Freshly Baked

I absolutely L♥VE to bake during the Christmas season.

Nothing spreads holiday cheer like the smell of sweet treats fresh out of the oven.

Every Christmas Eve we bake our family favorites for Santa--sugar cookies, Rice Crispy treats, Russian tea cookies, and fudge--but this year I wanted to branch out and make a few new goodies I discovered on Pinterest.

These Eggnog Cookies provide the perfect blend of sweetness and spice.

Santa Hat Brownies are so fun and festive! Just make a batch of your favorite brownies...

Whip up a little butter-cream using mascarpone cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar...  

Top with strawberries, and you have an adorable holiday treat!

The rich flavors of chocolate, caramel, and pecans are to be savored in every delicious bite of these Turtle Cookies.

Whether you're baking a time-honored favorite or a newly discovered goodie, the girls at Red Rose Alley are wishing you a sweet holiday season!

~Nel~ 

Merry and Bright

We finished decorating our trees, and wanted to give you a peek at a few of our favorite ornaments and our lit up trees.

Nel's tree and ornaments

 

Aunt Mona gave me these "just married" snowmen as a gift for our first Christmas together.

 

 

 

Jess and I made sheet music ornaments on our craft night.

 

 

 

As a literature professor, I treasure books.

 

 

 

Only two more months until our honeymoon in Paris!

 

 

 

Can you see the hummingbird hidden in this picture?  This pretty ornament reminds me of my mom, who loves hummingbirds.

 

 

 

 

 

Jess' tree and ornaments

 

I think this cross ornament is so pretty and special.  My mom gave it to me last year, and it's my favorite.   

 

 

 

What the world needs more of....peace on earth.

 

 

 

 

 

Sheri's tree and ornaments

 

I saw many silver ornaments this year that I liked.  I loved all the snow on this one.

 

 

 

The pearls on this gives it a vintage look.

 

 

 

Anything with jewels, and I'm there.

 

 

 

Every year, I tell my kids, "this is the prettiest tree we've ever had." haha

 

 

 

Decorate your tree with love.

 

 

 

~Sheri, Nel, and Jess~

Elf

Elf is one of our favorite Christmas movies, and I wanted to pass along some quotes to make you smile. Why? Because "smiling's my favorite." :-)

"Buddy the Elf! What's your favorite color?"

"You have such a pretty face. You should be on a Christmas card!"

"First we'll make snow angels for two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie-dough as fast as we can, and then we'll snuggle."

"I'm sorry I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies into the VCR."

"It's just nice to meet another human that shares my affinity for elf culture."

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup."

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

~Jess~

Christmas Crafts

Jess and I love to brighten up our homes around the holidays by making festive Christmas crafts.

We found inspiration for many of our projects this year while browsing Pinterest (many thanks to all those who've shared their creative ideas!). 

We gathered pine cones and branches from our grandparents' cabin to make these woodsy arrangements.

We just added a little faux snow and glitter for some wintry sparkle.

And Jess taught me how to create these beautiful bows, which we used to secure the pine in place for our door hangers. I can't wait to make a bunch for the gifts I give this year. (Click here for tutorial.)

I was even able to create a centerpiece for my coffee table by placing a candle in a mason jar nestled in some of the pine we had left over.

These holiday message boards were simple and fun to make.

Just spell out your Christmas greeting with stickers and paint over the canvas (I used tape to make a border around mine).

Then peel off the stickers and rub the canvas lightly with a towel to create a distressed look. Sprinkle a little glitter, and hot glue a cheery holiday ribbon for the finishing touches.  

We also made Christmas tree ornaments inspired by our dear friend Karen at Shabby Brocante.

They were really easy to assemble. Just cut up sheets of music into 6-inch strips, roll into a small coil, and push into the ornament.

Add some ribbon, shake to release the coils, and voilà!

If you decide to try out any of these holiday projects, we'd love to hear how they turn out. And remember, "Creativity is contagious. Pass it on!" (Albert Einstein).

~ Nel ~

Bow Making Party

Have you ever wondered how to make a fancy bow to dress up your present or holiday decoration?

 
Well, today we are going to learn! I was taught a year ago, and now I want all my gifts to have these darling bows.

 
First, pick up a spool of festive ribbon from your local craft store. Make sure the ribbon has a
wired edge.
 

 
Next, bend a section of the ribbon. I find that the size in the photo works great, but you can adjust it for smaller or larger bows.

 
Fold the ribbon 9 times. If the ribbon has a pattern on only one side, make sure the pattern is facing right-side-up. Then, cut it off from the remaining ribbon.

 
Bend the bunch of ribbon in half and cut a very small v in the middle on each side.

 
Use some extra wire from one edge of the remaining ribbon to twist a tight knot in between the v's. Later, you can use the wire ends to tie the bow to a package or basket. 

 
Starting on one side, pull out the inner-most loop, twist it clockwise, and open it up.

 
Repeat this step until all loops are pulled out and opened up on both sides.

 
And there you have created a fanciful bow to dress up any holiday gift, basket, or decor.

 

Happy bow making!

 

 

~Jess~