Absent for Awhile & New CHRISTMAS ideas!?!?!

Hello all!
First i must apologize for being absent lately. I have been working tirelessly to clean out my garage to make a mini craft room! We own a town home so I cant make major changes. If I could you better believe I would have whipped out the paint and maybe even some drywall! i don't have any before pictures but please imagine a VERY messy garage with boxes EVERYWHERE!! Here is my enjoyable little space now!

I used some old saw horses and a door that we had removed from our house to make an EXTRA long table. This means I can have my sewing machine on one end and everything else on the other!

an OLD TV that I can play DVD's on to help pass the time away. During the day I open up the garage door and get great sunshine and a breeze to cool off and brighten up the space. 

i know it doesn't look like much but its pretty much awesome to me! With an 11 month old daughter crawling around, the fact that I can start a project and leave it (sharp scissors and all!) is so freeing!!

So on to my Christmas Ideas... I know what you are thinking. Mollie, Christmas ideas?!? really?!? its not even Halloween yet!  I know..but i LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas and when i get going I can't stop. I love my house decorated for fall but i am practically salivating at making Christmas decorations.  This is a simple gift idea for that special friend to give them something small but meaningful or that last minute party you are invited to, or that awkward moment where someone gives you a gift and you are totally unprepared!!?  I introduce: Peppermint Hot Chocolate in a jar!

Its SUPER simple to make and everyone loves it!

Ingredients:

• 1-quart Jar
• 1 1/2 cups powdered nondairy creamer
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cp nonfat dry milk powder
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cp packed brown sugar
• 16 peppermint sticks, coarsely crushed (i used a plastic bag & a rolling pin...took care of some pent up frustration. hehe)
• 1 cp milk chocolate chips, divided.

1.  Combine creamer and salt in a small bowl; stir well.  Combine milk powder and cocoa powder in another small bowl; stir well.  Pour 3/4 cp creamer mixture, 1/2 cp cocoa mixture, remaining creamer mixture and remaining cocoa mixture into a 1-quart wide mouth jar with tight-fitting lid.  Pack down firmly after each layer (I used the bottom of one of my spice jars)  Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, half of peppermint, 1/2 cp chocolate chips, remaining peppermint and remaining 1/2 cp chocolate chips.  Pack down firmly after each layer.  Seal jar.  

2.  Cover top with fabric or festive ribbon.  Attach a gift tag with these instructions:

•     Pour contents of jar into large bowl; mix well. Pour mixture back into jar.
•    For single serving place 1/4 cp cocoa mix into cup add 3/4 cp boiling water; stir until chocolate has melted and peppermint is dissolved. ( Add more boiling water to taste, if necessary) Garnish with whipped cream if desired.  Makes 16 servings. 

I like to make up a HUGE batch of these and have them ready to go when the time comes.  I normally get the jars from Michaels ($1.99 a pop).  I will be playing around with some other recipes too..cookies, soup, raisin bread. Keep logging on to get more ideas!