Catch Up On Recent Posts

Recent Posts with Thumbnails for BloggerPowered By Blogger Widgets
Showing posts with label Christmas craft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas craft. Show all posts

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Christmas Potpourri


Don't you just love Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year? "With the kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer." I just got home after picking up my daughter from the store. She has been volunteering at the area stores for bell ringing on behalf of the Salvation Army. 
"It's the happiest season of all with those holiday greetings, when friends come to call, and there will be parties for hosting."

 I love filling the house with "Christmas Scent!"

Gather the ingredients to make your house smelling like Christmas, especially before you are expecting company.


Some of these natural ingredients you may already even have in your pantry. 
3-4 cinnamon sticks and 1 tablespoon of whole cloves

One cup of cranberries

2-3 whole oranges, sliced


 or 2-3 lemons, sliced

 and a teaspoon of vanilla extract

Bring about 3 cups of water a boil in a pot or a slow cooker along with the fresh fruits, herbs, spices, and extract. Reduce heat and then simmer on low. Soon your home will be smelling heavenly! The combination of the spices and the orange slices is absolutely amazing! Check once in a while to make sure there is enough water in the pot to prevent burning.

A jar filled up with this concoction not only makes beautiful Christmas accents in your home but also excellent hostess gifts
Here, a trio of them looks pretty on my kitchen window sill.


To surround your home with more wonderful Christmas scent or simply to decorate with natural elements such as this sweet-smelling orange garland. 
Click on the picture below



Thanks for stopping by today and for your sweet comments. 
Merry Christmas!

 I would like to say thank you to these gracious hostesses for showcasing my Christmas Luminaries and Thanksgiving Vignette at their fun linky parties. Stop by and visit their beautiful blogs if you get a chance for a host of inspiring ideas on home decor, crafts, diys, and mouth-watering recipes.

 Kathy @ A Delightsome Life
The Style Sisters
Kim @ Savvy Southern Style
Linda @ Coastal Charm
Kathryn @ The Dedicated House
Tammy and Cathy @ One More Time Events

My heartfelt thanks!

 ~Hugs,Poppy~
Craftberry Bush:The Inspiration Gallery
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays
The Scoop
Boogieboard Cottage: Masterpiece Monday

Posted by at 13 comments:
Labels: , , ,

Monday, December 9, 2013

A Christmas Kitchen


Hello everybody!
Christmas is just round the corner, and the year will be over very soon! It's amazing how time flies, and it has been a very busy year for us too! I love decorating for Christmas! I don't know about you guys, but I do so love a white Christmas! It makes everything so much more festive and makes me so nostalgic! Winter is officially here for us, and it has been snowing constantly in this neck of the woods:

I have been busy getting the house ready for the holidays and I am loving it! Our kitchen is the one place where friends and family love hanging out the most, and therefore the most decorated part of the house, besides the living and dining area, of course.  I love using dried orange slices and evergreen sprigs to make my own garlands for decking the doors and windows of our house:



To make this pretty garland, I cut the orange slices into one inch thick slices, sprinkled them with some confectioner's sugar, and baked them at 200 degree on a non-stick baking sheet (single layer) for about two and half hours. Flipped the slices and checked once in a while to ensure both the sides are evenly dried. Baked until the orange slices were translucent! It's quite fool-proof, easy, and looks very pretty when it is strung with jute twine into a garland:

In between the slices I also hung some evergreen sprigs collected from my backyard for some holiday cheer:
 And, at each end of the garland I added these cute burlap banners found at Jo-Ann craft store:


Don't they look so pretty next to the orange slices?

 I love how it looks in my kitchen window:


Decorating window sills with holiday accents is so much fun! Especially decorating them with holiday candles:
This holiday tree from Big Lots ($4) graces a cute white Ikea pot:
A galvanized tin bucket painted white is filled with pine cones with a red cardinal sitting atop the cones:
I don't know what is it about red cardinals, but I simply loveee using them as accents in Christmas decor:
They look adorable in any vignette:
I bought a pack of six of these red cardinals for $6 (60% off holiday sale) from the craft store, and I am having so much fun playing with them:
The French script has been applied on the galvanized bucket with rubber stamp:
The glass soda bottles has been recycled as candle holders:

I love how the red candles contrasts against the white window:
Evergreen sprigs, small pine cones, and red berry pics make pretty tags around the bottles:


I love it when all the elements of a vignette come together to make a pretty statement. I like how the kitchen window sill looks especially when it snows outside and the holiday accents inside bring instant warmth and cheer:


I am so glad you stopped by for a visit! Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, and a very happy, safe, and wonderful holiday season from my home to yours! 

My heartfelt thanks to these gracious hostesses for showcasing my French Country Bathroom in their wonderful weekly parties. If you are looking for inspiring home decor projects, holiday inspiration, or delicious recipes, do pay them a visit or simply join their fun weekly parties to share your own creativity along with many other like minded people.
Judy @ DIY by Design
Sandi @ Rose Chintz Cottage
Jann @ Have a daily Cup from Mrs Olson
Kathy@ A Delightsome Life
Kathryn @ The Dedicated House
Maria Elena @ Our Home Away From Home

Thank you, ladies! You make me smile!
~Hugs, Poppy~

Linking with:


Town and Country Living: Christmas Extravaganza Party
Songbird: Christmas Decorating Ideas Linky Party
Craftberry Bush:The Inspiration Gallery
Exquisitely Unremarkable: Holiday Decor Link Party
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays
The Scoop
The Tablescaper: Seasonal Sundays
Dwellings: Amaze Me Monday
Boogieboard Cottage: Masterpiece Monday
Chic on a Shoestring Decorating: Flaunt it Friday



Posted by at 31 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)