Happy New Year!

Here's to you!

Have a wonderful and safe New Year!

Pine Cone Cheese Ball - Perfect For An Open House

Sorry.... I just had to slip one more Christmas decoration in..... I just can't help it. This is my favorite week of the year. The one between Christmas and New Years. Everything seems to come to a slow motion or even a stop. Businesses close, employees try to get in that last bit of vacation, those year end donations are contemplated, folks seriously think about what will be different next year, what will they make better, we visit, we bake, the home is full and warm...It is just a great time of year! So I leave the decorations up and savor every last minute of them. They'll be up till after New Years. Then next weekend... down it all comes till next Thanksgiving.

If your still planning on entertaining, I have a recipe for you. I know that the cheeseball is a little out dated and most folks roll their eyes when you say... "I'll bring the cheese ball"... But this is new and different... and right up my ally.... It's easy! I got the recipe off of Food Network. com. It was a HUGE hit on Christmas Eve! It was devoured in no time.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
• 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 3 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• Sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place and spread all the almonds on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan, pushing the almonds around until they turn color, about 20 minutes.

Mix together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise. Add the bacon, salt and pepper, dill, and onion. Chill overnight. ( I just placed it in a piece of plastic wrap in the general shape and put it in the freezer for an hour... it was the perfect consistency)

Place on a serving platter. Begin to press the almonds at a slight angle into the cheese, starting at the narrow end of the pine cone shape.

Do this in rows, continuing to overlap rows until all the cheese is covered. Garnish with fake sprigs, or real ones, or with rosemary.

Serve at room temperature and spread on crackers.

I'm linking up with Michael at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday!

Enjoy!

What I got for Christmas!

For better or worse... I'm a bling girl. My husband knows... and reluctantly accepts this. There is no changing it ... This year he hit a total home run.

Just wanted to show it off a little...
Thanks Big G!!!!! Love You!!!!

I'm Joining Marty for Anything Goes Table Top Tuesday. Make sure you go check out her fabulous new chandy!

P.S. Next Friday is Fresh-Cut Friday... I hope you'll be joining me!

Go Light Your World!

Christmas isn't over... It's only just begun!

Go Light Your World

by Kathy Troccoli

There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

We are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let's raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest times

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hopeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

Take your candle, and go light your world

Christmas Around The House 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

From our cottage to yours!

I got a yellow slip...

YAY! I love getting packages in the mail.
It's one of the top 10 things I love about this time of year.

Don't you?

Christmas Cakes????

Christmas Cakes.... anyone?

Sweet Daughter is home (can I hear a whoo who! palease!)

and although she isn't a baker...... she is a cupcake!

So we made her fav. Yellow Betty Crocker with milk chocolate frosting.

We're off to the mall.... look out!

Guest Room Christmas Tree

I wanted to bring Christmas into our guest room .... especially since this is the first year that we actually have a beautiful guest room! And this really is CeeKay's fault because I had lunch with her and Marty on Friday. CeeKay hosted a sweet Christmas lunch. Her home was soooo beautifully decorated and I was so inspired. Thank you CeeKay for a loverly afternoon!!

I wanted the color to really be the theme...

Do you know how hard it is to find ornies in soft beige and muddy blues? humph!

Well I had a bunch of stuff gathered up and really didn't love any of it.

Then I went down the craft aisle and these gorgeous hydrangea were marked down...

The sea shells were in the next aisle....

Well that was it... all the other stuff went back... and a new theme was born.
I just had to share it!
I love WalMart!

With the lights out!

I am linking up with Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday????

Make sure you check it out. Her blog is so full of wonderful design ideas especially for Christmas!

The Reason for the Season!

Our little Willow Tree Nativity...

Every year we add a little more to it.

I'm hoping to receive the creche ... or the wise men... or the angels... or more stars....

Hop on over to "The Reason for the Season" party at "Happier than a Pig in Mud" for more sweet inspiration!

Are you ready?
It's only 12 days away!
Oh my gosh!

I gotta get busy!

It's Here!

The 2010 White House Christmas Ornament

Click here to get yours!

Cloche Christmas Party

I'm joining Marty for her most awesome Cloche Party! Make sure you zip on over to
A Stroll Thru Life to get all kinds of wonderful inspirational ideas for you cloche!

Today I'm sharing 2...

This is my little Christmas kitchen vignette....

This is my Great Aunt's Nativity Egg. She made it many years ago and I keep it out year round ....

It's an egg so I always think of Easter when I look at it.

At Easter I always think of Christmas.

And I feel that's just about right. Because really ...

If you think about it.... You can't have one without the other.

Thanks for stopping by!

Merry Christmas!