Gift Giving Idea (Gift Basket)

It's looking a lot like Christmas everywhere you go. Bells are ringing for donations for the Salvation army. Kids are lining up to take pictures with Santa. Malls are packed with people who are shopping for presents. Everyone is busy preparing for the holiday. There are many things to do, and you're wondering what present to buy for your loved ones.

If you're invited to a Christmas dinner, a gift basket is an ideal gift for the host. It's something practical and useful, which the person can use or enjoy for the specific occasion. It should be filled with stuff like wine, chocolates, coffee, a box of tea, jams, and baked goods. There are so many choices.

Arrange them beautifully in the basket, wrap them with plastic, and tie them with a ribbon. You can include ornaments too, to make it look festive. It's something that the whole family will enjoy, even after the holidays.

Materials (Used in the Picture)

Wine Chiller

Wine

Chocolates

Tea

Jams

Chocolate-Covered Almonds

Ribbon

Gift Giving Ideas (Mini Snow Village)

I can still vividly remember the first time I experienced snowfall. It's something that I only experienced by watching movies, and then I eventually witnessed it for real. Snowflakes are small and very soft at first, and then then they form a blanket of snow afterwards. It was an exciting event that was truly magical for me. When it snowed, my family and I played in it, making snowballs and a snowman.

Since I have a lot of apothecary jars and glass domes (which I collected over the years), I thought of using them for a project. They seemed fitting for making snow scenes.

The jars and domes are very useful. Since it's the Christmas season, I decided to create mini snow villages for my project.

I went shopping for my project's materials after Thanksgiving. I also bought my materials at a discount. I was so excited to create my mini snow villages because my materials included mini houses that light up and they add a magical touch to the decoration, which makes it look festive.

The mini snow villages can be a Christmas decor or present. Just add a bow on the bottom, and then voila, it would be a perfect Christmas present.

Materials

Apothecary jars /glass domes

Mini houses (that light up)

Mini trees

Epsom salt / fake snow

Miniature people

Miniature dogs

Red ribbons

Note: I bought these materials at Michael's, Jo-Ann, and JcPenney. 

Gift Giving Ideas

“Only by giving you are able

to receive more than you already have.”

Now that Thanksgiving is over, this is the time where we start to go shopping and planing for our gifts for our friends and family.

It doesn't need to be costly, just be creative and with a little planning, you can create gifts that are unique and more personalized. Some people seem like they have everything, but this would be perfect to give to them. You can never go wrong with food; like cookies, bread, pastries, etc.

One of my daughters attends a university and went home for Thanksgiving. Her friend gave her a ride to come home. It's more convenient than riding a bus or train, and we're thankful that her friend drove her home. As a little token of appreciation I made her some treats and put them in a nice box and tied them with bow. It's almost Christmas season, so it's like a little present.

There are million ideas for gift-giving and I'll be posting more on my blog for the next few weeks. Until then, I hope you enjoy my upcoming posts!

Materials

Gift Box

Plastic Wrap

Tags

Bows

Rolos Chocolates

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Stromboli 

Chicken Soup With Dumplings

“Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”

When fall and winter comes around, I like to make soup, because I'm always cold. Having a warm bowl of hearty soup is heavenly. It's perfect for a chilly evening.

Fall is the time for cooking soup again. They say that if you have a cold or flu, this is the best thing to eat to make you feel better fast.

There are tons of soup recipes, but chicken soup is always an all time favorite. It's very easy to make; just toss the chicken and vegetable in a pot and boil it for about half an hour, then, voila, it's ready to serve. You can cook it in a stove top, in the oven, or in the crockpot; whatever is convenient for you. You can add any vegetable you like.

So, prepare yourself for the cold by making this warm pot of chicken with dumplings.

Ingredients (Stew)

2 cups peas, carrots, celery

4 cups chicken broth

onion

garlic

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

½ tsp black pepper

1 lb skinless chicken breast

½ cup flour

1 cup milk

2 tbs butter
1 cup water

Ingredients (Dumplings)

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp butter
1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, add chicken broth, water, butter, seasonings; cover and bring to a boil.

2. Add the chicken pieces to the soup mixture, stir to combine, and cover.

3. Combine flour and milk. You will create a thickening sauce called a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the broth. Stirring constantly.

4. Add the vegetables, cover.

5. Combine dumpling ingredients. Mix well with a fork. Drop dumplings to the stew, 1 tbs at a time. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

6. As an alternative, you can bake this in the oven, too.

Note: I bought this pretty bowl a few years ago, and I use it a lot. This is very useful, because it's oven-safe and microwave-safe. So, from the oven, you can serve it directly to the table. 

Witch Broomstick Breadsticks

I was browsing through Pinterest for inspiration for Halloween when I stumbled upon this recipe about Witch Broomstick Breadsticks. I thought this would be perfect to serve in a party as a finger food. That's one thing why baking fascinates me; it's like play dough that you can form into anything that you like. Just use your imagination and you can create a type of bread that's fit for any occasion or holiday. The possibilities are endless. You can use it as an ornament, centerpiece, or decoration. After I baked it, I got an idea to use it as a Halloween decoration.

This is also perfect as a side for soup or chili, or eating with marinara sauce or any dip.

What you need:

2 lb. Sweet bread dough or pizza dough

vase / bowl

butter for brushing the dough

Source: http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/2014/10/witchs-broomstick-breadsticks/

Below are the pictures of the recipe's procedures.

Masquerade Ball: Frozen-Inspired Costume

“And after all,

what is a lie,

'tis but the truth

in a masquerade.”

--Alexander Pope

I attended a Masquerade Ball party last month, and this could be an inspiration for dressing up like Elsa, from the movie Frozen, this Halloween.

The Masquerade Ball began in Venice, Italy and it dates back to the 15^th century. Traditionally they held elegant and formal occasions. Today, Masquerade Balls doesn't have such stuffy Renaissance dresses. The outfit you choose to wear depends on who you are, and it also reflects on the events. It's all about mystery and intrigue that counts.

Every two years the Philippines Nurses Association of Oregon and Washington (PNAOW) holds a masquerade party, which is a fundraising event to raise funds for their medical mission in the Philippines. It benefits the less fortunate people and victims of natural disasters, like typhoons and earthquakes. Our good friend Madonna was formerly the president. I always like to support a good cause, and at the same time, I also have fun.

Choosing a costume is hard and time consuming because there are endless choices. This is about transforming yourself from the old era or into a character that you would like to portray. It can be Victorian, fantasy, or Gothic. I'm not into elaborate and stuffy outfits, which are heavy and difficult to pull off. Instead, I chose the Frozen-inspired costume. It is currently one of the top Disney animated movies. Another thing to consider is choosing the mask that complements the dress. Choose a mask and wear it well, so that no one can guess your identity once you enter the ballroom.

The occasion was a success, and I had lots of fun. I also won the Best Costume for the female  category.