{Holiday Crafts} Candy Cane Vase

I am always looking for great affordable way to incorporate the holiday into my dinner table. I love this project because candy canes just scream Christmas. This vase is perfect for slipping fresh cut flowers or even a potted amaryllis into. You can make it to any size you want. I used

those regular size candy canes in my vase craft project, but if you needed a really big pot or vase you could use those great big candy can sticks that are about a foot tall.

You should be able to make this beautiful centerpiece for less than $10. You can really vase money buy using an existing glass jar or terra cotta pot instead of running out and buying one. You can easily pop the hot glue of when Christmas is over and use your vase again!

My favorite part about this craft project is that once the Christmas Holiday so over you can pop the candy canes off and eat them since they’re never taken out of their clear plastic wrappers!

To Make a Candy Cane Vase For Christmas You Will Need:

• A Couple Boxes of Candy Canes (Leave them in their Plastic Wrappers)
• A Glass Jar or Plant Pot (Whatever size you need)
• Hot Glue
• Large Red velvet Ribbon (You can use any color you want!)

Now, to save money I used an empty spaghetti jar. It was the perfect size for my cut flowers. You could easily make this with a small terra cotta pot or an empty glass vase as well.

Start by running a bead of hot glue along the stem of your candy cane. Place it onto the glass jar. I like to place mine so that the hook of the candy cane is at the top of the glass jar and facing out. You can change that up if you want. This craft project would look really neat with the candy canes upside down with the hooks facing out. It would make the bottom look more substantial.

Work your way around the glass jar attaching each candy cane as close to the next one as possible. Once you have finished you can move on to the next step.

Cut your Christmas themed ribbon to size. I like to cut the ends at and angle so that they look finished and professional. Tie the ribbon around the glass jar covered in candy canes. Now that was simple!

Instructions found on: www.associatedcontent.com

{Holiday Crafts} Silverware Stocking

Materials
Scissors
Felt
Patterned fabric
Hot glue or fabric glue
Rickrack
Beads
Beading cord (we used clear plastic cord)

Instructions
- Use the template to cut two stocking shapes from the felt, then cut the cuff and toe shapes from the patterned fabric. The cuff is a long rectangle with the two long edges folded under and ironed for a clean look.

- Glue the two stocking shapes together at the edges, leaving the top of the stocking open. Fold a 6-inch length of rickrack in half and glue the ends just inside the stocking's top. Glue the cuff and toe in place.

- String beads onto the cord. When the string of beads is long enough to form your letter, knot both ends. Draw your letter onto the stocking with glue, then press the string of beads onto it.

Craft project from FamilyFun.go.com

{Holiday Crafts} Countdown Chain

Today marks the first day of December which means it's time to start counting down to your favorite end of the year holidays. What could be a cuter way then with this adorable cookie countdown chain? And the best part is you get a delicious little snack each day.

Have fun and write on each cookie wrapper the date and the fun holiday

December 1st - World Aids Day
December 2nd - National Fritters Day
December 3rd - International Day of the Disabled Person
December 4th - National Cookie Day
December 5th - Walt Disney's Birthday

December 6th - St. Nicholas Day
December 7th - Pearl Harbor Day
December 8th - National Brownie Day
December 9th - First Christmas Seals Created
December 10th - Human Rights Day
December 11th - Hanukkah Begins
December 12th - Poinsettia Day

December 13th - National Cocoa Day
December 14th - South Pole Discovered
December 15th - Phonograph Patented

December 16th - Boston Tea Party Anniversary
December 17th - National Maple Syrup Day
December 18th - Muharram 1 (Islamic New Year)
December 19th - Oatmeal Muffin Day

December 20th - Games Day
December 21st - First Day of Winter
December 22nd - First Christmas Lights for Sale (1882)
December 23rd - Festivus
December 24th - National Egg Nog Day
December 25th - Christmas
December 26th - Boxing Day / Kwanzaa Begins

December 27th - Visit the Zoo Day
December 28th - National Chocolate Day (Celebrate BIG!)
December 29th - Saint Thomas of Canterbury Feast Day
December 30th -  Oh My! Day
December 31st - New Years Eve

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I found this adorable gingerbread chain on HomemadebyJill.blogspot.com

{Holiday Crafts} Gifts in a Jar

Homemade gifts in a jar are a fun, frugal, and easy holiday gift to share with loved ones.
There are endless possibilities with what can be placed in a jar. Soup mixes are super for those who like savory ingredients. Jars containing layered mixes for cookies, muffins, and brownies are yummy for those with a sweet tooth.

Gifts in a jar are easy to make. Just take a glass jar (canning jars, mason jars, or even recycled mustard jars), layer with ingredients, and then top with a gift tag. Combine a bunch of jars together to make your own gift baskets. How’s that for a frugal gift idea?

1. S’mores in a Jar

Layer in a large wide mouthed 1 quart mason jar:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (one sleeve of crackers, crushed)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows.
Or substitute with 8 Peeps and 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows for seasonal fun. Line the jar with Peeps facing out.
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or mini Hershey Kisses or M&M’s
1/3 cup brown sugar

2. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar
This recipe makes about 36 cookies.

Layer in a large wide mouthed 1 quart mason jar:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour mixture into a 1 quart (1 liter) mason jar and pack down. Mix oatmeal in a blender. Pack on top of flour in mason jar. Add white sugar and pack down. Add brown sugar and pack down. Layer chopped nuts on top of brown sugar. Finish layering jar with mini or regular chocolate chips.

3. Chai Tea Mix in a Jar
This recipe makes 2, 6 ounce jars.

Ingredients:

Layer in 2, 6 ounce jars:

1 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup black tea leaves
12 cardamom pods
4 2 inch pieces of cinnamon stick
2 tsp dried lemon peel
Divide all ingredients and layer equally between 2, 6 ounce jars

More recipes can be found on this website and jar labels to download!! Thank you

{Holiday Entertaining} Tree of Thanks

What you need:

• Tree branch
• Handheld hedge clippers
• Butter tub
• Cement
• Water
• Disposable container
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• Chickpeas or dried beans
• Spray primer
• Orange spray paint
• Clear spray sealer
• Orange glitter
• Scissors
• Decorative container
• Decorative rocks and silk leaves
• Papers in green and gold
• Paper trimmer
• Glue
• Marking pen
• Shower curtain clips

How to Make It:

Trim a dry dead branch to the desired size and shape using hedge clippers. If needed, combine several small branches.

Choose a container, such as a butter tub, that can be hidden in a decorative container and filled with cement.

Following the instructions on the cement package, mix cement in a separate disposable container. Pour the cement into the butter tub.

Insert the branch base into the center of the cement-filled tub. Tap the sides of the tub until the branch sits firmly in cement. Allow cement to dry.

Use a hot-glue gun to adhere chickpeas or dried beans randomly to the branch, using as many as desired.

In an outdoor area, spray the branch with primer. Spread extra chickpeas on newspaper and spray them with primer. Let the primer dry.

Spray-paint the branch and chickpeas with orange; let dry.

Spray one section at a time with clear sealer. Quickly sprinkle orange glitter onto wet sealer; let dry. Repeat this process until entire branch and chickpeas are glittered. Place the weighted tree into decorative container.

Place decorative rocks around the branch base until the cement is covered. Sprinkle extra chickpeas onto the rocks.

Trim silk leaves from stems. Coil the wired ends and hang on the tree.

Trim 2-inch squares of green paper and 13D4-inch squares of gold paper. Center and glue the gold paper onto the green paper. Ask family members to use a marking pen to write meaningful messages on the squares. Use shower curtain clips to hang the messages from the branches.

Leave extra colored squares around the tree base for guests to add more messages to the tree.

Thank you Better Homes and Garden for this wonderful idea!

{Holiday Entertaining} Thanksgiving Tablescape

As I was sitting here today preparing my menu for Thanksgiving next week, I was also thinking about how I was going to tablescape our dining and buffet tables. So I went out on the search for some inspiration and ran across these beautiful pictures found on the Dining Delight blog.  They are absolutely stunning! And the blog has many, many more fantastic decorating and tablescape ideas.  I think I'm going to try the popcorn candles!  What do you think?  How are you decorating your tables?

{Holiday Entertaining} Thanksgiving Cocktails

Whether this is your first Thanksgiving with your sweetie’s family or you’re coming back from college and want to find a new way to pitch in, a cocktail is always a safe way of contributing without that pesky risk of mucking up longstanding family traditions.

Don’t risk messing up grandma’s traditional mashed potatoes or being called out for passing off another Sarah Lee pie as your own. Instead, bring along supplies for one of these conversation starters. Even the non-drinkers will be impressed by your skill and originality.

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 part kahlua
• 1 part spiced pumpkin pie filling
• 2 parts coconut rum
• 4 parts cold milk
• 6 ice cubes
• Garnish with cinnamon

Put everything but the cinnamon in a blender. Mix on high. Serve in graham cracker crust highball glasses and sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

Smashing Pumpkin Spice

• 1 part Goldschlager
• 1 part Irish Crème
• 1 part Kahlua
• Cinnamon candies
• Sprinkle pumpkin pie spice

Drop 3-4 cinnamon candies in the bottom of a martini glass. Mix the Goldschlager, Irish Crème, and Kahlua in a martini shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice on top.

Gingersnap

• ½ part ginger brandy
• 1 part spiced rum
• 4 parts eggnog
• Crumbled gingersnaps

Put your gingersnaps in a blender and grind until you have cookie crumbs. Use the cookies to rim highball glasses. Mix the eggnog, rum, and brandy in your glasses. Serve with an intact gingersnap for dunking.

Royal Cider Grog

• 6 parts apple cider
• 1 part Crown Royal
• Cinnamon sticks

Warm the apple cider in a mug. Top it with the Crown Royal and stir with a cinnamon stick.

Malibu Baked Apple

• 2 parts coconut rum
• 2 parts cranberry juice
• 3 parts apple juice
• Dried apple rings

Mix all 3 in a microwave safe glass and heat until toasty warm. Garnish with a dried apple ring.

Rock Gobbler

• 1 part Wild Turkey
• 2 parts Cranberry Juice
• 2 parts Chambord
• 2 parts Amaretto

Mix everything in a cocktail shaker full of ice then strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Caramel Apple Martini

• 1 part vodka
• 2 parts sour apple liquor
• 2 parts butterscotch liquor
• Caramel candy

Drop a small caramel candy into a martini glass. Mix everything else in a cocktail shaker full of ice then strain into the martini glass.

Turkey Shooter

• 3 parts Wild Turkey
• 1 part crème de methe

Chill both ingredients. Pour the Wild Turkey into a brandy snifter then carefully float the crème de methe on top. The whiskey will warm you up while the mint flavor keeps you cool.

Turkey Trot

• 1 part bourbon
• 2 parts 7-Up
• 2 parts cranberry juice

Mix everything in a highball glass and drink on the rocks.

Butterball

• 1 part amaretto
• 1 part butterscotch schnapps
• Whipped cream

Pour amaretto into a shot glass and layer the schnapps on top. Top with a dash of whipped cream. Throw it back as a single shot.

Recipes found on Foodvu.com

{Holiday Entertaining} Serve in Style

Beautifully display 3 colorful beverages of your choice in our elegant contemporary Trio Beverage Dispenser. Perfect for entertaining. Self-service through the spigot. Dispenser is made of glass. Exclusive to Z Gallerie. Glasses sold separately.

And who can't have glassware that is just to die for gorgeous from ZGallerie.com.

This Majestic glassware has a beautiful amber luster with exquisite detail painted on the stem. Its grand size and height makes an impressive statement for your table setting. $51.80 (set of 4)

Brighten up those dark and stormy holiday evenings with our dazzling Puccini glassware. The most common libations are transformed into festive drinks in these bright reflective metallic glasses. The intricately etched gold exterior is cleverly paired with a Silver interior, supported on a clear glass stem. $31.80 - 51.80 (sold in set of 4)

Beautiful amber colored glass interlaced with white gives this glassware collection unique character. $31.80 - 39.80 (sold in set of 4)

{Holiday Entertaining} Pumpkin Hummus

PUMPKIN HUMMUS
www.RecipeGirl.com

Four 6 inch pitas, each cut into 8 wedges
cooking spray
2 Tbs tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
One 15oz. can pure pumpkin
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbs pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Place pita wedges on baking sheets; coat with cooking spray. Bake for 6 minutes, or until toasted.
3. Place tahini and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add parsley; pulse until blended. Spoon hummus into a serving bowl; sprinkle with pumpkinseed kernels, if desired. Serve with pita wedges.
Servings: 10

{Holiday Entertaining} Gift Wrap Table Runner

Looking for fun and affordable ways to decorate your holiday tables? Try this fabulous idea found on Hostess with the Mostess blog to use gift wrap as your table runners. Or if you are setting up a nice buffet for your food display, you can use it on the entire top of your table. There are so many wonderful colors, designs, and patterns out there, you can do this for any occasion. Plus, it's so easy to clean up and can be recycled!

Great places for holiday wrapping paper, boxes, bags and bows -
Nashville Wraps
Bags and Bows
Olive Paper
Papyrus

{Holiday Entertaining} Molasses Cookie Recipe

We top our moist Molasses Cookies with a light layer of lemony frosting.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup(s) (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 tablespoon(s) butter, warm
1 cup(s) granulated sugar
1 cup(s) molasses
1 cup(s) sour cream
2 teaspoon(s) ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
3 teaspoon(s) baking soda
3 tablespoon(s) white vinegar
3 eggs, beaten
4 cup(s) sifted flour
2 cup(s) (packed) confectioners' sugar, sifted
5 1/2 tablespoon(s) milk, warm
3 tablespoon(s) milk, very hot
1 teaspoon(s) lemon extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, sour cream, ginger, and salt. Combine the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl, and add to butter mixture. Beat in the eggs until combined. Stir in flour. Place a heaping tablespoonful of dough per cookie, 2 inches apart, onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean--about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

3. Beat confectioners' sugar, 5 1/2 tablespoons warm milk, and remaining 2 tablespoons warm butter together using a wooden spoon. Stir in lemon extract. Add remaining 3 tablespoons hot milk and beat until smooth. Use immediately to frost cookie. Spread 1 teaspoon frosting on top of each cookie. Let frosting set before serving.

Thank you CountryLiving.com for this great recipe and pictures!

{Holiday Entertaining} Hot Chocolate Bar

Candy buffets and sweets stations are really popular now days, but why not spice it up for the holidays with a "Build Your Own Hot Chocolate Bar."  Your guests will be sure to enjoy this wonderful heart-warming treat!

Hot Cocoa Bar How-To’s

• Use fancy mugs. This can be an fun, attractive way to tie in your colors.
• Have a few assortments of flavored hot cocoa. Some favorites that would also act as a perfect base for your guests’ creations would be peppermint, white chocolate, and dark chocolate.  Make sure the liquid starts out HOT.  The room temperature add-ins will cool the cocoa quickly.
• Finely chop your chunky add-ins so they will melt well.
• Have both liquid and dry options for add-ins.

Hot Cocoa Bar Add-Ins

• Marshmallows (what hot cocoa isn’t complete without this staple?)
• Peppermint sticks
• Flavored syrups
• Flavored whipped cream
• Cinnamon sticks
• Orange twists or rinds
• Chopped up candy bar
• Chocolate chips
• Chocolate truffles
• Caramel squares
• Candied ginger

If hot cocoa isn’t your style, but you’re still looking for that exclusive, unique touch you may want to opt for a caramel apple bar or even a s’mores bar.  Both have the same idea as the hot cocoa bar - You start with the base and add toppings or mix-ins to personalize. The options are limitless.  Whatever your preference, a creative food bar can be a great tool to give your reception that extra “it” factor you’ve been looking for.

Thank you for this wonderful information - blog.thebrideandgroom.com 

{Holiday Entertaining} Thanksgiving Place Cards

Delightful Place Cards

Tip your hat to the occasion by making these delightful personalized place cards from miniature flowerpots

You can also make a large version of this Pilgrim hat for a complementary centerpiece.

What You Need:

• 3-inch terra-cotta flowerpots
• Acrylic paints in black, white, red, and blue
• Paintbrush
• Crafting foam in black, yellow, green, and purple
• Scissors
• Thick white crafts glue
• Black fabric paint pen

Instructions:

1. Decorate the pots. Paint each pot black and allow it to dry. Choose a color to paint the band around the top of each pot. Let it dry. Make white dots on the rest of each pot by dipping the handle end of a paintbrush in white paint and dotting onto the surface.

2. Add brims. Trace a circle from black foam about 1/2 inch wider all around than the pot opening, using an appropriate size dish, cup, or lid. Cut out.

3. Make the buckles. For each pot, measure the width of the band (the portion painted a different color). Cut a rectangle from foam that measures about 1/8 inch deeper than the band. Cut out a smaller rectangle from the center. Glue the buckle to the band. Let the glue dry.

4. Personalize for each guest. Use a black paint pen to write a name on each colored band. Allow the paint to dry before using.

Article found on BHG.com

{Holiday Entertaining} Tantalizing Baked Brie Recipe

Cranberry-Apricot Baked Brie with Honey

From Country Living

This recipe has been tested by Country Living

Straight from your grocer's freezer, the dough baked around a cranberry, apricot, and almond topped Brie rises to the occasion — no flour, food processor, or kneading required.

Ingredients

1/3 cup(s)	chopped dried cranberries
1/3 cup(s)	chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup(s)	sliced almonds
1/4 cup(s)	honey
1 1/2 teaspoon(s)	chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon(s)	salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon(s)	freshly ground pepper
1	sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 wheel(s)	(8-ounce) Brie
1	egg white

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine cranberries, apricots, almonds, honey, thyme, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Roll puff pastry to 12-inch square. Trim top rind off Brie and center cheese on pastry. Top with fruit mixture.

Beat egg white and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and brush some egg wash along pastry edges.

Gather dough up around Brie, twisting into a topknot. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes.

Brush pastry lightly with egg wash and place on a parchment-lined baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes.