Unique Bridal Shower Gift

Are you attending a bridal shower or wedding this summer and want a unique gift that will "WOW" the couple and catch them completely off guard?  Why not considered a handmade personalized item that the couple will cherish forever.  Somehow handmade gifts take on a special meaning.  Not only are they one-of-a-kind gifts that you cannot find in stores,  but they are created just for you! 

Many customers purchase our Christmas stockings and tree skirts as wedding gifts.  I cannot tell you how many times a customer wrote to share their bridal shower stories, especially the response they receive from others attending the shower. 

One thing about Christmas stockings and tree skirts as a wedding gift is that you know the couple will take them out every year to enjoy them. 

I didn't want to use my blog as a way to "pitch" my tree skirt, but this is the time of the year when many people attend bridal showers and I just think they make such a great gift.  The fact that they are personalized with the couple's name really makes them extra special.  We have such a large collection of stockings that the couple can return to us as their family grows! 

This is a picture of my son and his wife at their shower.  No grand-baby yet, but when one comes along, there will be a matching stocking!

Baklava for Christmas

There is no doubt, sweets play a major role in the holiday celebration and like other traditions that found their way to America, so did cookie and pastry recipes.  In a crest of a wave of immigration into America from Europe between 1901and 1910 came 160,000 Greeks and with them came the delightful pastry called Baklava!

I was first captivated by the pastry while participating in a Christmas craft fair many years ago.  There was a booth where women sold the tasty treat and I couldn't help but purchase many servings from them.  Baklava is just so amazing that I wanted to share the recipe with you.  Please visit my website to check out the other cookie recipes that our ancestors from Germany, Norway, Russia, and Italy brought to America for all of us to enjoy. 

Since this pastry freezes well, you can make your Baklava now and have it ready for the holiday!

Recipe makes 3 dozen 
        
Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup honey

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

(recipe from Allrecipes.com)

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Make a Christmas To Do List

It's crazy, I know.  How in the world do you get motivated about Christmas in the summer?  My first thought is to make a "to do" list.  Grab some note cards and a nice glass of lemonade, then sit on your front porch and jot down all the things you want to accomplish in the next six months (for the holiday).  On each note card write down one item.  For example on one card you could put "make six dozen Christmas cookies", then write down the cookies that you want to make.  On another card you could write, "attend a Christmas craft show" ("Christmas in July" craft shows are a great way to get motivated), or maybe "open a savings account for Christmas".   If you don't know the specifics yet,  write down below the item "check newspaper for craft shows".   You have plenty of time to do research and now you have a place to write your findings and keep it all organized.  After you have most of your cards compiled file them in the order that you want to accomplish each task.  You will need to open a savings account now, so put that in the front of the cards, next attend a summer craft show, then maybe get started on the Christmas cookies (many can be done ahead and placed in the freezer). 

If you don't like the index card idea, I found some nifty Christmas planners on Pinterest and have pinned them for you.  Check out my "Christmas Planners" board for ideas.