Friday, November 30, 2012

Frozen Vodka

Frozen Vodka..... a perfect addition to your holiday party.
Most of us have holiday traditions that we do every year around this time. For example, some of us enjoy eggnog as a holiday drink at parties. I collect an empty milk carton or 2 and simply add orange slices or lemon slices, cranberries and vodka to create a decorative ice block. The vodka stays ice cold and the cranberries create a beautiful presentation.


This recipe for frozen vodka was adapted from Martha Stewart's "Entertaining."

The Martha Stewart Show, December Holiday 2007
  • Yield Makes 1 bottle
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Ingredients

  • 1 (750-milliliter) cylindrical bottle vodka
  • Flowers or thinly sliced fruit

Directions

  1. Place the vodka bottle into a fully opened half-gallon cardboard milk or juice carton.
  2. Insert flowers or thinly sliced fruit (we used holly, cranberry, lime slices, red roses, and white pine branches) around bottle, filling one-third of the carton.
  3. Pour water into container, just covering fruit and flowers.
  4. Place upright in the freezer.
  5. When completely frozen, add another layer of fruit and very cold water, and freeze.
  6. Repeat steps 2 through 5, filling and freezing a third time, so that fruit and flowers do not float to the top, until water reaches bottle neck.
  7. Remove from freezer just before serving; cut away milk carton with a utility knife.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Holiday Plants



 
A popular holiday plant is the Amaryllis. I love to buy lots of bulbs and grow these plants during the holidays.

 

 
Paper whites are another one of my favorites. Paper whites belong to a group of daffodils that are easily grown in a pot or vase indoors.The plant also comes as a bulb to plant. Plant paper white bulbs early enough about 4 to 6 weeks before you plan to entertain and place them all around your home.

 
 
Poinsettias are the most popular plant during the holiday season.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Holiday Giveaway!!!


 
 

Enter our Holiday Giveaway to win a free Pottery Barn Sleigh Bell Crewel Embroidered Lumbar Pillow!!!

Beautiful Christmas pillow featuring Santa and his reindeer. The perfect pillow to decorate a bench or sofa. Hurry enter NOW!


Description Details:

Victorian cut-paper silhouettes, with their crisp lines and intricate details, inspired the merry scene embroidered on our pillow. Red sleigh bells jingle at the corners.
 
$50.00 value
  • 12 x 24"
  • Pure cotton.
  • Reverses to solid almond.
  • Zipper closure; insert is included.
  • Spot clean.
  • Imported.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Marc Jacobs Spring 2013


Marc Jacobs 2013 collection was indeed very different from his Fall collection which flaunted giant hats and long, layered looks. A stark contrast to the Fall collection, the Spring collection consisted of column dresses, mod/retro looks and stripes of all kinds baring skin and sexy but in a covered way.
















Thursday, November 22, 2012

It's Thanksgiving...let's give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
from Candy Castle Dreams

Pottery Barn

Holiday Stove Top Potpourri


(Adapted from Under the Table and Dreaming and Make It Do.)

Holiday Stove Top Potpourri
1 orange
1 lemon
1/2 c. fresh cranberries
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
3 sticks of cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves (optional)
Dash of ground cinnamon (optional)
Water

Slice the orange and lemon.
Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and fill the pan with water.
Place on stove on smallest burner, on the lowest setting.
Refill water as needed.

This mix should be good for an entire week. I only needed mine to last a few days each time, and I would just top it off with water in the morning, before turning on the stove. (At night, I just covered the pot with its lid.)
Also, this mix makes easy and cheap gifts for others! Just package up a batch and attach the instructions.

http://rogersfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/01/holiday-stove-top-potpourri.html

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Holiday Guests





Holiday Guests
 
Now that you fixed up your guest room(s) weeks before and updated your powder room, don't overlook your entryway closet. An entryway closet is usually located near your front door, so be sure to clean it out and make sure you have enough hangars for guests coats and a place for the umbrellas and other related weather items.
 



 
Also, clean that fireplace out that hasn't been in use in while. Make sure to have plenty of firewood on hand. Nothing says welcome to my home like a lit, warm and crackling fireplace. Don't forget to light plenty of candles and make a fragrant pot of potpourri on the stove to create an inviting aroma for your home. Then, of course you must have hot coffee, cocoa or apple cider, cocktails and many holiday refreshments to quench your guests thirst. These are simple easy steps for your holiday entertaining.
 
 


Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving Tableware

 
Add special touches to your local grocer finds for an elegant Thanksgiving tablescape.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 


 
 
 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thanksgiving Finds...


 
Local grocer and craft store finds for Thanksgiving
 
 
There are many ways one can decorate during the harvest season by adding these warm, decorative touches to your home.

Buy some Cranberries which can be easily found at your local grocer.

 
Pears add another harvest touch.. put them in a large jar like this one to display.

 
Get creative with whatever you have in your home such as empty jars to decorate and pair them with harvest finds from the local grocer.

 
Find wheat stalks like the one displayed above and use a satin ribbon in a warm color such as brown to tie the wheat stalks together. A perfect touch for that empty side table in your home.

 
Pour some acorns in a tall clear vase or use them to adorn a candle in a vase. You can find faux acorns at a local craft store.

 
Create a beautiful table scape by filling clear jars with popcorn seeds from your pantry.

 
Of course you must use pumpkins...fall's favorite gourd-like fruit.

 
Mini pumpkins are cute to use as candle holders.


 
Decorate your doorstep or porch with Mums found at your local grocer or florist.

 
Thanksgiving and the harvest season is not complete without Indian corn, again faux Indian corn can be found at the grocer or craft store.



 
Visit your local craft store for faux peacock feathers to create a beautiful table scape like the one above.


 
Use different size candles in the same neutral color to make the harvest details in your table scape stand out.

 
Faux leaves can be found at local craft stores as well.
 

Collect a bunch of nuts enjoyed during the harvest season of different shapes and sizes and pair them with jars like these above.

 
Note: If decorating with fresh fruit try decorating a day or two before Thanksgiving. If decorating weeks ahead of time please use faux items as I do.