DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   This diy comes from www.poopscape.com .  Wouldn't it be a sight to see several of these little houses adorning your Christmas tree and all lit up.  What a warm glow they would create! Felt House I have a thing for felt. Felt is the textile equivalent of construction paper- you can make nearly anything with it and I have a certain weakness for the fuzz. I decided to make little houses out of felt for an Iron Craft challenge , since I already had piles of wool felt fat quarters that I bought at Stitchlab in Austin and I figured it was about time for another felt project. I wanted to make a village of tiny felt houses to place in random areas around my house. This project also introduced yet another product to my ever-expanding craft supply stash- Stiffy fabric stiffener. Yeah, yeah...giggle all you want. Without it, my little felt houses would have collapsed. What you'll need: House template (see below) Felt Embroider...

   This article and recipe comes from www.yumsugar.com .  I have always loved them.  Whether it's the shape or just a puff ball filled with pastry cream. Lately, I've been seeing towers of cream puffs, or croquembouches, appearing all over the place, particularly in bridal magazines or on wedding blogs. The croquembouche is most certainly a delicious trend – we had one at our wedding and it was quite a hit! — but these magnificent sweet sculptures are more complicated than they may appear. To get an inside look at how these profiterole towers are made, I reached out to Gerhard and Mary Michler, the driving force behind Gerhard Michler Fine European Pastries and Creative International Pastries, in San Francisco. Gerhard first started baking at age 17 in his native Austria, so it's safe to say he knows a bit about French pastry. Michler chalks the growing cream puff tower trend up to the fact that people seem to want to see new things these days, and th...

    For the people of Punjab, the festival of Lohri holds a great significance, as it marks the harvesting season and the end of the winter season. The main event is the making of a huge bonfire which is symbolic of the homage to the Sun God for bringing in warmth. Celebrated on January 13th every year. Lohri festivities are associated with the harvesting of the Rabi crops. There is a special significance attached to the celebration of Lohri as this day the sun enters the rashi (zodiac) of Makara (Capricorn), this is considered auspicious as it signifies a fresh start.     Lohri has special significance for the agriculturists because, it marks the beginning of a new financial year, on this day they settle the division of the products of the land between themselves and the tillers. Lohri assumes greater significance, if there has been a happy evet in the family, such as the birth of a child or a marriage in the past year. The family...

    This recipe comes from www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com .  Give it a try see if they're right! There are two kinds of people: those who lick the frosting off a piece a cake and then those who eat the cake and not the frosting. What do I prefer? Do you even have to ask? Both, together...in copious amounts. For those who aren't frosting people, their reasons usually are that it's too sweet. I've never had that feeling but most of you know my sweet scale by now is a little skewed. This frosting is for those that don't like it too sweet. I've been wanting to try this frosting ever since I saw it on the Pioneer Woman but was a little hesitant because it was flour based which didn't sound appetizing at all and then it said to cook the frosting. Cook the frosting? The result is silky, light, whipped cream-like frosting. My husband teaches early morning seminary at our house. For one of his student's birthday's he asked if I could make ...

   This diy comes from www.bystephanielynn.com .   This could be used all year long, almost anywhere that you would want to put it.  Just a real nice project to add some decor to your home or apartment. How to Make a Preserved Boxwood Wreath Topiary I love the classic look of wreath topiaries not only for the holidays, but throughout the year, and boxwood is one of my favorites. A quick web search will show just how expensive some of the pre-made versions can be, however with a few supplies you can easily create your own, even if you don't have a lush boxwood bush right in your backyard. Materials Needed: Fresh Cut Boxwood Tips Foam Wreath Wooden Dowel Floral Wire Floral Foam Vase or Container Additional Supplies Needed: Scissors, pruning shears {optional} If you would like to preserve your box wood stems you will also need an extra container, glycerine and water. If you are not lucky enough to have mature boxwood plants right in yo...

    Tough Guy claims to be the world's most demanding 1 day survival contest. First stages in 1986, the Tough Guy Challenge is held on a 600 acre farm in Perton, Staffordshire, near Wolverhampton, England, and is organized by Billy Wilson. It has been widely described as "the toughest race in the world", with up to 1/3rd of the starters of the racing failing to finish in a typical year.     After the 24 stages of this winter event, Wilson still claimed nobody had ever finished all the course according to his extremely demanding rules. The race, and its summer equivalent, has suffered 2 deaths during its history.     Taking place at the end of January, often in freezing winter conditions, the Tough Guy race is staged over a course of between 7 and 8 miles. It consists of a cross country run followed by an assault course. The organizers claim that running the course involves risking barbed wire, cuts, scrapes, burns, dehy...