Simmer Pot Jars

Merry Christmas Eve!  

I come to you with a last minute gift idea.  Not an original one at all, but one that I'd never thought of until I saw it gifted to a friend!  

Simmer pot ingredients!!!!  The perfect neighbor or hostess gift!!!  

These can be put together quickly and are relatively inexpensive.  And I can't believe I'd never thought of making these before now!

SIMMER POT JARS

Ingredients:  bag of oranges, cinnamon sticks, fresh rosemary, whole cloves, cranberries             

Other:  ribbon, jar (mine are from Dollar Tree), instruction tag (I used this one.)

Directions:  Fill bottom of jar with cranberries.  Take one orange and push cloves into it forming rings around the orange.  Place orange in the jar.  Add rosemary sprigs and cinnamon sticks on the side.  Sprinkle a few more whole cloves in, along with a few more cranberries.  Put the lid on and tie a ribbon around the edge.  Add the instruction tag on top. 

 

 

Then sneak over to your neighbor's porch and drop one off!  They'll have it for Christmas Day simmering!  Quick, simple, and cute!  Also, fun to put together!  

And hopefully you'll have leftover ingredients to simmer yourself!

A Vintage Christmas

Decorating for Christmas has been especially fun this year!  For the first time ever in my whole life, we have lights on the exterior of our house.  We have two trees up only inches away from each other. And I finally own a vintage tinsel tree!  So take a peek at Christmas at the Craftsman!

Christmas on the mantel.......

This is my favorite way to display all of my vintage Shiny Brites.

*   *   *   *

Christmas on the dining room table........

All my bottle brush trees are in a grouping on our table as a fun centerpiece....

And there she is.  That beauty of a tinsel tree.  She (it's a girl) arrived in her original box with each branch still in its original sleeve (along with the assembly directions too).  I bought it from a friend after I posted about wanting one on Facebook!  The magic of social media.  

Just a wall away from the tinsel tree is our other tree......

  

That wall divides the living room and dining room.  I wanted one tree to be seen from the street, and since you can't put lights on a tinsel tree, that tree won!  

Another win goes to colorful lights.  Multi-colored lights went on the tree to match our exterior lights.........

When I saw those vintage inspired bulbs in all the fun colors, I knew my original plan for white lights was out.

And how about those wreaths???  THEY WERE THE MISTER'S IDEA!  

As I was choosing which lights to buy, the mister wandered off.  When I found him, he said he was looking for wreaths to hang on our porch.

Swoon.

*   *   *   *

So there you have it!  Christmas at the Craftsman.......vintage all around.  Or at least vintage inspired.  

By next Christmas, I'd like to have a new collection going strong......those ceramic Christmas trees that light up......lots of them......for the top of my piano.  

#goals

A Mid-century Christmas

The mister and I have never mailed out Christmas photo cards.  Unless you count the card Sir Chester posed for.

This year though, we didn't have a reason not to.  All because some friends had a vision.  A vision of a mid-century styled photo shoot.  With era appropriate furniture and clothing!!  A vintage-themed photo shoot?  Yes please!

I was so excited that BR Photography asked us to be included in the fun!

And speaking of fun, Funtiques in Ozark, MO was the perfect venue for a shoot such as this.  Funtiques had little mid-century vignettes staged, annnnd they had already decked the halls!

This was also my first chance to wear the vintage dress of my dreams that had been hanging in my closet for two years...... 

The mister was such a good sport!!!

And between you and me, he was really pleased with the outcome.  So much so, he was on board with the whole Christmas photo card idea......

So a huge THANK YOU to BR Photography who totally made this possible and had a perfect idea of a stylized Mad Men-esque shoot.  We had so much fun.

And I got the mister on a Christmas card!  #winning

Merry Christmas!!!

Linking up with:

Two Thirty-Five Designs 
Still Being Molly

Find BR Photography:

On Instagram

On Facebook

Dear Long Lost blog,

     I used to keep you up-to-date.  You were such a priority!  But lately, I just haven't made time for you.  So here's a quick update, via Instagram, of what's been happening around here.

I've been decking the halls........

Is there such a thing as too many bottle brush trees?  No way.

 *   *   *   *

I've been getting plenty of puppy cuddles........

Could there be better plaid pajama pants?  I think not!

*   *   *   *

All my favorite ladies gathered for our annual scarf exchange........

I gave a plaid scarf and got one in return!!!

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Speaking of plaid..........

I had to splurge on that baby.  There was no way I wasn't owning it.  I mean, buffalo plaid.  Come on!

*   *   *   *

My sister discovered a new coffee shop that had a red velvet latte on the menu.......

I had to try it.  Because redvelveteverything.  And it was gone in 60 seconds.  I considered going back for another one later that evening.

But self control.

Linking up with Life Rearranged, Five Things Friday........

Lately (in Instagram)

Happy New Year!!!!

Three weeks of blog neglect!  EEEKKK!  Time to catch up.

2013 ended with:

~A super cold football game up in Kansas City.........

~The yearly visit to Silver Dollar City to see the Christmas lights.....

~Nancy's first cave experience.......

~The viewing of a "classic" for the first time at the prompting of quite a few friends.......

~And a super fun mug exchange with my favorite girls.........

Instead of buying Christmas gifts for each other, we started having exchange parties. 

We each brought a wrapped mug.....and then drew numbers to see who got to choose first.  Stealing was encouraged.

We've also had a scarf exchange!  Next up, we're exchanging doormats!

Those will be challenging to wrap!

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

Snow Days (via Instagram)

It's not even officially winter yet.  And yet the snow day count has risen to four.

You know how I feel about snow days.

Love.

But wow.  Four already?!  (Good-bye summer.)

Anyway, I make good use of my time off.

I take way too many pictures of Gizmo in order to capture the perfect one.......

It was his first snow!  And he loves it.

*   *   *   *

I bake......

And eat.

*   *   *   *

I build fires.........

The first one of the season needs to be documented.  Especially when the tree is up and school closings are scrolling across the bottom of the t.v.

*   *   *   *

I huddle in front of the fire with my pups.........

They love it too.

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And I take time to watch the snow fall.....

It really is magical this time of year.

Now to begin snow day number four........

Cookies, cleaning, and reading await.

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

Christmas on the Porch

A few weeks ago, I purchased some vintage ice skates.

(They happened to be my size.  But they wouldn't be for skating.)

That same weekend, my mother in law gave me a sled that belonged to the mister's grandparents.  A sled he'd spent plenty of time on back in the day.

(But it would no longer be for sledding.)

I had plans for these two things.  Front porch plans.........

After a trip to a local nursery for the berry bush, a stop at Ace Hardware for the rosemary, and some fun finds at Dollar General for the ribbon and bells, I was able to get my craftiness on.

I won't tell you how long it took me to position the skates and tie the perfect bow.

And it's a good thing I hoard.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have two matching crocks to put the plants in.

Recently....

You might have been able to find me:

Purchasing vintage ice skates.........

Because there's this pin I want to recreate.

Which also requires a sled.

*   *   *   *

Decorating for Christmas........

Only a little though.  The tree doesn't even have ornaments yet.

Swear.

*   *   *   *

Getting a free sled......

From my mother-in-law!

The mister slid down hills on this baby when he was a youngster.

#sentimental

*   *   *   *

Shooing Gizmo from the laundry room.....

So naughty.

But that face.

*   *   *   *

Surprised by the contents of this desk.........

Week old grapes.

"Being saved for a snack."

More like......fermenting.

Only one blue folder didn't make it out alive.

And then everybody cleaned out their desks.

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Friday Favorites, and Insta-Friday.

 

From Scarves to Mixers

In a cruel twist of fate, we did not get a single flake of snow on Christmas (as the forecast had promised).  The storm went south of us.

But this helped ease the pain.........

A Candy Apple Red KitchenAid mixer.

Yes, I cried.

With a week and a half left of Christmas break, I'll have plenty of time to break it in.

My Pinterest boards are filled with domestic escapades I want to attempt.

And speaking of domestic escapades, here are four pins I've actually made this last month........

1.  //  2.  //  3.  //  4.  

We loved every single recipe!  They will all be repeated in the future!  

The mister even got in on the cooking action.  He banished me from the kitchen to make the bacon wrapped smokies by himself.

So to calm my kitchen controlling nerves, I left the room to peruse Pinterest.

And it's possible that a certain scarf I'd pinned went from my "wish list" to "into my closet".

I really needed it.  It was the only way I could duplicate an outfit I'd pinned........

 scarf  //  outfit

I mean, I had every element of that outfit, except the scarf.  Not to mention Shanna and Sharon had been teasing me with their styled versions.

And when the mister is in the kitchen, you have to find ways to cope.

Online shopping seems to work.

But now that I know the mister is proficient in the kitchen, he might regret showing off his culinary skillz.

He just can't touch my KitchenAid.

Random Wednesday

Because I've been trying to get as much mileage as possible out of these.......

 

I haven't even thought about cute outfits. 

(Yes, I like Christmas shirts.)

I also like Christmas crafts or projects.

One favorite was found on Pinterest.  A teacher related pin.

So I put my students to work.  

They had to write a how-to paragraph.  Specifically, how to make the Grinch grin............

And boy did they work hard.  I had some very creative, cute, and funny paragraphs.  

But one in particular absolutely stole my heart.

Yes, I had a favorite........

To make the Grinch grin, I would tell him the true 

meaning of Christmas. I would tell him that it is Jesus' 

birthday, and we give and get presents to remember 

the greatest gift of all. I would also play fun games with him. 

So he does not get mad, I would let him win each time. 

 That is how I would make the Grinch grin.

From the mouth of a nine year old.

I think all of that would make the Grinch grin.

Merry Christmas!

Linking up with Rolled up Pretty and

This Week (Instagram Style)

The last few days have included:

Decorating the bathroom for Christmas..........

Yes.  I said bathroom.

What!?!

*   *   *   *

Work shenanigans........

Leaving Consuelo the dinosaur in the doorway of an unsuspecting coworker is great fun.

You should try it.

*   *   *   *

A much needed manicure........

I just don't have the patience to do my own.

It always ends badly.

 *   *   *   *

 Adding a little Christmas to the special room.........

What you don't see is the pile of clothes on the bed.

I'm working on it.  Gosh!!!

*   *   *   *

 And enduring enjoying music in my classroom...........

We have outgrown our building, so music comes to us every week.

I know all the words to Shenandoah.

In fact, on a Saturday morning not so long ago, I woke up with that song playing over and over in my head.

I can't wait for the recorder unit to begin.

*   *   *   *

Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday and Insta-Friday.

Christmas Frenzy (in Instagrams)

This week was allllll about decking the halls.

In phases.......a little each evening.

First came the tree........

First fire of the season too!

Sir Chester looooves to be involved in the action.

He was tuckered out by the time I added the tree skirt.........

Ohhhhh the tree skirt.  That I so lovingly made last year.

(A bit of me died inside whilst making that.)

But I do love it.  Even though.

*   *   *   *

Next came the kitchen......

Only a few touches of ivory and red to go with my pottery collection.

*   *   *   *

The entry table got hit Wednesday night.........

I. like. bottlebrush. trees.

Very much.

I do not need to buy more, yet I can't seem to stop.

I also like vintage Shiny Brites very much......

Glass jars filled with Shiny Brites make me very happy.

I never met a Shiny Brite I didn't like.

*   *   *   *

Then somewhere in the middle of all of this, I sent out an Instagram plea for help.

Here or there.........

The fireplace won by a landslide.

I thought the hooky thing would be different-er.

But traditional was where it was at, and I'm all for tradition!

*   *   *   *

Now for those of you wondering about the third stocking.......

Don't get any ideas.

Where else would I hide the dog's Christmas treats?

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Follow me on Instagram @thisvintagegrove!!

Linking up with......High Five for Friday, Kelly's Korner, and Insta-Friday.