A Very Kitschy Chistmas To You!

Good evening, everyone! Hope you've had a lovely Sunday...restful after this Thanksgiving week...

I've got a few things to share with you tonight...first off--I said I would post about my Thanksgiving Casserole yesterday, and the day just got away from me, so I didn't get that done---but here it is, now! Hopefully you still have some Thanksgiving leftovers so you can give this a try--I know I do! It's quick, easy, and oh, so delicious!

I came up with this about 5 or 6 years ago, and...really....my family would almost rather just go straight to this casserole and forget the original dinner!

Look at all those yummy layers of Thanksgiving goodness just bubbling together in the pan...!


This is all you do...shred up a BUNCH of turkey--white meat is our preference...top that with the gravy--seeps in and around the turkey--yum! Next, a layer of potatoes--make it thick! On top of that goes a delicious garnet-red layer of cranberry sauce...and the best of all...a thick layer of stuffing! Stick in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the stuffing is a little browner and crispy and the rest is bubbling and ready! Serve it up with some left over green beans, and you're ready for dinner!

This is really a great way to get rid of all the separate little dishes of leftovers in the fridge--consolidated into one baking pan...if it lasts long enough to get back into the fridge! Enjoy!!!

I started listening to Christmas music just before Thanksgiving this year...I usually wait till the day after, but I've just been in the mood early this year! One of my favorite groups is from the 1950's...I remember listening to these albums all the while I was growing up in the 1960's and '70's...I think my grandparents gave these albums to my folks, and I would lay on the floor by the Christmas tree in the living room, and replay these albums over and over again. To me, they are the best of Christmas music and will always remind me of my childhood Christmases...

...Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians...anyone else listen to this lovely group?

You can check them out on iTunes or Amazon if you're not familiar with them--I SO recommend it--you'll feel like a kid again! At least, I do!

While listening to my Christmas music today, of course I was making a Christmas card to share with you.....and it is VERY kitschy today--an image straight out of the '50's! This is from Crafty Secrets' new "Christmas" Creative Scraps--so many fabulous images!

Love this image of Santa! This is classic Santa to me...just like the pictures I loved when I was a girl...


I went seriously overboard on the trims for this card...but isn't that what kitschy is all about?! A bunch of silver glitter, some buttons, and that's it!

Now, to round out the classic, kitschy Christmas theme for the day, I found some photos of my creative mother, Karen, when she was a girl at Christmas time in the '50's...I've told you before how talented she is, and she's had that gift since she was born, I think!

These photos are of her Christmas window paintings she did on the family house...what a wonderful way to decorate...and what confidence her parents had in her skills, right?! These are from a couple of different years...you'll see the difference in my Mom...(she may not thank me for posting these...oh, well!)


Sorry some of these are so dark, but when it's all you've got, you just love it anyway! Here's my mom with her younger brother, Glenn...

Don't you love her pinned-up hair???

The proud artist!

I need to ask her how she did that beautiful gold on the package.....Hope you still love me, Mom!

Before I close for the night, I need to share such a lovely gift I received from Maureen at Celestial Charms--

I won two beautiful vintage aprons in her blog giveaway a couple of weeks ago, and was so surprised to find added to the box, three beautiful spools of ribbon, a booklet of vellum baby sayings, and a stack of amazingly adorable vintage baby cards! Oh, my--what a treat!!! Thank-you, Maureen, for your generous heart! Guess what I'm going to be doing with those lovely cards.....!

Lastly, hopefully by now you've discovered the fabulous magazine "Where Women Create"...Jo Packham, the amazing editor of the magazine, now has a lovely blog...and starting December 1st, she will be hosting a great giveaway celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas...go check it out here!

Well, that's it for tonight! Sometimes I just have too much to share--thanks for bearing with me! May you have a lovely Sunday night with your family, and lovely kitschy dreams!