Beware of Christmas Paws

Twenty-five days till Christmas, and the decorations are still in a pile of boxes in the dining room--but at least we got them out of the attic! I dug out the advent wreath, the main part of the nativity set, and our stockings, but otherwise I'm procrastinating decking the halls. I blame Skeeter because I'm not sure what she's going to do with a fully-decorated Christmas tree. She's already pulled the bows off of a few wrapped presents I have stashed in the guest room...

Organization Attack

This past weekend, I felt the need to clean.

I emptied 90% of my craft closet's contents
onto the guest bed.

Skeeter thoroughly explored her "forbidden closet"
while I sorted and reorganized.

I was excited I could fit my craft books
in the closet!

Much better than my toppling stacks of stash!
I should have taken a "before" photo...

All I have left is to reorganize some yarn remnants and
my pattern notebook... and spoil the kitty!

A Pumpkin and a Plan: Part II

The ingredients were ready to make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies (aka "test run cookies" before I attempted the recipe for Pumpkin White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies).

The batter was a little gooier than expected (but so was the homemade pumpkin puree), so I added some corn starch and a little more flour...and then *after* I had baked the first batch, I realized that I had forgotten to add the oatmeal. Since there wasn't much of a pumpkin taste to the first cookies, I also added 1/4 tsp of Pumpkin Pie Spice to the second batch.

The last tray of "test run cookies" from the second batch (with oatmeal and Pumpkin Pie Spice) died a horrible death when the wax paper I used as a cookie sheet liner started smoking so badly that I'm surprised the smoke detector didn't go off.  I thought I'd read somewhere that wax paper was okay in the oven--guess it's not!  Dejected at what seemed like such an epic cookie fail, I turned off the oven and rifled through my recipes till I found a cookie recipe I had most of the ingredients to bake.

After a grocery run (and dinner), I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They actually look like the picture on the recipe, so yay!  Next time, I'll prep the recipe in half because it had trouble staying in the mixer (just the opposite of too-gooey cookie batter).

I *will* attempt Pumpkin White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies again, but this time I think I'll stick to canned pumpkin...

A Pumpkin and a Plan: Part I

Thanksgiving week, Monday evening: The pumpkin is baked and mashed in preparation for baking 

Oven roasted pumpkin, ready to be scooped

After scooping, mash the pumpkin into a puree

Thanksgiving week, Wednesday afternoon: The pumpkin is prepped for an evening of baking 

Only had to work a half day, and all the co-workers knew I was going home to bake

Used the blender to puree the pumpkin "applesauce" into pumpkin "baby food"

Holiday Week

A shout out to everyone else who has to work this week--I hope you are able to get away in three days for thankfulness and turkey-feasting among family and friends!

Friday Funny

It's been a while since I've posted a Friday Funny, so how about a Thanksgiving-themed funny?

 

Only 6 more days till turkey feasting!  And hopefully everyone will be healthy--no sudden-onset 24-hour bugs (me this past week...) or pilgrim-shared small pox!

Too Cute

Today's turkey art is brought to you by my BFF's daughter.

Auntie Karen loves you, Miss Faith!

Only one more week until Thanksgiving!