flashback friday + thimble times giveaway

**The winner of the CHOBANI + BLEND Giveaway is #25 – Elle!!  Email me your address and we’ll get you hooked up with the goods!**

Yes – as I alluded to in the title, there is a giveaway in this post.  Might as well scroll down to the bottom and enter it.  The rambly mush above it is, well, just rambly mush.  But I promised to tell you about “Sandwich in a Can” and I never usually keep my promises.

The Wednesday before Christmas, Katy (my sister) had a Christmas Party!  I was told to be there at 7pm with an appetizer and White Elephant gift in hand.  Oh, and to not complain or pick my nose.  

I listen to Katy, because she’s stronger than me.  Some might say “man-lier”.  And I’m getting punched when she reads that description.  A man punch.

Anyway, it was your typical Christmas Party spread.  Fats and sweets.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

My contribution – TJ’s Three Layer Hummus/Stacey’s Pita Chips – always a winning combo

Brownie Trifle

Katy’s Chocolate Igloo Cake!  Chocolate cake with Buttercream Icing

Mr. and Mrs. Penguin Pants

Oreo Balls and Jessica’s Gooey Chocolate Coconut Truffles

Sydney = Fat Santa…Max = Confused Rudolph

Party Favors – Homemade Chai Tea – SO GOOD!!

We chatted over food and coffee…then got down to the Dirty Santa game.  I brought a bunch of Trader Joes’ goodies (that my mom went home with – one of them being that Sugar/Coffee/Chocolate grinder thing that I’m totally planning to steal when she’s not looking.

And I came home with…this beautiful houndstooth scarf!

Baby Jackson and this girl would approve!

The gift exchange was fun!  There were generic mugs and lotions, but the funniest gift came from Katy, gifted to Maddy.

A “Sandwich in a Can”, Bacon-scented Hand Sanitizer and a Bubble Wrap Keychain – all from my favorite store, ThinkGeek.

The Bacon Hand Sanitizer didn’t really smell like bacon.  But it’s the thought that counts.

Canwich is nice and all, but I can assure you, once that gift was opened, NOBODY wanted to steal it.  There are only so many ways you can use a Canwich.  I can think of two: eating it and putting it high up on your dorm shelf so your co-ed friends can chuckle.

The gift that WAS fought over??  Susanna’s homemade slippers!

Like TOMS for your house!!

I’ve talked about Susanna multiple times.  Mostly because I want to be her.  No really.  She puts other women to shame.  She has 4 young kids that she homeschools.  She’s a seamstress and crafter.  She raises her own chickens and makes most of the clothes for her family!!  Oh, AND she blogs!

Thimble Times is her Etsy shop, where, along with those adorable slippers, she sells:

Waldorf Dolls

Meet “Red” – Clara’s Christmas present.  She’s stuffed with wool and lavender-scented millet!  If you’re looking for a great gift for a little girl, Susanna’s selling another one on her site!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

$5.00/20 loads of laundry – will ship!!

This all natural, phosphate free, powdered laundry detergent is scented with organic lavender essential oil. HE friendly, SLS free, coconut based soap…which means that it is incredibly hypoallergenic.  Susanna says, “I’ve used this for over a year and I love it. I even use it on my baby’s clothes and he has sensitive skin prone to eczema.” Comes in a cute fabric bag with an instruction sheet for use.

Pocket Pebbles (these were my Christmas gifts to a few “blends”)

$5.00

These tiny hand warmers are stuffed with rice and scented with lavender essential oil. Warm them up in the microwave for 30 seconds and then drop them in a pocket or a mitten to keep you toasty warm. Each pebble is stitched from wool and wool felt.

The best part!?!?  Susanna wants to spread the love to YOU!! 

GIVEAWAY TIME!  Thimble Times Edition!

What you’ll win:  A customized pair of homemade slippers ($25 value!).  You get to pick fabric and color combo!!

To Enter:

Leave a comment – tell me – are you a “crafty” person?  Ever sewn or made your own laundry detergent?

EXTRA Entries (leave a comment below telling me which ones you do!)

* Follow Susanna (ThimbleTimes) on Twitter

* Like Thimble Times on Facebook

* Tweet the following:  “I’m trying to win my own @ThimbleTimes customized slippers from @lindsays_list today! http://wp.me/p1Mp21-1eN”

Giveaway ends on Sunday night, January 1st !  I’ll randomly choose the winner and post it on Monday!  Best of luck!

**If you’d like to go ahead and purchase a pair (I DID!), you can get 20% off by using the code “LINDSAYSLIST20” when you checkout at the Thimble Times shop!!**

splendid…lindsay