Monday, December 20, 2010

Christmas on the Cheap

Here are a few of the ways I've been gettin' crafty with it this week.  I cannot take credit for any of these ideas.  Props to Martha Stewart Magazine and the next best thing to Martha...my friend Jami.


We're on a tight budget this year, so I had to get a little creative with some of my gifts.  To take the sting out of a lame $10 gift card, I added some local Olive Sinclair Chocolate and then wrapped it like a snowman just using white printer paper, markers and some ribbon.  





At the Dollar Tree, you can find silver platters for $1.  Add some chalkboard paint, and ribbon, and you have a very cool chalkboard sign, display, menu, or whatever you want it to be.





Ribbon is 50% off at Hobby Lobby this week.  So are these little plate stands.  They are only $2.50!  Then you can decide to hang it or display it on the rack.  The ribbon just folds down and hides behind it.



I love to have a little something to give friends when we visit during the holidays or as a hostess gifts.  Martha Washington Bon Bons have become an annual tradition for me.  I completely overdosed on the filling 2 years ago, and now I can make hundreds without even being tempted to try one.  But other people rave about them!  And they're just pretty.




Martha Washington Bon Bons
Filling:  Mix and chill overnight
2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
2 cups flaked coconut
1 stick of butter (melted) - add another 1/2 stick if mixture is dry
3 cups finely chopped pecans


Dipping Chocolate: Melt in a double boiler
1 cake paraffin wax (can be found in the canning aisle at the grocery store)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips 
add more chocolate if mixture is too thin, add more wax if mixture is too thick




Dip in chocolate using a toothpick and let dry on wax paper. Drizzle chocolate to cover toothpick holes.

 Place in candy cups, wrap and add a cute tag and ribbon. 




Merry Christmas!!


Saturday, December 18, 2010

Tacky Lights!

Last night, I was searching for Nashville neighborhoods with the best Christmas lights and stumbled upon this site called TackyLightTour.com.  We found not one...but two houses in Franklin that had an insane amount of lights. Each house also had their own radio station and the lights flashed in time with the music.  It was like finding the "Glee" of Christmas Lights!  Oh, how I love choreography!






Friday, December 10, 2010

Tender Tennessee Christmas


This is my all time favorite Christmas Album...next to the Carpenter's "A Christmas Portrait".  I like all things cheesy and sentimental at Christmas time.

Tonight I got to hear...


Well they say in  L.A., it's a warm holiday, it's the only place to be...
But a Tender Tennessee Christmas, is the only Christmas for me.  


sung live by Amy Grant at Lipscomb University's Lighting of the Green Concert.  A perfect Nashville moment.



2010 Amy is still as hot as 1983!  :)  

Monday, December 6, 2010

Praise Jesus I have AAA.

Just in case you're wondering...

If you have a 2002 Honda Accord, and you want to warm it up because it's 13 degrees outside, so you turn the heat on full blast and lock the keys in the car (on purpose) because you have an extra keyless entry thingy and it should be no problem to use it to get back in the car, you will be extremely frustrated and panicked when you go out to unlock it because someone at Honda had the bright idea to create a safety mechanism that will NOT LET IT WORK!  And, your husband might be out of town with the extra set of keys, so you'll have to call AAA who will argue with you about your current address and you will tell them that you will update your address just as soon as you have a car that isn't running with the keys in it. Then you will wait over an hour for a very nice locksmith to come and take .5 seconds to open it for you.  And you'll be very late to work. Just in case you're wondering.  :)