Holiday Baking 2013 - part one

Now that Christmas is almost here, I have officially started my holiday baking.  So far I have made pecan tassies, almond vanilla bean sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and peanut butter blossoms.

As I type up the recipes to add to my computer, I’ll share them.  I also need to add them to my family cookbook (a gift from my mother-in-law).  Until then, here are two to tide you over. 

Almond Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

I used this recipe from Betty Crocker as inspiration.  Since I wasn’t sure how the changes would turn out, I made a half batch.  The hubby was very pleased with the result!

Ingredients:

½ cup vanilla bean sugar

½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsalted butter

½ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon salt

Vanilla bean sugar

Directions:

• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, powdered sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Beat in oil, vanilla and eggs until well blended.
• On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt until a dough forms.
• Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight for easier handling.
• Heat oven to 375*F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten each with bottom of glass dipped in vanilla bean sugar.
• Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets.

Almond Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Peanut Butter cookies and Peanut Butter Blossoms

One of the many books I have in my collection is 1001 Cookie Recipes: The Ultimate A-To-Z Collection of Bars, Drops, Crescents, Snaps, Squares, Biscuits, and Everything That Crumbles by Gregg R. Gillespie.   You can tell how much I love one of the peanut butter cookie recipes by the notations - and the spilled ingredients - on that page, both signs of an excellent recipe.

I use the same recipe for both peanut butter cookies and peanut butter blossoms (or, as I like to call them, hugs and kisses cookies). 

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup peanut butter

2 large eggs

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350*F
• Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar, butter, peanut butter and eggs.
• Gradually blend in the dry ingredients.  The dough will be soft.

Peanut Butter Cookies

For Peanut Butter cookies

• Drop dough about 3 inches apart onto baking sheet.
• Using a fork dipped in sugar, crisscross tops of dough.
• Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

For Peanut Butter Blossoms

• Roll balls of dough into sugar and place about 3 inches apart onto baking sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.
• After baked add one Hershey kiss (or hug) to the middle of cookie.

NOTES: 

• You can use chunky peanut butter for more crunch.
• Instead of all white flour, I used 1 part whole wheat to 2 parts white.
• For a double batch, use an 18 ounce jar of peanut butter.

It's the holiday season

Front of this year's Christmas cards

Christmas is only a couple weeks away!  How did that happen?  Most of my holiday shopping is finished, other than ordering a few items online and buying some gift cards.  I put up two small trees, wrapped several gifts, and mailed nearly forty homemade Christmas cards.  At work we have switched over to our winter bulletin boards and decorations, though we are still putting up a few items here and there. 

The past few days I have begun to consider what sweets I want to make for Christmas.  Peanut Butter Fudge is a must.  Not only is a favorite of mine, but I know that several of the hubby’s family love it as well.  I might also make a batch of Buckeye Brownies to take to the in-laws’ house.  Those are my current favorite.

"Oh, Christmas trees! Oh, Christmas trees!"

What else to make, though?  I could always stick with the usual suspects: chocolate chip, peanut butter, peanut butter blossoms, and loaded oatmeal.  Maybe make an old favorite that I haven’t made in years, such as pecan tassies or kolache (not the nut roll dealio that the hubby calls kolache).  Or I could try something new.  I could even forgo the cookie route and bake a cake.  So many options…so few people eating them. 

Of course, I could always take the cookies to work and share with my coworkers.  They might grumble about the excess of treats, but that rarely keeps people from enjoying the goodies!

Obviously, my niece Maddie does not heart Santa

What are your favorite holiday sweet treats?   Have a recipe to share?

Thanksgiving travels

So…it’s been nearly a month since I list posted.  Oops.  Time flies when you are having fun.  Or when you are busy.  Or something like that.

I spent Thanksgiving in Michigan, visiting my parents.  As of the afternoon of Thanksgiving Eve, I wasn’t sure I would be able to make the trip.  My area of Ohio was hit by the snowstorm that traveled north that week.  We had nearly a foot of heavy, wet snow dumped on us over 36 hours.  Thankfully it had tapered off by the time I was finished work on Wednesday.  Late that night I packed up the car and the pups and I headed west to Michigan.  As I figured from checking the weather, just past Cleveland the ground was clear.  Since I was on the road in the middle of the night, there wasn’t a lot of holiday traffic on the turnpike.  The pups and I arrived at my parents’ house just in time for my parents to get up to see my dad off to work.  In other words, we got there around 5 a.m. 

Spike thought Luna Belle made a good seat.  She didn't agree.

I swear having a second “kid” has added at least 30 minutes to the trip!  Even when we don’t stop for potty breaks!

Mom and I hit up a few stores during the day, mostly for groceries – and in search of a particular brand of gingerbread cookies for dad.  We came back to the house and, after putting a couple of pies in the oven, cleaned.  Around 3 p.m., right before Mom was to put the turkey in the oven, the power went out.  After figuring out that it was the neighborhood – not just their house – we decided to go to the movies.  We had been told that the electricity wouldn’t be back on for a couple of hours – if not longer!  It was getting dark and cold, so there wasn’t much we could do at home other than nap. 

So off to the theater we went.

Both of us wanted to see The Book Thief.  We had both read the book and loved it.  Feeling a little nervous as to how well the film adaptation would be, we settled in and hoped for the best.  What a wonderful movie!  There were a few changes from the book, as to be expected.  Nonetheless, we were both pleased. 

By the time we returned home, the electricity was working once again.  Dad was expected home from work shortly after we got there.  Mom was finally able to put the turkey in the oven, but it was going to be several hours before it finished cooking.  This meant we were not having a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.

Luna Belle sniffing her sleeping Grandma.

The turkey cooked.  Dad and I chatted and watched our beloved Steelers play football.  Mom napped on the couch.  Overall, it was a nice evening.

Eventually, after Dad had gone to bed, the turkey was finished.  Just in time for Mom and I to hit up a few stores for Black Friday Shopping!

Now, I am not a fan of Black Friday shopping.  I hate the crowds and the rudeness.  It seems like the deals aren’t worth the hassle, either.  But my mom LOVES it.  She knows that I will go with her – because I know how much it means to her.  We arrived at the stores a few hours into the madness, which may have contributed to the fact we didn’t buy much.  Well, during that part of the shopping day at least.  We arrived back home around 3:30 a.m.  Mom made mashed potatoes and veggies to pack in my dad’s lunch and I finally had my turkey dinner at 4 a.m.  It was delish.

After a few hours of sleep, we both woke up to do some last minute cleaning and preparations.  A cousin of mine and her boyfriend drove up from West Virginia so they could attend the Michigan-Ohio State game (Go Blue!).  Once they arrived, we all headed north to Great Lakes Crossing – a gigantic indoor outlet mall.  Being that it was Black Friday, the place was PACKED.  It was here that I did the majority of my shopping.  After several hours, we left there and headed to another mall closer to my parents’ house.  We shopped some more before heading home for the night.

Our first view of UM's Big House

The next day was game day.  We all got up early and headed to Ann Arbor.  After dropping my cousin and her boyfriend off at The Big House, Mom and I hit up a few different stores in the region.  I “watched” the game via my phone while we shopped.  After the game, we took a scenic route back towards Detroit, stopping at another mall on our way to the house.

Since my cousin’s boyfriend had to work the next day, they left that evening.  Mom and I talked about going to see a movie, but we were both too tired. 

Sunday morning I set an alarm for 5:15 a.m. so I could say good-bye to Dad before he left for work.  I knew I would be heading home before he was done for the day.  Of course, I went back to bed after he left.  I’m not sure he fully understands how special it is that I woke up that early voluntarily!

After packing up the car, Mom and I headed to the casino for lunch and a little of penny slot playing.  I won enough to fill the gas tank and pay the turnpike fee.  Around 5 p.m. the pups and I hit the road and came back to Ohio, where the hubby was waiting for us.  The drive home was quicker than the drive there, even with the abundance of traffic.  We were all happy to be home and sleep in our own bed again.

That was my Thanksgiving weekend.  I can’t believe that Christmas is just a few weeks away.  Most of my shopping is finished.  Christmas cards have been sent (other than a few that I needed addresses to complete). I even did a little decorating!  Next up – holiday baking.  What to make this year? 

Valentine’s Day is Just Around the Corner

Article from Gold Canyon (http://www.imakenews.com/gcdemonstrator/e_article001984538.cfm?x=bhWDw9S,bgpbPkpF), published in Weekly Wednesday, a weekly e-newsletter for Gold Canyon Demonstrators.

January 10, 2011
Valentine’s Day is Just Around the Corner

Valentine’s Day offers an opportunity to promote new seasonal products for décor and for your sweetie, too! Here are some products to feature at your Parties and to suggest to your customers and Hosts.

• MyStyle - Be Mine fits 16 and 5 oz. Heritage candles
• Changing Seasons Candle Holder features heart picks
• Changing Seasons Diffuser Holder features heart picks and display the heart appliqués in the Changing Season Appliqués for your Diffuser
• Customize your Picture Perfect Scent Pod Warmer with our new Crafty Pics, and “Love Deeply” this season
• Love Struck fragrance is available this season in Heritage and in our new Spring Sweets specialty candle

Don’t forget to Host a Valentine’s Day themed Party soon so your customers can get orders delivered before the holiday. Grab friends and family for fun Valentine’s Day shopping and encourage guests to bring their list of sweeties and purchase gifts they’ll love. Serve up simple Valentine treats such as conversation candy hearts, pink or heart-shaped cookies and red pomegranate juice.

Movies to put you in the mood…

…for Christmas, that is.

As Christmas draws closer it seems nearly every TV station is playing some holiday film or another. If you are like me and the hubby, you already own your favorites – or nearly all of them. I recently realized that there are a few classics that I would like to add to our DVD collection.

Some of my favorite holiday movies are, in no particular order:

• Miracle on 34th Street
• Holiday Inn
• White Christmas
• A Christmas Story
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Nightmare before Christmas
• The Grinch
• Elf
• Bad Santa

I just asked the hubby what his favorite Christmas movie was. There was no hesitation when he answered, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. This is not a surprise.

As you can probably tell, I’m not a huge fan of sappy holiday movies. You won’t find me glued to the television watching movies produced by Hallmark (sorry, Mom!). I much rather watch something that is going to make me laugh.

So tell me…What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

How I'm spending my Christmas vacation

With Christmas in less than a week, it should be no surprise that I’m in the holiday frame of mind. I’ve been feeling rather festive most of the month. Perhaps that is because we’ve had snow since December 1. While snow is expected in this part of the country, it is a bit unusual to have it snow nearly every day in December. See the pretty photo? That was taken on December 1st around 1 p.m. All of the snow is alright with me…as long as the roads are safe for those traveling.


I’m lucky enough to be off work for nine days. Yay! It’s nearly like when I was in school (or working in a college library) and had a winter break. While I’m looking forward to sleeping in a lot over the next week and a half, I also have a lot of plans for baking, candy making, celebrating and more. My holiday shopping has been pretty much complete for a few weeks now, and, as of today, I have all but one or two gifts wrapped. We didn’t put up our big tree this year. Instead I have a small tree set up on a TV tray in our entryway. The presents are mostly under it, so it looks quite festive.

I’ve been busy making cookie dough and candies. So far I’ve made batches of the following:

• Loaded Oatmeal cookies
• Chocolate Chip cookies
• Peanut Butter cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossoms (with both hugs and kisses)
• Dark Chocolate Cherry Cordials
• Chewy caramels
• Chocolate covered caramels (homemade caramels, too!)
• Chewy caramels with walnuts
• Buckeyes
• Fruit and Nut Clusters (with raisins, dried cherries, dried blueberries, dried cranberries and walnuts)

I still want to make the following:

• Peanut butter fudge
• Chocolate fudge
• Chocolate covered maple and black walnut crèmes
• Peppermint patties
• Buckeyes (yes…more of those are needed)
• Cranberry orange cookies
• Chocolate covered pretzels
• “Evil” brownies
• Almond buttermilk cake with raspberry filling and almond butter cream frosting (for a friend's party)
  

I still need to bake the cookies as I’ve been making the dough and freezing it in balls. That way I can bake only what I need. Less temptation for me to eat all the deliciousness. Or so I like to think.

Of course, I can’t talk about all of these yummies without sharing a few photos. Enjoy! I know I have been…

Chocolate covered caramels


Buckeyes



Chewy caramels with walnuts (before being cut)


Dark chocolate cherry cordials

Sale on select previous catatlog items

These items from the previous catalog are on sale! Limited quantities available. Prices listed are in US currency.

Candles

Heritage Candles

Cinnamon Garland
5 ounce $6.38
8 ounce $9.58

Days of Christmas
5 ounce $6.38
8 ounce $9.58

Gingerbread House
5 ounce $6.38
8 ounce $9.58
16 ounce $12.78

Harvest Hearth
16 ounce $12.78

Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen
5 ounce $6.38
8 ounce $9.58

Mulled Harvest
8 ounce $9.58

Peppermint Bark
5 ounce $6.38
8 ounce $9.58

Pumpkin Pie
5 ounce $6.38

Pure Linen
8 ounce $9.58

Spiced Eggnog
8 ounce $9.58

Bella Candles

Cinnamon
8 ounce $11.18

Fresh Denim
8 ounce $11.18

Frosted Woodland
8 ounce $11.18

Holiday Wreath
8 ounce $11.18

Pumpkin Pie
16 ounce $14.38

Toffee Drizzled Popcorn
8 ounce $11.18
16 ounce $14.38

Scent Pod

Toffee Drizzled Popcorn
$4.78

Votives

Cozy Christmas
4 pack $5.98

Cranberry Orange
4 pack $5.98

Spruce and Citrus
4 pack $5.98

Specialty/Novelty Candles

Coconut Pecan Brittle
13 ounce $12.78

Cinnamon Garland
14 ounce $13.58

Spiced Eggnog
14 ounce $13.58

Candy Corn
15.5 ounce $14.38

Spiced Gumdrop
15.5 ounce $14.38

O' Tannenbaum
16 ounce $14.38

Pumpkin Pie
19 ounce $15.98




Holders

Winter/Christmas

Candy Cane Columns
(Set of 2)
$17.24

Season for Sharing
$7.99

The Magic of the Season
$7.99

Snow Bear Hugger
$3.50

Snow Bear Votive (Set of 2)
$4.50

Halloween

Cobweb Candlewrap
$6.49

Eerie Eyes Cauldron
$12.49

Peek-a-Boo Lantern
$2.25

Everyday

Gold Leaf Floret
$20.74


Pod Warmer

Jolly Snowman
$14.99

Bah. Humbug.

My vacation is almost over. That, however, is not the reason for this post’s title. While I do return to work in the morning, I only work three days this week and then have a lovely three day weekend. Yay!

Alas, as it seems to happen often over the past few years, I have caught what I like to call a Christmas Cold. Luckily, this year’s cold doesn’t seem to be too bad. Yes, I am knocking on wood that it doesn’t knock me down and out. I’ve too much going on over the next few weeks to be sick!

This is one holiday tradition that I could do without. While I’ve enjoyed lounging around the house and letting the hubby baby me a little more than usual, I’d rather not finish off a few boxes of tissues in just a few days.

For those who say that vitamin C keeps you healthy, I would like to point out that it is Clementine season. In the Schmurphy household, that means I’ve been enjoying an average of a box a week. This is in addition to the orange juice that we have with breakfast. Therefore, I can’t help but wonder what truth there is in that bit of advice. If upping the vitamin C consumption keeps you healthy, why the hell and I feeling so ick. Bah. Humbug.

Traditions

It’s the holiday season. For many, this means family traditions will be completed yet again. One holiday tradition that my family had when I was growing up was attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Not every family member went each year, and there may have been years that we missed the late service. If so, I don’t recall. As an adult, there have been years that I have missed Midnight Mass (and a few times that I was disappointed in the service enough to wish I missed it).

Last year the hubby surprised me by taking me to the service at a church near our house. I loved the small size of the parish and the welcoming atmosphere. Over the last year I have often said that I wanted to attend mass at that church again. A year has gone by and tonight will be the first time we’ve been back. While I wish that I had made more of an effort to go on Sunday mornings, I’m happy that my husband is supporting the continuation of the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass tradition.

We’ve started a few traditions of our own over the years. Notably would be opening at least one (if not all) of our Christmas gifts late on Christmas Eve (usually after Mass, so it would technically be Christmas Day). Some years this is extended by staying up most of the night watching movies.

My ILs have a tradition of hiding a glass pickle ornament on one of their Christmas trees. Whichever grandchild finds it receives a small amount of money (A dollar? Five? I can’t recall exactly how much).

So tell me…What holiday traditions do you have?

Baby, it’s 1 a.m. and I am baking…

Yes, last night I was wide awake at 1 a.m. and decided that it was the perfect time to bake.

I promised the hubby that I would make him some peanut butter cookies. Since he is on the road a lot, and since we will have lots of other sweets over the next week or so, I decided to split the dough and use some of it for Peanut Butter Blossoms (or Hugs and Kisses cookies, as I usually call them).

My favorite peanut butter cookie recipe comes from the 1001 Cookie Recipes cookbook. You can tell that I love this recipe just by looking at it in the book.



The dough:

Coating the dough with sugar before baking:


Ready for the oven!


Hershey kisses just waiting for the cookies to finish baking.
Fresh from the oven and waiting to be kissed:
Yum! Must wait until they cool to eat. Right?
Peanut butter cookies ready for the oven:
...and freshly baked!
Yum!

I ended up with about 2 dozen peanut butter blossoms and at least 3 dozen peanut butter cookies.

Season for Sharing

I haven't put out a lot of Christmas decorations this year, but this is one of my new favorites.

Season for Sharing with an 8 ounce Apple Orchard Pear'adise Bella candle.

It's so very pretty when the candle shines through the sides.

more food pics

Dark Chocolate Truffles

• coated in cocoa
• coated in crushed candy canes
• dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in hazelnuts
• dipped in dark chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes

These were coated in cocoa. I didn't put them in the fridge, which is why I think think they absorbed the coating. :/


Frosted Gingerbread Cookies

Two out of three people who tried the gingerbread cookies said that the frosting was too lemony. So, I played with the frosting and attempted to fix the problem. I added more butter, milk and vanilla. I also added some powdered ginger.

Gingerbread cookies frosted with Lemon-Ginger Buttercream.
The smaller hearts have the Lemon-Ginger buttercream frosting.


Lemon-Ginger buttercream frosting

Dark Chocolate Truffles

This was the recipe I used for the truffles. Rather, it was the recipe that I sort of used for the truffles, since I added a few things:

Dark Chocolate Truffles
Recipe courtesy of Marcel Desaulniers
Prep Time: 1 hr 45 min
Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Place 8 ounces semisweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate in a 4-quart bowl.

Heat the heavy cream in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth (now you have ganache). Refrigerate the ganache for 1 hour until firm but not hard.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon of ganache for each truffle (approximately 3/4 ounce), portion 24 truffles, evenly space onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate the ganache portions for 15 minutes (so the ganache will be firm enough to roll into truffles). When the ganache is firm enough to handle, remove from the refrigerator and individually roll each portion of ganache in your palms, in a gentle circular motion, using just enough pressure to form smooth rounds. Roll 16 of the rounds in 2 tablespoons cocoa and separately roll 8 in the confectioners sugar until completely covered. Store the truffles in a tightly sealed plastic container, in the refrigerator. Remove about 1 hour before serving.

My Changes/Additions

• I used 8 ounces of Nestlé dark chocolate, broken into pieces, and 12 ounces of Nestlé semi-sweet chocolate chips.
• I added about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the chocolate before pouring the hot cream on it. I
• used one full pint of heavy cream.
• I let the ganache set, tightly covered with press and seal plastic wrap, in the fridge for about 24 hours.
• I used my smallest cookie scoop for the truffles. It was perfect sized.
  
• I dipped some truffles in Baker’s semi-sweet dark dipping chocolate, then coated with crushed hazelnuts or candy canes. Most I coated with Hershey’s cocoa powder.
  

Photos to come...once I take them.

Gingerbread Cookies - Photos!

The recipe:

Smaller heart cookies:

Larger Heart Cookies:


Lemon Buttercream Frosting:


Frosting some of the cookies:

Holiday Baking

I love to bake, though don’t do it nearly as often as I want to. I’m not one to follow directions well, so I guess it’s surprising that my baked goods turn out so well. I use liquid measuring cups for dry ingredients and don’t measure ingredients exactly, but rather close enough. Usually that means I add a little more of things. As I said, it turns out pretty well.

Almost every holiday I end up trying a new cookie recipe. This year it was for gingerbread cookies. It was only in the past few years that I realized that I like gingerbread. At this year’s cookie exchange, Knitty Jen made adorable little gingerbread men cookies. I think I ate every one of the dozen or so I brought home. They were delish! So, I decided to make my own.

After reviewing Knitty Jen’s recipe, though, I realized that I should check a few other recipes – due to the recent destruction of my food processor (The hubby and I both knocked it off of a table. May it rest in pieces). So, after reviewing several recipes, I decided on one found in 1001 Cookie Recipes.

Of course, it still meant I needed to go grocery shopping, since I don’t normally keep molasses in the cupboard.

After work last night I made the dough. As I transferred the dough from my beloved Kitchen Aide stand-up mixer to a bowl, I noticed it was rather crumbly. I just figured it was the norm and covered the bowl before placing it in the fridge.

Fast-forward about 24 hours. After work tonight I pulled out the dough to start rolling it for cutouts. That didn’t work too well. The dough was still very crumbly. So…off to the laptop to Google “gingerbread cookie dough crumbly”. The first hit was a wonderful short video from About.com all about making gingerbread cookies. Yay! I found a possible solution. Back to the kitchen to clean out my mixing bowl and transfer the dough back to it…adding a bit of water to the mix. That did the trick.

I was able to get 18 large-ish hearts and 25 smaller hearts out of the dough. They look and smell delicious. I also whipped up a small batch of lemon buttercream frosting to use on some of the cookies. The recipe? Several tablespoons of unsalted butter, about 2 teaspoons of pure lemon extract, about 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, a few cups of powdered sugar, a few tablespoons of skim milk and several drops of yellow food coloring. Yeah…I’m really great at keeping track of how much of what I used.

Unlike Knitty Jen's cookies, mine are soft gingerbread cookies.

After the cookies cool and I frost a few, I’ll take some photos. Maybe I’ll even remember to share the photos.

Other yummy tasks for tonight included making dark chocolate truffles. That deserves its own post…another time.

Christmas is coming...

I love giving gifts. There’s something special about giving a (near) perfect gift. So, it’s no surprise that I love this time of year. Not only do I have Christmas gifts to give, but starting in January I have a whole slew of birthday gifts to give to family members. This is becoming a little more difficult, though, as my family spreads further apart. For example, my middle sister G and her hubby live in Texas. (Ye-haw, y’all.) Texas would otherwise be known as “Too dang hot for this Yankee.”

Recently I ordered Christmas presents for G and K. Since they are quite some distance from me, I had the box shipped directly to their home. It arrived yesterday and G was able to open it tonight, since I gave her permission to not wait until Christmas. lol She sounded so tickled about the gifts! I bought them a Black Footed Square pod warmer, two scent pods (Cobblestone and Ivy Path and Cinnamon Vanilla) and a bottle of Homeology Rosemary Mint All Purpose Cleaner. I could just picture the pod warmer in their living room. It perfectly matches the style of furniture. I hoped that the scents I choose would fit their preferences, and G assured me that they did – especially the Cobblestone and Ivy Path. The cleaner was just something I thought they would appreciate. They are both what I would call “neat freaks” (but not in a bad way), and the cleaner is an eco-friendly one. I use it in my own home, and really like it a lot.



Now…here’s hoping the rest of my Christmas list equally loves their gifts. Of course, I need to finish getting them together first!

Yay! Presents!

I LOVE presents. I love to give them and I love to receive them. As you can imagine, then, I adore this time of year.

My dear friend Knitty T made these wonderful stitch markers for several of us as Christmas gifts. They are so cute that I just have to share photos.


I love all of them, but these two did make me *squee* just a little:


They also gained puppyboy's approval. He gives them four paws up.


Thanks, Kitty T! :D

Seasons Greetings

Once upon a time I was a great card giver – especially at Christmas. The past few years I’ve been paring down my list of holiday card receivers. This is mostly due to cost, as the price of postage keeps rising. In fact, I am very much considering only sending out a handful of cards this year.

What doesn’t surprise me is that we’ve only received a few cards so far this season. I’m not sure if this is because I didn’t send out as many last year or because it costs so darn much to mail a card now.

Now…the real question is what type of cards to send to those select people? Handmade cards? Photo cards? A box of store bought cards? Individually picked out store bought cards? Decisions, decisions.