Mrs. Santa's Cottage

Peppermint Fudge Crinkle Cookies

2011-08-07T09:26:00.000-04:00

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest for Kelsey's Kitchen

Good Mornin', Dearies! How are you on this fine Sunday morning? I hope you're all feeling well and many good things are blessing you today. If it's not one of those "good" days or "times" for you, rest assured, these things will pass. You will be able to get through it and better times are in store for you. My Mother always taught us, when you're going through a hard time, its because God has something extra special in store for you. He'll make up double of what you lost or what has been done to you.

Well now, on that note, let me get to something really special I came across from one of the other Mrs. Santa's, Jean Marie. At one of our club meetings, she shared this recipe with us; and, I wanted to pass it on to all of you because it looks so delicious!

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped, melted and cooled
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted chocolate, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup canola oil, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract.

Stir in the eggs, one at a time until combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.

Add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or place in your freezer for 45 minutes until the dough is chilled. This will make the dough easier to work with.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Working with 1/4 of the dough at a time, begin rolling the cold dough into portions about the size of a tablespoon or portion using a 2-ounce ice cream scoop.

In 2 separate bowls, separate the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 3/4 cup powdered sugar.

Roll each ball of dough first in the granulated sugar followed by a generous amount of powdered sugar.

Place about 2-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until the center of the cookie is set. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on cooling racks.

Which Reindeer Food to Choose for Rudolph?

2011-07-06T20:30:00.000-04:00

Cupid and Comet with Santa - Reindeer Games, Hartford, Wisconsin

Photo Courtesy of Reindeer Owner and Breeders Association

There are many recipes to choose from when deciding what to feed Santa's Reindeer. Did you know they're also known as caribou?

Like us, each reindeer has their own preference for what they like to eat. Ohhh, Dancer does love his apples and Comet is big on carrots. Donna will even nibble on a little spinach; but, they all have a basic Reindeer diet they follow...one that is rich in nutrients to keep them healthy and strong to pull Santa's sleigh, especially through those cold, snowy Christmas Eve Nights.

Before they came to live with us, they used to eat shrubs and grasses, Reindeer Moss and mushrooms, occasionally some bird's eggs, small fish (artic char) and rodents (lemmings) and some fruits.

But...as you know...I enjoy cookin' and bakin' up a storm of special treats for everyone! Now, they definitely have a lot more variety in their diet, which is still very good for them and much more enjoyable then having the same old boring thing all the time! I've added things like hay and alfalfa, commercial deer food, grasses and other vegetation, willow and birch trees, leafy weeds like dandelions, and carrots and apples as treats.

BUT, the best food is the one that helps make them FLY, which I'm about to share with you right here! Shhh! It's a secret recipe! We don't want everyone creating traffic jams in the sky now, do we?! It's bad enough trying to get to the nearby store. I remember when there were only...I digress...Anyhoo, Santa would never be able to get through with all that traffic. But, we don't have to worry about that now, do we? I trust you can keep a secret.

Everyone says its the magic of Christmastime that makes Santa's reindeer fly. Well, that is partially true. However, its this recipe that keeps them up there! If it weren't for that, they'd fall right out of the sky after a short sprint!

Oh yes, the secret recipe. Here it is. You can help Santa on Christmas Eve by whipping this up for his team and sprinkling it outside so they can have a little nack-nack (my version for snack-snack).

Here's one recipe:

Photo Courtesy of Today's Creative Blog

Here's another for a little change:

Get yourself a nice selection of food that is safe for birds and animals to eat. This can be dried oatmeal, cereal, birdseed, Christmas sprinkles, sparkly sugar crystals...things of that sort...and mix it all together. And, you're all set!

Photo Courtesy of Tom Kat Studio

Elf Tom Kat actually gave these as gifts one year and created these wonderful gift tags to go along with them: Magic Reindeer Food.

Now you have another one of my secret recipes that you can pass down through your family! After all, its important to carry on tradition. Isn't it, my fellow Mrs. Santa's.

More Cupcake Ornaments - Retro Style!

2011-06-25T17:33:00.000-04:00

Photo Courtesy of Bake It Pretty

I love these ornaments. They are so much fun to make and very easy to do. There is a previous blog post for making cupcake ornaments, too. This one was created by Bake It Pretty; but, we found out about them via Prudent Baby.

You need very few materials: styrofoam balls, glitter, cupcake liners and something to decorate the top with.

Photo Courtesy of Prudent Baby

You can play and put the ingredients together yourself because there are so few materials to work with; or, get the instructions here at Bake It Pretty. Let us know if you tried them!

Tutorial: Glistening Snow Men

2011-06-18T21:03:00.000-04:00

Photo Courtesy of Fave Crafts

I found this eye catching decoration and found it to be so charming. Make sure to add LOTS, and I mean LOTS, of the glittering micro glitter to make it shine and sparkle like snow. Any of the winter and Christmas decorations I make are always covered with lots of the spray glitter. It's so appealing.

Tutorial for Glistening Snowmen

Tutorial: Glittery Cupcakes and Snowball Ornaments

2011-05-30T18:50:00.000-04:00

Photo Courtesy of Fuzzy Sheep Crafts

Take a look at these great ornaments! They are very easy to make. Kids, large and small, can get involved. There are lots of kid-friendly crafts over at Fuzzy Sheep Crafts.

The basic tutorial teaches you how to make these great sparkly snowballs.

Photo Courtesy of Fuzzy Sheep Crafts

Build upon that lesson to make the cupcakes which are featured in the first picture above.

Glittery Snowball Instructions

Supplies:

Styrofoam balls (any size desired, these were 4”)
White glue
SnowFlakes (found at Michaels for about $3 a bag)
Chopsticks
Thin ribbon to hang ornament
Clear Coat Spray
Hot Glue

Step 1: Gently press a chopstick into each ball to serve as a handle. Paint your ball with a good thick coat of the white glue. The more the better as the glue soaks into the ball. Because the ball is white, and the snow is what, if you miss a spot or two don’t worry.

Step 2: Now for the messy/fun part! Dip your ball into the snow flakes and coat everything. Use your hands to press and smoosh the flakes into the glue. This helps things adhere and means less flaking off later. Once everything is well coated, allow to dry for an hour or two. I found it worked well if you just stood the chopstick up in a hefty coffee mug.

Step 3: Once everything is dry, give a quick and thin spray of some clear coat. This step isn’t completely necessary, but I did it to help prevent flake-off, my grudge against anything glittered. Allow the snow balls to dry again, for at least an hour. Do this in a well ventilated area, trust me.

Step 4: Once dry again, pull your chopstick out. Fill that hole with hot glue and use your chopstick to help you push the ends of a length of ribbon in to hang your snowball from. Allow to set and hang on your try for a sparkly Melt Free Snowball for your Christmas tree.

That's it!

Now, to turn them into Glittery Cupcakes, do this instead:

Extra Supplies:

Styrofoam balls (2 1/2”)
Red christmas berry pick
Red tin foil cupcake liners
Beads to simulate sprinkles

Step 1: Coat/cover/spray your snowballs as indicated above. The only difference is that you only need to cover the top portion of the ball, maybe just over a half.

Step 2: Once everything is dry, run a bead of hot glue along the inside edge of a cupcake liner. Carefully press your liner around the uncovered part of your snowball. I tried more white glue, but that didn’t work. Hot glue is my duct tape! Fixes everything.

Step 3: Once everything is set, snip a berry from your pick, being sure to leave enough wire to stab into the snowball. Use this wire to poke through the center of the ribbon you’ll use for your hanger. Add a dab of hot glue to hold everything together.

Step 4: Use the wire again to poke the cherry into the cupcake. If you want to make sure it’ll really stay, run a dab of hotglue along the wire just before poking it in.

Step 5: Add a few dabs of white glue here and there, and toss on a few beads to simulate sprinkles for extra cuteness.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T18:39:00.000-05:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Wishing You a Wonderful, Fun and Thrilling Christmas!

Tutorial: Whimsical Mushrooms and Berries

2010-12-19T11:08:00.000-05:00

Photo Courtesy from Allsorts

Want whimsical, enchanting, different and homey? Try your hand at making these little mushrooms and berries. They're actually very easy to do with fantastic results.

The original idea came from The Storque-Etsy's Handmade Blog. However, Allsorts made some minor changes to come up with these:

Photo Courtesy from Allsorts

Here are the step-by-step instructions to the Mushroom Tutorial. Before you begin, read the below changes Allsorts made to the project.

"I created three different sizes and made longer stems. Instead of stitching everything together, I made liberal use of my glue gun, except for gathering the mushroom cap. Also, I wanted the mushrooms to appear to be "growing" onto the branches, so I hot-glued a bent piece of wire into the stem before rolling, leaving the two ends sticking out the bottom. Now the mushrooms could be wired onto the branches!"

She goes on to explain how she made the individual berries. She bought berry stems from Joanne's and sliced the tape that held them together. Each berry is attached to an individual wire. After cutting the tape, she separated all of the berries. Then, she bent each wire over a pencil and hung on the tree.

Snowman Gift Jars

2010-12-11T10:01:00.000-05:00

Photo Courtesy of AOK Corral

I love Christmas All Year. This is an exceptionally active Yahoo Club. I can't really say I post many entries. It's not often when I do. Most of my time is spent reading all the emails and ideas that are shared between the members...and it's A LOT! I can't keep up with them; but, it's so much fun. A true treasure trove. Here is one idea shared by a member.

Snowman Gift Jars and it looks really easy to do! The only change I would make is the hat would be longer and drape by his little neck. Maybe, even a little sparkle pom pom to give it some pizazz. I would still use a little spray glitter...not too much. You wouldn't want anyone eating glitter off their fingertips after diving into the goody jar. I am a self proclaimed "Spray Glitter Queen" when it comes to holiday decorating. Can't help it. Love it.

These make perfect parting gifts, gifts for the office, neighbors or anyone! Placed in a nice little blue bag with white snowflake stickers, some curly ribbon, and you're good to go!

Tutorial: Arctic Snow House

2010-12-05T17:54:00.001-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Fave Crafts

Here's an adorable little house to add some sparkling fun and decor to your holidays! Since I'm always thinking about recycling, I picture using the milk or juice cartons and cutting them down to size to make the house; but, use whatever makes you most comfortable. In this tutorial, a styrofoam block is cut into the appropriate sizes.

Tutorial for Arctic Snow House

The End of The Gingerbread Man

2010-11-20T15:53:00.000-05:00

Free Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Well, almost...last week, I read London bureaucrats previously passed a ruling to rename the "Gingerbread Man" to the "Gingerbread Person" for 400 primary schools. Upon hearing that "Gingerbread Men" were no more, parents were astonished and outraged. Due to the negative response and feedback these officials received, as of early last week, they reinstated the cookie's original name back to "Gingerbread Man". Thank goodness, "Gingerbread Person" just loses its touch

for delivering that warm, holiday feeling.

Read Full Article from Mail Online

Who says things won't change if we speak up!

Tutorial: How to Make Christmas Crackers that Pop!

2010-11-14T18:13:00.003-05:00

Photo from Best Christmas Crackers.com

Tutorial of the Christmas Cracker

Ohhh, how I remember these fun gifts as a kid! Every year, I would always ask for them at Christmas. It was never the same without them. They bring a special magic that people of all ages love. There were always smiles all around, just anticipating that POPPING sound! Then, the goodies spilled out! Yay! Since they bring so many special memories, I looked up how to make them and found a very easy 3-minute tutorial on You Tube by House To Home. Check it out.

How To Make Christmas Crackers Video

History of the Christmas Cracker

How these splendid little treats came into play? Well, they were created by Tom Smith who was a baker, sweet shop, and wedding cake ornament maker in London during 1847. He was always looking for ways to market his baked goods. One year, in 1940, he traveled to Paris in search of new ideas and discovered the bon bon. This was a sugared almond wrapped and twisted in tissue paper. When he returned to London, his version of bon bons were very successful during the Christmas Season.

After Christmas, like all companies, business slowed down. To try to rev up business again, he started putting little slips of paper into his bon bons with romantic sayings on them.

In time, other businesses picked up his idea and began successfully selling them, as well. Once again, he thought about how to drive up sales and what he could do to differentiate himself from his competition. On one of these evenings, he threw a log into the fireplace which popped and crackled. That was the inspiration he needed to develop his bon bons further than anyone else had.

It took two years, in 1860, before he found the right materials he could safely use in these treats. During this time, he made further changes. For instance, he stopped using sweets and started adding little gifts. He also changed the name of his new creations from bon bons to "Cosaques’- named after the sound of Cossack horse-riders whips used during the Franco-Prussian war."

After his passing in 1869, his three sons kept up with this tradition; however, they made additional changes to the cracker design, mottoes and its contents. His youngest son, Walter, is the one who stopped using love sayings and replaced them with sayings that reflected current events. He is also the one who put the paper hat into these crackers.

What's inside a Christmas Cracker?

Traditionally sweets, gifts, a joke, and a little paper hat; but, you can fill 'em with anything you wish. Gifts can be inexpensive or filled with luxury items. Also, remember these fun crackers are not only for Christmas but can be customized for any holiday and occasion throughout the year.

Where to Buy the crackers (25 for $4.95) that make these little treats go POP!

Old English Crackers.com or Christmas Crackers USA.com

The history of Christmas Crackers was found on Best Christmas Crackers.com.

Tutorial: Christmas Joy Plaques

2010-10-11T18:28:00.003-04:00

Photo from Shanty2Chic

These are very easy decorations to make. Full instructions can be found on Shanty2Chic.

What I like about it the most, aside from their charming style, is they are very easy to customize for any holiday, occasion, and season. They can also fit any home decor. For instance:

Winter: Paint sky blue with white flecks. Spell out Jack Frost, Chilly, Snowmen

Easter: Lavendar or yellow with pink polka dots. Spelling out Easter, Peter Rabbit, Chicks

Birthday: All different bright colors. Spell out Wishes, Happy Birthday

Or, instead of words, use pictures. Cut images from fabric. Or, scan photos into your PC, then print directly on fabric.

Join The Big Holiday Ornament Swap!

2010-10-08T13:17:00.000-04:00

Free Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

If you send 3 ornaments in, you will receive 3 ornaments back.

If you send 4 ornaments in, you will receive 4 ornaments back and so forth and so on.

Go to The Big Holiday Ornament Swap for more details. Still not sure, review the ornaments that were swapped in previous years. Hopefully, we'll see you in this year's round!

All skill levels are welcomed. Similar skill levels will be swapped together.

Choose to make 3-6 ornaments. Let us know how many by signing up in the database.
Can be made from anything, except food or edible items.
Can use commercially made items as your base. Ultimately, overall design and creation must be predominantly yours.
No 3 ornaments can look alike. We really need variety.
Tree ornaments - No bigger or wider than 6"
Shelf, wall, or door ornaments - Very reasonable size. They must all fit in a box.
Make sure your ornaments are mailed and arrive by November 20, 2010.
You will receive your swapped ornaments the week of December 1, 2010.
Must include return postage, which is the same postage it cost you to send your ornaments.

No popcicle reindeer, pompom snowmen, or similar ornaments of the sort allowed.

Need ideas? Review their free pattern files or come back to Mrs. Santa's Cottage for more great ornament ideas! Go to the library or scan the internet for Christmas crafts how-to. Check out your bookstore or local newstand; and, don't forget your holiday boutiques to spur up some creative fun!

Tutorial: Ornament Inspirations from the Sea

2010-10-03T19:03:00.004-04:00

Photo of Ombre Glittered Seashell Ornaments from Martha Stewart.com

Hello, dearies! Mr. Claus and I are back again for another season of joyous fun! Although we have been up to our knickers in coming up with new decorations, recipes, and toys for everyone! Thankfully, we have a lot of assistance from all of our elves; but, we're always looking for more hands to help! Good deeds can never have too many! Any-hoo, here are some from one of our very talented elves...

Want to savor those warm summer days or remember a special time spent at the beach or perhaps a vacation you took to an island? What to do with all the shells collected along the shore as you strolled with the rippling water cascading over your toes? Here's one idea from Martha Stewart's Christmas Workshop. Turn your tree into a gift from the sea with these simple to make ornaments. Just a little glue, glitter and a few other items to jazz 'em up for the festive season is all that is needed. Click on each link under the 6 photos for the instructions.

Photo of Glittered Sailboat Ornament from Martha Stewart.com

Photo of Glitter Striped Shell Ornaments from Martha Stewart.com

Photo of Sea Urchin Jellyfish Ornaments from Martha Stewart.com

Photo of Natural Shell Ornament with Pearl from Martha Stewart.com

Photo of Seashell Tree Topper from Martha Stewart.com

Don't stop here! Have a star fish? Or a plastic toy fish? How about a treasure chest or diver from an aquarium? Do the same thing. Glitter everything in sight!!! Add small rhinestones and beads from the jewelry aisle of the crafts or bead store. Better yet, search ebay for some real deals on these supplies. Mind you, you will continue to find glitter in your hair, on your eyebrows, and everywhere else waaaay into spring! But that's okay. It will blend in with all the Easter decorations you'll be creating!

Be Back In Fall 2010!

2010-02-14T16:36:00.000-05:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven

Technical Difficulty. Be Back Soon.

2009-11-28T11:20:00.002-05:00

Clipart at Clipartheaven.com

Wooly Yarn Wreaths

2009-11-09T10:03:00.000-05:00

Propery of Knock Knocking

I never gave much thought about wreaths and how differently they can be made until my visit to Bugs and Fishes blog. Three very resourceful and talented artists are featured here. Their use of yarn and wool is unique and inspiring.

Although I don't knit or crochet, I do incorporate yarn into my work because some are exceptionally beautiful. They also give unusual textures to the pieces; but, I would like to see what else I can do with them.

Take a look-see. You won't be disappointed.

Tutorial: Gorgeous Recycled Swirl Ornaments! Gotta See!

2009-11-09T09:16:00.001-05:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven

WAIT! Before you go, believe me on this one. I know the toilet paper roll isn't the most pleasing site in the world; but, honestly, take a moment to look at the tutorial from the link below. It's only 3 minutes long. The ornament was made by recycling empty toilet paper rolls. The end result is beautiful and gorgeous. I was blown away.

As I was watching the tutorial, I was very skeptical, thinking, "C'mon, now! How nice can this really be? It's probably a little crafty looking thing you can do with the kids." While you can do it with children, it really is a WOW piece. I never would have thought it was made from toilet paper rolls.

Happy Bird's Crafting Haven

Make "Tie-On" Charms from Recycled Cards

2009-11-09T08:57:00.001-05:00

Property of Happy Bird's Crafting Haven

Happy Bird's Crafting Haven has a lot of cute ideas for making ornaments and some very yummy-looking recipes, too. One idea talks about recycling cards and making little charms from them to use for other projects. Cut out the images you want and tie them onto thin ribbon, twine, yarn, or fibers. If you don't want to tie them, attach them with glue or brads you find in the memory making aisles at your craft store. You can also glue a series of the charms onto thick ribbon. Imagine these snowmen on a midnight-blue, wire-edged ribbon covered in sparkly snowflakes. It's a little snow scene to use as garland, collages, trim on a doll's dress, or anything else you can dream of.

You can also embellish the charms further with glitter, fabric scraps, paint, anything.

And Your Elf Name Is...

2009-11-06T11:26:00.000-05:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Hi! I'm Spicy Blinking Bum; and, it's my job at Santa's Headquarters to make sure you receive your elf name. Let's see if you have already been listed. Yup, here you are. Right here on my list. See?!

It's also going to be officially entered in Christmastown's Official Big Book of Elf Names. You can read yours here. . Click on "What's Your Elf Name" under the big green box. Don't worry about the scary pictures on the next page. That's just Freckles Snow Bunny and Giggles Mince Meat all dressed up for Halloween. They're always playing jokes on us! Wonder when they snuck these in here...

Bushel of Ornaments Continued

2009-10-30T12:53:00.004-04:00

Mini Wall Art Quilt

6" x 6"

It's completed! This is my version of a Mini Wall Art Quilt Ornament. Each one of those little crystals and adornments on the black felt and trees were painstakingly attached, one by one. It looks a lot better in person. I'm almost tempted to keep it for myself because a lot of work really went into this.

Materials: felt, rayon, corduroy, fiberfill, crystals, beads, buttons, embroidery floss, trim, misc embellishments. Hand stitched.

Feather Fly-Away

6" x 7" including feathers

4" x 4" wreath

Last night, ideas came flooding to me regarding this piece that was previously posted. I wound hand-dyed fly-away yarn in between each of the beads which gives it a look of more fullness and aesthetic appeal. The yarn is blended into a combination of running blue and sea green colors. It's so beautiful, I'm always very selective what to use it on.

Each of the feathers had to be individually attached with Fabri-Tac which makes this a delicate ornament. Everything is holding well and very secure. I would have been more comfortable wiring the feathers onto the wreath instead; but, there weren't any stems to use.

The final touches, each teeny tiny bead was also individually set.

Mini Wall Art Quilt Ornament

2009-10-29T16:56:00.005-04:00

In Progress: Mini Wall Art Quilt

Here's another one in progress I had to show you because I really like how its coming out. This one is supposed to be my Mini Art Quilt Wall Ornament. (The first one, which was very different, didn't turn out well and has been tossed to the side.) It's put together with scraps of fabric and all different types of floss. The material ranges from corduroy to sheer organza to rayon silk to cotton. Can't wait until its done.

Bushel of Ornaments for Christmas Swaps

2009-10-29T14:16:00.006-04:00

Here are a few finished ornaments for the swaps I'm in. The others are still in progress.

Snowy

Who doesn't love snowmen? I love all types. For my first one, I wanted something country and primitive, but not too primitive. This is a hand-stitched 6" snowman made from cream plush felt, scraps of fabric, buttons, twigs and a pom pom.

His mouth and the snowflakes on his hat are hand embroidered. The edging of his hat has blanket stitches. His nose was made from clay and painted. Blush was used for his cheeks. To make him glisten like snow, he's been sprayed with glitter.

In Progress: Feather Fly-Away

This was actually the first one I made. Large vintage pearls were strung onto wire. (I received these from eBay. You can get a lot of wonderful vintage pieces here at inexpensive prices.)

The pearls were inter-spaced with purple aurora borealis beads from a necklace I purchased from a kids accessory store in the mall.

Moss colored organza ribbon was then wrapped around the beads and the ribbon edges were tied together to make a hanger.

Velvet leaves were added on top. Their stems are wire which made it easy to attach them. Just wrap their wire stems around the wreath and hide it under the ribbon.

A dragonfly pin with crystals was tied to the wreath at three sections (the clasp, the wing, and the tail). Since his head was missing, I replaced it with a citrine colored stone.

There's a little spray glitter on it because I like the shimmer.

Baaaaah

6" x 4"

These are the most fun and very addicting to make. Very popular, too. People want me to make a little herd for them. I expect these would make great holiday craft show items from the response I received.

Another View of Baaaaah

I found a picture of a sheep and drew around it to make it the size I wanted, about 6" for this one. (I didn't want to be bothered going to the copy store to enlarge or reduce the image.)

Then, I cut it from black felt and stitched all the way around it. No turning the body inside out. Just leave the top of the sheep open so you can stuff it a bit. Then, stitch closed.

Find fluffy, maybe a little knotted looking, yarn or wool. Tie a knot around his neck and start wrapping him up in it until he's nice and fluffy like a real sheep. You can use different colored wools, too, on the same sheep. They all came out great! You might also need a little glue to keep a piece of wool in place by his tushie.

Cut two little triangles, softly rounded, from black felt for his ears. Bend it in half a little and glue the bottom edges together. The top of his ears are not glued. Glue the ears in place on his little head. I use E6000 for mostly everything; but, you can also use Fabri-Tac, too.

Tie ribbon, raffia, or something else around his neck with a little bell. There are buttons that come in the shape of little cow bells which would make this even cuter. You can also use chenille pine stems to make a little wreath for around his neck, too, with a red velvet bow attached to it. Way toooo cute.

On some sheep, I sprayed glitter to give them the look of freshly fallen snow from being out in the fields.

The hanger is gold embroidery floss sewn through the body so it holds better. In this way, the wool won't pull and become loose after years of tugging on it and hanging.

Will Work For Candy Canes! Elves For Hire!

2009-10-22T13:50:00.002-04:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Do you need an assistant? Or a team of them to help organize the chaos and share the trade secrets to a meaningful and joyous holiday season? We found a few great sites that actually, kind-of, offer this! Although they’re not there doing the work for you, you are guided along the Gingerbread Brick Road into creating and rediscovering what Christmas is meant to be.

Christmas Organizing acts as your very own Christmas Coach! There are so many resources you can access here. The complete list is on their main page. Membership is free unless you choose to also join their "Candy Cane Club" which is $25 for an annual subscription. Aside from the free basic membership, which offers a lot, you can also sign up for their free newsletter. On top of that, you can join their discussion group called Christmas Organizing Yahoo Group.

Another outstanding club is the Christmas All Year Yahoo Group . The main topic is, of course, Christmas. However, once a new holiday rolls around, there are so many great decorating and crafting ideas, as well as family traditions, shared by its members. This is a very giving group that shares a wealth of information with each other. You can easily add a lot more sparkle and fun to your holidays with what you find here. Oh! I almost forgot to mention, if you love cooking and baking, check out their tempting vintage recipes.

Everyone will wonder where you came up with so many great ideas and how you effortlessly created a joyous occasion for everyone without ever looking frazzled! The stress so many often feel during this time will decrease and the meaning of the season will flood back to you as you implement the tips and tools others have learned before you.

Star Light, Star Bright

2009-10-21T15:55:00.001-04:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

If you have the time, here's a great star ornament that's very glittery and glitsy! Check it out at the blog below.

The Fairies Nest

Big Holiday Ornament Swap!

2009-10-08T14:07:00.002-04:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

If you enjoy making handcrafted ornaments and receiving them, then you really should check out this Yahoo Group called "Big Holiday Ornament Swap".

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BigHolidayOrnamentSwap/

An edited portion of the main details can be found on the main page. I joined and am already sketching out designs for what to make! Hope to see you here!

Mrs. Santa's Secret North Pole Christmas Recipes!

2009-10-05T14:51:00.001-04:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

Pssst. Take a lookie. Mrs. Santa's secret Christmas recipes that Santa and all the elves love!

Mrs. Claus' Family Cookbook

You can even see what her kitchen looks like!

Mrs. Claus' Kitchen

If you're lucky enough to sneak a gingerbread cookie or a fingerfull of that batter, you can scamper off to hear the two stories read by one of Santa's Senior Elves! You just have to find 'em!

It's a BHG Christmas!

2009-09-16T13:44:00.003-04:00

Clipart from Hellasmultimedia.com

Have you seen all the ornaments you can make over at the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas site? Whoo-hoo! I don't know about you; but, I am always on the search for patterns and how-to's on making handcrafted ornaments. What a heart-felt sentiment to be gifted with a box of these little wonders! Admittedly, some people do not appreciate handcrafted items but prefer commercially-made pieces. Each to her own. They are all wonderful. Me, personally, I see memories being made, a new history of stories being passed down through the family (whether biological or self-made) and soon-to-be-heirlooms to be treasured. Imagine opening this box of magic! All of the love and time poured into creating them, just for you! That's what I see.

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

My favorite are the miniature Pearl Wreaths. Why, you may ask? Well, I just acquired a boat-load of loose vintage pearls that I planned to use for another project. However, since I'm lover of Christmas ornaments and decorations, I couldn't help but to use them for this instead. The nostalgia is so appealing.

Clipart from Hellasmultimedia.com

The Ribbon Candy Twists and Sweet Treats are so much fun to behold! Personally, I enjoy enlarging the patterns because I find the over-sized look to be very whimsical and fun. You can even make the Sweet Treats and Candy Canes from felt, like little pillows...or giant ones! Just imagine these large sized candies hanging from the tree or really large candy canes sticking out from an old wooden basket or silvery tin pail. If you make them with muslin instead and coat it with a strong tea or coffee stain when you're done, they will get a nice, aged, vintage look. It depends upon the look you're after: bright and cheery or country primitive. I love 'em both.

Haven't tried this one yet; but, it looks like it produces a very nice heirloom ornament. It has that country, primitive look to it, which is always homey. They refer to it as a 19th Century Ornament.

If you know of any other really good sites that offer patterns or instructions on how to make handcrafted ornaments or decorations, please share them with us.

Welcome!

2009-09-05T07:16:00.001-04:00

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

A blog dedicated to Mrs. Santa and her many talents that keep Santa and his team of reindeer and elves happy, content, joyful, and jolly! View these pages to see what she has been handcrafting lately or reading her online diary or trying out a new recipe she's making for the elves or fitting Santa for a new suit this year. Oh! And don't forget her talents as a seamstress, toymaker, and decorator! She has dozens of Christmas ornaments and patterns to share with all the other Ms. and Mrs. Santa's the world over! Like most women, she holds many talents; and, it takes a great deal of organization to keep Santa and his team of reindeer and elves all organized and happy!