Are you gearing up for Holiday cookie exchanges? Both of my girls have them next week. That means that 4 dozen plus cookies will be coming out of our kitchen. And, it might take us a few days because we need to practice, no body wants an ugly cookie!!!!! I recently saw a recipe for Christmas Cracker Stackers (which someone told me was the best cookie they ever had BTW!!!!)…from the book Out Of The Box Holiday Baking by blogger Hayley Parker. This book is now on my list for all my fam and friends who love to bake, esp. easy baking, including my own daughter!!! Here is the summary…every recipe looks amazing…you have to check it out…..
By starting with cake or brownie mixes, ready-made dough and crusts, and other make- it- simple head starts, Hayley Parker makes holiday baking a breeze. She transforms everyday ingredients into one- of- a- kind desserts and puts new twists on flavors like spicy gingerbread, cool peppermint, and creamy eggnog. Here are candies, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pies, bars, and more, including:
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
- Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles
- Eggnog Pie
- Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
From the blogger who makes “even novice bakers feel like pros” (POPSUGAR), these sweet treats are perfect for holiday gift-giving, parties, and unexpected guests―even Santa will be impressed! – Amazon.com
For more information or to purchase this book, click HERE.
These festive napkin rings are perfect if you are hosting a Christmas dinner or for anyone who likes to entertain!
My son actually pointed this out to me…perfect for a teen age or college age child!!!!!
I love these beaded ornament kits….it would be so much fun to get a few and have your girlfriends over for an ornament making party….
There are so many designs to choose from!!!!
They also make a great gift for all ages…this one is sooo gorgeous!!!!
Can you tell I am obsessed!???!??!?!
I read that this sleep aid is on top of many people’s wish list….
This is so great as a teacher gift!!!!
My girls are going to LOVE this necklace!!!!
I have seen this “IT” bag on other sites for triple the price….it also comes in so many fun colors!!!
It’s time for some Holly Jolly Punch!!! If you are running around shopping, decorating and wrapping you are truly ready for a rest and a cocktail and this is the one for you!!!! Bottoms Up!!!!
1 part DeKuyper® Triple Sec Liqueur
- 2 parts Pinnacle® Original Vodka
- 3 parts Cranberry Juice
- 6 parts Ginger Ale
- 2 parts Orange Juice
- Cinnamon Allspice
- Nutmeg
I know I owe you a Home Goods re-cap. I thought I would do one focusing on Holiday decor. My Home Goods was full of items. Things do really go fast but they are replenishing everyday. I think I am going to have to go back next week!!! Everything was found at the Home Goods in Port Chester. This store seems to have the best selection, second to Westport!!! Happy Shopping…Let me know what you end up buying, I’d love to hear!!!
A lighting plan can make all the difference in home decor. Most people do not know how important it is. Having the proper mix of overhead lighting, wall lighting and table lighting can change the entire mood of a room. I recently visited the “Light Lab” at Patdo Lighting and was so impressed with all the elements they can add to each room in your home. Partner’s Mari Lou Nania and Gary Novasel are truly experts in their field. I was able to sit down with Gary and have him explain exactly what creating a lighting plan can do. Whether it is a new construction or simply just sprucing up one room, they can certainly lend a hand!!!!
Who’s ready to give Andy Warhol this Christmastime? We have hired Emily McElweath, Warhol expert, to lead our group on a tour of the Warhol exhibit at the Whitney Museum. What a great gift for your mom, sister, BFF, etc. Here is the museum’s blurb about this once in a lifetime exhibit….
Few American artists are as ever-present and instantly recognizable as Andy Warhol (1928–1987). Through his carefully cultivated persona and willingness to experiment with non-traditional art-making techniques, Warhol understood the growing power of images in contemporary life and helped to expand the role of the artist in society. This exhibition—the first Warhol retrospective organized by a U.S. institution since 1989—reconsiders the work of one of the most inventive, influential, and important American artists. Building on a wealth of new materials, research and scholarship that has emerged since the artist’s untimely death in 1987, this exhibition reveals new complexities about the Warhol we think we know, and introduces a Warhol for the 21st century.
