It's SO CHARMING!? Rosie's Charm swap....gotta see it to believe it!

OK Shilo got me hooked on these Charm swaps on twopeas. @ http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/mb.asp?cmd=list&forum_id=14

I LOOOOOVE the charm swaps, you can sign up to swap just about anything...BUT the bracelet Charms are my faves! This one was for the Vintage Christmas charms. Check out some of these cuties! I love them all! My camera can not even do justice to them all. They are all so cute.

These 3 are the ones Shilo & I did for the swap. The gingerbread cookie cutter one is the one I did & the cute Star one is the one Shilo did. Now some of the swappers wear the charms on a bracelet & some of them like to use them as tiny Christmas ornaments on a mini tree. Both are good ideas, BUT I LOVE to wear mine! So look for mine on my wrist STARTING tomorrow!

It's beginning to "COOK" a lot like CHriStMaS! Part 1: Neighborhood Gift Ideas!

These Lovely Things are DONE!!!

I promised you pics of the last SOTTP's crafty day!

(Sisterhood of the travailing PAINTS")

SOOOO Here they are!

We worked on the neighborhood or co-workers gifts for the Holiday season. WE ARE DONE! We made home made Dip mixes!
We made labels WITH Instructions, added a big bag of Pretzels and pop them in another CUTE cello bag AND VOILA! Our part here is done!
I hosted it AND Shilo Housed it!

I made Rosie's Famous AND YUMMY Kahlua Pig (Pulled pork) sandwiches on bakery fresh Rosette buns, fresh sliced pineapple & Lettuce and lunch is served! We had a great time, eatin & craftin'!

BELOW are the recipes for the Dip mixes we used. We made up fun names for the dips like:

Santa's Sesame Cheese dip & Rudolph's Ranch dip or Dasher's Dilly dip & Frosty's "Bakin" cheese dip And Mrs Santa Kickin' Cajun dip. I found it was easier to mix one bag at time, to insure the proper measurements. But Lyndsy did hers in fours, cuz she's a rebel!

Not really, she just could remember if she ADDED the right amount AND she said it was faster!

We found the baggies at the craft store. We used the medium size ones. They come in bags of 100. With a cute label, they worked great! I packaged the packets with 4 different flavors. I only made 10 sets.Shilo & Lyndsy did 3 in the sets, because they did 20 each. We bought a couple of packages of pretzels and folded 1 big label over the bag of pretzels and the dip mixes for a AWESOME gift for our neighbors or co-workers! Lyndsey just made some sticker labels that had the mixing instructions for the mixes, she stuck on those on before she put them in the big bag. SMART!

MY FAVE?

The Cajun Dip! Yummy! in a Spicy kinda way!

This is the only one that calls for BOTH MAYO and Sour Cream!

Ranch Dip

1/2 AND 1/4 Tlb Dried parsley

1/4 Tlb, Chives

1/8 Tlb. dried Tarragon

1/4 Tlb Lemon Pepper

1/2 Tlb Oregano

1/4 Tbls Garlic POWDER

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Tlb. Minced onion.

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Pour into SMALL Zip bag. Staple on appropriate label.

Mix instructions: mix packet with 1 1/2 cup Sour cream

DILL DIP:

1 1/2 Tlbs Dill weed

1 Tlb. Minced Onion

1 Tlb Dried Parsley

1/2 Tlb. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Salt

Mix in small bowl & pour into small zip bag & staple on appropriate label.

Mix instructions: Mix season packet with 1 cup sour cream.

Sesame Cheese Dip:

2 Tlb Parmesan Cheese

2 tsp Toasted Sesame seeds

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 Celery seed

dash black pepper

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

Mix into a small bowl & pour into a small bag. Staple on appropriate label.

Mix instructions: Mix season packet with 1 cup Sour cream

BACON CHEESE mix:

2 Tlb. Bacon bits

1 Tlbs Minced onion

1 tsp. Beef Bouillon granules

1 (HEAPING) Tlb. Parmesan (canned)

Combine all the ingredients and pour into a small zip bag & staple on appropriate label.

Cajun Dip mix

1 1/2 tsp parsley flakes

1 Tlb. Minced Onion

1/2 Tlb chives

1 tsp Chili powder

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp Cumin

Mix in Small bowl, pour into a small zip style bag & staple with appropriate label.

Mix instructions: Mix seasoning packet with 1 cup sour cream.

THE Kahlua PIG recipe:

I'll tell ya, but you gotta keep it mum!
My family thinks IT IS super hard to make...BUT It's so easy!

1 big pork roast (not too big! It's gotta fit in your crock pot)

1 clove for every (1 pound of pork ) FRESH, Diced garlic

(EX: Pork shoulder weighs 3 lbs. YOU use 3 cloves of garlic)

1 Can Of PEPSI( NOT Diet, AND NOT CAFFEINE free! you the sugar AND the caffeine to soften AND sweeten the pork!)

Place the ingredients in a large crock pot. Cook on low for about 8-9 hours, Or high for about 6 hours. OR until the meat shreds!

Shred the pork with your fork, DRAIN the juice from the pork. AND add a 1/2 jar of :

KONA COAST pineapple Teriyaki sauce (found on the BBQ sauce aisle) over the pork. SAVE some sauce to add on each sandwich. Cover each side of the bun with the lettuce to help keep the "SOGGIES" away! Add some meat & a slice of pineapple and a bit more sauce....... AND DEVOUR!!!

I wandered over to the Shabby Cottage...And left hungry!

Gina is featuring some yummy recipes from other readers, I reposted my Peanut Butter bars AND the HOT cocoa mix, SO check mine AND others at:
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2009/11/surprise.html?,
And see whats cookin'. I am FOR SURE wanna try out the Rosted Pumpkin soup or # 21.
Smell ya later!

the SiStErHoOd Of THE Traveling "PAINTS" meet again...for a FUN craft day!

The first project one I HAD to show YOU is this ONE!

The girl's & I had talked about wanting to FOR SURE do a christmas count down of some sorts when we got together this month for craft day........

AND my Sweetie, Kevin, KNEW I had been wanting to do the Christmas count down with the "SOTTP"......

BUT I ran into a snag..... I had no MONEY for my Craft day projects.....
( sad story: I had my black Friday/craft day/thanksgiving money ripped of...it wasn't a lot...but going to a lot of different needs!)

Kevy saw how upset I was, when I thought I wouldn't be able to play at craft day....

so he QUICKLY made these up for me!! All Saturday morning he worked hard on these boxes so I could have a project to work on with my "sisters"!

The 25 pine mini box's are all hand cut, sanded, made with love for me!

And then he made the frame to slide the boxes in.

He even made 2, just in case ONE of the girls wanted to make one like mine. I was so touched, I started to cry! IS he the BEST or WHAT! I'm gonna keep him!

I was so excited to get these done!

I first washed the wood in red paint & was pretty happy with it, because the wood still could show through, BUT as Taya, my little grand daughter & I picked out the perfect paper to modge podge on the drawers. I found the red's & even some of the prints were lost in the red frame....so to make it stand out more I dry brushed on some black paint in a light coat, dried and sanded it some more, so SOME of the red would show through. I was VERY happy then, cause the black helped the color & print on the paper to pop more!

We added some cute stickers and numbers AND MORE modge podge AND voila! We were done!

I still need to add the draw nobs, but I can't decide what I want to use for these yet. I still have a couple of days to decide right?

Below are a couple of the drawers up close. The pictures do not do it justice!

They are so cute! I love it!

I have to gather some treats & sayings & such to fill my draws up with.

You gotta see my daughters Shilo's countdown @Toadly crafty take on the very same project. SHE did the same wooden set in a very cute way!

SHE did have a lot of help though! She used the crafted pages from her "cookie sheet countdown swap" and hot glued those on to the papered drawers.

They were all unique and all SOOOO cute! I love her count down also!

Keep an eye out for it, when she gets it up, maybe tomorrow?

TOMORROW or maybe Tuesday...I will finish posting more pictures of the FUN filled craft day,

where we also put together AND FINISHED our gifts for our neighbors and co-workers and friends!!
I will post the recipes for those and also a sneak peek at what we STILL have to make BEFORE the cookie exchange party

YUMMY! This is IT.....THE recipe I am making for the COOKIE Exchange!!!

See this Little Green Package?
It was introduced to me by my friend at work!
The Hershey candy REP! She only visits once a month or so, but I LOVE it when she does!
This time, she handed me a sample of the tasty morsels in side this green package
AND HELLO!....

I know I was in for a treat at first SCENT! MINTY CHOCOLATE YUMMINESS!

I taste..........

I almost belted out a love song! I almost YODELED...in HIGH tenor!

I ALMOST rapped a ballad!!!

YUMMY! to the new Kisses filled with MINT truffle!!

(I give it 5 Hot pads UP!, My grand babies give it 5 sticky thumbs up!)

(NO monies were exchanged for this "BLOGVERTISMENT", I just dig them!)

BUT the best thing about the package, was the recipe on back!
It is for: Mint Capped Brownie cookie cups!
I had to try it out, to see if it would be a good, EASY, cookie exchange recipe. AND guess what!!?


It SOOOOO IS the ONE!! I mean if you LOVE MINT AND CHOCOLATE in one delicious BITE..... This is the one!

NOW the thing is......I don't know IF I can write the recipe down here on my blog (legal reasons?...too lazy?...or too mean?) OR should I JUST make you buy the bag to get it!!?
I mean you gotta buy the bag anyway to make the recipe, right?.....HUMMMM.... what to do?

ANY one want the recipe???
Let me know if I should: POST or NOT to post...that is the question!

BrrrRRRRrrrr! This is what it looks like outside here in the "NOrTh Pole" aka: UTAH, SO I'm sneaking...

A bit of Christmas on my porch!

More about that ...BUT 1st......check out this weather!!

This is looking out to my back yard!! Is that gazebo shivering?....or am I just seeing things?

This is looking out the window from my 3rd level, craft room SUITE......

OK.....Levi's old room, now forced to be a craft room!

The other one is looking out my front door......

me.....pausing to see if I'm crazy enough or hungry enough to go out in this whether for groceries!
OH NO! I am out of carrots & lettuce & skim milk, I really should go to the store.....

.....stick my big toe out........ NO WAY!

It's a good things Ho-Hos & Twinkies will last for a gazillion years...cuz' I ain't goin out there unless I run out of PEPSI!!

Anyway I love, LOVE, LOOOOVEEEE my red door. I had to bling it out!!

I found 3 "still in the packages" red berry garland at my local thrift store FOR 1.50...dollhairs!!

I had to put them up! I mean it still looks Fallish, RIGHT?

I also borrowed this idea from ONE awesome crafty sister, she so sweetly shared with us not so-crafty sisters!

The thrifty decor chick. here @ http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/11/holy-canoly.html

I loved her idea for this Ubber CUTE monogram wreath ! I just could not bring myself to put the Christmas ribbon on yet!

BUT..... I substituted the hanging ribbon with the burlap bag I got from my produce section! AFTER they sold all the Utah's own Pine nuts!!!(where's Gunlock?)

Still fall & SOOO cute huh...huh!?

They only thing different......I made my own set of rules! I did not use her directions......

AND since my last name is a T...the easiest letter in the world to twist to your desired shape....

AND since I did not have the garland handy(its buried down stairs & "I STILL ain't go in down there!"....... I just had Kevy(DH) clip this super cute wreath, TWICE!

PULL & YANK into a T (ha-ha, Kevy did it!....He likes to show off his manly man muscles for little ol' me!) AND voila....a monogram wreath befitting THE Tippetts household!

Thanks Thrifty decor chick! Your awesome!

The Tippetts clan! Pre-Christmas card poses

This first one was tooooo cute NOT to add!

That is Kevy.....AKA: honey, baby, Sugar booger, Daddy, Papa, ect.

Gathering up the Grand babies for MORE photo ops!

You can SEE how thrilled the twins are about the whole thing & forget Bella, she takes off as soon as she touched the ground!Handsome Kevy & I.....before HE tries to run off!

The rest of the clan!

Gosh ALL my babies are beautiful!

And of course the best one!! Nana & Papa with ALMOST all our sweeties!

Check out Pai's CHEESIER! SOOO stinking cute!

Shaylee our angel baby in heaven & Levi jr. still cookin' until May, are the only 2 missing....

For now!

We are so blessed!

You know I love to show off!

I had to stick my big fat "craft" in my friend Gina's blog on her "Tranformations Thursday"
I had to post my "Happy fall ya all" Porch decor!
SOOO...... Hey check it out....
I am in love with #71 @ starshine chic's Dining room hutch: "Thanksgiving redo" is soooo cute! Same with her Thankgiving redo for her mantle #72
I'm also a fan of #38 @ rhubarb reign, she has the CUTEST idea for those vintage chandelier crystals!
So get to GOING & check out the shabby chic cottage! @http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2009/11/ragamuffin-garland-cheater-style.html

Oh the WeAthEr outside is FriGhTful...dosent a cup Of hot cocoa sound DelightFulL!?

So I will post these 2 recipes to help WARM the cockles of your HEART!.....and maybe your hands too!

These 2 recipes have gotten me through a couple of FREEZING cold winters!!!



My good friend Sherri, gave me the recipe for HOT cocoa, that IS SOOOOO Divine!

It is creamy & tasty, which some of you might find unbelievable....

that you can have a cup of cocoa with those 2 things at once!



BUT there's proof in the PUDDING!

literally....there is instant PUDDING in this recipe!!!



Creamy, DREAMY, HOT COCOA MIX



*4 C powdered sugar

*4 C cocoa powder drink mix (Quik or store brand is what I use)

*1 Lrg package INSTANT pudding

*1 1/2 C dry NON-DAIRY cream powder

*1/2 tsp salt

*8 C Instant nonfat milk powder

*3 cups Mini Marshmallows
(rosie tip: Let the marshmallow sit out on you counter a couple of days to dry out a bit, this prevents them from sticking!)

In a large, bowl combine powdered milk, powdered sugar. Cocoa drink mix, dry Pudding package & Non dairy creamer & salt. Mix really well to get out any clumps. Next stir in marshmallows.
Store in a 6 cup container with a tight fitting lid. Label with date & contents. Store in a cool, dry place. Use with in 6 months.
Recipe: add 3-4 Tlbs to 1 cup hot water.


Here is another tasty drink mix:
It is MY recipe of the take on the hot Russian tea, you might order in a fru-fru tea room!

Rosie"lious" spiced orange "Wassail" mix

*1(27oz) Orange drink mix(I used Tang or store brand)
*6 oz yellow lemon-aid drink powder(I used Kool-aid container)
*6 C granulated sugar
*6 tsp ground Cinnamon
*3 tsp. ground Cloves
*4 1/2 tsp ground Allspice
*1 1/2 tsp Ground Mace
*1 1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients in a air tight container, seal lid. Shake until well blended. Check for clumps, sift with finger if needed. Store in a cool dry spot, up to 6 months.
Recipe: You can add 1 heaping Tlbs to Hot apple cider, or 3 heaping Tlbs to Hot water.


So there you go!
I have made these for gifts for my friends & co-workers, I just measured out 1 serving into a small zip style bag (Find at craft stores) & but on a super cute label & gave several packages with a couple of cute mugs.

OR check out this site: @Primdoodles, she offers free down load labels AND she has the CUTEST bag topper labels! I have used her labels for quite a few of my craft products, she is awesome!

SO I hope you will take advantage of these 2 awesome recipes for some YUMMY drink mixes!
I gotta start getting the stuff for mine!

Rosie's "FaLL"bulous Porch...thank you very much!

This little guy is My sweetie boy Arbor!
He came ALL the way from So. Utah to help Nana redo her porch!!!
OR.... maybe just to make me super happy all week-end long!
We had a blast, hanging out with the funny kid! He is so pretty too!
He has BIG blue eyes:) & thick strawberry blond hair & he always has a smile on his face! He is so easy going & sweet! He gets none of those traits from his Nana Rosie!
Anyway, here is my fall/thanksgiving porch all decked out, BEGGING to be shared!

The screen door is from Kevys Grandpa & grandmas barn. It was the original from the old house. I can't bring myself to redo it & use it any other way! It has so much personality already. I was going to have my son, Levi make it the front of a TV cabinet, BUT I just can't!

Like my wash stand table top! Just a fun idea! I had wanted to cover the tall bar stool with a big piece of burlap...but got to excited to finish up, that I just settled on this tea/food stained beige quilt! The washtub fit over it perfectly. I had to push a bit hard to get it on straight, but I like the looks of it!

This in the table on my living room. I still kept the white & black & polka dot pumpkins from Halloween. I think it looks OK.



This is by my front door, in my little itty bitty foyer. I am bordering on too much, but I had so much FUN thanksgiving things..... I had to "make it work"

(Thank you Tim Gunn)




Hey but see the super CUTE framed Pilgrim couple in the hanging white shelf?

ONE of my favorite Thrift store finds ever!!

It is a needle point picture! I love it's THREADED GUTS!

So thanks for stopping by...Ya- all come back now....HEAR!

Congrate Levi & Lyndsy....it's a ......

TOO excited to keep it in!!! BUT.....
it's a BLUE baby!
Yep......that right...after being dominated by 4 of the cutest, sweetest, most beautiful females around....our son is getting a boy!!
Lyndsy & Levi are going to have a little boy around the middle of MAY!

We are SOOO happy! Everything is right on track. Poor Lyndsy has been a trooper, she has been pretty sick with this little guy...hey what about Trooper as a name? Too corny?

Anyway I JUST had to share!