Hi Everyone!
Happy New Year's Eve! I have to get in one more post before the end of the year, right? I'm looking forward to ringing in the New Year at home in my bed, fast asleep most likely. I know. PaRTy Pooper, right? I like to go to church on New Year's Eve with my neighbor and then we come back here for hord'oeuvres and a cocktail; watch the New Year celebration on TV with my husband. Never have been into the whole New Year's Eve party thing. I'm a home body.
Yes, there was a time when we we lived in our old neighborhood and we would get together with three other families and celebrate by going to each families' house for appetizers and drinks. It was fun. We'd have hord'oeuvres at our house, move to another place for games and more snacks, then to a sit down Italian dinner and fireworks, finishing up with a champagne toast at midnight. Our kids still talk about those New Year's Eve parties in the old neighborhood with our friends.
Whatever you are doing tonight, be safe and take care of yourself. Wishing you a Very Happy New Year!
God Bless,
Suzy
Art, Craft, Knit, Sew, Journal & Travel.....it's all here at Sunshine & Lollipops!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
AFTER CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
Hi Everyone!
Here we are just two days after Christmas and whatare we, am I doing? Surfing the Internet and checking out Pinterest, eating leftover turkey sandwiches, thinking about next year's projects and maybe a New Year's Resolution or two. Does that sound familiar to you? It is the cold hard truth about what I've been doing. Nothing very exciting. Unless you think ordering knitting needles qualify for exciting (more on that later).
After all the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas, it is time to relax and chill out, ponder on the past events and what's coming up in the next year. Do you have your calendars ready for 2014?
How many people still have a calendar to write on??? Raise your hands! I keep both a written calendar and an electronic one on my phone (more on that later). I've already jotted a few lines on the desk top calendar for the next year, the usual birthdays and anniversary dates, an upcoming meeting and a doctor's appointment. It is amazing how fast that calendar gets filled up. There's also some pre-planning going on for blog land post for the new year. I can't tell you anything just yet, still working through the details in my head. Yes, that is where it is all stored, in the noggin (scary thought huh?!).
Thought I'd better get a little organized for the next few months while my daughter and grandson will be visiting. They will be here soon and then I'll need that calendar to keep me straight! We are really looking forward to seeing our little grandson and spending time watching him grow. He just turned nine months and is on the verge of crawling! That means keeping everything off the floor, watching to see that he doesn't eat anything that will harm him. Looking at the floor in my studio right now, there are sequins sprinkled here and there, fabric scraps and miscellaneous papers that have escaped the trash baskets, all which could be hazardous to a little one's health. That room will definitely be off limits to our little crawler.
Next week the Christmas tree will come down and ornaments and decorations will be put away for another year, and our house will be back to order. January is cleaning, de-cluttering and re-organizing month. One room a week, one drawer, one closet at a time. I'll start in the guest room since that is where my daughter and grandson will be staying (and it is the easiest room)....
Oooops, I think I might have given away a January blog post secret. Oh well! Come back and see what gets done <wink>.
Take care until then....
Suzy
Here we are just two days after Christmas and what
After all the hustle and bustle leading up to Christmas, it is time to relax and chill out, ponder on the past events and what's coming up in the next year. Do you have your calendars ready for 2014?
How many people still have a calendar to write on??? Raise your hands! I keep both a written calendar and an electronic one on my phone (more on that later). I've already jotted a few lines on the desk top calendar for the next year, the usual birthdays and anniversary dates, an upcoming meeting and a doctor's appointment. It is amazing how fast that calendar gets filled up. There's also some pre-planning going on for blog land post for the new year. I can't tell you anything just yet, still working through the details in my head. Yes, that is where it is all stored, in the noggin (scary thought huh?!).
Next week the Christmas tree will come down and ornaments and decorations will be put away for another year, and our house will be back to order. January is cleaning, de-cluttering and re-organizing month. One room a week, one drawer, one closet at a time. I'll start in the guest room since that is where my daughter and grandson will be staying (and it is the easiest room)....
Oooops, I think I might have given away a January blog post secret. Oh well! Come back and see what gets done <wink>.
Suzy
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
COOKIE BAKING AND CRAFT TIME
Greetings!
The last few weeks have been very busy around here, making lists, checking them twice.....being a little naughty and nice ,<wink>. The Christmas tree went up on December 1st thanks to hubby who is always ready to purchase a tree and put it up as soon after Thanksgiving as possible. The lights were on immediately, several days later the glass balls went on and just yesterday I finished up the decorating (think hubby was just about ready to give up hope)!
SURPRISE!! It is cooking baking time at Mimi's house this weekend, only I didn't know that was the plan for Saturday morning. Apparently, Miss Lollipop had plans of her own: "Mimi, I'm coming over to your house on Saturday to bake cookies and to do crafts!" Now how can I say no to that? Both Miss Lollipop (4.5 yrs) and Miss Sunshine (2) love to make cookies and crafts, so this will be a fun event.
Today I'm sharing our family Christmas Cookie recipe and Crafting Project with you. This recipe was given to me by my next door neighbor more than 35 years ago! We make these cookie without the icing, instead we sprinkle colored sugar* on top before baking. Hope you enjoy them.
3 Cups All Purpose Flour (sifted)
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Cup Butter (2 sticks) room temperature
2 Eggs slightly beaten
1 1/2 tsp. Almond Extract (or 2 tsp if you love Almond)
Sift flour sugar and baking powder together. Add butter and mix till crumbly. Add eggs,extract and blend until smooth. I do all this by hand.
Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8" thickness and use cookie cutters to cut designs. Place on pan and sprinkle with colored sugar*. Bake 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
* Colored Sugar
Let your children do this part, it's like magic when the sugar changes color!
In a tea cup or coffee mug mix 1/4 cup white sugar with your choice of food coloring (3-4 small drops) I make one with red and one green. Stir the sugar until the food coloring mixes into the sugar well. You can add more sugar if needed. Put the sugar on the cookies BEFORE baking.
Icing:
3/4 Cup sugar, 1/3 Cup water, 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until comes to boil. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Gradually add 3 Cups Confectioners Sugar, beat until smooth. Spread icing on cookies AFTER baking.
CRAFT PROJECT
A Little Angel
A little angel to decorate your tree top. My daughter made this Angel when she was 5 yrs. old and we put it on the tree each year. Yes, she is our official tree topper! I get a giggle each time I see her!
Supplies:
Toilet paper tube (cut in half)
Acrylic Paint or Tempera Paints (may need to paint under coat of white)
Red glitter
Pink Construction paper (face) or recycle cereal box (wings)
Craft glue
1. Cut Toilet paper tube in half.
2. Paint the tube pink or white or whatever color you fancy. Let dry.
3 Cut out circle for face from pink construction paper.
4. Draw or Paint facial features.
5. Cut out wing shape from cereal box (we made 2 hearts) paint pink. Let dry.
6. Use glue to outline wing shape. Sprinkle with glitter on top of glue. Let dry.
7. Glue face to front of paper tube (body).
8. Glue (or staple) wings to back of paper tube (body) with glitter towards front.
Don't forget to have child sign his/her masterpiece! And put the year date on the inside of the tube, you'll be glad you did! Hang on tree or use as a tree topper!
Merry Christmas from our home to yours!
Suzy
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Advent Season
Hi Everyone!
Preparations are going on all around the town. There are Christmas trees being strapped to the tops of cars and wreaths going up on the neighbors' houses. Some Christmas lights are up and I see lights twinkling in the windows at night. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas all through the neighborhood.
Thought we'd take a little break from the Lighthouse Series and Travel Journals during December in order to focus on the Advent Season. What is Advent?
Wikipedia describes Advent as:
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming". Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ.
Advent is a time of preparation as we focus on Christ's second coming. We celebrate the weeks preceding Christmas with an Advent wreath that holds 3 purple ( Love, Peace and Hope) candles and one pink (Joy). A white candle is lit on Christmas Eve representing the appearance of Christ in the world. The wreath is a symbol of God's eternity and our Christian hope. Like the circle our Lord is without beginning and without end.
Each year I make an Advent wreath. The wreaths vary each year. I love to use some of my Mama's old Christmas arrangements and add candles. This year I've kept it simple and non-traditional too. A vintage arrangement with tall candles.
I hope this year you will start a family tradition and add an Advent wreath to your table. Lighting the candles each week and remembering what this season is about, taking a moment to remember and to anticipate the coming of our Lord.
Joyfully,
Suzy
Preparations are going on all around the town. There are Christmas trees being strapped to the tops of cars and wreaths going up on the neighbors' houses. Some Christmas lights are up and I see lights twinkling in the windows at night. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas all through the neighborhood.
Thought we'd take a little break from the Lighthouse Series and Travel Journals during December in order to focus on the Advent Season. What is Advent?
Wikipedia describes Advent as:
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming". Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ.
Advent is a time of preparation as we focus on Christ's second coming. We celebrate the weeks preceding Christmas with an Advent wreath that holds 3 purple ( Love, Peace and Hope) candles and one pink (Joy). A white candle is lit on Christmas Eve representing the appearance of Christ in the world. The wreath is a symbol of God's eternity and our Christian hope. Like the circle our Lord is without beginning and without end.
Each year I make an Advent wreath. The wreaths vary each year. I love to use some of my Mama's old Christmas arrangements and add candles. This year I've kept it simple and non-traditional too. A vintage arrangement with tall candles.
I hope this year you will start a family tradition and add an Advent wreath to your table. Lighting the candles each week and remembering what this season is about, taking a moment to remember and to anticipate the coming of our Lord.
Joyfully,
Suzy
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