Merry Christmas!

found on Pinterest

My warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday,

and a very happy new year!!

Peppermint Divine Twine {not just for Christmas!}

I'm adding this to my wish list - Peppermint Divine Twine from Whisker Graphics!!

I am lucky enough to have two spools from Whisker Graphics but I want / need / gotta have this beautiful pink, red, and white twine. 

Oh, this color combination will be so much fun yet not limited to only Christmas.  The Peppermint Divine Twine will be perfect for Valentine's Day.  So snag a spool now for Christmas wrapping/crafting and have lots left for Valentine's Day fun!!

Fleur de Sel Caramels {from The Caramel Jar}

I've shared links to The Caramel Jar with you at least five times in the last year ... and its not because they are stuffing free caramels into my pockets as I type! {Oh, I wish}

The Caramel Jar makes the most delicious caramels you have ever, EVER tasted.  I recently sent them to my BIL for his birthday and the family of six raved about them!  My SIL gushed about how good there were.  She couldn't put into words how they were different from others, she just said 'Send more!!'.

I'm not the only one who has discovered this yummy caramel goldmine.  The Caramel Jar has reached its capacity to make caramels for Christmas delivery.  But don't worry - you can still give the gift of caramels with a Gift Certificate.  Your giftee can redeem their gift certificate in the new year and enjoy the caramel goodness once the craziness of the holidays are over.

The Caramel Jar also offers a Caramel Club! This is a great gift for those who seem to have everything and those that are so difficult to buy for ... what a treat to have caramels appear on your doorstep each month - yum!

I have one lucky address on my gift list that *just might* have the chance to experience The Caramel Jar's Caramel Club in 2012 ;) .

Dog Bone Ornament

Even our furry friends should be represented on the Christmas tree! 'Treat' one to a Dog Bone Ornament from The Lab on Etsy. Just $8 with free personalization.

Be sure to see the other cute holiday things at The Lab - Black Lab Ornament, Yellow Lab Stocking, and Chocolate Lab Dog Toys!!

Christmas Coal Soap

Do you have someone on your list that should get coal this year? Or do you want to play a Christmas joke on a friend?

Give them Christmas Coal Soap from Sunbasilgarden Soaps on Etsy! Each coal piece is handcut and has a peppermint scent. $7 for two coal soaps.

These would also be cute in the powder room during a Christmas party!

Also check out their other fun soaps - Lego men, snow soap, and mistletoe sugar scrub soap.

Reindeer Tees and Onesies {20% off}

 Personalized reindeer tees and onesies ($26) from Mitetees are 20% off with code red nose through December 11th.

So cute! I want one!!

The Land of Nod {free shipping}

The Land of Nod is offering FREE shipping on all stocking stuffers!!

Here are some of my favorites for under $10:

Hand Tattoos $7.95

Flip and Draw Books $9.95

Lean, Mean Pipe Cleaners $4.95

Magic Coin Trick $2.50

Small World Ball $2.95

Magnetic Fuzzy Face $3.95

Holiday Cards from Chickabug

Time to start thinking about Holiday Cards ...

Little Pear

Chickabug has a great selection!

Fleur de Lis

Print yourself or request professional printing.

Red and Silver Toile

Either way you will be thrilled with your cards from Chickabug!

Holiday Divine Twine is here!

Holiday Divine Twine is here! But hurry, it's a Limited Edition.

Snag this beautiful combination green, red, and white bakers twine to adorn your holiday gifts and goodies. Divine Twine can also be used for crafting and decorating!

Find Holiday Divine Twine at Whisker Graphics for $15 for 240 yards.

Also available is Holiday Divine Twine (k)Nots at one-third off, only $10 for at least 200 yards.

Santa Key ... magic!

Don’t have a chimney for Santa to climb down? No worries! Just hang this skeleton key outside your door on Christmas Eve for Santa to use.

So cute!!

Santa Key ($10 plus $2.50 shipping) from Cat Tales on Etsy.

Advent Calendar Garland Kit

How cute is this Advent Calendar Garland Kit from Oh Hello Magpie on Etsy?!?

The adorable kit includes 24 hand-punched natural brown kraft stock tags with numbers printed in rich, black ink (numbers 1-24), 4 yards of red baker's twine, 25 mini wood clothespins (24 + 1 extra!),  and small natural muslin bag for safe keeping - or request the gable box during checkout!

Tie it along your mantel, or string it up on a Christmas tree...it will look stunning no matter where you choose to display it.  And enjoy counting down the days of December!

Farmhouse Advent Calendar Garland Kit in Kraft Paper with Red Baker's Twine

$25 plus $3 shipping

Official Letter to Santa {from Chickabug}

Chickabug, one of my very favorites, just launched a new website and blog!!

To celebrate Heather is hosting a giveaway

AND offering a bonus sale --

her adorable 'Official Letter to Santa' kit is half price!

 Each kit includes 4 high quality cards, 4 red envelopes, and 4 peel-and-stick labels for an incredible price of just $7.50 ($3 shipping).

I snagged a kit last year and my daughters *loved* it! We had so much fun filling out the letters and mailing them to Santa.  I love the check-the-box format- so fun!

Remember, snag your own  'Official Letter to Santa' kit at half price - just $7.50!  Heather at Chickabug is offering this amazing deal through Friday, November 18th. 

2011 Ornaments {from The Vintage Pearl}

The Vintage Pearl released their 2011 Ornaments today! 

Christmas Tree Ornament $32

The tree shape is cut out of the stainless steel ornament! Hand stamped with up to 60 letters and spaces.

Vintage Star Ornament $28

This bronze star can be hand stamped with a child’s name, a teacher’s name, names of newlyweds, your last name, oh so many possibilities!

Vintage Snowflake Ornament $28

A beautiful bronze snowflake that can be hand stamped with up to 3 lines. Again, so many possibilities!!

A lovely pearl accent and beautiful red ribbon included with all ornaments.

Remember - allow 1-2 weeks for your custom hand stamped ornament to ship!

Glee, The Christmas Album Volume 2

I {heart} Glee!

I {heart} Glee music!

I can't wait to add Glee, The Christmas Album Volume 2 to my collection!

Have Yourself a Merry LIttle Christmas {from Barn Owl Primitives}

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

I've shared my love for Barn Owl Primitives before, and I'm back to remind you that Christmas orders must be placed by November 15th.  Only two weeks away!  So get out your Gift List and decide if a lucky someone will receive a Barn Owl Primitives sign this December!

Family Rules

I'm one of the lucky ones - my wonderful parents treated me to a Family Rules sign last year.  It hangs in my kitchen and I smile each time I read it!

Location Signs

I've also given signs from Barn Owl Primitives - my BIL loves his location sign!

~~~~

Don't forget - snag one of these amazing hand painted signs for someone special in the next two weeks!  I promise they will LOVE it!!

A Christmas Goodnight

Take a break from the August heat and Back-To-School lists to snag a copy of A Christmas Goodnight.  This magical book will be released at the end of September but with limited quantities so be sure to pre-order yours today.  It’s a steal of a price to pre-order online - as I type this lovely book is priced at under $8 at Amazon!

The illustrator is the wonderfully talented Sarah Jane Wright of Sarah Jane Studios. 

I can't wait for our copy to arrive next month!!

care to share?

What were some of your favorite gifts, either to give or get?

My favorite gift received was our Family Rules sign from Barn Owl Primitives.  My older daughter loves reading it and she has referred to one or more rules in the last three days.  (go to their Facebook page and enter to win a Keep Calm and Carry On sign)

My favorite gift to give was the Dream Teach Inspire necklace from The Rusted Chain that my daughter's class gave to her teacher.  She was so touched that I almost cried right along with her.

Holiday Photo Booth Fun!

I saw the Holiday Photo Booth Accessories from Paper & Cake yesterday and decided I have.to.have.them.NOW!  I think the Santa props will provide lots of laughter tomorrow night when we celebrate Christmas with my side of our family.  This reminds me I need to recharge the camera battery for all the photo ops in the next few days! ♥

For $9.95 you get the Photo Props which include mustaches, lips, Santa hat, Santa beard, Mrs. Claus' spectacles, reindeer antlers, and Rudolf's red nose.  As well as a customizable pennant banner and fun signage.

Eggnog Pound Cake

This Christmas we are making a few baked goods to go along with our gifts.  I haven't given cookies or breads for Christmas since before I had my children but I'm so glad to be doing it again this year!

Baking in the oven as I type is Eggnog Pound Cake (recipe below).  I am using the cute small kraft loaf molds from Garnish.  I plan to pop the finished pound cakes into a cello bag along with a wooden knife and fork (also from Garnish) tied together with a ribbon.  Slap a fun gift tag label that says 'From the Kitchen of ...' (from Tiny Prints) on the outside and it makes a super gift.

If you have some extra baking time give this recipe a try!

Eggnog Pound Cake

Ingredients
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter (softened)
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup eggnog

Method:
Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then the vanilla.

Add flour mixture to bowl, alternating with eggnog.

Bake at 325° for about 65-75 minutes (in 2 loaf pans), 70-80 minutes (in a Bundt) or about 22 minutes for mini-loaves.

Cool in pan.

I don't remember where I got this recipe from so if any of my friends know of the blog or message board please let me know. 

I'd love to give credit to someone for this yummy Christmas pound cake!!

Felt Holly Corsage

Handmade gifts are often the most treasured.  This year I'm making these Felt Holly Corsages from Martha, first seen by me at Pumpkin Petunia last year.

I mus disclose that I am not a crafter.  I like to think I am.  Then when I sit down to make something it never, ever turns out how I've pictured in my mind.  But these corsages were different.  They turned out beautiful and can't wait to give them to a few special people this holiday.

Here are my tips and tricks:

~I purchased two dark green felt sheets (9" by 12"), gold bells, 5/8" cream grosgrain ribbon, and 1" pin backs (in the jewelry making section of my store) at a chain craft store.  I was able to get eight corsages from the two felt sheets.

~Ours look like the first corsage in the second row in the picture above. I used the template from the Martha link above, copied it at 125% with my printer and used only the middle template - one double holly leaf per corsage.

~Don't skip the ironing/creasing step. Not only does it make cutting the doubled felt easier but it adds dimension to the finished holly leaf.

~I found it impossible to follow the curved lines of the template.  I traced the template onto the felt but I made my holly leaves with sharp, angular points using the tip of my scissors.  Looks great to me!

~I pulled the ribbon through the hole in the top of the bell and trimmed the bottoms.  Pulling the ribbon through was the most challenging part of this craft.  It took a little patience!

~Don't skip the step of pinning the corsage to a piece of cardstock.  It makes for a beautiful presentation!

Happy crafting and happy giving!!