Have you ever gone into a candle store, like Yankee Candle, just to smell the different candles? No? Oh....awkward... Well, I do. Not a lot, but mostly during the holiday season because that's when they have the good smelling candles (in my opinion at least). This year I ended up buying one such candle, thinking I would give it to my mom for Christmas, but that probably won't happen because I realized that my dad will probably not really appreciate the smell of the candle, nor will anyone else because it smells like Christmas cookies. Like that's what the scent is called: Christmas Cookie. It smells like freshly baked sugar cookies when they first come out of the oven. Maybe it would be a good one to give to my grandmother, she would love something like that I feel, not to mention she always has freshly baked cookies when we are over....must be a grandmother thing.
Anyways, some of my favorite candles are still gingerbread, cinnamon and sugar, apple cider, and one that is now at the studio where I work called Home Sweet Home. I found myself stopping throughout my day today to smell it, it was relaxing and make me smile whenever I smelt it.
What kinds of candles do you guys get during this season? Fun ones?
Love,
Sara :)
Showing posts with label grandma's house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grandma's house. Show all posts
Friday, December 20, 2013
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Hamburger Cookies
Alright, I'm not sure how many of you have heard about these wonderful inventions called hamburger cookies. I was introduced to these little cookies by Matt on Christmas Eve day! They are pretty simple to make and also very cute, perfect for the holidays or pretty much any other occasion you could think of! The overall rating is that they are better than regular burgers :P
The ingredients are simple: vanilla wafers, chocolate covered mint cookies (girl scout thin mints are best), vanilla frosting (to be dyed red), coconut shavings (the kind that we sometimes put on top of cupcakes and the like, to be dyed green), and green and red food dyes.
To create the "lettuce" and "ketchup": Take about half a container of vanilla frosting and add a few drops of red food coloring (it is more pink, but that's alright, you can't have everything) which will make your "ketchup"/glue. For the "lettuce", take about half or more of a bag of coconut shavings and add just 2 or 3 drops of green food coloring (it is strong stuff) and combine them in a ziplock bag, close the bag, and shake it up until all the coconut shavings are a light green color. You can leave some parts white if you want it to seem more like iceberg lettuce, or dye it a darker green for a shredded spinach look, it's completely up to you!
To combine and create a hamburger:
1- Take one vanilla wafer and spread it with a thin layer of your "ketchup" on the flat side.
2- Set one mint cookie on top for your "burger patty"
3- Spread another layer of "ketchup"
4- Add in a pinch of your "lettuce", or until you are satisfied with the amount
5- Take another vanilla wafer cookie and spread the flat side with "ketchup" (the ketchup on this layer is optional, if your burger will stay together without it, then it isn't needed, but we might have added a bit too much lettuce and needed some extra glue to hold it all together)
6- Place this second wafer cookie on top of the lettuce and Ta Da! You have a hamburger cookie!
For a visual reference, check the picture below. I did not get any pictures of actually making the cookies, but I can assure you that if you have more than one person it goes by very quickly, we were able to make two platefuls (about 18 cookies each plate) in under an hour. Best part: NO BAKING INVOLVED! This is a perfect last minute cookie idea!
The ingredients are simple: vanilla wafers, chocolate covered mint cookies (girl scout thin mints are best), vanilla frosting (to be dyed red), coconut shavings (the kind that we sometimes put on top of cupcakes and the like, to be dyed green), and green and red food dyes.
To create the "lettuce" and "ketchup": Take about half a container of vanilla frosting and add a few drops of red food coloring (it is more pink, but that's alright, you can't have everything) which will make your "ketchup"/glue. For the "lettuce", take about half or more of a bag of coconut shavings and add just 2 or 3 drops of green food coloring (it is strong stuff) and combine them in a ziplock bag, close the bag, and shake it up until all the coconut shavings are a light green color. You can leave some parts white if you want it to seem more like iceberg lettuce, or dye it a darker green for a shredded spinach look, it's completely up to you!
To combine and create a hamburger:
1- Take one vanilla wafer and spread it with a thin layer of your "ketchup" on the flat side.
2- Set one mint cookie on top for your "burger patty"
3- Spread another layer of "ketchup"
4- Add in a pinch of your "lettuce", or until you are satisfied with the amount
5- Take another vanilla wafer cookie and spread the flat side with "ketchup" (the ketchup on this layer is optional, if your burger will stay together without it, then it isn't needed, but we might have added a bit too much lettuce and needed some extra glue to hold it all together)
6- Place this second wafer cookie on top of the lettuce and Ta Da! You have a hamburger cookie!
For a visual reference, check the picture below. I did not get any pictures of actually making the cookies, but I can assure you that if you have more than one person it goes by very quickly, we were able to make two platefuls (about 18 cookies each plate) in under an hour. Best part: NO BAKING INVOLVED! This is a perfect last minute cookie idea!
What we are trying to come up with now are variations on this burger. I mean burgers are awesome, but what about adding cheese? Or two thin mints as a double burger? We haven't come up with anything to use for the cheese, any suggestions from readers? I'd really appreciate it, and promise to try it out and report my findings :P
Well I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas, or a wonderful past few days. We've been running around visiting family and friends for the past few days so it's been a little nuts, and I'm taking whatever time I can to blog and/or craft. I'm currently working on a few ideas for New Years that I will share when I finish at least one of them! I am also now back at my grandma's house so there may or may not be a post about the neat things around her house tomorrow or something.
As always, your replies are always appreciated and more than welcome! Happy Hump Day! :D
Love,
Sara :)
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Night at Grandma's House
As is customary during the holiday season, we visit my grandmother up near Lacrosse, Wisconsin. She has a oldish house, my grandfather built, that's on land that has been used as a tree farm by my grandpa for their whole time living here. It is a very pretty place, set in the middle of the woods as a setting of mystery and a feeling of slight magic and still, for a suburb kid such as myself, a bit of fear of the unknown of what I will find out here. But for now I shall concentrate on the pretty parts which include some really neat vintage style items she has up in the attic part, or where I sleep :)
Since I was little I have been intrigued by many of the seemingly old and strange and different things my grandma has collected over time. From old clocks to books to furniture style to plates and a dollhouse that we used to pretend to play in as children. I've always enjoyed her collections, which are scattered throughout her house, giving it a sort of mystical feel to it. This feeling tells me that no matter where we are or how small we feel we are in the world, it's the little things that make a place magical :)
Since I was little I have been intrigued by many of the seemingly old and strange and different things my grandma has collected over time. From old clocks to books to furniture style to plates and a dollhouse that we used to pretend to play in as children. I've always enjoyed her collections, which are scattered throughout her house, giving it a sort of mystical feel to it. This feeling tells me that no matter where we are or how small we feel we are in the world, it's the little things that make a place magical :)
Someday I will ask grandma to tell me more about these items that I have seen since I was a little girl, but until then, it shall remain to my imagination to come up with the answer! What kinds of places do you guys know of that have a history of their own? Do you know the history? You should ask and learn, as I will when people are awake :P
Happy Saturday!
Love,
Sara :)
P.S. The hunt is on for a new car that I should be able to pay off in the next 4 years or so, so one that will last! Any suggestions? So far my favorite is a Mini Cooper :D
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