Today? BON BONS! Cookies! Decorations! Jack! Winner! Red Letter Day! MUSICA!
Let’s start with the Bon-Bons, and really, let’s get to the number one Bon-Bon of the day, the winner of our drawing! My MOST favorite part of a giveaway is reading all the wonderful comments you leave . . . it’s almost worth my LEAST favorite part, which is when I have to summon Vanna, like now . . . VANNA HONEY, GET UP DARLING, TIME TO PULL THE WINNING NAME (I may have to go up there and stick the hat under her hand to get her to do this — she was out late, as you can imagine, she’s the Christmas Party Queen). Oh, I think I hear her — she’s making tea, her new discovery is Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea with half and half; like all rock stars she has certain things we have to keep in the house for her performances, this is hers — we’ll wait, and while we do, let’s look at what the winner is getting, just one more time. First off, this wonderful Candy Cane mug, with a lid and a wire basket to hold loose tea inside, and a saucer for your cookie!
And the little purse notebook with the Cardinals on it …. and of course,
Joe’s sweetest contribution; a fresh homemade wreath made with our garden cuttings, holly, boxwood, ivy; and pine from our walk in the woods, completely shot through with cold island breezes and salt air, not to mention Martha’s Vineyard magic, to grace the lucky winner’s home. ♥ I also found a cute paper cardinal to put on it! I’m so excited, because it’s truly so pretty, you are going to love it. I 
wish I had about 4,000 of them, as that would only be fair. ♥
Oh, oh, I hear the shuffle of pink feather mules on the carpeting, here she comes! Such a drama queen. But nobody does it better . . . not a hair out of place. She must think I’m (in my morning getup which I will leave totally to your imagination) something the cat dragged in! Anyway, here we go, her arm is deep in Santa’s furry red hat, all the little names are swirling, she is taking her time to do it just right . . . round and round it goes . . . and now she’s pulling it out, names are falling away like a waterfall, and there, she’s got just one, between pink polished finger and thumb, the name, the winner, from almost 
4,000 entries . . . ooooo, I’m so excited I can’t READ. . . . OK, calm yourself, here it comes: OH! The winner’s name is “KATHY O.” The word “Iowa” is in her email address, so perhaps she is from Iowa. I just sent her an email to tell her she is our prize winner! This may have been destiny for Kathy, her comment mentioned that she lost her mom this summer, and her fifteen year old son has just finished radiation treatment; too much for any one girlfriend. So she could probably use a bit of cheering up, and here it comes. ♥ I’m sure all you darling girlfriends join me in sending our blessings to Kathy … CONGRATULATIONS KATHY!!! Hugs from all 4,000 of us! Can you feel the love?
Which is very likely the reason Kathy won this drawing . . . XOXO
So, yes, we do have COOKIES (that bendy, chewy, chocolate chip recipe!) as our consolation prize, but before I give you that, I thought I’d show you what I’ve been doing. Because you know that Yankee Magazine will be HERE tomorrow morning to photograph this house, so I’ve been decorating like a wild woman. Joe too, like a wild man. Here’s a little of what we’ve been up to . . .
Joe got a painter friend to help with his ladders, to get the decorations onto the house . . .
We do this every year; the only new thing is Joe’s holly over the top of the door where our fall pumpkins usually go.
I look at this and can’t help but think of the 152 Christmases this house has already seen. I love that we’re doing our part for its 153rd. ★
Here’s Joe’s Santa’s Village next to the barn. Looks rather professional don’t you think?
Of course I needed to oil my wooden spoons . . .
And I slipped in a little boxwood where ever I could . . .
I thought I would dress up my lamps a bit and so I used ribbon and sprigs of green . . .
And discovered my new decorating coup de grâce, a bon-bon if I’ve ever seen one — there are so many inexpensive and beautiful ribbons in the stores now — I just rummaged around in our old ribbon box and found these . . . such an easy way to make things more festive ~ I thought you’d like it too.
Now, no lamp is safe from me.
I decided to make it look a little more wintery indoors, at least in the dining room, so I went around and shopped my house looking for WHITE things to decorate my sideboard. I found a package of snowflake gift tags; turned the “two and from” to the inside and tied them to gold beads and to the lace runner. I think this sideboard might be as old as the house — it’s really heavy, and came with the house when we bought it. (If you peek between the O and the Y in JOY, you can see the E my darling JoEy put in there last year.)
I found a gold edged bird too, and some lucite stars. Bon-bon city! I was surprised at all the white things I had in the house, or gold or silver or starry, or something snow-like . . .
In the meantime, I worked around the kitchen too …. making star croutons here, for Christmas gifts . . . ✮
While the King of the Refrigerator looks on, my best Bon-bon of all . . . Yes, he is ridiculously cute.
I used thin-sliced bread to make it easy to cut the stars out with my 1″ star cutter (this is one loaf); then fried them in about 3 TB of butter, being gentle so they keep their points, till brown; then I salted them, and let them cool. Makes a wonderful bon-bon of a gift, delicious on soups and salads and they look festive too!
Bon-Bon Alert! I made sugared fruit to decorate with . . . . such an old-fashioned decoration; have you ever done this? It’s really easy. Choose little fruits; if you can find the tiny Christmas Apples or Seckle Pears, they look especially wonderful done this way. Our store didn’t have them, but you can see these small pears and apples look good too.
You can use tangerines, purple grapes, plums, and even holly (which I did, and it looks wonderful!). If you’d like to try this at home, buy a pint of egg whites at the store, shake them well; use a basting brush to paint your fruit all over. Sprinkle it with normal sugar first, then a little bit of superfine sugar (which you can make in your food processor if you can’t find it at the store; just whirl up regular sugar until it’s superfine! I didn’t use powdered sugar, but I kind of think you could, you can try it — if it doesn’t work, just wash it off!). Let the egg-white-painted fruit dry overnight before you put it in a dish as a centerpiece.
And now, as you all know . . . there are
In the spirit of looking like Santa Claus (and even feeling like Santa Claus) . . . It’s time for . . .
Here’s that recipe I’ve been promising! It makes about five dozen cookies — perfect for any cookie exchange!
The first thing you need is 2 ¾ C. broken gingersnaps the kind you get at the supermarket that come in a box. Joe was in the kitchen while I was making these . . . it was his idea that the gingersnaps get smashed between two frying pans, which was an interesting way to do it; it certainly broke them up — but it also made two frying pans dirty (?), so it’s your choice, his way, or just break them up with your hands, (p.s. they are going into the food processor anyway) . . .
You can see Joe’s broken gingersnaps on the bottom, and mine on top — There are only eight ingredients in this easy recipe, so I measured everything first.
Into the food processor goes the broken ginger snaps, a half cup of flour and two teaspoons of baking powder (I’ll put the recipe at the end of this post to make it easier).
Whirl everything until it’s finely ground — then set aside . . .
Put the softened butter in a large bowl; with a hand blender, beat in one 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Stir in the gingersnap crumbs, then add 1 ¼C. shredded coconut.
Pour in a heaping cupful of chocolate chips . . .
And the last thing, 1 ¼ C. chopped walnuts. Mix it all together . . .
And drop the batter by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, pop them in the oven, bake 8-10 min. until lightly browned. Cool on waxed paper. Go outside, take a deep breath of fresh air; now pretend you don’t know you, walk back into your house and smell how good it smells. Don’t you just love you? ♥ Exactly as it should be. ♥
I don’t think I have to tell you what to do next! And later . . .
Last but not least, before I go, I thought I would show you our tree ….
It unfolded beautifully . . . . Jack was slightly enthralled when we first got it …. but now he’s thinking we have given it way too much attention, when what we should be doing is shooting his ponytail band for him.
Instead of decorating a tree, for heaven’s sake. You note that Jack is not in the room and could not be less interested …. probably asleep somewhere.
“Jack! What do you think of our tree?”
So that’s all for today! It’s raining so hard outside, there is a river of water running down our street toward the harbor. It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow, here on Christmas Island; cold and sunny. Off I go to decorate the Peter Rabbit Room! One more time, congratulations to Kathy on winning the drawing, and congratulations to US for all the new girlfriends and kindred spirits who’re joining us to celebrate the wonderful things in life. I’ll be back after Yankee leaves to let you know how it went! We will be having champagne then! In front of the fire! xoxo Love you Girls, Me
Here’s the recipe for the
CHOCOLATE CHIP GINGER COCONUT COOKIES makes 4 dozen 375°
- 2¾ C. broken gingersnaps
- ½ C. flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ c. softened butter (one stick)
- 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1¼ C. shredded coconut
- 1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1¼ C. chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375°. Whirl broken gingersnaps, flour, and baking powder in a food processor until finely ground; set aside. Put softened butter and condensed milk into a large bowl and beat with hand mixer until smooth; add gingersnap mixture to bowl and beat well. Mis in the coconut, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 min. until light brown. Cool on waxed paper; store in airtight containers.
WOW!
And double WOW!
Congradulations to the winner, she seems so deserving. Thanks for the cookie recipe. It is raining and gloomy in Pa also. Thanks for the reminder about oiling my wooden spoons, they kind of need it. Your tree is very pretty. It is beginning to look like Christmas, don’t you agree?
Yes!
~Good Morning~
One word~ Adorable!~
Congrats to our very deserving Girlfriend Kathy!
~Blessings All~
Lynn
Congratulations Kathy O, well deserved winner, and I’m sending big hugs! I’m so happy that Vanna picked you, she’s one great pink feathered mule girl! What a great blog Sue, thanks! And, that ladder – whew – it’s as tall as the church steeple, Joe is very brave! Your house looks beautiful inside & out! My stars, I can hardly wait to try the croutons & the cookies. Just hung up this year’s SB ornament, love it! Happy day GFs! xoxo
Congratulations Kathy – hope all goes well for your son and am so sorry for your loss. A Merry Christmas to you … and you too, Susan and Joe. Enjoy your day tomorrow!
Dear Susan, Your decorations are inspiring and will make a GREAT article for Yankee Magazine!!! I can’t wait to buy that edition next December!! Enjoy your day with the photographers, and enjoy your well deserved champagne toast, after!!! Fondly, Kim D.
Oh Kathy highly favored of all FOSB! I know this wonderful winning will bless you and indeed help to heal hurts of the past. Isn’t Susan wonderful to share with us like this? I had to come down here and send you warmest congratulations, and on the way I passed so many wonderful pictures, I must go back now and enjoy all of them and the cheery thoughts that come with them.
Susan–I can hardly believe tomorrow is Yankee Day! I pray it goes fabulously and look forward to hearing all about it, when you have recouped.
Have a beautiful day everyone! 🙂
You too Sandy! Thank you!
This entire post made me smile all the way through, beginning with Vanna choosing Kathy to win your Christmas bon bon. It’s lovely to think of some extra special Christmas cheer headed her way! Love your tree, and especially the sideboard decorations, which are beautiful and creative and all together you! I have sparkly snowflakes hanging from the light fixture over the dining room table and a garland with white snowflakes and snowmen hanging on the curtain rod. Kindred spirits for sure.;)
For sure Rosanne!
Oh congratulations, Kathy! You certainly deserve it and all of our good Christmas wishes too 🙂 We’d love to see a picture, hint hint, maybe you can take one and send it to Peg and we’ll see it on the FOSB facebook page?! Merry Christmas!
Congratulations to Kathy O. May only good things follow. This is the time to “Believe”. There will be sooo many girlfriends praying and believing!
xoxo Suzanne!
Well said Suzanne. Congratulations, Kathy O.
Sending thoughts and prayers to you Kathy O. We are all thinking of you and sending you big hugs.
Well-done, Suzanne. “Believe” from ‘The Polar Express’ – says it all and perfectly. Beautiful new Christmas song to go along with all the old favorites… :>)
Beautiful! Sending all of our positive thoughts and happy wishes to Kathy. Merry Christmas everyone 🙂
Congrats Kathy on winning the delight prize Susan is giving. How fun it will be to get it in the mail. Have a blessed Christmas.
Cookies look delish.
Susan have a great day tomorrow with your photo shoot.
Oh, Kathy O, congratulations and hugs to you, along with my sincere thoughts and prayers. I hope you and your dear son and the rest of your loved ones have a wonderful Christmas. How exciting it will be when you open your box of treasures from Susan and Joe!! Susan, we’ll be thinking of you tomorrow–The Yankees are coming, the Yankees are coming! Your house looks divine–now I’m off to add coconut and gingersnaps to my market list so I can make those yummy cookies!
Thank you Shannon!
First, congratulations Kathy, I’m so happy for you! Now on to the rest of this wonderful post… Jack is just too darn cute! Love what you’ve done with the sideboard and the ribbons and sprigs of green. All the bon-bons were perfect! The outside of your home is absolutely beautiful, love all the greens and that wreath, it’s HUGE! I can’t believe Joe gets up on that ladder so high in the air and hangs it all, but it’s so worth it! Oh and your Christmas Tree is fantastic! Love every detail you’ve put into making is so magical. Hope you have a very enjoyable day tomorrow with Yankee Magazine. Can’t wait to hear all about it. Thank you Susan for another fun and beautiful post!Merry Christmas everyone! ♥
Congratulations to Kathy! So exciting, I know she is going to just be thrilled!
A gift from Santa’s Susan and Joe……the Christmas elves…..a gift of kindness from the heart! So happy for you, Kathy!
Susan……sending you and Joe bundles and boodles of good wishes for the Yankee photo shoot tomorrow! How are you ever going to be able to sleep tonight? Oh, my gosh………the excitement, the expectation…….
the thrill of it all !!!!!
Thanks for the cookie and crouton recipe, the peek at your Christmas tree….and of course adorable Jack! And……..Vanna’s pink feather mules…..wow….those sound pretty festive!
Have a wonderful time tomorrow…..and cheers to a glass of champagne at the end of the day! Relax and Enjoy!
Congratulations, prayers and blessings to Kathy… I will be saying extra ones for her and her family… your house looks just beautiful Susan!… I take in each and every detail… what do you oil your wooden spoons with? your sideboard is like a white winter wonderland!… and sweet Jack sitting on top of your fridge… warming his “buns”… is he sticking his tongue out at the tree in that other photo?… he is precious no matter WHAT he is up to!… I call my dog Tessy my little Bon Bon too!… she was a stray when we rescued her and she is truly my Bon Bon now!… my piggy cutting board arrived, wow, you ship really fast!!! Only, my Jack won’t let me have it until Christmas, the meanie… he did let me look at it first, and I LOVE it!…thank you!… I know your post is loaded with all kinds of Bon Bons… but I can’t wait for even MORE when you post about Yankee coming!… sending Christmas love to you all, xoxo Julie Marie PS That’s so cute Joe added the little “E” in between JOY! and thanks for the cookie recipe, yum!
So happy you like your pig board!!! I have one too, love it!
CONGRATULATIONS TO KATHY and i’m sending a big hug her way……
And Susan…..you always make us all winners! ahhhh what a Christmas scene you and Joe are creating!!!!! The tree just took my breath away…. Don’t be surprised if Yankee doesn’t want to linger a few days….lol i know i would!!!!
Thank you for the inspiration and the recipe – can’t wait to make these.
have a happy day…… xoxo and p.s. I think i may be in love with JacK!!! 🙂
This just proves your excellent taste in boyfriends!
hello, good morning everyone!! Congrats Kathy O, sending lots of hugs and good wishes your way, congrats on winning the drawing. oh susan i love the decorations, and i love all the greenery around the house..inside and out. hmmmm looks like Jack is considering a quick trip up the tree and decides it might be smarter not to do that. unfortunately our cats decided a trip up our tree was just what was needed, and 4 furry little behinds have been swatted. they have a tree for their toys and to play on, leave our tree alone. your tree looks so beautiful, the people from Yankee Magazine will love it, and they will love your house. for some strange reason today the cats are being somewhat bratty, had to go break up a fight in the kitty box of all places, and i just emptied it out, washed it and put in fresh litter, what a mess. oh well life around here with cats, turkeys, chickens, ducks and critters never gets dull. the deer just wandered into the yard for a visit and i have some apples for them, so off to feed the deer and then get busy on sweeping off the porches and cleaning the water containers for the chickens. have a wonderful day everyone, Merry Christmas. and good luck with the magazine people tomorrow. hugs…… 🙂
Hello, Pat! Quick – before I forget! Meant to mention this long ago but there’s an awful lot of other nifty stuff to distract me here, dontcha know? I so enjoy reading all about your days out there in Cave Junction with your chores and projects and all the animals. Though I often feel like quite the lazy slug after hearing about everything you can pack into a day! Someone else around here produces somewhat the same reaction [wink]. Can ya guess who? :>) Anyway I always look for your name in the comments and no kidding, I think you could sell tickets to your day! What a hoot to follow you around for a day as “4 furry little behinds get swatted…” etc etc. LOL! Please keep ‘em coming and also have a wonderful holiday! :>)
As much as I would have loved to win your giveaway, I am soooo happy Kathy won and that you will be sending her the bit of joy she deserves. I absolutely love the ribbon/lamp idea and may steal it but not until I try those scrumptious cookies! Enjoy every minute tomorrow!
Yeah for Kathy! But all of us are really winners … we have a wonderful cookie recipe and a peek at your Christmas tree too. Good luck when Yankee comes. (Glad it is your house and not mine!) I wonder what you have done in the Peter Rabbit Room??
I’ll show you after they go!
Congratulations Kathy!!! Love the decorations Susan. Can’t wait to try the cookies.
Susan, I know you are going a mile-a-minute with finishing decorating for the Yankee visitors, but I just can’t stop smiling at that pic of Jack! Hope he’ll pose for the photographer tomorrow – he’s just precious! Happy for Kathy on her awesome win – Lucky Girl!! And thanks to you, Susan, for making us all feel special and so blessed !!!! Have a really Christmasie day! : ) Wanda
Congratulations to Kathy O. SO happy for her and am sending up a special prayer for her this Christmas season.
Love your house, Susan–truly worthy of a great spread in Yankee, and wishing you a great day for the shoot tomorrow. Thank you too for the recipe and wonderful holiday ideas. You positively SPARKLE at Christmastime. xoxox
Congratulations Kathy on wining such wonderful gifts. Your SB girlfriends are all thinking about you and praying happy get well wishes for your son. I hope you have a very special holiday season. Susan, your blog was wonderful today and the tree came out lovely.
Glad you liked it Barbara! Always hard to have to choose one name, hopefully no one noticed!:-)
🙂 No one “noticed”, sweet Susan, because these Girlfriends have the same warm heart and generous spirit that you do. Blessings to “Kathy O” for this Christmas season.
Dear Kathy…When you read these comments OR open the “giveaway” box, may our collective prayers and concern rise up and fill your heart with Hope, Joy, and Love…the gifts of the Christ child. Enjoy…charlene
I was so so excited this morning to find the “Bon Bon message” Congratulations to Kathy…very glad for you to have this blessing coming to you at this time of year……may you know “we” your girlfriends care and send you hugs and much love…for your hurting heart. Susan, I am so blessed to have you as a “bosom friend” as Anne of Green Gables would say..reading your blog and your books makes me slow down and realize what blessings I have. Learning to relish each moment…now that is worth learning…I have learned how to get on Amazon.com and WOW!! I now have 5 of your books…gently loved before me…and now even more cherished……I have been smiling all morning..resting in my cozy bed…(should be doing laundry,dishes etc)…reading and laughing and crying…….what a lovely way to start the day…I just received “Girlfriends, Summer Book,Christmas from Heart of Home, Celebrations “..all came this past week…each day a new treasure or two would arrive..yipee!! Just so you know, you give of yourself to us.. it is the gift of inspiration…to make our homes “cozier”, our food “tastier”, and our love “more tangible”..I thank you my dear “new” friend. Can’t wait to see how Yankee Magazine will depict your “Christmas Home on Christmas Island”….best of the “bestest” wishes……evangeline
Good for you Evangeline! You sound wonderful!
Oh it’s all so lovely. You and Joe make a fantastic team. The house is decked out beautifully and ready for the guests — how much of a readership does Yankee have anyway? A lot more next year this time, I imagine. Thank you for all the recipes and the ideas. Lastly, sweet congratulations to Kathy who most assuredly needs what you’re sending.
2.5 million is what Wikipedia says!
HOW IN THIS WORLD DO YOU DO IT??! I would be in such a dither over tomorrow that today would be swallowed up in it – never mind publishing the likes of this post! Amazing, mind-boggling, cool/calm/collected is what you are; best of days tomorrow… 🙂
Shaking on the inside! 🙂
LOL…..Whew! Glad the shakes are only on the inside…..for if they were on the outside too….every picture of you would be blurry for sure! 🙂 Everything looks awesome! Love the ribbon and greens on the lampshades…gonna scrounge around here and treat my lamps to some cuteness too! That ladder freaks me out a bit…..thought “oh dear Lord! if I see a picture of Jack up there!!!” I am excited for YoU and Joe to plop down on the couch (finallly!) and enjoy your beautiful tree, fire, and each other! Awww……. 🙂
If anyone is in need of some Christmas cheer from our Sweet Susan and Darling Joe, it is Kathy! Lots of hugs to you, Kathy!!
Susan, your house looks even more lovely than it usually does! Your tree is a dream come true, and I can’t wait to make cookies 🙂 It is raining and foggy here in northeast Ohio too! xoxo
Our house is really clean now, that’s for sure! One last vacuum and we’re done!
Congratulations to Kathy O! I’m late putting my Christmas decorations up inside (the outside lights are up) and, once again, your blog has inspired me to get busy baking and homemaking. Your cookies look delicious and your house looks gorgeous. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow and I’ll be on pins and needles until we all hear all about your Yankee Magazine visit. Ciao.
Great big congratulations, Kathy O!!! I hope you enjoy your wonderful gift of love from Susan and Joe, and can feel the love from all 4000 of us, too! I am so happy that you won her prize! And Susan, you did it again!!! You managed to make each and every one of us feel special. You are the only person that I know who can make not winning so much fun!
🙂 You just made my day! xoxo
Amen!
Way to go Kathy O! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas. You too Susan and Joe, Girl Kitty and Jack! Everything looks wonderful, and cookies sound yummy. We weren’t going to put up a tree because the kittn I rescued from the alley, though adorable, is hell on wheels. You might remember I was going to name her Destiny, but changed it to Katniss Everdeen after the “Hunger Games” heroine because she is a mighty huntress. But I have never, ever, not had a tree, and couldn’t bear the thought. So my husband is securing it to the wall right now, and when that’s done, I’ll put on all my non-breakable ornaments.
I made beef stew this morning and put it in the crockpot so I’d have all day to decorate. It’s freezing cold here, and we finally got some snow yesterday – so it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas :o)
Jack isn’t interested in ours; wishing you the same good fortune! 🙂
Peggy, We didn;t get our tree yet, but we have the two little kittens that do not stop! I’m expecting the worst and hoping for the best! : )
Only non breakable ornaments for me too! Jack is a year older. Maybe next year they will have calmed down..
I have a kitten named Tad and he likes to chew on our artifical tree and play with the skirt underneath. He uses it like a tent. Dare I put even one gift under the tree? Think doing what Sue did and secure it so it won’t fall over is a great idea. Kittens love Christmas ~smile~
Darling tree, Sue (& Joe)! Just beautiful!!!
Sounds like you have your track shoes on …. lots of prep for the shoot tomorrow! Everything looks lovely ~ as always!
Have a blast tomorrow….and tell us all about it when you can! xoxo peg
I will Peg!
Congratulations, Kathy O.! I’d have NEVER guessed the secret ingredient in the cookies. They look good–will try making them. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Your house looks really nice. Have fun tomorrow with the Yankee Magazine photo crew! Wish we could share some of our new snow–official word is that we got 16″!!!
Wow! You got ours too!
What a wonderful update on your Christmas decorating. Congrats to Kathy~ Thank you for the recipe, off to the store for ingredients. Love the tree!
I couldn’t be happier that Kathy O. won the give-away! Blessings to you this Christmas, Kathy! Hope you feel the love of us all coming your way!
Such a pretty post, Susan! Love the lamps…and your tree! Did you string multi-colored lights or different strands of single-colored lights? Either way, it’s gorgeous! I have done the clear lights for so many years and am thinking of adding just a strand or two of color to mix in. Our tree should be up this week…and then our sweet Izzy and her family will be arriving over the weekend…I can hardly contain myself! She’ll be 13 mos. this Christmas…so much for her to discover!
Lastly…you got me with the coconut! I can’t wait to try these….love, love, love coconut, especially with chocolate…Bon-Bon is right!
Love your fun-loving, life-giving spirit, Susan! Looking forward to champagne in a couple of days…
xoxoDebbie
We did a few strands of clear, and the rest in multi-color. Thank you Debbie!
….good morning…firstly, a big congratulations to Kathy…hoping you are feeling the love….and Susan and Joe , your house is absolutely looking so magical for Christmas (and for Yankee magazine!!!)…I especially love the winter white theme you chose….so much to comment about on this wonderful post…it was definetly worth waiting for…I never tire of saying thank you for all you do for us !!…take care and with love….P.S. can’t wait to try the cookie recipe !!
I just love your decorations inside and out ! Congrats to Kathy ! Cookies look wonderful thanks for sharing the recipe . As always your post and photos are amazing ! Have a wonderful day !
Congratulations to Kathy! I am surprised Jack is not that interested in the tree. That last picture of him is so funny. It looks like he is saying yuk! who cares about that old tree.
Stealing “his” time! 🙂
The cookie recipe looks wonderful. Can’t wait to get started on it. Must go to the grocery store for a few things first. And I love all your ideas on how to package them. Very happy for Kathy, she sounds like such a deserving winner. Hope all goes well for the photo shoot. How could it not, all your Christmas decorating looks fabulous.
Congratulations to the deserving winner!!! Thank YOU for sharing your goodies as well as your home (and beautiful decorations) with all of us. Tell Joe his greens are beautiful as well. I’m sure the smell helps to bring Christmas alive in your home. Merry Christmas to your family!!! 🙂
So happy for Kathy and sending all best wishes her way! Susan, your tree is beautiful. Thank you for the lamp shade decorating tip. Love the pre Yankee tour. You have done a great job.
All Joe needs is a long white beard and it would be official. . .And you, my dear, are outdoing yourself! Have a wonderful day tomorrow with the Yankee Magazine crew.
What a lovely post!
I’m keeping this one up to come back to later, after the dishes are done and the loaf of bread I promised my husband is out of the oven.
Oh, and congrats to the winner!
Congratulations Kathy O! Wishing you a wonderful 2013, with only good things!!
Best wishes for your photo shoot tomorrow. May the weather cooperate for the outdoor shots. It will be such a wonderful gift to us next year. I cannot wait. I have a subscription to Yankee magazine but I also just started working at a local independent bookstore and will tell them to order extra copies for next year. I know they will sell out quickly!
How fun, LOVE independent bookstores! Best of all, so homey inside! I would love to come wherever your store is for a booksigning next year when my new book comes out — assuming you are in the contiguous 48 states of the USA!
Congratulations to Kathy! Such a beautiful gift for a very deserving lady! I hope it brings you a much deserved smile today! Susan your decorations are just beautiful and I love your tree!!!! Thank you for the delicious looking cookie recipe. I definitely want to try that one. And I love the idea about ribbon and sprigs of pretty on the lamps!!! Ooo, must go try!!! Thank you for always bringing a smile to my face and joy to my heart. You are just such a sweetheart!!! Best of luck tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear all about it. Merry Christmas to you all!
Sandy
Congratulations to Kathy!
Love your festive decorating…the home is looking sooo good . Yankee won’t know what to look at first. Love your lampshade ideas….and everything! I’m in a flurry too. Have the grandson (and his sweet parents) coming in from Oregon for 2 weeks so making sure all the traditions are in place. Don’t you love family traditions!!!!! Good luck tomorrow….can’t wait to hear how it all goes.
This delicious post made me happy. For Kathy, for cookie lovers everywhere because of this deeewishous recipie for ginger cookies, your house bedecked and grandma mosesey; Your gorgeous tree in the window. Your weather report for tomorrow so that Yankee will see all your and Joe’s hard work shining in the sun!
xx
julie
Kathy, Congratulations! “Merry Christmas” to you & yours.
Susan, all I can say is WOW! Loved it all. Thinking of you & Joe & the kitties when Yankee arrives tomorrow. Hope it all goes really well.
♫ Raindrops On Roses & Whiskers On Kittens (Jack!) ♫ Sweet Elf~Sue Your Blog is One of My Favorite Things! ♫ 🙂 Twirling! Well Sweet Sue Your Home is Now Truly…An Enchanted Christmas~Cottage! “Yankee” Will Be Very Happy Snapping Photos for Their Article! Bravo My Dear A Toast…To a Wonderful Day with “Yankee”! Champagne for all…Fireside…Yay! 😉 I Adore Your Christmas Tree…& All Your Magical Decorations through out Your Home! Your Joe is a Very Good Elf! 😉 A Huge Congratz to Kathy~O Your Treasures will Brighten Her Holiday… Warm Hugzzz to Kathy~O too! Well Merry Monday Sweet Sue I’ll Be Thinking of You & Joe & The Kitties with “Yankee” I Know You will Have a Wonderful Time! I’m sending Christmas Pixie~Dust Everyhwere! Love & Joy to All! xoxo Poof! 🙂 Ho~Ho~Ho! P.S. & Thanks again for All Those Yummy Christmas Cookies! which Ones do You leave Out for Santa? 😉 ♫ ♫ ♫
P.P.S. Sweet Elf~Sue I Also Love Your Idea to Tie Bows & Ribbons on The Lamp~Shades…Excellent Idea! Thanks! Now I Need to Look in My Ribbon Box! Merry Jingle Bells! 🙂 ♫ xoxo Elf~Angie(Tink!) 😉
Good Luck with the photo shoot Susan! I haven’t enjoyed Yankee Magazine in quite a few years, your photos will give me an excuse to enjoy one of my favorites again!!
First off, many congratulations to Kathy O in Iowa – if ever there was someone truly deserving of some Christmas TLC! Merry Christmas Kathy and family! Hope this is just beginning of lots of good news to come in the New Year too. I know you’ll enjoy all the wonderful goodies headed your way – and please let us know how things are going.
Jack the Acrobat! Amazing that he can get up on the fridge. He probably bounds up there in 3 effortless leaps or less too! None of our family cats has ever BEEN SEEN on top of the fridge but then again they’re cats! They may do it all the time when no one’s home. One of my sisters wants to install a “kitty cam” to find out what REALLY goes on all day long. That would be fun to watch…
Of all the decorating touches you’ve shared lately, I have to say I just love the greenery best of all. A length of pretty ribbon and a little snippet of boxwood – one of the prettiest plants in Creation – just tucked away in creative little spots all over. Love the holly over your front door too. It looks Just Perfect.
Have always wanted to do sugared fruit for the holidays but would like to try it with faux fruit. Do you think that would work? I have a LOT of faux fruit and decorate with it in every season. Oranges and lemons for the holidays and winter. There is nothing cheerier than a glass hurricane lamp full of bright yellow lemons on a dark dreary winter day. Like today. Lemons are like tulips – they look best in mass quantity! Plus they always make me smile…
OK then. Hope all the finishing touches go well and best of luck when the folks from “Yankee” visit. They’re gonna love what you’ve done! :>)
PS – Looking forward to reading all the comments but 4000! Holy moly! I think better pack a lunch first! :>)
On the faux fruit . . . it might on what it’s made out of — not sure it would work on slick plastic — but maybe it would! You can always wash it off!
Merry Christmas and Congratulations to Kathy O. May your days be merry and bright!
Lovely Christmassy touches all through your house, Susan. Beauty-full! And those cookies look scrum!
Congratulations Kathy! Vanna knows just the right name to pick–she’s so smart! Susan, I am so excited about tomorrow with Yankee coming! Your home is so beautiful and elegantly decorated for the grandest holiday of all. The cookie recipe looks very interesting and I must add it to my cookie baking this Christmas. I’ve been wrapping presents and just had to sit down for a break–thank you for the wonderful eye candy! xoxo ♥
Congratulations Kathy O. You have certainly won a very beautiful, special gift from Susan and Joe. Every gift Susan gives away is awesome, but I believe this one is very special…it really touched my heart. You deserve to win this gift Kathy. I couldn’t think of a better gift to receive to cheer you up during a troublesome time than something special from Susan and Joe. This blog alone is enough to make my Christmas, but the gift is definitely “icing on the cake.” Praying for you and your son.
We’ll be thinking about you tomorrow Susan and your big day with Yankee Magazine. So exciting for us to get a sneak preview. Praying that all will go well for you and that you won’t be shaking inside. We’re sending peace and calm your way. All the little finishing touches are done now, so go ahead and get caught up in the excitement. You know that we are all there with you, and there is safety in numbers. I know I’d love to be standing in your yard just to watch everything going on through the windows. Sincerely hope that you enjoy your day tomorrow…just be your magical self, an elf! xo
Kathy O – Heartiest Congratulations! I think Vanna pulled just the right name.
Susan, while pulling out my Christmas decorations this past weekend, I found myself rummaging around in my large container of ribbon wondering “what can I do with these?” Now I know, I’m going to borrow your idea for decorating my many lamps. Thank you!
Congratulations Kathy!!!
(How excited she must be!!)
Going to be baking those cookies SOON!
Thank you, Susan, for another wonderful, INSPIRING post! Your tree is gorgeous!
(Silly Jack…)
CONGRATULATIONS KATHY O! Bet you didn’t realise you had so many Girlfriends who are wishing you prayers and best Wishes! Know YOU are LOVED!
Thank you Susan for bringing Happiness into the lives of others.
I made your Molasses cookies, YUM! also about 7 doz. gingerbread men, 4 doz went to my church Christmas Fair, the rest are getting passes out with gifts. LOVE how the house smells this time of year!
The Best of this Christmas Season to you and Joe!
What a fun post today! Are you sure you were born with only ONE happy gene? I think you are bubbling over with many of them, and that’s lucky for all your girlfriends.
Thanks once more for the decorating ideas and recipes. C’est Bon (Bon)!
Congratulation to Kathy. 🙂
First – Congratulations to Kathy O.!
Thank you, Susan, for the lovely, lovely post today! It is rainy and rather dreary here today as well and that can sometimes get me down. Your house looks wonderful inside and out! One thing too that I really want to mention (and I hope this is ok) is that I especially love that so many of your fabulous ideas are really quite inexpensive. I love that you make these inspirations accessible to everyone. Do you think you could do a little how-to blog on how Joe makes those beautiful wreaths?
Which reminds me… this weekend while we were picking out our Christmas tree… we were checking out a tree that looked just right at the cut-your-own place near us, when we noticed an adorable little bird nest in the branches! So of course that decided it for us! We were so careful not to knock it out while we got it home and put the lights on. Couldn’t help thinking that it was a Susan Branch sort of serendipity! Sending happy moment thoughts your way! I am sure your Yankee magazine time will be perfect! <>
Lucky you Karen! I will try to get Joe to do a wreath tutorial after the Yankee’s go home! 🙂 I have never thought that decorating has to be expensive. It is always the little things that make it wonderful.
Thank you – I would love that!
I am soooo happy that Kathy won the drawing, after all she’s been thru!!
Your house looks absolutely wonderful, and what a gorgeous tree!! I love what you’ve done to your lampshades, and Jack is hilarious!!!
Thank you!
Love from Mary S. in Fresno, CA
What a nice Christmas-y visit! I finished my vanilla coffee while reading. Congratulations to Kathy!! What a wonderful and needed surprise it will be for her! The cookie recipe looks so tasty, can’t wait to try it! I’m looking forward to hearing how it goes with Yankee! Ta-ta!
Congratulations to Kathy, the very deserving winner! Wishing her a Merry Christmas! 🙂
Congratulations to Kathy! Sending many Christmas hugs and good wishes her way.
Susan, your house looks fabulous!
Congrats to Kathy!!!!!
Susan, your house looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try the cookies!
Good luck today! We know you will be great!!!!!!!!!!!
So glad you won Kathy! – sending lots of good thoughts your way…
Susan: Can’t wait to buy the Dec 2013 Yankee issue…the tree is fabulous! and also love the star croutons…may make for this weekend dinner !
Congratulations Kathy, Vanna always seems to draw the right person! My best wishes and prayers are going out to you and your son for a spectacular Christmas and a wonderful 2013. –Susan, your home will be a challenge for Yankee to capture between its pages. (Hope you snap some shots of the crew at work for us to see) Rest well tonight, and have fun tomorrow!
Your decorations are beautiful. Oh, I wanted to tell you I found the brown bread in a can from your blog the other day. And you were right–there it was, sitting all by its lowly self, shoved right in next to the baked beans. I’ve never seen it my whole life. We decided to have breakfast for dinner last night and we made eggs and bacon and grits and toasted the bread and slathered it with butter. It was quite delish! Thanks for letting us know about it. 🙂
Hi Susan
I love your imagination with Vanna! It made me chuckle. I’m glad Kathy won as it sounds like she is in need of a cheerful gift.
I just stole one of you ideas. I was trying to figure out what to do with my last ornament of ME cherries. The idea with the boxwood on the lamp did it! I tied it with a ribbon and now I feel like two of my favorite illustrators, you and Mary!
I also love what you did with the boxwood. I have loved boxwood ever since I discovered it when we went to Williamsburg. Now I have quite a bit and can cut it without feeling guilty. I actually started mine from the original plant at our old house and then had shrubs to plant at our new home. I have it all over the house now in baskets with vases inside for the water. Love the smell!
Love your blogs and your sharing with all of us.
Congratulations to Kathy! I am positive she will enjoy these goodies!
This is truly a wonderful Christmas blog today! Things are getting done in bits and pieces around here. It has turned into a day-by-day proposition, it seems.
I would love to be a fly on the wall when Yankee comes! You have created a place that is welcoming and festive to all of us!
Raining here today, too. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be cooler. That will be more like we like to have around Christmas. Last week, our high temperatures were near 70 degrees!
I’ll be happy to come and do the last run with the vacuum!:-) It is probably time for you to sit down and put your feet up.
xo Nellie
Congratulations Kathy and Merry Christmas!
Thanks for the infusion of JOY for Kathy and all of us who read your blog. I can practically smell those cookies and plan to make my own batch to give out and of course consume. :-). You and Joe are such a busy team and bring so much light to all us blogging along: Leon, Jack, decorated lamps, yumminess, and for me the best “get up and go”. I need it. You give it. THANK YOU.
Sylvia in Seattle
Congratulations Kathy and I am hoping for a healthier new year for your son!!! All teenage boys should be healthy so they can mow the lawn and drive their mothers crazy! I am praying for him.
So Susan, that house looks like a picture. I love the look with the greens. I love the word JOY even if a giant elf messed with it. LOL Who ever knew one could decorate a lamp! Someone stop me! I love new ideas. Thanks for the new recipe too.
PS Thanks for the snow update Pat!
By now it is time for you and JOEY to put your feet up, then have a cup of cocoa and some cookies!!! Gaze upon your clean and sparkly house. 🙂 Ahh…Life Is Good!!!
What makes it so good, for one big thing, is this blog and all of YOU!!!
amen to that!
Hurray for Kathy! I hope her wonderful win brightens up her holiday season. Blessings to her!
Your home looks absolutely gorgeous (and I bet it always looks this festive…not just for your BIG day tomorrow!). I had to smile at the JOeY letters. When I had my second daughter Abigail, I had block letters in her room that spelled BABY. Big sis, Emily, who was only 4 at the time, rearranged the blocks to spell ABBY! We were stunned!
Thanks so much for the recipe, It looks like it has a lot of flavors in it…yum! And your tree looks gorgeous. We got ours this morning and we are letting the branches drop a little. In the meantime I’m making salt dough ornaments (and doing a little online shopping). I LOVE the holidays!!
XO,
Jane From Chicago
Oh, how I love your blogs and Willard. You make my days so wonderful and fun. Congratulations to Cathy O; she is so deserving of winning. I will keep her and her son and family in my prayers.
Your home is so beautiful and you and Joe are so talented. You deserve to have Yankee Magazine there to photograph it for their magazine. When will they be publishing them? I will look forward to hearing what you have to say about their visit. You will blow them away with your talent. Love and Hugs.
Congrats to Kathy O! Best of luck tomorrow Susan and Joe! Everything looks beautiful – can’t wait to see it next year in the Yankee. Jack IS ridiculously cute – and Girl Kitty is ridiculously precious – Merry Christmas to all.
Hi Susan
Goodness me you must have been working so hard, but the finished effect looks fabulous. My congratulations to Kathy, she will be so pleased to receive such a lovely gift and especially when life is proving very testing I hope that she has a very peaceful Christmas. I hope all goes well with Yankee Magazine tomorrow and I am going to ask my daughter Fleur to buy me a copy of the magazine as she and her husband are going to have a holiday in California at the beginning of January and I have told her that I would like her to look for the bread in the tin. So many things to look forward to thank you for showing and sharing in your blog, I enjoy it very much.
Congratulations to our Girlfriend Kathy! I can’t imagine how happy and surprised she will be when she gets her email from you, Susan. Good Luck tomarrow with the shoot, your home looks beautiful and festive. Thank you for sharing your lives (and Jack) with us.
Kathy, a big congratulations! I am so glad this holiday love package from Susan is coming your way. It sounds just perfect for you too. Thank-you Susan for putting together such a wonderful surprise and the cookie recipe will be a fabulous recipe for me to use for last minute cookie gifts. I love it!
Tomorrow’s visit from Yankee is going to be so interesting and I , for one, cannot wait for you to tell us all about it. Every detail! Your house looks lovely all dressed up for Christmas and Joe outdid himself with those beautiful wreaths and garlands. They add such a special touch and I just love that everything came from your home grounds. Your tree came out magnificant too and that Jack’s comment is priceless. His adorable kitty self!!
Thanks again for the Christmas Willard! That was a gift I keep enjoying every few days when I go back and read it again and again. I LOVE Willards!
How l o v e l y for Kathy O from Iowa to be the lucky recipient of all the goodies..she definately deserves a special treat ! Every thing in the house looks amazing…I honestly have no idea how you manage to do everything you do…Thank goodness you have J a c k there to help …and..oh..yes, J o e too !
Oh your house and tree are lovely!!! Oh and then I was so excited to spy the Marquest bean pot by Jack sitting so lovely and still among your treasures. I collect that particular Marquest design. I’ve only been collecting since last year and it all started with a free piece from a neighbor of my parents that was moving away. It was in an old barn and it had a chip on it and it wasn’t wanted. So, I rescued it and decided it could at least be used for a vase. That started the collection. Now we use these Marquest plates as our everyday dishes. I don’t put them in the dishwasher though — it is back to handwashing them — which takes more time — but I just enjoy it.
This past week, while I was searching for gifts at an antique mall here in MO, I got two new finds. One was a set of 3 of the cereal bowls for $3.95 and the other was a cute crock with a lid for $4.95. I couldn’t believe the prices (no chips) and so I had to snap those up. I just love a good find!!!
Well, thanks for making my day as usual with your post!!!! Merry Christmas!
Congratulations Kathy, I hope the gift brightens your day a little bit. Can’t wait to try the cookie recipe. I am giving “gifts in a jar” this year: layered cookie bars, dip, and trail mix. This cookie recipe would work really well for that presentation as well. If you layer all the dry ingredients in a glass jar and put the jar and a can of sweetened condensed milk in a box (with Susan’s recipe!) to wrap, it would make a great gift. The recipient would just have to add the butter. Your house looks beautiful and I can’t wait to hear about the Yankee shoot. Good luck!
Susan,
Congratulations to Kathy! My blessings and prayers to her! What a beautiful tree Susan – so perfectly shaped. The cookie recipe sounds wonderful. Not many calories in those I’m sure. Ha! Would love to try the sugared fruit and croutons too – great ideas! Beautiful post!
Jan
Blessings, Kathy! May this bring love and healing into your heart.
wow, this was a long one, lol, I always forget what I was going write because I’m enjoying the post so much, but I rember I wanted to say I so happy Kathy won the give away, sounds like she could use a little lovin from all of us.Best wishes to her.
Your decorating looks great, I love what you did to the lamps, that is very cool inddeedy! The cookies sound wonderful! I have made the star croutons since I first found time in your book, such a great gift!Jack is the most handsome cat, that mustachio marking is a adorable!
Congrats to Kathy and prayers for her holiday season to be filled with hope and happiness. Susan, you have made my day with your beautiful decor and cookies. Thanks for keeping my elf spirits up.
So happy for KATHY…sounds like a little bit of sunshine is coming her way!
Congrats and best wishes for your Yankee home tour. It will bring them lots of new readers! And congrats to Kathy O., sending love and blessings her way. I love your tree, Susan, it is just gorgeous. Do you still make Joe your delish dish, chicken stuffed with jack cheese? 😉 I seem to remember it was a favorite of his. xo
wonderful decorating ideas–love the garland on the house!
Hello Susan
It is so good to come for a moment and stop by your blog I love it! before I get started on you good works here I know you help me from a earlier post when we talk about my cat Bellamia, I thank you for that, but I had to put her to sleep due to Very Old Age 11 days ago! I will miss her so much. Susan my heart hurts right now and still cry from time to time, but our good lord help me get the right Kittie…Yes its true I adopted a new 5month old kitty and her name is ready?…Spumoni, when I looked at her Susan she reminded me of Ice Cream shes a little Calico as was Bellamia. I think you would like her too so very very sweet shes all about the kisses, Eskimo kisses nose to nose and she has been helping me heal. She like Jack has been getting into the real Christmas tree! wow I forgot how busy they can keep you! Now on to your blog what can I say everything is so well plan out I always feel so good looking at all your hard work you help me get into the Christmas spirit! The front of your home is lovely I never seen you do this before and it looks so nice. Susan I can go on and say more about how lovely everything looks and all you do, but the new girl here hasn’t let me sleep much at night lately. I thank you for your blogs they always make me come away with a Happy Heart always. XO
I am so happy to hear you have a new baby to help heal your heart Kimi! It’s so difficult to lose a pet. But watching a happy kitty cavorting can soothe a person’s soul. All my best to you!
Kimi – so sorry to learn about Bellamia [big hug & squeeze for you] but I’m willing to bet she may have had a hand in sending Spumoni your way! The Big Circle of Life! Have fun with her and a wonderful Christmas too! =^..^= :>)
Sincere congrats to Kathy O! That cookie recipe is irresistible! Jack left me with a lingering laugh in my tummy!
Praying for a lovely photo shoot with Yankee!
Kathy, congratulations on winning some of Susan’s “love”. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Susan, everything just “shines”, just like it should at Christmastime. Good luck with the shoot. You and Joe are so deserving of the exposure. Thanks for making everyday special for all of us loyal followers.
Bless you, Kathy O!
First: Congratulations Kathy! Hope this makes your day brighter!
The house looks lovely Susan. Joe just outdid himself on the greens above the door. We will be thinking of you tomorrow. I know Yankee will love your home. Thanks for the cookie recipe!
Hugs.
OH…and…I meant to comment on the 4 stages of life regarding Santa Claus,…I just told my 28 year old son last week…It really dawned on me that I am getting older, because..I actually found myself being attracted to a few of the “Santa’s” I’ve seen lately………!!
Cute!! Reminds me of the “Frasier” TV show when his producer Roz had a job as an “elf” helping a department store Santa during the Christmas rush. Apparently underneath the tummy and beard, Santa was really handsome and Roz kept trying to get him to ask her out. One of Roz’s girlfriends told her she was a “Ho-Ho-Ho!” :>)
Congrats to Kathy, she well deserves it with the problems she is having in her life. Hopefully it will lift her spirits a bit. Merry Christmas to them.
Your home looks wonderful and wish mine looked the same but I must admit you gave me a few simple ideas for doing a bit more decorating in my home. Your home looks beautiful inside and out and will make a wonderful article in the magazine. I will look for it next year when the Christmas articles start coming out although I am not sure whether I can find that magazine in my area but will try. Hope all goes well on the shoot tomorrow.
How Wonderful Kathy O won…YAY and Merry Christmas to her! As to Vanna and “nobody does it better”…hmmm, I think you do it better Susan. Leave the drama queen stuff and pink mules to Vanna; your way of introduction was the best yet. Well done!
Joe’s wreath is beautiful; his workshop cute as elves and Monsieur Jacque’s moustache is very Hercule Poirot. Kitty doesn’t even need the beret -smile-.
Best wishes on a great day tomorrow; it looks like you and Joe are doing it up right! Now, I’m off to oil my wooden spoons and thanks for the reminder.
Merry Christmas!
Congratulations Kathy! Hugs and Kisses. Lovely Lamps, such a great idea. And the Tree so beautiful. Cookies and new tea. It’s these wonderful new things that make this a special, wonderful season. Just a little carried away with all this wonderment! Have a wonderful tomorrow with the Yankee Folks! And thanks to Joey and Jack and you for the all the Christmas!
Congratulations Kathy O! Susan, I love your lampshade/lamp suggestion. I live in a sort of smaller home and I always try to think of ways to make it festive that don’t require floor or table space. Garlands (over windows, pictures, mirrors), wreaths hanging on my indoor windows, on the backs of the dining room chairs… all ways to create a festive home without needing a large home. Decorations requiring no footprint, I LOVE IT! I am now going to work on my lamps 🙂 Have fun with Yankee Magazine tomorrow and enjoy sitting in front of the fire when they leave!
So very happy that Kathy won….sending her a hug and thoughts and prayers along with your wonderful gift. It is so hard to lose a loved one ( lost my big brother this summer) and then hear a Christmas song that tugs at your heart….but we all have our good holiday memories and THAT is what we have to hold on to ! Your house looks amazing and I am so excited to hear about the magazine shoot. OK…I have to go. Cookie dough waiting to be baked in the refrigerator….somehow the elves did not slip in under the door while I was at school and bake the cookies, put them on nice plates or in tins, and clean up ?!?!? Oh well, what fun would that be…..off to bake.
Thank you Susan for making our days a treat by sharing in your world !
Congrats dear Kathy Girlfriend! I’m so happy you’re the one out of all of us to win! I know your heart deserves all these hugs and more so just know we will continue to pray for you, your son, and good tidings in the coming year. You’ll never be far from hearts that care every time you drink from your special cup!
Susan, loved the post, the photos, the RECIPE! My parlor tree is done in shades of white with pearls for garland…very Victorian…but I hide a little red heart and a Santa in as a surprise to anyone who looks close enough! Ha! Can’t wait to hear about The Yankee visit. Thanks for making my day bright.