Merry ChristmasTime!!!

Last year at this time, I shared a photo of our family table in my post Our Christmas.  In my tablescape, I included treasured photos of loved ones who have passed away, as a remembrance of their love and presence in our lives.

These photos included a picture of my mother and father (deceased), my in-laws, paternal and maternal grandparents and photos of our closet family friends.  These pictures brought much joy to our holiday gathering and we delighted in sharing stories about our loved ones.

This year especially, please hold your family and friends close.  Too many families will have an empty seat at their table this Christmas.  Remember those who have gone before us and celebrate their lives as you share in your Christmas dinner.

 

artistsandart.org

Merry Christmas!!!

Heather

ChristmasTime Pretzel Bites!!!

As long as I can remember, we have made Pretzel Bites for all the children in our neighborhood.  And believe it or not, some of those kids are now 20+ years old and still requesting them.

The recipe is so quick and easy to prepare that even little ones can join in.

The basic ingredients include pretzel snaps, candy melts in various colors and Christmas M&Ms.

Line your baking pan with parchment paper and cover it with pretzel snaps. There are no rules with this recipe. Next, place one candy melt on the top of each pretzel and place in the 250 degree preheated oven for approximately 2-3 minutes.

Remove them from the oven and place your Red & Green M&Ms on each candy melt. Some people are pretty particular when it comes to the placement, always placing the M down but everyone eats them so quickly, it really doesn't matter. Now, set them aside and let them cool.

I love to use printed boxes of all shapes and sizes that I line with plastic bag. It is after all the presentation that matters, even to the little ones. I then toss in my Pretzel Treats and tie them up in a coordinating ribbon.

Close the box and add your tag and they are ready to delivery to the 'little' and 'big' ones in your neighborhood!!!

Another quick Pretzel recipe idea is to purchase chocolate covered pretzels, and drizzle them with your choice of melted candy discs as shown below.

Place them in your favorite container, wrap them up and deliver them to your favorite person!!!

Let me know what you think....

Heather

Gift Wrapped!!!

What do you get when you combine a monogrammed travel mug, homemade biscotti and a Macy's gift card?

Larissa Hill Designs

You get the perfect gift for your hairdresser, your babysitter, your secretary, your child's teachers etc....

Add a touch of crinkle paper, cellophane, decorative Christmas ribbon and a mercury glass ornament and voila....

Let me know what you think...

Heather

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things!!!

This is truly the best time of year for creative DIY ideas so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite DIY Xmas Things with you!!!

Sleigh Bells Ring by Censational Girl is absolutely sensational!!!

Censational Girl

From Our Unexpected Journey, Adrienne created this gorgeous holly monogram wreath!

I'm loving this DIY Rustic NOEL Decor by Melissa @ The HappierHomemaker

The HappierHomemaker

In 2009, Matt & Becky shared with us this stunning ornament wreath. This EASY and affordable tutorial was worth resurrecting and sharing with you.

And last but not least, I had to re-share with you one of my very own favorites, Musical Santas!!!

Larissa Hill Designs

Let me know what you think....

Heather

Seasons Eatings & My 1st Linky Party!!!

One of my favorite SNL skits is NPR's Delicious Dish Schweddy Balls with Alec Baldwin from "Seasons Eatings".  I laugh harder each and every time I watch it.

I believe it is a tradition in the bloggersphere to feature a favorite holiday recipe at this ChristmasTime!.  So, I thought I'd share one of my bite size treats, Homemade Biscotti that I gift to friends and family at Christmas.

I found this 'semi-homemade' recipe years ago in our local paper. I call it 'semi-homemade' because it uses a box of cake mix as its base. The original recipe from Duncan Hines is very simple.

Lemon Cranberry Biscotti

1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe White Cake Mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped, dried sweetened cranberries

1/2 cup chopped nuts

2 tblspn grated lemon

chocolate chips optional 

Basic Directions

Preheat oven @ 350

Combine cake mix, flour, butter, eggs and vanilla and beat at low speed

Mix in cranberries, nut and lemon rind until well blended.

Divide dough in half and shape into 2 12" x 2" logs.*

Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

*I divide  my dough into 4 sections and place in loaf pan for smaller biscotti.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes.

Using serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2" slices.
Arrange slices on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes @ 350.

Cool completely and if desired, dip one end of the biscotti in melted chocolate.

Through the years, I have used various cake mix flavors to create different flavors of biscotti. 

These include combining Spice cake mix with whole wheat flour and substituting lemon rind for orange rind.  I also toss in chopped toasted pecans.  This Pecan Spice Biscotti is probably my most requested biscotti.

I also prepare a Brownie Biscotti using a brownie mix instead of a cake mix.  I fold in dark chocolate chips and walnuts and then dip in chocolate.  Delish!!!

Orange and Cranberry Biscotti is also another favorite of friends.  I use a yellow cake mix as my base and then substitute orange extract for lemon.  I include chopped cranberries and orange rind and devour.

Voila...ready for friends and family!!!

Let me know what you think....

Heather 

I would love for you to share your Gourmet Gift ideas at my 1st Linky Party. Please grab my 1st Linky Party button.  Hope it works!!!!

<div align="center"><a href="http://larissahill.blogspot.com/2012/12/seasons-eatings-my-1st-linky-party.html" title="Larissa Hill Designs Seasons Eatings" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r617/hmh308/Blog%20Buttons/seasonseatingsbutton.jpg" alt="Larissa Hill Designs Seasons Eatings" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Link up your blog post at "Add Your Link",click and follow the instructions on the page that you are redirected to.  I can't wait to see all of your Gourmet Gifts!!!  I'd love for you to Follow Me too.

ChristmasTime Outdoor Decor!!!

While searching for exterior ChristmasTime decor inspiration, I stumbled upon 5th And State and discovered wonderful DIY Ideas for Winter Containers created by Debra Phillips, blogger and designer extraordinaire.  

So, I thought I'd share a few with you....

I love the simplicity of her No Fail boxwood wreath that is filled with red twig dogwood.  So simple, so stunning!!!

5th And State

Another boxwood wreath is topped with a Tree Topper and pine cones placed at the base in a sophisticated urn.

5th And State

This stunning planter is spilling over with faux oranges, leyland cypress, long needled pine, yellow twig dogwood and so much more.

5th And State

And finally, the Show Stopper....

This urn is overflowing with fruit, berries, twigs, magnolia leaves, pine cones, faux greens, faux berries, faux apples and more and I love it!!!

5th And State

If any of these beautiful ChristmasTime planters inspire you to create your own, Debra's 5th And State Winter Urn Tutorial is brimming with even more creative ideas and detailed instructions.

With Debra's detailed and easy to follow instructions, I selected these elements to incorporate in my containers.

Materials

Long needle pine

Douglas fir

Eronymous

Birch Sticks

Boxwood
Plastic Holly Berries

I was lucky to find a pre-wrapped selection of greens at Home Depot.  The boxwood and spruce came from my garden and the birch sticks from Michaels.

Finding plastic berries to for outdoor use was more difficult. I wanted plastic because most berries now sold at craft stores are made of styrofoam and they explode in the cold. I finally located plastic holly branches at Walmart.  I stripped them of their leaves and voila.....I'm really happy with the pop of red they provide.

I chose to include the vertical elements of birch and different textures and colors of greenery along with my red berries.  Here they are with accents of Max and lights for my ChristmasTime containers at night!!!

What are you planning for your outdoor decor? I'd love to hear from you.

Let me know what you think...

Heather

And The Winners Are!!!

Thank you to each and everyone of you who posted comments on the Camouflage Giveaway.

Larissa Hill Designs

This was a very difficult decision and the winner is......

Shelley of Piggy In PolkaDots!!!

This is what Shelley wrote,

"This is the sweetest!! I would never have thought to put a wreath together like this. Very cute! It is kind of surreal that I am finding this post on the Creative Me Linky party today because today is my sister's husband's first birthday since he passed away serving in January. They have a precious 3 year old son together. He was 2 when his daddy passed away... just a couple of weeks before his 3rd birthday. This wreath would be really special to them. I am sure my sister would hang it in her son's room or on his door all year long. It has been a tough year for them but she has been so strong and positive. Let me give you the link to a Facebook page she made for her husband whom passed:"

http://www.facebook.com/InMemoryOfEodTaylorJGallant

I hope the wreath brings Shelley's sister, Christie and her son some joy at this difficult time.

I am also awarding my DIY wreath, Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My to Melissa at The HappierHomemaker who is "collecting donations to go towards raffle prizes for a military family Holiday event at Fort Bragg."  Good luck with your Military Family raffle!!!

Wishing all military families a holiday filled with much love and happiness.

Let me know what you think...

Heather

ChristmasTime Mantels!!!

The very first area I decorate for the holidays is always my fireplace mantel. My mantel is most often overflowing with real and faux greens, faux fruits, pine cones, hurricanes and of course, our family Christmas stockings.

SO, since I am NOT decorating this year, I thought I'd share some inspiration from a few of my favorite home decor magazines that are brimming with mantel ideas for the holidays. I absolutely love Midwest Living sharing 48 Gorgeous Holiday Mantels, Southern Living has Dressed- Up Christmas Mantels, Better Homes & Gardens shares Pretty Christmas Mantel Decorating Ideas and finally, Traditional Home is Decorating Holiday Mantels.  Here are my favorite ChristmasTime Mantels....

Southern Living

loftandcottage

bhg.com

distroarchitecture.com

MidWest Living

Traditional Home

Holly Mathis Interiors

For more inspiration, visit Larissa Hill Designs Pinterest Christmas Mantels!!!

Let me know what you think....

Heather

ChristmasTime Cake Pops!!!

Last year at ChristmasTime, my darling daughter prepared the most beautiful and delicious cake pops. I surfed high and low in the bloggersphere to find cake pops that looked just as divine and as tasty!!!

Larissa Hill Designs

So, here they are....

The UK BBC GOOD FOOD delivers triple-tested recipes via the GOOD FOOD Magazine, the BBC GOOD FOOD blog and on the GOOD FOOD Channel.  The holly inspired Christmas Pudding Cake Pops are a "fantastic festive treat for kids and make an impressive centerpiece".

BBCGoodFood.com

BBC GOOD FOOD's  Christmas Brownie Lollipops are a fudgy ChristmasTime treat! 

BBCGoodFood.com

The Wedding Cake Blog features Christmas Cake Pops decorated in snowflakes, snowmen and other winter-themed designs.

The Wedding Cake Blog

And you have to visit The Cake Bomb dedicated to all things Cake Pops...

 

Stop by Bakerella, as "Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!" to get very detailed directions and recipes for these delightful and super cute Ho Ho Ho Santa Hats, Reindeer Pops and Oh, Christmas Trees!

  

And while at Bakerella, make sure to take a minute to see why Betty Crocker says that "No one does cake pops better than blogger and best-selling cookbook author Bakerella." Her whimsical and fanciful Betty 10 Snowman Cake Pops are perfect!!!

Betty Crocker

I'd love for you to share your cake pop secrets and pictures.

Let me know what you think...

Heather

More Cheers!!!

As a young girl, I remember my father making homemade Eggnog every Christmas.  It was one of my favorite things about ChristmasTime!!!  He used real eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and milk.

So, I set out to find the best Eggnog recipes on the web to share with you.

From Tiffany @ The Gracious Pantry, we have a Clean Eating Eggnog version of this traditional English drink. It's not only low in fat but it's also clean of all the processed sugar and additives you find in the store bought eggnog.

Epicurean Mom, Katie delivers a rich, spiced 'cooked' eggnog which she prepares with par-cooked eggs and lots of spices.  Delish!!!

Epicurean Mom

Martha Stewart provides us a true twist on tradition with her Eggnog Martini. "Spreading good cheer is easy -- greet guests with brandied eggnog" 

Martha Stewart

Erica Lea from Cooking for Seven shares her Homemade Eggnog 'custard' version for us to enjoy.

Cooking for Seven

Finally, I found The Best Eggnog Ever by Jen Altman of Nectar and Light which was featured at Design Sponge.

Nectar and Light

I know my father would have enjoyed all of these!!!

Let me know what you think....

Heather