Christmas Printables 2011

The count down begins only 24 days till Christmas. I've started making my gift tags and wanted to share with you my favorite printables.

                     Here is a great tag for the gift of "Spirits"

Free  via Max & Isabella

         And these for the gift of "Kitchen Delights"

Free via Just Something Made

      And for all those special packages.........

Free via jones design company

Free via Domestifluff

Free via Paper Crave

Free via Miss Pickles Press

Free via Lovely Design

               Look at all the options

Some Thankfulness

I noticed the leaves falling this weekend.....which makes me sad. 

I love the colors of fall and they seem to be going quickly, as with

everything in life things change and often to quickly especially the 

most precious THINGS. I want to put a little more effort into 

Thanksgiving this year in hopes of making the most of  the season. 

Here are some of my favorites. 

 I hope you find yourself  "in the moment" and enjoying the precious THINGS of life this season.

I love this idea who wouldn't feel special with  this place card?

                

                     By brown paper packages :Directions here


                                                                                                AND

A beautiful " Thankful Tree " Simple & Meaningful

            

          I'm adopting this as a new family tradition1 Why should   
                     Christmas have the only tree?

Anchor your branches with stones

Use these free printable cards  

Hang with jute from branches

     This great idea is from jones design company for the{free}                   printable and complete instructions HERE




                                 AND

Print this {FREE}  paper chain Thankful Garland and write your messages and hang

                                   Print HERE




                                       AND 

Try these custom napkins and table cloth with a fabric pen

             I love anything personalized and this would be so easy 
             use dollar store napkins if you don't wont to commit  
                           this to your good ones. 

 

Greatest Pecan Squares Ever!!

O.K. so maybe I should through in a quick disclaimer for this title....at least the greatest myself and my lucky recipients have tasted....GUARANTEED !!


A good friend of mine called asking for this recipe and it got me thinking, why not pass this on and let others enjoy the praise. So in the spirit of THANKSGIVING  I'm giving it to  you.

Modern Vintage Market's "Greatest Pecan Squares Ever" Recipe

                So Give and Enjoy !



Greatest Pecan Squares Ever

CRUST:
3/4 C butter
1/2 C powder sugar
1 1/2 C flour

Heat your oven to 350*  Beat the butter and powder sugar until well blended, add flour and mix well.
Place in a 9 x 13 and pat firmly, pressing and covering the bottom of your pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes - Until golden brown

FILLING:
3 eggs
2 C chopped pecans
1 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
2 tbs butter (melted)
1 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add the rest of your ingredients and mix well.
Pour over your crust and bake at 350* for 35 to 45 minutes or until set.

Let cool completely then cut into squares or bars and ENJOY!

Christmas is coming......

It's hard to believe next week is Thanksgiving!

I know I say this every year but really what happened to 2011?

I'm feeling the need to think fast and act quickly so I'm skipping ahead to Christmas and got a few really good ideas in the new    House Of Fifty Holiday Issue

                                                    Read it for yourself HERE

Halloween 2011

                                 I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween! 

                              

                Here are the pictures of this years hoopla 
                         
                              Enjoy!!

First the Decor.......

Menu: Chili n Bread  Apples and Caramel Dip  Brownies with Pecan Ice Cream

The courtyard decorated

We went through 20lbs of candy

           We have the most talented neighbors who spent "hours" preparing for this day and it showed. I thought I was in Disney Land. These pictures do not do it justice though....they computerized the skeletons to sing the "Pirates of the Caribbean" song and many of the items like the sign made of Styrofoam where hand done.

The singing skeletons and the brown paper "cave"

At night the windows look like house is on fire

The small chest on the ground was made from free yard sale mini blinds

Everything was hand painted and either recycled material or thrift store finds

Do You Boo? Halloween Countdown

One of our favorite family traditions during the month of October is "boo-ing" our neighbors.  It makes the perfect family night activity-- making treats, eating treats, attaching a fun poem, then sneaking around in the dark ringing doorbells while giggling hysterically and finally running away like mad after making the drop, all the while hoping not to get caught.

Oh yes--it is definitely my children's favorite thing to do ....mine is eating the extra treats!

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite boo printables--all darling, and free!

                                    Download this FREE printable from TomKat Studio HERE

 Want one with a little more spirit? Here is a kid friendly "SPOOKY" printable....HERE

                                        OR

                    This one from Grey Square Designs - HERE 

Moving inside.....in the past I have never really decorated for Halloween, mostly just FALL. This year I find myself smitten with all the fun decor and broke down and attempted to get into the "spirit of things"

I felt it was missing something.........I added some scrap fabric I had laying around and filled my spider cider with coffee beans

Found this free printable and printed and framed it.

And these free labels I printed and adhered to my jars with 3M glue spray, added water and food coloring.....then went outside and found branches to add to the look.  -  LABELS HERE

Everything was "FREE" I surprised myself with how many things you can "download" on the internet.

Although not as nice as these...............

FREE Spooky banner download - HERE

source:TomKat Studio

I love this.......but it would never last a day in my house

Great idea for "the party" love the frightful names.

 source:house of smiths

 One of my favorite Blogs: Brooklyn Limestone goes all out on Halloween, check out her archive 2008-2010

Brooklyn Limestone

Vintage style haunted Halloween party via Hostess with the Mostess

spooky tablescape via Good Housekeeping