SEMLOHE 28

Hope you have a fantastic 4th.

Here are more Christmas decorating ideas that I have clipped.

Over the next few days I'm going to try and post some of the Christmas decorating ideas that I have clipped over the years. I will start with the photos that I don't have source information for. If anybody knows where these photos came from leave the information in the comment section so I can post it.

Here is my menu for Thanksgiving, along with all the links to the recipes. I'm still on a quest for the perfect Thanksgiving menu. I grew up in a house where the food was rather bland and unimaginative, and I am really working on changing that. I will try to post pictures while I am cooking.

Spice-Rubbed Roast Turkey (I hope following Martha Stewart's recipe can help me along the path to a turkey that isn't raw at the bone.)
Cornbread Stuffing (From a box. That's the way it's always been made at my house. The kids love the crap. And the wee tyrant will eat tons of it. And I will do anything to get extra calories into him.)
Tamales (Made by a neighbor. She has quite the thriving business going.)
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Orange Caramel Glaze
Green Beans with Lemon and Oil (Will somebody please explain green bean casserole to me. I just do get the onion bits. Or even worse, I saw a recipe on television where they used corn flakes. Yuck!)

Collard Green Pie (This goes along with the tamales. I like to remind the family that we are ethnic.)
Sweet Potato Pie (Another great southern dish. My grandmother has spent the last two days baking them.)
Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (Either mini cakes or cupcakes. Update: I added a pinch of saffron to the oil.)
Oven Baked Toffee Apples
Pear Crostata (I don't have a recipe. I will try to post directions with pictures. I think I will be using Asian pears.)

Letterpress Light has some lovely holiday cards in their Etsy shop. And they don't have just Christmas cards, they designed some pretty Hanukkah cards. The cards are priced $9.50 for 6.

Snowflake

Dreidel

Menorah

I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to watch television. I saw the following commercial for Disney's Prep& Landing. It's a modern take on what the elves do to prep for Santa's trip. They are there guiding Santa onto roofs, taking care of horrid dogs, and checking the weather. It's very modern, but reminds me of the Christmas specials I watched as a child. I'm really excited to watch it with the wee tyrant. It airs on ABC, 8 December at  8:30pm.

Martha Stewart always has the most creative ideas for carving pumpkins. A team of art directors helps, but sometimes the ideas are simple enough for those of us without the crafting gene.

Pumpkin Owls


Mouse Motel


Glittered Pumpkins

I love the owls most of all. Click here to see more ideas.

Pumpkin Tutu, $39.99

Fisherman, $29.99

Lamb, $44.99

Dragon, $29.99

Why not dress your children up as an gorilla and a banana?And you could dress up like Jane Goodall.

Hope you have a wonderful 4th of July. Pray for the soldiers.

Old Spice and Soap On A Rope Letterpress Father's Day Card, $4.50.