The Hired Hand. . er . Paw that is.

I was hard at work today, getting ready for Valentine's Day when I began thinking. . gee. . . it would be so nice if I had someone to help me out a bit. You know. . and extra set of hands to double productivity. Well, just when I was at my wits end someone appeared eager to help. The price was right and he was really cute too.

At first he was very eager to work. He jumped right in (literally) and started lending a hand. . I mean paw. He was very interested in how one makes a tussie mussie.

He grabbed a seat close by and waited patiently for instructions.

He was careful to pay close attention to every step involved in the process.

However, as the day wore on he lost interest, and soon became rather bored with the whole thing.

He longed to play with his friends and began dreaming of life before his new job. "What is a tussie mussie anyway?" he thought.

Finally, he realized he was just asking too much of himself and that his skill set was better utilized in a new position, guarding the lace.


At the end of the day we did manage to come up with a few things to share that both Leo and I were quite happy with. Tomorrow, Leo is going to try his hand. . paw, at the computer and loading some of our new creations to our site. We'll see how it goes.
Thanks for visiting. :)

After Christmas Sale!

Be sure to visit Noelle Garrett Designs on Friday, December 26th for great after Christmas savings! Items are marked down up to 50% off or more! We need to clear out our inventory as we make way for some wonderful new creations for the new year! Shop early for the best selection and remember, every order comes with a free gift!

Love is in the Air

Yes, I know it's the week of Christmas but love is in the air here and I am inspired to work on Valentine's Day creations. I gathered my supplies and created a box filled with reds and pinks, hearts, charms and glitter. I am just itching for February to get here. It's funny, but every year I look for ward to the holidays and then by the time they get here I am ready to move on. Maybe it is the hustle and bustle or all the running around. I don't know. I am just anxious for the new year. So here is a little peak of what's coming soon.
I also had to share what a wonderfully romantic husband I have. We went out on a little date this weekend (believe me this is a rare occasion with two kids). So we went to a great Spanish restaurant and had wine and tapas. Yum! We agreed not to buy each other a gift this year, money is a bit tight and it really is about the kids. Well. . . we walked around old town Pasadena reminiscing about when we were dating . . and he grabbed my hand and the next thing I knew we were inside Tiffanys. I have never been in one before. Backtrack a bit. . .last April for our anniversary he bought me one of their charm bracelets. I of course flipped out and wear it every single day. Well, he treated me this Christmas to a little silver box charm for my bracelet. What a sweetie! It is just sitting here in its box waiting until Thursday for me to open. I just had to share what a lucky girl I am. He doesn't have to do these things to let me know how he feels about me but he does. This holiday, and everyday I am thankful for marrying the most amazing man and our two beautiful children. Happy Holidays everyone. May you have a wonderful week spent with the ones you love most!

Getting Ready for Christmas

Happy Monday all! I spent the weekend getting ready for Christmas. We got our tree and I spent Saturday night decorating. Here is a picture of it all lit up. I also have a picture of my tree topper although it is not the greatest shot, I just love her. I did manage to squeeze in a bit of baking and thought I would share one of my favorite recipes with you. Hope you enjoy. They are quick, easy and so yummy! Have a wonderful week everyone!

Snowy Bonbons

Cookies
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter/margarine, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 package almond paste

Almond Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
4-5 teaspoons milk

Decoration
Edible glitter, white nonpareils, edible pearls

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat flour, butter sugar and milk in bowl with mixer on med. Cut the almond paste into 1/2 inch slices, cut each slice into 6-8 pieces.

Shape into 1 inch balls around a piece of almond paste. Roll into a ball and bake on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for 10 - 12 minutes, just until cookie is set and bottom is light golden.

Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In small bowl mix frosting ingredients. Drizzle over cookies and sprinkle with toppings. Enjoy! They last quite well up to a week or can be frozen. They are so good!

Holiday Gift Wrap Ideas and More!

Well, it's been a very busy week and I finally got around to blogging a bit. I first wanted to share some new projects I have been working on. Let's start with this elegant black/white vision board. I really like this one. I seem to be going through this black period for some reason. All I want to do is create in black!

Next up are some great holiday gift wrap ideas. I used vintage sheet music, lace and trims to wrap presents. They are topped off with our one of a kind tags! Below is one set of vintage sheet music which is available for Pink Friday this week. Take a look, and don't forget to visit all the wonderful boutiques of Make Mine Pink as they bring you Gift Wrap and Holiday Decorating Ideas on Friday, December 12th.

Have a wonderful Friday and weekend. Happy Holidays to all, and now, back to baking for me!

Need Last Minute Gifts?

Today is Pink Friday! Join us and the boutiques of Make Mine Pink for some great last minute gifts! For one day only, Friday, December 5th. We are also happy to offer an extra 15% off already reduced prices today only! Stop by and get a free gift with every order. Happy shopping!

Steals and Deals!

Just a reminder we are continuing our 15% off sale throughout the week! Take advantage of great deals on alrady reduced sale items as well as unique gift items. Every order comes with a one of a kind free gift as well! Take a peak and find something special for one dear to you.