Peace on Earth! And some Yule Log too!

Warmest wishes to all of you for a very blessed holiday season.  Whatever you celebrate, I hope you are surrounded by family or friends .

My kitchen tree sits amongst the clutter of the marathon cooking and baking.

  A little rolling pin given to me by my friend Ellen in 1994.  Do you write the dates or names on ornies to remind you ?

I upgraded to a 3 ft prelit tree this year, as I had so many cute kitchen ornaments.

Here is a little baking mold amongst the copper pans and gingerbread.

My first ever attempt at a Yule Log.  I am not French, have no French roots, so a Yule Log it is, with Irish roots!  :)

I filled it with cream cheese icing and cherries.  I can't cut it as it is for tomorrow, so I will try to get a shot of it when we eat it.

Some rugalach with a cup of coffee will help get me through the rest of the many things left to do.  We don't celebrate till tomorrow, thank goodness.  I have been cooking for days.

I am working on a table starring these...

I'll set a place for you , come back for dinner during this holiday week of celebrations!

My very best wishes to all of you!  Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah, Happy Holidays!

Watching the gkids Christmas Concert always fills the heart with the spirit of the season.  My Kdgn gson was so excited to be in his first concert!

Joy to the World!

 

 

Thanks so much for sharing your time with me!

I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

Hope you get a BOOT out of This~Lunch with Santa

If you have been good, Santa wants to dine with you!

I got these cute placemats at the Pottery Barn Outlet a few years ago on sale.  He holds a plaid napkin.

Santa hat platters are also from there.  I have a smaller version too.


Santa's chair is marked with a cotton apron, .99, from that closeout place I talked about in my last post, Mace's.

A bright red ceramic boot that I made in the "olden" days is filled with fresh greens from my yard, and a plaid package garland.

A shiny black bowl  to match Santa's belt, by Aroroc, is topped with a red crock from Cost Plus.  The bowls were from Cmas Tree Shop, and .50 cents.

Treble clef flatware from BBB, clearance and then less 20% was a real deal.  The black mugs are by Nautica, and I got them in the clearance store of Pfaltzgraf for .26, seriously!  Good thing that place closed before I started blogging, or I would be on an episode of the Hoarders!


Christmas Ornament salt and peppers, I forget where I got them.
So pull up a chair and tell Santa what you want him to bring, he is all ears!
For the Food portion tonight I flash back to dh's Rugelach.  Tis the season to break out the cream cheese and make these tender morsels that melt in your mouth!


You can see the recipe and directions here!
It is hard to have just one!
Next week I will celebrate my 3 year blogaversary .   It was Dec.3rd, but I have been busy!  Come back for a chance at a gift card.
I am joining:
Susan for Tablescape Thursday
Gollum for Foodie Friday
Diann for Thrifty things Friday
Beverly for Pink Saturday.
Thank you for taking time out of your holiday preparations to visit!

CRAFTS from the Past~Nuts for Christmas

While digging through the Christmas bins, I came across some oldies but goodies.  I talked about the pine cone baskets and wreaths in my last post.

Some of you are old enough to remember the ceramics craze of the 70's.  As a  working young mother, I looked forward to one night a week to go to my friend Gail's house and socialize with other gals while working on our masterpieces.  :)
The Christmas Tree napkin holders still live as does the lighted tree and leaf dishes in the Lenox style.  Still put them out! My sister still uses the Holly Bowl I made her so many years ago,
Then the embroidery hoop wreaths...anyone still have them?  I have lots of hoops left over.

How about the fabric wreaths with eyelet and ball fringe.  Everyone I knew got one as a gift!  Minimal sewing skills needed.

My friend made me this stuffed tree.  I couldn't get rid of it, I washed it and it was good as new.  It's great for the tiny grandkids to play with, they can't break it!

So my bins are teeming with blasts or crafts from the past, but I can't bear to discard them.   I look at them, then put them back in to decide another day!
I took my camera down to the basement to take their pic, and then back they went!
Two years ago I thought I would make a tons of these napkins you fold to look like trees.



I was going to buy fabric after Christmas cheap, and while away the winter creating them for gifts.  It never happened!
What Christmas  craft craze do you remember?  This year I see a lot of the wide mesh fabric wreaths.  I bought some, but haven't tried it yet
Saturday we were invited to a Mass and dinner in a friend's home , and she requested shortbread cookies.
I made them in the gingerbread man shape, some even had a heart.


Then I used the Nut Molds from King Arthur I talked about before Tgiving. 

You press the dough into them, then put them together with a filling.  I used chocolate or apricot.
My friend Marigene, at In The Middle of Nowhere thinks they are a pain, but I guess I am easily entertained! :)


I used the shortbread recipe for them too.
The one I use is from an old cookbook, Ina's is pretty much the same.
They are melt in your mouth good!
Finally, one my favorite tables.  I still haven't come to the bin with that pretty tablecloth!



Hope your holiday preparations are going well.  Trying to Simplify this year.  :)
Thanks for visiting,.
I am joining Marty for Tabletop Tuesday.
Natasha's Christmas Linky Party

Something New~Something Old

One of the things I love about pulling out the Christmas decorations are the memories they evoke.
A handmade gift from your child, or something he saved up to buy just for you.  Maybe it is  gift from a friend, or something of your mom's that start the memories flowing!
The centerpiece I used for this table is a pine cone basket I made for my mom years ago when pinecone crafts were the rage.  Remember those cut fingers from trying to get the cones onto the form?  Ouch!

I filled it with two small fresh poinsettias.  I hope they last till Christmas!
The new is the plate and salad plate I used.

I have been wanting dark green plates for a long time.  Never could find any.  I finally gave in and ordered them from Pfaltzgraff  last week.  30% off the sale price, free shipping and 7% back from mrrebates.com.

Come St. Patrick's Day they will be getting lots of use!
The salad plates are Better Homes and Gardens from  Walmart. 

The covered crock is from World Market.  We don't have them here, but you can buy on line. Individual butter domes from WSonoma Outlet. 
Deep red charger is from Pottery Barn, as are the napkins with embroidered holly

The napkin rings are little wreaths from Cmas Tree Shops last year, and were .69.

I hung a tiny ornament on the ring to serve as a place card.  This is one I have used in past years.  We have a group of friends that we always socialize with, over 36 years now.  Our dear friend Don passed away suddenly last May, and finding this ornament with his name on it reminded me of the many holidays and good times we all shared.  I know it will be very hard for his family this year, and my prayers are with them.
I remember him commenting that I needed to get a bigger ornament as no one could read the names without their glasses!
  The glasses I have had for at least 20 years.  I bought them on Christmas Eve one year on the way to Mass.  They were marked down 50%, so I grabbed a few boxes.  I have the on the rocks size too, but we use them for juice!
The candle holder is an old cheapy one I sprayed with ORB.  Still looks black to me!  :)

Flatware by Cambridge via CTS, and S and P were from a little closeout place Alma, The Tablescaper,  and I frequented, called Mace's.  Long gone, and they were .99 for the pair!  Always an adventure there, treasure amongst the junk.
When people used to ask where I got something, I would say Mace's.  They thought I said Macy's, and I let them think that!

I am joining the Porch Party too.


The little dots of light are the candles in the upstairs windows.




I filled the plant stand with some faux holly garland and added a plaid bow.  The child's rocker holds a cutout fabric doll I made years ago, and since she is dressed in plaid, she is invited to the party!
The side door is red too, and decked out for the season.
Thanks for visiting me, I know how busy everyone is!
I am also joining Beverly for Pink Saturday, but it is holiday decor this week.
Susan at BNOTP for Tablescape Thursday
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for Holiday Tables
Diann for Thrifty Things Friday
At the Picket Fence for the Porch and Door Party
The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday.
Natasha's Christmas Linky Party

December Busy ness

IMPORTANT NOTICE!
I AM GOING TO CANCEL THE TABLESCAPE PARTY.
NOT ENOUGH INTEREST IN FINDING A PIC FROM A MAGAZINE OR NET TO COPY.
Thank you to those who were willing to take part.  Plus I didn't realize that another blogger does a copycat party.  Mine was going to be just tablescapes, but close enough.
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I know everyone is busy getting ready for the holidays.  All the cleaning that must happen before the decorations can be done, windows washed, curtains changed, etc.  It seems to take longer and longer each year.  Add to that 4 days that I was gone all day, and man, I am behind!
We have had such great weather, so today I spent the day out side dragging the outdoor decorations from the garage, testing lights, etc.  I would say I am 3/4 done out there.

I don't know how people can get it all done in one day!  It would never happen here!
We got new doors last year, the side door got painted red, but it got too cold to do the front, so it had to wait.

 The old door was blue, and last year the wreath looked so plain against the unpainted door.
You can't miss it this year!  Let's say it looks nothing like the color on the paint card!

This year I got a battery operated wreath from QVC, and added some fresh greens.  The week before Christmas, I add fresh Baby's Breath.
You can set it to clear or colored lights, blinking or not.  Technology!
 

A little more tweaking, too much plaid going on there, and some better pictures needed!
I wish you a good week, with lots of progress on your preparations.
I am joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday
Susan for Metamorphosis Monday