Visit From Christmas Trees Past

A fresh-cut tree with a woodland theme stays fresh with water from a plastic bucket placed in a faux bois flower pot.

Rabbits, though off topic, are good for Christmas too. One year I created a woodland setting inside of a built-in china cabinet. When the glass doors were closed, the woodland creatures appear to be looking over the festive room.

This large bottle brush style tree came from a stationary store. The glittery tree is retro and modern at the same time and requires no ornaments.

Rabbits again! I keep these German candy containers out - almost - year round. They look great with red and green.

I was not always a fan of the feather trees because of the lack of lights. However, I overcame the lack of lighted sparkle by adding all white and silver ornaments to shimmer by day in the natural winter light. By night, they shimmer in the candle light.

This slender artificial tree is a theme tree in the extreme. The tree is plastered with vintage Muppet ornaments and some new ones by Christopher Radko.

My Take on Holiday Movie Season 2009

Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side.

There was an excellent mix of movies. But there was not a good new movie about Christmas this year. I did not wish to pay to be part of the disappointing 3D take on A Christmas Carol (2009). Of course, I have not seen everything but of the ones I have paid to see I would rank them as follows.

1. Avatar - changes how movies are made, thank God George Lucas did not write dialog to this sci-fi adventure.

2. Up in the Air - good "old fashioned" movie about relationships staring a real star.

3. The Blind Side - feels good long after it's over, Sandra is respectful of the region it takes place and of her real life character.

4. An Education - a refreshing take on both a period film (1960s) and on a coming of age story. Excellent cast.

5. The Fantastic Mr. Fox - animation was very witty, voice casting was excellent, despite all of that did not bond with characters.

6. It's Complicated - I enjoyed two other films (The Holiday and Something's Gotta Give)by the film's director more. Another case of a great cast with chemistry making a predictable formula work.

7. Sherlock Holmes - relies too much on action and end-of-the-world plot. Shame it did not use the characters better. Did not enjoy Holmes being a rolled-out-of-bed slob.

8. Nine - too many stars saying look at me. Both the stars and the musical numbers that happen outside of real time prevent you from giving a damn about anything other than a few eye candy moments. A movie about the movie making business should certianly be able to survive characters breaking out into song.

Pinched Orange Macaroons, Four Seasons Recipe

"This recipe, one of Martha's favorites, is courtesy of Patrick Lemble, executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons restaurant, in New York City." MSL, December 2009

My take: Not too many ingredients in this delightful treat which is always nice when creating a tasty, nicely textured cookie. Recipe calls for one pound of almond paste. Tubes and cans were not sold in a way to neatly accommodate this measurement. I had to buy three tubes of 7 ounce size Odense Almond Paste and put remaining 5 ounces in a sealed bag in the freezer. I did not wish to do the math to reduce the other ingredients to balance only 14 ounces of Almond paste. The recipe makes a big batch but the Almond Paste alone ($4.99 a tube x three) makes cookie an expensive luxury. I guess it makes sense they serve these at the Four Seasons New York.

Difference between marzipan and almond paste.

Tips: pay close attention to thickness and baking time. Texture - the right chewiness - is very important for the macaroons. Slightly chewy but not tough and binding to gum consistency in the mouth should be the goal of the finished product. Dough is sticky so dust rolling surface with powdered sugar. A dough cutter works better than a nice when dividing into individual cookies.

Christmas Crafts MSL Snowman Treat Boxes

Above: A candle light close-up shows detail of two spun cotton birds alight on the brim and top of the snowman's custom made hat.
Here is a less attractive view as the white glass glitter is washed out by the camera flash.

The Snowman Treat Boxes were featured in the Martha Stewart Living December 2009 issue. I had no time to make them before Christmas so I spent a couple of afternoons making them after the holiday was over. This practice works best for me because a project like this requiring multiple steps and attention to detail would be rushed and the end results would be less stellar.

Some tips from my experience.

1.Take your time making the hats because you will be amazed by the end results. Make the smile a bit one sided for more personality.
2. Paint three coast of white paint over the round boxes used as the base.

3. Do not use white wool felt for the gloves since the color does not pop against the white glittered body.

4. Make at least a couple if you are going through the trouble of all the steps to make one.

5. The final step in assembling all the parts is the most fun.

6.Use good quality supplies like wool felt and glass glitter and your will be enjoying these for many years.

PS: They are too cute to give away. But if you must...only give away to someone who will appreciate all of your efforts .

Not a Creature - cat or dog - was Stirring

Sadie was the last to settle in as Spencer was already curled up like a little spotted snake. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Angels

Last night on Christmas Eve, Sadie and Spencer both curled up into a conjoining fur ball. Said was on look-out of course since there is always a chance one may drop a colorful or tasty holiday snack on the rug.

Glittered Bird Tree Top

The tree themed in golden ornaments is topped with a collection of glittered birds. They surround a nest of eggs. One is is covered in gold glass glitter - the golden egg. Velvety faux oak leaves and acorns encircle the nest.

Holiday Bulb Forcing Update

The paperwhites are racing ahead as we close in on Christmas day. The amaryllis bulbs are proceeding much slower than previous years. I planted them all on November 22, 2009.The terracotta - the nursery believes - isabsorbing too much moisture from the dirt and suggested increased watering. The red flowers could just be holding out for a patriotic holiday like President's Day in February. See progress so far.

Dachshund Glass Martha Stewart Ornament

The ornament collection by Martha Stewart available at Macy's is now in its third year. The collection has decreased in scale and size with each subsequent year. Many factors - most notably the crash and burn economy that hit months before last Xmas - have come in to play. Very few Macy's carried them in the North Atlantic region. This was also the first year that none of the collection was available through online purchase. One of the two tree's was themed in Santa and items from his toy bag. For obvious reasons, I was fond of the glass toy dachshund on wheels ornament with a springy tail. The design is a nice mixture of novelty and realism. The other themed tree from here collection I found in New England featured white, wintry woodland creatures and elements.

A Christmas Favorite: "Christmas in Connecticut"

I catch at least a glimpse of this Stanwyck gem around this time each year. After seeing Remember the Night for the first time, I now know this is not her only holiday classic. Stanwyck plays a Martha Stewart type living in New York writing for a ladies magazine all about domestic bliss. The catch is that she knows nothing about cooking, cleaning or marriage. Comedy ensues when she fakes her expertise for her boss and a homesick soldier on her borrowed farm.

Cranberry Mold: A Success Story / Blooms in Waiting

I blogged about the purchase of this mold back in November. I followed the instructions for un-molding and it jiggled out to freedom on the dinner table.

A selection of bulbs prepare to awake from a dormant slumber. The collection populates a rectangular drip tray to protect the wood top of the buffet.

The week before Thanksgiving I potted a selection of paper whites and amaryllis bulbs to - hopefully - bloom in time for the holidays. I will update their progress. I have had success with bulb forcing in the past. They do grow faster when you plant in a decorative glass vessel resting on a collection of stones or river pebbles. Water level should be just to the bottom to allow roots to sprout and not begin the process of rot. This year I planted most of them in a mixture of peat/potting soil and finished the pots with mood moss. Amaryllis bulbs can last 40 years with proper care and patience. The Guy Wolf pottery mossed over nicely this summer outside. The large center pot looks like it was procured from an old English garden.

Front Door Wreath 2009 / "Radio Days" 1987

A close up view of the this year's front door Christmas wreath, featuring a ring of pine cones and a simple ribbon. I purchased both the wreath and the spool of ribbon from Mahoney's. The bear door knocker is nicely framed by the round form.

Radio Days 1987



The Woody Allen brand does not always entice me to watch but Radio Days was worth the time investment. I also tend to enjoy the ones better that (a.) he is not in and only performs behind the camera (b.) he is not dating women several generations his junior ( in this case his absence solved (b.)). The era and tone go well with the warm nostalgia feelings the holidays raise from the ashes of cynicism. On that note, I will allow today's blog to conclude since I can offer nothing else as profound or moving. Susan may believe in Santa Clause but I don't necessarily believe in my ramblings. I think I may be a tad full of myself today.

Recently Watched on TCM

A Family Affair, the first (and the best) movie in the Andy Hardy series. It is easy to forget that Lionel Barrymore was an excellent "good guy" too and not just mean Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life.



I put Random Harvest up there with Now Voyager which also has an implausible story that sweeps you away. This is Hollywood sentiment at its best.



TCM teamed up with Universal to dig Remember the Night, a mostly forgotten 1940 release from the vault. A nice Christmas movie written by Preston Sturges. Farmhand (Sterling Holloway)singing in this clip would latter be the Disney voice of Winnie the Pooh. TCM's Robert Osborne on Night, "Bless the moviemakers of that era, they weren't afraid to be sentimental on occasion."

What a hoot! Owl checks out Faneuil Hall - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

James Egan of Egan Acres Tree Farm took this picture of the feathered visitor. Egan recently worked on the big Christmas tree at the marketplace for nearly an hour before realizing he had company, perched just five feet away. (Boston Globe, November 19, 2009)

What a hoot! Owl checks out Faneuil Hall - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

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