Merry Christmas!

December is the easiest "Goodwill Hunting" of the year.  Thrift stores are full of holiday decorations!

Remember Halloween?

Well, I liked those candlesticks so much, I decided to do it again.

Seven candlesticks for $1.38!  (Still in the box!)

A little red spray paint, and...

The best part is - I can use them for Valentine's Day and the 4th of July too!

I also found this nativity set for $1.50 (regularly $3, but on sale for half price!).  Someone had written Christmas 1988 on the box.  (It's officially "vintage"!)  I love the rustic wooden stable and everything is in perfect condition.

My favorite, though, was this little white Christmas tree for $3.

The hat was also from Goodwill, I had the ornaments, the scarf is just 1/4 yard of red fleece, the eyes and mouth are buttons, the nose is obviously a carrot, and I found the sticks in a park.  

And I "put a bird on it"!

Finally, I found two of my favorite holiday movies for $2 each.  I'm looking forward to relaxing with these after all the holiday fun!

Merry Christmas to all!

Hopefully Winavie at Lemons & Chambray found some great holiday deals too!

Next month - Happy New Year!

Early Christmas Present

A few months ago, I bought a snowblower at an auction for $35 (new snowblowers costs hundreds of dollars!) and sent it home with the cute copy guy, who can fix anything.

It was in perfect condition. But it wouldn't start.  And to fix it would cost hundreds of dollars.

I can shovel for free.

But last week, he showed up at my door.

With this...

He found another snowblower on Craigslist (for $25!) that was in bad shape but would start.

So, for $60, I can do this...

MUCH better than shoveling.

Oh Fudge

Every year, my mom made fudge for the holidays.

This year, I decided to try.

It's so easy!

And, of course, it's good (it's fudge!).

I used this recipe from Carnation...


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups (9 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Line 8-inch-square baking pan with foil
Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan
Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly
Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes
Remove from heat
Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract
Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted
Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm
Lift from pan; remove foil
Cut into pieces (they say 48, I say 16)

Enjoy!

"Unwrap the Magic of Christmas"

In Bellevue, the big holiday weekend is the weekend after Thanksgiving.

On Saturday, we have a craft fair...

Fireworks...

and a Lighted Christmas Parade...

 

On Sunday, we have a Holiday Open House Tour.

It's fun, but exhausting (when you're in charge of it).

Now, though, I can relax and enjoy the holidays...

These Hershey's Candy Cane Blossoms are delicious!

KISSES CANDY CANE BLOSSOMS

Ingredients
One bag Hershey's Candy Cane Mint Candies
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
Red or green sugar crystals

Directions
Heat oven to 350°F
Remove wrappers from candies
Beat butter, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended
Stir together flour, baking soda and salt
Add alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended
Shape dough into 1-inch balls
Roll in sugar crystals
Place on ungreased cookie sheet
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned
Cool 2 to 3 minutes
Press a candy piece into center of each cookie
Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack
Cool COMPLETELY (Don't touch them!  If you don't the candy will melt all over, and while they still taste really good, they're not as pretty.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

At one point this month I actually said to Winavie that I didn't really need anything Thanksgiving-y this year.

But the very next day, I stopped by a Goodwill and saw this...

"Harvest Home" is Thanksgiving-y, but I was unimpressed.

Then I saw...

Two, still in the box!  That's much better!

I wouldn't necessarily agree that this is "a perfect gift for any occasion...".

The fake flower ring was...

hideous

and sad.

But I had been thinking hurricanes would be nice out on the porch in the summer, and they were only $1.50 each.

Then I saw this on Pinterest...

Source

Mine aren't nearly as cute, but I like them!

I wish I would've put the red beans in the middle, but it's too late now.  Trying to separate them would be a HUGE mess.

That same night, I also saw this...

It's horribly ugly, but it's about giving thanks!  It's perfect!

It was $2, and I borrowed some spray paint and now it looks like this...

I like it!

Check out Lemons & Chambray to see what my friend Winavie is thankful for this year!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Next month - Happy Holidays!!!

Fall

I woke up last Sunday morning to this...

But I have this...

It works!

So by Sunday afternoon...

But...

So, Monday morning...

Repeat.

Happy Halloween!

I was in Goodwill recently, and saw this...

Two brand new candlesticks for $3!

But, brass?

So I bought a can of Rust-Oleum Gloss Protective Enamel in Black and these...

became these...

I love them!

(And it was so much fun!)

Then today I saw this post by Life as a Thrifter.

Now I just need more spray paint...

Hopefully Winavie at Lemons & Chambray found some good deals for her Halloween!