As seen on TV :: Vintage Christmas Party

Tune into Q13 Fox News this morning at 8:15 for all of my ideas - live and in person!

When I found a vintage entertaining book by Better Homes and Gardens at a thrift store for $2 I knew it must be mine.  When I realized I could throw the coolest holiday party on the block using said book, I was smitten.  Now you can throw the same fab-tastic party.  Cheers to the holiday season!

Noel Fruit Bars  ::  Cheese Fondue   ::   Create a Christmas Corsage   ::   Champagne Cocktail

Craft it :: Tinsel Wreath

Easiest wreath craft of all time.

You'll need
1 twenty inch wreath form
3 tinsel garland lengths

Step 1 :: Wrap the tinsel garland around the wreath form.
Step 2 :: Hang it up.

What you can't see :: 425 Magazine Vintage Christmas

It's always way less glamourous behind the scenes than in front of the camera.  If you're at a party that is doubling as a shoot - first, sorry - but it's usually not too intrusive except that you can't touch the food until Jeff has been there and you may be asked to take the same bite of food several times until we get it right.  Luckily, my friends are super patient and usually get a kick out of the process.  And we all adore Jeff.

Our little Christmas house

Christmas at our house has been an adventure for the last four years.  The first year I hung only cookies on the tree since Lars was almost one year.  The dog ate all of them.  The next two years I hung an edited number of ornaments on the tree depending on what I could find, what "theme" we were going with, etc.  Last year we tried candy canes and the two oldest children ate them all. Literally, they drug chairs over to the tree to get the ones that were up high.

This year we have a child who loves to throw balls.  All balls.  All ball shaped items.  Glass ball shaped ornaments seemed like a bad idea.

Thank goodness Ikea had plastic ball ornaments that look decent and I dug out an old strand of flamingo lights to add a little more color.  One day I will get to have an over the top tree with every ornament I've ever owned.  And I'll be a little sad that the children are growing up.

From a Vintage Christmas :: Noel Fruit Bars

These entirely vintage bars are cake-y and light.  Studded with candied cherries and citron, they taste a little elegant and a lot delicious.  Smear the top with frosting for a decadent (and delicious) treat!

Noel Fruit Bars

2 eggs

1 cup sifted confectioners sugar

¼ cup melted butter

½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup candied cherries, chopped + ½ cup unchopped

½ cup candied citron, chopped

1 cup dates, chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Blend together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl – set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla.  Slowly add flour to stand mixer, mixing until just combined.  With a wooden spoon, mix in fruits and nuts.  Spread batter into a greased 9x9 pan and bake 30-35 minutes.  Remove from pan and cut while still warm. 

Let cool before dotting the top of each bar with frosting and a half of a candied cherry.

Frosting

½ cup softened butter

3 cups confectioners sugar

Whip together butter and one cup of sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer.  Continue adding sugar until frosting becomes light and fluffy.

Inspired by Better Homes and Garden’s Entertaining at Home 1969

Extra Photos :: 425 Magazine Vintage Christmas Party

This month's issue of 425 Magazine features a vintage inspired Christmas party that I hosted last year around our plastic white tree inspired by a vintage copy of Better Homes and Garden's Guide to Entertaining.

You know I love to have a theme.  Shake a martini, melt some fondue, and don a fabulous jumper - it's Christmastime!

For the entire article, pick up a copy of 425 Magazine in Western Washington.  Or subscribe online, after all, I'm in every issue so you know it's good.

photos by Jeff Hobson 

Cook it :: Eggnog Ice Cream

Do you still have Eggnog in the fridge?  Are you looking to get rid of it?  Or are you still craving a little bit of the holidays and want something lovely and decadent to ring in 2012?  I made this just before Christmas and we took it to my in-laws for Christmas Eve dessert - it's really good.  And I'm not just saying that.  Really good.  If you're out of eggnog, go grab some before it's out of stores and make up a batch.

Eggnog Ice Cream
makes 2 pints


2 cups eggnog
1 1/2 cups cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon flake salt

In a small bowl whisk together egg yolks and salt and set aside.  In a 3 quart saucepan, combine eggnog, cream, sugar, nutmeg, and corn syrup.  Bring to a low boil and boil four minutes.  When milk mixture has boiled, scoop out 1/4 cup and whisk quickly into egg mixture.  Repeat with two more scoops of milk mixture until everything is hot.  Pour all remaining milk mixture into eggs and combine.

Place plastic wrap directly on top of the milk mixture and let cool.  Refrigerate at least one hour.  Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions (should take about 25 minutes).

Serve immediately or freeze and keep up to two weeks.

Christmas Greetings

From our family to yours - Merry Christmas.

Christmas Wrapping & Welcome New Day Viewers!

I keep typing jokes about rapping vs. wrapping.  Can you tell I'm tired?  I'm ready for a little break from my Christmas break.  But before that - I need to finish getting the gifts wrapped!  You too?  Here are my ideas for making your presents a little more fun.

:: Fun Tags ::
- Hot glue a vintage light bulb to the top of the package and write the name on using permanent marker
- Forget traditional ribbon and use string!  Bakers string is cheap and can be bought in bulk.  Plus it has loads of other uses
- Stamp the receivers initials on kraft paper and skip the tag all together

Here's how to make these polymer tags.  

:: Tips ::

1. Buy good wrapping paper.  Buy a simple color in bulk and use it year 'round

2. Buy good ribbon.  Cheap ribbon makes terrible bows.  Save and iron to use again the next year - or two years later. 

3. Think outside of the box on colors - you don't have to use red and green.  Pick a favorite color or something that matches your house and have fun!

4. Make your tags interesting and reusable.  I put the year on mine and they become ornaments for the next year.

Craft it :: Everlasting Gift Tags

These are crazy simple - and look really cool - and can turn into ornaments for next year.

You'll need

Polymer clay

Pasta machine or rolling pin

Cookie cutters

Skewer

Oven

Step 1 :: Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Step 2 :: Roll out polymer clay to 1/4"

Step 3 :: Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and punch a hole into the top of the shape using the flat end of a skewer

Step 4 :: Bake according to package directions - generally 10-15 minutes - and let cool completely.

OPTIONAL :: Scratch the name or initials of the recipient in the tag before baking.  

Craft it :: Glitter Santa

I showed you my house all decorated for Christmas - and you had the nicest things to say!  Thank you!  A lot of the decorations are things I've had for ages, or were passed down from grandparents collections.  But some of my 'vintage' things can be made at home.  The glittery santa is the simplest.

The best part about this project is that it reuses something that may otherwise be trash.  I found the 'base' for my glittery man at Value Village - but I've seen equally repelling statues at thrift stores, yard sales, and grandparents houses.  I'm sure you can find one too.  The key is to find one with lots of detail and a really distinct shape.  Anything sort of mod and stylized won't work very well.

:: You'll need :: 
1 seasonal figurine
Spray adhesive
Fine glass glitter
Matte Finish Spray

Step 1 :: Lay out two separate stations of newspaper.  Be sure the top layer can be easily lifted.
Step 2 :: Go outside and spray glue to completely cover the figurine.  Spray over grass or another substance that won't stay sticky too long
Step 3 :: Over one newspaper station, pour glitter over figurine.
Step 4 :: Place figurine on second newspaper station and pour glitter from the station 1 newspaper over figurine.
Step 5 :: Repeat pouring glitter back and forth until figure is covered completely.
Step 6 :: Spray with matte finish to set the glitter.

The Hedin House at Christmas

Christmas this year feels a little scattered.  A lot of that has to do with the fact that our Christmas decorations and other bits are stored in a variety of locations depending on when they were moved out of the house.  Some have never even been in the new house.  They didn't make it out of storage before we began the remodel.

And so, this year, there are things that are missing.  Our traditional advent calendar is in a box.  As are our stockings.  And our Christmas books.  But we've (read :: I've) made the house festive despite the missing items and I dare say it looks fabulous.

For reasons I'm not questioning, Mr. Hedin thought a white tree was as good of an idea as I did.  That rarely happens.  It may have had something to do with my non-stop chatter about how divine a white or flocked tree would be and he gave in.  What ever the case, I love it.

It's the first year my pink flamingo looks good on the tree.  It usually looks large and awkward and I always hope for a gaping hole in the tree so it can have a home.  I also decorated with glittered pinecones.  They were a score from last year - from Walmart of all places!  My mom and I found ourselves there on Whidbey Island and the Christmas decorations were all 80% off.  I stocked up.

I have only wrapped a small number of packages, but what I have wrapped is in bright colors.  Who says Christmas has to be drab?  Certainly not me.  (See here for further proof)

Yes, those are Tiffany boxes.  If you haven't checked out the selection of Tiffany glassware and crystal you are missing out on an affordable luxury that is a FAB gift.  No one knows just how reasonable some things are - especially when they are cloaked in a pale blue box.

The bar.  And I scored a set of gold rimmed champagne coupes last week that I adore.  They are featured in an upcoming 425 Magazine shoot - I can't wait to see the photos!

Merry Christmas!  Next year I hope to have everything present and accounted for!

Christmas Dinner Party

Last night we had some good friends over for dinner.  Because they work and we all have young kids, we don't see each other half enough.  This time of year is when it seems to become really apparent.  So we had them over for a casual night of catching up.

Calling it a 'dinner party' is probably stretching it a little, because it couldn't have been simpler.  And that's how I think entertaining should be.  If it's hard, we don't do it.  Having people over for dinner and drinks is so much fun, you should do it.

Here's what I did - and it's so easy you can call a friend and do it tonight!

Aged Gouda with Water Crackers and sliced Pears

Chicken Pot Pie

Arugula Salad

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Beer Ice Cream

Red Wine

It doesn't get easier.  The cheese is an awesome cheese from Metropolitan Market that I'm a little obsessed with right now + pears are so good.  Since we all have kids, they devoured the pears and crackers.  The Chicken Pot Pie recipe is here.  Arugula Salad is arugula (obviously) + tomatoes + olive oil + lemon juice.  Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe is here - make the dough ahead, scoop it and freeze it.  Pull out and defrost 10 minutes before cooking 10 minutes.  The Beer Ice Cream was a little bit of a joke - but turned out pretty good.  I'm trying it again with a stronger beer.

Host your friends tonight - if it's easy and fun, you'll do it more often.  And the point isn't to impress your friends with how fancy of food you can make, but to actually hang out with your friends.

Behind the Scenes :: 425 Magazine Christmas

Do you get 425 Magazine?  You really should.  Even if you don't live in 425 because it's totally relevant still.  You can subscribe here.

The issue that just came out this week is the November/ December issue that contains my Swedish Family Christmas Breakfast!  This could be my all time favorite article (I say that a few times a year).  My children look adorable (if I say so myself), we used the old church cookbook for the pancake recipe - the same recipe Mr. Hedin's family has used for years, and we were at the home of an old friend which had amazing light and an amazing view!

Since the magazine only uses a handful of the images I thought I'd share a few more of my favorites with you.  And I'll be sharing the crafts and recipe that weren't included in the magazine - space is tight!

Christmas?

This morning I'm writing my Christmas article for 425 Magazine.  I can't wait for you to see it - it's adorable!

Our Christmas Card -ish

I missed the bubble on Christmas Cards this year.  When I finally had a moment to think about what I wanted to do, it was the 27th.  That's after Christmas.  Whoops.  So instead, we did New Year's cards - I found the coolest cards ever so I will be excused by their tardiness.  They were on minted.com and I loved them the moment I saw them.  I changed the words, a lot, but they still retained their coolness.  I think anyway.