Creature of Mad Enthusiasms

New tag! "Magpie Art" is upcycled junk to make art.

DIY beaded denim bracelet (will also work for ribbons)
http://www.usefuldiy.com/es/diy-old-jeans-bracelet/

Make easy rectangular paper beads by slathering the back of a strip of paper/fabric/tissue in glue and rolling it around a drinking straw. Cut to size. Embellish as desired. Can get a porcelain look if dipped in clear nail polish.
http://blog.shopmartingale.com/quilting-sewing/techniques-for-art-quilting/ (scroll down)

As above, consider also other forms of paper, as these stamp beads:https://www.etsy.com/listing/94571325/vintage-postage-stamp-earrings-nederland?ref=sr_gallery_32&ga_search_query=%27paper+bead%27+paper&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=handmade

Instructions for various paper bead shapes
http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/basic-paper-beadsinstructions

Making your own fancy paper with watercolors, sharpie and gel pens, and correction fluid:
http://peonyandparakeet.blogspot.com.es/2010/11/how-to-make-your-own-patterned-paper.html
(Reminder from my costuming days: you can get a fabulous marbelized pattern by wetting down paper or fabric and spraying it lightly with a variety of colors, then flicking it with metallic paint using a paintbrush or toothbrush)

That kind of thing can also be used to paint these embellished corks
http://rustyroostervintage.blogspot.com/2011/10/meet-kimberly-madson-art-and-design.html

Sewn fabric beads and embellishment (not a bad craft-on-the-go project)
http://buatkalunggelang.blogspot.com/2010/09/playtime-rolled-felted-beads-tutorial.html

Quilt layout (all squares, would make a good mitered square afghan)
http://lucysquilts.blogspot.com/2009/12/denim-quilts.html

Can use the same pattern for these instructions on felted sweater throw:
http://yellowsuitcasestudios.com/2011/10/31/felted-wool-sweater-blanket-tutorial/

The original blogpost is gone, but the basic math for a roughly 60 x 60" throw still exists at:
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/46/43/be/4643bea92a7c093abed784a2b4e14aea.jpg

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles | What Megan's Making
http://www.whatmegansmaking.com/2011/04/white-chocolate-lemon-truffles.html

Ulicam: Easter tutorial: How to color eggs with onion shells
http://ulicam.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-tutorial-how-to-color-eggs-with.html

Silk tie dyed Easter eggs | Skip To My Lou
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/04/06/silk-tie-dyed-eggs-tutorial/

I should probably just set up a couple of pinterests, but do I want to wrangle yet ANOTHER online time suck board?

LARGE BATCH
36 oz cranberries (2.25 lb)
2 oranges, UNPEELED (just cut off top and bottom)
4 apples, peeled
2 c sugar

SINGLE BATCH
12 oz cranberries
1 navel orange and zest (note: dad likes entire peel)
2 winesap apples, peeled
~1 c sugar ("to taste")


( Notes to self )

Recipe stolen from facebook; archived here for holidays.

Apple cider sangria for Thanksgiving 1 bottle (standard size) of pinot grigio 2 1/2 cups fresh apple cider 1 cup club soda 1/2 cup ginger brandy 3 honey crisp apples, chopped 3 pears, chopped directions: Combine all ingredients together and stir, stir, stir. Refrigerate for an hour or so (or longer!) before serving.

(Having hosed the family cookie recipe twice this season, I am writing down the recipe EXACTLY as my mother just dictated it to me over the phone.)

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup brown sugar
5 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
powdered sugar

8- or 9-inch square cake pan
DO NOT DOUBLE in pan or mixing bowl. DO NOT DEVIATE.

Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
DO NOT USE OTHER SHAPES. DO NOT USE NONSTICK COATING.

Beat 2 large eggs and set aside.

Firmly pack 1 cup with Domino's light brown sugar - from the box, not the bag. Very product specific.

Add 5 Tablespoons of flour to the sugar.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the flour and sugar.

Mix dry materials very well.

Add 1 cup chopped pecans. Mix again.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla to eggs, stir well.

Mix the wet and dry thoroughly. Pour into buttered pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. A knife should come out clean.

Let sit in pan for 10 minutes before cutting and turning out into a plate.

Let sit about another 2-5 minutes, then dust tops with powdered sugar. Let the sugar sit for about 10 minutes, then flip over and dust the other side. Let that sit for a little while longer, then flip back and redust the top.


Hork down your body weight in those things over the next few days.

(...oh, wait, that last bit was me, not Mother.)

I've been going through, reorganizing, and expanding my present-wrapping links.

Use a decorative punch on paint sample strips to get graduated colors of a motif.

( Making Boxes/Wrappings )

( Wrapping )

( Writing on Packages )


( Making Tags )


( Bows )

Generic Topper ideas:
-- For foodies: Top with rosemary sprigs, cinnamon sticks, candies, etc.
-- Tassels
-- crackers (pull kind, not eating kind)
-- small Christmas ornaments, possibly with names written on
-- miniature cross-stitched initials or nametags (possibly in bookmark forms or miniature frames)
-- Paper christmas "lights" with name (or spelling out name, one letter per "bulb"

( Woven Danish Paper Hearts )

( Strip Paper Ornaments/Toppers )

( Make Paper Beads )

( Make Your Own Christmas Crackers )

( Origami )


( Knitted )

( Other Materials )

PREPARED/NO COOK FOODS:
panettone fingers (Panera bread)
hummis & peapods/other veg
cheese and crackers (port wine chedder, blueberry stilton, wensleydale cranberry): ritz, wheat thins, triscuit
shrimp cocktail
cold meats, esp ham & chicken (cut into fingers, not lunch slices)
snow peas and dill harvati


COLD FOOD (needs prep)
devilled eggs
sectioned clementines
dates stuffed with cream cheese and almond filling
figs wrapped in proscuitto
baugette with gorgonzola schmear and honey drizzle
cucumber, pb & j, and other sandwiches (devilled ham?)


HOT FOOD
mini quiches (from store)
soup shooters (possibly from store)
??


SWEETS (recipes needed)
Noel Chews

cinnamon shortbread

regular shortbread

chocolate chip cookies

( Staggeringly Chocolate Brownies )

mini trifles

rum balls (and other flavors - try creme de menthe rolled in sweetened powdered chocolate)


PRESENTATION IDEAS
tea stand
shot glasses (soup)
teacups (soup)
martini glasses (trifle, hummis, shrimp)


WEB RESOURCES
Best Cookie Recipes

Verrine recipes, sweet and savory:
Recipe: Spiced Cream and Plum Verrines | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/recipe-spiced-cream-and-plum-verrines-032861

The Kitchen Pantry: verrines
http://kitchenpantry.blogspot.com/search/label/verrines

Dessert Recipes - Verrine of Goat Cheese and Fruit
http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECIPES/DESSERT2/verrine_gtchz_fruit.html

Tartelette
http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2008/12/banana-tatin-verrines.html

Verrine fraicheur: cucumber, yogurt and smoked salmon | La Tartine Gourmande
http://www.latartinegourmande.com/2009/08/19/verrine-cucumber-yogurt-smoked-salmon/

I had wanted to throw a virtual cookie (recipe) swap in this LJ but life got in the way.

So instead I will fantasize about the cooking that I have done/hope to someday do for the family Christmas.
:
THE BIG DINNER
I've been surprisingly successful in convincing the family to move the big dinner to Christmas Eve, on the basis that Christmas day is a heck of a lot more fun if you don't have to jump up all the time to baste the turkey and then clean up for hours on end. The traditional menu - turkey, bread-and-sausage stuffing, peas, cranberry relish is unchanged. I do keep trying to get more veggies into there, but the orange-whipped sweet potatoes and the roasted asparagus were both greeted with great skepticism the years I tried them.

The remains of the big dinner are microwaved for dinner the next day. Just as delicious, much less fuss. My plan when I get home with the leftover turkey is to turn meal #3 into Turkey Korma just for a change.


Doing the big dinner early also means that there's more room for spreading one's culinary wings on Christmas day.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST:
Fritatta & stollen - totally posh, totally easy. This was a huge hit last year. I'll be skipping the poached pear side dish, but we're thinking possible mimosas. If I was doing this for anyone else, I'd add broiled grapefruit (slice grapefruit in half still in rind. Spread with brown sugar. Broil until sugar melts. Eat hot.) if I wasn't the only one in the family who eats it.


CHRISTMAS LUNCH:
This is the plan that I have not yet been able to implement, but next year, there's always next year.... We traditionally eat a box of chocolates while we open presents. I want to expand that to proper food - tea sandwiches and little hors d'oeuvres, anything that can be snapped up in a single bite. (The Dickens Tea had miniature one-bite shepards pies, which I thought was just a fabulous idea.)

So - what do you do? What are your Holiday traditions (not everyone celebrating Christmas on the F-list) and what recipes are Must Dos?