Happy Mother's Day!

To all the Mamas out there - hope you have a lovely day!


{images from "Photobooth" by Babbette Hines
via cori kindred}


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Eggshell Vases

Image courtesy of marthastewart.com


I know folks make fun of Martha Stewart all the time, but there are some darn good ideas that have come out of that empire. I usually find myself drawn to the little things they have come up with over there on her blog and this is one of those things.


These eggshell vases in eggcups are perfect for a Spring or Easter table. They can be grouped together for a centerpiece or placed at individual seats. I am especially fond of the size-perfect for tiny blossoms like lilacs, lily-of-the-valley or pansies.


Directions, courtesy of martha, just go to show you....sometimes those simple little things can make a beautiful difference.
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Happy St. Paddy's Day!

via my vintage vogue

Here's just a little round-up of some of the shades of a certain lovely color in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Yeah, I know, there isn't a single darn image of green Guinness, but a video on how to make green macaroons (at the bottom) should make up for that one particular absence... :)



via fffound!



by Cozy Memories



by home sweet home



via Eliza&Beth



by Jane Reiseger



by salbug00



via vintageisclassic


The Green Macaron from by.luuvu on Vimeo.
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Snowflake Kites

Video courtesy of youtube


This holiday ad from Starbucks is so captivating. Those snowflake kites are cheerful, serene, beautiful....I had to search around and see if they were available to regular joes. Since the answer to questions like this are always on the Internet, I was pretty sure I would be able to find out.


Sure enough- http://jordanairkites.com/snowflakes.html.


It seems Dean Jordan has been a kite enthusiast since a young age and he is responsible for these wind powered beauties. His company's site is filled with other incredible designs as well, but I remain partial to the snowflakes. There is just something about their delicate intricacy and how they look right at home in the winter sky....it would be pretty amazing to start a collection of these kites to fly during the holiday season.
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snoozing in a winter wonderland

I would love to spend the month of December tucking in to this bedroom each night- festive, cozy and bright!


Image courtesy of countryliving
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Salt Dough Ornaments

In the window between Thanksgiving and Christmas I usually like to do some projects with my kids that will wind up being part of our gift to the grandparents. This year I am giving salt dough ornaments a try. I remember making these for our tree and for my grandparents and I'm anxious to have my little guys create their own. I found a very easy, step-by-step, dough recipe and pointers at Kaboose.com.


Although they note the project is for 7-year-olds and up, I really think if parents are handling all of the oven work (obviously) and monitor the painting- really even toddlers can participate (nobody wields a paintbrush like my 2-year-old!).

From Kaboose- This shiny Christmas dough ornament craft is the perfect finishing touch to decorating the tree. It can also be altered and made into lapel pins, magnets and gift-toppers.

What you'll need:
½ cup salt
1 cup flour
½ cup water
Rolling pin
Cookie sheet
Toothpick
Miniature cookie cutters: star and Christmas tree
Acrylic paints: green, yellow, and various colors of your choice for tree ornaments
Glitter glue or glitter paint
ribbon

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until dough is formed.
3. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. Do not add too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.
4. Roll out the dough to about ¼” thick with a rolling pin that has been dusted with flour.
5. Use cookie cutters to cut out as many trees and stars as you want.
6. Use a toothpick to make a hole toward the top of the shape. Poke the toothpick into the shape, then holding toothpick straight up and down, make a circular motion as if you were stirring something. Keep circling until the hole is the size you want.
7. Place all shapes onto an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 2 hours.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
10. Paint. ( When paint is dry, use glitter glue or glitter paint to put a sparkling cover coat on your ornaments. )
11. When dry, thread ribbon through hole and tie in a knot in the back.
12. Tie onto package.

Tips:
If your toppers are large enough, you can make two holes in each so that you can thread ribbon through like a button, only showing a small amount of ribbon on the front.
These make adorable pins to wear to school. Just don’t make a hole. Glue a pin back to the back of the completed ornament instead.
Uncooked salt dough doesn’t keep well, so only make enough dough for the ornaments you are going to make. If you are only making a few toppers, halve the ingredients above. The listed amounts will make enough ornaments for a classroom of 20.
While I was researching this project, I came across some sophisticated and intricate examples of salt dough ornaments that I just loved at katyelliott.com. These beautiful snowflakes are inspiring me to make some "grown-up" ornaments as well!



All images courtesy of google via salt dough ornament search at images
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Hurricane Season

Image courtesy of hornes.org via google
A holiday table topped off with a decorative glass hurricane, or hurricanes, always looks so polished and festive. They are the perfect way to bring Autumn to the table. The glass capsules filled with seasonal items, candlelit, or wrapped, can fit into any decorative scheme - it just depends on how you use them.
I like the look of hurricanes filled with acorns, gourds, or berries- Fall's harvest right there.


Image courtesy nicegirlnotes.com via google
Although I have not tried this, I bet it would create lovely ambiance for an evening gathering with the light filtered through the warm shades of orange tissue.


Image courtesy of marthastewart.com
Candlelight flickering in these mercury hurricanes would be a beautiful centerpiece for the holiday table- wintry and elegant.



Image courtesy of apartmenttherapy.com

This pair is my favorite. Really, it is because they look like New England, like my parents' place during the Fall, and I am always up for a little bit of home, especially when the holidays roll around.


Image courtesy of yourdecoratinghotline.com


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M is for...

via k.james

Love to all the moms out there this weekend especially to the ones I love most - my own as well as my fellow bloggers, Lorelei and Mae! In honor of your day - here's a little round-up of some beautiful mom-centric illustrations just for you...

By the way, love the shades of red and oranges and yellows in these (especially when cooled with touches of blue or brown):



via SurrendrDorothy



via pipnstuff



via ART By MAR



via finsbry





via judibird (animal mothers count too!)


In terms of the next 3, I've got to point out how surprising similar these seemingly very different images are in color (green and a red maroon), composition, and just general sweetness:



by Laura Logan



via Little Cotton Rabbits




via "T"eresa

And here's a really beautiful poem by Hope Anita Smith from her really beautiful collection, "Mother Poems," that will make you want to call your mother today:

Q and A

I never thought to ask my mother
what I was like when I was a baby.
Did I laugh a lot?
Was I fussy?
Did I have a favorite toy?
What was my first word?
When did I roll over? Crawl? Walk?
Did I ever like carrots?
Mothers give us our stories,
at least the beginning.
My mother left before she got a chance to
give me mine,
and I forgot to ask.
God should have made me smarter.
I am remembering less and less about my mother
and wanting to know more and more about me.

{poem found here}Source URL: https://jimhensons.blogspot.com/search/label/holidays
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Treats

Crackly Sugar Cookies courtesy of chow.com
This week is all about sweet treats around here. I decided to put up three favorites- some classic sugar cookies, Gramercy Tavern Gingergread, and a Christmas cocktail (for after all the wrapping gifts, making food, and hanging stockings with care).
Crackly Sugar Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar (sanding or granulated) for rolling cookies

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom. Add yolks, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds.
2. Add flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar and mix on low speed until dough comes together. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons and roll between your hands until smooth.
3. Roll dough in sanding or granulated sugar to coat and place on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets. Bake cookies until they are golden brown around the edges but still soft in the center, about 16 minutes. Immediately transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Image courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
INGREDIENTS
1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Accompaniment: Unsweetened whipped cream
INSTRUCTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess. 2.Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.
3.Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. 4.Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
5. Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles.
6.Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes.Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.
Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.



Image courtesy of marthastewart.com

Candy Cane Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
Makes one cocktail

1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
2 ounces strawberry vodka
4 dashes white creme de menthe
2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
Ice cubes

INSRUCTIONS
Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

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River

Music critic Christian Bordal did an interview on NPR a few years ago about how there is no good Christmas music (in the end he concedes there are "a few good" songs) and that the holiday music is simply background noise for shopping. It was all very bah-humbug and he basically framed his argument by saying:


"Seasonal music has to say Christmas trees, and eggnog, and mistletoe. Ergo, it can't be too artistically challenging, or emotionally tough, or the least bit dissonant. I mean, in short, it can't be any of the things that actually make music worth really sitting down and listening to."


Although I can somewhat understand being irked by the monotony of some Christmas tunes, I certainly would not denounce the whole genre. There are songs I need to hear every Christmas season for it to truly feel like the holidays and many of them are probably the stuff that drives Mr. Bordal crazy (oh, how he would hate the Sleigh Ride Jingle Bells album by The Caroleer Singers that I adore). If I really wanted to refute his argument though, I know a song that could do it. I remember thinking immediately about "River", originally recorded by Joni Mitchell in 1971 and covered by dozens and dozens since. Technically the track is set during Christmastime and not about Christmas, but it is still a holiday tune and I think "emotionally tough", as well as lyrically beautiful and poignant.
So for Monday, some "River" for everybody- three different versions, but they are all captivating to me. 








All video courtesy of youtube.com
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Wreaths

Image courtesy of thegreenhead.com

This past weekend I put up the wreaths on my front doors. I was pretty proud of how they looked- evergreen circles with painstakingly tied gold bows that have a hint of sparkle. While I was researching the best bow option for a wreath (yes, I did a google search on this- I can't help myself), I came across so many cool versions of the holiday standard. Granted, I still went with my trusty evergreen, but I was definitely tempted to try something different next year. Just check out these contenders.....




Image courtesy of pixiegenne.typepad.com


Paper Floral Wreath courtesy of DanaandCarol via Etsy



Image courtesy of google.com



Image courtesy of  1.bp.blogspot.com
 

Poinsettia Wreath Kit courtesy of paper-source.com



Wrapping Paper Wreath courtesy of simplytseleta.typepad.com



Image courtesy of flickr



Image courtesy of google.com

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Thursday, Holiday Cocktails, and Etsy

Image courtesy of rstudio



It is the season for making merry and with that comes a string of parties. If I decided to have a holiday gathering this season I would definitely go with this invitation, in addition to being beautiful and unique, it uses the word soirée - that clinches it for me!
I think this silver origami garland could be used in so many ways- to decorate a tree, mantle, or doorway.




Image courtesy of mwomble




As an individual who usually eats dinner next to a tiny someone who only appreciates construction truck place mats, I would love to give this organza table runner and these taffeta napkins a whirl. What a lovely, wintry beginning to a table.




Image courtesy of anitanirma




For the cocktail portion of this party- these starry champagne glasses...




Image courtesy of sparkershop




Being passed around on silver trays...




Image courtesy of highstreetmarket




Festive markers allow everybody to keep track of whose spirits are whose...






Image courtesy of clinks
Winter skyline letterpress coasters scattered about are pretty and practical...



Image courtesy of 12fifteen


The lighting scheme is simple- votives that give off a snowy, sparkling light...



Image courtesy of shimmershoppe


Bringing the outside in with a couple of fun trees for the table...



Image courtesy of myheartbeatsart


For color and shimmer, some artfully placed ruby ornaments...



Image courtesy of JBellDesign


Because it would not be me without a bird somewhere, a pair of winter tweeters will make the table complete...

Image courtesy of iktomi


Something to liven up any shindig....hanging fresh mistletoe!



Image courtesy of ZooLooNaturals


Finally, since this is my imaginary holiday party, I am thinking of some real bling. This Winter Flowers bead mosaic necklace seemed to be just the right amount of glam for this soirée...



Image courtesy of nardiesarttowear


Cheers to the beginning of the winter holiday season!
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