The bread dough is rising quietly on the counter and I have an hour or so to blog about the past few days. And let me tell you, I have been a very busy elf. So much to share, I am super excited.

Lisa, Kelli, Lolo & I got together earlier this week for our second annual Peanut Party. This evening consists of eating food that is so not even close to good for you, exchanging questionable white elephant gifts and playing one of the best card games ever! We are a bit competitive and Kelli and Lolo pretty much rule the gold metal platform, but we have a good time just the same. It has been a full year since I’ve played…we really need to get back in the habit, it’s a good one.

If you will please notice the (gorgeous) beanie cap that Lolo is wearing.

I worked super hard on this little gem, especially for her. She goes to school in Idaho…freezing! I was even able to keep it a surprise until we exchanged gifts earlier this week. I have had it finished since the beginning of December, so let's give props to not giving it to her the moment I was finished. Doesn’t it look great on her?! She's so pretty! And the little flower…so stinking cute, right! Totally faked it…I tried to teach myself from the same tutorial that I learned how to crochet the beanie cap, but it was just too much and not a great video. Either that or I just don’t know what I’m doing.

And since I’m not good at admitting I don’t know what I’m doing, I just keep doing it. That is why I decided that the next person to receive one of my creations must be one of my littles. Miss Jacque (that’s pronounced Jack) is having a birthday soon, she’s turning 2-years-old, I just can’t believe it. Anyway, I have this super soft yarn that is multi-colored red, pink, orange and white. So I made her this:

It doesn’t look so great on the model…so I’m hoping it fits and I know she will make it look fabulous! (Anne, be sure to have a photo session in Michigan when she gets it, I'll need to post update photos on this ever so popular blog.)

I also decided I needed to make one for another little, Miss Charley. She kept saying "hat" when I took Jacque's to her house to work on it, she is so smart!

It’s purple; to match the coat Grandma bought her. I know it looks a little blue in the picture, but it’s purple. I still need to make/add little white flowers to this hat. I think I’ll make lots and put them all over. If it looks silly I can always take them off, right? We’ll see…but of course I’ll post photos.

And speaking of Charley, I spent the day with her and Kelly yesterday. I spend a lot of time with them, so this is not unusual but yesterday after we ran errands they came to MY house! My apartment is a little on the small side and once you get a few people inside with you, it can get a little crowded. Kelly made (more) PPC for me (I have made such a mess with this stuff…seriously!) and I decorated a few special treats (more on those later).

Kelly & Charley had to leave so Charley could have dinner at home and then I joined them an hour or so later at their house. I had to bring over Charley’s present from her favorite aunt.

Yes, that’s a mixer! When I saw it, I just knew she had to have it. She is always under Kelly’s feet in the kitchen, obviously she was meant to follow in her footsteps! The mixer is amazing, I wish I had a real one. It is cordless, has a stand/bowl and then comes off to be a handheld mixer! Hello…so smart! And it actually moves, the little mixer attachments turn around and around. So stinking cute! It came with a cookie sheet, cookie cutters, a rolling pin, measuring spoons, a spatula and a measuring cup. She was so cute, already “mixing” things up.

She got this totally cute (and scary) gorilla from her favorite aunt too. He growls, REALLY LOUDLY! And then stomps to you, Charley doesn’t like that part, but if he’s quiet, she loves him. She even says “Rilla”!

And since I’m talking about Charley, I ran over there this morning and snapped a few pictures of her in her new outfit from Grandma & Papa…such a cutie! (Her hair is so staticy because she also go a new jumpolene for Christmas and is in and out of it all the time. If you look close enough you may be able to see it in the background of some of the photos.

And look what Kelly surprised me with:

No, not the jumpolene in the background, but that gorgeous hair piece! It is so pretty and something I have decided I will make in all my spare time. It is grey (although you can't really tell in the photo) and has these beautiful black feathers lofting from the bottom, is is stunning. Kelly had to teach me how to put it in my hair, I am not used to teasing my hair and it was just sliding right out. And she has one just like it. We are both so excited! Matchy! Matchy!

And last but not least I made some yummy goodies for a friend and decorated them using this technique I learned in class a bazillion years ago and they turned out super cute....they look just like candy canes, don't you think?

Watch soon for a post regarding these little trinkits:

I hope you found someone to smooch under the you know what!

p.s. I received
a fabulous
Christmas present
delivered to my door
this morning
from Santa
I mean...
the FedEx man.
It’s little
and plastic
and I can’t wait
to find something
fabulous
to spend
it on.