DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   This recipe comes from  www.dessertfirstgirl.com  .  I remember eating these as a kid will a tall glass of ice cold milk.  I guess the company that had made them for so many years is closing up.  So at least someone has a recipe so we can pass them down to our own children.  Good luck and happy baking! Goodbye, Mother's Cookies   Many of you have already heard that the venerable  Mother's Cookies has closed down . I found out about this last week just as I was leaving for a trip; therefore I spent much of the weekend mourning the end of this beloved institution and wondering if all the circus animal cookies would be gone from the stores by the time I returned. Judging from the many articles written urging cookie fans to stock up on their favorites, not an unfounded fear. As the first photo shows, I was fortunately able to get my hands on a bag after my return, and I've been slowly enjoying them this week. I know – perhaps I should have kept it hermetica

The History of Up Helly Aa    Up Helly Aa is a relatively modern festival.  There is some evidence that people in rural Shetland celebrated the 24th day after Christmas as "Antonsmas" or "Up Helly Night", but there is no evidence that their cousins in Lerwick did the same.  The emergence of Yuletide and New Year's festivities in the town seems to post date the Napoleonic Wars, when soldiers and sailors came home with rowdy habits and a taste for firearms.  Early years    On an old Christmas eve in 1824, a visiting Methodist missionary wrote in his diary that "the whole town was in an uproar, from 12 o'clock last night until late this night blowing of horns, beating of drums, tinkling of old tin kettles, firing of guns, shouting, bawling, fiddling, fifeing, drinking, and fighting.  This was the state of the town all the night...the street was as thronged with people as any fair I ever saw in England".    As Lerwick grew in

   This diy comes from  www.craftaholicsanonymous.net  .  Since Halloween and Christmas are over the front door is starting to look a little bare.  I thought this would go nicely.  The only thing I would do different is to make it just a little bigger.  Good luck! Initial Wreath Hey there ::waves hi:: to everyone joining me from Linda’s fab blog,  Craftaholics Anonymous , my name is Jen J. I am a long time reader of Linda’s blog and like to do a little crafting of my own here at the  World of Dennifer . I have a lot more crafts and DandR projects here on my blog, so while you’re stopping over, please feel free to look through my archives for some of my past projects and follow me (even grab my button if it tickles your fancy ;o) if you’d like to keep up with my future projects. I am so excited to be participating in the  Craftaholics Anonymous  Reader’s Tutorial Week and I hope you enjoy my wreath tutorial as much as I enjoyed making it…it was inexpensive to make and is so p

 On Thanksgiving, more than any other day of the year, Americans sit down and eat the same meal as their neighbors and countrymen. It’s tradition, after all! But we know our  history: most of the Thanksgiving dishes we enjoy today weren’t at the original Pilgrims’ feast in 1621, or at least not in the way we enjoy them. How did we come up with the modern menu on so many tables? 1. Candied Sweet Potatoes    Sweet potatoes are native to the Americas and their consumption goes back about 5,000 years, so it is no wonder they are associated with the American holiday, even though the Pilgrims didn’t have them in Massachusetts. But when did we start adding sugar to make them even sweeter than they are? T he earliest recipe found is from 1889, in which sweet potatoes are made into candy. “ The candied sweet potato is a Philadelphia confectionery. It is nothing but sweet potatoes carefully boiled and quartered, then candied in boiling syrup, but it is said to be dainty and

   This diy come from  www.paperplateandplane.wordpress.com  .  Enjoy! I’ve been on a roll with rolling paper since I made the  paper chess set  for O.T. last month. As meticulous an undertaking that was, I really enjoyed myself and couldn’t wait to apply the technique to Christmas ornaments. These bright rolled paper ornaments are substantially simpler and make for a whimsical handmade addition to your tree. You will need construction paper in various colors, matching ribbons, foam adhesive tape (mounting tape), double sided tape, and a bit of white glue. Check your local dollar store instead of a hardware store for the mounting tape. I got 2 in a pack, each roll being 16 feet long. I thought that was a steal! 1. Cut construction paper lengthwise (9″ long) in the following widths, in alternating colors: 3″, 2-3/4″, 2-1/2″, 2-1/4″, 2″, 1-3/4″, 1-1/2″, 1-1/4″, and 1″. 2. Take the widest piece and adhere mounting tape across the center. Take 8″ of ribbon, f

    Epiphany  (from the Greek word meaning "appearance" or "to appear") is a Christian festival celebrated January 6th, 12 days after Christmas.   Epiphany , often called  Little Christmas , commemorates the appearance of Jesus to the Wisemen of the East.    We often use the word "epiphany" to refer to a revelation or recognition of importance in our lives.  Epiphany, in the liturgical sense, is a feast day celebrated mostly in the Catholic and Orthodox faiths.  Epiphany is the day Christians remember the visit of the Magi to the stable in Bethlehem.  In the eastern or Orthodox rites of the Church, Epiphany is also he day which we remember the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan river.  When John baptized Jesus, he also proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.  He said, " Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world "    There are some who suggest Epiphany was originally established i

This diy comes form  www.misscutiepiegoes80s.blogspot.com . Very cute and unique. Printable vintage style christmas tickets Hi all! I'm slowly recovering from my flue. Been sick for almost 3 weeks and I can't wait to get back to my normal life again. Meanwhile I want to share something a bit different with you all. These tickets were inspired by old vintage photos, Christmas cards and all around Christmas spirit. They are ready to be printed (in a high photo quality for the best result) cut and used on your paper scrap layouts, Christmas cards, gifts and altered projects. All I ask in return is that you link back to this blog if you post your finished projects online. This way more people can find their way here and download the tickets :) ♥  Download Vintage Style Christmas Tickets  ♥ To make your tickets more personal use the edge of your scissors to distress the edges and for an aged look use a bit of fluid chalk around th

   The  U.S. National Tobaggan Championships  is the only organized wooden toboggan race in the country and possibly the world.  The toboggan chute is located in Camden, Main at the Camden Snow Bowl, a community owned year round recreation area which has developed thousand of deicated skiers since 1936.  All race revenue goes to off setting the Snow Bowl budget. History    The original chute was first built in 1936 by a dedicated group of volunteers who also built a ski lodge and ski hill, one of the earliest in America.  The chute was again rebuilt in 1954 by local Coast Guardsmen and lasted until 1964 when it was brought to an end because of rot and neglect.    In 1990 it was resurrected once again out of pressure treated wood by another enthusiastic group of volunteers and material donors and was to become known as the  Jack Williams Toboggan Chute .  The week before the race, many hours are spent during the dark of night, when it is the coldest, to coa