Creating a home + life you love
this week at twelveOeight:
No matter where we are in our careers or creative pursuits,
we gotta keep rocking that hustle and never give up. [Read more…]
We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
Good tidings of the gluten free sort are what I am sharing with you today.
This is my all-time hands-down favorite cookie on the entire planet.
It’s chewy, sweet, tastes like the best molasses cookie you ever set tastebuds on, and yep, it’s gluten free too!!
No matter where this finds you today, I want to wish you the merriest of Christmases and a wonderful New Year.
There would be no twelveOeight if it weren’t for you, and I couldn’t be more excited about the coming new year.
Full of DIY goodness, recipes, our January No Spend Challenge, and so much more.
From my heart to yours, thank you for reading, for your support, encouragement and ideas, you have blessed me
so abundantly in 2014.
I will have a few more things to share before the new year, and we will kick off the January No Spend Challenge
on December 31st so be watching for our first project (it’s pantry-licious!) [Read more…]
Christmas is in 4 days, what!! Time to relax and be inspired!
Christmas Tree Brownie Pops from Five Heart Home
Gingerbread House from Shop Girl Maria
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies from Virginia Sweet Pea
Snow Globe Ornament from It All Started With Paint
Pallet Christmas Card Holder from Making it in The Mountains
Please keep in mind:
– Be sure to mingle with other party guests (it’s always fun to click on a few other links to see what fellow bloggers are up to.)
– Link up all of your creative fun…including recipes, crafts, printables, DIY projects and other fabulous things you’ve been up to on YOUR blog.
>
Do you love gingerbread all year long?
Me too.
When the gingerbread spice lattes hit Starbucks, I just cannot get enough of them.
Well, ok the same goes for pumpkin too, but that’s a given.
One of my favorite ways to share the sweets and baked goodness of Christmas is to wrap a
mini loaf and deliver it to neighbors and friends, wishing them everything good and wonderful
for their holiday season.
Molasses is the star of this sweet and a little spicy gingerbread recipe. And I found it (and made a few changes)
from the best source. The Brer Rabbit site, which might I add is chock full of wonderful recipes. I love to add
molasses to my BBQ sauce, so I have to remember molasses all year long can be wonderful!
Here is what I used to make these sweet little loaves, and how I packaged them.
Each loaf wrapped in waxed paper, nestled in a little paper plate basket (see below) and tied with a pretty
ribbon. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Simple, thoughtful & so pretty! [Read more…]
Some of the best Christmas memories have been made during lean times when there hasn’t been much of a budget to celebrate.
Years ago my daughter and I would load up in our old station wagon, stop at our favorite gas station for their big cups
of hot cocoa, and spend the evening driving through neighborhoods looking at lights.
Another year a co-worker who owned a theater and gave us tickets to see the original Miracle on 34th Street right before
Christmas. We felt like queens sitting in the huge velvet seats of the old theater, a treat we would not normally have been
able to swing.
I asked my eight year old what he would like to do this year, and he told me that he wanted to go caroling. I have to admit
his answer surprised me a bit, and little does he know, Mom is planning a night of caroling.
I apologize in advance for our lack of vocal training should it be your house we decide to carol in front of, it’s a new tradition
for us, and I am sure with many years of practice we will improve. [Read more…]
Hello and welcome to to my mantel tour 2014!
I could not be more excited to have teamed up with 14 other knock-your-socks-off talented bloggers to put together a
little mantel eye candy for you. No matter what your style or theme is, you will be sure to find some inspiration here!
Before you start looking for the fireplace, I will let you in on a little secret…
It’s on the other side of the room, and has a Christmas tree in front of it. It’s a gas fireplace with a tile surround, and
I usually keep my tree in that spot, and since it’s more of a fantel (fake mantel) than a mantel, so well why not use something else?
So, I like to use my wall of bookcases along a long wall in our family room for my seasonal displays, collections, and
ever-changing gallery wall.
Plus, we have a 3 month old giant (and by this I mean GIANT and really active) lab puppy tearing everything up right now,
and a sweet grandbaby who is loving his independence and is now walking. So, up high everything goes for now!
I knew I wanted to use a mainly red and white theme this year, as in year’s past I have had a very colorful tree with lots
of hot pink, aqua etc… So this year, it’s a little more rustic/cabin retreat than it has been in the past.
With some of my favorite crafts, collected things, and vintage finds mixed in.
My projects that became this year’s mantel are below & don’t forget to scroll down and see all
15 gorgeous mantels!! [Read more…]
There are so many wonderful ideas shared each week it is hard to choose only a few to feature.
Know that we appreciate and enjoy all the ideas shared!
This week’s features were chosen by Leigh Anne of Your Homebased Mom. [Read more…]
I still cannot believe it’s December!
When Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia asked me if I would like to take part in this
yummy and festive hop I couldn’t have been more excited!
I love a reason to make something sweet, and these ladies rock! Make sure you visit all of the links at the bottom
to check out so many wonderful baking ideas, recipes and food gifts for the season!!
Here is what I made, a mix of sweet gingerbread flavor and mocha too, a perfect drink mix to add to add to your
hot cocoa station or coffee station. And a wonderful homemade gift idea too!
Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain…
He washed it white as snow.
It’s odd when memories come to us, for so long I assumed it’s because we were reminded of something
or someone who touched our life. But I am beginning to wonder if memories seep through when we are
at our most quiet and peaceful.
In the simple things.
The everyday.
I sit here this evening cooking up a big batch of waffles since I didn’t make it to the store today, and I
know I will have a group of hungry kids expecting something good in the morning.
The little red light on the side of my waffle iron blinks red when it’s ready for me to pour in my batter
and close the lid.
The iron is gets very hot before that light flickers on, and it makes me think of how I tend to wait until
my light is flickering before I am ready for God to pour out His love and grace abundantly on my heart. [Read more…]
