Christmas Countdown

Christmas is just around the corner. Am I ready? No.
Shopping just about done.
Did more on line shopping as I could find what family wanted easier that way then wandering for miles in the malls going from store to store and getting frustrated.
Christmas cards to be made, they are cut out and planned just have to put together and have Xmas gift tags to make . Tags are more relaxing to make.
Baking yet to do, tho not as much as other years. Have a couple of new recipes I will be trying and some old favourites that I just have to make. Christmas decorating has started.
Swag is on the front door and a tall wooden snowman greets visitors there too. Dickens Village is up and some other Christmas touches are sprinkled throughout the house . Have decided to put up a small tree this year instead of the big one .......

Don't really want snow but think a sprinkling would put me more into the Chrstmas mode, feeling rather Grinchy this season so far..

Seed Catalogues

With the coming of winter wonderful seed catalogues come in the mail... So even tho spring is a long way off I dream of all the new flowers to plant....the bright blue skies......... the warm sweet smelling spring air...
Here are 2 of my favourite Canadian catalogues.


Do you have favs?

LRW # 56 Basic Grey

This week's Challenge at LRW , use Basic Grey paper.
Last summer I bought some of these lovely papers a set called Cappella.
With Christmas just around the corner I have been making gift card holders.
Here is my Xmas one using Anne Griffin paper .

Outside view with band.

Here is my Basic Grey one using Cappella more of a year round gift card holder. Inside

Outside with band
The tutorial for this card holder is at Stamp Tv.

A Winter Poem for Canadians

Fall is just about over in this part of the country. Had a couple of weeks of mild temps days of 15 C and nights above 0. We have seen some snow in the air but no accumulation. The western province's have been freezing, British Columbia has had lots of snow already, so rare for them, the east coast has been mild as has Ontario..
Still Winter is just around the corner and we certainly need to keep a sense of humour about it.

WINTER POEM
It's winter in Canada!
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.
Oh, how I love Canada
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Canada
I'm frozen to the ground

Did I bring a smile?

LRW #55 Banners

The challenge this week is banners at Little Red Wagon.
Here is the Joy seasonal banner I have made.

I followed a tutorial at Splitcoast stampers.
This is the close up of one of the banners.
Used Martha Stewart glitter on the alphabet letters.
Cording is attached to the top of the banners. Accented with gold white and silver ribbon between the banners, not 100% happy with the ribbon accents and may find nicer ribbon; little glittered stars from Michael's hang from the bottom of each banner...The paper I used is some Anne Griffin Xmas cardstock pack from last year. .

Cold Apple Soup

For the November Red Hats outing we were entertained at Abigail's B and B, a Victorian home. We played whist an old fashioned card game similar to euchre or bridge. The hostess then served us a High Tea. Lovely little ham sandwiches, hickory smoked cheddar cheese, carrot cake, spice cake, chocolate tea cakes and a wonderful cold apple soup. This soup has a wonderful appley taste, rich and creamy. Would make a delightful brunch soup or ladies who lunch treat. The hostess shared the recipe and I had to pass it on.
Perhaps some would say Waiter my soup is cold!
I say try it...

Four large apples, peeled, cored, and cut into a large dice.
3/4 cup good white wine(used a chardonnay)
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup sugar
Half a cinnamon stick
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
Fresh Lemon juice 2 TBSP.
Bring the apples, wine, apple juice, sugar and cinnamon stick to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.
Discard the cinnamon.
Puree the soup in a blender, whisk the sour cream and heavy cream together .
Check for consistency and sweetness. If the soup is too thick, thin it with a little more apple juice . If soup seems too sweet add tiny bit of water.
Chill to blend flavours.
Serves 4-6
This soup is a nice appetizer to start a meal...or ending as a dessert.

Christmas Cactus

For Bloomin Tuesday

The only plant still flowering in November , is the misnamed Christmas Cactus that routinely flowers this month . This year the blooms are opening on the one side, the other side is still forming buds. Should have a very long blooming cactus ..something pretty to look at for several weeks..

Been Gallivanting!

This has been a busy week..
I wonder how I ever found the time to work, life as a retiree is jam packed..
Spent 2 days in Michigan with my daughter Sherry. We explored Utica, Sterling Heights and Auburn Hills, okay the reality is, we spent alot of time in malls and stores. We did get some Christmas shopping done.

Spoiled ourselves with a suite of rooms,
nice to have a lounging area separate from the bedrooms.
Relaxing with coffee planning our attack for the day.


What a treat, someone else to make breakfasts and suppers, make the beds, clean up ......


Did we get all our Christmas shopping done?
No! Oh , but we did manage to get just a few things for ourselves as compensation.
Home one day, then Festival by the Bay is on this weekend, craft dealers and local stores holding open houses for the holiday season. So girlfriend Carol and I did a mini tour to see what we could find. One of the most quaint stops we found is the Wood Shed set back in a wood lot.
Lots of bird feeders ,
bird houses , love the moss, what bird wouldn't love to live in this one?
old chairs ,
trunks, and my fav a Charlie Brown Christmas tree
Did we get much? A few little items , actually a couple more Christmas presents.
Note the date squares, yes, there was home baking for sale that we could absolutely not pass up.
A busy but fun week!

Little Red Wagon Challenge - 3's.

3 of anything is the challenge this week.

Used the Aviary stamp set from Stampin UP. Love the vintage style bird cages.

Lest We Forget!

Bloomin Tuesday!

We have had a killing hard frost here and the final tender annuals are done.
Poor dwarf Marigolds. They certainly lasted a long time .
Lovely red leaves on the Chinese azalea add a nice brightness to the side garden.

Cheery still are the flowering kale.

Tho the sunflowers plants are gone, the seed heads I've tied up on the arbour and the birds are happily enjoying.

?

Will this be the last windy sunny day I can hang out my sheets before the winter sets in?

Apple Cinnamon Scones.

On a grey drizzly cold November day needed a little treat to warm me up. Something yummy to go with a cup of tea. Decided to try again to make a light fluffy scone....Had some spy apples to use up. Love cinnamon. Found a recipe at Foodland Ontario..adjusted it to suit me , left out the walnuts tho they would be good just did not have them in the cupboard, added more cinnamon..

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
2-1/4 cups diced Apples, peeled if desired (3 medium Cortland or McIntosh apples)
3/4 cup ( sour cream
1 egg
In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Stir in apples .
In small bowl, using a fork, stir sour cream and egg until well mixed. Stir into flour mixture to form smooth, soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead 8 times.Shape into 9-inch (23 cm) circle.
Cut into 6 wedges Brushed top with some melted butter.
Bake in 400°F (200°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Enjoyed mine with some homemade peach jam my Mother made but they would be equally good with butter, cream cheese even apple butter.

LRW #53 - Red

Congrats to Little Red Wagon they are celebrating their 1 year blog anniversary.
A celebratory challenge this week is using the colour "Red".
What goes with a party ?
"Ice cream."
Here is the card I made to help celebrate.
Used Rose Red/So Saffron SU papers.

Bloomin Tuesday! in November?

It is getting to be quite the challenge to find anything blooming in my Canadian garden at this time of the year.So out I went with my camera to find something of interest.
Shady's seeds she shared with me, are in the ground and under my version of a green house. So hope I get some germination.

I received a gift on my birthday from Louise my neighbour , crocus. In the ground they have gone.

Will look forward to a lovely early spring surprise in 2011, wonder if I will get all the colours shown on the package..
So what is flowering?


Icicle pansies planted a couple of weeks ago have settled in very happily and tho I took off all the flowers and buds when planted they have come on with lots of blooms . Find pansies so cheery.... placed them just outside the dining room patio doors so can enjoy them thru the winter.
Whatever will I find to post next week?