I finally finished!

I started knitting this scarf in early December to give my mom as a Christmas gift.  She'll finally get it tomorrow... January 29th!  We still have plenty of cold weather left, so I know she'll still get plenty of use this season.

And yes, that's my sock monkey (along with a sock turtle) modeling   ♥

Amethyst Hearts

New amethyst jewelry just added to my Etsy shop:

Today I am a Steelers Fan

I can't believe I just typed that!  Growing up outside of Cleveland, I've always been a Browns fan and will continue to be one.  My hubby loves the Steelers.  And once in a while it's nice to cheer for a team that actually has a chance to win and make it to the Super Bowl.  So today I will cheer for the Steelers! 

My hubby always gets Steelers-themed gifts for Christmas or birthday..... lucky me to have an inflatable Steelers guy in my family room!

Be My Valentine

I can't believe all of the valentine items in stores already!  But I guess it's right around the corner.  Here are a few items in my shop, perfect for yourself or your special someone  ♥

Turquoise

I love the color of turquoise.  I think it goes great with a lot of other colors.  Any of these earrings would be great when you need a pop of color ~ especially during these long, gray winter days!

The pair in the middle is made with facetetd glass beads.  The other 2 earrings feature Howlite, a gem that looks very much like turquoise.

Pandora Charms ~ Customer Photo

I love when customers send me photos of my jewelry!  Below is a picture of a bracelet owned by one of my customers who purchased my 3-pearl charm (lower right hand corner).  What a gorgeous bracelet and set of charms she has collected!

Recipe ~ Stuffed Dates

I'll be honest - this takes a bit of time to prepare, but the results are worth it!  These little guys are so good!  They're always the talk of the party when I bring them somewhere.  The combination of the sweet dates, salty bacon and tart cheese is perfect!

Whole, pitted dates (I buy Dole dates in a bag)
1 small package of goat cheese 
Bacon, with each slice cut in thirds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Slice dates in half, and open them up. Pinch off pieces of cheese, and place into the center of the dates. Close the halves of the dates, and wrap a slice of bacon around the outside. Secure each one with a toothpick. Arrange in a baking dish or on a baking sheet with sides to catch any grease.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bacon is crisp. Turn dates over after the first 20 minutes for even cooking.
 
*dates can also be stuffed with blue cheese or an almond. 
* I always make these ahead of time and warm them up in the microwave.  I've also frozen them and they warm up nicely.