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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Merry Advent!

Its the first day of ADVENT today:-) Hooray!
YES, I do know it is a little early, but I have started the tradition of putting up all of our Christmas Decor the day after Thanksgiving. This all stemmed from my American In-laws, and I was a totally strict on when we should put our tree and things up; the first week or two of December.BUT...THAN I saw how cute and excited they all got, and well, I joined them (because of jealousy, I was like "Hey I want to do that too, they are so Happy"! And now I am Happy too!! :-) Lol)
Here is what I have been busy with this weekend. We have a little apartment that we live in. Well it is more like a condo. We want to build our Dream Home someday, but until than this is home. Our living room is SUPER, I mean SUPER narrow. Not even room for a coffee table so a big old Christmas tree just doesn't fit. (Oh Coffee table how I long for you to be part of my life someday!) We use instead these 3 small skinny trees.  They work and are super cute, plus when we do move I can use them as my front porch lighted trees:-) 





Next is my makeshift Mantle. No I dont have a fireplace, BUT I I have used this cute bookcase that I redid this summer instead as my focal point. And OHHH HOW I LOVE IT!  I really cant wait to have a real mantle with this antique cream color. Divine! :-) 
Who needs a mantle ANYWAYS, hehehe! No really, I want one, but right now this will do:-) A girl can dream right? :-)
And now last but not least my homemade ADVENT WREATH. I am sure you have heard of the ADVENT CALENDARS, but the WREATH is also something we do in Denmark as a special tradition. Here is the definition of what it is all about;


The Advent wreath, or Advent crown, is a Christian tradition that symbolizes the passage of the four weeks of Advent in the liturgical calendar of the Western church. It is usually a horizontal evergreen wreath with four candles. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading and prayers. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are lit. Some Advent wreaths include a fifth, "Christ" candle which can be lit at Christmas. The custom is observed both in family settings and at public church services.

And here is mine!; We add singing Christmas carols too when we light ours. So "HYGGELIGHT" =danish word for Cozy.
Well there u have it! Oh and if u want me to post a "how to" on the Advent wreath I would be more than happy to do so, I just get so busy around here with my kiddies and my growing photography business, I forget when I am creating to write and photograph for a tutorial as I go. BUT I would love to share if anyone wants:-)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!


SUPER SOFT GINGER SNAPS; my Favorite

I have two favorite cookies: Oatmeal Raisin and of course Chocolate chip. But I think that these are a good contender for either of those! Soft Gingersnap Cookies. I saw this recipe on TV the other day and simply had to try them. HOME RUN, there were THE BEST!

Ok, let me say it again....;"Oh my goodness, these are GOOD"! I absolutely love the molasses cookies you can buy in the store, but these homemade soft gingersnaps are even better! One must try these :-) My little 3 yr old could not stop sneaking her little hands into the cookies jar for the next few days, until they were all gone!

And best of all they are a "Snap" to make!
I think that perhaps next time I make these I will add a bit more ginger, to give it a little "kick" and than perhaps Bella will stay away from my cookies;-)



Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 c. corn oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 c. molasses
  • 2 cups + 2 T. flour
  • 2 t. baking soda
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • 1 t. cinnamon
  • 1/2 t. salt
Method:

Combine butter and oil in mixer bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg, sugar and molasses. Sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt together. Add to the egg mixture to form a dough.

Roll into 1" balls and coat with additional sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until puffed. Cook on the cookie sheet for several minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen.

Recipe from the Junior League of Salt Lake City's Always in Season Cookbook featured on Studio 5 KSL

Monday, November 22, 2010

Ready~ Set~ GO!

I am just anxiously awaiting for Friday, so I can start putting up my Christmas Decor! More to come soon:-)...No I will not be shopping....I value my life too much! :-) Will be doing a bit shopping ONLINE though, with a cup of Hot cocoa, and in my PJ's:-)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Simple Fall Decor~ Very simple

~Simple small REAL pumpkins~

The other day I took my babies out for a "Nature" outing. I wanted to check out a new photo shoot location, a nearby park. We started gathering all the bright colored leaves and a few pinecones and took them home. Pulled out an old Harvest Figurine that I had,  added a few nuts to the ensemble and now, presto, we have our fall decor! All natural...all FREE! lol! And kind of Pottery Barnish'. So there you have it, a fall decor idea! So easy, so fun!
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