4 Days 'til Christmas

Holidays bring lots of parties and Christmas is one of the busiest and most fun for our family.

When I first saw the Candy Countdown Calendar Kit in our Holiday Mini catalog,

I needed to have it. I made up the boxes and was ready to put it up just as is. But then, I decided to use the different components separately for my various projects. The rope for my thankful banner, the clothes pin for my card holder, and the boxes will be used for our party favors.

The party favors contain homemade "toffee" bars, a recipe I learned from a friend of mine. (And I know she wouldn't mind me sharing them here.)

"Toffee" Bar Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Saltine crackers
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 12 oz chocolate chips
• Chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. On a cookie sheet, arrange saltines in single layer (salt side down) on parchment paper.
3. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and stir until mixture thickens and starts to boil. (Make sure that the sugar and butter are totally combined.)
4. Pour the mixture over the saltines and spread out evenly.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until bubbly & golden brown.
6. Pull out of the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers.
7. Let it sit for a few minutes until it melts and smooth out the chocolate over the crackers. (I usually put it back into the oven just for a little bit to help speed up the process.)
8. Sprinkle nuts on top of chocolate.
9. Freeze or refrigerate for a couple of hours until completely cooled and hard. Then, break into pieces.

{Project Recipe}
Stamp: Tags 'Til Christmas (120847-W/121169-C)
Ink: Early Espresso and Real Red Classic Ink Pads.
Paper: Garden Green, Whisper White, and Wild Wasabi Card Stock; Candy Cane Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper.
Accessories: Candy Calendar Countdown Kit; 1/2" Circle, 3/4" Circle, and Scallop Square Punches.

To order on-line 24/7 click here.

12 Days 'Til Christmas

Can you believe it? We are less than 2 weeks a way 'til Christmas. We just got back from a wonderful ski trip to Park City, UT. We have made it a yearly vacation now that the kids are older and are able to attend ski school. I have to say that it was quite fun to challenge myself with snowboarding! I was terrified that I would injure myself because I have a rather weak back but as you can see...I'm alive and well!

So, would you like to see my project for today?

I decided to take the advent calendar and make it into a banner. And since we've been gone, my kids will be counting down 12 days. I tried to put "holiday words" together to make a word count of 12 (peace, joy, & noel) and behind each letter is a special little treat. When I originally thought of this, I wanted to put lollipops with it but since I don't have any in the house, chocolates it shall be.

I just love the holidays but it would help more if this weather in southern California wasn't 85 degrees. Don't hate me, I'm not complaining. But a little frosty weather to go with all the holiday music and decorations, would truly make it merry!

Stop by again tomorrow for more Christmas projects.

{Project Details}
Stamp: A Cute Christmas (120825-W/121133-C), Broadsheet Alphabet (118724-W/120585-C), and Dot-Dot-Dot (115332-W)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, and Real Red Classic Ink; Certainly Celery, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Garden Green, Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, and Real Red Stampin' Write Markers.
Paper: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz, Real Red and Very Vanilla Card Stock.
Accessories: Big Shot, Polka-Dot Embossing Folder, Table Setting XL Bigz Die; Clear Tinsel.

To order on-line 24/7 click here.