CHRISTMAS PRESENT

This year I received the nicest miniature gifts! I always love to get those!!!

A new doll for my dolly doll collection. I am hoping to make a doll store in the future!

And a wonderful fret work shelf that some clever miniaturist has decorated with a tiny village and Christmas trees. This photo doesn't really show how incredible this is! It sparkles from very fine glitter and looks so Festive!!!! I really love it! So much detail on such a small space!

more to come............

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I am wishing all of you the most wonderful MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Thank you for all of the joy for the past few months I have felt being involved in blogging,meeting wonderful new friends, sharing great creations. I am so looking forward to 2011 and to see what new wonders everyone creates!!!!

BAKING and MERRY CHRISTMAS

First I want to wish every one of my followers and visitors a very Merry Christmas. I have been busy baking all day. I have made Rugelach and now am in the process of making Jam thumbprint cookies that are rolled in coconut. The house is smelling wonderful. Tomorrow I am going to make some Triple Gingerbread! I had some at a party recently and couldn't believe how wonderful tasting it is. It taste's like Christmas!!
We have decided to go Italian for Christmas this year so I am making Stracotto(Italian Pot Roast) with Porcini mushrooms and for my Vegetarian daughter I am also making Swiss Chard/Sweet Pea Manicotti with a Fontina Fonuduta sauce. Our Thanksgiving is always the traditional Turkey but, we love doing something really different for Christmas. Both recipes I discovered recently and they sound delicious. Do you have a favorite Christmas meal?? I hope all of you have a wonderful day!!

MY GOOD FORTUNE!!

Look what has arrived from Margaret at http://petit-parterre.blogspot.com/

Isn't this gorgeous! I was lucky enough to win her wonderful giveaway! This bed is so beautiful and so well made!!! Thank you so much Margaret! It is a treasure!!! You must look at all of the other wonderful things that Margaret creates!!!

WONDERFUL ITEMS FROM OISEAU de NIM

Look at all of these incredible food items from Oiseau de Nim at http://oiseaudenim.blogspot.com/
I bought the wonderful Nutella jar and the toast and she surprised me with all of the other delightful items! If you haven't purchased something from her etsy store you are missing out on owning an incredible treasure! She has a very delicate hand when creating her food. She has managed the most perfect little wisps of piping . Everything is very French too!!

FAVORITE GROUP PHOTO

I always loved this little group photo and how it turned out.
Baby Evan is in the moses basket and then there is Gwen,Kyoko and Chelsea!

SLEEPY GIRLS!

Anika and Bella. One of the little eyes that I used on Baby Bella didn't quite match up so I had her little hand cover that eye! It worked out to be a sweet remedy!

HOLIDAY SWEETS!!!

Awhile ago as I was looking around at blogs and all of the wonderful new posts I spotted this great free download that Susanne had of some miniature Christmas paper. I thought it was wonderful and put it in a folder.
http://petitbrocante.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-category-free.html

Then I remembered that Carol at True2scale had a wonderful little gift box to print which I printed on paper. http://petitbrocante.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-category-free.html
After I printed the box and the Christmas paper on printer paper, I carefully cut out the box. I then took the printed wrapping paper and sealed it with a matte spray twice to protect the colors.
With a UHU glue stick, I glued the wrapping paper to the box form and cut. When both of those pieces had dried I glued red tissue paper to the interior of the box and then put the box together. I had so much fun making this for a small collection of tiny sweets that I have been making. I am practicing the art of food making!!!! LOVE IT!!! The box is pretty deep so I put a tiny piece of foam in the bottom of the box and covered it with silver tissue paper and then filled the box up with various cookies,cupcake and peppermint candies! Oh, and a couple of oranges! It is a great way to show off a box of Holiday sweets! What do you think? They aren't perfect but I enjoyed making them. The red box with the banana/chocolate tart was the first attempt. I didn't cover the interior until the box was glued together and then I just did the top and the side flaps.


Thank you Carol and Susanne for the free printables!

SAINT NICHOLAS The Gift Giver

HAPPY SAINT NICHOLAS DAY TO ALL OF YOU WHO CELEBRATE!

Children around the world know and love St. Nicholas—for he brings gifts and treats in December. He is known by different names—and even looks different from place to place. But, it is the same St. Nicholas who delights with small surprises and good things to eat. Nicholas gave in secret, alert to others' needs, and expecting nothing for himself in return. It is this selfless generosity which seeks only the good of the other that made Nicholas' gifts the gifts of a saint. In the West the saint's image changed between the eleventh and twelfth centuries from a rather severe figure to the compassionate children's friend. There his main virtue came to be seen as generosity to children—rooted in the stories of rescuing the desperate maidens with gold for their dowries and of saving three children or schoolboys from an evil fate. Nuns in France began leaving treats on St. Nicholas Eve, December 5th, for the small children of poor families. St. Nicholas' gifts were usually good things to eat: apples, oranges, nuts, and eventually cookies and sweets. The custom quickly spread across Europe and St. Nicholas Feast Day, December 6th, was celebrated by both rich and poor. St. Nicholas' example still inspires acts of charity and generosity.

CHRISTMAS TREE

I bought this little tree at a doll show last year and it was already decorated. I love how it looks. I set it up with some of the little dolls that I have purchased and a puppet theater that I made in a workshop. The wonderful Santa I purchased at an Estate sale. I don't know who the artist is but he is made so well. The tiny elves on him are amazingly small and detailed. They are finishing up the dollhouse on Santa's lap. I have this in an unfinished display box that my daughter bought for me. One of these days I will address the interior!

CHRISTMAS IN THE AIR

Some photo's from last Christmas. I don't have any new babies by the tree for this year yet. Here are Marketa and Sophie in front of the Christmas tree.