Tasha Tudor's "Take Joy!", A Snowy Card...and SO Many Thanks!

Good evening, everyone!  Hope this weekend has been a festive one for you all, and that this Sunday has been quiet and peaceful...it feels like such a cozy, nappy day today!  Got the fire going, everyone's just snacking on delicious food left over from our party last night...Momma doesn't have to cook today--yes!!!

I wanted to share something with you tonight that's been special to me since I was a young girl...first printed in 1966, Tasha Tudor's beautiful Christmas book, "Take Joy!"

My Mom got this book sometime in the early '70's, I believe, and it held a treasured spot in our family's Christmas celebrations....stories and poems were read from it...

...carols sung from it, piano played with it's beautifully illustrated music to inspire me, and recipes made...so many memories!

This beloved book is out of print now, but there are quite a few to be found on Amazon (I checked!) for various prices, of course! But, if you're looking for something special...something wonderful, warm and beautiful to help your family celebrate the holidays, this is the just thing!

My Mom has no wish to part from her old copy of this book--nor would I wish her to! When the cover on her book fell apart from too many loving little hands, she even made it a tapestry book cover--now that's love!

When I had my own family, I really wanted this to be a part of our family Christmas as well...searched and searched...was finally able to get one used through Amazon...didn't even have ANY available for quite a while!

I made a card today using a sweet little image from Crafty Secrets' "Christmas" Images & Journal Notes booklet...kind of reminded me of something Tasha Tudor would do...

So many fabulous images in these Crafty Secrets booklets...from Victoriana vintage to '40's & '50's kitschy classics--so much fun to use!

A close-up of my snowflakes and snowy accents I added to the image using "Icicle" Stickles...nice and easy! 

The beautiful green satin ribbon I used was left behind at our party last night...we had a White Elephant gift exchange, and while cleaning up afterwards, I was so excited to find this lovely piece of ribbon...didn't waste any time, did I?! 

And now for my thanks...I feel like the luckiest, winningest (is that a word?) girl on the planet lately!  Last week, I received this beautiful Pink Paislee stamp set from Samantha Sibbet's giveaway on her blog, More Paper Please...

Isn't that a fabulous set?  Thanks so much, Samantha!

Marie of A Year From Oak Cottage, (who I just love!) picked my number for her give away last month, and I just received the package yesterday...lucky me!

Look at all that lovely stuff!  The best of it all, though, is her beautiful artwork!  Isn't she adorable!  My daughters were so smitten with her work...couldn't believe it wasn't a stamp she'd used and just watercolored!  She has such a lovely style, and I will be introducing you to more of her beautiful pieces very soon!  Thanks so much, Marie!

Lastly, I just found out last night that I won Elizabeth's giveaway at Creative Breathing...a beautiful, handmade Christmas countdown calendar--I just loved it when I saw it on her post, and can't believe I actually won!  Thanks so much, Elizabeth!  I can't wait to see it and show you all how beautiful it is!

Trust me--I don't win very often in real life...this has been a charmed blog month for me, I guess!  Thanks to all you wonderful, creative women!  I hope you all go and visit them, if you don't already--you're in for a treat with all three!

Well, off for some more family time, then we're all heading to a Christmas musical program at the church, so more Christmas spirit to share with good friends...I just love this beautiful season, don't you?!

Hope you have a wonderful night with your families....see you soon!

A Happy Snow Family, My Compliments--and Apologies--to the Chef...and My First Christmas

Good evening, all!  How was the day today?  I FINALLY got finished with all my decorating--the boxes are out of all the rooms, and I'm a bit more peaceful!  Hosting two parties this weekend--one's for the girls--so really needed it done!

Made a card just for fun today--a reward for getting all my chores done!

This is one of my favorite images from Crafty Secrets' "Christmas" Images & Journal Notes booklet--just love this happy little snow family off on a winter's joyride! 

Just a little closer view--such a beautiful retro image!  I did a thick, jaggedy glitter edge on this--seemed a little more like ice--I like it!  Looks much better in real life, of course!

Had fun with these holly leaves and berries...used Martha Stewart's holly leaf punch, stained them up a bit with Vintage Photo ink, and added berries with Xmas Red Stickles.    Hope you like it--it made me smile today!

Now...on to my compliments...and apologies to the Chef!  One of my favorite chefs and blog friends on the planet is Marie--you've heard me rave about her before!  She is one of the most creative cooks, talented artists, and just all-around lovely people it has ever been my pleasure to meet (not in person, yet!)  If you haven't already been to her English Kitchen--just leave my blog this moment and dash over there right now!  You can come back and thank me later...!  Marie posts the recipe and photos for something EVERY day--even when she's not feeling very well...she's always there! 

Since she's in England, our times are a bit off, night and day-wise!  One of the last things I do before I go to bed for the night is check in with Marie--there's always something there that just makes you feel so homey and cozy.  The way she describes her favorite foods is just beautiful!

This recipe, however, comes from her other, equally lovely blog--much more personal in nature...her daily life, her faith, her family, and ALWAYS an amazing recipe to share...A Year from Oak Cottage.  The moment I saw her photo of these cookies--CHEERY CHERRY COOKIES--I knew they'd be the ones to fill my cookie jar to the brim

this Christmas...

...and now that I have made them, I WILL keep that jar filled with these cookies--they are so delectable!

Now for the apologies to Marie...I would usually never even DREAM of changing her recipes...I've tried many of them, and they've all become family favorites.  However, this one called for those little red and green candied cherries like you'd find in fruitcakes...and my girls don't like those at all!  So, since I was making these for them, I had to make a little change, while keeping them as close as possible to the original.  I always have delicious cherry baking chips on hand, so that is what I used.  I also wanted to add a touch of green, so stirred in a healthy dose of green decorating sugar. 

One more change...I used almond extract instead of vanilla....the results were WOW!  I know the original would be, too!  So go and check out the fabulous original, or use my adaptation--either way, I know you'll just love these!

Hungry yet???

To close up shop for the night, I thought I'd share a couple of photos from my very first Christmas...1962...Boston, Massachusetts.  Cambridge, actually.  Mom and Dad were there for a couple of years while Dad attended Harvard Business School, and this is where I made my appearance in life. 

I LOVE this picture of my Mom--isn't she beautiful?  That 's quite a mess for one little girl, isn't it?!  I actually remember a few of these gifts...That rocking chair in the room is in my bedroom today--one of my favorite possessions...

Love all that long, silver tinsel on the tree...and click on the picture to get a good look at those glittery shoes in the foreground--see?  I can't help liking glittery things, can I? 

Thanks for visiting with me for a while today--it's fun to share a bit of daily life with each other, isn't it?  Hope your evening is just wonderful...stay warm & cozy!

Sweet Dreams!

The Play Date Cafe' Challenge...#8!

Good evening, everyone! It's here again...time for The Play Date Challenge...#8! This week, our host is the lovely Alison...


...she is quite an artist, and worked extra hard this week, actually creating a digital stamp for the DT to use in our cards!
Here's my card for this week's challenge:


I haven't worked with digital stamps before--so this was really different for me! Thanks, Alison, for your adorable creation! Go and check out her other stamps here at Stretch N' Bubbles ...you'll just love her--tell her hello from me!
That's it for tonight...Can't wait to see what you all create with these bright, fun colors this week!