Cookie Exchange

I am not a great baker

I tend to buy them rather than make them
although lately I have been baking a bit more

this time of year
I like to carry on traditions
make things you tend to only have
once a year


I have my tried and true
recipes passed down
family favorites
so I tend to make
~almond fingers
~birds nests
~peanut butter balls
~hello dolly squares
~stuffed dates
~gumdrop cookies
and
~scotch cakes.

when I am asked to participate
in a cookie exchange
I always take
Peanut Butter Blossoms


they are scrumptious
I got the recipe a few years ago
in a magazine

the girls at work call them
"boobie cookies"
they make me laugh!


unfortunately this year
I have no longer been able to find
the mini kisses in my
neck of the woods

thankfully I had some left in the freezer
so I was able to make some little ones
but some will have to be a little bigger
to accommodate a regular size kiss

so today I baked 10 dozen cookies
plus some extras for giving...

Ingredients:

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening (or butter)
  
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

recipe found here.

Christmas Stroll

Our little town has a yearly event
called the Christmas Stroll

local merchants get together
for one day and evening in November
offer specials
put on demonstrations
and serve mulled cider
and cookies

~*~*~

I have a standing date
with my mom and
my mother in law

this year it was just mom & I
as my mother in law
had a prior commitment.

so after supper
we hit the road

we only went to a couple of places
but they are 2 of my favorite little shops
here in Riverview.

First stop was at Morning Glory
I could live in this place
really...

I still have a little obsession going on this year
with snowmen
I am in love with them
so it was of no surprise
when I left with these...

how can 3 simple little things
bring me so much joy?

I fell in love with the ornament
he is so cute
and the sign is perfect
as we have entered the season
to truly believe

the plate just makes me smile
so it was just what I needed
on this rainy night.

Next stop was
The Twelve Months of Christmas
this place is open
all year round
they have anything and everything
you could ever want.

I usually pick out an ornament
for Mom to give me each year
and this year was no different

I will not get mine until Christmas of course
but I could not resist these~

this one of course is for Molly
even though they only had one with a brindle coat
I could not resist ~ really!

I joked that I will have to find a way
without ruining it of course
to change the brindle to black
for it to truly be my girl.

this little one caught my eye
and although the picture does not do it justice
it is beautiful

I think I may put it in with my vintage ones
from the farm.

~*~*~

I have started to pull out my decorations
the mugs are in the cupboard
I bought some fun snowman head balls
and have a few little projects planned

Today I took my nieces shopping
and after 3 hours in the mall
they are all bought for
all I will have to do
is wrap them up!

Tomorrow night is the craft fair
so I hope to pick up a few things there too...

My cards are almost done
and will be ready to drop in the mail next week
I am feeling good on where I am thus far
we'll see....

How are your preparations coming along?

xo

Music Barn Love ~ Pictures

Take a walk with me
and use your imagination
to see the possibilities
of what can become
a magical evening...

the main entrance
go through the open door...

which brings you to the area
where there will be a rustic little table
for the guests to sign...

I love ~ love ~ love these lights!
the pews will be moved to the farm
where the wedding will take place...


What is now being used for storage of
cars and tractors
will become buffet tables
round tables with white cloths
and a dance floor...

this area under the balcony
will be transformed
the support beams
will be covered in something like this...

we are still brainstorming this one...

the balcony will become a little sitting area
a get out of the way place

I cannot wait to stand on it
and take pictures
have the wedding party all up there
looking down over the reception area!

there are big doors that we can leave closed
or open up to allow the August breeze to flow through

the lights on the instruments can be unplugged
for a nicer ambiance...

this is the stage area
where the head table will go

then the guest tables will be scattered around
or strategically placed
around the floor

I love it
and I think it is perfect

we took measurements and after the holidays
will do up a floor plan
place the tables
and do all the fun stuff.

xo

Music Barn Love

Last night I attended a brainstorming session
~*~*~
a wedding planning session

coming up with ideas

looking at pictures

getting teary eyed

and having "aha" moments...

it was so much fun!

I spoke about this wedding
awhile back
my best friend's oldest daughter
is getting married next summer

She is a country girl at heart
marrying her country boy
and their reception is being held
suitably... in a barn.

This is one of their engagement photos:
Lisa & Ryan

This isn't just any old barn
and although I did not have my camera with me
lots of pictures were taken
and once the mother of the bride emails them to me
I will be showing them to you.

From the outside it looks like your
ordinary
average
everyday barn..

but once you walk inside
it is beautiful

it is rustic
has so much character
it is charming
and I fell in love.

I could gush on about it
but I think I will have to show you
soon....I hope!

~*~

We got back to the house
and over pomegranite green tea
we pulled out the laptops
and started looking at pictures

wedding magazines stacked up on the table

talked about flowers

and centerpieces

mini lights

and candles
(no open flame allowed in the barn ~ that really sucks!)

Lisa fell in ove with this idea
she calls it "the clothesline"

she wants to get pictures
of family and friends
do them up in sepia
and hang them...

I think it is a fabulous idea!

We found this centerpiece
and tried it out with mason jars
of different shapes and sizes
with flowers in the 2 larger
and a led tealight in the smallest

Now don't get me wrong
but I cringe at the thought of an led candle
until we found this...

can you say cute...

I know ~ not as cute as the real thing
but I think it will give us the effect
that we are going for
and they are easy to make too
which is a bonus

we found them here.

I found this sign in my travels
and I think she is going to go with it
not quite as big
but we all agree it needs to go on the
short list

Once I get the pictures
I will show you more

~*~Until next time~*~

xo

Deck the Halls

Every year
I dig out the trim
and say to myself

"This year I will do something different"

"This year I will move "said" items around"

When I look back through my picture files
of the past 3 Christmases
everything is in the SAME place

I said before
that I am a creature of habit

and this my friends
is a habit I would like to change

Now I do not want to go all drastic
small changes at first

I am very traditional when it comes to Christmas
I love home made
and red & green


the tree has to stay there
really...
it is also in front of the window
and it is the best place for it
really....

and no ~ those gifts were not all ours
they were outgoing gifts
for the brood on both sides.

the mantle I have changed up
a bit
over the years I have added cranberry beads
and candles
and different bows
along with pine cones
and bundled cinnamon sticks with raffia

I do adore my mantle
my staircase is done much the same
any suggestions of changing it
without going too drastic??

I found this idea in the
Canadian Living magazine
a couple of years ago...

I had vintage ornaments from the farm
and displayed them in this glass bowl
I plan on doing something similar this year
and have purchased a new bowl to boot!

I bought this 2 years ago
and last year I made a couple to give as gifts

I love them and they are so easy to make
if you have time and patience
oh - and a diamond drill bit!

So blog buddies
any suggestions??

xo

Thankful Thursday

On Monday Cathi over at
Everyday Adventures of a Curious Gal
listed the simple things in life
that makes her heart soar

That has inspired me to do my own...

~my hubby
the one that knows me best
and loves me in spite of it

~my family
both the relations and extended family

~my furry kids

~my friends
some that I do not see often enough
and those who I have never even met in person

~a car in the driveway

~food on the table

~a roof over my head

~a full time job

~the ability to touch, feel, taste, see and hear
things I take for granted every day

~my memory
so I can remember treasured times

~chocolate

~cocktails

~good sheets

~music, music and more music

~books and the ability to read

~candles

~a bubble bath

and last but not least
optimism
as I always try to see the glass half full.


I could keep on going with this list
but I will stop now and save some
for another time...


Have a wonderful Thursday.

xo

Pictures found here

Pink & Black

In honor of the middle of the week
I thought I needed some eye candy
something that would bring a smile
to me and I hope to you too...

I have always loved pink & black together

and no one does it better than Chanel

Jackie just pulled this off
hit it out of the park

maybe we could hang this in the boudoir

polka dot delight

maybe a few ruffles

a little 80's preppy argyle

can you get the phone?

all lined up and ready to be worn

sweet sweet

I absolutely love this one

with these Chanel shoes

this one would work too
if I had that body to put in it...

there is no black in this photo
but these sweet little treats are filled with chocolate
a Christmas tradition in our house

can you say killer shoes?

did someone say cake?


very retro

.

.

.

.

and because he is doing such a great job on
Dancing With the Stars
my very first crush
Donny Osmond

he has aged very well!

xo