A sweet gift idea

 

Photo from Courtney at Pizzazzerie

 I saved the above photo some time ago with the idea of making a similar kitchen gift. The ideas for  Snow Day Drinks and Treats gift sets came from Courtney at Pizzazzerie.   As you see, this particular gift included a homemade tea mix and some cookies.  

In 2018 I wrote a post about all of the gift set ideas here: Some fun new ideas for kitchen gifts.  

But now, inspired by the title of this tea mix (Quiet Time Tea), I am thinking that one of these sets plus some Bible study helps or books might be a lovely gift for a special friend.  I mentioned The Daily Grace Co. a few days ago, and their products could make this gift so beautiful.

You could add a prayer journal

or a regular journal

or a mug

And, if this was for a very special friend, you could package it all in one of Daily Grace's totes.

 I have friends who would love a gift like this!

Peppermint Oreo Fudge

 

 Fudge makes such a wonderful kitchen gift, don't you agree?  I'm always on the lookout for a new and tempting fudge recipe.

And nothing says Christmas like candy canes!  It's no wonder I was drawn to the recipe for Peppermint Oreo Fudge, from Ashton at Something Swanky.  

This recipe has all the peppermint flavor of crushed candy canes, but without the aggravation of crushing them up, as it calls for the candy cane variety of Hershey Kisses.

My hubby walked by as I was preparing this post and said, "Oh my, that fudge looks good!"  I think you'll agree:

Photo by Something Swanky

Of course, he also said that we needed to try the recipe out right away.  I checked the ingredients list though, and those candy cane Hershey kisses are no doubt impossible to find this time of year.  If any of you happen to have a bag stashed away, though, you might like to give this recipe a try.  If not, do as I'm going to do and pin it or save it elsewhere for sweet kitchen gifts in December!

Stock up on Christmas gifts at the Daily Grace Co.!

 

Photo from The Daily Grace Co.

 Sometime in the past year, I discovered The Daily Grace Co. when the leader of a women's Bible study I attend chose one of their books for the group to study.  I actually had not planned to purchase the book, since our study leader is good about providing handouts for each of our studies.  But many of the ladies had purchased the book, and when I saw their books I knew I needed to order one.  They are incredibly beautiful books, and such good studies!  The first one we did was called Never Alone and the topic was depression.  

 We are currently working through More Than Anything, a study on idolatry, and oh my, it is convicting.  Excellent, though.

 The Daily Grace Co. is currently having a 50% off sale on mugs, books, Bible handbooks, prayer resources, and much much more.  The mug at top is only $11!  The two books I showed you above are on sale, also.

I will say that I find their shipping costs to be a bit high, but since they very frequently have $5 and $10 sales, it makes the cost worth it.  The products are packaged well and they ship very quickly.  Friends of mine got together and combined an order, then split the shipping costs between them, which is a great idea for reducing that expense.

They have products for women as well as for men and kids.  I purchased a number of Christmas gifts from them last year.  What better gift could you give than a resource to help someone grow spiritually or encourage them in their walk with God?

Christmas pastels

 

At intervals over the years pastel colors have often been very popular at Christmas time.  I know I've written a little about this in the past, back when I only owned a couple of cards in this category.  Last December on my Kitchen Table blog I wrote a post about it.  This one will feature different cards (except for one), so I hope it's not too repetitive for anyone.

I tend to prefer traditional colors of red and green, along with gold and silver, in my own Christmas decorating, and I love an eclectic tree with all kinds of different colors for our main Christmas tree.  

But as I've looked at and handled the lovely pastel cards of yesteryear,  I must admit to having fallen in love with some of them.  Pastels are so pretty with holly, pine sprigs, and mistletoe.

Isn't the card at the top of the post so much fun, with all of its sweet pastels?  That one has already sold in my Etsy shop.  Here are a few more:

Such pretty green trees and sky!

Isn't she sweet?

Look at that pastel window garland!

I couldn't resist sharing this one again.  It's one of my very favorites!

Pastel hurricane lamp

A whimsical pastel angel

Church in a pastel green setting

Pretty pastel Christmas balls

What do you think?  Would you use pastels in your Christmas decorating, or would you leave them in the 1950s and early 1960s?  I love them, but they don't really "go" in my house.

A Christmas poem: First Christmas

 

Image from Pixabay

From another vintage Christmas Ideals, I've picked out another poem to share with you all.  This one is written by Betty W. Stoffel.  The title, First Christmas, doesn't refer to the birth of Jesus as you might suppose.  Yet it is beautiful and most meaningful.  I hope all of you will enjoy it.

FIRST CHRISTMAS

Dear son, you're far too small to know
What sets the Christmas heart aglow.
You'll only look with grave surprise
As colors dance before your eyes.
The manger scene, the lighted star,
The greeting cards from near and far,
The splendor of a lovely tree,
The carols of eternity,
These shall be meaningless this year
To little eye and little ear.

First Christmas! O my tiny son,
For me it is a special one:
For I, who hold you close, have trod
Those sacred steps that lead to God.
And so, for both of us, I know
What sets the Christmas heart aglow;
So I shall see and I shall hear
For both of us this Christmas, dear.
I feel so close to Him through you,
For once God's Son was little too.

-- Betty W. Stoffel

Christmas fabric fun!

 

Here's another edition of Christmas Fabric Fun, as seen here every Saturday for the 2022 edition of Christmas in July. I think of Saturdays as a day to do something fun, and what could be more fun than looking at Christmas fabric, right?  Maybe the only thing that would beat it is actually sewing something with Christmas fabric!  (At top, a screenshot of my Christmas Fabric Stash Pinterest board.)

I found this week's sweet Christmas fabric at Riley Blake Designs.  It's the Christmas Joys collection by  designer Lindsay Wilkes of The Cottage Mama.  I'll share a couple of screenshots.

I love the vintage look of these, especially the Christmas Joys Ornaments and the White Christmas Joys Plaid.   You can see the entire line here: Christmas Joys Storyboard.  

Sew much fun!  Can you think of a project you would make with one of these designs?

A lovely little shop for gifts

 

If you have ladies on your Christmas list who enjoy  unique jewelry with a natural touch, you will want to check out my friend Sarah's Instagram account, White Mountain Resin.  I just purchased the earrings shown in the photo above, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Above is another set of earrings I purchased from Sarah.  These are made with rose petals and baby's breath.  She has many more earring designs, too.

Sarah also makes necklaces and bracelets, and I will show you a few below.

An ocean scene

Pretty blue flower necklace

Customizable charm bracelet

Sweet summer necklace

 She also offers coasters, key chains, bookmarks, and other fun items.  Her prices are reasonable and the shipping is free to the USA.  Check out her creations -- I think you'll find perfect gifts for some of the friends on your Christmas gift list!

Christmas in July sale at my Etsy shop!

 Yes!  Now through July 31, I'm running a sale at my Etsy shop, A New Hampshire Attic!  You can take 30% off on every listing in the Vintage Christmas category.

Most of the listings are Christmas cards both new and used, from the 1940s through the 1970s.

 

I also have some vintage Christmas tag stickers listed and some handmade vintage felt ornaments, along with a vintage Christmas paper sachet and some Christmas candy boxes..

 If I find time, I will also add a few more vintage Christmas items to this category of my shop.

Strawberry muffin update

  For those readers coming in late, each month in 2022 I've been trying a new muffin recipe, with an eye to Christmas kitchen gifts.  For May, I decided that I would try some yummy-looking Bakery Style Strawberry Muffins from Like Mother Like Daughter.   That didn't happen in May due to extreme busyness and many days away from home, but I promised to make them as soon as I could and report back.

I had thought I'd be using store-bought strawberries, but on Thursday I had a chance to go strawberry picking with our daughter and several of the grandkids at 4 Corners Farm in Newbury, Vermont.  Below is a view at the field we were in, after most of the pickers had left (they close the field at noon).  The distant mountains are in New Hampshire.

 So I baked the muffin recipe today, but I must confess I took the easier way out and baked it in coffeecake form rather than muffins.  I used the same exact recipe, but spread the batter in a greased 13x9 pan and sprinkled the streusel on top.  I baked it for about 30 minutes.  

The verdict: very good!  Nice fluffy cake with bits of fresh strawberries and then a cinnamony streusel on top.  The recipe uses the method of alternating dry ingredients with liquid (milk, in this case) when adding them to a batter.  To my mind, this method nearly always produces a more tender cake.  The streusel topping stayed in place well, always an important factor for a kitchen gift.  I'm sure the muffins would be just as scrumptious, maybe more so.  I could use frozen strawberries and chop them up to add to the batter if making this at Christmas time.  And I just might do that.

My #1 tip for crafting with pine cones

 

 I've mentioned this in passing before, but I want to share the information again for those who may have missed it.  I so enjoy using natural pine cones, hemlock cones, etc. in crafting for Christmas.  The teensy cones in the ornament above are hemlock cones.

Larger pine cones work well in decorating or centerpieces. 

 Sometimes I like to brush white acrylic paint on the edges of larger pine cones and sprinkle with glitter to give them a snowy look.  These can then be hung on the Christmas tree, strung up as a garland, or piled in a basket. 

 Another idea for larger pine cones is to use them to make fire starters. I made my own that looked just like ones I'd seen in a catalog by collecting my own pine cones. I colored melted paraffin red and green with broken crayons, poured this into muffin tins about 1/4 full, and stuck a pine cone in each one. When the wax hardened, I just popped out the fire starters. A basket of these, tied with a ribbon, costs close to $20 in a catalog and is practically free when you make your own. These make a great gift for people who have a fireplace or those who have fire pits in their back yard.

The one caveat in crafting with natural cones is to make sure they are not harboring any insects.  To that end, when you bring harvested cones home, be sure to bake them (on a foil-lined cookie sheet) in a 300º oven for half an hour to kill any insects, before crafting with them.  This procedure also has the added benefit of opening the pine cones up in an attractive way.

If the pine cones you've found have pitch on them, this baking maneuver will give them a pretty glaze as the pitch melts.  When dry, it will not be sticky to the touch.  

While out and about this summer, you might find the perfect cones to use in Christmas crafting.  Try my #1 tip and you will be all ready to use them in projects when the time comes!

Garland of mini stars

 

 I've been on the lookout for a project with a patriotic look that could also be adapted to use at Christmas time.  I think I've found it with this 3-D Mini Star Garland from Hawthorne & Main.

One starts by printing out and cutting out the stars.  A line is then scored from the point of each star, and the stars are folded on these lines to produce a 3-D effect.   Holes are then punched at the top point of each star, and the stars are strung on pretty striped bakers' twine.

Photo from Hawthorne & Main.

 

This is such a pretty patriotic garland, but a Christmas version would be lovely with all white stars (maybe edged with white glitter?), all red, all green, or a combination of red, white and green.   I'm planning to make some of these!

A Christmas poem: Childhood Christmas

 

 In an older Ideals Christmas magazine, I found the following sweet poem by June R. Collins:

Childhood Christmas

The tree with its candles cheerful and bright
Has etched itself deeply in memory's sight.
The toys were not many, the fare was not grand,
But I was the luckiest child in the land.

The snow sparkled sharply outside the door,
And the house a bright mantle of icicles wore.
But the inside was warm with the love that was there
With a spirit of giving and wanting to share.

The popcorn was strung and the cranberries too;
The shabby old ornaments even looked new.
The story of Christmas was read to us all,
And the carols we sang I still can recall.

Then snuggled in bed on a cold Christmas night
And up with the first of the dawn's faintest light.
Yes, there stood the tree, the most beautiful ever;
It was and it is and it will be forever.

~ June R. Collins

This very much describes my own childhood Christmases, especially the third stanza where stringing cranberries and popcorn is described.  We usually strung only popcorn, but I think one year we did alternate with cranberries.  The phrase "the shabby old ornaments even looked new" surely speaks of those days.  So many of our ornaments were old, and were more shabby than not.  Yet we treasured each one and enjoyed placing them just so on that beautiful Christmas tree each year!

Christmas fabric fun!

 

Are you a Christmas fabric admirer like I am?  I love it so much and every year I am so inspired when the new Christmas fabric collections come out.  This year I decided to share some of my favorites with you all for Christmas in July.  I'm hoping to share one collection each Saturday.  I think of Saturdays as a day to do something fun, and what could be more fun than looking at Christmas fabric, right?

I found this week's beautiful Christmas fabric at a favorite online source, Fabricworm.  What's a fabricworm, you might ask?  According to the site, it's "a person devoted to fabric."  The designer of this collection, Old Fashioned Christmas, is My Mind's Eye.  And is it ever gorgeous!  Below you see a screenshot of a few of the fabrics from the Old Fashioned Christmas line.  Some of them are Candy Canes, Old Fashioned Christmas icons, Plaid, Tartan, Santas, Sprigs, and more.  

 

I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite. I really like the icons (especially the cream color with the green icons) and the Main. 

 

 Below is another screenshot.  Love the sprigs, the stars (on cream) and the tartan also!

And a closer look at the icons:
 

Aren't these designs beautiful?  I can think of many small projects I would make with these.  How about you?

Welcome to Christmas in July!

 

Yes, indeed, welcome to Christmas in July at my Christmas kitchen!  Again this year I am swinging open the door to the Christmas kitchen every day through the month of July.  I have been doing this every July since 2012.  That first year I guess I only managed 24 posts, but in subsequent years it appears that I've  done 31 each July.

I'm hoping, as usual,  to share poems, recipes, crafts, ornaments, gift ideas and much more.  I'm going to start by sharing a simple recipe for an easy festive no-bake cookie that you could make right away if you happen to have purchased fig bars in the house.  I've posted this recipe before, but as  far as I can tell, it was in 2007 and there were no comments on it, so I'm guessing most of my current readers will not have seen it.  

FANCY FIG COOKIES

These start with purchased fig bars (like Fig Newtons®). Cut the bars in half lengthwise to make sticks, or in half diagonally to make triangles. Dip the pieces in melted chocolate, then in chopped nuts. Place on foil-lined baking sheets and chill until chocolate is set.

I like to make them triangle shaped and would tend to use chopped walnuts to dip them in, though I'm thinking pistachios would be very pretty too.  They look so fancy.

What a perfect Christmas cookie to try in July!  No baking, just chilling, and wouldn't they be nice with a glass of iced coffee or iced tea?

Easing open the door to the Christmas kitchen

 

 Yes, ever so gingerly, I am easing open the door to the Christmas kitchen again this July.   The coffee's on, the doughnuts are freshly made, and I'm hoping to have something fun and festive to share here every day in July.  See you tomorrow!

June muffin recipe: Blueberry Gingerbread Streusel Muffins

 

 As regular readers here will remember, in my quest for a new muffin recipe to use for kitchen gifts, I've been trying a muffin recipe each month.  Well, perhaps trying is a bit of a stretch.  I had been trying these muffin recipes up until May, when I suddenly found myself in a time crunch and a stretch of hot weather.  So I chose a muffin recipe but haven't tried it out yet.

Now it seems the same thing may happen in June, and I've got to get busy on my Christmas in July posts too.  So I thought I would share the recipe I've selected for June.  If I get time to bake, I'll make either recipe and report on my findings.

June's muffin recipe is Blueberry Gingerbread Streusel Muffins, by Tracey at The Kitchen is My Playground.  I have seen old New England gingerbread recipes using fresh blueberries, so really -- why not put blueberries in gingerbread muffins?  Frozen blueberries should work fine.  And the streusel topping would be the gilding of the lily that would make them special enough to give as a gift.

I'm going to be trying these soon, and will let you know how they turn out!

A sale at my Etsy shop!

 

 Just popping in with a special announcement!  I'm running a sale at my Etsy shop, A New Hampshire Attic, now through June 30.  Everything in the shop is 25% off, including the ever-popular vintage Christmas category of listings.

Why not head on over and browse?  At the very least you will find yourself with some inspiration for Christmas in July!