Happy Hour Friday :: Champ-a-rita + Rosanna Sale!

A sparkling glass of margarita infused champagne feels like just the thing for this dreary rainy day.  And it will be the perfect way to celebrate all of your amazing finds from the Rosanna warehouse sale tomorrow from 9am-6pm!  Click here for more info.  

Champ-a-Rita
1/2 ounce tequila
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
splash of cointreau
4 ounces champagne
lemon
sugar

Run the juicy part of the lemon around the rim of a champagne glass and dip in sugar.  Pour tequila and lemon juice in the bottom of the glass and top with champagne.  Finish with a dash of cointreau.




* My turquoise glass is a Rosanna find!  What will you find?

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