Christmas Tags

I know I have not posted in a long time, but there just hasn't really been any free time to post anything.

Meet Aki! She is the latest addition to the family, and has stolen her big brother Katsu's heart. These two spend hours playing and getting into mischief. This is a rare quiet Kai moment caught on film.

I did put together a little Christmas project this past week during all the hustle and bustle of the Holiday. I found myself staring down an aisle of sparkly, glittery, shiny Christmas wrap, ribbons, tags and bows and I decided I hated all of it. I miss simple, cute with some thought put into it. I made the decision that next year gifts will come in holiday themed kraft paper with colored jute ties...you know the song "brown paper packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things"...Well I decided I wanted something in the way of a gift tag that would match the feel of the packages I see in my head for next year (not exactly sugar plums, but you get the idea). I searched on Etsy for the perfect little Christmas tags and found them. Then I searched some more shops and found a small little stamp to stamp the backs to and from...works perfect!

Aren't these the cutest little tags? They came with the little ties as well, or you can get them without the ties and get your own colored bakers twine for the tags.

I found the little stamp on Etsy as well. The ink pad I had from other projects.

See how cute those are. Simple, easy and fun to do.

Wishing one and all a Very Merry Christmas.

Odds and Ends

I have been busy, but I am pretty sure everyone else out there is busy to. This is the month of madness. The month where we spend to much time energy and money busily trying to get that one thing or trying to get from place to place in record time...honestly certain aspects of this holiday I hate. I want simpler, quieter and calmer moments. Time to reflect, time to relax, to be able to enjoy the moments with family and friends. I keep telling myself that next year things will be different...I will find the time for all the quiet things...sigh.

The tree is up and this morning I wrapped and put the first of few gifts under it. For some people it is the amounts of gifts under the tree. This years gift for me is four-legged and healthy, and that is all I really care about this year. Shockingly, the chupacabra a.k.a. Katsu is ignoring the tree and it's many wonderful glass and hand beaded ornaments...so far not one casualty. (Side note the tortie kitten in the house (Willow, Bean or Willowbean) has decided to play the role of "The Grinch" this year by stealing Christmas and running off with every single bow I just stuck to every single package...Oye!).

I had my Christmas cards done, addressed and in the mail the first week of December. I am very proud of myself for that. I send out about 30+ card per year, and I never seem to get more than a handful from family and friends. Christmas cards are a old time tradition that I love to do. I love getting cards in the mail it puts a smile on my face and I like to think that my cards put a little smile on friends and family faces as well.

One more note about Thanksgiving and pie...I love pie, and one of my favorite is pumpkin pie. We have it every Thanksgiving, and maybe once or twice before and after Turkey Day. One of the reasons my pumpkin pie is so good is the love I bake into it...o.k. maybe it is a little more than love...haha.

First you start with some lovely pie pumpkins and a sharp knife.

Cut them down into manageable chuncks.

Use that handy dandy tool that you used when making Jack O Lanterns way back in October...if you can find it...check the junk drawer in the kitchen...under the unwound roll of dog poop bags...that is where you will find it. Scrap out the goop you don't want. Peel the skin from the pumpkin with a sturdy vegetable peeler.

Steam those big chunks of pumpkin until nice and tender.

What a gorgeous color!

Then puree the pumpkin in your food processor until you get a nice smooth consistency. Then after the pumpkin cools completely measure it out (It takes a cup of pumpkin for an 8 in. pie) and place in containers to freeze and use later.

Well the next step in making merry around here will be putting the finishing touches on on the gifts...if Willow ,the Krampus's handmaiden, will let me, and making the Christmas cookies for home and work. I have selected the three that I will be making so things should go smoothly.

K.B. shopping yesterday was fun always is, and we will have to do it again after the holiday madness subsides...Jan 25th...hehe. Lets start with Donuts...you know where.