Handmade Gifts for the Holidays!

Wow!  I have been gone from my blog for some time and it has been an amazing month.  My family came to visit for the holidays and it was a whirlwind.  Lots of eating, sightseeing, and enjoying time together.  I spent the last two months sewing and crafting for the holidays and I think it paid off.  I baked, shopped, sewed, cleaned, and organized for 2 solid weeks at the beginning of December.

Here is what I have been up to:::

Eucalyptus Sugar Scrubs for my girlfriends.  Tutorial to come!

Chocolate dipped pretzels to ship out to family and friends.

A patchwork hot and cold bag with a matching tissue holder for my sister-in-law.

Go Huskers!  A Nebraska ornament for my father-in-law.

Another cute tissue pouch for my mother-in-law.

This little pouch is for my niece, it is for these zhu-zhu toys that she loves, and a snack...

Foot warmers for the family in cold weather.

A slouchy beret for my brother and a tissue pouch for his girlfriend.

Feet warmers all around!

I had a blast making everything and I hope everyone enjoyed receiving their presents!  I had a fantastic holiday and can't wait to see what the new year brings.

How I Spent Christmas Day...

I hope you had a fantastic Christmas Day...  I know I did.  To recap, I woke up early, got crazy excited to open presents, ate breakfast, showered, then OPENED PRESENTS!  (Sorry, I LOVE presents...) oh... (and anything wrapped)  During which we had mimosas and candy.  Then we made a huge lunch and feasted until work.  Not too shabby.  It was a day spent with family, either we were together or we were skyping!

Skype with my older brother and his girlfriend in Spain. 

Mom and Dad love skype

Mimosa with lilikoi nectar.. wow, do I really have to work? I want 5!

An all time favorite from long ago...

Why this one?  Who doesn't love sheep!

Oooh la la!  Moving mouse that STILL moves!

Steak and Salmon for Christmas Brunch at home

The famous blueberry jell-o!

Macaroni Casserole from my boyfriend Cody.  YUM!

I will post some of the recipes soon.  In the meantime, Good night, and good luck!

Caramel Tutorial

I made caramels  tonight for Christmas, along with a lot of other goodies.  I posted the recipe last year, but thought I would include a tutorial/recipe for this year.  They are so insanely delish so if you don't have anyone to share them with at home, make sure you gift them!  It makes a lot.

Start with your ingredients:
1/3 cup water
4 cups sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
4 oz. unsalted butter (room temp)
4 cups heavy cream (scalded)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla

Then place your water, sugar, and light corn syrup in a large pot.  I would recommend something deep so when you pour the cream in later you have a lot of room for bubbling and expansion.

Cook until sugar reaches 305 degrees F.  Washing down the sides of the pot with a brush and water to prevent crystallization.  If you don't want to wash down, put a lid over the pot and check the temperature periodically, the steam will naturally keep the sides moist and free of crystals.

Once the sugar mixture reaches 305 degrees F, remove from heat and add scalded cream and room temperature butter slowly.  It will bubble up and look something like this.  (above photo)

Place back on the heat after adding salt and vanilla and cook until 248 degrees F.  The caramel will be fairly light in color but extremely bubbly.  Be careful not to burn yourself as sugar burns can be quite painful.  Use oven mitts and a steady hand when handling hot sugar.

When caramel has stopped bubbling, pour it into a half sheet pan prepared with foil or industrial plastic wrap that won't melt.   Let cool and cover overnight.  Cut and wrap the next day.

More Christmas Gift Peeks...

Christmas is coming up so quick and I have been pretty good this year about making my gifts.  Here are a few more peeks...  These are some of my handmade cards for one of my good friends.  (she already got them so I can show them away!)

Psst...  (everyone loves secrets!)

DANG!  Who doesn't say Dang??

I love this stamp from corrabelle on etsy!

Perfect for anytime...  right?

I got really into handmade cards this year.  The ribbons and stamps make them so fun to sew and put together.

Look What I Got!

I opened up my mailbox this morning and look what was inside! A super cute and functional needle roll-up from http://www.astitchabove.etsy.com/.  I love the fabric, the design, and how totally useful it is!  Thank you to my boyfriend's brother and his wife for such a thoughtful gift.  I immediately filled it with my needles, rolled it up, unrolled it, finished a project just to add another set of needles to the case, and then rolled it back up.  :)  Gotta love something handmade for the holidays...

2nd Annual Christmas Bake OFF!

 These are the product of the annual Christmas bake off.  We have ginger spice cookies, shortbread with orange marmalade, coconut oatmeal cookies, and oatmeal cookies with raisins and dried cherries.  YUM!  This year we donated the cookies to IHS or the Institute for Human Services.  You can see how you can help at http://www.ihshawaii.org/. 

-A little about IHS, donations and how you can help:-

"-IHS provides respite for those who are unsheltered and solutions that transform the lives of homeless and at-risk people."

"-IHS depends upon the generosity of the community to meet fully one third of our modest budget
-85% of our revenue goes to programs (our guests). The money that we raise is to help people; it does not go towards excessive fundraising or to pay for pretty business offices. IHS is doing good things with your money. Your gifts are not taken for granted. Each gift is appreciated and provides meaningful assistance!
To view our latest IRS Form 990 please visit www.guidestar.org
---Here’s what your contribution will do:
$35 Provide a nutritious lunch & dinner for a homeless child for a week.
$40 Provide hot showers for a guest for a week.
$50 Provide a week’s worth of childcare supplies.
$100 Provide 2 week’s worth of social services for a homeless adult.
$200 Sponsor a homeless family for a week (2 adults & 3 children).
$250 Host an evening meal for the Women & Families’ Shelter.
$500 Underwrite a portion of the utilities for both shelters for a week.
$750 Case Management services for Supportive Housing."
-----(information taken from their website)

-They also need volunteers, you can read more information at : http://www.ihshawaii.org/IHS_Volunteer.html

A Handmade Christmas

This Christmas I wanted to make as many handmade gifts as possible.  I usually make a lot of handmade gifts, but this year I had certain things in mind for almost everyone!  Here are a few of the items that were gifted this year...  I am going to start on next year's gifts already so I don't end up rushing or being late like a few of the items this year!  I know I am not the only one who feels the days flying by when Christmas is around the corner.  I love giving gifts that are made by hand though, hopefully everyone will enjoy them.

A stamped keychain for my boyfriend's sister in law that has their names and their keiki's name.

A handmade felt ornament for my boyfriend's parents.  ALOHAAAA!

Hand knit bag for Ryan with a needle felt mushroom

 A hand sewn pouch for my brother to go inside the knit bag

A quilted/padded case for the "kindle" for my brother Zach

Hand knit mittens out of 100% wool for my boyfriend's mom

Chocolate covered mac-nuts for the FAM

Handmade caramels to share

Octopus necklace from Cody to my mom-(he picked out the pieces and I put it all together)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  I hope everyone enjoyed their gifts and their holiday!

Christmas Eve 2009

Tonight is Christmas Eve.  I am all alone, but still thankful for everything I have and the things I am looking forward to this coming year.  My family is celebrating Christmas in Korea, my boyfriend is in the hospital, and I am "working hard for the money."  :)  I opened one gift in honor of Christmas Eve's past, and I can't wait to open the rest tomorrow.  Happy Holidays everyone and enjoy what you have while you have it.

Childhood Memories

When I think of Christmas I think of candy, opening presents, stockings, family, and pajamas all day.  I can feel the hot chocolate on my lips and the slippers warming my toes.  We would get so excited to open presents and I remember it feeling like an all day adventure of new toys and pretty ribbons and paper everywhere.  I found some of these pictures from my childhood and these feelings came rushing back to me.  I have to thank my Aunt Karen for copying ALL the family pictures and sharing them with everyone.  They are so awesome and invaluable to have on hand and on disc.  :)  Happy Holidays everyone and enjoy SANTA and all the presents you may have under the tree or in your heart.

Stockings

http://www.handmadepretties.etsy.com/

My favorite part about Christmas is stockings. When I was a little girl, my brothers and I each has our own stockings. Santa would stuff them with all kinds of little treats and toys. I used to wake up before everyone else in the house and look through all the stockings before anyone else was awake. I loved looking at all the new toys and candies, exploring each stocking and noting what was different and what was the same. I would pull everything out and lay it all out in front of me, choosing my favorite goodies. Then I would put everything back in the stockings and wake everyone else up. Time to open PRESENTS! My next favorite thing… Well, that is besides family and friends. 

http://www.cheryland.etsy.com/

http://www.lelis.etsy.com/

These are some of my favorites that I found on etsy.  It is kind of hard to find stockings when everyone is tagging their "stocking stuffers" with the word stocking, but I managed to find these super uniqe ones.  I also fell in love with this baby cocoon in the shape of a stocking.  :)

http://www.joliem6201.etsy.com/

Christmas Cookies!

Here are some of the Christmas cookies I have started making...  I still have 2 more batches of dough ready to be rolled and cut out into amazing little men! and women...

 Cookies for the fam!

Girls just wanna have fun!