Progressive Brunch and Favorite Things

On Tuesday my friends and I had a Progressive Brunch.  Nancy had the idea so we could see everyone's house decorated for Christmas.  Plus, we just like to have girlfriend days. We started with stuffed mushrooms and turkey salad finger sandwiches at her house. She decorates with a Woodland theme. 

 This cute owl from Pottery Barn watches over the comings and goings.

 Nancy decorated this birdcage with cardinals, a little house and frosty greens for Christmas.

 Her mother made this felt banner years ago.  It has a lot of detail and I love it's vintage vibe.

I forgot my good camera, so my iPhone had to do.  Sorry for the fuzzy photos.

Nancy's really good with her garden.  Here her Christmas Cactus is going to town! 

It's just beautiful!

Then on to Kathy's house for Spinach Salad with craisins, pear, sugared walnuts and blue cheese. Nancy loved to pet Grace, Kathy's Persian kitty. I swear Grace's eyes match Nancy's sweater.

 Kathy's beautiful tree is covered in Nativity ornaments.

 Kathy set the table with each of us receiving a monogramed stocking as place cards.

 She has an extensive collection of vintage and new santa mugs.  She has been collecting them for 30 years. This is just a part of one shelf.

We skipped Renee's house since we're all attending a Christmas party there on Saturday. Next was my house for Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies and hot tea for dessert and gift exchange.  We gave each person our favorite thing. We kept it to a $10 price limit. It was an idea I saw on The Nesting Place.  We really enjoyed the idea. I received dark chocolate mint Lindor Chocolate Truffles (dark chocolate is healthy), some soft Aloe infused bootie socks and some Totally Awesome spot remover.  I gave some wonderful lemon and lavender lip balm from Temecula Lavender Company.  I've already got three more ideas for future favorite things gifts.  We loved our new tradition. What fun girlfriend tradition do you enjoy?

Joining Melissa's Linky Party at The Inspired Room.

Annual Trailer Park Construction

If you haven't been with me for long, I need to explain our annual trailer park for you.  For years and years, I would attempt to make Gingerbread houses with my daughters.  I'd buy the candy and even make the frosting sometimes.  Another year went by when it just didn't happen.  So, I whipped out the graham crackers and we went to work.  One year my oldest daughter made hers into a mobile home with wheels and flat roof.  Every year since then, we have made a trailer park.  It took the pressure off of having a perfect gingerbread house and is a unique and fun tradition for us.  We have definitely improved our technique over the years.  Here's a glimpse of this year's park.

 It all begins on a piece of foam core.

Lots of candy and royal icing.

 DD2 was very intent on her construction.

 E. . . doesn't like her picture taken. See her wheelbarrow by the garden shed?

I made a cobblestone driveway.

A view of the lane.

My cute helpers.

Puzzled

One of our Christmas traditions is putting together a Christmas puzzle.  DH made a special puzzle board several years ago.  That way we don't use up table space.  
Buddy can't find his piece!
It's all done and perfect.  "And I helped."
Yeah, finished!  I really could do more Christmas posts.  Too bad it was four days ago.  It eventually got put away because Buddy decided to see how puzzle pieces tasted.  Bad boy!

Country Lane

We only had two participants in this year's trailer park construction.  Therefore, we decided to make a Country Lane instead.  We wanted more land.  We were land hogs I guess.  Can't have too much land.  
DD2 added the old fashioned swing set, it's tire is laying on the ground because it's too cold to swing these days.  Or maybe it's because the children have gone off to their own trailers.  Don't know.   She has festive red lights on her house.  
My garden still looks lovely even if there's snow.  You can have flowers bloom on Country Lane.  Don't you like my tie back curtains in the windows?  I love red curtains.  I thought a skylight would be a nice update on my trailer, to let some sunshine in.  

The neighbor (DD2) has pink stone pillars at her driveway.  She's already harvested her garden so there's not much left.  I think her driveway is especially nice.  It's an old fashioned kind of driveway.  Thanks for visiting this year.  It's kind of a quiet Christmas for us on Country Lane.  

Gobble Gobble

This is how you make Thanksgiving Turkeys. You need all these ingredients, plus stiff chocolate frosting. You start with a shortbread cookie or ginger snap on the bottom. You put a Marshmallow cookie on it's end with stiff chocolate frosting.

His head is a chocolate kiss. The waddle is a red hot.

Usually we use candy corn for the feathers, but I didn't buy them early enough this year. I improvised with pecans. I think they work nicely.

This could look neater with frosting from a tip, but this is a kid project. All that matters is the fun and the tasting. My big kids still like to do this.

Trailer Park Houses

One of our favorite Christmas traditions happened quite by accident. For year after year I had hoped to make a gingerbread house with my girls. It never quite happened. I even would buy the candy and make the frosting. One year we resorted to making houses out of graham crackers. My oldest DD was her usual creative self and made her "house" into a mobile home, trailer, if you will. We loved it so much that every year we now make a Trailer Park. This is our cul-de-sac from a couple years ago. Please check in with The Inspired Room for other fun Christmas posts.