Dining room is all decked out!

Brrr...it's cold outside today.  I plan on staying inside maybe doing a little baking and hanging a few things up in my media room and library.  I was so happy to see my mail lady carrying a big box yesterday.  I got my curtains! Yippee, then I couldn't wait and put them up! More on those later. 

Here's what my dining room looks like.

My tree has a little strand of the faux cinnamon stick garland, gingerbread men, redware ornaments and cookie cuttters.

A close up of my new curtains, I decided to break up the window with tier curtains and I think it makes it look more cozy and homey in here now.  I love the look from outside of the house too.

My table holds a yelloware bowl, an old scale and some of the red/green plaid that I made into a runner a long time ago.  I'm just mad for plaid! LOL

I decided to go very simple here with some of the greens, a red cranberry wreath and white battery candle, I have mentioned those the other day.  Just set them and forget about them.  Love that!

a night shot, it flickers so nicely

the ole' pie safe with greens, pines and poinsettias

my Hoosier cabinet has gingerbread theme

an old cocoa tin, some gingerbread men, a little tree and some christmas towels

a view from the other side of the dining room as you walk in my front door this is on your right

Tomorrow I'll show you my new curtains and share a recipe!

Have a warm and cozy day!

Carey

My kids rooms and playroom are ready for Christmas!

Good evening friends, it's chilly here and raining, so glad to be inside tonight.  When we moved into this house I just knew it would be perfect for letting the kids have their own space to decorate and hang out with their friends.  This is directly above our family room and it's a huge room.  When I'm all done with it I'll give you another look at it again.  It's all about the function so my prims take 2nd stage.  Right now it's all about Christmas, I was inspired by Aunt Ruthie's mantel for this one.  It's all about red/white and the icy stuff. I put the some of the artificial snow in these canning jars (hopefully, my DH doesn't read this) he hates the stuff. LOL! Then I found some candy canes and red/white ornaments at HL and Lowe's.  I already had the nutcrackers.  I think this just looks like Christmas.  I love the colors, my favorite.  I was so happy to find this little candy cane tree on sale at Hobby Lobby for 50% off, gotta love that!

my 2nd fireplace mantel

kids playroom

candy canes and white snowflakes finish off the look of Christmas

This tree is our artificial one, we'll be putting up the real one this weekend but my kids decorated it to their tastes and my son put the train together all my himself! He was so proud of himself.  My nativity is old, I've had it since I was a little girl and I loved playing with it every year.   My daughter and son love to play with it too.  My mom made me the Santa rug under the tree too.  They also have little trees in their rooms.  

colored lights and colored ball ornaments

my son's tree has old fashioned cars and trains

Mom, "Can you take my picture for your blog?"

"Yes, son I can!"

my daughter's tree with pink bows, balls, and glass slippers

When the holidays are over hopefully we'll have her room done and I can show you what it looks like.  She has different tastes than me but that's ok.  It's bright pink and orange and she loves sparkly! 

I will be sharing more pics of the media room, dining room and master bedroom.  I'm still waiting to get my curtains, com on Fed Ex guy! I am really pleased with how our media room is turning out.  I cleaned and put away all my husbands CDs this weekend with my kids help. The theme for the room is winter wonderland with all my snowmen are in there to keep me company.  I'm so excited about using this room.  Hopefully we will get some furniture down there soon so we have a place to sit and watch our big screen TV, our first one! We're a little behind the times. 

Take care and stay warm!

Carey

Gather around the Hearth

It's been colder here this weekend and you can just feel it in the air.  Snow is supposed to be coming our way at least that's what they say.  I have finished up my holiday decorating and will be turning my attention to baking and shopping this week.  My husband and I will cut a live tree down next week and put it in my kitchen.  This house was difficult to find a good spot for everyone to see and be able to get around a real tree.  I'm very excited, I also plan on taking the kids to some things around town this week too.  I've been told about the downtown areas sleigh rides and different activities for kids so hopefully we will be able to check those out too. 

Here's our family room and main bathroom

Welcome to my home, as you enter the front door this is what you see.  I decided to do some simple greenery with my door basket and little mittens.  I bought the basket from a store in St. Charles, MO.  I change it all the time, it's so versatile.  The greenery I found at Jo Ann Fabrics.  It's to some bells, berries and pinecones in it. 

My little entry table I painted and crackled a few years ago is just perfect for a little area.

Then my sewing machine holds a lighted house and tree with snowmen tucked next to them.  The mitten chest holds just some of my snowmen.  I have been collecting them since I got married.  I love being able to leave them up all Winter. 

Some if the snowmen on the bottom shelf of the mitten chest are part of a set of chalkware snowmen.  I got them a long time ago and I love them. 

poinsettas in a basket, green sprays tucked inside my shelf

I always have a little tree in almost every room.  In the new house I don't quite have enough to go around.  I plan on fixing that problem by hitting some of the after Christmas sales.  I have the tree inside a painted mustard bowl with a simple raffia tied at the top.  I simply added some Christmas towels and the bathroom is done.

This is the view of the room as you walk in new arrangement.  We put the TV/armoire against the stairwell so it's not the first thing you see when you come into the house.  This room houses my Santa collection.

My santa collection

patriotic Santa

This was one of my first Santas, I still love him today.  I think the Woodland santa is my favorite one.

Oops, a snowmen snuck in the room too!

my little wooden nativity, someone made for us

when my mother passed away this is one that I really wanted.  It's a puzzle too it all fits together.

my little sofa table that sits in the kitchen is back behind the sofa while the tree goes next to the windows

My little reading nook, country living christmas book I came across as I was putting away books.  I love the little Santa picture of my kiddos.  It brings back the memories, sadly they have given up on Santa this year.  I keep encouraging them to believe.  My advice to parents of little ones is to hold onto that magic as long as you can.

  I'll be back soon with more photos hopefully my bedroom curtains come in so I can show you my master bedroom, then my winter wonderland in the basement.

Holiday Blessings to you!

Carey

Chocolate Grasshoppers

Now I know what you're thinking.  These aren't real grasshoppers, nope just chocolate.  There really aren't any exact measurements as this is a recipe my mom used to make at Christmas.  It's very simple and can be whipped up really fast.  It doesn't have issues with setting up like fudge, no candy thermometer needed.

Mom's Christmas Grasshoppers

1 1/2 cups semisweet morsels (about 3/4  12 oz.bag)  Again, just make sure your ratio to the butterscotch is slightly more, not an exact science here.
1/2 cup butterscotch morsels
handful of peanuts   *the dry roasted peanuts 

chow mein noodles   (almost the whole can)  You can find these near the Asian foods.

Simply melt about 30-45 seconds at a time the morsels together or use a double boiler.  Just don't overdo it or it will get hard on you.  I do a little and then stir.  Then when it's all melted stir in your peanuts and chow mein noodles, until you don't see them anymore.  You're just looking for coverage here that's all.  I usually end up with a few in the can of noodles let because I just can't stir in anymore.  When you are done using a teaspoon get these onto a cookie sheet and allow them to harden, to speed up the process you can refrigerate them.  Work quickly as they will set up pretty fast.  I use parchment paper because it's less messy and they won't stick.  I have always used Nestle brand chips.  That's what my mom always used, and I think they make excellent cookies too.   Store these in an air tight container or refrigerate.   If you are serving these at a party make sure you bring them to room temperature first as they can become quite hard. 

This is what they look like minus the color, since I used the chocolate chips.  Here's another variation on my recipe.

Have a great weekend,

Carey

Christmas in my Kitchen

Hello bloggers, I couldn't wait to share some of my Christmas pictures with you.  Grab yourself a cup of coffee or some hot cider. I've been working hard since Monday to make things look cheerful and festive.  I will show you a few rooms at a time so my post isn't too picture heavy.  However, be warned though I took a lot of shots.  It's been fun to try new things in my house this year.  I've also discovered a bigger house = more space to decorate. Yeah!!  For the kitchen I really wanted more of a whimsical look that looked like I was ready to whip up some goodies any time fitting in with my baking/homemade pie theme.  I used little white lights on top of my cabinets, greenery, some plaid bows and a little funnel tree with star on top. 

 
A view from my family room into the kitchen, it's cloudy here today so some of the pictures could be better.

My live tree that we will get next weekend will go in the space by the three windows next to this.  We're going to put all white lights on it and family ornaments.   My husband will be home again and I can't wait.

My little side door off the kitchen with a wreath and the sled welcomes people to our home.

My little desk area gets a makeover for the season, complete with my Christmas cookbooks.

candy canes and a sifter with greens, and a lil' chalkboard

my aprons and a Christmas message greets you as you walk in the kitchen or garage, inspired by Aunt Ruthie from sugar pie farmhouse.

My little gingerbread house holds a slatkin candle in spice, very yummy to smell.  I got this at Bath and Body Works.  It looks so neat at night.  I may have to post some night photos too.

This picture was really hard to get I stood on a chair.  Up close the greenery has some twig, apple and berries in it, then I mixed in my apple cookie jar, white pitchers, antique tins and popper. 

my new red glass bowl kitchen aide!

even my canisters got all decked out too

The other side of my kitchen has little white lights and a funnel tree, graters, and some antique bowls and crocks.

my new little sign and gingerbread man. I love him, isn't he cute?

I've had this lil' gingerbread tree for a long time.  It's got little teeny cookies and gingerbread men and cutters all over it.

My stovetop gets a cinnamon clove candle, I got my graniteware bucket down and put some greens and poinsettias inside it.

Thanks for checking out my Christmas pictures, when I'm done I will put them in an album and post it to my sidebar.  Tomorrow, I have a holiday recipe and lots more pictures to come.  I figured it would be more enjoyable if I stretched them out a bit.

Happy Holidays,

Carey