Christmas Cooking and Sewing

Living in El Salvador has drastically cut down the amount of Christmas cooking I do--after all, Christmas cookies just aren't very portable.  Before we took the trip to Panama, I made cranberry pear butter (like apple butter, but not apple) to share with friends.  Tuesday, I made saltine toffee (recipe) and strawberry cookies (recipe) and today I'm taking a tray full of both to the church office.  Hopefully, everyone likes things that are sweet, because the toffee is the definition of sweet.

I started my Christmas sewing about a month ago, but it's still going to come down to the last minute.  I made 30+ miniature fabric trays (pictured below) using Christmas fabric I ordered in August.  I've given almost thirty of them away to my Bible study ladies, our IDEM group ladies and more.  

I also finished the sewing gift for my three grandkids.  (Not going to put a picture because their parents may read this and I want it to be a surprise.) 

I'm making two quilted table runners.  One of the tops is done and the other is still in pieces.  The fabric for the border, backing and binding is on it's way to California, so I'll have to find time to finish them when I get there.  If not, they'll be after Christmas gifts and will be ready to decorate the house for Christmas 2016.  That's just the way it goes when I don't have access to everything I need.

Two more days to get everything done before we fly to California--my "to do" list has never been longer.

Cross Stitch, Anyone?

Friends: The ladies in our sewing group/Bible study here in San Salvador are interested in learning to cross stitch. However, it is very difficult to locate and very expensive to buy the "Aida" (or other brand) counted cross stitch fabric here. I thought, perhaps, some of you might have fabric and DMC thread that has been laying around unused for years which you would willing to give a "good home." We'd love to have it. Email me (parrisinelsalvador@gmail.com) if you would like to help us with this ministry.

Hilo, Aguja y Biblia Pillowcases

I just realized that I didn't post pictures from our last Hilo, Aguja y Biblia (HAB) class which included pictures of the completed pillowcases.  Almost everyone finished one of their pillowcases and here's a picture to prove it!

Next time we meet, those who didn't finish will have time to do so while the rest of us begin the process of matching up fabric.  We will be making pillowslips to give to an orphanage and/or a battered women's shelter for our next evangelistic outreach.

Hilo, Aguja y Biblia Pillowcases

Welcome to March . . . my friends and family in Kansas City say that the month is coming in like a roaring lion with a huge winter storm bearing down on the city.  Well, here in El Salvador it was a nice, toasty 90 degrees today. 

We started Hilo, Aguja y Biblia today after a nearly a 3-month break in January, February, March. Maria Elena and a few of the other ladies brought everything to make breakfast--scrambled eggs, salsa, fried plantains, bread, juice and coffee.  In the past we have begun working on our project and had the Bible study at the end.  Unfortunately, not everyone gets to stay to the end, so sometimes they miss the study.  Today we did it right after breakfast and started on the project after we finished.  

I made this pillowcase yesterday and brought it for them to see.

  
It's always fun for the ladies to dig into the boxes looking for fabrics that they like.  Today each of them picked out at least two fabrics--one for the main part of the pillowcase and another for the cuff.  

We were able to get everyone's fabrics cut today . . . . next time we will begin the sewing!