Ending Christmas in July with a festive flourish!

 

Wow, we did it!  Managed to post every day in July for the annual Christmas in July as I so enjoy doing.  This time I scheduled very few posts ahead of time.  It was mostly day by day, though I did schedule the last few since we'll be on a short getaway during that time.

For today, a really fun dessert idea which unfortunately is composed mostly of processed foods, but which I'm sure is also absolutely delicious.  Since this is a refreshing chilled dessert, it will be perfect to try in summer.

I imagine everyone has heard of the strawberry pretzel salad.  (It's much more of a dessert in my opinion.). Well, this recipe from Taste of Home takes the strawberry pretzel salad concept and gives it a festive red and green twist: Strawberry Lime Pretzel Salad.

It's actually even nicer than one might think from the title, because the green layer, rather than just being a lime green, is actually more of a pastel green owing to the addition of cream cheese and whipped topping.  As you can see, it's really pretty.

So use your own judgment in trying this recipe,  I'm thinking it might be something I'd make for a once-a-year splurge.  It really would be perfect for a Christmas in July party!

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A sweet calendar page from 1962

 

Actually, I guess I should say two calendar pages, for I am also including the cover page, above.  Does anyone else remember these delightful little calendars that came bound in January issues of Woman's Day magazine?  These included Scripture, and the illustrations were by Erik Blegvad.

I recently came upon the calendar for 1962 and thought the timing was perfect for me to share for Christmas in July.  The cover page here is just so beautiful!  I know several grandchildren who could slip right into those chairs at the round table in the lovely scene above and feel right at home.

Here is the December page, including Luke 2:10:

 Isn't it fun?  By moonlight, two people are maneuvering a fresh Christmas tree into a white house with turquoise door and shutters.  Light spills from the house door, window, and attached greenhouse or conservatory.  The snow outside is deep and a snow shovel is at the ready.

Erik Blegvad's drawings are always detailed and make you want to step right into them.  This one was no exception, snow and all!

A fun little crochet project -- granny square trees!

 

I've had this project saved on my Crafting for Christmas board for some time.  I like simple granny square style projects and these little trees look easy and fun to make.  

Here is the link: Granny Square Trees.   (The designer has named them "Grandma Trees", which is sort of fun.)  This tutorial uses the Australian crochet terms, but the author includes US terms in parentheses and it really didn't look too confusing, so I gave it a try.  

I decided to try making one with some pretty Christmasy green yarn from my stash.  You can see it has a bit of sparkle to it.  I used an F hook and it seemed just about perfect.

 

The tutorial, done with clear photos of the various rounds and stitches, is super easy to follow.  I just took it step by step and I was very pleased with how quick it was to make a tree.

 

I think that a number of these, strung together to make a garland, would look really nice.  I initially thought of stringing them together on matching green yarn, but I've also had the thought of red and white bakers' twine.  We will see!  These trees are so quick to make that I probably will make a bunch of them and make a garland.  Maybe two!

A couple of Christmasy thrift store finds

 

 Last week I took a very quick browse through parts of our local thrift store.  This store is actually two stores, in buildings across the street from one another.  The stores are named Ladders and Step Ladders.  Step Ladders has a very large Christmas section, all sorts of lights and decor, ornaments, tins, and other goodies.  I didn't go there this visit, but instead visited the very small Christmas area in Ladders, which mostly contains Christmas dishes.  

That's where I found the item at top.  I think maybe it's supposed to be a hot mat.  It's hard to tell.  It's made of vinyl, I think.  It's plain brown on the back and the whole thing is nicely saddle-stitched around the edges.  I paid 80¢ for it and plan to use it as a piece of art to display at our cottage in the woods.  I love this vintage-looking scene of deer in snow!

I also bought this cookie cutter, for 40¢.  

It's a sort of stylized Christmas tree complete with trimmings -- it looks as if the design will impress into the cookie dough if the dough is rolled thick enough -- maybe 1/4 inch or so.  It doesn't show up well in the photo, which I took in haste, but this is a nice sturdy cookie cutter and has a handle.   I'm looking forward to using this cutter for Christmas baking this holiday season!

And there you have it -- just a couple of fun thrifty finds.

One more lovely Christmas fabric collection -- Berry & Pine!

 

Yes, here is one last Christmas fabric collection to share with you -- Berry & Pine by Lella Boutique for Moda Fabrics.  Here are some of my favorites from this collection:

The Fir Tree Lane quilt pattern looks like fun!

The Magic Dot Forest yardage is pretty.  It also comes in 108" width to use in backing a quilt.

This little tin is a fun part of the collection!  It's under $5!

O Christmas Tree yardage in the Snow color

Poinsettia Party in Snow

Cranberry Bell Song yardage

Cranberry Pine Needles

Such inspiring fabrics, don't you think?  They come in a large variety of precuts as well as the yardage.  I can definitely see myself making a table runner with some of these gorgeous prints!

Tidings of baking and joy -- a sweet vintage clipping

 

In an envelope of old recipe clippings, I came across the above: Tidings of Baking and Joy!  What a fun title!

The front of the clipping features a scrumptious-sounding recipe for Peanut Butter Cream-Topped Brownies.

 Above is the recipe for the brownie part.  Double clicking should help in seeing it.

And above is the recipe for the peanut butter cream topping and the chocolate glaze.

The back of the clipping features another recipe -- Easy Mocha Brownie Torte -- and a 25¢ coupon on Hershey's Baking Chocolate.

 

The date on the coupon (it expired in February 1998) tells me these recipes are from 1997.  

I appreciate that these treats are made from scratch!  They are also meant to be refrigerated, so they would make nice summer desserts as well.  Why not bake up some comfort and joy today?

Rudolph Day for July

 

I've had a list for quite a long time as to how Rudolph Day -- the 25th -- might look each month.  A sort of schedule if you will.  I could barely remember where I originally found it, but I thought it was shared by Mary at Rudy Day News, so I went looking.

And yes!  Mary shared this schedule back in 2012.  So here is the listing for July:

We will purchase all stocking stuffers this month. If you plan to make your Christmas cards, now is the time to get all the papers, ribbons, envelopes, stamps and inks, etc. together and make those cards. Have a festive card making day with Christmas music playing in the background! Sign those cards and write short notes. Update your Christmas card address list and print the labels or envelopes out. Get your family photo taken to include in your card and have them printed. Go over that master gift list--have you purchased at least half of your gifts or more?

I thought it would be fun to see where we are at with this goal.  

About the only thing I personally can claim to have done on this list is that I have purchased my Christmas cards.  I have also purchased my Christmas stamps.

My hubby and I no longer do stockings -- we used to do them for one another, but long ago decided we would take the money we would have spent and put it toward getaways throughout the year.  Much more memorable!

And I certainly have not bought at least half of my gifts or more!  I do have some ideas for maybe a third of the people on my list, though.

Happy Rudolph Day, friends!