Every year, I make Homemade Vanilla Extract as Christmas gifts. It’s a hit with friends and family and super easy to make. The only catch….it takes time to steep. About 4-6 weeks before you can use it in baking. And the longer the better! So, now is a great time to get started! Want a Simple 🎁 Gift Tag for your Homemade Vanilla Extract? Click HERE for your FREE digital download. And if you are reading this in December, you can still make it. One year, I told recipients to wait 4 weeks before using it. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. I like to order supplies in early November. Needing to make this gift early actually helps with the holiday crazy. Vanilla jars sit happily in the pantry, while I carry on managing the December calendar. Shopping List Vodka - I choose a mid-priced brand of good quality Vanilla Beans - I like these Glass Bottles - I prefer this style for a tall vanilla bean Pint or 1/2 Pint Mason Jars work well and are …
holidays
How to Get Organized for the Holidays Now 🌲
Last year, a friend admitted she didn't want to decorate for the holidays because she had too many decorations. They overwhelm her to the point she'd rather leave them in the storage room. I understand why she feels this way and even how she got to this point in her life. I've seen it in so many homes and I know she is not alone. Recently, I stopped at a big-box store to pick up trash bags. At the front door, I was greeted by a display of oversized Christmas decorations and Halloween too. And my first thought was, where do people store these things? The Holidays We watch the advertisements running. Decorations pop up everywhere. Christmas candy and novelties line the grocery store aisles. Like it or not, we are entering that time known as “let’s circle back after the holidays.” The holidays….sigh. Thanksgiving and Christmas are lumped together into a period of 6 weeks that so many people just hope to survive. What if this year was different? What if you celebrated a …
[Read more...] about How to Get Organized for the Holidays Now 🌲
5 Fun Things to Do on Black Friday Instead of Shopping
Truth be told, I have wonderful childhood memories of Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Our routine included grandma’s cooking times two! For many years, my mom was an intentional Black Friday shopper. As a busy working mom, she capitalized on the day off and finished most of her shopping in one day. Would you like to create a simple Christmas? Learn more in my Christmas Workshop and 3 Digital Downloads. Check it out here! Coffee, Dessert, and Flyers The Black Friday tradition began with the “newspaper flyers”. They arrived Wednesday, unlike modern-day Black Friday advertising. After dinner, Grandma Ruth served apple, mincemeat, and pumpkin pie. She poured coffee as we broke open the cellophane package of ads for Friday's sales. The next day, my mom dutifully packed turkey sandwiches and carried a hand-written list with her Christmas Club envelope. This was money saved weekly from her paycheck which created the gift budget and not a …
[Read more...] about 5 Fun Things to Do on Black Friday Instead of Shopping