Christmas Mantle Decor

Changing my mantle decor this weekend to match the season and at the same time contribute to Mosaic Monday and Met. Monday with Mary and Susan. Thanks ladies for hosting these parties!

During the autumn season, the left side of my mantle held an arrangement of books propped against a tall bronze-look vase with dried hydrangeas from the yard. On the other end a couple of candle holders holding candles which were my mother's, believe it or not! These candles must be 35 years old! I'll never forget buying them for my mother's new den that was added to their existing home. I found them a few years back and I'm so glad I didn't toss them since I think they compliment my room so well now. In the center is an assortment of items from nature in an antique wooden dough bowl.

Transforming the mantle to suit the season was a quick change. The vase on the left stayed, but hydrangeas went to the floor. The Santa standing by the fireplace is from Big Lots. I stained him to give him an old look. Notice, I don't have decor on my tables? When you have a toddler running around, you learn not to set things out. :) I'll have to settle for decorating out of his reach this year.

The wooden bowl in the center of the mantle was replaced with a bronze reindeer and sleigh along with various garlands.

I wanted the reindeer to look like he's taking off to deliver his goods so I tucked a bowl under the shimmery garland to tilt him up. The candle holders on the right worked with my Christmas arrangement so they stayed too.

Looking forward to seeing what you've done. Happy Christmas decorating!

Sunday Eve

On Thanksgiving day,

everyone pitched in to put up the Christmas tree.

Even little Jack got in on the activities. Having family around this time of the year

and the lights on the tree reminded me that:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ~James 1:17


I'm sharing this thought with Spiritual Sunday.

Pumpkin Praline Pecan Pie Cake

Oh! You are going to love this pie cake. I can't decide if it's a pie or a cake so I just call it pie cake! :) The recipe I used called it "dessert". I guess that was their way of getting around what to call it. Oddly enough, while reading our local paper today, I came across a recipe very similar to this one and it was titled "Upside Down Pumpkin Pie". hmmmm...I guess that works too.

Whatever! It's delicious and so easy to make. It's makes a great covered dish and feeds a crowd. Prep time is 20 minutes. You gotta love it!

Begin by heating your oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13 x 9 inch pan. In medium bowl, beat until smooth the following.

1 can pure pumpkin

(if you can find it! Pumpkins are scare around here, what about you?)

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves)

Pour pumpkin mixture into your pan.

Sprinkle a box of yellow or spice cake mix over top of pumpkin mixture.

Next sprinkle 1 cup of chopped pecan.

Melt 3/4 cup of butter and drizzle over the top.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes.

Tip: Pour pecans in a zip lock bag. Zip. Pound with meat mallet until pecans are chopped to consistency you desire. Quick and easy and no clean-up chores.

Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin spice. By the way, use the real stuff and whip your cream! It's Thanksgiving!

Store covered in refrigerator if it's not all eaten before you get a chance to!

Don't worry about calories! Remember the famous words of Erma Bombeck,

"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?"
- Erma Bombeck

I sharing my post with lots of other delicious dishes at Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

Thanksgiving Preparations and an IDEA

Have you began your Thanksgiving preparations yet?

I pulled a few of mine together to share with you on Mosaic Monday, Made it Monday, and DIY DAY.

First on my preparation list -

It's always a sweet reunion when I pull out Mr. and Mrs. S&P Pilgrim from a long year's storage. Many of you may have this same couple. Remember the Publix commercial? Didn't you love it? Always brings back fond memories for me. Here's another prep I did and you may want to do the same. I made name tags for my guests and attached them to the stem of their drinking glasses. If your guests are staying the day, they will need a drinking glass for longer than the Thanksgiving meal, while watching football or the parade for instance.

This idea not only allows them to recognize their own glass throughout the day and keeps you from having a load of dirty glasses, but it adds decor to your table and could dual as your place cards too.

I made these out of cardstock and used leaf punches and embellishments to jazz em up. Tied them to the glass with raffia. Quick and Easy!

Next, on my preparation list was to make this Pumpkin Praline Pecan Pie-Cake to take to a pre-Thanksgiving get-together. It is so delicious and a great dish to take and feed a crowd. I know this will be one of your favorites so check with me tomorrow and I'll share the recipe with you.

Until then, here's my wish for you.

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

Sunday Eve

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

~1 Chronicles 16:8

I'm sharing with others at Spiritual Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Good Day/Bad Day??

"There are good days and there are bad days,

and this is one of them."

~ Lawrence Welk

How true is that! I didn't know Lawrence Welk quoted so many wise sayings till I found this one. I thought his thing was music. Oh well, half of you don't even know who he is and the other half don't want to admit they know of him. If you do you are admitting your age, of course. All I can say is, I was a mere toddler when we sat around the TV on Saturday night watching his show. (Oh my, remember the Lennon Sisters?!) OKAY! Enough! I'm off track.

Back to the quote. Good days and bad days - yes, indeed.

It's a GOOD day when you come home from Costco with a trunk full of delectable and luscious foods from around the world. (Well, maybe I'm exaggerating just a little.) But regardless, I did come home with a load of groceries!

It's a BAD day when you start to load your ref with your new bounty to find it has broken and all the food now in your freezer is thawing.

It's a BAD day when you have to unload the ref and freezer at supper time and you have a hungry toddler hanging on your pant leg. But it's a GOOD day when you're SIL comes home from Camp Shelby, a training camp for deployment to Iraq, to spend Thanksgiving with family! (which is why I came home with a trunk full of groceries)
And it's a GOOD day when you're featured on The Creative Party Place!

for my Autumn Inspired Party post.

It's always a GOOD day when the GOOD outweigh the BAD!

Have a GOOD day!