Filed under: Holiday, Life | Tags: Christmas tradition, holiday season, holiday tradition, Thanksgiving tradition
With Thanksgiving less than one week away, Christmas has taken over my mind, building up to New Year’s and it’s not over until Three King’s Day. I enjoy Thanksgiving as a holiday when my friends and family get together; I’m thankful all holiday season. It’s the kick off of the Holiday season, worries seem to melt away and people spend more time enjoying things they often take for granted.
I host a Thanksgiving dinner at my house each year, either the Saturday before or after the holiday. My few days off include two days of cooking and baking my tweaked recipes, ones from my family as well as Hubster’s family. We break last year’s wishbone, making a place for this year’s to hang. Yummy leftovers to look forward to, new recipes to create. It’s this week the merlot decorations remain, the oranges ones begins to be replaced by the hunter green. Gingerbread house decorating. Christmas tree selecting & decorating. A drive up to Candy Cane Lane (in South Williamsport every house on this street is decorated to the nines and lit up, the cars line up 9 blocks away, for their chance to drive up and share the holiday cheer) rounds out my kick off week. And yes, all season long I listen to overplayed Christmas music and watch the cheesy made for t.v. Christmas movies. There’s the pictures on Santa’s lap and the reindeer in the pen downtown. I wrap the presents as I purchase them and make them, I send out my holiday cards. my kitchen smells of sweet chocolate, fudge, and crisp gingerbread; my living room pine and wood. I drink more hot cocoa and it always seem to be topped with whipped cream and crushed peppermints.
One of my favorite things about the holiday season is when Hubster and I turn off all the lights in the living room except for the tree. We lay down with our heads under the pine and look up at the lights, holiday music soothing into the background. We lay there and look, we talk, we laugh, we enjoy the silence as we watch our dreams unfold.
This is what the holiday season means to me…
What does it mean to you?
Filed under: Creating, Handmade Jewelry, Sewing | Tags: accessory, clutch, gift giving, gifts, Handmade Jewelry, jewelry, jewelry crafts, jewelry making, sewing project
One of my BFF’s 30th birthday is this December, right before Christmas. With a birthday so close to the holiday it’s hard to get everyone together for a party, so her husband decided to throw her a surprise party a month early. Tonight, right now…
Black Clutch, Purple Chandelier Earrings & Necklace
Knowing she truly loves and appreciates my handmade gifts, I knew just what to make her: A chic clutch stuffed with glamorous goodies.
The clutch included a pair of handmade chandelier beaded earrings and matching necklace and homemade exfoliating soap. Click on the picture for a closer view.
A while back I saw a tutorial on Jessica’s blog about how to make a clutch using a placemat. I kept my eyes open for cute placemat and finally found one I’d like to make into a clutch. I’m keeping my eyes open for an antique looking brooch to match the black and natural pattern on the clutch.
Filed under: Creating, Handmade Jewelry | Tags: earrings, hand, handmade earrings, Handmade Jewelry, jewelry, jewelry crafts, jewelry making
Alliteration Jewelry presents Antique Ambiance, available in three colors (smoke, cloud, and coal). I’m thinking about posting on Etsy, anyone interested?
Filed under: Creating, Decorating, Holiday | Tags: Christmas wreath, door hanger, holiday door hanger, holiday tradition, holiday wreath, thanksgiving wreath
Instead of the traditional wreath I usually hang on my door each year, I decided to make a wreath that would not scatter pine needles as it dried. I took several pine cones and attached them to satin ribbons. I used colors that went with my exterior decor (oatmeal and chocolate) as well as a a reddish (merlot) one that complimented the colors and gave me a longer display season. I glued small silver beads to several of the pine cones to add a bit of sparkle. I’m not completely happy with the out turn. I think I need to add a little something to fill it out… but I need to think on it for a while. I couldn’t get a good picture due to the poor lighting. What do you think? 
I took a photograph this week of the post sunset sky. I thought it was beautiful and wanted to share.
Filed under: Creating, Kids, Preloved | Tags: art supplies, children's activities, crayons, kid craft, kid's activities, party favors
My Pumpkin has several shoe boxes full of crayons (some were seriously mine when I was in school)… and he rarely uses them. We have broken nubs and perfect crayons mixed in together. What to do with all the broken bits? How to reduce the stash? When I was a kid my mother used them to make camp fire starters…
I decided to make Wacky Writers. I broke the crayons into smaller pieces and dropped them into my muffin tins (next time I’ll also use my mini muffin pans), creating several color combinations. I baked them in the oven for about 17 minutes at 200°F (until they were melted). I allowed them to cool completely before removing from the tins. The round crayons are perfect for my nephew, who will be two on Monday, to use (oh, how my SIL will love me!).
*These would make great party favors for a birthday party! I’ll have to keep my eyes open for fun shaped molds.
*These would also make great stocking stuffers.
Filed under: Home Improvement | Tags: DIY, indoor brick, kitchen remodel, recessed lights, stemware rack, trim
Kitchen
I wish I had before pictures of our kitchen… from four years ago when we got the house. There was orange brick half way up the wall, faux wood tiles, a naked lady oil lamp and stenciled birds and hearts all over! Ugly. Nightmare.
We had recessed lights sitting in the boxes in the closet since we bought our house. Hubster and I finally decided it was time to get them into the ceiling. It took him several nights to accomplish what would’ve taken him one, when he realized that our house originally had a flat roof and he have to cut through the tar. After we got all the lights installed, he swirled the kitchen ceiling and took the light fixture and switched it with the old bubble in the hallway. Way to go Hubster!!
Hubster Hard at Work
Recently I’ve decided to paint the stark white trim a chocolate brown. Above the sink there was a wooden scroll, and we cut it down the make the bottom on the cabinet flat, painted it, and added stemware racks. We also cut out the bottom shelf of the cabinet above the stove and replaced it was a hanging microwave.
Trim Cut Down & Paint Retouched
Prepping to Paint
Stemware Rack Added
Filed under: Baking | Tags: cheesecake recipe, dessert, dessert recipes, turtle cheesecake
I got this yummy recipe from Nestle Tollhouse years ago and had yet to try it. I modified it slightly as I was working and am so please with the decadent and delicious dessert.
My Pumpkin helped with the crust.
1) I used whole pecans instead of chopped.
2) My presentation on top is nicer (although messy is nice sometimes).
3) I pressed pecans and chocolate chips into the chocolate graham cracker crust.
4) I used more caramel for drizzling on top.
Filed under: Baking, Cooking, Kids | Tags: kid friendly food, mexican lasagna, taco lasagna, vegetarian substitution
My Pumpkin loves tacos and lasagna, my lasagna that is. Today we decided to make a taco lasagna together. I love that it’s so easy and delicious.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground meat (I use turkey or chicken), taco seasoning, 1/2 c. water, shredded cheddar cheese, taco sauce, 4 flour tortillas, sour cream, diced jalapeÑos, shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes.
Directions:
Brown the meat and add taco seasoning and water to skillet, simmer until sauce thickens. Grease an 8″ cake pan. Layer in one tortilla shell, top with ground meat, taco sauce, sharp shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat twice and the top with remaining tortilla, sauce and cheese. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing, top each slice with sour cream, chives and jalapeÑos (if desired). Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes.
This is so quick, easy and fun for the kids. They can help layer the ingredients as long as the meat is cooled a bit first. Eating it is just as fun.
* Next time I may use Pepper Jack in addition to the cheddar.
*I’ve made this before as a vegetarian dish, substituting veg. refried beans for the meat.
*You could make any variation to this recipe, to make it to you liking. I’d add kidney beans in it and black olives on top if Hubster only liked them.
