Red, white and blue Christmas cards for July 4

 

 Yes, it's July 4th, and so in honor of Independence Day I will share a special red, white and blue vintage Christmas card.  This is a very small card -- about 3 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches.  It'll probably be listed in my Etsy shop by the time you read this.  

I like the striking simplicity of this card.  The dark blue fir sprigs, sprinkled with a few red berries, adorn the red, white and blue background, and red and white stars are scattered all over it.  I believe this card may be from 1946 or so -- not long after the end of World War ll.

And here's another vintage card with similar colors, from a similar time frame.  The top photo, with the blue-gray background, is the front of the card.

 

The second, with the red background, is the inside of the card.

This card, too, should hopefully be in my Etsy shop by the time you read this.

Hope you've all had a wonderful Fourth of July!

Great ideas for Christmas sewing in July

 

Photo from Moda Fabrics

Moda Fabrics had a great blog post some years ago (2014, but only recently discovered by me) titled:  Make it Today: Christmas in July. 

I will only share a couple of quotes, since I hope you will click over and read the article for yourself.

The author of the post notes, "Planning and sewing Christmas projects during the summer months makes good sense: not only will you have plenty of time to plan and complete Christmas sewing, but you also won't have trouble finding your favorite pieces from [the] brand new Christmas collections." 

"Not only is now the perfect time to shop for the latest in Christmas fabrics, but most importantly it's time to decide what to make with them! Don't get caught waiting until fall to begin: by then  you might not have enough time to complete all of your wonderful ideas."

The post also had some excellent suggestions for projects to work on in the summer months.  Here are some of the ideas:

• Christmas pillows
• Christmas table runners and table toppers
• Christmas wall hangings
• Christmas stockings
• Christmas ornaments
• Christmas tags
• Christmas kitchen items: pot holders, dish towels, and place mats
• Christmas gift bags of all sizes
   
• I'm also going to share with you a link to a post I wrote a few years back sharing some project ideas for  Using up some of one's Christmas fabric stash.  I hope it's helpful as well!
  

On the second day of Christmas ...

...  in July, that is.  

 

Photo from Inside BruCrew Life

I thought it would be fun to try a coffeecake recipe that would work well for Christmas breakfast or brunch.  This Cherry Crisp Coffee Cake from Jocelyn at Inside BruCrew Life looks absolutely delicious.   Jocelyn is one of my most trusted sources for desserts and baked goods.  I've used many, many of her recipes over the years and they are always fabulous.

Coffee cakes of any kind are a huge favorite with my family and friends, so I'm always on the lookout for new coffee cake recipes.  When I find one that looks holiday-worthy, it's even better.  

 I'm sharing this near the very beginning of July so that if there's a day this month that seems cool enough to do some baking, this coffee cake could find its way into your breakfast plans.  It's pretty, festive, and looks absolutely scrumptious.  If we get a cool day this month, you can be sure that I'm going to be baking one of these!

Come on into the Christmas kitchen!

  

Yes, unbelievably, July is here, and you know what that means!  It's time for Christmas in July!

I had to look back and see how long I've been doing this.  It looks as if I've been swinging open the door to the Christmas kitchen daily during July since 2012.  That year, I managed only 24 July posts, but ever since then I've posted 31 times each July.  This will be the 10th year.  Maybe I will have to figure out some special giveaway posts, who knows?

There will be recipes (stay tuned for a yummy looking cherry coffee cake recipe tomorrow!), likely poems, vintage eye candy, memories, craft and gift ideas, and more.  

Happy Christmas in July to everyone!

Brushing down the cobwebs

 

 Yes,  I'm brushing down the cobwebs from the door of the Christmas kitchen.  July arrives tomorrow,  and I'm hoping to be here in my Christmas kitchen every day.  

We will see how it all works out.  Since Mr. T retired, it seems our lives are busier than ever.  But for now my plan is to swing open the door of the Christmas kitchen beginning tomorrow, with the intent of sharing recipes, poems, traditions, gift and craft ideas and hopefully much, much more.  Hope you'll join me here!

The vintage wrapping paper that moved me to tears

 

Yes, I admit it.  This past Christmas, I was wrapping gifts when all at once I found my eyes stinging.

I happened to be using some vintage wrapping paper (not really old, probably from the 1980s).  When I opened this piece of paper up to see if it was large enough for the particular gift I was wrapping, the lovely images literally brought tears to my eyes.  Why was that, I wondered?  

It might have been the mailbox.  Longtime readers know how I love mailbox images on Christmas cards.  I think that they speak so much to the innocence of a time not all that long ago, when life was simpler and less complicated for all of us.

 It might have been the barn.  I grew up, not literally on a farm, I guess, but in the middle of one.  The barn was one of my happiest play spaces as a child.  Although the barn on the wrapping paper did not resemble the barn of my childhood in the least, the thought of it could have triggered nostalgic tears.

Or maybe it was the sleigh.  I have no childhood connection with sleigh rides (although I've been on a few as an adult), but those sentimental illustrations of a sleigh gliding across snow, maybe with a farm or village in the distance, often speak to me.  In this one,  there's a village including a church and maybe a covered bridge, and evergreen trees in the background.

  Then again, it could have been the Christmas tree.  I love outdoor Christmas trees with colored lights -- always have.  Throw in some holly, some bare branches and some winter birds and I am hopelessly enchanted. 

As I think it over now, I guess it was the combined nostalgia of all of these images that brought on the tears.  2020, after all, was a year like no other.  Never has our American way of life felt more threatened. I think that in my overtired, overtaxed emotional state I likely was even thinking we might not be able to celebrate Christmas next year.  From this distance now, I can look back and just appreciate these sweet vintage images, and declare my intention of celebrating Christmas 2021 to the hilt!

Book review: Christmas Comfort Classics

 

If you've spent much time at either of my blogs, you know that I'm a great fan of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks.  I've received many of them for free in return for submitting a recipe.  I've purchased others on sale or used from Thriftbooks.  Christmas Comfort Classics is one such cookbook that I used this past year, and it was one that I really enjoyed.  The subtitle for this book is "A festive collection of warm and cozy comfort foods, plus sweet ideas for sharing with family & friends."  Sounds, really, like the perfect recipe for a cozy Christmas in the midst of a very uncertain and frightened world.  Maybe that's why I was so drawn to this book and the wonderful recipes it contains.

The first chapter is Frosty Morning Breakfasts.  There are some great ideas for egg bakes, breakfast sides, pancakes and French toast, coffee cakes, and other wonderful-sounding breakfast dishes.  Nearly every recipe sounds like one that I would love to try.  There are also quotes, recipes, and other fun ideas sprinkled on the pages of this section.

The second chapter is Tree Trimming Open House.  This one has loads of great appetizer and beverage recipes.  I'd love to try the Roasted Red Pepper Spread, the Hot Clam Dip,.and the Chicken Salad Mini-Wiches for a Crowd.  I did try the Festive Cranberry Cheese Spread and it was enjoyed at the event I took it to.

Next is Snowy Day Soups and Breads, just as cozy as it sounds!  This may be the chapter from which I've tried the most recipes.  We just love soup in winter, fall and spring!  Homemade bread, too.  I've tried the Creamy Chicken Rice Soup, Beckie's Down-Home Potato Soup, Cincinnati Chicken Corn Chowder, and more.  The Cranberry Yeast Rolls is a recipe I want to try for next Christmas. 

The fourth chapter is Cozy Meals for Busy Days.  That's always my aim in December -- to have cozy meals for those super busy days and evenings.  Recipes I've tried include Mom's Pasta, Chicken, Trees & Cheese, Best Spanish Rice, Smoked Sausage & Potatoes.  I'd love to try Connecticut Supper and Quick One-Pot Burrito Bowl.

Merry Christmas Feasts is the next chapter, filled with festive recipes for the big dinner -- including main courses, side dishes, salads, pickles and more.  I've not tried recipes from this chapter yet, but my want-to-trys include Italian Sausage & White Beans, Mimie's Homestyle Meatballs, and Pineapple Beets.      
And lastly, Sweets of the Season contains all sorts of sweet treats from cookies to pies to snacks to beverages, just for the sweet tooth members of the family.  (I have such great memories of my dad, asking after dinner if there might be "a little something for the sweet tooth".)      I'd love to try Cranberry-Walnut Fudge, Blizzard Party Mix, Anginetti, and Elf Thumbprints.  This past Christmas I did try the Gingerbread Brownies from this chapter -- and oh, were they good.  They'll be on my cookie trays again in 2021 for sure.

As you might guess, I highly recommend this Christmas cookbook!                                                                                                                                                                                                         

February Christmas Club meeting

 

 Appropriately enough,  it was Rudolph Day (the 25th) when the Christmas Club gathered for its February meeting.  Susan, Carrie, and I gathered around Susan's dining room table specifically to work on making gift tags out of our used Christmas cards.  I think that Carrie and Susan were working with last year's cards, while mine were a much older batch.  We shared a tag punch, templates, hole punches and so on -- passing them around by means of the "lazy Susan" that's built into the round table.  Very handy!

Susan served us some lovely holiday tea in Christmas teacups and with the festive napkins above alongside.  (I snatched up my napkin as I left, so that I would have something to illustrate this post!)

I didn't take time to scan my completed tags, so will share some from a previous year.  I think I completed maybe 8 or so at the meeting.

For next month, Carrie is planning to print out a December calendar for each of us.  We will use these to begin planning for some Christmas events.  Sounds like fun, and it will be good to have some things pre-planned.  Then, closer to the time, as other events come along, we can fill those in.

Hope your Rudolph Day included some festive fun also!