Warm wishes

{top- relaxing by the fire at Amy's. bottom- the papercut bird ornament I made displayed on our tree}

Happy Holidays!

I am counting down the days (2 more to go!) until we fly to Newfoundland for the holidays! It will be my first Christmas with my new newfie family, and the first away from my own. As sad as I am that I will be miss seeing my own family, I know that Dave and I will "have a time" on the rock!

Hope you all enjoy the holiday with family and friends too! 

{This year's Christmas card I made. The banner reads "From our home to yours"}

Hooters!

Found these tiny canvases on sale at Loomis and made some lil owlies as gifts. Made with watercolour, paper and glue.

Hand-carved stamps

Oooh this looked so fun! Came across Geninne's Art Blog (via vale design), where she has a tutorial on how to make hand-carved stamps out of erasers or artist carving block. So many ideas already!

Christmas Baking

Every holiday season, my mother would make the same holiday cookies and treats in large batches then freeze them so they would actually last until Christmas. My dad, sister and I would inevitably get frost-bitten fingers from sneaking so many treats out of the deep freeze. To me, Christmas isn't the same without shortbread cookies, peanut butter balls, peppermint bark, butter tarts and nanaimo bars. And to this day, I still prefer them all in their frozen form. However, now that I am trying to be gluten free, it means that I am going to have to find some alternatives to these... for now though, at least I can still have the peanut butter balls!

Mom's Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup fine chopped walnuts
1/2 cup rice crispies, crunched
6 squares semi sweet chocolate
1 tbsp butter

Method
1. Mix peanut butter, icing sugar, walnuts, and rice crispies. Chill for 15 minutes.
2. Melt chocolate and butter over hot water (dutch oven)
3. Roll dough into balls and dip into melted chocolate
4. Chill on wax paper

DIY Snow Globe

Using a recycled glass jar, attach pieces of a small plastic landscape (available at toy and novelty stores) and a figurine onto the lid with Krazy Glue or other epoxy that won’t dissolve in water. Fill the jar with water and a sprinkle of glitter. Once the glue has dried completely, place the lid on the jar and tightly screw it on. Use more glue to make a leak-proof seal. A collection of the mini-dioramas adds magic to a mantel.
{found via Mint}

Delicious Paper

Mmm, what a yummy calling card...not only is this letterpressed on super thick soft cotton cover stock, but it is tiny- only 1.5" x 2". The owner likes mini things, just like me! Card printed by Lunalux Letterpress

It's raining, it's pouring...

It's pouring here in Halifax today. Although I can't say that the rain makes me smile, this illustration does. I can't wait to get home, put on my comfies and cuddle up with hubby. So cozy.

{illustration by Heidi Burton)

Loyal Loot

Combining the natural beauty of logs with a high gloss varnigh, these handmade bowls make me drool. Each bowl is handmade by Loyal Loot crafts people using only locally reclaimed trees of all varieties. Beautiful.

This is a yummy chicken recipe that is easy to make with ingredients that you will likely have on hand. Nothing fancy, but tastes delicious!


Ingredients
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp grainy dijion mustard
2 tbsp minced fresh dill (or 1/4 tsp dried dill)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken

Method
1. Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Arrange chicken breasts in a baking dish that is just large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Pour marinade over chicken and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hr.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove plastic wrap ad place dish in middle of oven. Bake uncovered for about 35 mins until chicken is cooked.
3. Spoon sauce from bottom of pan over chicken and serve immediately.

{found on the simple celiac}