dining room ~ the window sills and the “Snow Tree”

The dining room is decorated with silver and white and a touch of cobalt blue for Christmas. The deep window sills are covered with batting, snow and silver ornaments.

dining room windowsills

The inexpensive blue vase came from Wal-Mart and it and others like it were used at a friend’s wedding to hold bouquets on the reception tables, you can learn more about The Epoxy Resin Store, if you are looking for good decorations. The large vase makes a great hurricane for the candle. The lights in the background are on the redbud tree outside the window. To know more about resin and other resin products, click here

The dining room Christmas tree is our “Snow Tree.” The quilt batting that covers the sheet was cut with a decorative scalloped edge.

the

Buttercup loves to sleep here, near the east window.

snoozles

I use shredded plastic snow to “snow” the tree on the tabletop which was bought at shop for resin at SquidPoxy.ca. It looks beautiful! We apply about eight bags of the artificial snow to this tree. There’s an urge to throw it on and see where it lands, but that doesn’t give the best effect. And it makes a mess! The best way to put it on the tree is to take a large handful and gently lay it on top of the branch. When the season is over, after taking all the ornaments off, we shake the tree, sweep up the snow, then vacuum the tree and the floor. We can’t remove it all, but this tree is used for the same theme each year, so that doesn’t matter. As with all our trees that go to the attic in one piece for storage, a large tree bag is put over the tree. It is tied shut at the base of the trunk so the excess snow doesn’t litter the floors and staircases.

snow and snow balls

DD#3 *loves* to help with this project. All the ceilings in the original part of the house, both downstairs and upstairs are 12′ high. Because of that, I like to sit trees on top of tables, dressers, boxes, etc., to give them height.

snow tree

Two large wooden snowflakes, wired together near the top, slip over the tip of the tree and make a great finishing touch.

The 7′ tree sits on an antique oak table. We keep extra bags of snow under the table in case we need to add more during the season, though we seldom do. The snow stays on the tree very well. We use 3M Command strips to hang lights under the table. These shine, especially at night, through the white sheet that covers the table. We tried using the outdoor lights that come in three layers of scallops under the table, but they are difficult to keep from tangling during storage. Now we use a long single strand of white lights and take it several times around the inside of the table. Much easier to handle.

setting it up

On top the table, a round of tabletop glass is set on wooden blocks, with 2×4 reinforcement under the stand itself, and white lights are placed under the glass. It gives the entire table a beautiful glow through the batting and the white sheet. On top of the batting and the sheet is spread a piece of white tulle spangled with silver snowflakes.

under the tree

In another corner, a small tree on top an old cupboard is also “snowed.”

Open House - Cookie Table

This picture was taken just before our annual open house in 2006. The cupboard belonged to DH’s paternal grandparents.

Another wall is decorated with a lighted church and antique kerosene lamps. The picture above the table is an enlarged reproduction of a vintage postcard. The snow tree is reflected in the glass.

lighted church

We are hosting two events this weekend, so I need to get back to work. More about that later! ~~Rhonda 🙂

sweet dreams


Our grandbaby, one of the twins.

dreaming of her Christmas list?

Grandbaby number one of the twins. We hope to visit in February.

kitchen snowflakes

The kitchen is decorated with snowflakes and icicles. This collection continues to grow. Each year new ones are added and older plastic snowflakes are removed.

snowflakes and icicles

We have four south facing windows and two east facing windows, all topped with a garland that is lit with blue and white lights. The snowflake ornaments hang from the garland.

kitchen

snowflakes and icicles

Our friend Gary made this beautiful ornament for me, along with quite a few others. It is made from the glass from a lamp made for me by a friend in 1972. The lamp had come apart and Gary used the glass to make these.

snowflake

snowflakes and icicles

I love the look these ornaments give the kitchen.

Several years ago, I was in a Christmas store and saw ornaments hung from the ceiling with mirrored garlands. I took that idea and used mirrored garlands to hang snowflakes from the 12′ ceiling in our kitchen.

ceiling snowflakes

~~Rhonda

a special ornament

In the early 40’s, when my mother was a young girl of about eight years of age, her father took her and her siblings to visit his mother at Christmas time. Grandmother’s house was small so she decorated a tree in the yard rather than the house. They didn’t find her at home, but my mother’s father told the children they could choose an ornament from the tree. My mother chose this small elephant.

elephant ornament

It hung on the tree in our home for all the years of my childhood and after. A few years ago, my mother gave the elephant to me and now it hangs on our Christmas tree each year. It will be passed on one day to my daughter Sarah Jane who is named after her Great-great-grandmother, the original owner of the elephant.

I’ve shared this memory at Picture My Memories.

~~Rhonda

Toffee Bar Crunch Biscotti

We put a bowl of this on the coffee table at the open house. After the party there were only two pieces left. It smells *wonderful* while baking and tastes as good as it smells. I’ll be making it again. ~~Rhonda

Toffee Bar Crunch Biscotti

6 T. butter, melted
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butterscotch extract (I couldn’t find this, so left it out)
3 eggs, beaten
3 c. flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate-covered toffee bar, chopped (I used 1 1/2 c. toffee bits plus 1 c. mini chocolate chips)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted (Don’t skip the toasting. It does make a difference.)

Cream together butter, oil, sugar and brown sugar in medium bowl. Mix in vanilla and butterscotch extracts. Add eggs.

Combine dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture. Add chopped toffee bar and pecans.

biscotti dough

sticky dough

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Dough will be sticky, so lightly flour hands. Form into two logs (I decided after baking that four would have been better.)

ready to bake

Bake at 350* F for 25-30 minutes or until center is set. Cool for ten to fifteen minutes. Slice crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Return slices, cut side down, to baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes on one side, then turn over and bake opposite side an additional five minutes. Cool on wire racks. I cut the slices in half before the additional baking.

preparing to rebake

finished product

After they cooled, I packed them in zippered storage bags and placed them in a plastic container for freezing until needed.

packed for the freezer

I dipped the end of each piece in chocolate when thawed. It made about 60 pieces.

The recipe is from Gooseberry Patch 1999, p. 89.

Daniel’s Cookie Bar Bites

My son Daniel enjoyed making chocolate chip cookies when he was younger. Still does. 🙂 He used the recipe on the back of the Nestlé Toll House chocolate chips package and often doubled it to make cookie bars. I don’t remember when the idea came to me to use the cookie bars to make these little yummy treats. It seems I have been making them for years. They are a great favorite at the open house. Men seem especially to like them. I underbake the cookie bars by a tiny bit, so the bites are chewy and soft. And I use mini chips so the cookies are loaded with little bits of chocolate. After cutting the bars into 1-inch squares, I dip them in chocolate and sprinkle each one with decors.

Daniel's Cookie Bar Bites

Daniel’s Cookie Bar Bites

Cream together:

4 sticks margarine (2 cups), softened
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 c. brown sugar

When light and fluffy, add:

4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together:

6 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda

Add to sugar mixture and combine thoroughly.

Add and stir:

2 12-oz. bags mini chocolate chips

Spread in a greased cookie sheet with 1″ sides.

Bake at 375* F for 17 minutes.

When cool, cut into 1″ squares and dip in melted chocolate. Sprinkle with cookie decorations / decors.

For dipping chocolate, I melt chocolate chips and add 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate for each 12-oz. bag of chips.

I make the bars ahead, cut them (removing the raised edges), freeze them between sheets of waxed paper and, after thawing, dip them in chocolate the day before our annual open house. When dipping I put them into the melted chocolate upside down so the bottom becomes the top. That ensures the tops of the finished cookies are smooth and the edges as square as possible.

cookie bar bites

I’ve also made the same recipe as little hearts, for a baby shower and for a ladies’ tea, using a 1-inch cookie cutter. For the tea, I dipped the hearts in dark chocolate and topped them with frosting flowers and sugared violets.

chocolate chip hearts

~~Rhonda

Spiced Cranberry Punch

This is a delicious hot (or cold) punch. My all time favorite hot punch. I served it at the home extension Christmas party this evening. ~~Rhonda

Spiced Cranberry Punch

1 c. sugar
4 c. water
12 whole cloves
4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
2 T. minced ginger root
8 c. cranberry/apple juice cocktail
2 c. orange juice
1 c. fresh lemon juice (from 6 lemons)

Orange slices and cranberries (optional)
Additional cranberry/apple juice cocktail (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, cloves, cinnamon sticks and ginger; mix until sugar dissolves. Bring to boiling; simmer 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. [At this point the punch base can be strained and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.]

2. Strain punch mixture into a large bowl (chilled punch) or crockpot (hot punch). Stir in cranberry cocktail, orange juice and lemon juice. Chill or serve hot. If serving cold, garnish with orange slices and cranberries or fill ice-cube trays with orange slices, cranberries, and addition cranberry cocktail; freeze, and use to chill when serving.

Makes 16 servings. From “McCall’s Favorite Christmas Ideas,” 1992, p. 108.

home extension Christmas party

This evening my home extension group came over for our annual Christmas party. The weather was cold and cloudy all day. Around 4:00 p.m., we began to get a little sleet and some freezing rain. A few women had to cancel as they live out of town and didn’t want to risk the roads, but we still had 13 at the party and we had a wonderful time. Everyone brought either an appetizer or a dessert. I provided coffee, iced tea, and hot punch.

After touring the house to see the decorations and the trees, we sat down to enjoy the delicious food. It was quite a feast!

Home Extension Christmas Party

We had so much good food, some of it had to overflow to the drinks table.

Home Extension Christmas Party

Home Extension Christmas Party

Even DD enjoyed the treats.

Home Extension Christmas Party

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

This recipe is a crispy yummy ball of peanut butter goodness. We have open house guests who look for this particular goody each year.

Peanut Butter Truffle

Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

1 c. crunchy peanut butter
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 c. crisp rice cereal
1 c. powd. sugar
1 package (14 oz.) chocolate candy coating [I add 2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate]
2 T. vegetable shortening
1 package (14 oz.) white candy coating
multicolored sprinkles

1. In large bowl, combine peanut butter and butter. Add cereal and sugar,
mixing until evenly combined. Drop mixture by rounded measuring teaspoons
onto waxed paper-lined tray; roll into balls and set aside. [It’s very
sticky. If you refrigerate it first, it’s not as messy.]

2. In top of double boiler, over hot water, melt chocolate coating and
shortening. [I do it in the microwave.] Dip each peanut butter ball in
chocolate and place on waxed paper-lined tray. [Let stand till hardened.] Dip
balls in melted white candy coating and top with sprinkles. May refrigerate until
firm. You can drizzle chocolate over the white candy coating instead of using sprinkles if you want to.

3. To serve, place balls in small candy paper liners.

~ from Women’s Day “Holiday Baking”, Vol. IV, Num. 4, 1994, p. 65

I use a small ice cream dipper to form the balls. Make them smaller than you may be tempted to. After two layers of coating, they will be much larger than you may expect.

Peanut Butter Truffles

After the chocolate coating has hardened, I pack them between waxed paper in a freezer safe container. I dip them in the white candy coating a day or two before serving.

Peanut Butter Truffles

~~Rhonda