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Since Christmas
doesn’t seem to want to take a break this year, and I’ve pretty much covered
what we have in the way of new items that by the way, would make
sensational
gifts for your friends and loved ones, I thought I would just give you some
holiday decorating ideas. Having said that, please don’t let me stop you if
you feel the urge to check out what we have on the site in the way of
inexpensive, because it’s us, and perfect gifts.
Click
here.
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Inexpensive Holiday
Decorating
Starting with a clear glass vase, or several different size clear
vases, add cranberries for a homey touch. You can also use small
pinecones, Christmas tree balls, unusual ornaments, or chestnuts. Just
let you imagination be the driving force.
Use natural elements, such as evergreen branches, pinecones or berries
with candles. "But always make sure to place candles in
 separate
holders, such as hurricane glasses, for safety," says Kimberly
Kennedy, author of The Art and Craft of Entertaining and
lifestyle consultant for the National Candle Association. Or, pile
artificial snow on a silver platter, a tabletop, or mantel with
vintage glass ornaments and votives in crystal holders to create a
dramatic effect.
Place a few stalks of cinnamon and candy canes inside a short
drinking glass. Tie bright red ribbon or even raffia around the
cinnamon and/or candy cane for colorful look.
When
passing by a Christmas tree lot or a nursery, ask if you can have
 the
small branches they cut off the trees to even them out. Then
spray-paint the branches in a silver or gold, pop them in a vase and
voilà ... elegant holiday decor. Take it a step further and dangle
some ornaments on them or tie a few bows and use as a table decoration
or hang on your front door.
Take household bottles (wine or juice, even beer bottles) and simply
spray-paint them holiday colors. Green, red and blue work well. Even
just taking a dozen bottles, spraying them with silver paint and
popping candles, flowers, or twigs in them is the simple and perfect
accent for a dining table, fireplace mantel, or a long console table.
It will look stunning and no one will even guess how you did it so
simply!
Take clear vases or bottles, fill them with water, add holiday-colored
 food
coloring -- a few drops will do -- and float candles in them or just
line several up in a row to add a simple, cool holiday accent!
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Something to think about:
If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car
payments.
Recipes
Since finding this recipe in A Taste
of Home about 15 years ago, I make these potatoes every year. Not only are
they delicious, but making them the day before takes away the last minute
frenzy of mashing the potatoes for the big dinner.
 Make
Ahead Mashed Potatoes
5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 oz. cream cheese
1 C. sour cream
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 T. butter
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain; mash until there are no lumps. Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion
powder, salt, pepper and egg whites; blend well. Spray a 9 x 13-inch
casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Add potato mixture. Dot with
margarine. Cool slightly, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Take out of
refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake, covered,
40 minutes or until steaming hot in center.
Note: Alternately, potatoes can be reheated in a slow-cooker. Take potatoes
out of refrigerator about 3 1/2 hours before you plan to serve them. Place
in slow-cooker. Dot with margarine or butter. Cook on low heat for 3 hours,
stirring once or twice. They can be held an additional 30 minutes or more.
Makes 12 servings
If desired, add roasted garlic or
fresh herbs to the mixture before baking.
Under our Spot Light
This week it is my privilege to introduce you to
World's
Doorstep:
"A seemingly random idea often leads to a casual
conversation, and if you add a prayer to the mix you generally end up on a
wild adventure. That is how
World's
Doorstep started for us, Andrew & Kathryn Lee. Having lived overseas in
Southeast Asia for seven and half years, Kathryn fell in love with the
people and their beautiful handicrafts. Being an avid traveler himself,
Andrew, appreciates the beauty and diversity of other cultures. We found we
enjoyed working together, and connecting others to the cultures and people
we have grown to appreciate."
Please take a moment to visit their site as they
have so many unusual items to choose from. Or you can still find a few
of their brand new items on our site - thanks to Kathryn. For example
this purse made in Chinese Tribal is
new and priced at only $6.00.
 One
of our customer's is looking for old and crude glass, pottery and
porcelain insulators.
Pretty and bright colors with patent dates are a plus.
Telegraph, telephone, electric power and lightning rod insulators.
He especially would like anything odd and unusual. The photos are samples I
found on the internet and may or may not depict what our customer is looking
for.
Please send an email to:
Sharon
And to remind you of our Name Your Price Sale....
While writing this newsletter a customer contacted us with her offer on a
couple of our vintage linen items. She stated that she is going to make
"morsbags" from the napkins she chose. These are bags that are made and
given for free to people so that they will stop using the plastic bags.
(Morsbags are a green alternative to using paper or plastic grocery bags
from the store.) She would like to use the sheet she chose to make pajama
(lounge) pants or perhaps a wrap around skirt (or both) to be sold with the
proceeds going to the Pan Mass Challenge (bike fund raiser that gives 100%
of proceeds to Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
We had no problem accepting her bid.
Also, I still think our Layaway program
combined with the Name Your Price Sale
are the two greatest tools anyone could have who is looking to save money.
And with that, I will close this edition of our newsletter. Oh and check out the items
below before you go. Thank you! |
