Stroke of Midnight New Years Eve Party

I Love this gold and silver themed New Years Eve party with clocks, and clock faces. I don't know what it is, but I love clocks :)) The bowls are filled with inexpensive gold and silver bead necklaces.

I really like the plates with clock faces on them so I've decided to give you some clock face images that you can transfer onto paper plates or white melamine (plastic) plates.

You will need full sheet sticker paper (from the office supply store) for your computer printer

Here is a classic black & white clock face, you will need to adjust the size of the image on your computer to match the size of your plate.  Once you have the size of the clock face where you want it, just print it out on the sticker paper and carefully press the image onto your plates. Trim the excess paper off and there you have it.

Here is a Sepia toned clock face for a more vintage look that would go nicely with gold.

Mix & Match your clock face paper plates in with gold, silver, and white plates and you have a fun and elegant table setting for New Years Eve.

Cut out stars from card stock then brush with craft glue and generously  sprinkle with gold or silver glitter. Hang these from your chandelier and in your doorways, it will add a magical touch to the evening

Set out vases of candy wrapped in silver and gold, how fun!

Place vintage alarm clocks around the party to go off at midnight

To make these golden smores, brush the tops with corn syrup then dip them in raw sugar and edible gold glitter (available at your hobby store).
                                    Happy New Year!

Happy New Year GiveAway

Well it's almost here, 2011.   Can you believe how time flies?  To remind us that everyday is a present, I couldn't resist this wonderful 11 inch porcelain clock by America  Retold

In the center of the clock it says "Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present".

I Love America Retold products and this one is so pretty, with such a great message.

One winner will receive this clock, a $75.00 value, and a beautiful 2011 Kitchen wall Calender with gorgeous photos by Christel Rosenfeld, a $15.00 value

This Calender is a full year of beautiful photos featuring delicious food garnished with herbs, & edible  flowers along with seasonable fruits and vegetables

Here are the rules.  You must be a follower of Shannon's Shanonigins blog through either google friend connect, or networked blogs (see right column).

You need to like Shannon's Shanonigins on facebook (see right column, to like)

You can earn extra entries by posting this on your facebook, twitter, and/or your blog.

You get one extra entry for each place you post :))

Please leave me a comment letting me know you've done this (so I can give you the extra entries, if you've earned them).  I would also love to know what you'd like to see in this blog (or see more of) in 2011.

A Random Drawing will be held on January 5th from all qualifying entries.

Good Luck, and here's to a Great 2011

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas

As I sit here on Christmas Eve, I'm feeling very thankful to you, the readers of my blog.
It has brought me more joy than I ever thought it could.  I'm so thankful for each and every one of my readers and followers, and I'm still humbled and surprised that you come back and continue to read my posts. 

So, from me to you, I wish you a joyful, entertaining, delicious, and beautiful Christmas :))
Hugs and hope,
Shannon

Christmas Tablescapes & Tablesettings

Even if your not having a big formal sit down Christmas feast, consider a Christmas Eve buffet, a Christmas morning brunch, or even a Boxing day meal (the day after Christmas).  However you decide to celebrate, here are a few tablescapes to inspire you. 
 Probably more of us will set a buffet table than a huge sit down dinner. So I had to show you my favorite Buffet table.  Since this is a buffet, you can drape the table in beautiful boxwood garlands, trimmed here, with yellow orchids.  As a floral designer and someone who loves antiques, I'm sure you can see why I Love this tablescape :)

This table in green and cream, seamlessly mixes silver and gold metallics giving this table a beautiful holiday glow.  I love the hydrangeas, green button mums, and green roses as an alternative to traditional Christmas Flowers.

Another beautiful buffet table, this one done in Winter whites with just enough rustic touches to keep it from looking too stark or sterile.  I think the pine cones and greenery give it just the right amount of texture and warmth.

This tablescape is all fun and folly with the miniature Christmas village running down the center of the table and Christmas cracker favors at each place setting.  If you have children in your life, this would be a great tablescape.

I love this vintage table setting with bird cages and vintage postcards. The extra punch of color added by rose petals and burgundy ribbon makes this a really romantic table :)

This buffet vignette has so many things I love in such a small space. Evergreens with flowers and a little deer tucked in along side the vintage white bottle brush trees and the adorable little sign announcing that you are at the entree section.

This Classic woodland holiday table looks like it belongs in a Scottish hunting manor. The pheasant feathers, evergreens and pine cones give it a masculine woodland feel while the gold stemware and chargers along with the damask tablecloth give it an almost regal  feeling. This look is enhanced by browns, burgundy, and gold.

             
Since I collect blue and white dishes, I fell head over heels in love with this non-traditional Christmas table.
I love the way they've taken blue and white pieces to use for vases and to hold small cedar trees. Did you notice how they've used oranges and pomegranates  for pops of color, I just love it :)))

This charming cottage inspired table gets it's subtle  pops of red and green from the green depression glass and the vintage tablecloth.  Even the berries make a delicious Christmas decoration.

This retro tablescape is bright and fun. the glass ornaments are perched on silver candlesticks and held in place with sure stick putty (available at your hobby store).  The mix of red, green and white linens gives it instant holiday colors.  This is a fun, easy and inexpensive tablescape with a lot of pop :))

Great Gifts, Homemade Herbal Vinegar

One of my favorite gifts to make, and to give, is homemade herbal vinegar. It's pretty, it's useful,  it's delicious, and it looks more expensive than it is:)

Make sure you start with clean sterilized bottles, most dishwashers have a setting for this, but you can always boil your bottles and your lids if you need to.  Wash and clean all herbs, spices, or fruits. 

One of my favorite herbs to use (I usually grow it in my garden) is dark opal basil (the bottle on the right). It turns vinegar a beautiful cranberry color and adds the wonderful flavor of basil.  Try herbs and spices in different combinations, it's really a lot of fun.

Take the prepared bottle, add all the spices first.

Add fresh herbs, leaving the parsley for last (it's great for holding down any floating spices). To arrange the fresh herbs, use a long bamboo skewer as a tool.

Finish by adding your favorite vinegar.  My favorites are apple cider, white wine, and rice, but you can use any flavor.   Fill to 1/2 inch of the top and push stopper in 1/2 way.

Let set 24 hours and then refill again (the herbs and spices will soak up some of the vinegar).

 The flavor will become stronger as it sits, and it's best to let it steep for 2 days to 2 weeks in the refrigerator before using.  If any of the herbs have lost too much color or look limp you can replace them with a bamboo skewer.  After using, refill with vinegar right away and most will last 6 to 8 months. (plant material must remain covered with vinegar).

When your ready to give your vinegar as a gift, you can put it in a wine gift bag or just put a pretty ribbon around the neck)

In addition to fresh herbs try these fun flavors

Roasted Sun Dried Tomatoes

Chipotle Peppers

Coriander Seeds

Peppercorns

Bay Leaves

Dried Cherries

Dried Cranberries

Organic Lavender

Organic Rose Petals

Organic Nasturtium Flowers

Chive Flowers

Gifts for The Holy Family

I'm always looking for a way to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas, and if I can teach them a virtue at the same time, I'm even happier.  I've often wondered "what would I do for the Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus", if I had been there in Bethlehem the night of the Holy Birth.  With that thought I've come up with a project for Christmas. Using either a bucket, a Jar, or a stocking. Your family will write down what they would give the Holy Family if they were in Bethlehem at the time of the Holy Birth. This will not only give them time  to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, it will teach them the virtue of giving.

This is the "Gifts for The Holy Family" on a French flower bucket

Here it is as an applique on a stocking. To do this you will need to print the image onto iron on  fabric transfer paper available at your office supply store. I transferred it to white cotton and appliqued it to the stocking. 

Here are some of the gifts my family would give the Holy Family

For this project you will need
A bucket, or smooth jar
Scissors
Glue Stick
Clip art

Clip art for gift ribbons, just copy and paste. You may need to re-size depending on how large you want them. Print and cut out as many as you need.

  Clip art for the Holy Family. For the Bucket I used a 6 inch circle, for the stocking I used a 5 inch circle

On Christmas Eve, our family sits together and reads Luke, chapter 2, verses 1-20.  It is the story of Jesus birth. Then we read the ribbons with the gifts for the Holy Family.  Not only does it send the kids to bed with a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas, it seems to really relax them. 

 I wish you all a Blessed Christmas:)

Vintage Christmas Give-Away

I have a really fun Give-Away for you this week. I have put together a fun package of Vintage style Christmas Decorations, Stickers, Gift Bags, and more, to go out to one lucky follower.

8 Beautiful (plus 2 bonus) handmade glittered gift tags

by http://www.etsy.com/shop/auntiesjammies

We will only be running this give-away for 5 days so the winner will have a chance to use their fun Vintage Give-Away for Christmas.

I will hold a drawing from all eligible entries on December 13th

Two white taper candles handstamped with gold music notes

8 glassine bags handstamped, beaded and glittered. Perfect for cookies, candy, or a small gift:)

The Bags and Candles are from The French Market on Etsy

http://www.frenchmarket.etsy.com/

  Two Hanging ornaments with vintage images on them (the one on the right is a sled)

            Four blank gift enclosure cards with Envelopes

Two Dresden Style figurines, a boy sledding, and a girl sking (adorable)
These items are all  from The House of Windsor, in Windsor, CO

Vintage image stickers, including  scratch & sniff peppermint scented and glittered Santas

The Stickers are from the Ebay Shop    http://stores.ebay.ca/KATHYS-GENERAL-STORE

A Frosted Leaf Votive, made by me :)) To see more photos of this see my last post:))

Now for the rules:)

This is an easy one, all you have to do to enter is be a follower and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite item in the giveaway is.  Good luck and Merry Christmas:)