Happy Halloween!!!

Have a very...

happy...

Halloween!!!

Something old and something new.

I love the fall/winter/holiday season. I love the cool, crisp weather, the leaves changing, my sweet potato soup, and my oatmeal cranberry cookies that I make for Christmas. I make them every year. It is my own recipe and very popular with our friends. So when a friend of mine recently asked me for the recipe. I said to her that it is on my blog. She looked and said that it's not. WHAT? I never posted it? It is my oldest and dearest recipe and I have not put it up on my blog. Well here it is. Finally.

Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 sticks butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup oatmeal (I use McCann's Irish Oatmeal - the plain kind)

1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In electric mixer with dough paddle, cream butter and sugars until light and fluggy.

4. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well.

5. Gradually add flour mixture a little at a time.

6. Add oatmeal, cranberries, and chocolate chips and mix by hand or with a wooden spoon.

7. Shape dough into little 1 inch balls and press flat into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

8. Bake 8-10 minutes until light golden brown (do not overcook!).

That's it! Isn't it easy? Go make them - you won't be disappointed! And just in case you're wondering what's up with the lack of posts this week. Here is why:

Yep - made over 200 Happy Flower headband pieces the last couple of weeks for some of my boutiques. Don't they look so pretty in the box? Whew. I couldn't wait to close the lid and ship them out. And take a look at this Lulu the Owl. It was custom made for an Etsy customer. I am loving Lulu with the funkified look!

I was also so inspired by this post that I decided to try my hand at it. And this is what I got:

The Mommy Series Heather Headband

I call it The Mommy Series because this new line is inspired by some really special mommies. Within the next few weeks, I will be adding some more headbands and some hair clips as well. So keep checking my shop. And yes - this headband was indeed inspired by one special mommy. She worked so hard making my little niece a custom blanket that I wanted to give her something special as a thank you. Ssshhh.. she doesn't know it yet - it is a surprise!

WINNER! WINNER! WINNER!

Congratulations to

Lindsay from Paint Me A Picture

for winning the

Raspberry Kidz Giveaway!

I can't wait to email Rachel your niece's beautiful drawing to get it transformed!

It is going to be beautiful!

GULP!!!

Look what I just bought. Thanks to my blog friends who keep enticing me with tutorials. Like this one and this one. Yep - and a sewing machine is necessary. So it was on my "must-have" list for a while and yesterday, I finally took the plunge. I am so nervous that I don't even want to open up the box. So if you don't see any blog posts from me for a while, send me an email to make sure that the sewing machine didn't eat me up!

5 wonderful years.

Happy Birthday Skylar Elizabeth.

I can't believe that you turned 5 today.

Time went by fast.

I still remember waiting for you. So excited that you were coming.

This is us (with your Lola).

You and me, kid.

Our first picture together. Still snug in my belly.

It was love at first sight.

Here you are at 4 hours old.

October 17, 2004

(Yes - I know that you are totally digging my Hello Kitty pj's!)

Three months old and didn't want to smile for the camera.

Almost a year old.

You fell asleep in your highchair.

You weren't the fastest eater.

It takes you almost an hour to finish a meal.

Thank goodness you outgrew that!

Your first birthday party.

Yes - that is a black eye on your right eye.

Which you conveniently gave yourself bumping on the crib rail.

Right before the party started.

The perfect party accessory.

14 months old and already a big sister.

Baby brother Deacon was born December 23, 2005

He wasn't what you were expecting as a Christmas present.

But now you can't even remember your life without him.

Memorial Day 2007.

Two years old and about to become a big sister for the second time in your little life.

November 2007. Just turned 3 years old and proudly holding your new baby sister, Peyton.

My little fashionista.

This was taken right before preschool.

And you dressed yourself that day.

Picked out every single piece of clothing.

Four years old and already a kindergartener!

I am so proud of you, my girl.

My little buddy.

Little big sister.

My little helper.

My inspiration.

You are everything that I dreamed you would be.

And you continue to amaze me every day.

I love you so much.

Happy, happy birthday!

Love, Mommy

Don't miss out on this giveaway!

This is a GREAT giveaway - don't miss out on this one. I still need some scanned pictures! This is a beautiful and unique way to display your child's artwork - computer generated with 3D effects! Enter the giveaway here.

Goodbye Binky

Good Bye Binky.

You have been really good to me.

But I am a big girl now so I am saying good bye.

I will miss the times when I had to pick you off the ground.

Or take you out of the dog's mouth.

Or the squeals of surprise that you get out off me when I find you in the most unexpected places.

And the joy that I feel when I put you back in my mouth.

Thank you for the memories.

I will cherish them always.

Love, Peyton