Company Girl Coffee 121611

Good morning, and a chilly one it is, though as of yet, we have no snow accumulation. Nada, zip, nothing. All we have seen is a few fat flakes a week or so ago, coming down quickly but not sticking. That's unusual for this late in December. While others are whining concerned that we may not have a white Christmas, I'm content to wait. Once it sticks, it sticks around for a long time!

Long week of long workdays, most likely with work to take home for the weekend. Between coworkers who can't seem to do their own work and "emergencies", I've not been able to work on a project that must be done. Trying hard not to resent the coworkers (who seem to have time to stretch their half hour lunch to an hour and a half so they can go Christmas shopping), but not succeeding all the time.

In cheerier news, the wedding last Saturday was lovely, and the company at dinner hilarious. Dinner last night with a friend was much needed and delightful. Beginning next Friday, I am off of work until January 9th. Bliss.

In spite of the busyness this week, I breezed through another book in the Pandora series from Carolyn Hennesy. Yes, they are meant for early teens, but they are absolutely hilarious (when Pandora goes to collect Laziness and put it back in the box, she discovers it has taken the form of a gigantic nose hair on her uncle Atlas, who, as a result of its impact, has stopped holding up the heavens). Reading is my escape.

Cooking this weekend - we have a potluck at work Monday, and I've offered to bring shredded chicken in homemade barbecue sauce. It is easy to make, but the chicken needs to be cooked and shredded first. I think it's going to go in the crockpot all day tomorrow. I also need a couple of gifts for work, and finally decided to do deviled pecans and some sort of gift card. I have a few clear quart mason jars for the nuts; with a cute piece of fabric between the lid and ring and a bit of ribbon they should pack up nicely.

I would love to pack the jars up in reindeer bags, but alas, I'm fairly certain I tossed out the antler twigs when I was packing, and even if I hadn't, they are buried somewhere in the stack of boxes in the sewing room.  The bags are easy to make - you fold the top to make the nose (don't glue yet!), then unfold so you can use the folds as guides for where to hot glue the stick antlers and felt ears (if you make a little tail on the bottom of the ears and pinch its sides together as you glue it, it creates a little fold that give the ears more of a dimensional look), rick rack and jingle bell. Pack the bag, then fold down the head, use a bit of glue at the nose point to hold it closed and add the button eyes and nose. Voila!

The year that I wrapped all of my family gifts in these bags? Yeah, I made them open their gifts from the bottom of the bag!