It’s November, and I’ve told myself that this year the holidays are going to be a little different. Instead of the rush, rush, rush, I’m hoping to really live in the present this holiday season and remember to be grateful for what I have. I’ve cleared out my schedule of any “hard” deadlines and while I certainly will be working, I hope to work at a more relaxed pace.
So maybe it’s a change in attitude about the holidays?
Either way, I have been thinking alot about being grateful and generously giving. And as always, my thoughts have turned to this blog and how I can share with you—make your life a little more pleasant or a little more beautiful.
…and that’s when I decided that I wanted to spend the next couple of months sharing with you more craft ideas and more “stuff” on this blog.
So there you have it—it’s officially the season of “giving” here on my blog. And to kick it off, I have 6 fat quarter packs of Baby Safari that I am giving away! Four packs (there are 6 fabrics in a pack) will be given away to comments on this blog post and two packs will be given away on the Facebook thread that links this post. Tell me what you are doing this holiday season. Maybe it’s a tradition or something new. Maybe it’s a scrumptious holiday recipe or the time you plan on cuddling with grandbabies. Whatever it is, share it! Winners will be announced on Sunday evening on both the blog and facebook page.
More fat quarter packs to come, announcements of new sewing patterns, more holiday craft tutorials, and lots of eye candy!
Hoping you also find a lot of joy this holiday season! -Carina
I have been doing homemade gifts for at least the past 10 years, and this year is no exception. I have been working on some all year and needing to start others soon. This year’s booty includes quilts, purses, hair clips and stuffed toys. I tend to go a little overboard when it comes to the holidays. Another tradition of mine is making caramel. I can’t stop making it and usually have a big basket of it for all my co-workers. I’m starting to feel crunch time coming on, but am really trying to pace myself as well. I don’t want to feel rushed for the holidays either. They are busy enough as it is!
What a fun giveaway!
I’m thrilled out of my mind to go visit my sister and her family. I’m gonna spend lots of time cuddling her 6 kiddos! I can’t wait to watch my boys reconnect with their cousins!
I’m hosting my family at my home and hopefully we’ll have snow and frozen ponds for lots of snowman building, skating and snowmobiling!
Will be spending Thanksgiving with friends in DC this year – there will be lots and lots of kids – great fun! ANd of course Christmas with the family in Illinois ; )
OOO what a GREAT giveaway, Carina! We are staying home as as family for the very first time and I am so excited – lots of family, eating and cuddling! Thank you!
As mentioned on FB…my family goes to Disneyland for the holidays. There’s nothing like Christmas or New Years in the park. It really livens up our holiday break. Plus I will be sewing, sewing, sewing like crazy. I’m designing and making costumes for my daughter’s musical theater company and they are putting on a full version musical of The Lion King just like the Broadway version.
Our holiday season starts with a 900 mile drive with my husband, daughter, sister-in-law and nephew where the cousins play for two days in the car and then we celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my nephew’s birthday with my husband’s family over Thanksgiving weekend. Lots of celebration packed into a short time!
This is THE BEST pumpkin pie I’ve ever tasted. It’s the one my family requests to have for Thanksgiving from now on. Happy Baking 🙂
Pumpkin Praline Pie
Ingredients
• Crust
• Either store-bought refrigerated crust or Homemade
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup and 1 tbsp shortening or 1/3 cup and 1 tbsp lard
• 2 to 2 1/2 tbsp ice water (add the extra 1/2 tbsp if it is too dry)
• Praline Layer
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• Pumpkin Filling
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground mace
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• Optional Caramelized Pecans
• 16 nice pecan halves
• 3 tbsp white granulated sugar
• Cooking Directions
Crust
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F. and use a 9-inch deep dish-glass pie plate. (**If using a metal pie pan, increase temperature to 400 degrees.)
With pastry blender, cut shortening into dry ingredients until mixture resembles crumbs. (It will look like cornmeal. Add ice water (it must be very cold) one tablespoon at a time, tossing lightly. Dough should be just moist enough to hold together in a ball. Make sure it is not sticky. Form into ball and refrigerate until ready to use.
Place dough on lightly floured surface and flatten slightly. Roll into 10-inch circle, rolling from the center out. Lay the crust gently into 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate. Press into pan and crimp edges decoratively.
Praline Layer and Filling
In food processor, add pecan pieces, dark brown sugar, and butter. Process until ingredients hold together like a paste, making sure the pecans are a fine “meal.” Press very firmly into bottom only of the pie crust so it will not float up during baking.
In mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy with hand-mixer or standing mixer. Then with mixer on low, or stirring by hand, add in order the rest of the ingredients. Beat only until well mixed. Pour slowly into praline lined crust.
Bake in oven checking after 45 minutes. Cover edges of crust to prevent oven browning. Pie is done when filling is set but still slightly jiggly in center. Depending on oven 45-55 minutes total. Remove from oven and let cool on counter until room temperature. Chill in refrigerator.
Garnish with whipped cream and caramelized pecans, if desired. Cut pie into eight servings and garnish each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and 2 caramelized pecan halves.
Optional:
In a non-stick skillet, add pecan halves and sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until sugar melts and begins to caramelize.
When pecans are nicely coated, remove from heat and cool.
Gorgeous fabric! I’m planning on relaxing and enjoying every moment of the holidays 🙂
Lovely thoughts about giving and slowing down to enjoy the holiday season. I’m also finding ways to give and looking forward to a slower pace in later November and December. I’m working on a journaling project as my holiday gift for myself and deciding where I should volunteer to share my time.
Staying at home and celebrating with family, dogs, and friends.
Going to my husband’s graduation!
I will be having our traditional family dinner with all our family, at least 30 people, so plenty of food and great desserts! Love to be surrounded by family, it the best!
The holidays are sneaking up on me again this year! I plan to relax and enjoy doing things with my family!
As a Fabricaholic, I would welcome a chance to add this to my stash and dream of fun things to make! Looking forward to being with family, upholding family traditions and delicious food! A little snow wouldn’t hurt!
New traditions to be created for our family here in NZ 🙂
We bought a house ~ YIKES! I’m guessing since our escrow closes on Dec 1st we are going to be unpacking boxes! We are especially blessed and thankful to have our children home from Afghanistan and they will be with us, too! It’s going to be the best ever!
Wow! Where is November going… it’s half way gone! I am so not prepared this year, but I am sure I will find the beauty in the chaos.
I’m making lots of paper crafts and baking quite a bit too! We will be visiting family in TX so that will be super exciting!
This holiday we are trying to have a homemade Christmas. One of my daughters is helping me make quilts for almost everyone . . . a big project. It is hard to find things to make for men so we are really thinking hard on that one. We have a new baby in the family so I thought your fabrics would be fun to do something with. Have a great holiday and thank you for sharing your creativity with us and all your fun ideas and art work.
I’m crossing a major item off my bucket list . . . my husband and I are heading to NYC for Christmas. His family is in MA, so after spending time there we will spend one week in NYC to celebrate our 20th anniversary and experience the Christmas season in the Big Apple. I can hardly wait.
We are staying at home this year. Thanks for the chance.
I am so excited because my sister her husband, her son and his wife and 2 girls are coming here this Thanksgiving. We are going out to eat, but the greatest news, my sister will be looking at real estate here. For health reasons she is planning to move to South Florida this winter.
Thank you for the opportunity to win!
My plan is to slow down this holiday season and enjoy every moment! We have lots of family traditions this time of year, polar express train ride, advent calandars, a trip to the snow and making homemade raviolis for Christmas dinner!!!
I have a new grandson, I could make such cute things with this fabric!!!!
What adorable fabric! This holiday season, we will be celebrating two birthdays (son and daughter) and our 22nd wedding anniversary–December is sooo busy around here! One of the things the whole family looks forward to is the Christmas Eve party we host for extended family at our home. We eat, play games and the kids act out the Christmas story. The highlight of the night is when we sing “The Holy City,” a hymn about Jerusalem that was a favorite of my great-great grandfather’s. He spent his boyhood there and always treasured living in the part of the world where the Christmas story took place.
A few years ago we started a new family tradition in the spirit of giving and the holidays that each one of us would do at least 1 good deed and then speak about it during Christmas Dinner…so Im looking forward to the holiday meal and hearing what each has done out of the kindness of their hearts for someone they know or a complete stranger. Turns out my family is very kind, even to strangers 🙂 I would luv to win these fabrics, Thanks for the chance!
The Kurt Bestor concert is always a tradition around here. Hoping to spend the holiday’s surrounded by my family.
Oh good for you, sounds like you are in the right place this holiday season! We are in a new home this year and I’m hoping to start a few new traditions (like Elf on the Shelf) with my 3 yr old. Other than than, just trying to make it through the holidays being very pregnant! 🙂
I am just spending time with my family and hopefully will be doing some crafts with my 4 kids.
We celebrate Thanksgiving at our house every year, then we take in a movie! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Oh how fun….right now I am (and will be for another 2 months) in the throws of puppyhood…have a litter of pups and a couple more coming…so that will be fun for the holidays for the grandkids to play with
My daughter and I are making ornaments for friends, family, and coworkers. I will also get to see my great grandson for the first time soon!
I am anticipating my twin girls coming home from college. Then we will decorate the house for Christmas. It is always fun! Thanks.
Holidays are awesome – and hectic! So – I use my crockpot for everything – even dessert! Nothing says holidays like a huge family meal – hope this recipe helps you out a bit during this fun and fabulous time – enjoy!
Crock Pot Apple Crisp
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3-qt.
4 cups cooking apples, peeled and sliced (save even more time – use canned apples or apple pie filling)
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup quick-cooking oats
3½-oz. pkg. cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding mix (or vanilla)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ cup cold butter
1. Place apples in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over apples.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.
4. Serve with ice cream.
Variations:
For a less-sweet dish, use only ¼ cup brown sugar.
Thank you for the opportunity to win fun fabrics! I love them!
Being an Air Force wife, who has lived far away, I have not had a Christmas with family in 14 years. This year my Mom and Nana are coming to stay with me for Christmas and I am so looking forward to it! This is the most special holiday for me in YEARS! 🙂
I feel like I haven’t registered in my brain that the holidays are fast approaching. I want to simplify this year and just live in the moment. Take photos of everything and not be rushed. Journal and enjoy the days. Simplify.
I’m looking forward to creating holiday traditions to enjoy with my little family…
This year I will have Thanksgiving with my new husband’s family on both Thursday and Friday.
Wow. I just love these fabrics!
This year my extended family and I decided that we should give more to others. So for the last two years we have picked a charity and donate some time for those that are less fortunate or just need some support. This year we will be contacting the USO and offering our help with stocking for soldiers. I heard about the organization and was excited to hear that they take donations and need volunteers. My family and I are so thankful for those that protect our freedom and wish them all a safe and happy holiday!
What a fun giveaway! This year we’ll be spending Christmas at home and hosting dinner at our place! And now that my daughter is older we’ll be doing more crafts and activities too!
Our family gets together on Christmas Eve to celebrate! We have chili and oyster stew and lots of goodies to share. My kids come home with their families and our best friends from down the street round out our celebration! I love Christmas!
We are staying home for the holidays this year and are fortunate to live near family and have other family coming to visit. I have plans to sew some things for my kids, but this year I’m trying to be more on top of stuff right now and to not feel so worried about what I’m not getting done that I miss the fun.
We are spending Thanksgiving with my parents and nephew. I will be making double pumpkin cheesecake (the recipe is on allrecipes.com). Christmas will be spent in San Diego with my in laws. I would be really excited to win a fabric pack that I could play with during the holidays.
We’re spending a quiet Xmas at home with my DH and Mama, then joining my in-laws ginormous clan for new year in another province, but bringing my mom along. I love making handmade gifts (2 years ago, personalized xmas stockings stuffed with goodies), this year, crocheted hats and beanies. Your fabrics are always so gorgeous, thanks for the chance to play with them. 🙂
My grandbabies will be here for Christmas – can’t wait – so much fun! Always love having them and having them for Christmas is a wonderful time. Lots of traditions but the most important is reading the Christmas story so we never forget what this season is about. A Savior was born – Blessings to you during this holiday season.
I’m going to have all the rushing around done before the kids get here, so I can enjoy every minute of their company. I’m personalizing some handmade gifts and touches that I hope will tell them “you’re worth my time and energy” and “I love you”. It’s just isn’t going to be about stuff this year.
Traditions are huge in my family, but Dan and I are starting our own and incorporating his mission by getting dutch shoes and giving each other something during a december night. It can be love notes, tickets, or simply a small gift of love. IT can even be handmade! How cool would that be??? I love starting new traditions and i hope that we can incorporate this with a little one soon.
Oh Carina, i would love to create something wonderful for my new grand baby due in March with the Baby Safari fabric. I plan to create homemade items for several family and friends. I love the reactions when they open gifts that I have made for them.
We have moved to North Carolina this past year and will be starting new traditions. I intend to make it more of what the season is all about – finally – giving from the heart to the heart. I would love to use the fabric to create something for a mom who is really in need of a piece of “love and beauty” – not that I am that great at sewing but I do love to. Love your creativity and your gift of giving.