Merry Christmas To You!

Our home is just sizzling with excitement about tomorrow. Tonight we had a visit from the best Santa ever. One of the owners of the company I work for and long time friend of 17 years stopped by in his Santa suit. The kids were just beside themselves with glee.

Enjoy a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with those that you love!

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Let's Get This Show On The Road Santa

I've enjoyed all things Christmas this past month but I'm movin on! I love Valentines Day and all that jazz above has me inspired to mix a little new with a little old. I'll be back to share more later this week.

Are your littles bugging you to "open just one present" too?

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Christmas Is Coming!

I'm still finding and putting out a few decorations and Christmas is this week. I found this sweet old reindeer, he doesn't stand up on his own so I had to prop him up. Not sure if he was part of a set or an ornament or what but I loved it when I saw it.

I have to give Cassie in Arizona a big thank you for sending me this adorable turquoise tree. I'm crazy about it! I haven't yet but I want to make a bunch of miniature ornaments for this tree including a tiny stitched tree skirt. If I start now I'll have all that done by next Christmas!



My shopping is done and as of last night so is my wrapping. Does anyone else have rolls of paper that WILL NOT END? I'm pretty sure that I have about 5 rolls that I've had since I got married 13 years ago. My husband came in to the dining room where I was wrapping at the table and he asked why all of the gifts were wrapped in just two different papers and I told him I was trying to use a few of them up so I didn't have to see them again next year!!

I'll be back this week with sneak peeks of my January home studio class projects. The date for that class by the way has been changed to January 30th instead of the 23rd. The office where I work is moving to a new location on the 23rd and they've asked for an all hands that day. I'd like to move all of my personal belongings myself anyway so they make it to my office and aren't lost!

Enjoy your Sunday!

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Cornbread Salad Recipe

I have a wonderful side dish recipe that is perfect for the holidays because aside from it being delish it's also so festive looking. This is a cold salad that has tons of flavor.

Cornbread Salad

12 corn bread muffins {fully cooled & crumbled into small bits}
1/2 pkg of bacon {cooked, cooled & crumbled}
1 green bell pepper {diced}
1 red bell pepper {diced}
1 small onion {diced}
3 medium tomatoes {diced}
1/2 c sweet relish
1 c mayo

Mix everything together and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

I hope you love it! Have a wonderful week!

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The Mannequin Cafe!

I was just visiting Catherine Moore's blog in hopes of seeing a sneak peek of her latest stamp line that will be available in January and lo and behold, there they were. I can't wait to get mine. You can see them here.

On a different note, I'll be back tomorrow with a great recipe so stop back in.

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Flea Market Review #28

Sunday's flea market was VERY cold. I ran off in such a hurry I forgot to grab a pair of gloves. I can assure you, that will never happen again! I did find some nice things that I'm really happy with though. I scored an old cabinet card photo album with the prettiest cover {above} for $10. Since the cover was half way off as it was I just pulled it off and tacked it up on my inspiration board {more on that in a future post!}.

I also found this great little silverware cabinet that a lady had painted a pretty robins egg blue. I thought it would be the perfect thing to hold my stamps. {Yes, I know my tree needs a tree skirt}.



I've been on the look out for an old scale in the perfect cream color. I thought this would be dandy...



These old french labels came in the most adorable little matchboxes made to look like books, a great price at just $2...



Does anyone remember these old blocks? I remember having a bunch in our toy box when I was little. Not sure what I'll do with them but I didn't want to pass them up. I like the faded color on them...



I have another really good recipe to share and a sneak peek of one of the two classes I'm going to teach in the Vintage Handmade Studio in January so pop back in later this week.

Stay warm & well!

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Give-a-way Winner!

Last weeks give-a-way winner for the Cherry Tassie cookie kit was Patty! Patty please email me with your address and I'll mail it out to you this week. Thank you everyone who left a comment. I'll be back tomorrow with pictures and a run down of today's flea market finds.

Have a wonderful week!

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Christmas Blog Party Post {A Wee Bit Early}

At this time of year inspiration abounds. Blog parties are always rich with great photos, some tradition and sometimes the unexpected. Here are some photos I'd like to share with you.

I bought this advent calendar last year with the intention of redecorating the doors. I was recently inspired to follow through on that idea and I love the way it came out...



Here is a close up of some of the doors...



The side...



We do have a traditional noble fir each year in our family room but I have this luscious pink one for my studio...



I made this simple decoration this year...



This is one I've had since I got married...



Kohl's was THE place for me last year for ornaments. They had a wonderful line of vintage style ornaments and a few whimsical ones as well like this deer that my daughter won't leave alone...





This is a little gift card size mini album I'll be teaching next Saturday...



My Christmas album for this year that is ready for photos...



A gorgeous "Wish" banner by Wendy Addison...



Oh and this thing...I can't say I love it but I'm glad I finished it up. I didn't have any directions for it. It's in the Pottery Barn catalog every year during the holidays. It's not as easy to make as one would think. Don't mind the little dark spot on the left, I had to prop something behind it so it would lay right for me to take a photo. I love the burlap ribbon. It was serendipity at JoAnn's one day, I didn't even know there was such a thing as burlap ribbon.



I will be making my monthly trip to the flea market on Sunday and I always post a "flea market in review" with photos of all my finds so stop back by!

Thank you for crossing paths with me! I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

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It's Give-a-way Time!

I have a prettily wrapped box of Cherry Tassie ingredients as my giveaway this week. Leave a comment and I'll announce a winner on Saturday. These are my favorite holiday cookies. Don't mind my picture below, I sprinkle mine with colored coarse sugar and I must have been a bit distracted because I sprinkled it on before I baked them and not after like I usually do. They're much prettier when the sugar isn't melted but they taste just as good! The kids are inhaling them right now.



Here's the recipe:

Cherry Tassies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp peppermint extract & vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups finely crushed peppermint candies (about 18)
48 maraschino cherries with stems
Coarse sugar

Cream butter and 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, baking powder and salt. Add peppermint, vanilla and egg. Add flour and powdered candy. Roll into 1 inch balls, roll in powdered sugar and press into 1 3/4 inch muffin cups. Place cherry, stemmed side up, in each cup. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Makes 48 Tassies.

I've been busy working on several projects this week and I've had so much fun. When I post the winner Saturday I'll share some pictures.

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Sharing Has It's Rewards

I work with a wonderful lady named Laura. She has a boy and a girl that are just about 1 year younger than each of my younger boy and girl. I have been happy to pass along clothing that they've outgrown to their family. Last week Laura came to me and said that she had read on my blog that I loved old buttons. She went on to say that she had an old tin full of them that she would find and bring in to me. I was off for the holidays a bit early in the week and my sister who also works with me dropped a tin off to me saying, "Laura hopes you can do something with these". I was thrilled with the age, variety... I could go on and on. It was so nice of her to pass this old tin on to me, I appreciated it more than she probably realized. It just proved to me once again that when you share what you have, others respond in kind. I love the way that works.

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