The Mall At Christmas Time

The festive lights are twinkling.
The scent of pine is thick.
The tiny tots are lining up to visit Old St. Nick.
There's a ting-a-ling of sleigh bells as a chorus sweetly sings.
And if you find a parking spot, an Angel gets its wings!

Happy Shopping,

Home Made Holiday Gift Idea

(Real Simple Magazine)

Here's what I'm making in Costco quantities this year, the best part is that you can control how strong you want the scent to be. Sometimes bath salt scents are too overpowering and I have a headache by the end of my bath...

Morning, Noon, and Night Bath Salts

Makes: 3 gifts
Total time: 35 minutes (includes 15 minutes drying time)
What You Need
•Glass jars (such as the 4-ounce Glass Cork-Top Bottles; $3.50 each, containerstore.com)
•salts (one salt per bottle; 5-pound bags range from $11 to $25 at saltworks.us, and kosher and Epsom salts are available at supermarkets)
•essential oils (available at escentialonline.com or a health-food store)
•3 one-gallon plastic resealable bags
•measuring cup
•small funnel
•watercolor paper
•watercolor paint and brush
•ruler
•scissors
•metallic pen (such as the Sakura Metallic Pen-Touch Calligrapher Medium Point Pen; $3, dickblick.com)
•metallic cord.

What to Do
1.For a stimulating “morning” concoction, use Himalayan salts (which are reputed to have detoxifying qualities) that have been scented with an energizing citrus oil like neroli or petitgrain. For “noon,” use Epsom salts and a warming oil, like rosemary (which is nice for muscles after a run or any kind of exercise). For relaxing “night” salts, use any kosher sea salt, combined with a teaspoon of powdered milk, which can soften skin, and soothing clary-sage or chamomile oil.

2.Pour 5 ounces of each salt into a resealable bag (this is a great gift to make in multiples, so double or triple the amounts as desired). To each, add 8 to 12 drops of essential oil (depending on whether you want a subtle or slightly stronger fragrance). Gently shake to mix the contents. With the funnel, pour the salt into a container almost to the top; wash and thoroughly dry the funnel between salts to keep the scents separate and moisture out of the jars. Seal the jars.

3.Choose a hue to reflect each time of day and paint a sheet of paper in each color (you’ll have enough paper for several labels). Let dry for 10 minutes.

4.Cut 1-by-3-inch labels. Mark each with the metallic pen, and tie them to the bottles with the metallic cord.

Happy Mixing,

Oreo Cookie Turkeys

Build an Oreo turkey with Oreos, candy and frosting. This is a fun activity for (school-age) kids at a Thanksgiving gathering to put these together. They can display them at their dinner place and eat them for dessert....if they can wait that long. This recipe will make one dozen turkeys.

You’ll need:
•24 Oreo Double Stuff cookies
•12 miniature peanut butter cups
•12 malted milk balls
•1 cup candy corn
•4 ounces chocolate frosting
•4 ounces white frosting
•red food coloring

Directions
1.Place one Oreo cookie as the base. Put one teaspoon of chocolate frosting on top.
2.Place one small peanut butter cup on it's side so that the top and bottom are perpendicular to the base -- and stuck in the frosting. Place a teaspoon of chocolate frosting on the top(widest part) of the p-butter cup.
3.For the second cookie. Stick some candy corn into the Oreo 'stuff' along one edge for the feathers -- pointy side down. They should fan out around the edge. If you have trouble doing this, you can help them stick with some white frosting.
4.Place this second Oreo cookie (the tail) on it's edge and sticking to a dab of brown frosting on the back of the peanut butter cup.
5.Place a dab of chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter up (for the head). Place a malted milk ball on top for the head.
6.Take a small amount of the white frosting in a separate dish. Mix in red food coloring.
7.Use a toothpick with the white and red colors to place eyes, and wattle. You can pinch off the small pointy top of a candy corn and dip it in brown frosting for the beak.

Your turkey is complete!

Gobble Gobble,

Chocolate-Macadamia Nut Clusters

Every day around the holidays I get a Cookie of the day sent to me in my email...it's great; but dangerous and fattening. You can sign up for this absolutely free and delightful service at:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/holidays/calendar/0,30311,1848222_1850406,00.html

Here's what I'm making tonight.

Chocolate-Macadamia Nut Clusters

Prep and cook time: About 45 minutes. Notes: These rich drop cookies taste like chocolate-covered macadamia nut candies. Take care not to overbake the cookies; their centers should remain soft and chewy. Yield: Makes about 42 cookies


Ingredients
· 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
· 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter
· 1 cup sugar
· 2 large eggs
· 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
· 1 1/2 cups unsalted roasted macadamia nuts
· 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
· 1 cup sweetened flaked dried coconut (4 oz.)


Preparation
1. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not touch water), stir chopped chocolate and butter often until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from over water and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.


2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add chocolate mixture and beat until well blended. Stir in flour and baking powder, then beat just until moistened. Stir in macadamia nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut.


3. Drop dough in 1-tablespoon portions, about 2 inches apart, onto buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.


4. Bake cookies in a 350° oven just until firm on the edges but still soft when pressed in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.



(from Sunset magazine)



Happy Baking,

Montgomery Who?

Yes. Montgomery Ward. The old department store staple has come through with some pretty darn cute things for the home and no, they aren't made out of polyester. Check out this rustic desk and bench...and the price is right too. Just $189 now if I can just figure out a place to put it.

Happy Junking,

What's New?

Been working my tail off...which doesn't allow much time for blogging or decorating but I have squeeeeeezed in a few projects over the last couple of weeks. I like to play a little game with my husband...it's called "Let's see how long it takes him to notice". I buy or create something new and weeks later he'll comment on it. My 10 year old and I have a conversation something like this: "How long do you think it will take Dad to notice that?" and I say something like, "2.5 weeks" and then the fun begins...


Here's what's new at my house:

5 fabulous rustic pine chairs to go around my black shabby chic table - purchased at a garage sale for $20 each. Added some sparkle to our Great Room with some crystals on the Chandelier. $26.
A $5.00 shelf, painted barn red and shabby-chic-ed to perfection.

Ahhhhh. More surface room for more knick knacks for the Queen.I know, I know, the picture is a little off center but I wanted to put the architectural salvage angel on the shelf and I had to do it this way. Not sure that I love it. But I'm living with it. Do you love my $10 Framed Rooster Oil Painting?

Oh. And I went to a 2 day scrapbooking fundraising retreat. I cranked out 17 pages (12x12) for my kids albums. It was a productive way to remember I must tap into my creative spirit or I will DIE.

I'll try not to stay away so long next time. I've missed you guys!

Happy Junking,

Great Pumpkins

Getting ready to hit the pumpkin patch with the kiddos and thought I would pass on some creative inspiration in the form of pumpkins.

Happy Pumpkin Patching,

Photos courtesy of Country Living, BHG, Parents Magazines

Useful Space

5 years ago When we designed our house there was no plans at that time for a baby. And then a baby came and there was no bedroom for him, just an upstairs office/play loft. So in order to give my now 3 year old his own room, we had to put up a wall and build a closet which left my office a small disfuntional and awkward space. I had a closet crafters company come in and design some much needed storage space and a desk. In my custom designed cabinets I have my art and scrapbooking supplies nicely organized for the very first time which leaves me plenty of space to work at the computer. If the loft area wasn't open to downstairs with valted ceiligns, it would be stifling and crowded. But, it is actually the perfect amount of space for one person to work.

I made a framed bulletin board this weekend for just $3.00. The frame was a dated old brown obstruction, but rather large with nice detail. I did my signature black shabby chic paint treatment on it. The corkboard was from a dumpster dive...literally. Yes, my feet were sticking out of a very large and icky dirty disgusting dumpster. So it was FREE, my favorite kind. And the fabric I already had which was left over from another project.

I purchased some letters half off at Kohls to spell TO DO, no not TAH-DA, although that would have been cute too. "Tah-Da"
So my work and crafting space is slowly coming together. I also have a large project table/desk up there with a light so I can spread out when needed and CREATE.

Happy Crafting,

Bake Someone Happy

Doesn't the crisp fall air make you want to bake something? Fire up your oven and serve these with some cinnamon butter and coffee. Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

Easy Country Pumpkin Muffins


INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups raisins or NOT
1 cup chopped walnuts or NOT

DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, spices and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture; blend well. Fold in raisins and walnuts. Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.


Happy Baking,

It's the Thought and the Do-Dads that Count

I took my first crack at a piece of Mixed Media Art and it was fun. I don't know what I've been so scared of all these years since I'm a scrapbooker at heart and spend hours scrapping my brains out. Maybe it was the creepy doll heads and things I've seen used in other people's mixed media art--but I kept mine PG with no bug specimens or viles of poison.

It's my bosses birthday on Monday so I had her boyfriend discreetly send me a couple of her baby pictures. And since she is in the business of Making People's Dreams Come True...naturally her picture is holding a metal tag with a tiny ribbon that says DREAM...Kind of my reoccurring theme.

"Tah-Da"

It's a 9" x 12" canvas and oh yes that is a crown at the top and oh yes she does have glittery angel wings. How Caaauuuuute is that?

I hope she likes it. You Either love mixed media art or hate it. I don't think there is much in between.

Happy Junking,

Family Rules

As much as I'd like to claim this idea as my own, I found this cute idea over at http://lindseycheney.blogspot.com/2009/09/family-rules-canvas.html

And while I didn't want to do a giant one, I picked up this frame from a garage sale for a song...just $2bucks so I made a miniature version.





It was a fun project to do with Jimmy.
He helped me and we decided on which rules would be best suited for our family. He even put them in the order he wanted to. I can't wait to see how the new family rules will play out.

HERE'S OUR FAMILY RULES
Always tell the truth
Ask first, No whining
Obey your parents
Bless your food, Be grateful
Keep your promises
Encourage your siblings
Never follow an apology with...but
Use your manners
Don't forget your homework
Do your best
Say I love you
Sing silly, dance crazy, hug often
Have fun
Practice forgiveness
Thank God for this family

I was thinking if I had more room I would have added:

No elbows on the table
Bodily functions should be done in private
Put the toilet seat down
No empty cartons in the refrigerator
Use a GLASS!
Pick up your socks
Try flushing
No tearing
No pulling the cat's tail
No chocolate for breakfast
Go to sleep!
Help your poor mom out
No talking back to Mom, that goes for Jimmy and Dad.

And I'm sure Jim would have liked me to add, NO Yelling Mom.
Yeah right. Like that's going to happen.

Happy Junking,

Our New Dining Experience

Ever wonder why you can always find a place to eat at the uncomfortable Bar at your favorite restaurant when the cozy booths and tables are always taken...

Bellying up to the bar is not what I had in mind for gathering my family for dinner; which is where we eat most of our meals together. And, it's too formal and complicated eating dinner at our long table in our formal dining room when it's just us.

I was tired of the disconnected feeling so I changed some things around and made good practical and functional use of a sitting area near our kitchen. Now we have a nook, with a round table we can gather around as a family and eat our meals together.

It just feels better being able to look straight across the table and hear about my son's day rather than try to lean forward to see him and pick up every other word or so.

Somethings we do for design. Somethings we do for function. This was a completely beat to hell and broken table I picked up for $45 at a yard sale. It had some great carvings on the base and some nice big chunky carved lion's claws. It sat in my garage for four years getting more and beat.I did my quick and usual black satin shabby finish and hit it with the sander...

"Tah-Da"

Instant Family Togetherness.

Happy Junking,