Pausing & remembering today

12.17.12- 

{M}

Go with the flow

12.14.12-  {this post is a blast from the past but a good one!} 

It's been baking central around here.  

{Thank goodness I got this all done before the cold hit me}

*-I've baked 2 batches of Gingersnaps

{It was about 120 cookies.  The girls & I shared them at a cookie exchange party & gave them to neighbors}

This might just be the most requested recipe. Everyone loves my Grandma Hall's recipe.  

*-A huge batch of Scrabble 

{love to have a salty mix around to go with all the sweets}

You can get that recipe HERE.  I substituted Honey Nut Cheerios in the recipe this time & LoVED the little sweetness it added

& a double recipe of Sugar Cookies. 

{This is a terrific recipe, I've been making them for years.  These are one of my favorite cookies to bake & eat}

Sugar Cookies
{Have been using this recipe for years, it's the best.  Got it from Martha Stewart's Living magazine, love!} 

2 sticks of softened butter 

2 C. sugar

-Cream together & then add eggs 

2 Eggs 

-Mix together well & then add:

2 tsp. Vanilla 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 tsp. Baking Powder 

4 C. Flour 

1 tsp. Lemon Juice 

-Cover with plastic wrap & chill for 30 minutes.  Take out of fridge, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough into desired thickness & cut into shapes. 

-The festive shapes that the cookies will become- 

-This picture makes me happy: sugar cookie dough, a rolling pin & flour sifter. I really do enjoy baking & around the Holidays is just the best!-

 Place onto an un greased cookie sheet & bake for 8-10 minutes.   

Place cookies on a cooling rack & cool completely before you decorate. 

You know that a kitchen really enjoys making Sugar Cookies all year round when there is a drawer devoted entirely to holding all the different shapes & sizes of cookie cutters.  

After the cookies have cooled  Now... comes the fun part, the decorating!  A&E decided to have a few friends over for a cookie decorating party so it was time to set the stage. 

 The Quigley's "official" cookie sprinkling plate & that's all it is used for around here.  Haha, do you have one in your house?  I'll explain.  

When we decorate sugar cookies I've always made my girls place their cookie into this plate to collect all the stray sprinkles that don't stick.  Then the last couple of cookies we decorate get all the remaining sprinkles put on them.  I think they really turn out to be the cutest cookies & it totally helps eliminate the mess. 

{TRuST Me!} 

-Ty & I got this as a wedding gift, I'm sure it was never intended to be used for Sugar Cookie decorating. It was a set of 4 but this is the only one remaining.- 

 Another sign we love to bake & decorate in our house.  We have a entire pull out drawer, on the side of the stove hood, that holds a wide array of every kind of sprinkle imaginable.  All colors of Sugar, jimmies, holiday  sprinkles. 

Recipe cards for the girls to write down their recipes on. Set out little bowls to put the frosting in.  Got these as a birthday present a couple of years ago from one of my foodie friends & I have LoVED them!  Use them for so many things.

{Thanks C}

 Some finished recipe cards. 

{I told this little friend, she had great penmenship.}

-The hubby got this paper serving trays a few years ago for a project he had & we had ToNS left over.  At first I thought,  "What are we going to do with 500 of these?"  Now, I'm a little sad we are down to just a few left they have come in so handy over the years for many things.  I'll have to get some more- 

-A couple of trays of finished cookies.  Love that you can see a bite mark out of one of them. I haven't found a Sugar Cookie I could resist either!- 

-Oh, what a sugary, sticky, island mess! Pass me the advil!-

All the mess I had to clean up made it worth it when I see this picture.  A fun, cute group of friends laughing & having a blast. 
{not to mention being very, very silly!}  

-Sugar Cookies make everyone happy, right?!- 

Still ahead on our holiday baking schedule

*-Cinnamon petal rolls 
{a giant big cinnamon roll- a family favorite for any holiday!} 
*-biscotti 
{Haven't made it for a while & it sounds good}
*-French Hot cocoa
-Cinnamon roasted Almonds
{Miss Mace made these a few weeks ago & they are GooD!! We decided we needed to make another batch just before Christmas 
She got the recipe off of Pinterest & pinned it to her board} 

Glad there is still 11 days to get all the baking done.
{& to feel a bit better}

{M}

**Oh, did you hear?  

All remaining H&H Christmas items are now 30% off!  Click the SaLE button on the right side bar to see what's still on the shelfs. 

{There is still some really great stuff so check it out. Seriously, if a certain frames doesn't sell it's going up on my shelf next week, too cute! I can't believe someone hasn't gotten it already} 

Ho-Ho-Ho!

12.13.12- 

  I love this gift giving thing! 

{I feel a little bit like the jolly old fellow himself}

Feeling very overwhelmed with the response to the Holiday Cheer GiVEAWAY. THaNKS to everyone who commented, "liked" & entered.  Really, such the sweetest comments about the bundle & my blog. 

I really do appreciate it! 

{Makes me want to do another one sooner than later ;)} 

Ok, enough of the chit chat- the WiNNeR of the Holiday Cheer GiVEAWAY is... 

-Sorry for the early morning, cell phone picture.  Actually I'm feeling a little like this picture myself, been up since 3 a.m.- 

CoNGRaTULaTIONS Trisha!! 

Please email me your address so I can get all this fun stuff in the mail to you soon. 

honeybee58@gmail.com

Oh & this just happens to be one of my favorite Holiday tunes
{sung by one of my favorite singers, love the big band feel of his music}
- enjoy!

Off to bake a double batch of Sugar Cookies 
{I'll share the recipe later}
with Michael singing in the background. 
Have a wonderful day! 

{M} 

Holiday Cheer GiVEAWAY!

12.12.12-  {the perfect day for a GiVEAWAY don't ya think?} 

Can't let this day pass by without doing something wonderful.  It's a fantastic day to give away 12 fabulous holidays things 

{to one lucky someone out there} 

All you have to do to enter to win this amazing bundle of Holiday Cheer is.... 

*- "like" H&H on FaceBook or if you already do simply 

*-"like" the photo of the Holiday Cheer GiVEAWAY, share it for an extra entry & that's it, you're entered to win.

{total value of gift package - $ 30.00}

 *- Check out all these goodies! - *

The bundle will include: 

1- Snowball fight in a bag {Love these glittery little balls}
2- H&H word block {perfect to put on a shelf or give}
3- SWeeTS {a 1/2 lb. of perfect Christmas mix of treats}
4- little bottle brush tree {complete w/ a bottle cap tree stand}
5-Christmas Bingo cards {use as gift tags or cards}
6-Ribbons & trims {so many uses for this}
7-Holiday Journal cards {for scrap booking or journaling}
8-Pop Bottle {ooh.. I love bottle to stick some boughs or berries in, don't believe go HERE}
9- Labels {use for gift tags, cards & gift giving} 
10-Tags {so stinkin' cute w / lots of possibilities!}
11-Red/White stripey straws { so festive & FuN!}
12-Tin container {perfect little gift box for sweets or jewelry}

I love all these items & use them all the time in my holiday decorating & entertaining.  This is such a fabulous little bundle, I can't stand it! 

-Naughty or Nice block- so cute & you can never have enough treats on hand for the Holidays- 

Ok, this GiVEAWAY is for TODAY {12-12-12} only so what are you waiting for get over to FaceBook to enter. You have until 12 o'clock  tonight. The winner will be announced tomorrow! 

{so that I can get this sweet stuff in the mail to get to you ASAP} 

{H}appy {H}olidays from H&H

-Be sure to check out the SALE button on the side bar.  All remaining items on the H&H shelves are now 30% off. -

{M} 

A bit closer to home

12.10.12- 

 With all this talk of the fabulous shops I got to see in North Carolina I'm happy to report that I have found a jem that's right in my neck of the woods.  

There was the most delightful store in Layton that I loved to visit quite regularly.
{rarely did I walk out of there empty handed}
I was so sad when it shut it's doors this Spring.  But I had been noticing things going on inside the windows of the building when I would drive by & was hoping  {hoping} that a fun store would soon be open in it's place.  

Well.... something did open up & I went in last week to check it out.  So glad I was not disappointed.  

Darrington's in Layton 

{on the corner of Gentile & Main} 

The store is full of vintage clothes, one of a kind items & charming things! 

{I walked out with a few things but I definitely could have walked out with more}

I simply adored this back room that immediately transported me back to my childhood- loved, loved, LOVED all the retro Christmas decorations, knick knacks  & trinkets.  

{hello... North Pole!}  

-Oh, my goodness!  So much eye candy to look at! I walked around this room 2 or 3 times before deciding what I wanted to take home with me - 

-Thought this was a simple but charming display made out of crates filled up with shredded newspaper to hold ornaments of all shapes & sizes- 

Hmmm.... wondering what I got?  

I walked out with these 2 vintage glass ornaments that will be added to my ornament collection.  I love the stripes on them.  I'm always on the look out for antique ornaments.  

Love the gold & turquoise! 

and.... I also got these 2 chunky plastic Candy Canes.  They once lit up or were at least set on some kind of light.  I just adored the retro feel of them.  Made me feel like a kid in a candy store again.  

I placed them up high above the stove in our kitchen with the other vintage inspired things they go well with.  They will be fun to have around for the holidays for years to come. 

Speaking of candy.... They also had a big display set up 

{I'm always on the look out for unique candies} 

& I saw these.  

I've always liked Nips 
{my Dad ate them all the time when I was little}  
but I've never seen this flavor before. I thought the Egg Nog sounded interesting so I grabbed a few & they are tasty!  If you like Egg Nog around the Holidays you will like these treats to have stashed in your jacket pocket or purse for a little sweet treat sometime. 

{Oh, if you know where to buy bags of these, please let me know.  they were selling them individually but I'd love to buy a bunch} 

* I have the best friends ever! A friend just called me to tell me where she spotted the Nips - Walgreens!  Thanks Jill!! I'll stop by there tomorrow to pick some up. 

I am already looking forward to going back to Darrington's again & see what new items they will have in next time.  Lucky for me my daughter takes tumbling lessons right down the street so I might just have to make this a weekly stop.  

{HooraY!} 

-Let me know if you are close & stop in to check it out- 

{M} 

99 bottles of pop.....

12.7.12- 

Ok, I think I might have a problem!  

First it was collecting small children's school chairs, anything with a bee on it & now glass pop bottles. 

{It's good to have an good, clean, obsession, right?}

Well lookie what is out on my kitchen island right now to help ring in the Holidays.  I am over the moon, giddy & delighted!  

I found them last week at an antique store in Aberdeen, No. Carolina. Right down the street from the 2 stores I told you about yesterday.  It was a great antique mall & I was finding lots of fabulous things. I was about ready to check out when my friend pointed out a back room to me we hadn't been in.  

{Thanks so much, Shareen!}

I walked into the room & saw shelves full of vintage glass pop bottles. My heart skipped a beat!  

{Oh, believe me I could have come home with 10 more bottles easily} 

As I stood there in awe this is the first bottle that "popped" out at me.  Are you kidding?  Look how adorable it is. 

The wheels started turning inside my head- A toy solider on a bottle that would be so cute to have out for the Holidays.  

I've decorated with pop bottles in the past but for just Spring & Summer events.  It made me start thinking of some new decorating possibilites.  I just knew right then & there that I had to bring this little guy home with me. 

As I started moving bottles around I noticed this one tucked back in the corner.  I couldn't leave the store without him either!  

{Oh, I was in trouble!} 

When I saw this bottle it opened up the possibilites for a winter themed display too.  Oh, for sure I had to get these because I could keep them up for months.  

{I was rationalizing at this point- totally made sense!}

Then I got to thinking.... red, white & green. Ok, I for sure have to have this green Sparkling Life one. I mean come on- just look at that label how could I leave that behind.  

Loved the bottle style of this one- so unique & such a fun twist.  Made me wish that pop bottles were still made this way with such character & charm.  

-Such a great bottle color, label & name.  Can't wait to use this for lots & lots of special occasions-

-This bottle is a No. Carolina company so I had to have this to remember our trip by {even though it was a new bottle- we drank the cherry pop inside}

Once I got my Holiday/ Christmas bottles set aside to purchase I noticed these fun bottles too.
{If you follow this blog & have read posts in the past you know that we have a fun tradition on Valentines Day & I thought these would be a perfect addition to have on the table for our candlelight dinners.}

Mmmm....wah!!  Seriously... how sweet are they?  Kist & Heart Club, too stinkin' adorable.  I had to snag the Big Giant Cola too {with the bat swinging baseball player on the back} for the Summertime.  

So in all that brought my total of 8 bottles I was seriously considering buying.  So glad my hubby has good taste, loves me & recognizes a great find when he sees it too told me, "get them!" They were marked at $8.50 each but when the store owner came in & saw how many I wanted to buy he gave me a great deal, $5 each! {Holla!} So I said, "I'll take them!"

Then the thought comes to my head- Uhhh, HOW are we going to get these home?  Can we get these home?  I couldn't leave them now- I would have been heart broken.  The owner was so nice & gave me a liquor bottle box  & some tissue paper to pack them in. 

{haha, us carrying a wine bottle box everywhere- funny!Wish I would have taken a picture of that. Thanks to Ty for carrying it around & getting it in the overhead compartment on the flight} 

-Here is a peek inside my pantry where my bottle collection is stored on the tip top shelf.  When I got home I cleaned it out a bit, took out the not so great bottles & am just keeping the real unique, vintage ones-

Love, love LoVE the way the display turned out, all lined up on a cherry red wooden bench.  I filled the bottles with pine boughs, sprigs of berries & holly from our bushes outside,  poinsetta blooms & a bunch of mercury glass balls that I found at the antique store too.   

 As much as I love the look of bottles from the front I think their backsides are equally as cute. 

-Don't ya think?- 

So glad these all made it home safe & sound not a scratch or chip off them.  They will be fun to have around for years to come & to remind me of our trip to No. Carolina.  I really try to find a treasure to bring home from wherever we visit & I was lucky enough to snag up 8 fabulous treasures this time. So much fun! 

 Happy Holidays everyone!

-CheeRs!- 

{M}