Operation Christmas Child year round collection list

This is not the official Operation Christmas Child monthly collection list. This is a list I made based on when I have seen sales to happen.

Anyone is welcome to use it for their own collecting or as a base for creating their own list.

To learn more about OCC visit their website: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

If you are unsure if something can be packed in a shoebox, check out their FAQ: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/frequently-asked-questions/#gift-suggestions

Have fun blessing kids and spreading the Gospel!

Reusable Pad Pattern

I created this pattern so I could make reusable pads to put in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

Anyone is welcome to reuse the pad as they wish. OCC, Days for Girls, personal, other charities, etc.

Pattern should be printed at full page size. Cut two layers of fabric of the pattern with wings. Fold in paper wings and cut two to three layers of fabric for inside. Lay the two pieces of fabric with wings together with wrong sides of fabric facing out. Lay inner layers on top. Sew/Serge around outside leaving a place to turn right side out. Once turned right side out (use a stuffing tool to properly turn everything) sew closed the opening. Then sew approximately a fourth of an inch around the main body of the pad. This creates a barrier around the edges. I also sew a straight line down part of the middle to help encourage liquids to flow to the center instead of the outside.
Finish by adding Velcro or snaps to the wings. (Remember one side of Velcro needs to be on top of the wing and the matching piece on the bottom side of the other wing. So it can attach around underwear.)

The end product should look something like the picture below. The red one is made with the given pattern. The lavender one is made with a pattern that basically has a half inch cut off each end. (Velcro has not been added to these yet.)

When I make it I like to cut the outside from flannel. (Best to wash and hang dry.) The inside I'll cut either three layers of flannel or two of a towel material. It's a great way to use old towels that need replaced.

January Storms

The night of January 29, 2013 we went to bed with strong wind warnings. The wind outside our window sounded pretty loud but it's not like we've never had that before.

About 2:15 am the wind was loud enough to wake me up. I sat up for a while looking on my phone at news stations and weather websites. I found that we were under a tornado watch but we get those practically anytime a few people sneeze at the same time. News channels around here like to scare people and if you ran for cover every time they freaked out, you would just live in your hall way or "safe spot".

A little after 2:30am I decided I was tired and going to try to go back to sleep. I prayed to God that He watch over us and keep everyone on campus safe. I then laid down and as I did that my husband, Walter woke up. We spoke for a moment about how loud the wind was. As we were talking the wind got even louder. We agreed that maybe we should leave the room because we were on the second floor. We got up and started getting ready to leave. In just a few moments we started hearing pine cones hit our bedroom windows with great force. After just a minute we were just about ready and Walter headed for the door while I grabbed my cat. 
My cat, Spooks, is a big baby, he's afraid of everything. When the weather gets a little loud he hides and can't be found. Oddly enough he had been sleeping on my feet and when we got up he went just under the step of our bed, no farther. So I was able to grab him and put him in my left arm where he likes to be. I then decided to take the three steps to the head of my bed to grab my flashlight since the power was flickering. Meanwhile Walter got about 2-3 steps away from our bedroom door (still inside the room).

Just after I put my hand on my flashlight, the window that I was about a foot and a half from exploded into the room. The rest of the time that I was in the room I was in a daze and details are fuzzy. Just after the double paned window exploded I turned my back to the window and screamed. The wind at that point was so loud that even to me my scream was barely audible. Amazingly, despite the explosion, despite me screaming, despite the wind roaring into the room, Spooks was staying still in my arms. If he is freaked and someone makes a slightly loud noise or moves to quick he will jump and run.

100 Week

If you haven't heard about "The 100 Project" it's all about photography. 

You can read more here, but the basic idea was the get people from every age to take pictures of their daily lives.

Beyond the one from each age they asked anyone to take pictures of their week from Oct 1-7th 2012.

So I took part. 

I did not use a disposable camera but for all my pictures I left all settings on auto and didn't use zoom or any editing.

So here was my week!

Monday Oct. 1

Included running errands (the Samaritan center often has good craft supplies), Women's Ministry meeting at my church and a cupcake from the ladies for my birthday later this month.

 

Tuesday Oct. 2 

Held shopping for my house hold and for the home I help out, setting up some fabric for sewing billfolds to sell in my etsy shop and some fall colors coming in (view out my front door).

 

Wednesday Oct. 3

Held sewing, tomato picking and was a beautiful day.

Thursday Oct 4

 Some here at the home (for mentally challenged adults) had a ball game, and I organized my house and started gathering the things I've bought for Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes for poor children around the world.

Friday Oct. 5

I spent time creating a recipe for caramel apple cheesecake bars to take to church potluck on Saturday and my cat Spooks hung out and watched me cook, as usual.

Saturday Oct 6

The Lord's Sabbath held church, visiting a nearby park I really like and a short trip down Natchez Trace and the scenic route home so we could enjoy the autumn colors. Also another little gift from my church.

Sunday Oct. 7

I sewed some billfolds to go in my etsy shop, relaxed in the evening with my hubby and cat, Spooks, and we brought in all the remaining tomatoes to finish ripening inside because of the cold temps we're getting.

So there ya go, my "100 week" as a 28 year old woman living in middle Tennessee!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I know it's been quiet around here for a while. Middle of September my Grandmother died and that involved a trip to Nebraska. Late September a friend died and just been lots going on.

However, I'm back with something very yummy for you to make. 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars!

Yeah, let that sink in for a minute.

I took a couple different recipes and edited and spliced to make this yummy creation.

You'll need a 13x9 baking dish to start with.

Crust:

1 sleeve graham crackers 

3 Tbsp sugar

4 Tbsp melted butter

Crush the graham crackers totally and mix with sugar and butter then press into the bottom of your 13x9 glass pan.

Cheesecake:

 2 8oz packages of cream cheese

1/2 C sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Start with room temperature cream cheese and using an electric mixer beat together on low with the sugar. Once well blended mix in the eggs one at a time and finish by mixing in the vanilla.

Apple Layer:

5 apples

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 C bisquick mix

1/2 C sugar

1/2 C milk

1 Tbsp butter

2 eggs

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. In a medium bowl mix in all the other ingredients. 

In a small bowl mix 

1 C bisquick

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c butter

Using a fork (or pastry cutter) cut the butter into the bisquick and sugar. 

Mix into the apple mixture.

Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the graham cracker crust. 

Pour the apple mixture on top of the cream cheese layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Caramel Topping:

10 caramel candies

4 Tbsp milk

Melt at 30 second intervals in the microwave till melted and mixed together. 

Drizzle over the apples after baking.

Cool and slice.

Lastly, try not to eat the whole pan at once!