Let It Snow - Make A Snowflake

 As usual, I am a day late with this post.  Sometimes the demands of the day catch me wanting when it comes to time.  I write as things inspire me.  I do not write posts days ahead and then set them to post at a certain day and time.  That is thinking and planning too far in advance.  These baby's are hot off the presses as they say - as they come to me.  There are times when my intention is to post one particular thing, and then some shiny object catches the corner of my eye and there is a whole different post that goes on the page.  That's the way I roll.

On Tuesday, when I had promised this post, we were invited to attend a beautiful Winter Garden ceremony at our grandsons' school.  I did not get my blog written before we went and needless to say, it was too late to write when we returned (that's a nice way of saying my brain had ceased to function at that point).  As for the Winter Garden, I am so very glad we went.  It was one of the most beautiful and inspiring programs ever.

Anyway, here is the promised tutorial with directions on how to make your own snowflakes from craft sticks, better known as popsicle sticks.   When I was in elementary school back in the dark ages, I had an art teacher who would ask for strange things for art projects.  It made my mom crazy and there were no craft stores to buy such things as were requested.  One December we had to have a bunch of popsicle sticks.  Where did one get popsicle sticks in December?  No one knew.  So, we bought popsicles and ate them until we had the required number of sticks.  Thank goodness for craft stores!   I bought a box of 1000 craft sticks at WalMart for $3.99.  Can't beat that with a stick.  (I know, I know).  Just couldn't pass it up.  You can make a LOT of snowflakes with this many craft sticks, or lots of other projects if your heart so desires.

I had seen these snowflakes on Pinterest last year.  They were on an interior wall and painted red which were really quite lovely.  My desire was for snowflakes that looked like snowflakes, the white kind like the ones that fall from the sky.  We have always been taught that no two snowflakes are alike so I created all mine to be different.  Wouldn't you?

This is an easy project.  You need some craft sticks, hot glue and paint.  Feel free to glitter these up if you want.  I was in a hurry the day I made these (and it shows, please forgive), so I did not do glitter.  Simply start by making a base for the flake.  The first one I did was the biggest one that is on the left in the windows.  You will need a protractor and some basic math if you want them to be really straight.  Also, the sticks may move while the glue is still drying, so some of mine are a little wonky which totally goes against my need for things to be straight.  (Ever hear of the galloping horse theory?  We used it in costuming.  On a galloping horse, no one will notice if something is not perfectly even).  These snowflakes are hanging outside, blowing in the wind, and hopefully no one will notice that they are not perfectly straight.  If these were on an inside wall where I could see them, it would be mandatory for them to be straight.  Period.  OCD, I know.

Back to the directions.  Make your base.  The biggest flake starts with six sticks in an asterisk shape.   To be perfectly straight, you want 60 degree angles between the sticks.  Remember basic math?  A circle has 360 degrees, so 180 degrees for half a circle, 3 angles per half circle would be 60 degrees. Have fun with that protractor!  Glue the sticks together.

Now, glue the point pieces on.  Yep, mine is crooked because I wasn't paying close attention, trying to work on several things at once and the glue dried before I could move the sticks.  Arrggghhh.  Add 3 sticks to the end of each point or make a design of your choice.  I then took all the finished flakes outside and spray painted them.

I put a black trash bag on the ground and laid each finished snowflake on it, spray painted one side, let it dry, turned it and finished painting.

I leaned the flakes up against the fence around my little secret garden to take the pictures.  When I looked at the picture, my thought was someone needs to clean up that poor garden.  I will talk to the yard man about it.  Here are some of the other designs I made.  It's really lots of fun coming up with designs.  Yep, that one is crooked on the top too.  : (

It's really just a matter of putting sticks in different places and having fun being creative.  After you develop your design, glue the sticks in place and paint away.

Here is how they look hanging on the porch.  Now they don't look so crooked.  See?  Galloping horse!

They are all different sizes and I really do love the way they look - just the right touch for a winter wonderland, especially in this 70 degree weather we have been having.  One of these would be beautiful on a front door also.

This is a project even your kids can have fun with, just help them with the gluing part!   We don't want any burned fingers.

These snowflakes may hang on the porch when the Christmas decorations come down.  I do like the way they look.  Make your own snowflakes and enjoy the creative process.  It's lots of fun.  When friends and neighbors ask where you got them, just say I made them.  Easy peasy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Every snowflake that falls is one of a kind - just like you!

Welcome To Christmas At The Little Yellow Cottage

Oh you better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout I'm telling you why..........Christmas is coming and waaaaaay too soon.  Do you celebrate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?  Personally, we like to celebrate on both.  Why not?

This last week has seen Grandma and the Elves (minus the Elves) busily decorating for Christmas.  Dan put up the outside lights on a beautiful sunny Saturday right after Thanksgiving and my part of the bargain began last Monday and I am STILL tweaking things.  Hopefully everything will be done tomorrow, because I have to get on the gift making train immediately.

I promised my friend Debra that I would post pictures of the house so here we go.  I will begin as if you were walking to the front door and this is what you will see.  Frosty (who has been in the family for almost 20 years) sits on the front porch in his dapper top hat surrounded by beautiful white lights and snowflakes made by yours truly.  The snowflakes were spotted on Pinterest last Christmas season and I knew I would make them this year for the front porch.  They are super simple, inexpensive (my favorite word) and made from craft sticks - what we called popsicle sticks back in the day - then spray painted white.  They are hanging from monofilament line (better known as fishing line) and they look absolutely adorable.  I will give you a quick tutorial tomorrow night.

Here is Frosty in the daytime.

He's such a happy guy, I love to look at his smiling face and he never has to worry about melting.  ♥

On our front and back door, there are wreaths that I made from snowflakes found at my favorite Dollar Tree.  Talk about easy and inexpensive!  I wish the pictures showed how they sparkle in the light  (they probably would if I was a photographer, but alas I'm not).

This is the front door and the next picture is the back door.  The main difference is the color of the door which makes them look slightly different.

Here is a close up so you can see the detail better.

Here is how I made these wreaths.  I just happened to be at  the Dollar Tree (my home away from home) and they had a really nice display of all kinds of snowflakes.  I couldn't choose a particular one I liked so I got some of all of them.  For the base,  I used one of the biggest snowflakes which is about 12 inches across and is clear and icy looking.  They were $1.00 each.  There are 2 large acrylic flakes on each wreath, one of which you can see on the bottom right side in the picture above, the other is at the top left.  They were 2 for $1.00.  The rest of the snowflakes came in packages of 3 - 6 per package for $1.00 per package.  The really white glittered foam snowflakes were 12 in a package for just $1.00

I laid the largest flake on the bottom and placed the others around until I got a look I liked.  Then I went back and hot glued them all in place which is what took the longest.  I made both wreaths in under an hour.  Now, how easy is that?  The finished wreath is 20 inches in diameter and is great because it's flat and fits between the door and the storm door.  It is so hard to find things that will fit between the doors.  I can use these winter wonderland wreaths all the way until Valentine's day.  Yippeee!  I also tied a long piece of sheer white ribbon to each wreath and looped it over the hanger on the door.  That was just for effect, but not necessary.

The total cost for both wreaths was $12.00 making them $6.00 each.  That is a great price for two beautiful wreaths.  These would also work nicely indoors because they are so lightweight and have a crystalline, frosty, winter look which can work after the holidays in that blah time of year before Valentine's Day.  You know that time - when everything is grey and yucky.  Yeah, that time.

It's that time of year when you need decorations and gifts for all kinds of people.  This wreath is a beauty and takes little time and little money and you can put your own spin on it.  Our budget is limited, so I am always trying to come up with things that look great and cost little.  I hope you will give this project a try.

Tomorrow, we will continue our house tour.  Come back and join me.  Who knows?  By tomorrow I may have changed a dozen things or made something new and interesting.    See you then.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” 
― Bob Hope

The Tale of The Phantom Turkey

 Hello to you one and all.  How was your weekend?  Hopefully, it was all you wanted and more.  We got a jump on Thanksgiving with my mom, sister, and nephew visiting for the weekend.  Since we would not be getting to celebrate Thanksgiving Day together, I decided we would celebrate on Saturday while they were here.

I spent the day cooking and talking, talking and cooking.  It was a pleasant way to spend the day, enjoying each other's company while doing one of my most favorite things - cooking for those I love.  Of course, the first thing that had to be done was to get the turkey in the oven.  Our oldest daughter worked at a cafe in New York City when she lived there and they baked a turkey every day for sandwiches and dinners.  It was, perhaps, the best turkey I had ever eaten and that is the way I prepare turkeys now.

Mr. Turkey was an 18 pounder and had been thawing in the refrigerator for several days.  He had to be brined on Friday for cooking on Saturday.  Have you ever brined a turkey?  If not, this holiday is the perfect time to start!  It makes the most delicious, flavorful, succulent turkey you have ever eaten and it is really quite simple to do.  I used our Coleman cooler for the brining process, or you can get a new 5 gallon bucket at a home improvement store (like Home Depot) to use.

Make sure you remove all the extras from the turkey that are hiding inside and trim any extra skin and fat from the neck cavity.  Now, make your brine by adding 1.5 cups of coarse salt to a pan containing a quart of water.  Cook and stir until the salt has dissolved.  Remove from the heat and let cool before pouring over the turkey.

When the brining water has cooled, put the turkey in the cooler, or bucket, and pour the cooled brining water over the turkey.  Keep adding water (NOT hot), until the turkey is covered.  You will need at least 7 quarts of water and maybe more.  Add a bag of crushed ice to the water and close the lid of the cooler.  Turkey can be brined up to 24 hours before baking.  If you are using a bucket for the turkey, cover the turkey with water and set the bucket in a cooler and place ice around the bucket.

When you are ready to bake the turkey, remove it from the brining water and wash it thoroughly to remove any remaining salt residue.  Place the turkey in the roasting pan.  Now for the fun part.  This is how I bake the most delicious turkey ever.  In the cavity of the turkey, place one apple that you have cut in half, one large onion that you have cut in half, a quartered lemon, 3-4 garlic cloves, and a handful of fresh thyme sprigs.   You may have to push and shove to get it all arranged, but it is SO worth the effort.  Now, put your hands under the skin on the breast and gently pull the skin loose by moving your hands up and around as far as you can go.  Place fresh thyme sprigs under the skin, as much as you can get under there.  Now, wasn't that fun?

Next, turn the wing tips so they will lay under the body of the turkey so they don't burn during roasting.  This is a really awesome trick I picked up from Alton Brown on the Food Network.  It takes a little twisting and turning to make it happen, but again, it is SO worth the effort.

Now, make a tent of aluminum foil over the turkey, leaving the ends open.  It took two pieces of foil to cover this big boy.  Now, you are ready to begin the roasting process.  Place the turkey in your 350 degree preheated oven.  Recommended cooking time is 15 minutes per pound for a turkey that is not filled with stuffing.  So, if you have a 20 pound turkey you are looking at 20x15, or 300 minutes or 5 hours.  Figure roasting time by multiplying the weight of your turkey times 15 divided by 60.  BE SURE AND ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR ROASTING THOROUGHLY!  When a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, the temperature should be 180 degrees.  Now, you can remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

I was so busy getting all the side dishes ready, and the grandsons were starving and begging to eat, so I got in a "get er done" mode.  My daughter asked what she could do to help and I said you can carve the turkey.  I finally had everything ready to go and a loud cheer went up (no, not really), but the mothers started preparing their son's plates when it hit me.  NOOOOOOOOOOOO.  I did not take a picture of my beautiful turkey.  Probably the most perfect turkey I had ever roasted.  It was beautifully golden, not one burned place anywhere.  How could this be?  It was like the moment in A Christmas Story when the Bumpusses' dogs had eaten the Christmas turkey.  I was devastated.  I had worked all day to make this beautiful bird and there was nothing but the carcass.  NO. PICTURE. TAKEN.  WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.  So, I did the next best thing and took a picture of the carcass just to prove there was a turkey.  A real turkey that I had cooked.  It isn't a phantom.  It was a beautiful, delicious turkey.  It was all I could do.  You can see the beautiful golden skin and the ruins.  I know, it's not the same, but it's what I got.  That's what happens when you take pictures of the food you are getting ready to eat.  This is not a photo op, this is not food that is prepared just for pictures, this is hard core dinner food.  No food stylists here, just Grandma trying to get the food on the table.

I did get a picture of some of the awesomely delicious white meat left on the platter.  This turkey was so good that I wish you could taste it.  Brining is the way to go my friends and adding an apple to the cavity helps the turkey retain moisture.  The onions, garlic, lemon and thyme add more flavor than you can ever imagine.  Yes, this is the way to roast a turkey and it got rave reviews from everyone in attendance.  Even our oldest grandson who may be the world's pickiest eater loved it!  Grandson #2 kept asking for more turkey again and again.  There wasn't much left of this big boy, just enough to make a turkey pot pie and a couple of sandwiches.  I guess that's a worthy testimonial eh?

If you are planning to roast a turkey and don't know how you are going to do it, give this method a try. You will be glad you did.  You will have only a carcass to prove you actually roasted that bird.  And a smile on everyone's face.   And that is the tale of the phantom turkey.   Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Be thankful every day, not just on Thanksgiving.  Live with an attitude of gratitude.

How To Make A Snowman Hat Tree Topper

Hooray, it's Friday eve, better known as Thursday.  What did you do today?  This was my project for the day which is a snowman's top hat to be used as a tree topper.  This was made for my dear sweet friends Don and Rick.  No, it does not look one bit like a typical black top hat that you would expect Frosty to wear.  It does look more like something from a Dr. Seuss story, but that's okay because that is what they wanted.  Also, it can be used as a centerpiece which is a plus.

They deck their tree and house out in a theme every year and this year they are using bright colors - lime green, hot pink, and turquoise blue.  Don fell in love with the snowman hat as a tree topper 2 years ago.  We looked and looked at them, but he would change his mind and never bought one.  Last year, they used a beach theme for their tree with star fish, shells and all kinds of cute beach themed ornaments, so he didn't think the top hat was the right thing to use as a tree topper.  This year, it is THE perfect thing to use to go with all the bright colors on the tree and throughout the house.  Needless to say, you can't find one of these just anywhere.  So, I told Don I would make him one as part of his birthday gift. I wish you could see it in actuality, it is SO cute with lots of glitz and sparkle.  It would make Lady GaGa proud.

What started the whole conversation was Don saying he wanted a top hat this year for the tree, but didn't want to spend the money for a ready made one.  Then, I found one on Pinterest that was really cute made from a coffee can.  He and Rick really liked it, so I said that is what I would make.  As you can see, that is not what I made but I did use a Trader Joe's coffee can for the base.  Did I take a picture of the coffee can?  Of course not.  Sorry.  But the can is 9.75 inches tall by 4.5 inches in diameter.  It is taller than most regular coffee cans and narrower.  Perfect for this project!

Remember, I am doing this on the fly, so I played around a bit and started at one place and proceeded to another.  Do you do that when creating?  My years of working in theatrical costumes has taught me a lot about things that can be used that are inexpensive but do the job just fine.  So, I started with an empty coffee can.  Next, I cut up some cereal boxes because I wanted to cover the hat with them.

Cereal boxes are good to use because the cardboard is not too heavy and it is recycling at its finest!  I painted several pieces with a lime green acrylic paint because the Deco Mesh I was using to cover the hat was lime green.  Makes sense, right?  I just used a 1 inch sponge brush and smeared the paint on.

I painted several pieces because I needed to cover the top, sides and brim of the hat.  At least that's what I planned on doing.  I covered the can with cardboard and hot glued it down the seam.

Next, I traced around the can on another painted piece of cardboard to make the top of the hat, cut it out and hot glued it to the top of the cardboard around the can.

Yeah, there is hot glue everywhere, but it peels right off and I knew it would be covered with Deco mesh.

Next, I made what would be the brim.  I cut out a large circle of cardboard and that is where the lightbulb went off in my head.  This would be too flimsy for what I wanted.  That meant time to search the craft room for something else to cover this cardboard with.  If you are a crafter like me, then you probably have all kinds of things lurking in the shadows of your craft room.  Ding, ding, ding - I found just what I needed.  There was a package of 12 x 18 craft foam in different colors and - wahoo- two pieces of lime green foam.  That was exactly what I wanted.   I covered the cardboard covered coffee can with a piece of foam and trimmed it.  I hot glued it down the seam and then hot glued the other end and pressed it over the first seam.  Somehow I missed taking a picture of this step.  That's what happens when I get into being creative.  Oh well.  Then I cut a round piece to cover the top of the coffee can and hot glued it down.

For the brim, I traced two circular pieces of foam and cut those out.  I sandwiched the cardboard circle between the two foam pieces and hot glued them around the edges.  Again, no picture.  Please forgive me.

Now, it was time to cover the base pieces with the Deco Mesh.  First, I cut a piece about 1 inch bigger than the circle meant for the hat brim.  I laid the foam covered piece in the center of the Deco Mesh and gently pulled the edges over the top of the piece.  Working in about 2 inch sections, I put a little hot glue on the edge of the circle and pressed the mesh down with a wooden dowel rod I keep for hot gluing so I don't burn my fingers!!!!  And boy, does it burn if you touch it!  Simply roll from the outside edge toward the center until the mesh sticks to the foam.

I worked all around the circle until all the mesh was glued down.

Now, I laid a large piece of mesh over the circle I just finished and cut the mesh to the exact size of the circle.  Then, you guessed it, I glued the mesh to the unfinished top.

Time to cover the coffee can with Deco Mesh.   Cut a circle about an inch bigger than the top of the can and carefully glue it over the edges.  Yes, it looks messy because you can see the glue through the mesh, but remember it will be covered with more mesh.  Don't forget to use your dowel rod for gluing!

Time to cover the sides of the coffee can.  I laid it on the mesh sideways, cut it to size, and glued down one seam.  I rolled the can until the mesh met the original seam and pulled it tight.  I cut the mesh leaving about 1 inch to fold under when I glued it down so there would not be a jagged edge and it would hold better.  Oops, no picture again.  

Here is the finished crown of the hat.

Not too shabby.  Time to attach the brim.

I placed the crown of the hat in the center of the circle aka the brim.  I used a pencil and made dots in the foam by pushing the pencil down through the mesh so I would know the crown was centered when I glued it on.  After all this work, I certainly didn't want an off center crown!  Now, I ran a bead of hot glue around the bottom of the coffee can and set it in place on the brim.  I ran another bead of glue around the outside edge of the crown just to make sure it held.

TaDa!  Not too shabby.  The hat is nice and sturdy.  Now the fun begins.  Time to decorate!

First, I wrapped some hot pink Deco Mesh around the crown several times because it is sheer and I wanted strong color.  Again, I folded the seam and hot glued it down.  Now, there has to be an opening so the hat will fit on the tree.  I made an X in the bottom of the brim and cut it with scissors.  I pushed it back to form an opening.  If it isn't quite big enough, all they have to do it cut is just a little more so the hat will sit on the top of the tree.

My heart begins to race at this point because it's time to add the sparkly stuff.  (I do have glitter in my veins you know.)  I had several Christmas floral picks that were all glittery and sparkly (be still my heart) in hot pink, turquoise and green.  I arranged them the way I wanted and glued them to the crown of the hat.  Then, I added some turquoise metallic garland loops and some more hot pink Deco Mesh in puffs to fill out the arrangement.

Not a great picture, but it is so festive and happy and sparkly and glittery.

To finish the hat, I used some of the silver snowflakes from a garland that I had purchased at Hobby Lobby to decorate the brim of the hat, the hat band and the underside of the brim so you can see them when the hat is on the top of the tree.  I mean, it is a snowman's hat after all.

Now, how cute is that?  It needed just one more thing.   I used some 1/8 inch ribbon and glued it around the edge of the hat brim and crown of the hat just to make it more finished.  Now, it's done and
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT ON THE TOP OF THEIR TREE!!

If you decide you want to make one of these adorable hats, you can use any sized can for the base.  It just depends on the look you want and pretty much follow the same procedure using any colors of your choice.  You know, I am thinking I may just have to have one of these for each of the grandson's trees and ours too.  Time's a wastin' Grandma.  You better get busy!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale they say,
He was made of snow but the children
Know how he came to life one day.
There must have been some magic in that
Old silk hat they found,
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around................Sing with me now

Frosty the snowman was alive as he could be,
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me.

Thanksgiving Mantel

Happy Hump Day one and all.  It is countdown to Thanksgiving and it is one week from tomorrow.  One week, 7 days.  Are you ready?  I am working on all preparations since my mom and sister will be here this weekend from our home town and we will celebrate Thanksgiving with them on Saturday.  Next week will be just Nashville family.

This is such a tricky time of year because not only do we have Thanksgiving to celebrate, but I am also mid Christmas preparation - making gifts and decorations which sort of takes over the entire house.  There is glitter everywhere, glue, paper, ornaments, and the kitchen table is piled high with every manner of crafting equipment.  I do have a craft desk in the back bedroom, but there is not enough room to do everything in there, so the kitchen table makes up the additional space I need.  Do you have that issue?  Not enough space?  It really gets perplexing at times.  I hate cleaning off the table every night when it's dinner time, but that's just the way it has to be.  Everyone finishes dinner with glitter on their face.  The guys love me for that.

For our mantel this year, I reused the banner I made last fall and the beautiful glittered trees that I bought.  To make it look different, I added 6" burlap ribbon, white lights, lots of small white pumpkins and colorful gourds and candles.  It looks so inviting and warm and it makes me happy.  Needless to say, the day after Thanksgiving, it all comes down and Christmas replaces these decorations.  Although, I am considering keeping some of it for Christmas and changing out the gourds and the banner.  I especially love the burlap ribbon.  What to do, what to do?  Every day at this point, I change my mind.  Nothing is written in stone until the fat lady sings as they say.

The picture above was taken at night so you can see how lovely the lights look.  Here is the same picture in daytime.

Our living room tends to be dark this time of year because of the covered porch that shades the light coming in the windows.  So, I have been leaving the lights on all day and through the evening.  I really like the ambiance it gives the room.

The center of the mantel is anchored by this lovely mercury glass candle holder that is round and beautiful and reflects the light in an awesome way.  You can see the burlap ribbon snaking across the mantel and it helps diffuse the glow of the lights.  The beautiful little copper candle holders came from TJ Maxx and they hold tea lights.  Don't  you love the little gourds which their crazy stems?  They add a lot of texture and color to the vignette.

Here, you can see the lights in the bottom of the "tree" and more of the gourds and candle holders on the mantle.  I made the candles by stamping tissue paper with a stamp that looks like French handwriting.  Then, you wrap the tissue paper around the candle and heat it with a blow dryer (or heat gun if you have one) until the tissue paper adheres to the candle.  They are really beautiful.

There are also several more mercury glass candle holders on the mantel.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE mercury glass and TJ Maxx has lots to choose from for a very reasonable price this time of year.   The clear candle holder also came from TJ Maxx and I paid $2.00 for it in the clearance section.  ALWAYS look in the clearance sections for bargains!  The tall clear candle holder in the picture above also came from the clearance section for $3.50.  My kind of price.

I had already taken all the pictures above when I added my Harvest angel candle that I made.  It looks so lovely on the mantel right at the left tip of my big white star.   Have I told you how much I love stars?  Yes, I know - about a thousand times, but I do love them so.

Here is the mantel from further back which shows some of the other decorations at this end of the living room.  It sort of makes me sad when things look just the way I want, and know that next week, it will all change.  But then again, there is the challenge of rearranging and making everything look different.  It is my decorating A.D.D. I guess.  I like changes.  Really, I do.  Do you like making changes or do you like things to stay the same?

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I approach decorating like life, it's all about changes and accepting them when they happen.  Nothing ever stays the same.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake - Spectacular!

 It's countdown to Thanksgiving which is only 9 - count 'em - 9 days away.  Are you cooking?  Are you going to someone's house?  Are you going to a restaurant?  Are you skipping it altogether?   If you are cooking, do you have your menu set?  Do you have to take a dish if you are going elsewhere?  So many things to think about, so little time.  

If you are serving dinner at your abode and you want a dessert that is scrumptious and not too difficult, have I got a "must try" for you!  Woweeeee, this pumpkin cream cheese cake is fabulous.  If you are in charge of taking dessert to someone else's home, have I got a "must try" for you!  Oh, I just said that didn't I?  Well, I am not being facetious when I say give this cake a try.  I mean, what's not to love?  Pumpkin and cream cheese in the same dessert should seal the deal without any other considerations.
This cake is easier than baking a pie, but has that same moist, spicy flavor that pumpkin pie has.  It has cinnamon and cloves and nuts, and cream cheese, and a cinnamon glaze that is oh so good and cream cheese.  Look at this slice up close.

See that vein of cream cheese deliciousness running through there?  Doesn't it make you want to take a bite?  Or maybe just eat the whole piece?  And, this time of year is perfect for anything pumpkin.  We love our pumpkin bread, pumpkin crunch, pumpkin dump cake, Trader Joe's pumpkin tea,  and now we have THIS lovely cake that would be perfect for a breakfast type coffee cake, or even more perfect for an after dinner treat.  I have to say, Dan and I jumped right in as soon as it was ready - still warm actually - and enjoyed it with a lovely cup of hot java.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Dan doesn't like pumpkin pie (I know, I know), but he really loved this.  As a matter of fact, he had two pieces!

Here is what you need (because you really do want to make this!)

Filling

1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 TBSP all purpose flour
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cake

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)  ( I used 1/2 cup chopped pecans)

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.  (note temperature)  Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg and vanilla.  Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

In a large bowl,  sift together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and sugar.  Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.   Fold in nuts if using.

Pour half of the pumpkin batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan.  Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter.  Cover the cream cheese with the remaining pumpkin batter.  Using a knife, stick it straight down through the top layer of pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling.  Swirl the knife around these two layers creating a marble effect.

Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let the cake cool before removing from pan.

After removing the cake from the pan, pour the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides.  Hold yourself back at this point.  Now, serve.

This cake is worth the effort to make, believe me.  I had the urge to make something sweet this afternoon while I was Christmas crafting.  Do you ever have that urge come over you?  The "I need something sweet" urge?  If you don't, I understand....but I get that urge and today was one of those days and I wanted something pumpkin.  Simple as that.  I pulled out this recipe and went to work.  Let me say, it was a really good choice!  This cake is moist, slightly spicy, with that wonderful vein of cream cheese running through it and that delicious cinnamon glaze topping it.  Perfection!

This cake will be just the thing for Thanksgiving, Christmas,  and all winter.  Yummmmmo!  It would be a wonderful gift to give for the holiday season, or take one to work and share with your co-workers. Have the neighbors over for coffee and cake.   Be sure and have the recipe handy because they will ask for it.  Now go rummage through your cupboards and see if you have all the ingredients because you really, really want to make this.  Now.  Really.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Dessert is probably the most important stage of the meal, since it will be the last thing your guests remember before they pass out all over the table.
William Powell 

Santa's Belly and Harvest Angel Candles Made For Cheap!

Happy Monday one and all.  Today is the official day to celebrate Veteran's Day, although yesterday was the actual date of the Armistice ending World War One on the eleventh day  of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour.  Thank you to all who have served and are serving so that we may live free.  I pray peace on our world that war shall be no more.

Now, for a really scary update in case you haven't thought of it in these terms -- THANKSGIVING IS NEXT WEEK!!!  EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK.  That means Christmas is right around the corner  (actually 43 days from today) and if you are working on project for gifts, it is time to  get with it.  Since I have been busy making Halloween costumes for the grandsons, and crafts for the Elves' Faire at their school, I am a bit behind on my own projects.  So yesterday, I began in earnest.

If you have neighbors, co-workers, friends, or distant family that you like to remember at holiday time but don't have a huge budget (that would be us), or you like to have a hostess gift to take when going to parties, here is just the project for you that will cost you very little!

These are made using saints (or devotional) candles that I bought at The Dollar Tree.  Saints candles are usually decorated with the likeness of Saints and are very colorful.  These candles come in plain glass and you can do innumerable things with them.  They are only a dollar each.  My.  Kind.  Of.  Price.

This is a blank slate, a palette you can do anything with.  I decided to make "Santa's Belly's" out of these candles.  When I say Santa's Belly, what do you think of?  Red coat, black belt, big buckle - right?

You can buy 9x12 sheets of felt for $.25 or $.35 at JoAnn's or Michael's.  I had two red sheets and one black that I used for this project.  That is a total of $.75 for felt.  Cheap enough, right?  You need a little hot glue, some cardboard (like from a cereal box), white glue, some glitter and I decided to use these cute little snowflakes from a garland that I bought at Hobby Lobby for half price at $1.50.  I got ALL these snowflakes which is so much cheaper than buying them in small individual packages.  You just have to cut them apart.  Easy peasy.

Fold the sheet of felt in half long ways and cut.  This will wrap around the candle with some left over and you have enough for two candles from one sheet.   Place the felt in the middle of the candle, leaving some of the glass exposed at the top and the bottom.  Run a bead of hot glue down the glass, and press one end of the felt to it.  Now, tightly wrap the felt around the candle holder so that you have a bit of felt overlapping your original glued edge.  Trim any excess felt, run some glue down the edge of the glued felt and press the seam down until it holds.  You want a very slight overlap.

Cut across the 9" end of the black felt sheet about 1 inch from the end.  This will be the belt for your Santa. Place the black felt strip in the middle of the red felt and glue one end over the seam.  Wrap the strip around tightly, cut off any excess and glue the felt so it overlaps the first edge you glued down.  If you have some black ribbon on hand, feel free to use that in place of the felt.

Now, to make the belt buckle.  Cut a rectangle of cardboard about 1.5 x 1 inch.  Spread some white glue or Mod Podge on one side of the cardboard and sprinkle with glitter.  Glue the "buckle" to the center front of the belt.  This is when I decided to add one of the small snowflakes for a little extra decoration. I put a little hot glue on the back of the snowflake and center it on the belt buckle.

I plan on giving these to everyone who comes for Thanksgiving.  I also made some burlap angels that look like this.

I used some burlap ribbon that I had left from my Thanksgiving decorations.  I did the same thing with the burlap that I did with the felt.  After you glue the burlap to the middle of the candle, make some wings.  Cut a 10 inch piece of burlap ribbon and twist it in the middle like this.

I put some hot glue on the inside of the twist to hold the shape of the wings.  Put hot glue in the center of the "twist" and press the wings to the top of the burlap in back over the seam.  Now, shape the wings using your scissors.  I kind of cut an arch from the bottom, angling in to the top so they look like wings.  Use your judgment.

Wrap some sisal twine around the middle and tie in a bow.  I glued a couple of snowflakes to the bottom of the twine for weight and decoration.  Look how pretty this havest angel looks on my mantle. Here is another on the book case inside our front door.

These harvest angels look so beautiful with my thanksgiving decorations.  I will be giving these on Thanksgiving also as they will transition to the Christmas holiday season with ease.

Now, lets talk economy here.  The candle cost a dollar, half a piece of felt was 17.5 cents maximum, a little hot glue, glitter, and cardboard, say 10 cents.  The snowflake cost about a penny.  Same for the angel.  For less than $1.30 you have a beautiful hand made gift to give and everyone loves candles (these are unscented by the way).  All you have invested is a minimum of money and a little time to let someone know you are thinking of them.  How awesome is that?

If you want to buy these candles, they are in the section with all the vases and candle holders at The Dollar Tree.  I am sure they can be found elsewhere, just not positive where.  If you find them other places, please let me know so I can tell my readers.

Have fun with these projects, and maybe you will come up with some ideas of your own.  Let me know how it goes.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

A handmade gift says I was thinking of you.