Craft events offer lots of gift ideas

Craft fairs

Some are hosted by churches, local community centers and others in peoples homes.

A friend of mine, Barb St Laurent has held her own event for about the last 15 years. Barb started with a few of her close friends making crafts for Christmas. Word spread quickly, if you where looking for something out of the ordinary you should visit the "Among Friends Christmas Fair".

Each year the event grew and grew and the friends would meet earlier each year to get ready for their big event.
They now rent a local hall for a week and transform it into a awesome winter wonderland. The husbands end up making arches and trellises for display purposes and are as tallented as their wifes.

Here are some of the gifts you would be able to find ;

• folk art crafts
• stained glass sun-catchers
• 4-5 ft tall old world Santa's
• Snowman in various sizes
• quilts
• floral center pieces
• hand-made Christmas cards
• hand-made soap
• Angels in all sizes
• hand painted glass- ware
• hand painted dishes
• ornaments
• jewelery
• chocolate
• Christmas baking
• dog treats

You would always be offered a cup of coffee or tea and cookies.

Barb has a newly expanded shop, " In the Company of Friends" and she is located in Cloverdale, B.C. This year there are more glittery treasures to add extra cheer to your home

Throughout December you will find lots of craft events and you be hard pressed to go to all. At most of the craft events you would be able to pick something up for your child's teacher that would not break the bank. For the hard to please, there is no better place to look.

Tennessee Christmas

Come on, weather man, give us a forecast snowy white
Can't you hear the prayers of every childlike heart tonight
Rockies are calling, Denver snow falling
Somebody said it's four feet deep
But it doesn't matter, give me the laughter
I'm gonna choose to keep.
Another tender Tennessee Christmas
The only Christmas for me

Where the love circles around us
Like the gifts around our tree
Well, I know there's more snow up in Colorado
Than my roof will ever see
But a tender Tennessee Christmas
is the only Christmas for me.

Every now and then I get a wandering urge to see
Maybe California, maybe Tinsel Town's for me
There's a parade there, we'd have it made there
Bring home a tan for New Year's Eve
Sure sounds inviting, awfully exciting
Still I think I'm gonna keep.

Another tender Tennessee Christmas The only Christmas for me
Where the love circles around us
Like the gifts around our tree
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.

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

What smells more like Christmas than gingerbread men baking in the oven?

The tradition of baking a Gingerbread house began in Germany. After the Grimm brothers published their famous story of Hansel and Gretel, the children where left to starve in the forest, who came upon a house made of bread and sugar decorations.
Early settlers from Northern Europe brought the gingerbread tradition to the North America.

Make Your Own Gingerbread House

There are hundreds of Gingerbread recipes online that you can make to create a very tasty, edible house. Small children have a lot of fun making their own Gingerbread House and Man


The Pattern
Cut from paper the following:
Roof: 2 rectangles, 7 inches by 11 inches Side walls: 2 rectangles, 5"x8"Front and Back: base 5", total height 9".
Cut door from front.
/\ /\ -
/ \ / \ 4 inches
/ \ / \ _

_ 5 inches

____ ______ _

--5"-- --5"--
Chimney: (optional) 1" wide. _ _ _ _

_
/ \
_ / \
Front Back Side1 Side2
2.5" tall 1.5" tall

Attach the sides with icing sugar or frosting, follow with the roof.
You can pipe icing into the cracks with a cake decorator or with a plastic bag filled with icing. Use your imagination to create windows and doors with different shaped and colored candies.
base that looks like snow.

Enjoy and have fun!

A Christmas classic
Ingredients
1 stick butter - softened (1 stick of butter = 1/2 cup or 1/4 pound.)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg yolk
2 cups all purpose flour
candies and colored frosting for decorating

Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl mix until creamy and smooth. Beat in ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, allspice and baking soda until blended. Beat in molasses and yolk.
On low speed, beat in flour. Divide dough in half, wrap and chill until firm.

Heat oven to 350F.
Roll half the dough at a time on a well floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters.
Transfer with spatula to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

For those who have no time to bake, there are wonderful pre-made Gingerbread Houses, Trains and People.

All you do is decorate them:)

Our Christmas Tree

While my American family and friends are busy getting ready for their Thanks Giving, my grandchildren are badgering me to please may we put up the Christmas Tree!

Well it is a little early to be putting up a Christmas tree, but who can deny their grandchildren such a simple request.

So today while the sun was brightly shinning and the temperature was around 12 C, I was getting our Christmas tree out of storage. With the help from our Hannah, whom is 6 1/2 and our Myles whom is 3 1/2 we brought the tree and all the ornaments upstairs.

Hannah was wanting to put the village up, well we got it upstairs but not yet in it's final place, all ornaments, houses and little people litter my living room floor. I have been collecting Christmas treasures for quite some time. ( more about that later)

For the time being Myles is just so very happy that we got all those Christmas treasures out of the basement, although his main objective was the Christmas Train. Hannah was helping to put the tree up, then she helped putting the track down.

There you have it, ours must be the first Christmas tree up. It is certainly the earliest that a Christmas tree ever graced our living room. Hannah and Myles both are trilled to have it ready for them to decorate tomorrow. For now they are happy with the Train.

I know that we will have a lot of fun getting our Christmas Tree ready, my theme this year is any thing goes and this for sure is going to be the best dressed tree in town.

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree,O Christmas Tree,
How steadfast are your branches!
Your boughs are green in summer's clime
And through the snows of wintertime.
O Christmas Tree,
O Christmas Tree,
How steadfast are your branches!

Christmas in Holland

Vrolijk Kerstfeest! (Merry Christmas)

What is most important to us during the holidays? To me, it's the traditions. Traditions that were started in my family and traditions that were started in my own family, after I got married. Every country and family has it's own traditions... mine are based on growing up in my native country, the Netherlands.

Christmas celebrations in Holland begin on the last Saturday of November, when Sinterklaas ( Saint Nicholas) arrives via a steam ship from Spain. Children crowding into the harbor in Rotterdam for a glimpse of the ship carrying Sint Nicholaas, zwarte Piet ( black Peter) and their gifts. We now take our grand children to the New Westminster quay (in BC) to greet Sinterklaas.

Dutch Christmas traditions have melded political ideology, folklore, religion and legend into the holiday symbol of Saint Nicholas. In Holland, Sinterklaas is depicted as a tall, slender man wearing a red bishop’s robe and tall bishop’s hat. He carries a bishop’s miter and rides a white horse. His helper, Black Peter, who is garbed in the Renaissance fashion of puffed velvet breeches, rides alongside Saint Nicholas on a mule, his face covered in soot.

We received our presents and sugar candy on Dec 5th, from Sinterklaas.
Zwarte Piet would jump from roof to roof, sliding up and down chimneys, leaving gifts in the little wooden shoes left by the hearth.
Children would sing Sinterklaas songs and fill their shoes with hay and carrots for Sint Nicholaas’s horse and Black Peter’s mule.

Christmas was purely a family holiday. We had a tree, first with real candles, later with colored lights that my parents seem to have forever, they never broke, candy wreaths and beautiful shaped ornaments.
On Christmas Day we would have (and still have) a delicious breakfast with a Kerststol, ( fruit and almond paste bread) evening, as soon as it was dark, we would turn off all the lights ... lit lots of candles and we would have a candle-light dinner. My mom with the help from my Dad would make the turkey and all the trimmings.

In Holland we also have a 2de Kerstdag (Second Christmas day = Boxing day). We would go visit family and in the evening enjoy another wonderful candle-light meal... usual with a delicious "rollade" (rolled pork) and turkey left-overs. My memories of Christmas are of a warm and "gezellig" cozy holiday. When I married my husband we made our own traditions, we have adopted the tradition of hanging stockings and gift giving on Christmas morning.

Sinterklaas still sends us a chocolate letter and presents every year. We still have our delicious breakfast and candle-light Christmas dinner, and the table has some extra decorations...Crackers. That's still our Christmas today... a blend of traditions from our youth, countries and new country. Vrolijk Kerstfeest! - Merry Christmas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling,
and everyone telling you,
"Be of good cheer,"
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

There'll be parties for hosting,
marshmallows for toasting and
caroling out in the snow.
there'll be scary ghost stories and
tales of the glories of Christmases
long, long ago.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be much mistletoeing
and hearts will be glowing,
when loved ones are near.
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Basic Salt Dough Paste Recipe

The art of making your creations.

Using salt dough is a popular way to make Christmas ornaments and is fun for all the family the only requirements needed to get started are flour, salt, water and basic equipment found in the kitchen
These include:A bowl to mix your dough
A rolling pin for producing smooth sheets of dough
A grater for making decorative imprints on your dough
A garlic press for making strands for hair and foliage
Toothpicks or a small pointed knife for cutting and indenting details
An assortment of pastry cutters and moulds for decorative shapes found at any kitchenware outlet.

To make salt dough Christmas ornaments, the following recipe is a good all round recipe for most art projects.

2 Cups of Plain Flour (not self-raising)
1 cup Fine grained plain salt
1/2 cup water at room temperature

Method

Mix the salt and flour in a large bowl and then add the water. Knead the mixture for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover with cling wrap to stop the dough drying out and let the dough sit for 30 minutes before using.

Salt Dough Christmas Creations

Fresh dough is best for shaping your Christmas ornaments. However, if you find you have any leftover dough it can be wrapped in cling wrap or an airtight container and stored in a cool place for a few days

For flat or rolled projects it is best to roll out the dough straight onto a baking sheet then it can be put straight into the oven.

Models or larger pieces can be assembled on a piece of hardboard that has been oiled with vegetable oil to prevent it sticking to the board

When finished and happy with your results you have a choice of Air Drying or baking your project in the oven. Making sure that your projects are correctly dried ensures they will last a long time so it is important that this is not hurried

Air drying is suitable for flat, small pieces or for colored pieces where baking will alter the color of the finished project.

Oven drying is the most popular method and requires careful attention to accurate temperature control to avoid burning. Bake for approx 2 hours using a low temperature setting 150 -200 F for the first half hour then increase temperature slowly to 225 - 350 F and cook until the piece is uniform in color.

While baking if any air bubbles appear pierce the bubbles with a pin and gently depress the dough. If the dough starts to darken before cooking is complete cover with a piece of aluminum foil

The dough is cooked when it hard and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn the oven off and leave in oven until cool.

Any burns can be sand-papered off with fine to medium grade sandpaper. An Emery board or small file can be used for delicate or intricate sanding on objects.

Your finished projects can be left unpainted but they must be sealed on all sides (including underneath) with varnish, gloss or matt, for protection otherwise they will not last long when exposed to air.

When thoroughly dry sand any imperfections. At this stage you can paint your projects then seal with a final coat of varnish.

Brightly colored pieces will look more vibrant painted with a glossy finish and neutral muted colors are suited to a matt finish.

Using a polyurethane varnish on food colored models instead of water-based varnish helps to intensify the color.

Christmas is coming

With the elections out of the way, we can concentrate on the American Thanksgiving. Here in Canada we have had our Thanksgiving already.

For me it is time to think about Christmas . I love Christmas and can not help myself to buy something new each year. It does not have to cost to much, such as a new Ornament and that is a great way to remember some special occasions. Although I have some very old ornaments handed down to me from my parents, others where collected from different places. Each in its own way is special to me. Christmas is a real fun time in our home. The children are all excited about when we should put up the Christmas tree and are making their Christmas gift list already.

I think that we will set up a Christmas train this year. Our little ( grand) guy is going on 4 years old, so what do you think? Will he leave the train alone?
Well I certainly hope so!

For all of you who enjoy baking you know that now is the perfect time to make your Christmas Cake. Generally speaking , I do not like baking all that much, however must admit that I do enjoy making a few different Christmas Cakes. There is just something about Christmas Cakes I findNot only that I so love the smell of baking.
The following is one of the family's favorite. This Christmas Cake recipe it originated in Italy.

Sienna Christmas Cake,
Makes one 18x15 in (or 45x38 cm)
cake ingredients; 6 1/2 oz (200 g) blanched almonds; 3 1/2 oz (100 g) hazelnuts, roasted; 3 1/2 oz (100 g) glaze citron; 3 1/2 oz (100 g) glazed pumpkin; 3 1/2 oz (100 g) glace melon peel; 3 1/2 oz (100 g) dried figs; 5 oz (155 g) walnuts; 1 oz (30 g) sweetened cocoa; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 cup (4 oz) honey; 1 cup ( 5 oz ) powdered sugar; 2 sheets of rice paper.
Finely chop all ingredients up to and including the walnuts. Put them into a bowl and add the cocoa, half of the cinnamon and the pumpkin pie spice. Mix well together.
Put the honey and all but a tablespoon of the powdered sugar into a saucepan. Heat and stir constantly until a drop of the mixture solidifies in contact with cold water. Remove from the heat and add the nut-fruit mixture. Mix together well.
Line the bottom of a shallow 18 x 15 in (45 x 38 cm) baking dish with one of the sheets of rice paper and pour the mixture on top of it. Cover with the other sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 F (180 C) for 30 minutes. remove from the oven, cool, unmold and sprinkle with the remaining powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Do not serve until the next day. With a sharp knife, cut into bite size pieces. Note: If glace pumpkin and melon seeds are not available, use other glaze fruits such as peaches or pineapple.
Enjoy!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas ,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days,
happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
gather near to us once more.
Through the years we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.