YOKE DU YOUR
One particular Christmas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip, but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.
Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more.
When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress.
Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked, and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys.
So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom. Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door. He opened the door, and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.
The angel said, very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn’t it a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?”
Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.
ARTspiration
Artists or art that turns me on and feeds my muse! Like it or dislike it, what about this art inspires your own art or creativity? Gladys Nilsson’s A Girl in the Arbor #8, 2013 Mixed media on paper 29 3/4 x 41 1/2 inches. Courtesy the artist and Garth Greenan Gallery, New York.
DESIGNspiration
Look around you. Design is everywhere! How can you incorporate the beauty that surrounds you into your art or craft? OMG, cupcakes! Glorious symmetry!
IDEA I LOVE
Here’s a super easy pinecone tree to make. All you need are small pinecones and a glue gun. Get Ho! Ho! Ho! with your crafty self. Here’s how:
http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/home-makeovers/diy-pinecone-tree
IDEA I LOVE
This is a pretty quick afghan to make — especially since you are going to ARM KNIT it! C’mon, cupcake, it’s time you learned ONE new thing in 2014. You don’t have much time. Grab some yarn and wash your arms! Here’s how you make this:
http://www.yarnspirations.com/how-to-arm-knitting
YUMMY DISH!
CHEESY ONION PIE
INGREDIENTS:
onions, sliced
butter
eggs
half-and-half cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese
FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cheesy-onion-pie#ixzz3LsaRxbju
IDEA I LOVE
Oh, aren’t you the chic one? Here’s a pattern for mixing flannel and fur to create some neat-o Christmas stockings for Santa to fill with diamond, rubies, and emeralds on Christmas Eve. So cool. Here’s the pattern:
http://thegirlinspired.com/2014/12/fur-flannel-stockings-pattern/
SO DRINK, CHUG-A-LUG CHUG-A-LUG
CANDY CANE PUNCH
Ingredients:
2 jars (10 ounces each) strawberry jelly
2 liters lemon-lime soda, divided
2 quarts peppermint stick ice cream
Miniature candy canes, optional
Website: http://whenthedinnerbellrings.blogspot.com/2012/07/just-little-laginappe-when-dinner-bell.html
IF YOU HAVEN’T SUBSCRIBED TO THIS BLOG YET:
For well over 2 years, I have been posting up to 20 links per day or every other day, on the Mark Lipinski’s Fan Pageon Facebook. Of course, in Facebook’s never ending quest to make lots of money, Facebook seems to have abandoned their mission of a real social networking site and it has become more about Facebook revenue.
Several months ago, Facebook, without warning, had implemented a new business model. As a result, the vast majority of “LIKErs” who have been faithful readers of this Fan Page have been blocked from receiving my posts, time and time again, from getting all or a few of the postings onto their timeline feed.
The reason is, Facebook would like pages like, Mark Lipinski’s Fan Page, to pay money every day, and on every post, in order to advertise and lure readers like you, onto the Fan Page.
With out “BOOSTING” a post, only about 5% of people who clicked LIKE on the Fan Page are actually seeing anything I post — and it could be random – sometimes you get a post, and sometimes not. Basically, it sucks for all of us. I am finding that we are all better served if I posted my tips, ideas, links, and jokes, etc. to my blog. You can subscribe to my blog (only if you wan to) and get an email each time I post a grouping of ideas, links, etc.
I AM NOT shutting down Mark Lipinski’s Fan Page on Facebook and you are welcome to follow me there, too. What I am doing is putting everything that used to be on the Fan Page individually onto my blog, AND there will be a daily link to the idea blog on the Fan Page, just as there were multiple links to the various blogs that I’ve always linked to in the past. It’s not that different, really. It will save me a lot of time, and guarantee those who want to see the creative posts will actually get to see them. And Facebookers, will STILL have to click on “GET NOTIFICATIONS” in your Facebook Settings if they want to see what I post on Facebook (sometimes that works, but not all of the time).
Actually, my new model gives you at least TWO ways to get all of the ideas, etc. PLUS you can PIN them and they will be TAGGED so you can find them again in the search bar even years later. – through the FACEBOOK FAN PAGE and YOUR CHOICE (not mandatory) to subscribe to the blog and get email postings that way.
BREATHLESS INSPIRATION!
Sonja Hinrichsen is a snow artist. It’s not her official title — she conducts a lot of art interventions in nature, and pursues photography and good ol’ fashioned ink drawings. But her snow drawings are nestled rightfully at the top of her artist website, revealing what happens when a professional artist gets her hands on snowshoes, and walks for hours to channel the wonders of land art. …. from Huffington Post
IDEA I LOVE
So who doesn’t catch a chill during the winter? Here’s a DIY sweater blanket to make to keep you toasty during your long winter TV-gawking nights. Take a look:
http://www.popsugar.com/home/DIY-Sweater-Blanket-7123606
IDEA I LOVE
OK, this glow-in-the-dark table is just beyond fabulous. I wouldn’t know wood from plaster, so chances of me making one is nill … buy YOU can and you can send me the photos, too. Here’s where you start:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Glow-table/?ALLSTEPS
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACESspiration
One of my favorite places on earth, Lake Powell, Utah. This is Emerald Canyon taken by Antony Spencer. There are so many inspirational opportunities in color, shape, and texture!
WORDS TO LIVE BY
I know it’s a busy time of year but . . .
IDEA I LOVE
So cute. Such an heirloom. What memories. Wait, have I shown you this before? I’m losing it! Here’s a little crayon and pad holder that you can embroider a piece of original art onto. If I’ve shown you this before, I’m sorry. I must REALLY like it. Make one starting here:
http://www.minkikim.com/?p=2085
MAN CAN LIVE BY BREAD ALONE!
HOMEMADE ENGLISH MUFFINS
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
bread flour
active dry yeast
water
milk
butter
sugar
salt
cornmeal, optional
FOR THE FULL RECIPES, CLICK THE LINKS: http://12tomatoes.com/2014/12/breakfast-recipe-homemade-puffy-english-muffins.html
MEMBA?
Light up nose Santa lapel pin
And now a word from our sponsor . . .
COOKIES!
MARK‘S GRANDMA‘S LITTLE ROUND ITALIAN COOKIES
Ingredients:
1/2 pound margarine
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking powder
1 Tablespoon vanilla
6 cups flour
Just an FYI….these are a very versatile cookie. Sometimes I add chopped walnuts into the cookie batter and/or 100% anise oil (be careful, it’s strong).
Directions:
Melt margine and cool. In a large bowl, add eggs, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and cooled margarine.
Add the flour, turn out onto a counter, and knead to a smooth dough.
Roll the dough into small balls, about the size of walnuts.
Place each ball onto a greased and floured cookie sheet.
After all the balls are on the cookie sheet, use the floured end of your little finger and pierce the center of each ball before baking.
Bake at 350-degrees for 15 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are a light golden brown (the top will still be pale)
After the cookies are cool, frost them with the following icing and added rainbow nopareils.
Icing:
1 pound powered sugar
1/2 stick butter
2 lid-fulls of vanilla, plus a hint of any flavored oil, like anise, lemon, orange, or almond.
Add just enough milk to make a smooth spreading consistency.
This is my Grandma, Angelina DeRose. Today, as a matter of fact, is the anniversary of her death, 17 years. Oddly enough, her husband and my grandfather (who died a few years before I was born), died exactly 40 years earlier on the same day — December 14.
IDEA I LOVE!
Winter Sweater Manicure
BE DAZZLED!
Multi-Gem Gold Bangle, $24,000
PATCHWORK, BABY!
This is the Wintertide quilt, designed by Wendy Shephard (who, by the way, has a table topper in Saturday’s Book Review Table Topper book (a pretty good book, by the way). Get your copy here: http://bit.ly/1GCrePD). Here’s the pattern:
http://benartex.com/uploads/Image/quilt-gallery/59F/wintertide.pdf
SHOEspiration
DOLCE & GABBANA, Embellished brocade boots, $ 4,495.00
WHAT I LOVE
This reindeer pillow is so easy, a moron like me could whip it up in minutes. Here’s how your resident moron can make one:
http://www.sewhomegrown.com/2010/11/diy-anthropologie-inspired-blooming.html
DESSERT!
CHOCOLATE WASTED CAKE
HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
cake: (for my original chocolate cake recipe or a vegan “wacky cake” version, please check my One Good Chocolate Cake post )
all-purpose flour
cups sugar
cocoa powder
baking soda
salt
milk
butter
honey
vanilla extract
semi-sweet chocolate chips
frosting:
powdered sugar
cocoa powder
butter
whole milk (start out with 1/3 cup of milk and add more milk to your desired consistency)
vanilla extract
liqueur for drizzling on the cake layers (i.e. chocolate, coffee or almond)
melted chocolate for drizzling :
semi-sweet chocolate chips*
heavy cream or vegetable oil
semi-sweet, bittersweet or dark chocolate chips for the sides of the cake
FOR THE FULL RECIPE, CLICK HERE: http://artofdessert.blogspot.com/2011/10/chocolate-wasted-cake.html
ORNAMENT COUNTDOWN!
I would love a set of these little pastel owls decorating my Christmas tree. So cute and not too time consuming either. You could get a few on your tree this year. Start now using this tutorial:
http://www.gingermelondolls.blogspot.ca/2014/02/free-pattern-little-lark-lavender-sachet.html
Did You Miss Yesterday’s Book Reviews? (…you could win something)
Check it out here: http://marklipinskisblog.wordpress.com/2014/12/13/book-review-saturday-december-13-2014/
MUST HAVE
I don’t think I could go on living with out this Wig Vase, $330.00. OK, it’s pricey but I still love it! You can buy yours here:
http://shop.gessato.com/the-wig-vase-by-tania-da-cruz.html
STASH SLASHING!
One creative’s hoard is another creative’s treasure . . . read on:
When I began The Slow Stitching Movement I asked stitchers and quilters to reduce their impact on the planet and their creative psyches by letting go of the stash of books, papers, patterns fabrics, and tools that they have been collecting over many years and haven’t used. I have been preaching to myself. So, in an effort to put my money where my mouth is, to open my creativity by being less boxed in by ‘stuff’, I have begun posting boxes of book and fabric bundles on eBay for various charities.
Here’s how I price the packages . . . I research the amount an individual could buy each of these books or fabricss, pre-owned, at their lowest online price. I total the price, split it in half and add Priority Mail Flat Rate Shipping (about $12.65). Then I add a little surprise from my stash as a bonus (it could be extra fabrics, a book ,or notion).
I WILL BE ADDING NEW PRIORITY MAIL BOXES FULL OF GOODIES OFTEN!
Please visit my eBay store to do me, you, and a few of my local charities a favor and check out my eBay store for what I’ve listed each day:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/toughnj/m.html?item=111525554371&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562
Here are the current listings:
Quilting and Fiber Books from Saturday Book Review! FREE SHIPPING
IDEA I LOVE
Anthropology has a similar set of fabric-wrapped reindeer, but you can make your own, using free scraps from your stash, and an old Christmas ornament. Try it out:
http://www.copycatcrafts.com/recycled-christmas-reindeer-anthropologie-craft/
SLOW STITCHING
Gail Pan, Australian designer and author of “Patchwork Loves Embroidery: Hand Hand Pretty Projects,” discusses Slow Stitching and The Slow Stitching Movement. Listen here: http://www.slowstitching.com/podcasts.html Listen to her podcast here:
http://www.slowstitching.com/podcasts.html
The Slow Stitching Movement Podcast’s are sponsored by Aurifil and GloriousColor.com
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