Dec 14 2012

13 Ways to Fill Mason Jars For Christmas

  1. Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
  2. Hot Chocolate
  3. Soaps
  4. Bead Kit
  5. Potpourri
  6. Nuts
  7. Almond Bark
  8. Bite Size Cookies
  9. Molded Chocolates and Truffles
  10. Candy
  11. Snack Mix
  12. Bath Beads
  13. Baking Mixes

Top It Off. Attractive toppers complete individual mason jar gifts. A simple circle of a nice fabric in a plaid or holiday theme is really all you need. Place the upside down jar onto the fabric and trace your circle two to three inches larger all around to allow for overlapping the neck of the jar and a little hanging beneath the band for decoration. For a puffy top, put a small handful of cotton batting on top of the metal lid and under the fabric round. Add any ribbon or lace to suit.

Source 

Dec 12 2012

Guide Dogs’ Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and the kennels were still,
With most dogs now asleep having eaten their fill.
The Labradors sprawled out, quite snug in their beds,
While visions of ANYTHING edible danced in their heads.

The Goldens and Shepherds curled up on the floor,
Some twitched in their sleep and some even did snore.
The dog food was stacked in the feed room with care,
In hopes that a trainer soon would be there.

On the window ledge, one of the kennel cats lay,
Surveying the lawn at the end of this day.
Something was different, that little cat knew.
Tonight something would happen, it had to be true.

Read more: Guide Dogs’ Night Before Christmas.

Nov 28 2012

Christmas Coal


1/4 cup butter
10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows
1/8 tsp. black icing color**
4 cups rice cereal

In a large pot melt butter and add marshmallows. Stir until melted, add black color and mix in well. Add rice cereal and stir until blended. Drop by small spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Be sure they are in odd shapes. Cool. Place 3 in a small cellophane bag and tie with ribbon. **Be sure you are using Wilton’s Black Icing Color (not black icing/gel in the tube)- click the link above to see that it is the gel form in a tiny canister. It may also say concentrated paste. This can be found in the cake decorating section of Michael’s.

Include a tag saying…

“I heard you have been naughty not nice,
And Santa even checked his list twice.
So all the way from the cold North Pole
all you’re getting is a bag of coal.”