DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

 Combine two loves--coffee cake and pound cake--for a memorable dessert that'd delicious any time of day. Bake the cake for your next brunch gathering and secure your spot in history as the World's Best Hostess. Ingredients PECAN STREUSEL 1/2 cup  firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup  all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon  ground cinnamon 1/4 cup  butter 3/4 cup  chopped pecans POUND CAKE BATTER 1 cup  finely chopped pecans 1 cup  butter, softened 2 1/2 cups  granulated sugar 6  large eggs 3 cups  all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon  baking soda 1  (8-oz.) container sour cream 2 teaspoons  vanilla extract 1/4 cup  firmly packed brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons  ground cinnamon Preparation 1. Prepare Pecan Streusel: Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Stir in 3/4 cup pecans. 2. Prepare Pound Cake Batter: ...

The Canine Collection    Transport your pet to another time with a "hilariously tongue-in-cheek" oil painting. For $950 and up,  Dutch Touch Art  uses a digital photo of your cat or dog to incorporate his or her regal visage into a hand-painted Old World–style portrait, using a stock background image or your suggestion. Should you wish, the image of your pet can include "personal effects, such as favorite toys." Feel The Turf Between Your Toes    You can get the feeling of walking barefoot in a grassy field wherever you go with  Kusa flip-flops  ($32), Australian-made knockabouts lined with high-quality synthetic turf that has "the look and feel" of the real thing. Their designer says that sporting the shoes is a way to rebel against "imposed conformity." But feel free to wear them just to start conversations when you're out strolling on a city street, along a beach, "or — if you're into irony — on an actu...

   The  Carnival of Binche  is an event that takes place each year in the Belgian town of Binche, during the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday.  The carnival is best known of all the others that take place in Belgium,  at the same time and has been proclaimed as a  Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity .  Its history dates back to approximately the 14th century.    Events related to the carnival begin up to 7 weeks prior to the primary celebrations.  Street performances and public displays traditionally occur on the Sundays approaching Ash Wednesday, consisting of prescribed musical acts, dancing  and marching.  Large numbers of Binche's inhabitants spend the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday in costume.    The centerpiece of the carnival,  are clown like performers,  known as  Gilles.   Appearing, fo...

   Thawed lemonade concentrate adds bold, fun flavor to this tart layer  cake . This cake is the perfect solution to summer birthday parties or winter events when you need to wake up your taste buds.    Watch step-by-step instructions on how to  make  and frost  a layer cake. Ingredients 1 1/3 cups   granulated sugar   6 tablespoons   butter, softened 1 tablespoon   grated lemon rind 3 tablespoons   thawed lemonade concentrate 2 teaspoons   vanilla extract   2  large eggs   2  large egg whites 2 cups   all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon   baking powder 1/2 teaspoon   salt 1/2 teaspoon   baking soda 1 1/4 cups   fat-free buttermilk Cooking spray Frosting 2 tablespoons   butter, softened 2 teaspoons   grated lemon rind 2 teaspoons   thawed lemonade concentrate 1/2 teaspoon   vanilla extract   $ 8 ounc...

  This diy comes from  www.thenewnew.blogspot.com  .  I very ingenious idea if you love to mess around with clay and sculpt your own holiday figurines and other misc. items.  It's also alot cheaper that buying fimo clay (they are the ones that make most of the polymer clay you find at arts and crafts stores)  at the craft store. Have fun and make something today! Homemade Polymer Clay At different points over the last few years I've played around with different kinds of homemade "clay." My favorite is a polymer clay also known as cold porcelain. Its main ingredients are cornstarch and white PVA or Elmer's glue. I like it because it's smooth and a little bit elastic to work with and dries extremely hard. It's also relatively non-porous so it takes paint really well. And it doesn't degrade over time like baker's clay or salt clay does. I've used it to cover blown-out chicken eggs for Christmas ornaments, as well as to make various and s...

   Britain has a long and varied past – it has been conquered repeatedly, it has conquered others, and it has colonized half the planet. Through its history, many strange traditions and festivals have arisen. This list looks at ten of the most unusual. 10.   Gurning    The Egremont Crab Fair – one of England’s weirder events – gets its name from crab apples rather than the marine variety. It started back in the 13th century when the Lord of the Manor gave away crab apples to the populace. In fact, to this day, the Parade of the Apple Cart, where apples are thrown into the crowds on the Main Street, is part of the fair. There are a host of other non-mechanized, traditional events – greasy pole climbing, a pipe smoking contests, a talent show, Cumberland wrestling, a hounds trail. But lets face it, the reason Egremont makes the news every year is the gurning competition. Home of the Gurning World Championships.    Gurni...

    Holidays are always fun to celebrate, but why wait a few months for the next major one to arrive when you could be enjoying some nice edible food holidays everyday of the month? March 1st, National Peanut Butter Lover's Day-  This has to be one of the greatest national food holidays of the year, or at least for the month of March. Go and make a couple of PB and J sandwiches for lunch on this day. March 2nd, National Banana Creme Pie Day -While it still may be a little cold outside, why not enjoy a tropical banana cream pie for dessert....if you want a little more tropical, add some coconut. March 3rd, National Cold Cuts Day -This national food holiday is perfect for an evening when you're too tired to cook. Just stop by your local deli and pick up some favorite sliced meats and some soup. March 4th, National Pound Cake Day -What could be more delicious than a piece of pound cake served with some strawberries and whipped cream. ...