reindeer

There is a reindeer ranch about 75 miles from home.  None of us had seen reindeer in person so we thought it would be a great excursion last Saturday while we celebrated our family Christmas.  The day was bright and sunny and pretty warm for December.  We started the morning at a nearby fast food place of course, everyone at our house had a big breakfast before we left, but still needed a fortifying snack.  AH drove the lead car at exactly the speed limit on the interstate which drove one of our sons crazy.  We arrived early so had to make another trip at another fast food place for another snack and let the kids play for a little while.  How many fast food restaurants are there in the US?  Off to the ranch.  Hardy's ranch just south of Rantoul, Il is colorful and charming.  The shops are cute and filled with all things Christmas.  We went out to see the reindeer and give them treats.  They are cute and gentle and will eat graham crackers or oats right out of you hand.  At the end of the season there isn't much to do outside.  I know in the fall they have a corn maze, wiener roasts and hay rides to keep you busy. On a personal note I probably would go back in the fall for some of the other activities, but wouldn't go just to see the reindeer.  We didn't eat in the cafe but every thing we saw was nice and well kept.  A great and economical way to spend a few hours with the family.

Sweater pillows

I've been picking up sweaters this fall to make into pumpkins, snowmen and pillows.  I've made several to give to friends.Just lay your sweater flat and cut off the main body front and back as large as you want the pillow to be.  Include buttons, zippers and pockets for more interest.  Pin and stitch around the sides, leaving an opening for the pillow form, turn and stuff.  You can cut your sweater down to a standard form size, 14'-24" or leave it whatever size it comes to and make your own pillow form by sewing muslin into a bag, stuff and stitch closed.  You can add vintage buttons, belts or fabric flowers for fun.  Shirts and tees also make fun pillows.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and  loyal readers. Remember the real reason for the season is not gifts, food and football. May your day be filled with love, joy and laughter. I hope during all the busyness you can stop and say a prayer for the blessing you have and for those who are suffering today.  Call your family, go see an old friend or visit a nursing home.  They would love to have you.   AH and I are not celebrating with family until the weekend so we are planning a day of quiet relaxation.  Maybe some old Christmas movies, a big pot of soup and a drive to see the Christmas lights.  The noise and excitement will all arrive Friday.  I love both ways to celebrate!!

This is what I did with the glitter balls from the previous post.  I pilled them in a large glass bowl with beads, pearls, a candle and a few other ornaments. It's the centerpiece for my kitchen table.

glitter balls

I had some clear glass balls left from last year and tried a few experiments on them.  I love how they turned out even though this wasn't how I stated out wanting them to be.  These would be easy for kids to do.
Clear glass balls
acrylic paint
Glue
Glitter
Squeeze a little paint and a small amount of water into the balls and swirl around.  You can use one or two colors, drain and let dry.  Replace caps.
Brush the outside of the balls with glue mixed with water.  Don't make it drippy, just a thin coat.  Sprinkle on glitter in wide patches.  There is no easy, neat way to do this, so release your inner kid and go for it.  Hang to dry.  If you want you can spray them with clear spray to prevent the glitter from falling off.  I ran a bent open paper clip through the cap and hung them on my pot rack until they were dry.  You could just do one side at a time.

What won't work.  I started out swirling glue inside the balls, sprinkling in the glitter and letting that dry.  FAIL!  When I put the paint in to swirl around the next day it washed all the glitter off, so I went to plan B.  You can almost always try something again when crafting as in life it's just a different way to get where you want to go.  Or as my Mama would say "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

divinty

I've tried many different recipes for divinity but I keep going back to this version I got from a WW2 era Betty Crocker cookbook.  It takes a long time but is well worth the effort.

2C sugar
1/2C water
1/2C white corn syrup
Put the syrup, water and sugar into a heavy pan and stir until the sugar dissolves then let it cook to 252 on a candy thermometer.
While that's cooking separate two eggs and beat the whites until they hold stiff peaks.  When the temp reaches 252 remove the pot from the heat and pour in a slow stream into the egg whites with the mixer running on low.  Bump the mixer up to high and beat until the mix is no longer shiny and will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon.  With my kitchen aid mixer it took about 45 min and I had to turn the mixer off several times to let it cool.  Add 2tsp vanilla and color if you want.  Drop by a teaspoon onto wax paper and let it cool.  Store in an air tight bag.

out door decor

We don't usually do much to decorate the out side of the house for Christmas.  AH doesn't like to mess with lights or big displays so it's usually pretty simple.  I like to use fresh greenery and repurposed objects to show the holiday spirit.

Front door swag just tie together a handful of greens with tie wire add a bow and embellishments

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Back door double swag .  Make two handfuls of greens and tie them together in the middle, add pine cones and big candy canes.

 I have two big, heavy pots that sit on each side of my back door.  I just piled my leftover greens on top and added big balls from the $store for sparkle and shine.  The dusty miller was still alive so I just let it stay for contrast.

Two 5' 1X8 fastened together with small boards on the back, I white washed them, added the word joy then antiqued and sanded the whole thing.  I printed the letters on my computer then transferred them onto the boards with good old fashioned carbon paper which I finally found at Staples 

Another big pot in front of my potting table filled with red twig dogwood from my yard.  You could use any twigs and spray paint them red.

Old enamel basin filled with leftover cedar cuttings.

Oreo balls

Simple, quick, great tasting, what more could you ask of a treat.  I've posted this recipe before, but I get so many requests for it I decided it was worth a repeat.

Oreo balls
1 pkg regular Oreo cookies  not double stuffed
1 pkg cream cheese
8-12oz chocolate chips or white chocolate

Grind the cookies to fine crumbs or crush in a sealed bag with a rolling pin if you don't have a food processor.
Mix in the cream cheese.  Form into 1" balls and chill at least 3 hours
Melt chocolate and dip each ball into it, I used a wood skewer, place on wax paper to set up.  Store in an air tight bag or freeze.

lovely parting gifts

I like to have small gifts to give company when we entertain.  It doesn't need to be anything fancy, I just want my friends or family to know I appreciate them.  For our recent domino night I used brown paper lunch bags to hold salt scrubs for the ladies and butter mints for the guys.  I stamped the bags with an angel stamp, folded over the top and stapled on either a yarn or tulle bow.  It didn't take 20 minutes, less than $20.00 for 10 gifts  and I think my guest really enjoyed them.

Green Christmas

When it comes to Christmas I am usually considered one of the Griswalds, you know, over the top in every room.  This year I've decided to go very simple in my decorating.  One tree, lots less ornaments, almost no Santas on display and using simple greens for most on my decor.
I cut greens like boxwood, spruce, pine and arbiviate to use in simple arrangements, swags and wreaths.  So far I'm happy with the way it has turned out.  Yes the kitties like to play with the greens and deconstruct the tree every day, that's why anything breakable is placed up high.

Show off a favorite ornament in a small bowl in a bed of greens.  The red chargers are $1.00 at Dollar Tree or Walmart

Glass totem lantern with a wreath of greens for the dinning table

Baby scale with a tray of greens and ornaments for a table.

I found this small tool box for 50 cents at a sale.  Pine cones and red twig dogwood sticks add texture and color.   Just stick a vase inside almost anything to use it to hold fresh flowers and greens.

Red vase, greenery on a white cabinet.  What could be simpler

Dusty says it's hard work taking those shiny things off that tree five times a day.

cannoli bar

I love cannoli, what I don't like is the hours it takes to make the shells.  All that rolling and wrapping and frying, ugh!  I decided to make the filling as a dip and let everyone add in their favorite goodies.  I set it up as a bar for dinner recently and it was a big hit.
Dip
1 15oz container ricotta cheese it is in the dairy case by the cottage cheese and sour cream
8oz plain Greek yogurt
4T powder sugar
1tsp vanilla
Mix every thing together and chill

Cannoli Bar
Chipped cherries, nuts, mini chocolate chip
glaceed fruit the kind you use in fruit cake
Orange zest
I just pile everything in bowls and put the dip in a bowl on a tray with cookies and fruit.
Serve with crisp cookies or waffle cone pieces along with fresh strawberries.  YUMMY

happy birthday to you

Today is my mother Betty Kings birthday.  I won't tell you how old because she would kill me.  She has more energy than some of my grand kids, has never met a stranger, can out shop my sister and me and reminds us all of the energizer bunny.  She is my hero for the class, love and positive attitude she shows everyone.  She has tried to show us three kids the best way to lead our lives in some really trying circumstances and is our biggest cheer leader.  We couldn't have been given a better Mom.  I Love You Mom.

cookies and failure

I saw this recipe for Cool Whip cookies on Pinterest and thought they looked interesting so I gave them a try.  Everything worked great until it came time to take them off the cookie sheet.  The cookies did not want to come off the sheets, they broke apart and rolled up into ugly blobs.  What do you do with 30 messy and ugly cookies?  You make a lemon trifle, success everyone loved it.  I had about 6 cookies that looked great, they were the last I baked and I left them on the sheet until they were completely cooled.  That seemed to work they looked and tasted great.
Cool Whip cookies
1 box lemon cake mix you can use flavor you want
2  eggs
1 8oz container of Cool Whip
Mix together and put onto greased cookie sheets bake 350 8 min should make 3 dozen cookies

When life hands you lemons you make lemonade.  When life gives you crumbled cookies you make a lemon raspberry trifle

Lemon raspberry trifle

30 lemon cookies broken into pieces
1 12oz container Cool Whip
1 jar lemon curd you could also use lemon pudding
1 box fresh raspberries .2-3T raspberry syrup optional
Put one half the cookies in a trifle dish or if you don't have one any large bowl or baking pan will work
mix the lemon curd and topping and layer half of it onto the cookies.  Repeat layers
Top with the fresh raspberries when you are ready to serve or they will get mushy.

cookies

trifle before raspberries

Holiday time

We just spent the last several days celebrating Thanksgiving with our children and grand kids.  What a wild, fun, noisy and crazy family we are.  Lots of food, way too much foot ball, cleaning, shopping and driving but I wouldn't want to have it any other way.  As a group we have all been blessed with plenty of worldly goods, good jobs, nice homes and great health.
we certainly aren't perfect but we are perfect for each other.  No matter how you came into our family, by marriage, by birth or just by being you, I love you all to pieces and thank God for you everyday.

Beautiful family after the meal we were all really sleepy.  Dinner was lasagna, we were all done with turkey by the weekend.  Thanks to my son Rich and DIL Braind for hosting the celebration.