Enter With A Christmas Heart

Crafty Holiday traditions to explore

2010-11-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

I am a wanna-be paper crafter..... really, it's probably more accurate to say that I am a collector of scrapbooking supplies, since I very seldom actually complete any projects....and over the last several years I've had a blast online, at various blogs and websites where people create amazing projects and journal their Christmas each year.

The Mother of All Online Christmas Journaling Projects as far as I'm concerned is Shimelle:

Hers is the one that started it all, and I strongly encourage you to join her site this year....pay just once and participate as many years as you would like at no additional cost. I've been doing it for 3 years now, and it is a huge part of my Holiday fun, even though I have never completed a journal yet. Maybe this year. Hope springs eternal!

"Every year, Journal your Christmas includes daily prompts from the 1st of December to the 6th of January, the twelfth day of Christmas. The 37 illustrated PDF files are delivered straight to your inbox so you can read them over your first cup of coffee and mull over each topic for a full day. There’s also an archive of the class materials online in case you can’t get to your email or in case something dreadful happens to your computer. And like every year, you can go it alone or be as social as you like, with a private discussion forum where you’ll find other Christmas journallers who will cheer you on and share your excitement, but if you prefer to stick to the prompts only, that’s completely fine too."

Do join the fun!

More info:

http://www.shimelle.com/paper/856/10-reasons-why-you-should-journal-your-christmas/

Another fabulous tradition for me is Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas.

This is soooooo much fun; his creativity is astounding, and he does a giveaway every day. NO need to join or anything, just check the website every day, and enjoy the magic. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win some great stuff!

http://www.timholtz.typepad.com/

Her's a video to wet your whistle, and the previous years' tags are also archived on the blog. (Left hand side, scroll about half way down, under Categories)

Ali Edwards does her take on Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas, and it's fun to follow along to see how she manages everything:

http://aliedwards.com/projects/

And I am HOPING my girl Kristen at Scrappin' My Bliss will show us her amazing creativity this year, too!

http://scrapbliss.blogspot.com/

So, as if there weren't enough fun this time of year, I hope you find time to check some of these sites out...I think you'll be glad you did!

No mantel? No problem!

2010-10-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have a very dear friend who is truly a Christmas Queen.

Over the years, she has blessed me with so many fabulous Christmas ideas and she is writing a book filled with the most magical, charming, adorable Christmas things! (It's actually a book of all kinds of seasonal things, not just Christmas) Believe me when I tell you that she has made amazing, wonderful memories for her three beautiful daughters!

Anyway, I asked her permission to share my all-time favorite idea of hers; I think it is just TOO charming for words!

I hope the pic is large enough for you to see...she made a stocking holder out of a twin bed frame.

Thank you, Little Bit, for allowing me to share your genius on the world wide intertubes! MWAH!!!!

Giveaway @ Michael Mead Holiday, and magazine alert!

2010-09-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am ADDICTED to Holiday magazines, and have been shamefully remiss in not mentioning Matthew Mead's to you.

It will be out soon, and is only available on his website.

I am not posting this solely for a chance to win the Fawn giveaway, but aren't they adorable??? You go try and win ,too, and by all means, reserve your copy of the magazine!

http://www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com/

Merry August Chickmas!

2010-08-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

On a private message board I belong to, I usually do a White Christmas theme for our August Chickmas (What we call Rudy Day)

This is my post for today (Straight repeat GLU chickies, with language cleaned up a tad... so no need to read further!)

Let me start off by stating emphatically that I am not suggesting you have trumpets and clarinets
decorating the mantle, nor tubas and saxophones all leaned up a-gin the tree.


I don’t know about you, but I somehow doubt that I'd be able to pull this off.


In my house, it'd just look like someone forgot to put the stuff away.

(Come to think of it, there are a couple guitars in the middle of the living room floor at any given time, and I think there IS a clarinet under the couch)

As I have mentioned before, Mr. Christmas Heart is very musical, you see, so I love to incorporate music in my Christmas, and I love the way sheet music looks, and I think there are some cute ideas here, especially if you were having a Caroling Party.

Which I have never known anyone to have, by the way, despite the fact that darn near every year   at least one Holiday magazine uses it as a feature article.

I have been caroling, don't get me wrong, and we usually had a little cider to drink while we were doing it, although the singing was almost always better when we had hot chocolate and peppermint Schnapps instead of cider....but I can't say as I have ever been to or heard of anyone else going to or having what you could call an actual Caroling Party.

Or a tree-trimming party, for that matter, cuz I mean who the heck wants someone else to decorate their tree???    (Other than our Grammy Girlfriend, of course!!!   http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/search/label/Holiday%20Decorating )

Hang the lights on the tree, you betcha, and I'd even spring for hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps, but you'd want them to leave right after the lights were hung so you could decorate the tree your own dang self and it seems seems awfully rude to just run someone off like that, and it could also get you arrested if they had too much peppermint Schnapps in their hot chocolate.

And let's face it, getting arrested would put quite the damper on your Christmas season, so you'd just as well drink the bottle of Schnaps yourself, and hang the dang lights on the tree while you're at it.


Mind you, if you WERE to have a Caroling Party, wouldn't the stars make darling favors?

I'd make ornaments instead of a tree topper, though...and it'd take a sweet forever, and probably drive me insane and cost a fortune.

A bottle of peppermint Schnapps for everyone would be much easier, and cheaper, too.

Not that I am having a Caroling Party, because there [i]is[/i] no such thing.

But I LOVE the way these place cards look, and no, I don't know how much the lyres cost, nor how they get 'em on the rings.

And mercy sakes, the CUTENESS of that stocking!!

Does it look like it's made out of a brown paper sack to you, too? A bottle of Schnapps would slip right down in there…

(I have been informed that the the rings come with the lyres, so clarinet players can read the music. Thus my ignorance is enlightened. I was a Drama Queen, not a Band Hag.) ( Hag ain't what they called 'em, btw, but it's a different world now!)

Next up are a couple of very simple crafts...easy to do in the heat; I would think you could crank out several in an hour:

Bookmark/Book thongs

http://www.favecrafts.com/Gifts/Bead-and-Ribbon-Bookmark
http://www.favecrafts.com/Gifts/Beaded-Book-Thong

I think this is the DARLINGEST place card idea! Imagine how cute a table full would be!
Thanks, LuLu!

http://luludou.blogspot.com/2010/07/cij-july-18.html

A place where it really IS coolish now!

http://keepingthechristmasspiritalive365.blogspot.com/

As an FYI:

August is Month of the Elf: Time to plan Elf activities. Get out some planner sheets and jot down any “pranks” your elf might do and also check your elf gifts (did you pick up some items after Christmas for the elf to bring this year?)

Don’t forget “experience gifts” are lots of fun with the elf. So be sure and include making cookies or going to the theater to take in the newest Christmas movie (the elf goes too, of course!) The elf can present the tickets as a surprise! If your elf is writing notes….get a jump start and craft a couple this month so they are all ready when the busy holiday season arrives!

http://magicalholidayhome.com/elves/

A reminder to always be on the lookout for stocking stuffers...this is a GREAT month to pick up school supplies...pens, pencils, post-to notes, tape, etc make GREAT stuffers for grown-ups, too!

Beachy/Summery/ 4th of July things are probably starting to get really cheap, an should be picked up now for stuffers, or maybe even Christmas in July next year. Or as a good base for gift baskets, or a Winter-Pick-Me-Up/Winter Blues Buster sort of gift for anyone you know who gets the blues in the depths of winter.

And finally.....our Soul Food! (A bit hokey, but sweet!)

The Parable of the Birds

There was once a man who didn't believe in God, and he didn't hesitate to let others know how he felt about religion and religious holidays, like Christmas.

His wife, however, did believe, and she raised their children to also have faith in God and Jesus, despite his disparaging comments.

One snowy Christmas Eve, his wife was taking their children to a Christmas Eve service in the farm community in which they lived. She asked him to come, but he refused. "That story is nonsense!" he said. "Why would God lower Himself to come to Earth as a man? That's ridiculous!"

So she and the children left, and he stayed home. A while later, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blizzard. As the man looked out the window, all he saw was a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump. Something had hit the window. Then another thump. He looked out, but couldn't see more than a few feet.

When the snow let up a little, he ventured outside to see what could have been beating on his window. In the field near his house he saw a flock of wild geese. Apparently they had been flying south for the winter when they got caught in the snowstorm and could not go on. They were lost and stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter.They just flapped their wings and flew around the field in low circles, blindly and aimlessly. A couple of them had flown into his window, it seemed.

The man felt sorry for the geese and wanted to help them. The barn would be a great place for them to stay, he thought. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he walked over to the barn and opened the doors wide, then watched and waited, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But the geese just fluttered around aimlessly and did not seem to notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

The man tried to get their attention, but that just seemed to scare them and they moved further away. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up, and made a breadcrumbs trail leading to the barn. They still didn't catch on. Now he was getting frustrated. He got behind them and tried to shoo them toward the barn, but they only got more scared and scattered in every direction except toward the barn.

Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where they would be warm and safe. "Why don't they follow me?!" he exclaimed. "Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm?" He thought for a moment and realized that they just wouldn't follow a human. "If only I were a goose, then I could save them," he said out loud. Then he had an idea. He went into the barn, got one of his own geese, and carried it in his arms as he circled around behind the flock of wild geese. He then released it. His goose flew through the flock and straight into the barn -- and one by one the other geese followed it to safety.

He stood silently for a moment as the words he had spoken a few minutes earlier replayed in his mind: "If only I were a goose, then I could save them!" Then he thought about what he had said to his wife earlier. "Why would God want to be like us? That's ridiculous!"

Suddenly it all made sense. That is what God had done. We were like the geese -- blind, lost, perishing. God had His Son become like us so He could show us the way and save us. That was the meaning of Christmas, he realized.

As the winds and blinding snow died down, his soul became quiet and pondered this wonderful thought. Suddenly he understood what Christmas was all about, why Christ had come. Years of doubt and disbelief vanished like the passing storm. He fell to his knees in the snow, and prayed his first prayer:

"Thank You, God, for coming in human form to get me out of the storm!

Giveaway at Madelief!

2010-08-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite (non-Christmas, but utterly gorgeous!) blogs is hosting a giveaway!

Please check out her beautiful blog, and enter the contest.

http://madeliefje-madelief.blogspot.com/

Website with nice gift ideas and tips!

2010-08-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

So, I got my Mama one of these for her main gift:

She lives out of state, and has reached the stage in life where she doesn't really need any more STUFF, ya know?

I plan on making a year's worth of activities for her...I'll fill it with a gift card per month... to her favorite local shops and restaurants.... Mr. Christmas Heart is going back in October, so he can pick them up for me then.

I will also add some cash for things like the yearly garden tour and holiday home tour, etc. She doesn't have a computer, so I'll research the dates and such for her. I hope to also be able to include a little letter each month, with memories of how we used to go antique shopping together, or on the local garden tour, and that I'll be thinking of her, etc.

I'm sure she'll enjoy it, and it'll save me a ton of money on shipping!

The site has great gift ideas, too, and some great Christmas tips- I just searched the site for Christmas, but you can check on the Holiday section for great ideas on all the other holidays, too. There's even a Christmas in July article!

http://getbuttonedup.com/category/life-events/holidays-life-events/christmas-holidays/

Fun packaging idea

2010-07-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for unique ways to present my gifts, and thought this was fun! I have given cookies in a gingerbread bowl before, and am delighted to have another gingerbread idea in my repertoire; I'm thinking if one were ambitious, one could also make little mini gingerbread houses to present gift cards, jewelry, etc in....

The ultimate edible gift wrap!

Our gingerbread gift boxes are simply made of square cookies glued together with Royal Icing. It’s hard to make these very big, so the boxes are best for small gifts – and are a wonderful decorative and edible gift on their own. Or, use them to serve treats on the coffee table at Christmas.

Materials and Tools

Gingerbread cookie batter
Royal Icing
Box templates
Ribbons

Step 1

Enlarge the templates on a photocopier, but we recommend making these boxes no larger than 6” square. Otherwise, they’ll be too fragile.

Step 2

Cut the gingerbread squares using the templates. Bake cookies.

Step 3

"Glue" together and hide edges using Royal Icing

Here is the gingerbread bowl :

Darling idea to make a special occasion even more fun

2010-07-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

Every year, Mr. Christmas Heart and I look forward to watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.

We both vividly remember anxiously waiting for it to come on TV when we were kids; we have a copy of it on DVD now, but there is still something magical about catching it when it airs for the first time on TV.

I always make hot chocolate, and we drink it out of special mugs, just for this occasion.

This year, I'll be adorning my mugs with these!

Aren't they darling? Her website as other cute ideas; she adapted this herself, and hers would work better I think, because the others seem to me like they'd get soggy too quickly to stay on the edge?

http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/

Some websites that offer the cookie cutters...looks like they're sold out for now, so check the sites later!

http://www.gadgetgrid.com/2009/10/23/cup-adorning-cookie-cutters/

http://bakingbites.com/2009/04/coffee-cup-cookie-cutters/

http://www.gadgetgrid.com/2009/12/04/message-in-a-cookie-holiday-cookie-cutters/

And of course I have to add this in; after almost 40 years, I STILL get goosebumps watching it!

Giveaway at Christmas Tree Lane!!

2010-07-25T09:01:00.000-07:00

My dear and VERY inspirational Birthday Triplet Terri is sponsoring a darling giveaway on her Christmas blog

GO CHECK IT OUT!

http://christmastreelane.blogspot.com/2010/07/christmas-in-july-giveaway.html#comment-form

Cookies again

2010-07-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

I do enjoy baking and decorating Christmas cookies very much; I have fond memories of getting together with friends and cousins who are also Christmas-crazed, and just having a blast.

We're all a little crazy anyway and one of my cousins brought some wine, and we may or may not have gotten a little tipsy on top of our usual silliness and it was just hysterically good fun.

We did this for several years, but eventually everyone moved away from me, so I no longer bake every year. It just depends on my mood year by year.

I thought I'd share some tips I find helpful, and an idea I like to use for packaging them up.

From: Living - Martha Stewart

Decorating cookies can be as simple as using icing dots to make a gingerbread man's face and buttons, or as challenging as flooding and flocking with bright royal icing and tinted sugar. Follow the techniques below for beautifully iced cookies.

EQUIPMENT
Pastry bag with coupler
#2 tip for piping
#3 tip for flooding small cookies
#5 tip for flooding large cookies

ICING TIPS

1. Royal Icing can be made several days ahead of time and stored in pastry bags -- at room temperature if made with meringue powder or in the refrigerator if made with egg whites.

2. The icing can be thickened or thinned by varying the amount of egg whites and sugar. A thinner icing (with more egg whites) is best for flooding, since it spreads more smoothly; a thicker icing (with more sugar) is best for piping.

3. If the colors start to separate, gently massage the bag to remix the icing.

4. To fill a pastry bag: Place the bag tip side down in a glass about 3 inches shorter than it; fold the top of the bag down over the edge of the glass to form a cuff. Using a large rubber spatula, scrape the icing into the bag, filing it to one-half to two-thirds full. Unfold cuff, and close bag with a twist tie.

5. To prevent the tip from clogging, either place a damp paper towel in the bottom of the drinking glass, or insert a toothpick in the tip, and remove it just before piping.

FLOODING COOKIES

This process coats the entire surface of a cookie with royal icing.

1. Outline half a cookie with piping (thicker) icing, using a #2 tip. Rotate cookie 180 degrees, and outline the other half. Let the icing set, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. With the flooding (thinner) icing, using a #5 tip, draw zigzags over the cookie's surface.

3. Using a small offset spatula, spread the flooding icing evenly within the piping outline. Let the cookie dry overnight at room temperature.

4. When the flooding is dry, use the #2 tip to pipe your chosen design.

FLOCKING COOKIES

This process creates an effect like flocked velvet: Sparkly sanding sugar adds color and texture to the cookies.

1. While the icing is still soft, hold the cookie over a baking sheet, and sprinkle it liberally with sanding sugar -- a large-grain decorating sugar. Let the cookie sit for 30 minutes before shaking off excess sugar. Allow it to dry for several more hours before gently removing stray crystals with a soft pastry brush.

First Published: December/January 1997/1998

***********************************

A nice icing "how-to"

Flooding technique

**********************************

I did this one year, although I didn't use the initial cut out...I just used a cookie that fit the recipient. I used a basic gingerbread recipe and they smelled so good!

A pretty way to present your cookies, it's my favorite presentation:

Close ups of a few:

Here are some tips on how to make the cookie cans especially nice!

Merry Christmas-In-July-Eve!

Christmas Music

2010-07-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

My husband is a very talented musician, and we are both passionate about music regardless of the season, so needless to say, music is a BIG part of our holiday season.

July is a GREAT month to start checking your local library, to see if they have any Christmas music you can check out.

We have built up a pretty substantial collection this way over the years. Our library, which I must admit is fabulous, has a wonderful selection of Christmas CDs that we can check out for a dollar.

(While you're there, don't forget to check out the Christmas books!)

Although I decorate very early, we don't start listening to Christmas music til the day after Thanksgiving, which is also the day we exchange our new Christmas CDs to each other.

My husband always has to work on Black Friday; every year when he comes home, we get in our Christmas PJs first thing, crack a bottle of bubbly, turn off all the lights, and listen to "We Three Kings" by Patti Smith (A Very Special Christmas 3) It is hauntingly beautiful, and never fails to give us both goosebumps after all these years.

We then exchange and listen to the new music we have for the year.

This way of kicking our Christmas music season off is my husband's favorite of all our little traditions, and we both look forward to it every year!

Here are a few of our favorite CDs:

Mellow piano solos:

December (George Winston)

The Vigil (David Nevue)

Emmanuel (David Nevue)

Jazz:

Diana Krall Christmas Songs

A Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Guaraldi Trio

Oscar Peterson Christmas

A Dave Brubeck Christmas

Flamenco/Classical Guitar:

Poets & Angels, Ottmar Liebert

What Child is This, Esteban

Great party music:

A Very Special Chrsitmas (1st one is till my favorite of the entire series)
Boogie-Woogie Christmas, Brian Setzer Orchestra (I don't think we could get through Christmas without this one!)

What are your favorite Christmas albums? Do you have a lot of music? Do you listen to it all through the year?

Favorite Cookie recipe

2010-07-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

I have a few Dirty Little Christmas Secrets, and one of them is that I actually don't care much for Christmas Cookies! I know, I know....

I love to decorate them, but most of them are SO bland! Especially sugar cookies, and what I think of as the Scandinavian/German/ Eastern European types...just flour and a sweet taste, with maybe some vanilla or cinnamon or anise flavor. Blah to me, though I know everyone else adores them! In truth, I don't have much of a sweet tooth; I am more about salt and grease! :o)

These are not traditional Christmas-type cookies at all, but they are the most requested of all the cookies I make around the holidays. They are SO good.

I remember when one branch of my family decided that we'd no longer exchange gifts at our get together, I got calls from three different in-laws, anxiously asking if I'd still be making my Chex Mix, deviled eggs and "those cookies" ! LOL!

If you like coffee and chocolate, I know you'll enjoy these. The flavor is best the day after making them, so it's a good recipe to make a day ahead.

I am not a fan of frozen cookies, so I am not sure if these are suited for that.

Mocha Truffle Cookies

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Makes 30 cookies
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
tablespoon instant coffee crystals
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 beaten eggs
teaspoons vanilla
cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
cup semisweet chocolate pieces

Directions

In a large saucepan melt butter and the 1/2 cup chocolate pieces over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in coffee crystals; cool 5 minutes. Stir in sugars, eggs, and vanilla.

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir into coffee mixture. Stir in the 1 cup chocolate pieces.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven 10 minutes. Let cool 1 minute before removing from sheet. Makes 30 cookies.

St. Nicholas Day

2010-07-21T16:02:00.000-07:00

As part of my plan for extending the joy all throughout the season, I'll be doing a little something for Mr. Christmas Heart this year on St. Nicholas Day.

I love the idea of making up little traditions for a small gift, but he’s very difficult to buy for, and any “little gift” ideas I may get are things I need to stuff his stocking with; it’s a BIG stocking, and I don’t want to deplete my stash too much before Christmas Day. I hate a limp, half-empty stocking!

I want to have a little something for him, though; he’s a musician, and I think I’ll go with that theme.

I’ll get guitar picks, nail-clippers, maybe some guitar strings; things that I always put in his stocking anyway, and can STILL add in. I normally put 10 clippers and picks in the toe; this year, he'll just get half of them a little early.

Oh, and maybe some Throat Coat tea, and a note telling him how very much I love to hear him play carols every night. He plays every single night for me, and I just adore it....

This year Hallmark has a guitar ornament that I could give him on St Nick day, too.

A lottery scratcher and some snacks would fill it all out nicely!

I need to find a little boot to stuff!!!! Anyone know where I can get one?

A Room of One's Own

2010-07-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Mr. Christmas Heart and I are in the process of planning our home in Arkansas, and I am going to have a Christmas room.

I have very definite ideas for what I want to do with it, but I was wondering if I am missing anything!

First of all, it's really more of a Christmas dreaming room. I want it to be the place I go to plot and plan and dream up all the magic!! In my mind I think of it as a sort of Christmas Command Center.

I envision my Christmas room with deep red walls. There will be several bookcases painted glossy hunter green, for all my Holiday books and magazines, and a huge comfy chair to sink into as I dream.

I'll need lots of storage. I'd probably prefer this to be a regular closet, so I can keep the area closed off, but the inside would be mostly shelving. This won't be for storage of my Christmas decorations; I have too many for that! (We will store those in the basement.)

This will be the place I store the items I buy throughout the year, (a literal gift closet!) as well as all the "atmosphere"....my Christmas music, Christmas scented candles, dishes, Holiday puzzles, etc. Oh, and Christmas cards! I usually buy a few boxes each year when they go on deep discount, and it'll be SO nice to have them stacked neatly in one spot for a change!

I'm really looking forward to being able to see everything with a glance, as opposed to the way I have to dig all through my current closet, which of course is where all our clothes and shoes and other odds and ends are taking up valuable space!

I want a state-of-the-art wrapping center also, and a place to make my Christmas crafts at. Ideally, this would be an island of some sort in the middle of the room, with two interchangeable surfaces on hinges, so I could keep two projects going at once. I'd like a few of those paper roll racks on one side of the island, too; that side could have drawers or shelving holding the rest of the wrapping supplies, whereas the other side could hold the craft supplies. I have also always thought one of those great big bright red Craftsman rolling tool chests would make a darn good place to store Christmas supplies; I can especially see those narrow drawers being used for my rubber stamps and papers, tags, tissue paer, etc.

I have a Christmas village with lots of pieces that I do not care for any more. I can't bring myself to get rid of, since my best friend is the one who started the collection for me, and I do love it for sentimental reasons! I was thinking I could put these pieces on top of the bookcases, and all around the room as decoration, and ambient lighting....

I'm toying with the idea of a mantle; at the very least, I'll probably have a floating shelf on one of the walls. It'd be the place I'd burn the candles on. I was thinking if I got a full mantle, I could put the sound equipment in the place where the firebox would normally go....

And I'll always have cinnamon pot pourri around, and cinnamon candles burning as I read and craft and dream up all the magic!!

St. Lucia Day

2010-07-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

So I have been focusing a lot this month on ways I can jazz up the holidays, and scatter little mini-celebrations throughout the entire season ; my breakfast post yesterday reminded me of St. Lucia's Day.

Those of you who know me know there is nothing I would love more than to go swanning around the house all day with candles on my head, but here are some rather more practical ideas I thought of to make December 13th special!

How about making that the day you serve breakfast for supper? It could be a special fancy breakfast, or just your regular breakfast meal, but this is a simple way to make a new tradition! Breakfast-for-supper on December 13th every year....mark your calendars!

Or you could focus on the candle aspect of it, and focus the days activities around candles...maybe try a new scented candle, maybe use only candles for light that evening, give everyone a little scented votive (that you picked up dirt cheap during the holiday sales last year!) or just anything candle related.

Hey, why not serve your breakfast-for-supper by candlelight???

Or focus on the charity aspect of it, and make this the day you and you kids visit the Old Folks home, or just make it a special day with the grandparents...or if the grandparents are not local, maybe you call them, prepare their gifts, write a letter to them (be cool to mail the letter timed to arrive on the 13th...a sweet yearly tradition for them,too!), just do something that focuses on the grandparents or any old folks in your life! (your elderly aunts and uncles, the elderly lady next door, the old grump up the street...one could do anonymous good deeds...donate 5 or 10 bucks online to the Alzheimer's Association or other elder charity etc, etc.)

Dress everyone up in white with red accessories that day???

So, recap: Everyone dresses in red and white that day, you make breakfast for dinner, eat it by candlelight, and after dinner you either call the grandparents, visit the grandparents or the old folks home, or make/shop for/wrap their present, and/or do a good deed for an elderly person.

Or you could just swan around the house with candles on your head.

A favorite Christmas Breakfast entree

2010-07-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

Croissant French Toast

* 4 croissants - cut in half lengthwise
* 2/3 cup low fat milk
* 3 large eggs - lightly beaten
* 1/3 cup orange juice
* 2 Tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 bottle Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante, well chilled
* Your favorite dark chocolate

Crack open bottle of Asti, pour yourself a glass

Melt butter in on a skillet or in a large frying pan at medium-high heat.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except croissants. Beat until well combined.

Pour yourself another glass of Asti, if necessary; mixing is hard work

Drag croissants through the mixture and flip until completely coated. Cook about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve with butter, maple syrup, and the rest of the Asti.

Grated dark chocolate over the top (of the French toast, I mean) is awesome; you can also stuff them with a TB of Nestle's Semi Sweet morsels before dredging.

Much Ado About Nothing

2010-07-17T00:41:00.000-07:00

So, having done a little research and internet surfing, I have come to the conclusion that there are roughly four different types of Christmas In July participants...

You have your cookers, your crafters, your sit-around and watch Christmas DVD-ers, and your organizers/preppers.

Well, I don't craft, I don't cook at all, let alone in the heat of the summer, I hate TV in general and cheesy movies in particular, and I am awful at staying organized and sticking to any sort of routine, which is probably a big part of the reason why CIJ seldom held any real appeal to me.

BUT, I am a daydreamer from WAY back, a Past Mistress at the Art, really, and if there is one thing I love, it's sitting around daydreaming about lovely things, having all kinds of fun planning things out, while not actually doing anything at all besides sitting on my ass.

And drinking cold beverages.

And buying things.

All of which lends itself rather nicely to CIJ.

So I'll be posting daydreams and "wouldn't this be cool" things, and maybe even work in some practical stuff, too.

Christmas In July

2010-07-17T00:15:00.000-07:00

As much as I have always loved Christmas, I had never been one to celebrate or even think about Christmas in July.

I despise the heat, so my Grouch-O-Meter starts runnin' pretty damn high come summer; getting all worked up about anything other than ice-cold watermelon is difficult for me this time of year, so the idea of doing something as elaborate as cooking a full Christmas dinner and/or hosting a big Christmas in July extravaganza is just beyond my comprehension. I don't even like to listen to Christmas music before November.

That being said, last year, the whole Christmas-in-July thing sort of snuck up and bit me on my Holly Jolly ass.

And having thought about it for awhile, I feel very comfortable in putting the blame squarely on the explosion of the Blogosphere in general, and my Terri Triplet in particular.

I found her Christmas blog last year, and through that, found the Christmas-in-July blog parties that everyone was having, and I just really, really enjoyed it. It fell on a Saturday last year, which helped.......and my DH was gone, which also helped, because I had QVC on all weekend, which really added to the atmosphere, and I mean I just really, really got a kick out of it all. I got to sit on my ass all day long, having a blast without actually having to do anything at all, other than sit on my ass.

And drink cold beverages.

And buy stuff.

It doesn't get any better than that, for me, and in fact sums up what I love about the Internet in general. But I digress.

Anyway, it kind of turned me in to a Christmas-in-July fangirl and I got all torqued up and excited about it, started this Christmas blog, and swore a vow to Heaven that I'd be all into it this year.

And then I sort of forgot all about it, which seems to pretty much sum up life in my 40s, but again I digress. Heck, I can't even remember what actually even reminded me about Christmas in July (known hereafter as CIJ) this year, and it's only been a few days since I remembered...I'll go ahead and blame it on Terri again, though, because I see she has a CIJ post up on her blog.

I am also off on a medical leave, with plenty of time to kill, so it's a Perfect Storm, really, and I am gonna roll with it.

An odd post for a Christmas blog.....

2010-05-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

especially since I haven't posted anything for so long!

But I have been accused of bleeding Red, White, and Blue (guilty as charged, I might add!) and come Memorial Day, I always think of my favorite patriotic song, which in turn makes me think of the amazing Worcester Wreath Company, and their Wreaths Across America project.

http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/

Since I found out about this great company, I always buy my wreaths from them. At the very least, I always get the Patriot Pair, which means I get a wreath, and one is also sent to a Veteran's cemetery, to decorate the grave of a fallen soldier.

Their wreaths are glorious, and I hope y'all will keep them in mind when you buy your Christmas greenery.

I am hoping to do a few Christmas related things over the long weekend, but I must confess my thoughts are leaning more towards Autumn right now!

As much as I love Christmas, I am a HUGE Fall lover, and I am already thinking about my favorite season. I am trying to resist the urge to put out a few Autumn decorations.......

A Christmas Adaptation of 1 Corinthians 13

2009-12-11T23:14:00.000-08:00

Shamelessly stolen from my Tanya-Triplet's blog!!

http://payzantfive.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-adaptation-of-1-corinthians.html

A Christmas Adaptation of 1 Corinthians 13

by Sharon Jaynes

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights, and shiny glass balls but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals, and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties, and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust. But giving the gift of love will endure.

Content taken directly from Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas by Sharon Jaynes, published by Moody Publishing, copyright 2005

Favorite Christmas magazine EVER!

2009-11-27T08:32:00.000-08:00

Well, favorite article, anyway....I keep the magazine in a special place, so I can get right to it when I need a fix!

It's Victoria, Dec 1995....and I am every bit as enchanted with it today as I was 14 years ago!

Where to begin??? I have always loved black in decorating, and I think it's a large part of what is appealing to me about her decorations....but I also love the contrast of rustic and elegant....and all the little touches she uses (which I would never have the patience to do, but it's lovely to see!) and I adore the tree in the bedroom, with only lights!

I think I had originally seen that done in an old Southern Living magazine....it was a HUGE tree, with just white lights, and it really struck me. To see it her again made me vow I'd do it myself one day, when I had a place big enough for two trees.....and now we do it every other year, just to keep things simple.

Anyway, a quick note about copyright laws, etc...it is not my intent to claim this work as my own, or rip anyone off ! I just want to share something that I think is lovely beyond words.

If I am violating any laws, and need to remove the pictures, please let me know and I will do so ASAP!

GORGEOUS front porch!!

Triple wrapped napkins...LOVE the black velvet bows!

Love love love the tree and simplicity of the entire room

One more of the bedroom, just because I love it so!!

Traditions

2009-11-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

I am home with the flu today, but I will still make a point to do my traditional day-after-Thanksgiving rituals.....the stockings will be hung, Santa will make his way to the mantel, and I will start listening to Christmas carols.

I always start with my favorite version of O Holy Night (from Christmas with the Cambridge Singers), listen to it several times and get good and weepy and sentimental, then move on to perkier stuff like Run, Run Rudolph, by Bryan Adams.

Once I get the decorations taken care of, I'll settle in with a few magazines that are near and dear to my heart, that I look at every year, never tiring of their beauty, and the excited feeling I get looking at them!

Tonight when he comes home from work, I will give my sweet husband his annual pre-Christmas gift (s), which is usually whatever new Christmas CDs I buy. This year is Bob Dylan's "Christmas in the Heart" ...I know, can you stand it?? Bob Dylan and Christmas?? Who knew??? But my husband is a fan, so I had to get it! Also this year is Sting's "If on a Winters Night". The hubs really likes Sting's version of Gabriel's Message from the first Very Special Christmas, and I really like kind of Celtic gloomy, medieval stuff, so we're excited about this. (I REALLY should have gotten the newest Very Special CD, by the way; I notice they have one out again, but nothing looked very good. Apparently I am so old I haven't heard of many of the artists....I'll probably just donate directly to Special Olympics instead.)

Finally, David will stop at Coffee Bean on his way home from work, and get us each a large ice-blended mocha with whip cream and two extra shots, and even before I give him his gifts, we will turn everything off but the tree lights, and listen to "We Three Kings", by Patty Smith, from Very Special Christmas 3. It is our mutually favorite Christmas song, and we both love this simple but very meaningful ritual!

What are your favorite rituals and traditions for early in the season?

It is officially here!

2009-11-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

People usually look at me like I am insane when I tell them I have the tree up in early November, but I think most people will agree that today is the start of the Christmas season!

Today is the day I really try and start making a point to savor every moment, jot down those little things I don't want to forget about, and just generally soak it all in.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And so it begins....

2009-11-14T17:03:00.000-08:00

My tree has been up a week now, and today I brought out a few more decorations.

When we bought a fake tree a few years ago, my goal was to have it up by Nov 1st each year, or at the very latest by The Birthday Weekend, which is whatever weekend falls between my husband's birthday (Nov 9th) and mine (Nov 17th.)

Yes, I know, it's EARLY, but we've been doing it three years now, and I absolutely love it! You must keep in mind that I have had autumn decorations up since June, so I am more than ready to deck them halls for Christmas!!!

Decorating this early has two major benefits for me; first and foremost, it allows me two solid months of pure Christmas joy, and it also means that I have no regrets about putting everything away once the Holidays are over. I have had my fill by then, as opposed to all the years we had a real tree, and I only got to enjoy everything for two weeks.

As my dear friend Liz at Loagan Ranch says, (and I quote!) decorating this early means I can kick back and enjoy every holiday event, party, gathering, cookie exchange and church activity that I choose to go to and not have to worry about missing out cuz I'm still decorating the house.

By the way, Elizabeth is The ULTIMATE Christmas Queen, not to mention a True Domestic Goddess, and y'all definitely need to be following her blog, and the one she writes for Grit.

I won't hang the stockings or listen to any Christmas music til Black Friday, and the mantle is not yet decorated. But my favorite Christmas scented candles are burning as I type this, and both my home and my Christmas heart are all a-glow.

Merry Christmas!!!