Christmas Eve Eve Tradition

Last year I decided to start a tradition of making homemade cookies with Symone for Christmas. After eating the dough, we made what was left for Santa and family.

Earlier this week, Symone asked "Mommy, when are we making cookies?". It melted my heart.

Here's a recap of what we did last night, including the recipe I used both this year and last.

Step #1 - Apply flour make-up. Fabulous!

Easy Sugar Cookies from allrecipes.com

Keys to this recipe:

* The butter must be completely soft...almost mushy.

* I suggest a lower oven temp than 350 degrees...325, maybe even 300 degrees.

* Put rack in middle of oven.

* Use parchment paper on cookie sheet and cook no more than 8 min.
Cookies will firm as they cool.

Now...the photos of batch #1 - Black Raspberry thumbprints (inspired by a cookie I fell in love with one summer in India) and Hershey Kiss sugar cookies.

Symone creaming butter and sugar with vintage mixer I got at an estate sale. Perfect for a little one.

We tired of it quickly and switched to my electric hand mixer.

After making the dough, we rolled into small balls. For the raspberry thumbprints, we smashed with our thumbs and spooned in a dollop of seedless black raspberry preserves.

Is it me or does my thumb need botox?

As I did last year, I put the cookies on a sheet too big for my oven and had to transfer to a smaller one.

While the cookies were cooking (too long AGAIN), the remainder of the dough gets wrapped in saran wrap overnight for cook cutters tomorrow for SANTA...yea!!!.

Once removed from the oven, the plain ones get topped immediately with a single Hershey kiss then all get showered with powdered sugar by way of a sifter.

After that...eaten (6 of 10 gone in 3 minutes flat) -- so no pretty plate shot LOL

Here's wishing you and yours happy holiday traditions!

Garland Mother Load & Pretty Wings - Long Post

Who conquered another fear yesterday...is me.


The Big Bad Attic - so scary!!!

Annette hyped me up and I went up there BY MYSELF!

I knew I had some more Christmas stuff and hit the GARLAND MOTHER LOAD!

I used two straight nails over each side and hooked garland over top. I put it everywhere...haven't added to it yet.

Remember the bare mantle?
I added more garland.

This is the space where my new sofa will be...this is for you LD. Check out my scrap fabric tree skirt a la Annette's tip.

This weekend I will work on a post of my entire home holiday decor for Nester's party.

Part II - Pretty Wings

Let It Shine - our neighbor and fellow blogger (read about how we met here) did a post a few weeks ago on some angel wings she made. Well, somehow they got someone's attention and she was asked to do some for an art gallery! Read about it here.

Congratulations to Shine! She is amazing!

Check out what she did with the mirror I gave her (it is in the Dining room before pic from yesterday's post).

I Have A Vision -- not really

You know I struggle with decor vision. I rely on inspiration from others (like here or here or here). The source of my pain is I am trying new colors this year instead of my regular reds and golds - silver, turquoise and, now, gold.

Can you help a (blog) sister out (CLICK ON PICS to enlarge?

I am uploading a couple of pics of areas I'm struggling with. Let me know what you think. Suggestions are welcome (help, even more welcome).

Most of what I used was purchased at Hobby Lobby at 90% off last Jan. or at the Dollar Tree this year.

1. Entryway table- put ornaments on a 12 votive candle holder, surrounded by silver ivy garland and "gift boxes" Wreath - white birds from Dollar tree and silver poinsetta leaves and other pics from HL

Dilemma(s) - how do I hide the cord from the wreath? Think it needs some height? Thoughts?

2. Mantle - have Martha knock-off hung (which is fab in person), but since using gold and silver with turquoise, I'm struggling to balance the mantle.

Dilemma(s) - Still need to hang stockings, but don't have silver or gold...struggling with color. I'm too embarrased to show the sad, little fireplace.

I started to buy some wood today to do this -- penguins are definitely on the resale shopping list :)

3. Tree - no explanation necessary -- it looks like the Charlie Brown tree (w/ one little turquoise ornament LOL)

I saw an HGTV special last year where they flattened the branches into shelves, and sat ornaments in the middle to make it look full. Have Googled for that video or instructions, but to no avail. Working on it tomorrow based on what I remember *pray for me*

Seriously, I miss my red and gold, but proud to be testing new waters (is that the right saying?)...stay tuned to see how it unfolds and PLEASE share your thoughts and ideas (it's already December!).

Sharing at It's So Very Cheri to get even more feedback! Thanks.

Pottery Barn Knock-Offs #2

When I saw this, I couldn't belive they charge $30 to $50 for some of these cylinders.

Mission:

I set out to make a knock-off of this arrangement using glass cylinders I purchased from resale stores for no more than $1.99 each. Filler materials were mostly from the Dollar Tree.

Some of this was free (from box of yard sale stuff Annette didn't sell -- but don't tell her I'm using it.)

Total cost (less than $20):

Fake silver Poinsetta...white Dollar tree candles and jingle bells

(You see my silver acorns from Saturday's post?)

Real cranberries and clear liquid marbles from Dollar Tree. The angel thingie is something Annette gave my daughter, but I needed for height...a little fake snow inside and it's all good.

Grand Finale: Video entitled "Jazzy Knock-off"

Check me out at Kimba's DIY, DIY show-off & Reinvented & Home Body.

This was fun! Hope you enjoyed!

Random Knock-off Wreath & Giveaway

If you don't already know, House of Turquoise is one of my very favorite blogs. I saw this and had to do it (sans the dogs - although very cute).

It was the perfect excuse for incorporating gold into my new holiday decor colors -- shades of turquoise and silver driven by all the stuff I bought last year at Hobby Lobby for 90% off.

Here We Go:

Supplies -

(almost all from Dollar Tree, except for wreath and 2 turquoise bell ornaments)

- Picture of inspiration picture within arm's reach - seriously, I looked at it 50 times easily

- Ribbon

- Ball ornaments (small gold, 2 large gold, 2 turquoise bells)

- Jingle bells (since putting on front door wanted a jingle)

- 3 Christmas picks (added because of golden apples and small pine cones)

- Feathers (I didn't add since refusing to buy any more items for holiday decorating)

2. Look at inspiration pic...Add balls to wreath with hooks or by sticking tip of a branch through the top. Push into wreath when you can to give embedded look.

check out inspiration pic on laptop

3. Look at inspiration pic...fold wire trimmed ribbon to add wavy effect. I folded like an accordian, then smoothed out into softer curves.

4. Check pic again...and add your own flavor, adjusting ornaments and foliage accordingly.

Final result - LOVES (and, yes, L. Duncan, I did it by myself AND I didn't even call Annette while doing it :P)

Giveaway details:

I am SO pleased with the Dollar Tree supplies, I'm giving away a $5 gift card (which IS a lot at the Dollar Tree) to one follower of this blog, who leaves a comment on this post. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and announced Wednesday, Dec. 3rd..

Check me out at Kimba's DIY party

Next: My take on this -

Give Thanks...

...wishing All a peaceful and love-filled Thanksgiving holiday.

My Thanks:

• I am thankful for an awesome God who provides for me in every way...enabling me to provide for others.
• I am also growing more and more thankful each day to still have both my parents, who have been married 49 years in two weeks...a daily blessing.

I'd also like to share with you my favorite series of sermons from my church, Relationships Before There Was eHarmony. Applies to every relationship in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

- Tash

Martha Stewart Knock-Off - Wreath

In my quest to knock-off anything I can, I decided to do a wreath I saw on marthastewart.com. I loved the way the bulbs increased in size from bottom to top.

Check out my take on it.

1. I started with a 36" wreath I already had.

2. I wanted fuller so I put an 8" wreath inside and secured by twisting branches on inside of the larger wreath to brances on the outside of the smaller wreath.

Here's what it looked like afterwards.

3. Then I took miniature bulbs from Wally World and started tying to the wreath from the bottom.

4. I pulled leaves off sprays from a local craft store and started added* to the wreath.

*I just pulled the leaves off the tips and twisted onto wreath tips...some are just stuck in.

5. I mixed in medium bulbs at the middle then a few large ones at the top. I should have done this first, but, hey, I'm a rebel.

Here's how it came out.

I'm pretty pleased. What do you think?