Birthday Wishes for Marble Man

Today is Marble Man's birthday. We generally don't do birthday gifts, just make a spectacular meal that will render us comatose by the end of the evening. 26 years-worth of tradition here - we're not letting a little thing like a diet get in the way!

Tonight's menu:

Fillet Mignon
roasted sweet potatoes
celery root and apple puree
velvet cupcakes

The cupcake recipe is actually for RED velvet cupcakes, which I've made in the past. Marble Man would snarf them up as fast as I could frost them. Then he saw the recipe and goggled. He got a bit freaked out by the tablespoon-and-a-half of red food coloring. In his mind, we're only supposed to use a few drops at a time, so this recipe is gonna kill us.

To appease him, I'm leaving out the food coloring. Since the recipe calls for cocoa powder, I thought I'd replace the food coloring with espresso, and make them mocha velvet cupcakes. They should come out ok, since I'm keeping the liquid proportions the same as the original recipe.

The celery root puree recipe is one I tried at Thanksgiving, but I cut waaaaay back on the butter and cream. I think there's a direct correlation between the size of Ina Garten (of the Food Network's Barefoot Contessa) and the amount of these two ingredients found throughout her recipes! So, I used just enough to create moisture, and some flavor. The results were phenomenal. Who could imagine a vegetable this ugly could make something that delicious?

These days, it seems like the only real creative time I've gotten has been in the kitchen. I don't mind. I love to cook, and I am paying closer attention to portions and substituting healthier ingredients for the old favorites of butter, cream, and sugar. Today is no different - I'll be spending the better part of the afternoon mixing up this feast for my guy.

Make a wish and take a deep breath, Sweetheart. Time to blow out all those candles.

Expanding My Horizons

As I mentioned here, I've developed a deep and abiding love for Brazilian music. Thanks to our satellite dish and LINK tv's program titled, World Music, I have a new Brazilian group to add to my playlist of faves, called the Tribalistas. Unfortunately, they have disbanded, but in 2002 and 2003 they made beautiful music together. With an alluring blend of voices and a dreamy musical quality, I could listen to this all day. (And I did!)

My two favorites are Carnavalia:


and Passe Em Casa:



I think it's a hoot that one of the band members is playing the "dustbuster" - who knew that was a musical instrument? And, I do wish I could understand Portuguese! No matter, whatever they are saying, the beautiful rhythms make me want to get up and dance. So... here I go.

A Flurry of Activity

Yesterday's activities with One World One Heart was wild and great fun. But now I need to step back and take a breath.

I went to bed last night thinking, "Oh, wait! I heard the computer signal that there's a new comment on my blog!". I was so tired (we're talking after midnight here), that I stayed put in bed and slept the sleep of the dead. The comments would still be there in the morning.

When I awoke, I looked out the window and saw this:

I just HAD to head out with the camera to capture it. Out there, with the snow falling steadily, I found a silent, magical place. What is it about snow that seems to absorb all sound? No cars were running,

no children's joyful noise, no dogs barking, birds chirping, squirrels fighting over territory, etc. Absolute silence. It was... A Moment.

The thing about snowfall in the South is that people look out the window, see it's snowing, and go back to bed 'cuz they know their boss is doing the same thing. Nobody goes out to drive in snow because they instinctively understand that they don't know how. So, Marble Man is home snuggling Pooch, and I have a whole day in front of me. What to do on such a Perfect Day?

The dreaded tax prep is done. All the spreadsheets are now computerized and printed out; beads and other minutiae have been counted. What a relief! Now I can do something fun. I have a salt dough wall sculpture I started before Christmas. I've been waiting to get some unpleasant task out of the way before working on it again. Yes... I'll do that. I'll be adding layers of color to this piece:

One World, One Heart

To all of you who have commented on this post:

I am overwhelmed by the reaction I have received with this giveaway. As of 11:30 AM on February 11th, comments are closed for these prizes. It's going to take me all day to pick the winners from the nearly 600 comments you have all left!

Thank you so much, and I hope you will come back again for a visit. I'll keep the cookie jar full.

Kate

~~~

Be still, my heart… One World One Heart is Here! We’ve been thinking about it for weeks and weeks, and now, here you are!

I’ve been writing my blog since early 2005. I had some false starts, but finally found my groove last year. Things I love about blogging: the spontaneity, the freedom, and the friendships I’ve formed with people I probably would never have met otherwise. This blog-wide celebration is a fabulous chance to increase my sphere of friends and I embrace it. If you want to know more about this event, please click on the logo above.

My participation includes two (count ‘em: TWO) giveaways - one for two lucky customers! They are:

1) a handmade, silk ribbon embroidered picture frame

The frame is 5” x 7”, is covered with a lovely pale blue rayon/acetate moiré faille, and has an acetate insert to protect your photo.

~

2) My other giveaway is a pair of my handmade earrings

These earrings have sterling silver filigree ear wires, agate stones, sterling silver bead caps, and freshwater pearls. They are approximately 1.5 inches long.

They will arrive packaged on a small earring card featuring a copy one of my own sketches:

~

To qualify for these giveaways,
1) you do not need to be an active blogger
2) please leave a comment here on this post (and this post only please)
3) be sure to include contact information, preferably an email address or link to your own blog.
4) if you have a preference for either one of the two giveaway items, please specify in your comment which one you would like. I'll have two hats ready and toss your name into the appropriate one of your choosing. If not, then I'll surprise you when your name is picked.
5) you do not have be participate in One World, One Heart. Just the act of stopping by and commenting qualifies you for the drawing.

The drawing will be on February 12, when two lucky people’s names will be drawn out of the hat.

Meanwhile, grab a cookie, and stay awhile to say “hello” to the other visitors…

What's Cooking Sunday/Salmon Cakes

Because One World One Heart is scheduled for Monday, this week I decided to post What's Cooking Sunday early. I don't want the post to get lost in all the traffic we're going to have next week.

My recipe for salmon cakes, is an adaptation of an old Weight Watchers recipe for Maryland Crab Cakes. I love crab, but who can afford it? One day I had some leftover cooked salmon fillets in the fridge and decided to use it in this recipe. It was fantastic. Now, when Marble Man sees salmon in the meat drawer, he does a little happy dance 'cuz he knows these cakes are in his future.

Salmon Cakes
Makes 4 servings

1 pound salmon, cooked and flaked
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp canola oil
3 oz bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned)
1/4 C low fat or skim milk
2 T + 2 tsp reduced calorie mayonnaise
2 T fresh parsley, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
3 T all-purpose flour
1 T+1 tsp reduced calorie tub margarine (I use Smart Balance)
2 1/2 C mixed green lettuce leaves

In skillet, combine onion, garlic, and oil. Sautee until translucent.

In large bowl, combine salmon, onion mixture, bread crumbs, milk, mayonnaise, parsley, salt, and white pepper. With moistened hands, form into 8 small patties. Refrigerate 1 hour.

On a shallow plate, spread flour. Lightly dust each cake on both sides - give them a little spanking to shake off the excess.

In large skillet, melt margarine over medium heat. Cook cakes 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Line serving plate with greens and arrange cakes on top.

The nutritional information I have is for the original crab recipe.

Each serving (2 cakes):
257 calories
27 grams protein
8 grams fat
19 grams carbohydrate
800 mgs sodium
118 mgs cholesterol
1 gram fiber

Back on my Own Two Feet

Since last week's Great Walk Debacle, I've been to the doctor, who then told me to see a physical therapist to help me recover from peroneal ankle tendinitis.

To my great embarrassment, after the doctor's visit, my pain disappeared over the weekend. What the Hell? My appointment for PT was on Monday -what to do now? Even though the pain seemed gone, I could still feel it lurking. I kept the appointment, figuring I'd get some exercises to prevent this from happening again.

The therapist was very nice and full of information. The first thing he did was examine the bottoms of my walking shoes. "Hmmm.... Interesting," he said. Apparently they are the wrong shoes for my gait and they're worn out. He told me to get fitted for some better ones. I felt so sad - I love my Adidas sneakers.

They have girly pink details, cool reflective stripes, and they don't feel clunky on my feet - more like I'm wearing clouds. AND they were on sale. If I had any poetic language skills, I'd be composing a farewell homage. It would go something like this:

An Ode to Dead Footwear

So soft, so pink
It makes me think...
You are slight and fleet
As you support my
Aging feet.
I bask in the reflection
Of your silver tape,
But found myself, my mouth agape
When I am told
I must replace these shoes so old
Because of this darned ankle,
Instead of looking swank I'll
Be walking in some big
Shoes built like a pig....etc., etc

(I told you I'm no poet, right?)

When I told the PT that I liked the shoes because they're pink, he cringed and said therapists HATE to hear stuff like that. My feeling is, why can't shoe companies make athletic-wear attractive as well as supportive?

The good news is, because of my proactive treatment of the offending ankle last week, I'm already on my way to a better me. I'm to continue what I've been doing, as well as add in some mild strengthening exercises. Oh, and I can't do any fitness walking for at least a month. If I want to get some cardio exercise in, I have to go fight for a recumbent bike at the gym.

All in all, I worried needlessly last week. This injury wasn't as bad as it could have been - no amputations are scheduled for my immediate future...

What’s Cooking Sunday/Cheesecake

One night last week we kicked back after dinner and, as we enjoyed our postprandial bliss, Marble Man looked me straight in the eye. He asked, “So Honey, how 'bout some cheesecake for dessert?” My pulse was racing, my brain was screaming, “we have CHEESECAKE?!?”. Then I caught a twinkling look in his eye which one only recognizes after spending 26 years together. And I knew I was about to fail The Test. Instead, I told him, calmly, “no thank you, Sweetheart, I’m on a diet”. And we laughed because we both knew how close I’d come to ransacking the kitchen to look for that damned mythical, diet-busting confection. After pondering this event, I remembered lessons I’d learned in Weight Watcher’s meetings many moons ago: if you really enjoy something, go ahead and have a couple of bites, put your fork down, and move on.

I’ve had this recipe for years - just forgot it was in my cookbook. I used to watch Giada De Laurentiis’ show on the Food Network, called Everyday Italian. I loved this show – she’s engaging, perky without being too annoying, and she was all business when it came to cooking. Then, inexplicably, the camera started to concentrate more on closeups of her impressive cleavage (cleaving heavage?) than on the food preparation. I lost interest. BUT, I did come away with the instructions to make these wonderful treats:

Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecakes
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/3 C finely crushed chocolate wafers (I use chocolate graham crackers)
2 T butter, melted
¼ C ricotta cheese, part skim
2 oz cream cheese, low fat
¼ C sugar, plus 2 T
1 orange, zested
1 egg
butter for greasing
Special equipment: mini muffin tin, lightly greased.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the crushed chocolate wafers and the 2 T melted butter. Place a tightly packed teaspoon of the wafer mixture into each muffin cup and press down firmly.

In a food processor combine ricotta cheese, cream cheese, ¼ C of the sugar, half the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until smooth. Fill the cups with about 1½ T of the cheesecake mixture. Place the muffin tin in a baking dish and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the muffin tin. Bake 25 minutes. Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a small knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups.

Just before serving, combine the remaining orange zest with the remaining 2 T of sugar. Top each cheesecake with about ¼ teaspoon of the orange zest mixture and serve.

Nutritional info:
Serving size: 2 cakes

152 calories
7.6 grams fat (3.6 grams saturated fat)
53.8 mg cholesterol
95 mgs sodium
17.4 grams carbohydrate
3 grams protein

I guarantee, if you make these for company, or bring them to a potluck supper, people will beg you for the recipe! You might want to make extra.

So, I say, "Sure,Honey, let's have cheesecake for dessert tonight".

"HELP! I've Fallen...

...into a Pity Pot, and I can't get out!"

Last week I resolved to restart a walking program and take some responsibility for my health. I got ONE walk in before developing incredible pain in my ankle. I mean, "OW!" I can't stand any real pressure on that foot, so I'm sofa-bound. After some internet research, it looks like I might have tendinitis in my Achilles tendon. Crap. I've had lots of experience with tendinitis and I know the pain a doctor's visit can mean: Pushing, prodding, or worse - steroid injections. I've been taking megadoses of Ibuprofen, icing the ankle throughout each day, and trying to stay off it as much as possible. After all that loving care, the ungrateful appendage shows no signs of improvement.

I spent the past week snuggling with The Beast, who seems to know something's not right.

Time to suck it up and go see my doctor. Whatever he decides to do to me can't be as bad as dealing with this pain for much longer. At least, if I need an injection, I'd get some Happy Pills for a couple of days to help with the additional pain THAT would cause. That's me - always looking for the silver lining!
~~~

Friday Update:

Saw the doctor today and he confirmed that it is tendinitis, but not of the Achilles. He thinks it's one of the lesser tendons behind the ankle bone. He assured me it's WAY too early to be talking about injections. Yay! I do need physical therapy for about a month or so, and then we'll re-evaluate. Meanwhile, I need to cut my activity level by 50%. Wait a minute! I'm already sitting on the sofa all day... Hmmmm. Do I need to start lying down during the day?!?

Well, lookey here, at what my thoughtful Marble Man just brought me! How sweet is that? He always seems to know what to do to lift my mood. (Pssst... it worked!)

What's Cooking Sunday/Quinoa

Now that the cookie orgy is over, I've been going through old recipes I've collected over my (many) years of weight loss efforts. I thought it would be fun to post a different recipe each week: this'll make sure I keep things fresh in my mind, as well as on our plates. Marble Man always says "I love when you go on a diet! We get great stuff to eat." I'll be concentrating on foods rich in whole grains and nutrition. I hope you'll find it interesting, and maybe even helpful.

Today's recipe:

Quinoa pilaf

Prep time: 40 minutes

1 C quinoa
1 T vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T pine nuts
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 T golden raisins
2 C vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa with cold water and drain well.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, pine nuts and red pepper and cook over medium heat until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Add sweet potato, raisins and quinoa and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in broth and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve at once.

Serves 6 (recipe makes about 5.5 cups)

Note: this recipe is remarkably versatile:
*If you don't like sweet potato, try substituting acorn squash.
*If red peppers are too expensive, or you just don't have any, try chopped portobello mushrooms instead.
*Dark raisins work just as well as golden.

If you are unfamiliar with quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), you can find more about it here.

I hope you try this wonderful recipe. It's delicious!

I Like to Move it, Move It - New Music to Dance To

Last night I watched a movie that Marble Man recorded from the Documentary Channel called: The Sound of Rio:Brasilerinho. The subject is a native Brazilian style of music called Choro (pronounced "shor-oh" with the "r" rolled), which predates Samba and Bassa Nova. I LOVE IT! I downloaded a whole bunch of songs from the soundtrack this afternoon, as well as some others recorded by the featured artists. Now I've got music guaranteed to haul my lazy ass out of the sofa. Watch me dance my booty-licious self around the house!

Here's a sample (it even has subtitles so you can get how funny the subject is):

Wasn't that fun? Who could sit still while THAT'S playing?

While that was a very energetic song, there are also some beautifully lyrical examples like this one by Yamandu Costa:

This guy just about knocked my socks off!

~

So things aren't as bad as I thought they were yesterday. Sure I was royally P.O.'ed at myself for being lazy about my health, but today I got up at 7:30 AM and hustled out the door for a 30 minute walk. Bundled up with a warm hat, fleece jacket, gloves, and the all-important ipod, I had a very nice time: 10 minutes to warm up, 10 minutes of race walking, and 10 minutes to cool back down again. I felt wonderful afterward. I'll do that every other day this week, then add 5 minutes to the race walking section next week. I know from past experience that if I start out too fast and hard, I'll wind up in Physical Therapy for 2 months and then I'll have to start back up even slower.

Now it's a few hours later and it's still pretty cold outside. I've got the dog dressed in his "business suit" (named so because he wears it to go out and do his business).

Can I coax him into going on a short walk? It would be great to get another 10 minutes in today.

What are YOU doing to get up and moving?

~~

1/4/09 Update:

I've got to take a short break from walking - call it a false start, I guess. I was OK yesterday morning, but throughout the day I found it harder and harder to get around. My ankle is swollen! NOW what?!? I taped it up and took some motrin. Hopefully, it's just a temporary thing. My sister-in-law warned me: she said as you reach the age of 50, things go wrong and you have no idea why.

Cookies + New Year's Panic = Resolutions

OK, so I wasn't planning to buy into the usual, and cliched, resolution of "I want to lose weight this year". Then I climbed onto the scale for a little reality check. My first thought was, "Wait, that can't be right. This thing must need new batteries." I changed the batteries, climbed back on (after having removed everything but my glasses!), and said, "Shoot, the scale's busted!"

How much did it say I weigh, you ask? *gulp*, OK... I'll tell you....here goes... one-hundred-and-mufflety-mump. You couldn't understand that? Please! Don't make me say it again! According to my doctor, for my height, I should weigh in the neighborhood of 135 to prevent the terrible back and knee pain from which I used to suffer. A year ago, I was really close to my goal, my back pain was a thing of the past, and I had some seriously cute clothes to wear. But, this past Fall, I needed to nip up to the attic and rummage through the box with the sign that said: "If these clothes fit, go on a diet".

I knew it was happening, I just chose to ignore it. A year ago in October, Pooch got so sick he couldn't be left alone. So, I used him as an excuse to stop going to the gym. Since I was housebound and caring for He-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, I began "treating" myself. Soon, the pounds started creeping back on. Now, my back hurts all the time, my knee is clicking ominously, and I have to make the dreaded New Year Resolutions: 1) I will go on a diet, and 2) I will go to the gym every other day.

Anybody out there want a diet buddy? I've had good results with the South Beach Diet in the past, as well as keeping a food journal at Fitday.com. The food journaling is a bit of a hassle, but it helps keep me honest. My failing is that I get complacent when I see my goal within reach. I'll start over tomorrow. I can't believe I let this happen, AGAIN!

Marble Man's Cure-All "Tea"

Several people have asked for the recipe for Marble Man's "special tea". OK, confession time: this is not something he came up with. I told him how to make it for me and he did a bang-up job. He comes from a long line of tee-totalers (but it was remarkably easy to corrupt him!). When I feel cruddy from a cold, and don't want to take Nyquil during the day, I make this tea remedy and it really helps:

1.5 ounces bourbon, whiskey, or brandy
lemon
2 tsp honey
neutral-flavored tea (Lipton's or Twining's English Breakfast are best for this)

Add hot water, steep, and drink it up while it's hot. Repeat until you can no longer sit up straight :-) Guaranteed, you'll get some good naps in!

Happy, Quiet Holidays

Many thanks to all of you who have wished me feeling better - I am... MUCH better. I still honk like a goose, and have a most unladylike cough but, for the most part, I'm on the mend. And I give all the credit to Marble Man's "special" blend of tea. *wink*

Christmas was very quiet, just Marble Man, me, and the dog. We could barely wait for 12:01 AM to arrive Christmas morning when we began to tear into our presents. The dog was a BIG help there - he just can't stand to see a present all wrapped up. He's gotta tear a corner off the paper on each gift. Everyone was so thoughtful - we thank all of you. One of my favorite gifts came from my Mom, who proved, once again, that she's a great listener!

In 1991, Marble Man and I went to our local museum to view an Alphonse Mucha exhibit.

"Self Portrait"

Oh, how I adore the man's work! (Find more about him here.) When I told Mom about the exhibit, she filed it away in that steel trap she calls a brain. Lo these many years later, imagine my surprise when I opened one of her gifts to find a calendar featuring some of Mucha's pieces. I get to enjoy that all year long!

Mucha is famous for his Art Nouveau posters

"Job"

and lithographs

"Reverie"

"The Moon"

but he was also a gifted jewelry designer,

sculptor,

"La Nature"

and painter.

"Maruska"

I don't make New Year's Resolutions because I rarely keep them past the first week, but this is one I'll actively pursue: I'm going to add more beauty to my life each day. I'll look in the oddest of places for small joys, I'll find them, and hold them close. And I'll start by looking at my closet door each morning...

Happy New Year, Dear Friends!

TKO - I'm Down For The Count...

The rest of my Bakathon is on hold as I muddle through my annual Christmas Cold. If it's Christmas, Kate gets a bug - set your calendars by it folks. And this one's a Doozie: total head involvement with ears and chest next up on the tour. Earaches are the worst - enough to make me cry like a big old baby. Meanwhile, my head is so stuffed I wish it would just roll off my neck and be done with it.

I'm heading out to the doctor's office in a couple hours to see what's what. It sure FEELS like I could use a nice dose of antibiotics. He could pull out his biggest, dullest needle, and I'd weep with gratidtude if it makes me feel better faster.

While I wait to get better, Marble Man took time off from work to take care of me. What a sweetie. I've had some tea laced with honey, lemon and a healthy slug of bourbon; lovely Nyquil-induced naps; chicken soup with matzoh balls; and quiet time to read this, and this. Every once in a while, I cough so hard I hack up a lung, but no worries: I just stuff it back down again.

Have a lovely Christmas everyone, and I hope I get to enjoy it soon...

~~~

Update: The good doctor proclaimed "You'll live", then gave me an antibiotic prescription in case I spike a fever over the holiday. In the meantime, I just have to wait it out. Or as Marble Man so often says: "Just rub some dirt on it and walk it off!".

Toddling off to make some bourbonated tea now...

It's Beginning to Smell A Lot Like Christmas

I've been in a baking frenzy these past few days, which is crazy 'cuz it's just Marble Man and me this time around. Still, the cookies are flying out of the oven, the fruitcakes are beckoning, and the gingerbread houses are ready for habitation. Soon to come: Julekake (Norwegian Christmas Bread)... and even MORE cookies! Mmmmmm.

The fruitcakes I make are not the running jokes being passed from house to house, year after year.

My recipe came from an old family friend, a lovely Frenchwoman named Idalette Baker. I remember being a small child, hanging about in her Country French-styled kitchen while she prepared the 7 course meals she'd serve guests for dinner. Although she didn't have children at that point in her life, she treated me as though I had something valuable to contribute at the tender age of seven. She taught me subtle lessons in the kitchen that I observed as pure fun at the time, and still use today.

One night, she served her wonderful fruitcake and, after tasting it, I begged for the recipe (which she had to convert from metric for me). She happily shared it and I treasure it, as now she's gone. It's so darned rich with butter and sugar (and the only rum in it comes from soaking the raisins before it all goes together) that I make it rarely. But when I do, boy do we enjoy it!

Our favorite Christmas cookies also require a heap of butter (God, I feel my butt growing wider as I type this post!). I asked Marble Man to tell me his two top faves, and I picked my two. His: Checkerboard Cookies, and Chocolate Crinkles; and mine: Walnut Crescents and Peanut Butter. So far, I've made one for each of us.

MM got his Chocolate Crinkles

and my (unbelievable - no flour!) Peanut Butter cookies are in the freezer so I can take out one per day.

The Peanut Butter Cookies are truly amazing - and would be great for anyone with wheat and gluten allergies. (Nut allergies? Sorry, can't help you there.) They require just four ingredients: peanut butter, egg, sugar and vanilla - that's it!

After mixing the batter, I rolled them into spheres

and flattened them with some beautiful cookie stamps

If you don't have stamps, you can oil the bottom of a glass and use that instead, or use the bottom of the PB jar - then you get that nice recycling symbol on the cookie tops! :-) . They are light, delicious, and anyone tasting one would never believe the absence of flour.

I think the ones with the thistle design taste the best - it's my favorite stamp.

~

Unfortunately, a few of the Ya'ya's got sick this week (guilty as charged), so we postponed the holiday party with the planned gingerbread hi-jinx. By this afternoon, I was feeling a little better, and tackled the gingerbread house project on my own. I'd already told our neighbors that I'd be making the houses, so they're expecting them. I can't disappoint small children at Christmastime! Luckily, the kits I bought had the house components already made - all I needed to do was make the royal icing and stick on the candies. Oh yeah, and melt the Jolly Ranchers to make windows and ponds.

They came out pretty well for a first-time project. We'll take them over tomorrow morning and present them to the kiddles.

Then, it's back to the sweatshop, uh, I mean, the kitchen.

making gifts

Wow. That was a busy weekend! This year, in lieu of actual tangible gifts, we thought we'd make donations in family members' names to their favorite charities. But, as I wrote out the cards stating the various gifts made, I thought about how the "fun factor" of Christmas would be missing.

So, I spent the weekend finishing some gifts to give as well. Who doesn't love to discover a mysteriously shaped package under the tree with their name on it? I dug out this wonderful book my mother gave me several years ago. I knew I'd use it someday, and that time arrived this week. The projects use a basic salt dough (2 C all purpose flour, 1 C table salt, 1/2 - 1 C warm water), which is kneaded about 10 minutes, shaped, then baked a LONG time - anywhere from 4 - 12 hours. I made several pieces, then madly painted and varnished this weekend to get them in the post today. Mission accomplished!

Because I put my time into making the gifts, I skimped on the wrapping - nothing amazing this time around. Next year, I'll plan better so I have time to do both.

My favorite piece so far: a 9" wreath with little fruits that are about 3/4" wide. So cute (don't worry, the recipient doesn't read this blog so I'm not spoiling the surprise).

I'm completely hooked on this sculpture medium. The trick will be to do it only occasionally so it stays a hobby. My habit, when I learn something new and I really enjoy it, is to do it obsessively, which then sucks all the fun out of it. Therefore, salt dough sculpture is my new "carrot" for getting unpleasant jobs finished - such as the (dreaded) year-end inventory.

Jump-Start Your Christmas Spirit!

Time to load up my ipod with Christmas music. Like a crazy person, I bop 'round the house as I rediscover some old favorites like this one:

~

Here's a bright, shiny, upbeat (and thoroughly modern) version of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen for you by the Barenaked Ladies, featuring Sarah McLachlan. Strap on your dancin' shoes, hoist a cup of nog, (oops, no...I mean THIS,) and enjoy!

~

Most of our gifts are ready to go, Al I need is some time this weekend to wrap 'em up. My goal: get them to the post office on Monday. I think the wrapping is as important as the gift it contains, and I've gotten some fabulous ideas from Gabriela Delworth's blog. She has some very stylish and fairly easy ways to dress up a gift. Why not check it out if you haven't seen her site yet?

A week from tomorrow, my favorite people in the whole world, my Ya-ya's, are getting together for our annual Christmas lunch. This year it's a pot luck Tea Party. We'll have yummy sandwiches, goodies, and lovely teas to sip - we're each bringing a tea pot, so I think we'll have LOTS of different teas to pick from.

We're also doing a group project this time: gingerbread houses. I've never made one, so I'm looking forward to it. To make it easier, we've each bought a house kit from Trader Joe's, and we'll add our own candy embellishments. The finished houses are tiny, so I bought two. When I've finished putting them together, I'll give them to our neighbor's small children. That way, I won't be tearing off any roofs at 3 in the morning when they call my name!

What are your special Christmas plans this year?