Accordion Paper Trees

So do you have that little space somewhere on top of a counter, a desk or a side table that could use a little holiday-izing. If so, I have found something simple yet modern that could do the trick. These folded paper trees are super easy, because they come with a downloadable template, and can add a chic holiday touch to any little blank area. Make one or a whole whimsical forest.

To make this craft you will need some colored paper, a pen, scissors, ruler, bone folder and a glue stick. If you don't have a bone folder, you can use an old credit card.



Step 1: Download the template and print it out onto a an extra piece of paper (sturdy paper works best for tracing). Cut out template and trace onto colored paper. Make small marks where the fold lines intersect the sides, these will guide you later. 

Step 2: Cut out traced shape. For the large tree, you will need to trace and cut three of these. 

Step 3: Using a bone folder and ruler score the fold lines (these are marked by dashed lines on the template), then fold accordion style as shown below. Repeat with all three tree pieces. 

Step 4: Glue the inner folds together as shown below. Repeat for all three tree pieces. 

Step 5: Glue end flaps together to join all three tree pieces. Step 6: Enjoy your finished tree.

Do you like the little red star? If so, the template for it is at the bottom right corner of the tree template.

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Christmas Jello Shots

For me jello is the epitome of childhood memories. On the weekends, my mom, sister and I would make batches of jello jigglers, turn up the music and have a dance party in the kitchen. Usually the playlist consisted of Prince, Madonna and of course Paula Abdul on the old radio. We would have so much fun. I love memories like that.

Then I grew up. That yummy childhood treat turned into one of my favorite adult shooters. Who can pass up the array of jello shot recipes. Even during the Holidays, you can get really creative with them.

Here is an interpretation of the classic jello shot, turned up a notch!

Ingredients:

1 cup eggnog

1 packet unflavored gelatin

1 cup fum or brandy

1. Combine the eggnog and gelatin in a saucepan. Allow the gelatin to bloom for 1 or 2 minutes.

2. Place the saucepan over low heat, stirring the gelatin mixture with a whisk for about 5 minutes or until the gelatin has completely dissolved.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum or brandy.

4. Grab your cookie sheet and arrange the shot glasses on the pan.

5. Pour the gelatin mixture into the cups.

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6. Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator and allow the shots to set for at least 4 hours or overnight.

7. Cut the cinnamon sticks in half length wise.

8. Remove the shots from the fridge and place the cinnamon sticks in them.

9. Add whipped cream.

10. Sprinkle with a bit of grated nutmeg.

Up-cycle your Christmas cards

I don't know about you, but I am a Christmas card hoarder. I can't help it. All the cute pictures of my friends kids or puppies are just too darn cute to throw away. Maybe I need to look into a way to keep them displayed without them taking up my kitchen counters in June.

For the cards that don't have your wonderful friends and families faces on them, I do have a way to "up-cycle" them. While I was cleaning out my Christmas boxes this year, trying to find where I stashed everything so frantically last year, I accidentally left all of my gift tags on my outside table. Of course that night we had a torrential downpour and ruined them all. My luck!

I figured there had to be a way that I could make them, instead of running back out with the crazy Christmas shoppers on the weekend. I went fumbling through my scrapbook stuff and it hit me, LIGHTBULB! Why not use my pretty Christmas cards and turn them into chic gift tags.

Go grab those cards and your handy Cricut, scissors or craft punch. Cut each card into whatever shape you would like.

Attach your tags to your gifts with ribbon or yarn. Don't forget to save your 2012 cards!

Spiked Eggnog

There are a few reasons why I absolutely love Christmastime. One, I love decorating. Two, I absolutely love the smiles on my childrens faces now that they are getting older and have a real understand of what Christmas is about. Three....eggnog! That is probably one of my most favorite sights, when the shelves at the grocery store are stocked with eggnog. I know, I know, the homemade stuff is so much better. But there are times when I do not feel like pulling out all of the ingredients to make it, I need instant gratification at times, and going to the store to buy my favorite brand is much easier.

As I was doing my nightly trolling online for the new celebrity gossip and catching up on the days news events, I came upon something that I am going to have to try, like tonight! Whoever would have thought to put these ingredients together is genius!

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Go get your cup, your eggnog and get ready to be surprised.

Here is what you are going to need

1 1/2 oz of vodka
3/4 oz of Kahlua
6 oz of eggnog

Grab a glass and fill it with ice. Pour the vodka and the Kahlua over the ice. Now top with the eggnog. Stir it and if you want, add a little nutmeg to the top.

I am sure that after you try this, you are going to look at store bought eggnog a little differently.

Jingle Jangle Juice

During the summer and early autumn, I always stroll the farmers markets picking up my last batches of berries. The one thing I miss about living in the Pacific Northwest, is that on every corner there were large farms where you could go and grab a bucket and whatever you fit in there was $5. It wasn't until I moved to the East coast did I even know that you paid 6-8 dollars a pound for cherries! Umm, outrageous. I always bought mine from a little old man on the side of the highway. A 5lb box might have cost me $10. 

My favorite berries to stock up on are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Not only do I freeze them whole, I have finally learned how to make my great-grandmothers old fashion jams. To freeze them, lay them flat on a cookie sheet covered with a piece of parchment paper. Place them in the freezer and once they are frozen through them into a Ziploc bag. Don't toss them in a bag before they are frozen because when you go to take them out, they will be frozen in a huge clump.

Anyways on to the booze! What holiday party is officially started until the drinks are served. How about trying something a little different than the traditional eggnog. Try making a large batch of Jingle Jangle Juice.

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of berry vodka
3/4 cups Grand Marnier
6 pints of berries, a mix of raspberries and blueberries
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups of simple syrup
1 bottle of sparkling wine, something extra dry

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients (except the berries and sparkling wine) in a large glass or plastic container (or pitcher). Stir well.

2. Wash the berries.

3. When ready to serve, first fill the punch bowl with ice. Pour a small amount of the mixture in a cocktail shaker.

4. Add about five to seven berries.

5. Top with ice and shake HARD. (Make sure you shake hard enough so that the berries break apart in the cocktail shaker.)

6. Strain into the punch bowl.

7. Keep repeating steps until the mixture is all shaken and in the punch bowl.

8. Top the punch with about 3/4 of the bottle of sparkling wine and stir well.

9. Top the punch with additional berries and serve.

Holiday Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Yesterday I took some time off of the computer to spend with my two boys. After the horrible tragedy that occurred in Connecticut I decided that I needed to reevaluate the how I used my extra time with my children. 

That night as they were taking a bath, I realized that my floor was completely flooded and seeping into the hallway. Before I opened my mouth, I thought, Melissa, your children are at home, safe, laughing and flooding the bathroom. You are so lucky that you have your children at home with you tonight. So I cleaned that floor with a smile on my face as they were laughing and jumping on the beds in their bedroom.

When we woke up that morning, I decided that we were going to have a day all about them. Whatever they wanted to do we did. It was cool and drizzly outside but they wanted to go walk on the beach. That night was freezing but instead of sitting inside they wanted to get hot chocolate, drive and look at the Christmas lights and then go and walk through the streets at the beach which are decorated with such splendor. 

Of course, like any children, they wanted something sweet to eat. So I propped both of them on the kitchen counters and we had the best time making Cream Cheese Blueberry muffins and one of our favorites...Chocolate Peppermint Bark. Who could resist the creamy chocolate, infused with peppermint and finished off with a snowfall of crushed candy canes. Not only is this a breeze to make, your kids can help too! So grab their little hands, throw some flour at each other and have some fun cooking tonight. 

Ingredients

8oz of semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces

8oz of white chocolate, broken into pieces

2 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 tsp of peppermint extract, or to taste

8 crushed full-sized candy canes

Directions

1. Lightly grease a 9x9 inch pan and line with waxed paper
2. Place the semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the peppermint extract. 
3. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan, and spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate until completely hardened, about 1 hour.
4. Place the white chocolate and the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate directly over the semisweet chocolate layer; spread evenly. Sprinkle with the crushed candy over the top and gently press in. Refrigerate until completely hardened. Remove from pan; break into small pieces to serve.

Wine Bottle Lights

I am sure just like every other mom out there, I enjoy a nice glass of wine every once in a while. I have been lucky enough to live in three places where there has always been a winery close by. During the fall, on the few weekends my husband and I have alone, we love to bundle up and go explore the wineries, enjoy the wine tasting and usually try to find a quaint little cafe for lunch.

Some of the bottles the wine is bottled in are so beautiful I just have to save them. This is where my little addiction to corks and wine bottles started. Then I realized my few bottles turned into a little collection of bottles gathered on top of my refrigerator collecting dust. I knew there had to be something I could do with them.

Of course I made these for the Holiday Season, but get creative. Keep them out all year long with just the plain bottles and lights, make them match your home decor or decorate them for each season/holiday. You could even give them as gifts!

Before you start, make sure to connect the ends of the lights. This just helps keep your strand organized as you are jamming them into the bottle.

And it begins. I promise you are going to feel that there is no way that the whole strand of lights will fit inside, they will! Once I got about half of the strand in, I grabbed a handy bamboo skewer to help push the lights to the bottom of the bottle. Keep it with you! You might need it to help persuade the little buggers to squash in there.

See...I told you. This took me about 10 minutes to get them all in there. Now do not worry about the plugs, we are going to do something with them!

Now add your ribbon and decor. You can tuck the end of the plug that you will not be using into the back of the bow.

And you are finished. I left out each side of the plugs because I am going to attach them to other bottles that I have.

Ok, so I decided to add it to my desk, it needed some holiday cheer! I would love to see where you end up putting yours.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix

If you are ever in a jam and do not have anything on hand to give as a hostess gift, or if you want to make something homemade to share with your neighbors or children's teachers, this is for you. Hot chocolate is one of those things people do not realize how easy it is to make. Not only can you make each cup unique, you can make a large batch of dry hot chocolate mix to keep in an air tight container in your pantry.

Not only does it keep long, I am sure most of the ingredients that you need you actually have in your pantry right now. See, there is never a good reason to buy the packaged stuff again.

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
• 2 1/2 cups powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 candy canes
• marshmallows
• 
  

Directions

Now there is 2 ways you can do this. 

First:

1.In a coffee grinder, grind the candy canes into a fine dust.

2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. Seal the hot chocolate in an airtight container and it will keep indefinitely in your pantry. 

Secondly, to make it a little more elegant to give as a gift, try this method.

1. Place each ingredient into a separate bowl.

2. Pull out 2 containers of your choice.

3. Layer half the ingredients into one jar and the other half of the ingredients into the other jar. 

4. Top with marshmallows, and tag and a bow

To make a cup of Hot Chocolate:

Put 2 heaping tablespoons into a cup of hot water or milk. Stir and enjoy!

Peppermint Eggnog Shake

I could never deny my love affair with anything peppermint flavored, but during the cold months of winter, I let my peppermint flag fly high. Literally. Peppermint coffee, ice cream, coffee creamer...I could keep going. To mark the beginning of winter, I decided to start the holiday season off by creating a peppermint eggnog milkshake that will be a perfect addition to your holiday recipes.

Ingredients

• Peppermint ice cream
• Candy canes
• Eggnog
• Sugar water

In a mixer, blend together 2 parts peppermint ice cream to one part eggnog. Using a coffee bean grinder, crush up your candy canes as fine as you would like. Rim the glasses with with crushed peppermint by dabbing them with the sugar water and dipping them into the crushed candy canes. Fill your glasses with the milkshake and add a candy cane to it for some flair.