flannel, bag of rice (not instant), funnel, sewing machine, and basic  sewing supplies.

Cut four 4" x 4" squares.

With right sides together, stitch two squares of flannel together with a 3/8" seam allowance. Make sure to leave a 1-2" gap on one side. Repeat with other two squares.

Turn bags right side out. Using a funnel, fill each bag halfway to three quarters full of rice.

Machine stitch gap closed. Make sure your stitch is tight. 

To use, microwave on medium high for 2 minutes. Will stay toasty for around 30 minutes. 

inspiration: http://www.ehow.com/how_4557579_make-rice-bag-hand-warmer.html

happy december sixth!

tomorrow i hope to do a post on making rice-filled hand warmers.

this was one of my advent gifts for jeremiah and they are easy as pie to make.

all you will need is a piece of flannel, a bag of rice and basic sewing supplies. 

happy december fifth! 

it's amazing how quickly the days go.

made my first garland using cuttings from around the yard.

our little tree has been up and decorated for a few days now.

jeremiah and i decided to exchange gifts for advent.

he gets a gift on the odd days and i get a gift on the even days.

i think this will be a tradition we definitely keep!

happy december third!

last night we had our good friends, alex and celena, over for our first official sleepover. 

we all decided that adults should be able to have sleepovers too.

so every month or so we hope to make it a tradition of getting together, eating lots of good food, talking, and watching movies and then sleeping all under the same roof.

and last night was the beginning of it all...

and it was lovely!

happy december second!

winter is closing in and it's easy to forget about the beauty outside.

fall and spring are stunning in their own rights,

but there is something so lovely, so comforting, about the season of winter.

snow is by far one of nature's more amazing sights,

but i love the bare trees and the clear skies and the muted colors of winter. 

last night i was reminded of this when i joined jeremiah and wake for their usual after work playtime.

it was dusk and i couldn't help but take a couple of pictures.

they do no justice to the beauty i saw but are a reminder to look out the window or step out on the porch from time to time and appreciate a winter's sky. 

happy first of december...

i hope it's a cold one with lots of warm blankets and a toasty fire!

stacks of firewood ready for the cold.

kitchen scraps going into the compost bin.

my next post will be about composting for the beginner (which is me).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

back home from thanksgiving. 

if i am being honest, i am reluctantly back home.

it is hard for me to leave my family and to watch jeremiah go back to work.

this big house can get very lonely at times.

---------------------------------------------------------

thanksgiving was lovely.

lots of sweets and sweets and sweets and sweets.

this was my first year participating in the making of the thanksgiving meals.

i am great at eating the meals but for some reason have never helped cook them.

for my dad's side, i made a texas sheet cake.

and for my mom's side, i made a pumpkin pie with freshly roasted pumpkin and shortbread crust.

both turned out relatively well considering it was my first time making both recipes.

the other highlight of my holiday was going to see breaking dawn.

yes, breaking dawn of the twilight series.

and, yes, i loved it.