Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas around my home...


Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas! recognize those candles and candle holders? yup they are from my Thanksgiving table scape...

Are you done with your shopping?..

Found "Davy Crack it" The squirrel Nutcracker for White Elephant game.. decided to keep him just in case I don't win him.
I have my advent wreath on my kitchen table, the violet candles are lit on the first, second, and fourth Sundays of Advent, and the rose candle is lit on the third Sunday ("Gaudete Sunday," when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass), a day of rejoicing because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent and anticipate Christmas. In any case, whether colored or white candles are used, one more candle is lit each week at dinnertime, the progressive lighting of the candles symbolizing the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead. The candles are kept burning throughout the Sunday supper.

Romeo's stocking needs some loot!.
Remember all the extra Toile fabric I had? well this is how I used it.

Decoupaged a few ornaments...( something Id rather not do again)

Made a table runner..

Found these plates to match at Ross only $3.49

made another table runner for entry table..

Bought this Christmas tree for $10.00 at Lowes, I made the poor man shove it in my car half was sticking out of the window. I could barely see anything got home an surprised Romeo with another chore.
Personalized these clear glass ornaments with just a sticker from Hobby Lobby...

Smile birdie...


Love at first sight!~ Found these glasses in Downtown Weslaco for $.99 cents had seen this pattern before, but never in Silver.
Kissing birds..


Every time I pass this nativity scene in my living room, I'm reminded of what Mother Angelica said in one of her broadcasts on EWTN " Stop slow down and remember why we are celebrating"

Would you like to stay a while sit in this cozy chair and read a good book? "Three cups of tea" is what I'm reading.
I hope You have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Happy New year!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Mexican Christmas cookies


Also known as Mexican wedding cookies, Snow balls, Danish wedding cookies, Pecan balls etc...I had been searching for the perfect recipe for a while experimented with a few, but none like this one. These truly melt in your mouth!
First, sift 1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar
Cream 2 sticks of Falfurrias unsalted butter, sifted powdered sugar,and 1tsp Vanilla extract. ( must be Falfurrias butter) then add 2 cups of flour (I mixed it in my mixer then half way used my hands)
Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts.. (I used half walnuts and half pecans to make 1/2 cup)You can add a little more I did... just not a whole cup)

I pulled out my mini chopper for this task...

Now for the fun part.... knead dough! I promise this will give you softer hands.

Keep going....

Roll into 1 inch balls and bake for 20 min at 325 degrees ( make sure you don't go over one minute)

Roll in powdered sugar while warm. Cool completely on wire rack, about 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Took the picture to soon still needed 2nd coat did not have time for it they disappeared in a flash.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Christmas wreath for entry..


last week while visiting Floreria Lee in Mcallen I fell in love with a wreath I saw. It was a little plain,and felt it needed that extra pizazz, so I bought a glittery Poinsettia flower, and some glue took it home next thing you know, I was in my alley looking for dried twigs....

First thing I did was pull out my handy dandy glue gun and glued this flower to the wreath.
And here is how that looked... still kinda of plain...

Lucky for me someone had just pruned a tree.

I started out by gluing the twigs to the wreath, but you have to work REALLY FAST and work near an outlet to unplug really fast, otherwise the glue runs! After a few squirts of glue on my table, I decided why not just stick them in the wreath ....

And so I did! very carefully...I loved the way the wreath was looking, so I kept making trips out to my alley looking for curvy twigs that would curve to both right and left.

Loved how natural it was looking..

This is the the final outcome next, it was time to add some finishing touches to the table.

Found this deer antler in my moms back room storage, I thought would be a perfect addition...

You can never go wrong with a bowl of Christmas potpourri. The smell is out of this world..
And lets not forget old St Nick..

The reason for the season..

I hope you are having as much fun as I am decorating this holiday season!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

My new toy...

The other day while walking around Wal-Mart I came across this. I knew I had to have this thing-a-ma-jig It would solve all my hedging problems...
My first project was to get this over sized hedge back to normal. In case you are wondering why there is an electrical cord around the bush?... that is the connection to my Xmas lights.( and that it-self is a whole other blog post) I charged my clipper over night and first thing in the morning....
Took care of business and I think I may have gone a little scissor happy in one spot.. I didn't stop there.... trimmed very little here... Love it when everything is nice and neat...


P.S those long purple flowery stems in the first picture sticking out, are back and much fuller now. I think pruning it helped this Potter weed bush.