So what kind of cookies will Santa get to choose from this year as his treat for visiting? At our home we have chose to shorten our list of cookie baking. For our Christmas party I'll be making buckeyes, peanut butter balls and truffles of white and dark chocolate. I'll also be making fa-la-la-la's, knock you nakeds and maybe a new chocolate pie concoction that I have been eye balling a recipe for. What is on your confection list? And just as important-what's the best way to keep cookies fresh? Visit Cooks Illustrated for their take on how to store your precious Christmas Cookies after all your hard work of making them.

To all our family, friends, customers and business associates we send you warm winter wishes for the merriest Christmas ever. We hope that you are able to relax into the holiday season and enjoy it at its best. Even if only briefly we hope that your worries, troubles, grief or stress will melt away as you listen to the sounds, see the sights and smell the aroma of Christmas all around you. Merry Christmas!

Getting There

Are you getting ready yet for the holidays? We had some cooler weather in Florida and took advantage of it by bringing home and setting up the tree. It is always more enjoyable decorating when its not 90 degrees outside. lol

As you prepare your home for the holidays don't put your pets in harms way. Remember that some plants, common cleaning products or prescription medication can be poisonous to your furry friends. While things are hectic around the home and new guests may be staying with you it can be easy to overlook the dangers. Keep in mind that Christmas tree water may contain fertilizer or bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal upset. Electrical cords, batteries, glass ornaments and our own special treats need to be considered, as well as, ribbons and tinsel which can become lodged in the intestines (mostly in felines). For their sake {and your sanity!} keep a list of emergency numbers on hand...just in case. If you live in the Manatee/Sarasota, Fl. area here are some numbers.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435

Sarasota Veterinary Emergency Hospital (941) 923-7260

Animal ER of University Park (941) 355-2884

Keep those 4 leggers safe while you enjoy this holiday season.

Halloween Spirit

Looking for some Halloween Spirit? How about these adorable drunk pumpkins? I love these guys!
We have had some fantastic Halloween parties in the past. I have fond memories of the adults taking our kids around to trick or treat in 40 degree weather all bundled up...some years we even had snow already. It was cold but fun. Of course we don't have that problem here in Florida. Instead, we have to wait until the day before to put our carved pumpkins outside, otherwise they turn to goo by the special night. Ewwwwww.


This year we are gathering at Billie and Jeff's for a Rock-Star themed party. Rock star costumes are required and a Guitar Hero competition will be taking place. Yeah, that ought to be interesting & fun.
Want to see something scary? Check out this website with pics taken of Walmart shoppers.

Feeling Crafty? How about these cute ghost luminaries from empty glass jars. Visit familycorner.com for instructions. You could make these out of small or big containers. and...they wouldn't turn to goo on your front porch step.


When the kids were little we made a bunch of these. I still have them.

They really turned out cool. (I was impressed). Here is the instructions.

Where ever you end up at this year..have a fun and safe Halloween.

Weird bumpy paper

Embossed wall paper used to be a big thing when I was younger. I thought the bumpy paper was a little weird but couldn't help but touch it. Then it seemed to loose its flair and everyone removed it from their walls. Well, guess what, apparently it is coming back again (as everything always does). Check out this article from BH&G on customizing the accessories around your home (besides your walls). I love the covered boxes and office storage ideas. The lamp shade and bedroom mirror are nice too. I think my daughter would love the window shade and would probably try making a wallet out of the material, to go with her multi compartment, decorated duct-tape wallets (see below) that she has been making. (Ya, I know...don't ask)...they actually look pretty cool are are functional. One has a Velcro closure and the other a ribbon/loop closure.

That's A Wrap!

The house is all decorated, you have spent countless hours shopping and it's all done (for the most part), now it's time to sit back and relax.....hold on there G...those presents aren't going to wrap themselves. Need a little boost to get in the groove? Check out these ideas for wrapping the perfect gift.


Whether you reuse wrap and bowes, buy new each year or you are in the "Green" movement, you'll find some wrapping ideas. My fav's were the paint cans, printing out script font phrases from your computer, and decorating lunch bags. Have a flat bow that won't perk up-BH&G cut the loops and made it look like new. And my final fav-spray paint a leaf and use instead of a bow.

Now, go turn on some music, get out your stuff and Get Your Wrap On!

Glittery Snowman Gift Tag

When my kids were little we would make a special craft project every year right before Christmas which we would give as gifts to our families. Normally they were ornaments (wire craft with beads, snowmen in clear globes or old Christmas card/patch work stars), all to hang from someones tree. My husband and I enjoyed the time together watching the kids (and ourselves) create these magical pieces, and we hope everyone enjoyed receiving them as well. These days it seems a bit more difficult to find the time to do that but these tags would certainly have made the list.

Check out Better Homes & Gardens instructions for making these adorable snowman gift tags. Any previous scrap-booker probably has all the supplies on hand. Brrrrrr.

100 Days of Holidays

I LOVE Christmas! I love everything about it. The sights, sounds, tastes and smells of it. And of course, I decorate. Sometimes even a little too much perhaps, but...so what! After all the decorating that I have done over the years, I search for new ideas that I haven't used before or in the last several years. I am always amazed when I come across an idea that makes me say...DUH! Why haven't I thought of that.

Check out these easy ideas for a great looking Christmas. Some are simple Duh ideas (maybe new to you) and some are new chic ideas. I take the ideas I see and expand on them with what I like or already have in the home. The ideas that struck me were: using scrap book paper or wrapping paper for a runner or place mats, filling pretty cups or jars with cinnamon sticks and using berry sprigs for napkin holders. 100 Days of Holidays