Lisa and Nikki's Friday Finds!

Hi Friends:

This week's Friday Finds is devoted to getting into the holiday spirit! What has inspired and delighted us? Here they are - the sights, sounds, tastes and one-of-a-kinds we loved!

Christmas Campfire Martini? Yes please! This yummy drink from Daydreamer Desserts has us ready to celebrate!

And while we're talking marshmallows, why not make them at home with the help of America's Test Kitchen! They're fun, easy and so much more delicious than store bought.

There's always time for an Affogato! Italian for "drowned," this dessert is simply a shot of hot espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You might as well add a dollop of whipped cream and some shaved chocolate, too, right? Even better, serve it in a vintage dessert glass like this one! 

We love this pop/folk Christmas song by "The Weepies,"  married singer-songwriters.

And, of course, the lights!

With just over one week left until Christmas, we hope you find a few minutes to enjoy the spirit of the season!

Vintage Sugar Bowls!

Hi Friends:

Before you start reading this post, do me a favor; open the door to your pantry and take a look at your sugar storage situation. I have a feeling if you are like most of us, it probably looks a bit disorganized with ripped and clipped bags and boxes stuffed on a shelf probably spilling their contents and probably making a royal mess. In-and-of-itself, this situation is not insurmountable. With some heavy duty bag clips or high quality Tupperware, your problem is solved. But, what do you do when you need "just a spoonful of sugar?" Tell me you don't dig into those bags with a teaspoon!

If you do, have I got the perfect solution for you: vintage sugar bowls! They are so beautiful, so unique, so charming and so much easier to navigate when you need just a pinch of sugar in your morning java. Vintage sugar bowls come in every size, shape, and color; but I prefer clear cut glass or crystal, utilitarian versions that fit in with any decor. Clean and classic, you just can't go wrong. Fill up your sugar bowl, keep it on your counter, add a beautiful vintage sterling silver or silver plate teaspoon (for extra flare engrave your spoon with your monogram or last initial) and presto: instant charm and no mess!

Christmas Cookies!

Hi Friends:

It's that time again. Christmas cookie time! Everyone at one point or another gets in on the act. We bake with our kids, exchange with our friends and neighbors, bring them to the office, and package them for gifts. Maybe it's the pastry chef in me, but I'm a sucker for all those magazines featuring the "best-ever cookies!" I pour over the recipes analyzing ingredients, technique and appearance in an effort to come up with my choices for the year. This is no small task. Chocolate must figure into the mix along with interesting variations of shortbread, spritz, sugar and icebox. Texture and shape factor in - balls, bars, rolls, drops and wedges are all possibilities. Should I include a bark or a toffee? Most importantly, will the cookie be flavorful. How many times have you been seduced by a beautiful cookie only to find it dry and tasteless! Every year, it seems, I up the ante. Sure, I have my tried and true favorites, but I'm always looking for the next "best" cookie. You can relate, right? 

Well, take a look at a few products that I'm using this year to help create the perfect cookie:  

Fiori Di Sicilia is so aromatic! This citrus and vanilla flavoring is a King Arthur Flour exclusive.

Vietnamese cinnamon! Sweeter and stronger, it offers the intense cinnamon flavor you're looking for. Available everywhere.

Brigitte-Keks Message on a Cookie Cutter set lets you create cookies with a personal message. Simply slide the individual letters into the holder, place into the cutter and press! Available at Amazon and Fancy Flours.

Fred Letter Pressed is a combination cookie cutter and stamp. First you punch out the letter shape and then flip over the punch and stamp the letter. The set includes all 26 letters allowing you to spell out anything you like!

Stretch-Tite Plastic Wrap is the absolute best. This premium wrap, preferred by professionals, stretches and seals reliably!

That's the way the cookie crumbles this year. If you're baking this Christmas, make it fun!

Lisa & Nikki's Friday Finds - Stocking Stuffer Edition

Hi Friends:

This week's Friday Finds is devoted to vintage stocking stuffers for the home! What has inspired and delighted us? Here they are - the sights, sounds, and one-of-a-kinds we loved!

Nothing will complete your upscale barware collection quite like this unique jigger spoon with bottle opener. Love!

We love this vintage tin scoop. It measures less than 4 inches long and is the perfect way to add charm to an apothecary jar filled with bath salts.

Need a way to store those beautiful vintage sterling silver and silver plate teaspoons? How about a Princess House Glass Spoon Holder!

These vintage rice molds are so unique and make great spoon rests in your kitchen.

There is no classier way to put out a candle than with a vintage candle snuffer. We love this brass one!

Oh Christmas Tree!

"We are so much more than 'getting a Christmas tree.' We're about infusing the Christmas spirit and joining families together."

~Oney's Tree Farm

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, let's talk Christmas trees. But first things first. Do you prefer a real tree or fake tree? In my opinion, real trees are the only way to go. When I'm really honest with myself, however, I realize that my strong feelings on the subject are less about the tree and more about the past 18 years of memories that I have tied to getting a Christmas tree with my family.

Every year, right after Thanksgiving, my family bundles up, grabs the dogs, digs out the Charlie Brown Christmas CD, and piles into our suburban to head out to Woodstock, Illinois, for our annual visit to Oney's Tree Farm. We've braved sub-zero tempuratures, snow and wind because nothing will keep us from the hunt for the perfect tree.

Upon our arrival, we pick up our saw and discuss the type of tree we are looking for (although... I am not quite sure why this annual discussion takes place; we always end up with a Blue Spruce). 

Next we trek out to the vast expanse of trees and start our search. Trees we like are "marked," usually with a stick. (The real hunt is finding the marked trees when we are ready to make our final selection.)

Look at this gorgeous specimen; it's way too big for our homes, but it sure made a great backdrop for our holiday card pictures (another tradition we believe strongly in, but that's for another blog post).

 When we feel like we have seen all there is to see, or our feet are thoroughly frozen, whichever comes first, we pick our tree! Someone then has to get down and dirty and saw it down. It has never been me!

We always opt to carry our tree back to the main entrance for shaking and bundling. 

If you are not inclined to walk, however, the Oney's team can offer you a ride. Look at these beautiful horses!

Time for a quick shake, then it's through the nets.

We're now more than ready to head to the Christmas Shop's snack bar to thaw out and indulge in the annual fare.

Mom always has an apple donut, Dad and A.J. get the cinnamon rolls, Mark gets the chocolate covered pretzels, I get the frosted snowman cookie and we all enjoy hot cocoa or apple cider. Yum!

 

After snacks, time to shop! Look at these beautiful handmade wreaths! Now imagine how they smell!

This shop has everything from ornaments to decor items, handmade bows and, of course, stockings.

It's a wrap for another year! While this might seem like your average family outing, to me it is so much more. It's the singing in the car, the family time out in nature, the inside jokes (why do we have to take so many pictures), and most importantly, the memories that we have created year after year. In the coming years, our family will continue to grow, and I know I speak for A.J. and myself when I say, we can't wait to continue this very meaningful tradition with our own kids.

What are your family traditions? Tell us in the comments section.

 

Apple Santas!

Hi Friends:

Have you heard of apple santas? When I was little, my mom taught my sisters, brother and I how to make apple santas. Every Christmas we made them for teachers and friends and put a few around the house for decoration and fragrance - they smell like a clove pomander! I passed on the tradition to my children and, this year, I have the joy of making them once again with my son, A.J., as he is home for the holidays. He might be 24, but he is still full of child-like wonder at this time of year! Aren't we all? 

Zip out to the grocery store and pick up the supplies and make a few with your family; they're easy and so cute!  

Supplies: Bright red apples (pick the ones with the best shape for santa's belly), marshmallows, large red and black gum drops, whole cloves, cotton balls, long toothpicks or cocktail skewers and honey.

Start by attaching a marshmallow and red gum drop to the top of the apple with a long toothpick. This is santa's head and hat.

Attach a marshmallow and black gum to lower sides of the apple. Now you have santa's legs and boots!

Stick cloves into the marshmallow head to represent santa's eyes and nose.

Dribble a little honey on santa's chest for attaching santa's beard.

Stretch out and shape a cotton ball into santa's beard and attach just below santa's head.

Finally, add a tiny cotton ball to santa's hat with a little honey if you like.

All done; note how everyone's santa has his own personality! If anyone is tempted, santa is edible; just remove the cotton and toothpicks. How fun was this!