DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   This recipe was found at www.markethq.blogspot.com .  Who doesn't like these two different desserts?   So why not try them together! Recipe By The Girl Who Ate Everything (adapted from Martha Stewart) 42 Oreos, 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped 2 pounds (32 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup sour cream pinch of salt Preheat oven to 275°. Line standard muffin pans with liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each liner. Beat cream cheese at medium speed using an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool complet

  This comes from  www.bigindoortrains.com  .  Make a few or many, maybee enough for your very own Christmas village.  Enjoy! Building a Glitterhouse The house shown in the photo is a good starting product for learning to build "putz" houses. What You Will Need If you are going to build vintage-style cardboard houses, stop throwing away used, clean cardboard yesterday. Save cereal boxes, the backs of writing tablets, anything flat, firm and clean, that you can save. Please keep some corrogated cardboard on hand, too - it makes the best bases. In addition, for this project you'll need: A sharp mat knife or Xacto knife (or both) A stiff metal ruler Elmer's white Glue-All. A glue stick would also come in handy. Clear glitter. I use the “Sulyn” brand. Several sheets of acid-free white bond paper Flat white paint (flat latex interior wall paint is good) to prime the building (and give it the chalky feel of the original) Acrylic paint in the colors

Solvang, Calif.: A Very Scandinavian Christmas    The Southern California city of Solvang (Danish for "sunny field") was settled by Danish Americans in the early 1900s and to this day continues to celebrate its Scandinavian roots. Often referred to as the Danish capital of America, Solvang observes  Julefest  every year to mark the Christmas season. The word  Jule  is associated with Christmas, but it dates back to the Norse times, when it referred to the yearly winter solstice — the turning point when the daylight hours are at their shortest but begin to grow longer again. After the village's half-timbered houses and four large windmills are decorated with bright lights, the festivities get under way with a tree lighting at city hall, Danish folk dancers, music, horses and carriages and even a parade. Woodstock, Vt.: A Historic Festival in a Picturesque Town    Is there a better place to celebrate Christmas than V