A Christmas Cookie Trial

Today I was introduced to a blog called The Sweet Adventures of SugarBelle.  I just fell in love with the creations over there.  So much so that I was on her blog almost all day. 

I did take some time off to go to my sons basketball game, but after that, I was learning how to make really great looking sugar cookies.

Now, mine don't look anything like the ones over at The Sweet Adventures of SugarBelle but this was my first time.

My kids and I always make sugar cookies at Christmas and I usually make a batch of my Buttercream frosting and let them decorate the cookies. 

They always enjoy it and I let them have complete control over the decorating.

This year, however; I may be taking the control back from them.  I had so much fun making and decorating cookies today. 

I have taken a cake decorating class before so I am no stranger to royal icing but it never dawned on me to use it to decorate cookies. 

So after I baked a batch and got my icing mixed and colored:

I got busy decorating the cookies according to my newfound knowledge from the blog world.

I first started by piping an outline on all the cookies.

I then thinned the icing down a bit to "flood" the inside of the outline.

{I left some with just the plain outline for my hubby who doesn't like icing on his cookies.}  I don't know where he gets that from!!

Once the cookies dried for about an hour then I got to start decorating them.  This is where I had the most fun.  Once I got the hang of it; it went really quickly.

I will have to hit the craft store very soon to pick up some more icing colors as I plan to be making more of these cookies.

I'm pretty pleased with myself for my first time.  :)

I hope you will check out the blog above and try your hand at decorating sugar cookies.  If you do, please let me know how yours turn out.

A Turner Thanksgiving

I just realized yesterday that I never posted my Thanksgiving pictures.  How in the world I got to be 3 weeks behind is beyond me.

Anyway; without further ado..... I would like to share our Thanksgiving with you.

When the kids were younger we would pack everyone into the car, even the dog, and head to Ohio to see family.  As they have gotten older, and I know this sounds ridiculous, they have become increasingly more difficult to travel with.  They just can't seem to get along so spending 9 hours confined in a car with them completely turns me off.

So, with that being said, we spent Thanksgiving in Georgia.  It's warmer here anyway.

I was excited to use my new dining room set too.  I always break out the good china for holidays.  I think it's important that the kids learn to eat like "adults" and use good manners.  {I try anyway}

I set out all the silverware whether we will be using all of the pieces or not.

I have been looking for these salt and pepper shakers all over the state.  I finally have collected 5 sets of them.  I would like to get one more set, but 5 was plenty for us.  Everybody got to have their own salt and pepper at their place setting.  No more reaching across other people to get the salt.

The front glass is called a "Boopie" glass.  At least that's what I was old.  They belonged to my grandmother and I use them only during holidays.

The gold silverware also belonged to my grandmother.  My mother had these pieces for a long time until I claimed them one year when we were up there.

My dining room table centerpiece.

After breakfast I make some appetizers.  I always make a Dried Beef Cheese ball for my hubby.  This year I also set out some cheese and crackers.  We snack on these things until dinner is ready at 3pm.  Why 3pm?  I don't know, it's just the time I chose for us to sit down and eat. 

Everyone gets their "Thanksgiving Gift".  It's at their place setting and we open them before dinner.





We always get the same thing..... A Christmas tree decoration.  It's fun to see what everyone gets each year and it adds to the decorations for the kids tree.  It's become a family tradition and one that we all look forward to.

After opening their gifts it's fine to eat.  I hadn't cooked a turkey in about 10 years so my turkey last year didn't look very good.  This years turkey, I thought, looked great.  More importantly, it tasted great.  I usually do very traditional side dishes; stuffing, mashed potatoes etc....  I really couldn't stand the thought of having stuffing this year.  It just didn't sound good to me.  So instead of stuffing, we had Scalloped Potatoes with Creme Fraiche; Paula Deen's Corn Casserole, which is out of this world, and I made mashed potatoes for the little guy.  It's tough having such a picky eater.


Here's the turkey:

Yum!!

And then the scalloped potatoes and corn casserole:

We also had dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and some desserts.  When their is only 5 eating, you don't have to make much.  We had plenty of leftovers.

We finally get to carve the turkey, which is hubby's job:

And everyone got to enjoy their dinner.  At least I think they did, they didn't complain too much.

Better run so I can start editing my Christmas decorating photos.  Don't want to be 3 weeks late getting those posted.

Friends

In light of the Christmas season,

the dog and cat decided they would get along

during nap time so they could both have a spot on a comfy couch

I'm just glad this didn't end with a big chase and the Christmas tree being knocked over.



Let me introduce you to some of my snowmen....

I love, love, love snowmen!!

ALL snowmen!

I wish that I could bring them all home to live with us, but I just don't have the space for them all.

Ok, maybe that's a bit much but I really do love them.  They are so round and soft and cute.

I have finally finished decorating for Christmas; it only took me an entire week this year.  Including having to buy all new lights for our 10 foot christmas tree.  Wasn't counting on that one.

I will take pictures of all my Christmas decorations and post them soon but for now; I would like to share some of my snowmen.


This ornament is one of my favorite.  I got it last year for Thanksgiving.  We all get an ornament at Thanksgiving - wrapped and sitting at our place at the table.

 This is my St. Simons Island snowsandman....  We have been going to St. Simons Island for the past 3 summers and I always come home with a new Christmas ornament.

 My momma found me this little tea set.  I just think it is the cutest.

 This guy uses those scented oils.  I currently have Vanilla scent and it makes my house smell so yummy.

This guy is fiber optic.  My kids think he is so cool.

And what Christmas table wouldn't be complete without snowmen salt and pepper shakers?

I hope you have enjoyed my snowmen.  Like I said; I will take pictures of this years decorations and post them soon.

Until then...


Merry Christmas!
Nancy

A new chandelier.... in the basement of all places

Most people you know probably don't put a chandelier in their basement.  Well, I'm not most people.

When I shop, I look for things I love, buy them and then decide where they should go.

That is probably completely different from what any professional decorator would do and since I'm not a professional and it works for me.... I'm going to stick with it.

I was at my favorite antique store and I found this chandelier.  Don't you just love it!

I love that's it's not the traditional shiny gold that you see in so many of the new homes that are being built.  Mine included. 

I love that it's unique and looks kinda old.  I also loved that it was only $25 and the one hanging beside it was $200.  Didn't know chandeliers could be so expensive.


So I loaded it up and brought it home.  Hubby was so proud.  Especially since he knew he would be the one to hang it.




I used to sell scrapbooking supplies and I would have workshops at my home.  I had a big room in my basement set up with big long tables and would hold monthly crops down there.  In order to provide the most light, which is important when scrapbooking, we installed flourescent lights in this room.  Well, flourescent lights are great for the lighting aspect; but they make you look horrible and they are not pleasing especially at midnight; which is when said crops would usually end.




This is the room; which, as you can tell is no longer used for crops.  It's now just a hangout place for the family.

We have had problems with the fluorescent lights since we installed then and one of them in the room quit working.  It hasn't worked for months now and instead of buying a part to fix it, we decided to just replace it. 




Out with the old.......

In with the new......

I love the new light so much better.

Of course, it doesn't give off as much light as the fluorescent did, but it makes the room feel much warmer.

Now if we can just do something about the ceiling........


Merry Christmas..
Nancy