Cinnamon, Applesauce and Elmer's Glue Ornament Tutorial

Does Christmas have a smell at your house? It does at mine.

It smells like pine, and balsam. 

Like Vanilla and Cinnamon and all of the other wonderful spices used in holiday baking.

This year, in my kitchen, it smells like cinnamon...and applesauce...and ELMER's GLUE!!!

 

My holiday "baking" has taken a slightly different turn this season. I'm making cookies that smell wonderful...

you might even say that they smell good enough to eat....but don't! 

There are several different "recipe's" for these ornaments on the web but this is the one that I like the best

(it came from the Elmer's glue site):

• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp. ground cloves
• ½ cup applesauce (this is the size of a single serving pack)
• 3 Tbsp. Elmer’s Glue-All

TIP: Buy your spices at the Dollar Store so you don't go broke making these cookies!

Be really careful with these...especially if you dry them on a cookie rack. Children of all ages will mistake them for real cookies....trust me.....

Even college kids...who will take a big bite...and chew for a minute before making a horrified face and spitting it into whatever is nearby...tissue, napkin, trash can....

I think that the paint must be a little tough to chew.....at least it's non-toxic...of course so is the glue...but I still wouldn't recommend eating it!

I find that it's safer to put ribbons through them as soon as is humanly possible..and them move them to the dining room table...on bubble wrap....

that seems to be a better visual aid or clue that they might not be edible!

Of course, hanging them on the tree also helps....

Instructions: 

In a medium bowl, mix cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue. Work mixture with hands for 2-3 minutes, until dough is smooth. Divide into 4 portions. Roll out each portion to 1/4" thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters and make a small hole in the top of each with a toothpick (I use a straw).  Place cutouts on a wire rack to dry at room temperature for several days, turning once each day for even drying.  When dry, thread string or ribbon through the hole in each ornament. You can also use whole cloves as decoration and for additional scent. Makes about 32 ornaments, depending upon size.

 NOTE: These are NOT edible.

Information and alternatives:

• It's helpful if you roll the dough out on a mat or a piece of parchment paper which has been sprinkled with a little cinnamon
• The dough should be smooth and slightly damp. If it's too dry, add more applesauce, too wet, add more cinnamon.
• I decorate my cookies using white acrylic "puffy paint" that is made for decorating T-shirts. you can also use small beads, regular paint, and clear crystals to look like "sugar".

They smell wonderful, make great tags for home baked goods and are a cute idea for a "take home" gift if you're hosting a cookie exchange!

If you'd like to see more of the tree, go here

Happy Holidays!

xo,

S

Here comes Santa Claus

 

Polk Brother's Santa, back right.



It started years ago with a single, "Polk Brother's" Santa (Above, back left side).  He's as tall as I am and was a promotion from 1960 through 1966 at an appliance store in Chicago during the holidays.  Many people who grew up in Chicago and the surrounding towns remember him.  He's fragile now, he's made of hard plastic called "celluloid" through a process called "vacucell" which predates the blow molds that are still manufactured today.  He has lost his base and has hot glue seams holding his feet together but  to me, he's lovely. He's got "history", like most of the things that I love. He tells a story.... about the time when I grew up. 

He stood, for one Christmas season, alone, in my dining room window. Beautiful, but sad.  Then, at some point, I told my brother, Tom, about him. 

I'm thankful that I have a brother who shares not only my parents, my sister and my last name but also my passion for all things "vintage" and for collecting "stuff".  Over the last few years, my brother has helped me to build (actually, he probably found more of them than I did) a "collection" of vintage Santa's that now numbers more than 30. 

They are all "vintage" (predating the 1970's). They adorn every window in the front (and most of the side) of my house. Several stand in the vestibule to my front door.  This year, my friend, Ann, gifted me a 5 foot tall vintage Santa to add to the collection.  Here are a few photos of some of my favorites:



The inside of my home is still not decorated. Maybe this weekend?!  This is the ONE Santa is in place in the foyer.

I'm off to work!

xo,

S

Behind the scenes - Thanksgiving Tablescape.

As promised, here are the details of the table scape posted yesterday:

Table Cloth: two 9x12 PAINTER's DROP CLOTHS (yep, that's right, folded them in half, put them on the table) - they came from our local paint store and cost $9 each.

Table Runner: Men's suiting fabric, hounds tooth wool. Closeout at Joann's $3.99 used my Merry Moolah coupon for $5 off my purchase of $25.00 so the table runner and a ball of jute were FREE
Had enough left over to make a runner for the sideboard and wrap 14 votive cups for individual centerpieces at each place.

Wood Chargers: These were a challenge at first but I found out that anyone with a steady hand and a chainsaw can make them.  Traci at Whimsy in Morris has a guy who will do it. I found a really nice man named Tim who owns a mill in Yorkville that will do it and I found out that I can actually do it as well. 

Vintage Brown and White Transfer ware Dinner Plates: Borrowed from my friend, Ann at Nellie's. They were PERFECT...and although priceless, they were FREE to borrow.

Small Bread Plates: Purchased at the Goodwill on a Tuesday during customer appreciation and got a 20% off scratch off. They cost 35 cents each. Total $4.90

Candlesticks, teapot, candles, silverware, glassware, votive holders, napkins:  From my collection.

Centerpiece: Old, wooden shipping crate gifted to me by the same friend (Ann) who loaned me the dishes.  She waxed it brown, I added 4 men's belts from Goodwill ($0.99 each), dried hydrangea and dried flowers from my yard, a couple of nests that I had on hand, some lotus pods, pine cones and dried artichokes (also on hand)  I purchased greens, tallow berries, 3 "quails" and 5 magnificent turquoise hydrangea. Total investment for an incredible centerpiece that I'm going to redo slightly for Christmas as well as the 14 individual place setting pieces: about $40.
Jute Tied Napkins with Leaves:  Punched out the leaves at Archivers. Bought 3 sheets of card stock, used their die cut machine at no charge: Cost $1.50.

Total investment? $68.50 and while that is a significant amount of money, the dropcloths, plates and table runner are all reusable and I was able to set a table that made an impression that will last a lifetime for my family and friends. 

I spent today cutting down the last of the garden and raking the last of the leaves (16 barrels and bags full...it took me all day!) Tomorrow, I'm planting tulips for next spring. Then, it's on to Christmas Decorating!

P.S. Yes, we removed the centerpiece during dinner. It's probably taller than the "ideal" would be but it is PERFECT for me!

Have a wonderful weekend.

xo,

S

Giving Thanks

It starts when we're young.  Older adults shape our lives. They teach us about love...and gratitude. In some of my very earliest memories, I was taught to say "please" and "thank-you". It's a basic concept for most of us.  Human decency, kindness, thoughtfulness. I like to think that I do a pretty good job, most of the time, remembering, to express my thanks.

It's beginning to look alot like HOLIDAYS!!!!!!

Sorry I've been "absent". I've been in "full on decorating" mode and have to work through end of day Wednesday this week. 

I'm picking up the wood "cookies" (slices of tree trunk to be used for chargers on my Thanksgiving table) today so I should have photos of the table to share tomorrow. If not, I'm in serious trouble because Thanksgiving is 48 hours away. In the meantime, here are pix of my family room mantel and the materials and first part of the staircase.

Base lighted garland from Costco 10 years ago. Hhomemade pine cone wreath, reused burlap bows from front door autumn wreaths. Black Metal lanterns close-out from TJ Maxx 8 years ago. Added "frosted garland.

Same base, Costco garland as is in the family room (10 years old, still works!). Added a few larger pine cones: some painted and some "flocked".

Plaid ribbon 50% off at Joann's. Styrofoam balls wrapped with men's plaid shirts (Salvation Army/Goodwill) or fabric. Dollar Store bells. burlap, plastic ornaments 90% off at Kmart last year, Red "velvet" ribbon (you can find it at Hobby Lobby or Joann's but mine came from a hardware store called Wannemakers).

Happy Tuesday!

xo,

S