Chocolate Covered Pretzels

 

I've made these for our Christmas Bazaar for years. They make wonderful gifts as most people cannot resist the combination of chocolate with that little zip of salt.

This year I bought a Wilton Chocolate Pot that melts the chocolate and keeps it warm for dipping.
I bought it with my 40% off coupon here.

The only downside to the pan? It's made of aluminum that when weighed down by the chocolate and you pick it up by the handle -- the handle bends. Knowing that - you don't pick up the pan by the handle.

It does a great job of keeping the chocolate at the right temperature for coating pretzels. I am using chocolate melties sold in the bulk bins here at the Clackamas location. I used some of the bulk pieces of dark chocolate  for my peppermint bark and that worked as well.
  Overall - I like this pan and my old way of using the double boiler - being careful to keep the water condensation from reaching the chocolate is over. The microwave works with pyrex but if the pyrex gets too hot, it will break in half. This pan seems fairly foolproof.

Yummy.

PASSPORT WALLETS

My sister and I are traveling to Ireland in about THREE WEEKS.

We still have no place to stay but we have passport wallets!

These are so stinking cool!

I saw some passport wallet  ideas at Sew Mama Sew and narrowed it down to this Fabulous Tutorial by Lara Cameron.

The layering of the outside fabric, the pockets and the lining turned out perfectly.

It was truly an easy sew project.

Easy sew - unless you are me - I needed to add the credit card and ID pockets.  I had to add the button and loop closure.  I decided to add a cute pocket on the right hand side for  - I don't know - ticket stubs - maybe?  

Easy smeezey.

BAZAAR TIME

I know I should be sewing and getting ready for the Christmas Bazaar.  It just seems so far away.....

Stop by the Knittn' Kitten to find inspiration:

Free Craft Projects at The Knittn' Kitten 

If you're looking for cool holiday gifts to make, The Knittn' Kitten will be offering a new free project sheet each week until early November. Stop in the store, get the project, and while you're there, pick up the materials at bargain prices. The projects are all donated by local crafters. Get a full list of who's participating over here.

These stunning Roses are called "Just Joey". My great-aunt Ruby said they were her favorites. They bloom profusely, they smell divine, and are hardly ever bothered by any of those pesky rose diseases.