Winter Snowflakes

Kids Craft: Winter Snowflakes

Using snowflakes and garland to decorate is not only for the holiday season, it can also be for the entire Winter season. Every year, for the past three, this family has made snowflakes out of construction or computer paper and used thread or garland and thumb tacks to hang them throughout the house. It is amazing how something as simple as snowflakes and garland can bring such joy, not only to the kids but in terms of decorating and budgeting.

Materials:

• Strings of garland (as low as $1 at Wal-Mart and Dollar Tree)
• Colored Construction Paper (a booklet for $2.49-$3.00 depending on store)
• Thread or Wrapping Ribbon
• 1 bag/box of Tacks
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Follow Instructions on how to cut snowflakes at the following site: Snowflakes
2. String the garland throughout a room, using thumb tacks to secure to ceiling.
3. Cut six inch ribbon pieces at loop through one of the holes in the snowflakes. Tie onto the garland in any pattern desired.

This is fun, easy, inexpensive, and can even be done on a snow day. The best part is, it can be used as a Christmas decoration in the kid's rooms and left up throughout the winter! Happy Holidays Everyone!

Fudge Cookies

Fudge Cookies

Theses cookies are the result of fudge that decided not to set properly. After making the Kraft Jarred Marshmallow recipe with semi-sweet morsels instead of the stated Baker's Chocolate Bars, the fudge did not want to set, but it tasted like Hot Chocolate. Delicious!!! Instead of throwing it out, this batch of fudge was transformed, melted slightly, and turned into delicious Hot Chocolate Fudge Cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups, softened Fudge
• 2 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Soften fudge in the microwave on high for about 30 seconds, set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Pour the fudge into a mixer, mix on low to medium for 30 seconds, till creamy, add the flour mixture until firm (like cookie dough).
5. Spray a cookie sheet with baking spray or line with parchment paper.
6. Place 1-2 inch balls onto the cookie sheet, cook 17-20 minutes.
7. Let sit for about 5 minutes, remove from sheet using a spatula, place on a plate or tray and enjoy!

These turned out to be a favorite this year with the kids. What was a lost cause, in terms of fudge, became a great save for mom! Woohoo! Merry Christmas and enjoy.

Holiday Salad

Holiday Salad

Simple light side dish for the holidays, a delightfully delicious salad. Most holiday meals focus on carbs and protein, but it is always nice to have a light dish before hand or as an option for guests. This salad and dressing is easy to assemble with easy to find ingredients. Most importantly, it is  good.

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Head of Lettuce
• 1 pack of Grape tomatoes
• 1 container (6-12 oz) Feta Cheese
• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
• 1/2 cup Vegetable or Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

Directions:

1. Chop the lettuce, place in a large pot and fill with water, let sit for 30 minutes. Drain the water, dry the lettuce (this can be done the day before, just store the lettuce in the container or bowl being used for the salad in the fridge overnight).
2. Wash the tomatoes by running water over them. Let remaining water drain on a kitchen towel that has ben folded.
3. Place the dried lettuce, tomatoes, Feta Cheese, Cranberries, and Walnuts into a large salad bowl and toss together.
4. In a small bowl, mix the Oil, Vinegar, and Lemon Juice using a fork until blended together. Pour over the salad and toss together before serving.

This goes great with the classic holiday meal of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and more. Merry. Christmas!!!

Christmas Shopping

Christmas Shopping Deals

Okay,  it is getting close to the big day and many people may start to get nervous while trying to find toys for the kids, popular electronics, and just figuring out what to get and where to find it for the best price. Well, do not worry, there is still time and stores are still offering amazing deals online and in store.

Christmas Clothes Shopping:

Personal favorites include, Old Navy, Kohl's, JC Penney, Sear's, and Target. The best part about these stores, with the exception of Old Navy, they can be a one stop shop for those who do go out to the stores to shop. However, if looking for toy deal in store, Wal-Mart still seems to have the best price cuts and will match the price.

Here are some tips for these locations:

• Old Navy is offering up to 60% off on most the store, bought a sweater for $12 the other day, and $10 kid jeans/$15 adult jeans. Also, if shopped there within the last ten days, get your receipt, go to the survey listed on the receipt, this shopper got 15% off the next visit, but it is normally 10%.
• Kohl's has great deals when it comes to clothes, toy wise, there are some good ones on Mattel Products, in fact the Mattel Products at Kohl's, for now, match or can be lower than most at other stores. Even so, for anyone in the Kohl's reward program, use the coupons, 25% off/20% off along with $5 off can make a big difference. The Christmas bonus buy ends today, but more than likely, a bigger sale will appear, so no fear. Toys are anywhere from 10% to 40% off and the cookware and select bedding is up to 50% off.
• JC Penney's has printable coupons and is offering free shipping on orders $49 or more thru Saturday. The coupons range from $10 to 20% and 25% and an extra 10% on certain products. Codes are available for online shopping. Some great items include the gloves and scarf, coats (50% off), pajamas, and the kid clothes and shoes.
• Sears is a store where it is hard not to find a sale, but the better deal may be online for some items such as clothing and jewelry. An extra 20 to 60% can be taken off using the codes on Sear's.com.
• Target is just a fun store, period. Toy wise, they are doing BOGO 50% Off! On major brands. 30% off clothing and shoes, also check out the sales rack, kid jeans and pants as low as $10, and many other savings throughout the store.

However, what about online shopping. There are major deals to be found but here are important tips for shopping online:

• EBay-do not pay more than you would in a store for an item or gift card. Biding wars get serious, but if a new Blue-Ray ends up being the same price on eBay as it is in the store, besides gas money, there is no need to wait for it to be mailed.
• Check shipping costs-always check the shipping, the price may look nice but the cost of shipping might be shocking.
• Buy in bulk, especially on sites like Amazon. If able, use their credit line and save a lot on the order, just be sure to pay the card what is owed (I used it, save $70 on a 198 order, turned around and paid the remaining balance on the card). However, be careful, not advising use of it if it makes one feel uncomfortable.
• Amazon has cut many prices especially on DVD's.
• Retailmenot.com has some fantastic deals at major stores such as Ultra and even online sites like Amazon. Sign up for the emails and get the deals, and check out the site for more coupon codes to use.
• Check store and order sites for free shipping codes and for sale codes. There are a bunch of codes for online shopping on store sites, most of the time at the bottom or side of the page. Look for them because they are worth it.

Hope this helps and wishing everyone Happy Shopping. Merry Christmas!!!

Cranberry Walnut Cheeseball

Cranberry Walnut Cheeseball

Although, Hickory Farm's is the king when it comes to Cheeseball, they got nothing on a delicious homemade Cheeseball that will have guests begging for more and for the recipe. This is sweet and savory, goes great with one of the most popular butter crackers of the holidays and super easy to make. No gathering should be without this yummy treat.

Ingredients:

1. 12 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
2. 4-6 oz. Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese (in special cheese section, price $3.49-5.49, depends on store and sales)
3. 4 oz. Feta Cheese (optional), crumbled
4. 1 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts, finely chopped in a food processor or blender
5. Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Let the cream cheese soften on the counter, can be done overnight.
2. Place the Cream Cheese, Cranberry Pecan Goat Cheese, and Feta into a bowl.
3. Spray hands with cooking spray, to keep everything from sticking too bad, mix the cheeses together well, add salt and pepper to taste, and form into a ball.
4. Place the finely chopped walnuts on a plate and roll the ball around until covered in walnuts.
5. Put the cheeseball back into the preparation bowl, pour remaining nuts over it, cover and store for four hours to overnight.
6. Before serving, place on a platter or plain white plate with crackers around it.

Not only will this be a hit at a holiday gathering for family and friends, it can be taken to cover dishes at church and work and will more than likely be gone. Merry Christmas Ya'll!!!

Kids Craft: Paper Ornaments and the story of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Christmas Tree Story/Paper Ornaments

The lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is, perhaps, the most anticipated event of the Christmas season. It is a sign that the season is officially in full swing and decorations began to glow throughout the city. It is a tradition, a tradition with a very humble beginning.

The first tree was nothing like the trees featured now a days. The year was 1931, the depression had hit the country extremely hard, and the tree placed at the center was small with no lights or ornaments. In 1931, construction workers, many most likely thankful for a pay check, were building the famous complex, completed in 1933, and wanted to bring a sense of holiday spirit to the site. More than likely, most of these workers were not adorning their homes with decorations, but decided to spread some cheer by decorating a 20 foot Fir Tree with paper ornaments, strings of cranberries, and tin cans. It might not have been the grandest sight with no lights, no glistening ornaments, but for the workers collecting a pay check, it provided an enormous reminder of thankfulness and joy.

Since 1933, the tree lighting ceremony has been a huge event, minus one year during WWII during a blackout period. Children in the early fifties got to experience the ceremony for the first time on television, those lucky enough to have one, on the famous TV show, Howdy Doody. Stars and musical guests have continued the beloved tradition, and in a way so have many throughout the country.

Children and adults alike continue to make ornaments from paper, tin cans, mason jar lids, Christmas cards, clothes pins, and all sorts of items. The ornaments by themselves may not seem like much to some, but the main ingredient in all these homemade decorations is love and joy. Every single decoration made by a child or adult, be it at school or home, is done so with care and is truly treasured year after year as it is placed on the tree along with collections of others accumulated over the years.

Christmas Glitter Ornaments

Materials:

• Colored Construction Paper in blue, green, red, white, purple, and pink
• Glitter Glue (pack of 6/priced anywhere from $1.99 to $3. Depending on store)
• Red and Green Ribbons, cut to six inches long
• Stencils (optional)
• Scissors
• Hole puncher

Directions:

Just to note: These ornaments can be done free hand without stencils, it is up to the kids and parents.

1. Pick out what color paper to use and what shape or picture to draw (snowman, Santa Face, Reindeer Face, Star, Poinsettia).
2. Use a pencil to lightly draw out the pattern, using the stencil.
3. Draw over the pencil marking with the glitter glue, using different colors for the outline and for other areas of the stencil if desired.
4. Let dry over night.
5. Cut around the shape, leaving some edge on the outside, punch a hole in the top of the cutout, put the ribbon through, tie and hang on the tree.

Decorating with paper ornaments is not only fun and creative, it is affordable. Merry Christmas!!!