DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

This diy comes from  www.thriftyparsonageliving.blogspot.com  . They look like they been outside and the snow and ice has crystalized on them. Very nice. Enjoy! DIY Epsom Salt Ornaments and Candle I know there's been candles and ornaments made with Epsom salt floating around blog land for a while now, but I thought I'd share my version which utilizes simple things most of us have lying around our homes. Here is what I had and you'll need if you're going to make these. 1. Styrofoam balls 2. Candle 3. Paint 4. Mod Podge or Glue 5.Epsom Salt I made this project for mere pennies because every thing I used I already had in my home. Three styrofoam balls - from a "free" box at the local thrift store. Paint  (deco art)  given to me by a friend who no longer had a use for it. Glue I didn't have any Mod Podge in the house, but you can substitute glue watered down with a few drops of water as a homemade version. Begin by painting the balls. Next

Five Tips for Better Holiday Photos     This season is the stuff that cameras are made for: holiday lights and decorations, brightly wrapped presents, kids anxiously darting around the tree. Your camera is probably getting excited just thinking about the opportunities you're going to give it in the next few days. So as you get ready for the veritable Olympics of personal digital photography, consider these five tips for taking better pictures. Also, if you're shooting outdoors, don't forget my  advice on winterizing your camera . And since you'll be taking a lot of pictures indoors, be sure to review my  tips for taking better pictures of people  and how to  get better results in difficult lighting .    Finally, before I get into the nitty-gritty of this week's holiday photo tips, I want to wish each of you a warm, safe, and happy holiday. 1. Set Your White Balance There are few lighting situations trickier than Christmas morning,

The Christmas Cake  as we know it today comes from two customs which became one around 1870 in Victorian England. Originally there was a porridge, the origins of which go back to the beginnings of Christianity. Then there was a fine cake made with the finest milled wheatflour, this was baked only in the Great Houses, as not many people had ovens back in the 14th century. PLUM PORRIDGE Originally people used to eat a sort of porridge on Christmas Eve. It was a dish to line the stomach after a day's fasting, which people used to observe for Christmas Eve, or the 'Vigil' as it was called long ago. Gradually, they began to put spices, dried fruits, honey etc in the porridge to make it a special dish for Christmas. Much later it was turned into a pudding, because it got to be so stiff with all the fruits and things, that they would tie it in a cloth, and dunk it into a large cauldron of boiling water and boil it for many hours. This turned into Christmas Pudding.