Tag Archives: Christmas

Buddy the Elf! What’s your favorite color?!

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***Don’t forget to enter to win a new Christmas CD by leaving a comment on on this post. I’ll draw the winner on Friday.***

This afternoon I got the funnest phone call. It was from a new reader who wanted to reserve two tickets for the Mindy Gledhill Christmas concert Frit and I are hostessing in two weeks! (Hi Jessica!) Seriously, it made my whole day. It always amazes me that people actually read this here crazy bloggity and I never tire from meeting those new friends who do. Really, truly. Thanks for reading.

AND … can I just tell you how excited I am about this concert?! Gah!

I am! So. Excited! It’s going to be such a dreamy night of music and I’m consumed with the planning and decorating and refreshments menu. I so hope you’ll come. Tickets are $10 until Dec. 12 and $15 the night of. You can RSVP on the Facebook Event Page, or you can email me, or you can call (801.360.1235).

… In other news …

Tonight Frit and I, for family night, ate a gargantuan amount of naan, tikka masala, and coconut kurma. Then we put Buddy the Elf on repeat, which is tradition you know (we’re on our 2nd time through at this very moment), took down Thanksgiving and began decking our halls with Christmas. Frit is the resident tree light expert. She’s really so good at it. (And she’s such a good sport to do it every year.) While she’s busy with the boughs, I set up the rest. And then we do the ornaments together.

This is one of my favorite nights of the year. I love the glow of the lights. I love the sparkle in the ornaments. I love the hazelnut in the chocolate on the stove. I love how hard Elf makes us laugh every, stinkin’, year. I love the ribbons in the windows, the nativity on the piano, and the feathers round the lamps.

I’m just really, so happy tonight. Happy. And tired. And ready for Christmas … almost.

Christmas Gifts for YOU! [Christmas Music]

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I know a lot of really talented people, particularly musicians. It’s one of my favorite things about my life–getting the inside scoop on new indie music from fantastic up-and-coming artists. So today, when I heard my friend Ryan‘s cover of Silent Night, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I had no idea I could love this song any more than I already did, but this version is without comparison. It’s the most moving musical experience I’ve had in a while. Ryan’s voice is like butter dripping with black forest honey. And as if it couldn’t get any better, not only can you listen to it, you can download it for free…

HERE

You’re welcome. And merry Christmas!

xo

Christmas Gifts for YOU! [2011 Mini Calendar]

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I have wanted to do something for y’all for weeks now. To thank you. For coming. For reading. For being friends. Through everything. All year long.

After a bit of thought, I have a few surprises up my sleeve for these last few days of 2010, but to start off, I created a mini 2011 calendar with some of my favorite photographs for you to download. Like I said, it’s miniature–the perfect size for a quick glance reference on your fridge, bulletin board, desk, or pocketbook.

I hope you like. And merry merry Christmas.

xo

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD your FREE 2011 Mini Calendar by Island Belle Photography

To leave a thought or comment, or to thank me for being so kind, simply scroll down.

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Tutorial: Flannel Heating Bags (Great Neighbor Gift Idea!)

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Good Morning! I’ll be on Good Things Utah today at 10 a.m. (ABC4–Salt Lake City) demonstrating an idea for neighbor Christmas gifts — Flannel Heating Bags.

If you’re finding me through GTU … Welcome! Grab a cup of cocoa and browse around a while. My blog is a big ‘ol mishmash of crafting, photography, life, and faith. If you’d like to be on the mailing list, you can sign up over there on the right. I send out a periodic email with extra ideas, thoughts, and tidbits that you can’t get here on the site. You can also find me on Facebook. p.s. I’m really glad you’re here.

So … the flannel bags. They’re inexpensive and can be easily made in all different shapes and sizes. Plus, it’s a gift your neighbors can enjoy beyond the holiday season. Here’s the simple tutorial.

Supplies
Fabric (flannel or heavy cottons work best) . uncooked rice . herbal tea bags (chamomile or peppermint) . sewing machine & thread

Steps
1. Cut two pieces of fabric in the size/shape you want.
Soothing eye pack: 4 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
Mini hand warmers: 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
Relaxing neck wrap: 6″ x 18″
Bed Bag: 9″ x 13″

2. With right sides together, sew 1/2″ seam around all four sides, leaving a 3 to 4″ opening for turning.

3. Turn right-side-out and fill 1/2 to 3/4 full with uncooked rice.

4. Cut open a few tea bags and pour into bag with rice. *Note: Do not use lavender as lavender will burn in the microwave.

5. Turn open seam in, pin together and top stitch the opening closed.

6. Move the bag back and forth between your hands to evenly mix the tea and rice together.

7. Tie with a ribbon and instruction card for gifting.

*Instruction Card
To enjoy this soothing heating bag, simply place in microwave and heat on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful with heated bag. Do not place directly on skin if too hot. Heat longer or shorter if needed. Reheat as many times as you like.

Since Thursday

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This is what I looked like after Thanksgiving dinner:

But I’m too vain to post a picture like that of myself, so Izzy graciously modeled.

Thursday was delicious in every way–full of good food (my mashed potatoes and pecan pie rocked the house this year), good friends, thankfulness, and costumes. Yes. Costumes. Last Tuesday Frit sent out a text to her family that everyone had to come to Thanksgiving dinner “in costume … this is NOT a drill.” We were just expecting pilgrims and Indians, but we should have known better …

Frit’s nephew Cooper, came as mashed potatoes (his “favorite”) and his twin brother Cameron, came as a turkey.

(Thanksgiving turkey, pilgrim, and mashed potatoes with 2 pats of butter there on top)

We had a slew of pilgrims and Indians ’round the table, and even an Indian from New Delhi (I think she got confused). It was fantastic!

Frit went as an Indian, complete with a paper grocery bag vest, and I, as a pilgrim, with a construction paper bonnet. The table was filled with everyone’s favorite dishes, new recipes and old, friends and family. We ate, talked, napped, and then ate some more. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

The next morning Frit had to go back to work so I traipsed up the mountain-side looking for our Christmas tree (it’s tradition). It wasn’t the same without her, and it was 1000 times more snowy than it has been in years past–I almost slid down the entire mountain I’d just climbed up when I lost my footing on a slick patch and my feet were numb by the time I climbed back in the car–but success was mine, when I found the perfect tree.

(crappy cell phone picture of our undecorated tree)

That night, we ate leftover turkey, potatoes (mashed and sweet), and cranberries, all rolled up inside lefse (Frit’s family is from Norway and they make this every Thanksgiving and Christmas). Then we popped in Elf and got to decorating (another tradition). After three times through Buddy’s adventures in the “magical land called New York City,” we were done and the house was sparkling Christmas. I have yet to take a picture of the tree lit and decorated, but I’m on it.

On Saturday, we went to the Nutcracker (yet another tradition for the first Saturday after Thanksgiving) and have decided that the pas de deux gets longer and longer every year. But the Waltz of the Snowflakes is always my favorite with Arabian coming in at a close second. And, just for kicks and giggles, I thought I’d share a picture of me when I danced in he Nutcracker as a child. I can’t remember which dance I was in this particular year–Russian maybe? Yes, I think that’s right. Little sister Karly (on the right) was one of the party girls.

Saturday night it began to snow and didn’t stop all day Sunday. We’ve got about 6 inches and our yard looks like a winter wonderland.

And all I can say is … I love this time of year.