ROYAL PURPLE SILK TOPIARY

Although red and green are the traditional Christmas colors for decorating, why not consider the color purple?    It is a wonderful alternative to red especially if your existing home decor lends itself to burgundy and cranberry hues.

This arrangement is incredibly versatile.  Being tall and narrow it can be displayed just about anywhere from a corner of a room to center stage book ending a dining or side table.   Although a bit time consuming to make it is well worth the "wow" impact it adds to a room!

                                                       MATERIALS NEEDED

Styrofoam Ball 6" - Michael's

Floral Wire (Clear) or Beading Wire (Clear) - Michael's

Plastic Ring 1/4" - Fabric Store (Drapery Accessories Section)

Metal Shish Kabob Skewer - WalMart

Silk Flowers (**See below for more detailed description) -  Michael's (Check Michael's website each week for 40-50% floral sales)

Tall Glass Vase - *Amazon,  Home Goods, TJMaxx, Marshall's, Michael's, Ross

Ornament to suspend from Styrofoam Ball to Middle of Vase - Michael's, Home Goods

Tape

Paper Clip

Scissors

Flameless Timer Candles - *Amazon

Rose Petals - *Amazon, Michael's

*I bought most of the materials needed at discount stores like Home Goods or Michael's.   But, if you aren't near one of these stores or need convenience, Amazon (which I love) sells almost everything you need to make these.  I've included Amazon links below for vases, rose petals and flameless candles.

AMAZON LINK BELOW - 26" TALL CLEAR CYLINDER VASE

Cylinder Vase (Tall), H-26" D-6" (1 pc)

AMAZON LINK BELOW - PURPLE SILK ROSE PETALS (200)

200 Purple Rose Petals

AMAZON LINK BELOW - 6" WHITE FLAMELESS TIMER CANDLES

Inglow CGT54600WH01 6-Inch Flameless Round Pillar Vanilla Scented Candle with Timer, White

                               **See pictures below for flowers I used in arrangement

                                                   5 - 8" wide purple hydrangea

                                                     5 - 9" long fuschia wisteria

                                            10 - 4" wide purple queen anne's lace

                                              12 - 4" wide purple chrysanthemum

                                                    6 - 4" wide green carnation

                         5 - 12" tall pink larkspur (cut in 1/2 to make 2 - 6" length flowers)

                       5 - 12" tall green larkspur (cut in 1/2 to make 2 - 6" length flowers)

                                                  2 - 8" wide mauve hydrangea

                                                 4 - 4" wide peach cabbage rose

                                                       3 - 6" wide fuschia lilac

                                                   24 - 1" wide pink small daisy

                                         4 - 6" long sugar coated grape ornament

PLEASE NOTE:  You will probably not be able to duplicate the exact flowers I used because Michael's vary their product line.  The picture descriptions are simply to give you an idea of what flower sizes, colors and shapes to use.  Overall, I used...

24 - 1" wide pink flowers
32 - 4" wide purple, green & peach flowers
10 - 12" tall pink & green flowers (cut in 1/2 to make a total of 20)
  3 - 6" wide fuschia flowers
  2 - 8" wide mauve flowers
  5 - 8" wide purple flowers
  5 - 9" long fuschia flowers
  4 - 6" wide mauve ornaments

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1:  To suspend ornament midway in vase, cut a 36" length of floral or beading wire.

STEP 2:  Bring both ends of wire together and tie a knot about 2 inches from beginning of each end.
 
STEP 3:  Tape the wire where the knot has been tied securely to pointed end of skewer.

STEP 4:  Then insert pointed end of skewer straight through styrofoam ball until skewer end pokes out opposite side of styrofoam ball. 

STEP 5:  Place a 1/4" plastic ring through one end of the wire and then knot the two ends together holding the plastic ring securely in place.  Now the wire cannot be pulled out of the styrofoam ball.   Gently cut away tape careful not to cut wire. 

STEP 6:  Attach an ornament on the other end of the wire that is not knotted with the plastic ring. 

STEP 7:  Gently lower attached ornament into glass vase so it is suspended.  Then sit styrofoam ball on top of glass vase and adjust ball until ornament is suspended mid vase.

 
STEP 8:  To adjust suspended ornament to height desired, pull up on plastic ring until desired height has been reached.  Then place a paper clip end through ring and attach it to styrofoam ball.  Although plastic ring was originally at opposite end of styrofoam ball from ornament end, when you pull up ring to adjust string height of ornament you will be bringing ring down alongside of ball to paper clip it securely in place.

STEP 9:  Using the 5 - 8" wide flowers, cut the stems to 6" long and insert 1 flower stem on the very top of the styrofoam ball 2" deep leaving 4" of stem visible.  Insert the remaining 4 flower stems around middle of ball spaced evenly, again 2" deep leaving 4" of stem visible.

STEP 10:  Using 5 - 9" long flowers, insert along base of styrofoam ball evenly spaced.  They will drape down along side of vase for a wispy look.

STEP 11:  Using 6 or 7 - 4" flowers, insert them making a row around the flower on very top of styrofoam ball. 

STEP 12:  Insert a 2nd row of flowers below the 1st row of flowers.

STEP 13:  Insert the 4 ornaments around the middle of the styrofoam ball spacing evenly.

STEP 14:  Using the remaining flowers fill in around the ornaments and the middle of styrofoam ball.  Continue to fill in lower portion of styrofoam ball with flowers until styrofoam is no longer visible.

STEP 15:  Gently remove arrangement from vase and clean out vase of any styrofoam debris that may have fallen down into it.  Then place flameless candle in bottom of vase and surround it with rose petals.  Then replace arrangement on top of vase.

                                                                    Enjoy
                                                                ~ Debbie ~ 

Want more decorating ideas?  Please click below...
Pineapples & Palm Trees

BEEF STROGANOFF

If you are looking for a deliciously easy meal on a cold winter day, this classic beef stroganoff recipe is for you.  Hearty and rich, flavored with sour cream and cream cheese, the sauted mushrooms and tender beef cubes melt in your mouth.  This is my favorite kind of  "no fuss" meal. I can simmer it in the crock pot all afternoon while I go about my Christmas preparations. The best part is I usually make a double batch and freeze the leftovers to pull out at a later date for impromptu football games, unexpected guests and mostly other busy days! 

                                                            INGREDIENTS

                                                3 pounds Pot Roast cut meat

         2 cans (10.75 ounce) Golden Mushroom Soup (DO NOT USE CREAM OF MUSHROOM!)

                                           2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

                                              4 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)

                                                          1/2 cup Water

                                                     1 Beef Bouillon Cube

                                       1 medium Red Onion (finely chopped)

                                     3 cups Portobello Mushrooms (chopped)

                                                   3 ounce Cream Cheese

                                                     1/3 cup Sour Cream

                                      1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder (or to taste)

                                               1 teaspoon Salt (or to taste)

                                           1/2 teaspoon Pepper (or to taste)

                                                          Egg Noodles

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1:  Cook beef at 350 degrees until brown on the outside but pink in the middle (approximately 45 minutes).  This allows some fat to cook off the meat making the meat leaner but still juicy.

Step 2:  In crock pot, add soup, worcestershire sauce, chopped garlic, water, bouillon cube, red onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Stir together and then add beef (cubed) ensuring it is covered by liquid.  Cook on high for 6 hours.  Add more water if necessary over time. 

Step 3:  A half hour before serving, saute mushrooms and add to crock pot.

   

Step 4:  About 15 minutes before serving, cook egg noodles in separate pan in boiling water on stove.

Step 5:  While egg noodles are still cooking and ten minutes before serving, add cream cheese and sour cream to crock pot mixture, mixing thoroughly.

Step 6:  Serve beef stroganoff over strained egg noodles.  If you prefer rice to egg noodles, it is just as yummy over rice.
                                                                        
Want more recipe ideas?  Click below.
Pineapples & Palm Trees
                                                             ~ Debbie ~                                                                  

POINSETTIA CREAM CHEESE APPETIZER

If it does your heart good to watch people lick a platter clean then this appetizer is for you!  My friend, Ann, came knocking at my door recently with a bottle of "Slatherin' Sauce" along with an appetizer recipe that she had taste tested as a promotion at The Fresh Market grocer.  Sweet and mildly spicy, it's incredibly simple to make consisting of cream cheese, bacon and a bottle of "Slatherin' Sauce" (see Slather Brand Foods link below where to buy it).  Ann said that as soon as she tasted how delicious it was she thought of "Christmas by Debbie".  Before I posted it I decided to make it and take it to a party.  She was right!  It got devoured! 

When I emailed her the rave reviews it got along with a picture of it shaped into a Poinsettia, she replied, " I would never think of making flower petals out of a brick of cream cheese!"  Maybe not, but thank you, Ann, for thinking of me!!!

                                                            INGREDIENTS

                     1 - 8 oz. Cream Cheese  (I used 5 - 8 oz. for pictured "poinsettia")
                             2 slices Bacon  (Need 10 slices for pictured "poinsettia")
             1 bottle Original Slatherin' Sauce  (2-3 bottles needed for pictured "poinsettia")
                        
                                                    Optional Embellishments

                                                                 Parsley
                                                            Yellow Pepper

Click below to find where you can buy "Original Slatherin' Sauce.
Original Slatherin' Sauce

NOTE:  The pictured "poinsettia" served about 30 people at the party I mentioned.  There were a wide variety of other appetizers offered as well.

INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE  POINSETTIA SHAPED APPETIZER:

STEP 1:  Make a paper template shaped to resemble a poinsettia leaf making sure it is small enough to fit on the brick of cream cheese but large enough to cover as much of it as possible.

 

STEP 2:  Place the template on top of the unwrapped brick of cream cheese and using a sharp knife cut the leaf pattern out of the cream cheese.  Do the same for all 5 bricks of cream cheese. 

STEP 3:  Place the 5 bricks of cream cheese on an oven friendly serving plate evenly apart so that it resembles a poinsettia.  Place crumbled cooked bacon on top of cream cheese leaves.

STEP 4:  Pour "Original Slatherin' Sauce" over all 5 cream cheese leaves.

STEP 5:  Heat for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Then remove from oven.

STEP 6:  Add diced yellow pepper in the center of the poinsettia where the 5 leaf tips are touching one another.  Place parsley in between cream cheese leaves as pictured.

STEP 7:  Serve warm with crackers or toasted baguettes.

NOTE:  If you are serving far fewer people than 30, you may want to forego the poinsettia shape and serve 1 brick of cream cheese for every 6 people as long as you offer a variety of other appetizers as well!!!

Want more recipe ideas?  Click below.Pineapples and Palm Trees

                                                             ~ Debbie ~

GLASS PAINTING - CREATIVE GIFT GIVING

                                     
Glass painting is a perfect way to personalize a gift.   Besides being a thoughtful gift to give, it is fun and inexpensive to make.  It could be something as simple as the receiver's name,  favorite sport, hobby or interest.    And it's not just a project for adults, older kids will have fun creating these gifts as well for family, friends and teachers.  So fire up that imagination and go wild!  

P.S. If you top it off with a homemade goody wrapped in festive cellophane,  even better! 

                                                         MATERIALS NEEDED

                                                  
                                                                     Plate
                                         Glass Paint (Michael's has a nice selection)
                                                                Paintbrush
                                                                    Paper
                                                                    Pencil
                                                             *Grease Pencil


*NOTE:  I had to buy my grease pencil through Amazon.  I could not find it locally.  I checked Michael's and Staples and neither carry grease pencils anymore.  I've included the Amazon link below if you would like to check it out... 

Dixon Phano China Marker Pencils, Black, 2 Pencils per Pack (30771)

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1:  Unless you prefer to draw your design free hand on the back of plate, you can create a template with pencil and paper.  Cut paper to the size and shape of the plate you will be painting on.  Then draw your design on the paper.  I've included 2 designs (Holly & Santa) to give you a couple of different ideas.

                                                

STEP 2:  Place completed drawing underneath plate so that it clearly shows through when looking at front of plate. 

STEP 3:  Using grease pencil, trace template design onto front of plate. 

                                    I added additional holly leaves to corners of plate.

STEP 4:  When finished tracing, turn plate onto back side and paint design.

PLEASE NOTE:   Glass paint is not meant for surfaces that touch food or drink which is why the design is painted on the under side of the plate.  

STEP 5:  Once paint is dry, wash grease pencil marking off of front of plate.

                                                                  Enjoy
                                                              ~ Debbie ~

Want more creative ideas?  Please click below...

Pineapples & Palm Trees