Dollar Store Ornament Garland

I made this last year for Good Morning, Texas.  I made a loop on each end so it can hang in a swag, but I was lazy and had it lay across the top of my buffet, which was just as pretty....maybe this year she'll make the wall.  .  

 I bought some ornaments at the Dollar Tree. They sell them in all shapes and sizes.  I took about 5 tubes per swag, and I made each swag separate so it wasn't too heavy.  These ornaments are really light, so it's not too heavy, but still.

 I took some wire and twisted the end so I had a loop for hanging.

I also twisted on the first ornament next to that loop and then I just started dropped ornaments down my wire varying the colors until I had this...

I twisted off the other end and now it's ready to hang.  Not too shabby for 5 bucks.

Ranger Cookies

For the last...well....long time...I've hosted a yearly recipe exchange at my school.  It's started b/c there were a bunch of us that loved pinterest.  SO....a good way to try out 15-20 new recipes is to have each gal baek up a recipe.  Last year, my contribution was Ranger Cookies.  I had these a year ago on a random roadside stop, so I wanted to try them out.  HERE is a free printable (that I took to the cookie exchange).  If you like oatmeal cookies....these take after that with a few more fun surprises thrown in.  

Fall Salad

I'm clearing my phone of pictures and I found this one of a salad I really loved and want to remember.  I tossed together spinach, apple slices, candied pecans, and white cheddar cheese.  I added some balsamic vinegar for dresshing and it was the perfect comination of salty and sweet.  So, before I say goodbye to fall and all her flavors, I wanted one last memory, so next year I remember I do like more than pumpkin bread & caramel apples when fall rolls around. 

12 Day of Christmas

 I did this once before for my cousin's daughter, and it was a big hit.  I bought a bunch of little crafts at craft stores in the area and I wrapped them each individually (12 crafts to be exact).  I added a tag with a number and the date to each tag (because my goddaughter, who is getting these gift, does not like to wait).  This way she can look forward to opening a gift each day, and she will soon learn they come with a little something for her to do each day. 

Her house should be well decorated by day 12! 

Crockpot Cornbread Dressing

     This photo isn't a beauty, but the dressing was delicious.  I brought this to a potluck last week at work.  There is a group of us that spends the ENTIRE day outside working the turkey trot for each grade level, so last year I started a little friendsgiving for the workers who are ready to gorge by 2 pm.
     I wanted to bring a Thanksgiving dish, but I've been sooooo busy all month, so I looked for something easy to throw together and came up with this dressing.  I combined a few different online dressings, so feel free to add and subtract.

Crockpot Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:  8 c. of corn bread (I cooked 2 boxes of Jiffy according to directions and then crumbled it up, I also added about 4 pieces of day old white bread), 1 can cream of chicken, 1/2 t. pepper, 11/2 t. sage, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 3 c. chicken broth, 1/4 c. melted butter, 4 eggs, 1 med onion chopped, 1 c. celery (chopped).  

Instructions:  Mix all ingredients.  Place in a crockpot and cook for 4-5 hours on low.  Top should be browning.  

TShirt Quilt

 This year for Christmas I made my brother a t shirt quilt.  He had a ton of shirts taking up closet space from sport's team victories and races he's run.  I used a plastic square to cut them all down to the same size. 

 I cut 2 inch strips and sewed them to the sides and then between each row.  This allowed me to be less than perfect.  The reality is I don't have the patience or talent to match up corners, so this is the most forgiving way for me to put together blocks...and it makes the quilt a little longer too. 

I bought some batting and a soft sheet for the back and I took it to a quilter to attach the two pieces together and then added some binding using the same fabric between each square.  Last,  I added some dog hair b/c no project is complete without dog hair.