food, crochet, merriment
This moment…
A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from our lives.
A simple, special, memorable moment.
A moment I want to pause, savor and keep close to my heart.
If you are inspired to do the same–leave us a link in the comments.
Happy weekend my dear friends.
Ok, all you dark chocolate purists out there…you may need to close your eyes for a few minutes, because what I’m about to say here, could–for you–border on blasphemy. I do apologize for that. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to forge ahead and share these daring words with you—you may want to sit down.
White Chocolate Fudge.
Be brave now–I was a non-believer once too, but not anymore because this stuff will have you singing Hallelujah along with a couple of angelic choirs. Smooth, creamy, melt in your mouth goodness with tiny gumdrop dabs mixed in–for good measure. Heaven, I tell you…pure heaven!
Oh, and did I forget to mention that this recipe is easy and whips up dang fast? Well, I’m telling you. Therefore, my dears–go now and make this, that your candy larders may be full against a time of fudge famine in all the land…
or something.
Gumdrop Fudge
Original recipe from Taste of Home
Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds white candy coating, coarsely chopped
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1-1/2 cups chopped gumdrops– we used Dots
Directions:
Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the candy coating, milk and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted.
Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and gumdrops.
Spread into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Using foil, remove fudge from the pan.
Cut into 1-in. squares. Store at room temperature.
Brothers and sisters—Can I get an AMEN?
One of these days–I’d really like to make a true-live, authentic plum pudding…you know, to see what all the fuss is about. I mean, seriously, it’s in all the old books at Christmas time and I’d really like to know if it’s amazingly scrumptious, or…nasty. Either way, at least I’ll know.
For now, however, I’m satisfied with this little ornament that looks like a pudding. It’ll just have to do.
If you’d like to make one yourself–go right HERE to Planet June for the free pattern. It whipped up in an afternoon and–as you can see–is just adorable.
And it will bide the time until I find a real one to share with you–for better, or worse.
* Oh, and if you need help with crochet techniques–click on the Crafting Tutorials tab and scroll to the bottom where you’ll find some handy crochet How-To pages. That should help. Good luck!
“Make it go, Daddy! Make it go!”
I shook the store’s miniature merry-go-round to simulate motion, trying to convince my three-year-old son and his little sister that they were content just to sit on the wooden horses.
Inside the discount store my wife was finishing some last-minute Christmas shopping. As a struggling graduate student without a spare penny, I rattled and shook the merry-go-round in frustration. The San Francisco evening was black, cold, foggy, and depressing. I was tired and irritated by my son’s insistent cry for me to “Make it go!”
Shuffling noticeably, a middle-aged man came toward us out of the fog. By the dim light of the street lamp he watched my attempt to satisfy the children. After a few moments he fumbled in his pocket for a coin. His unkempt appearance and a pervading odor of alcohol made me wary, and I protested. They were fine, I muttered, shaking the horses again. “See, you’re fine, aren’t you?” I said.
Producing the coin, he pleaded, “Please, let me do this; please?” Surprised by the pitiful tone of his voice, I relented.
As the delighted children went round and round, the man haltingly explained, “My wife and I never had any children … and … she died recently. It’s Christmas … I’m all alone. Thank you.”
He disappeared into the dense fog. He had needed someone to give to at Christmas. And truly he had—not only to the children, but to me as well. Because of him, I had gained a new appreciation for a very precious gift from God—my family.
By Wendel K. Walton
Happy Birthday Kathy!!
Happy Birthday Dad!!
In the quest to entertain a couple of two-year-olds–
clever April came up with a fun, little Christmas craft that was simple enough for the babies to be involved and yet turned out quite pretty when bigger hands took over.
See what you think…
You’ll need:
green tinsel pipe cleaners
craft glue
beads
We made them on paper plates so that the beads didn’t escape the little hands entirely. Take the first pipe cleaner and fold it in half.
Twist a small loop in the fold end…
and continue twisting all the way down.
Cut the remaining pipe cleaners into “branches” of longer to shorter lengths.
Twist each length around the main “trunk” all the way up.
Trim them if you want or just leave them in their natural state.
Dot the craft glue wherever you want your bead ornaments.
Now hand the kids the beads and let them decorate the trees.
Let them sit for a few hours until the glue is completely dry. Fix an ornament hanger to the top—and there you have it!
A sweet, sparkly little tree for the tree.
Simply lovely.
Thanks Prell.
