Some of our candy making with the grands

 

Back when Christmas was still weeks away, we set a day, as previously mentioned on both blogs, to make some candy, do a bit of crafting, and go out for ice cream sundaes.  It turned into trimming the Christmas tree as well, which was fun, and singing lots of Christmas carols in the car.

I promised to share some of the candy recipes we used, so I will mention two here and two over on my regular blog.  We made Creamsicle Fudge, Chocolate Dipped Orange Slices, Rocky Road Fudge, and Candy Cane Fudge.

Creamsicle Fudge is, as you might guess, a fudge with the orange and vanilla flavors of a creamsicle.  

It is a little too sweet for many people,  although I must say that a younger friend of mine for many years in high school and college had a little holiday fudge business, and found that the Creamsicle was one of her top sellers.  But Mr. T had wanted to make it this Christmas anyway, so it seemed natural to have the grands help with it.  Josiah took on that project, and may have wished he hadn't when, near the end of the process, we discovered we had no red food coloring (only yellow) to tint the orange part of the fudge.  The best we could do was to use green and pretend the flavor was lime, not orange.  It does look pretty and  slightly Christmasy, I will say that for it.

The other candy recipe I will mention here is Rocky Road Fudge.   

Julia and Ari made this fudge together.  Below is Ari stirring the peanuts and marshmallows into the chocolate fudge mixture.  This is one of those easy fudge recipes that just use chocolate chips, a bit of butter, and a can of sweetened condensed milk.

Julia prepares to spread the Rocky Road while Ari licks the chocolate pan!

You can check my kitchen table blog sometime this week for the other 2 candy recipes.  Enjoy these if you try them!

Sunday Scripture

Here is our third Sunday Scripture for December.  Remember, I am writing these posts from an Advent study that I did with Good Morning Girls in 2013.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download, so if you are interested head on over there and get it.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image similar to the illustration above, and the pdf should open right up.  More than just a Bible study, this is an ebook that includes recipes, Advent activities, and more.  I think it will be a blessing to you.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

Each week of this Advent study focuses on a theme: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.  This third week's verses are focused on Joy. 

Today's Scripture is Luke 2:10-14.  In the actual study, this one was from December 19 -- just in case you downloaded the study and are following along with it.

S=  "And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
"And this shall be a sign unto you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
"glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."  (Luke 2:10-14)

O=  Verses 10-12 are the words spoken by the angel of the Lord to the shepherds.  They were not to fear -- for they had been "very much afraid" when the glory of the Lord shone round about them (verse 9).  The angel was bringing them "good tidings of great joy" which would impact the entire world: "unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

The angel gave them a sign: this Baby would be wrapped in swaddling clothes -- as any other baby in that day would be -- but unlike other babies, this one would be lying in a manger.

Following this, verses 13-14 describe what happens next: suddenly the angel was joined by a multitude of the heavenly host.  These angelic beings were praising God with the words "Glory to God in the highest!" and "on earth peace, good will toward men."

A=  This Savior was born for me!  How thankful I am that I am one of those "all people" to whom the "good tidings of great joy" were brought.  Glory to God in the highest!  Am I bringing the appropriate glory to Him with my life?

P=  "Lord, I praise You for the Gospel -- for the "good tidings of great joy"!  I praise You and thank You for Your plan of salvation -- that Jesus came to be the Savior of "all people" who would trust Him by faith believing.  I praise You for bringing me to the understanding that Jesus came to die for me personally, and for drawing me to You with lovingkindness.

"I pray that You will help me to live my life in such a way that it brings glory to my Savior and points others to Him.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

And that's our Scripture Sunday for this week.  I hope that you're enjoying this little series.

Strictly ornamental

 

Over at my regular blog, I shared how, unbelievably, Mr. T and I were able to spend the night at our little camp on Thursday night.  Staying in a mostly uninsulated building in mid-December is just not something we'd thought of as being possible.  But it worked out, due to mild temperatures overnight.  

I was thankful that a week or so before,  we had done a little Christmas decorating there.  It made it seem much more cozy.  In this post I'm just going to share some of the ornaments we put up.  There are more, but Mr. T didn't get a photo of each one.

The windows at the camp all have a system of hooks and eyes to hold the hinged windows open during the summer.  Granddaughter Julia had the great idea of hanging an ornament from each hook!

Made from a foam ball and fabric scraps

This felt skater has paper clip skates.

Got this from an Etsy shop, Treasures with a Twist, a couple years ago and love it!

I embroidered this one in the 1980s -- it's an Erica Wilson design featuring Beatrix Potter's art

This snowflake ornament is hanging from one of the kitchen cabinets.  It's perfect there!

Hope you've enjoyed this little peek at our Christmasy camp!  Check out my Kitchen Table blog to see more.

Scenes from Bethlehem

 

I don't think that I have ever featured Nativity-themed Christmas cards, so I thought I would share a few Bethlehem scenes from my personal collection and my Etsy shop.  I'll just share scans and simple captions and hope you will enjoy seeing these vintage treasures.

I know, the wise men weren't at the manger.  But I had to include this gorgeous card.  The colors in the saddle blankets are amazing.

Love the colors in this one.

This little woodland nativity is so sweet!

From a Christmas carol book

Also from a vintage carol book

Page from a vintage carol book I got from somewhere

This shepherd scene is in the center of a snowflake-shaped card

Hope these vintage images have been a blessing to you!

Christmasy progress as of today

 

Lots of festive things happening in the Christmas kitchen and in other rooms of the house too.  Here's a rundown of happenings lately:

🎄  Mr. T has finished baking nearly every cookie on the tentative baking list.   The only other variety on the list is my Christmas no-bakes, which I top with a half marshmallow, some melted chocolate and crushed candy canes.  He prefers that I do these, which is fine.  I may make some cut-out cookies and possibly my mother's date-oatmeal cookies, just for old times' sake.  We will see.

🎄 Three candies on the tentative candy list are completed, plus some that weren't on the list.

🎄 Nearly all of our gifts are now purchased or ordered, and quite a few are wrapped.

🎄 I ordered materials last evening for some last-minute crafted gifts that I need to make.

🎄  I made a double batch of granola today for a friend who's having a houseful of family over Christmas.

🎄The last boxes for Nevada are packed and will go out today.

 🎄  The Christmas tree is now completely decorated and is looking good.

I'm sure there is more, but that is a good update for now.

Book review: Gooseberry Patch Christmas book 9

 

Today's post is a book review of a Gooseberry Patch Christmas  craft and cookbook titled Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 9.  It's an older book, but a  hardcover version in very good condition may be found at ThriftBooks.com for less than $5.  Here's the link: Christmas Book 9.

Most of my readers know how much I love Gooseberry Patch books.  I have gotten many of them for free in return for recipes, memories,  or craft ideas.  The larger format Christmas books like this one are simply filled with wonderful ideas, but I like to review one now and then so readers will know what to expect if they buy these as used books. 

 This particular book, Christmas Book 9, was published in 2007 by Oxmoor House and it is a nice addition to my collection of Christmas books.  My copy is a paperback and I'm pretty sure I bought it at Walmart.  There are dozens of good recipes and craft ideas and some glorious photography, plus the patterns for many of the craft projects.

There are 15 chapters:

1.  Sweet Memories
 This chapter is filled with ideas for hosting a cookie decorating party and for decorating with cookies and candy.  The sweet ideas are absolutely gorgeous.  Graham cracker houses (displayed under a cloche) are one project.

2.  Welcome Home
This chapter is filled with lovely ideas for using vintage linens and fabrics, along with vintage ornaments. 

3.  Polka-Dot Christmas
This chapter shares ideas for applying festive red and green polka dots on everything in sight -- stockings, candle holders, a table runner, tags and gift boxes.  Very cute. 

4.  Simply Stenciled
Here are many ideas for stenciling old-fashioned designs of snowflakes, Santas and sleighs on windows and more -- like felt banners, tree skirts, ornaments, and stockings.

5.  Game Night
Ideas here for all sorts of table-game accessories, along with some recipes for game night snacks.

6.  All the Creatures Were Stirring
Gifts for pets and a special pet-themed Christmas tree that uses a shiny new dog bowl as a tree stand.

7.  Christmas Paper Fun ... Cards, Tags & More
This is one of the largest chapters, with directions for ornaments, tags, gift wrap and gift tag holders, photo albums and even a shadow box, all paper crafted.  The paper bag album is a craft I want to try.

8.  From Hand to Heart
Lots of lovely handcrafted gifts here, including a scrap afghan which I have actually started making.  (Sample motifs in photo below.)  Also things like pajamas, a knitting tote, a gift wrap organizer and more.

9.  Just-Right Gifts from the Kitchen
Recipes for all sorts of mixes and other kitchen gifts, plus great and innovative ways to package and present them.  The cranberry cider mix, packaged in red fabric bags with green ribbon "leaves" and cinnamon stick stems, is a case in point.

10.  A Farmhouse Dinner
Cider Baked Ham, Spinach-Pecan Salad, Homestyle Green Beans, Corn Pudding and more -- and of course a nice selection of desserts here.

11.  Christmas Brunch
Country Breakfast Skillet, Pecan French Toast, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Spiced Fruit, and many more wonderful looking recipes to help you with your Christmas breakfast or brunch!

12.  Cooking Ahead for the Holidays
Comfort food to make ahead and freeze for when you have a houseful of Christmas guests.

13. Cookie Exchange
Nice recipes for Christmas cookies -- Jolly Lime Thumbprints, Vanilla-Dipped Gingersnaps, Chocolate Swirl Cookies and much more.

14.  Kate's Chocolate Cure-Alls
All things chocolate to cure what ails you!  Everything from Buckeye Brownies to White Hot Chocolate and a Pan O'Fudge.  Lots of chocolate therapy in this section.

15.  A Club Christmas
This chapter includes ideas and recipes for entertaining groups like your book club, knitting group, and more.

All in all, I find this to be a useful, inspiring, and beautiful book.  Why not check ThriftBooks, Amazon, or another used-book venue for a copy of Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 9?  I don't think you will be disappointed!

A simple craft project

 

The other day when four of our local grandkids came over to make candy, I suggested maybe we would do a simple craft as well.  I was thinking that when we came to parts of recipes where things needed to chill or set for awhile, a little craft might be a good way to pass the time.  

Some years ago, I received this gift tag as a tuck-in in a Christmas card exchange:

Front of tag

Back of tag

 
As you can see, it's creatively made from a game card; a Dutch Blitz card, to be specific.

I didn't use it, but held onto it thinking I might like to use the idea to make some tags of my own.  From what I can tell, the creator of this tag stamped the snowman motif onto a small tag shape made from white card stock, then glued it to the Dutch Blitz card and punched a hole through both layers to add the striped twine.  There's a strip of washi tape along the bottom of the tag.  The back simply looks as if it has been scuffed up with sandpaper and "to" and "from" added with alphabet stamps.

I decided to try this project with the grands.  I'm pretty sure that I have some Dutch Blitz cards found at the homestead, but couldn't find them so used Uno cards (from the same source, set aside for the purpose) instead.  

 I then put out washi tape, card stock and scrapbook paper, rubber stamps and stamp pads, hole punch and twine, along with glue sticks and old Christmas cards.  And also, very important, the transfer art images shown at the top of the post.  The kids had a blast with this idea and produced some very creative tags.

Below are some of the tags they ended up with.  I was especially taken with the red-and-green striped tag.  Printed cardboard from an old candy cane box was glued to a red Uno card and details added with the paint transfer rub-ons.  "Open" was stamped on using alphabet stamps, and "Dec 25" was added using a library card-type stamp.  They are all great, though, and are different on both sides.  They would even make fun ornaments or would look nice as part of a garland or banner.

I'm impressed with their creativity using very simple materials.  Now I can't wait to try this project for myself, as I didn't have time to do so that day.

Poem: Song for Christmas

 

 Time for a Christmas poem.  I've shared so many of these, over the years, that I always have to do a search of my own blogs just to be sure I'm not inadvertently repeating one.  This is a poem I found in an Ideals Christmas magazine from 2010.  It's by Sudie Stuart Hager.

Song for Christmas

I love the Yuletide's radiant things --
The treetop angel's spun-glass wings,
Each scarlet ball and tinseled limb,
The tapers sputtering, soft and dim,
The light in happy children's eyes,
A bright-faced doll that talks and cries,
The log that sparkles on the grate,
The glow that follows through the gate,
A neighboring window's candle-wreath,
The snow, like burnished gold, beneath,
And the sky, bright jeweled o'erhead,
As on that night above His bed.

-- Sudie Stuart Hager

These poets always say it so much better than I could.  So many of them say just what I would like to say if I had only been able to put my thoughts together in verse.  When I read this poem I can vividly picture so much of what she has shared.  We have a glass angel -- not a treetop one, but a small glass angel playing a glass flute.  So pretty and a lovely reminder of our youngest daughter who plays the flute.

The phrase "each scarlet ball and tinseled limb" brings such clear memories of my grandmother's Christmas trees, with glowing glass balls and limbs liberally tinseled and icicled.  Oh, I could go through every phrase of this poem and conjure up a picture or a memory.  Think of that next-to-last phrase about the sky being "bright jeweled" overhead.  How many times have I seen the night sky simply sparkling with stars against a black velvet background?  My heart aches for people who have never seen this.

The other day when our grandchildren were with us, a John McDermott CD was playing and my 13-year-old grandson and I were talking of the song "Christmas Memories".  He commented that it almost made him sad for people who have never had such Christmas memories as his family has had.  And I am feeling the same way as I read and discuss this poem with you all.  How very blessed we have been! 

Sunday Scripture

 

Here is our second Sunday Scripture for December.  Remember, I am writing these posts from an Advent study that I did with Good Morning Girls in 2013.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download, so if you are interested head on over there and get it.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image similar to the illustration above, and the pdf should open right up.

Just a note too that I am also doing Sunday Scripture posts over at my regular blog, Across My Kitchen Table -- and I am using different verses (from the same study) in those Sunday posts.  So if you really want some biblical encouragement during this Christmas season, you might enjoy reading at both blogs.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

Each week of this Advent study focuses on a theme: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.  The verses for this second week are focused on Love. 

 For today, the verses to focus on are Mark 12:28-30.   If you happen to be following along with this study on your own, it will be the verses for December 10 that I am using.

S=  "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that [Jesus] had answered [the Sadducees] well, asked Him, Which is the first [that is, most important] commandment of all? 
"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord;
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." (Mark 12:28-30)

O= The speaker in verse 28 is "one of the scribes".  He had been listening as Jesus answered the Sadducees (and possibly as He answered the Herodians also -- it doesn't specify).  This scribe perceived that Jesus had "answered them well", so he asked a question of his own: "Which is the first commandment of all?"

The next two verses are part of Jesus' reply to the scribe, as He plainly states that the first, or most important, commandment is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

A=  It's easy sometimes to think of "commandments" as being related to the Old Testament -- to law rather than grace.  Yet here in these verses Jesus clearly states that the most important commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength ... with our entire being ... with all that we are and all that we have.  Am I doing that?

P= "Lord, I thank You for these verses that go straight from the heart of Jesus to my heart.  I thank You that His words are clear and forthright.  There is no ambiguity, no question about what is being said.  I'm to love You with all my heart -- with an undivided heart.  I'm to love You with all my soul; with all my mind, thinking the thoughts that please You and thinking on the truths of who You are.  And I am to love You with all my strength.  I think of a line from the carol 'O Holy Night' which goes something like this: 'Let all within us praise His holy name.'  May I love You with all that is within me!  

"I thank You and praise You for Your great love for me that redeemed my life from destruction and crowns me with lovingkindness and tender mercies!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

There is our Advent study for December 12!  I hope it was a blessing to you today.

A few photos from Friday

 

Yesterday we got together with four of our local grands for a fun day, much of it taking place right here at our house.  I'll only share a few photos now in the interest of having a December 11 post here in the Christmas kitchen, and will hope to write a more detailed post for Monday, likely on my Kitchen Table blog.

We ate breakfast together, which I failed to get any photos of.  Then the boys got the lights on the tree, and we spent the rest of the morning decorating, making fudge and candy, and working on a simple craft.

Ari stirring Rocky Road fudge

Julia preparing to place Rocky Road in the pan; Ari scraping a chocolaty saucepan

Josiah measuring sugar for Creamsicle fudge as Sam looks on

Oops!  No yellow food coloring, so we couldn't turn the Creamsicle fudge orange!  Green to the rescue; we'll pretend it's lime.

Julia, Ari and Josiah working on crafts

 It was certainly a festive mess around our house yesterday, but we all had a good time!

Around 1 pm we headed out for Kellerhaus, a favorite traditional Christmas destination of ours, for the ice cream buffet.  Photo is from a previous year, but it is no less magical today.

After getting home, we cut and packaged the fudge and other candy so they could take a good portion of it home.  While Mr. T and I worked at this, the kids finished up their craft projects.

And that was our Friday!  What a wonderful day it was!

Candle glow

 

 Glowing candles are some of the most meaningful images on Christmas cards, especially the vintage ones.  The ones on the card above are a case in point.  (I really love the Christmas pastels, but that will be a post for another day.)  But just look at those glowing flames, wavering in the air, and the glittery halos around them.  So, so pretty.

This Christmas season I have been thinking a lot about candles.  As I mentioned in my Hodgepodge post at my Kitchen Table blog, one line from a Christmas tune has kept jumping out at me as I occasionally listen to our more-or-less local Christmas music station.  "I've got the candles glowing in the dark."  Times seem dark lately, do they not?  How important it is to keep the candles glowing. 

 
I may have mentioned this before, I'm not sure.  But last winter we did a lot of traveling to and from the home of friends for Bible study and a meal.  It became a very familiar route and we were usually traveling after dark at least for the trip home.  We so enjoyed seeing all of the lights glowing from people's homes.  There were lighted trees in windows, candles in windows, lights illuminating porches and outlining roofs,  lighted trees in people's yards.  One house that always caught my eye had long windows on either side of the front door, and long swathes of light spilled out onto the snow.  As the winter went on, Christmas and New Year's passed by and most people left their lights up.  It was a delight to see and I came to see it as a way of pushing back against the dark winter we had been promised.  It would only be dark if we allowed it to be!

This thought has stayed with me.  Mr. T and I need to do more with lights at our own home.  We have white lights up year-round inside in our bedroom and the living room, but I would like for us to do more, maybe with candles in the windows.  One thing we have done, even though our little camp is a very seasonal place and we won't spend much time there during the winter, is to place a lighted Christmas tree (with lights on a timer) in the loft window.  There are four windows in the living room below and, although these do not have window sills as such, Mr. T has plans to make a small temporary shelf below each one to hold an electric candle.  I will post photos if I am able to get them from the road.

 This Christmas season, as well as all through the dark winter, let's be sure our lights are glowing in the dark!

Displaying the new project

 

Yesterday I described framing a gift bag to create a new decorative Christmas picture.

I mentioned that I planned to use it in decorating, though I really didn't know where.  Below, you can see what I ended up doing.  In our living room we have a cabinet that used to be office furniture at my parents'.  It has a shelf above and bookshelves behind doors below.  I often display things on the top of this unit.

I had arranged a few Christmasy items here but wasn't quite sure how I liked the arrangement.  I started with a mini Christmas runner I had sewed from a fabric scrap years ago

A detail from the sweet runner fabric!

and had placed the cute little jar scene

 

 atop it.  

I placed the lantern with tea light to the right.  

On the left I had put a tin and wood house atop a round of wood.  It looked fine but seemed to be missing something.

Enter my new "I'll Be Home for Christmas" art.  I took away the house, moved the wood round to beneath the jar scene, and placed the new framed piece where the house had been.  

 

What a difference!  I love this little Christmas display now.