DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

    Christmas  Day in  Ireland  is December 25.     Here the Christmas celebrations last from Christmas Eve to the feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which is referred to as "Little Christmas". Christmas in Ireland is a religious as well as a festive occassion. Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom and hence, Christmas traditions here echo those of the western countries.    In preparation for Christmas, Irish families bake Christmas cakes, puddings and mince pies. Mantelpieces are decorated with  flowers  (such as holly) and  ornaments . A popular tradition here, as in other western nations, is hanging the mistletoe in a doorway and to kiss under it. Before  the holidays , families give gifts (usually  money ) to all those who provide service to them throughout the year, such as  the plumber  or the milkman. Chirstmas shoppers    Homes are cleaned a...

The   bundt cakes are very versatile  , can present in many ways, perhaps one of the most spectacular is as if it were a cupcake, just how you see in the picture. To do this you will have to make your   mini bundt cake in format   and decorate with a curly tip coverage you choose. The recipe for this bundt formatted cupcake is   chocolate toblerone,   chocolate flavor of this chocolate is very particular and that gives a special touch that will be wonderful for all those who you may be fans of this sweet, plus the fruit This is also dry very gently bringing the crispy dough. TobleroneChocolate bundt cake recipe  Ingredients 160g butter 130g caster sugar 140g brown sugar 2 eggs 140 g flour 60 g cocoa 1 teaspoon baking 1 pinch of salt 130 ml evaporated milk 110 g yoghurt 220 g of toblerone Chocolate Ganache ** to decorate 300g couverture chocolate 200 ml cream Directions  Pre...

This year I'm obsessed with glitter. But not just any glitter--German glass glitter. It's actually made from ground up glass, and it is absolutely gorgeous. You can find beautiful glitter glass  here ,  here , and  here . Don't you love how these jingle bells look like they're frosty? There are different grits of glass glitter. Here are examples of fine, medium, and large grit glass glitters. I think for the jingle bells I preferred the medium grit. I saw a glitter-encrusted jingle bell at PB the other day, so I pulled out my jingle bell supply and got to work glittering up every last one. Here's how to glitter a jingle bell or two and then turn them into a wreath. They're great as ornaments, gift toppers, even gift tags. Gorgeous. Glittered Jingle Bell Wreath Tutorial Supplies: *Glitter (in a bowl with plastic spoon) *Jingle balls *Craft spray adhesive *Craft wire *Ribbon and trim 1. Cut a few ...

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 th...

   Christmas is a time of presents, anticipation, excitement and goodwill virtually anywhere in the world. In different parts of the world, however, the specific traditions used to celebrate Christmas can vary widely. 10. United States    Here in America, a typical tradition at Christmas time is to leave a tray of cookies and a cup of milk out for jolly old Santa Claus. Santa makes his list of the boys and girls that have been either naughty or nice, and comes to their home on the night before Christmas. Santa will leave the good children a gift made by the elves at the North Pole, and he will leave the naughty children nothing but coal in their Christmas stockings. 9. Venezuela    During Christmas time in Caracas, Venezuela, from December 16 to December 24, the streets are closed for the roller skating mass. Yes, that is exactly what it sounds like: a mass of people roller skating together th...

Last Minute Gift Tags- Recycled Crafts Last week at craft day, Karla reminded me of some Christmas gift tags I made last year with the Cuttlebug and old ornament boxes.  Karla was going to make some from her boxes, but we didn't get around to it- so I made some for her.  Some vintage ornament boxes have great graphics, and I hate to throw them away, so I cut the pictures from the boxes... .... ...get out my Cuttlebug and Sizzix tag template. ...cut the boxes so the pictures will line up with the outline of the tags. ...crank the Cuttlebug and see what comes out. Sometimes, it's a good idea to proof read the tags before you tie them to the package. Case in point:   I'm pairing up the tags with some bakers twine and slipping them in a white burlap bag for a hostess gift for Karla...she's having a dinner tonight.   Want to make some tags, but don't have ornament boxes or a Cuttlebug? I scanned some tags so you can print them o...