Must. stop. eating. shortbread. But seriously.

 
It’s not even December 15th, and I’m already feeling a bit of Christmas torpidity. All because I’ve been trying to get a handle on the Christmas baking by doing it early, with the result that there’s just way too much sugary stuff sitting around. And you know what leads to. My new plan is to prepare cookie dough ahead of time and make small batches when friends are coming over.

This is easier to do if you have a counter-top oven (like the Breville SmartOven shown above). Another great use for it —  quickly toasting flour that you use to make holiday cookies – you will not believe how much flavour this adds. It’s a no-brainer - spread the flour on a sheet and put in the oven at 300°F for about 20 minutes. Stir it lightly every five minutes or so. I have been doing this for about 20 years, ever since I tasted shortbread made this way from Phipps Bakery.  So, so good.

To combat the rising torpidity (see above) I also whipped up some sensible, yet yummy, soups. One recipe came from a new cookbook by Martin Kouprie, chef at Pangaea. The book, called Pangaea. Why it tastes so good is a glorious testament to Kouprie’s commitment to local and sustainable cuisine. At its launch a few weeks ago, I heard a few murmurs that some of the recipes might be too challenging for the home cook. I guess I agree – because I am probably not going to make the oxtail truffle ravioli. But it did inspire me to get some oxtails and experiment with them. And there’s lots an average home chef can make. For example, while ignoring a deadline the other day, conducting strenuous and exhaustive research, I made the parsnip and lemon soup. (I used my Breville Juice Fountain Plus instead of a blender, so that counts as research,no?).

Because I was on a soup roll, I also pulled out the Hamilton Beach electric skillet I’ve been testing and made onion soup. So simple! I caramelized the onions in the skillet in olive oil, then added some fresh thyme and broth (of course it was home-made) and let it simmer. Then I toasted pieces of rustic bread, rubbed them with roasted garlic and melted some Emmental on top before popping them into bowl with the soup. I hope Martin would approve! (Maybe I can ask him if my husband takes me there later this month for our 20th anniversary. HINT HINT)

Already sick of grey skies? Bury your head in a (beautiful) pillow.

 
 

There are few ways to lend polish to the look of a space more quickly than by adding well-designed, highly-detailed cushions. They bring texture, colour and a touch of luxe. At no time of year is that more important than right now, when cloudy skies and a missing-in-action sun cast a long and lonely grey shadow over our spaces. If you need a pillow intervention, check out The Voice of Style. There, you'll see gorgeous pillows (see pics above), made from beautiful fabrics and trims. Each one-of-kind pillow is designed by colour guru Jane Hall and meticulously sewn by her nimble-fingered assistant Valerie. As a special Christmas gift to Voice of Style customers, pillows are now being offered — for a limited time — on sale. Prices for pillows with feather inserts range between $100 and $175. Buy two, and you get 10 per cent off; three and you get 15 per cent off. Or go crazy and get four, and get a whopping 20 per cent off.  Just for good measure, those buying five (they look best in odd numbers, anyway), get 25 per cent off.

Outdoor holiday decor - do it quickly!

 

 

 
 
Now that the white stuff is blanketing lawns everywhere, folks are getting in the mood to do holiday decorating. Here are two small items that will be a big help while you’re decking the halls.  Chez moi, Stanley’s hardware and household accessory kit is Mother’s Little Hanging Helper. Inside the handy carrying case, you’ll find nails, thumbtacks, pushpins, anchors, screws, picture wire, picture hooks, hangers, cup hooks and sawtooth hangers. It sells for about $12 at Wal-Mart. (Good for stocking stuffers, too!)

If outdoor decoration is on your list, it’s no use cursing yourself for not doing it in mid-November when it was 12°C and sunny. Regret is futile. Just get out there and do it. If you want to help secure lights or wreaths quickly (before your fingers fall off from cold), try Scotch Tough Outdoor tape, which can hold to a variety of surfaces, including stucco. This one is also good for rough outdoor jobs, such as hanging or securing plastic sheeting or tarps. Also great for quick fixes — I used the transparent tape to fix a rip in a window screen at the cottage this summer. When I checked last week, it was still holding, despite cold, rain and snow! (Yeah, yeah, I know, I should take the screens off, but hey, I’ve been BUSY!)

To avoid hassle next year, think about investing in a LiteLocker. This is a low-profile container made from the same UV-resistant  vinyl plastic found on doors, windows or siding. It runs along your eaves, and hides the lights until holiday season, when it flips open to display them. You open it from the ground, so there’s no need to even get out a ladder. Retail price averages about $4 per linear foot — depending on the installation. Right now, it just comes in white, but it can be painted to match your home’s trim. Clever, no?

Need to keep kids busy? Get crafty.

Moms and Dads everywhere are beginning to have visions of wonderful holiday down-time with the kids. What they don’t look forward to is hearing that plaintive whine, “I’m bored”, and trying to dream up something fun that doesn’t involve spending money or turning on the TV.

When that happens (and that's when, not if) Wendy Russell of HGTV's She's Crafty, has some ideas that will help. Russell has teamed with Bounty paper towels to create some easy-to-execute crafts that require simple materials you’ll have around the home.

“Making crafts are a great way to inspire and encourage creativity and over the holidays it's a super fun, easy activity the entire family can enjoy doing together,” says Russell.

 Look below for instructions for a fun craft, or look for others at the Bounty Towels site.

What you need:

Paper towels

Potatoes

A roll of butcher paper

Cardstock for the place cards

Crayons and markers

Acrylic paint

A bowl of water

Small cookie cutters in various holiday shapes

Scissors

What you do:

Cut the potato in half with a sharp knife. Press a small cookie-cutter shape into each half of the potato. Cut away the area around the shape so the potato is now a stamp.

Pour paints into containers. Dip the potato stamp into one colour of paint and press the stamp down firmly on the butcher paper. (You can use it for a table runner or wrapping paper, or make Christmas cards with blank card stock. Or try out the instruction for table place cards below.)

Clean potato stamps with water and dry them with paper towel before switching to a new colour.

For the place cards, trim white cardstock to the size you want and fold it in half lengthwise.

While stamping, make sure to leave enough room on the card to write the names of your guests once the paint dries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vodka - such a useful household staple

 
Want to jazz up your next party? Here’s a fun and timely cocktail from Iceberg Vodka, which is made in Newfoundland, where, I’m told, they know their booze!

Classic Candy Cane Martini

What you need:

1.5 oz chilled vodka (between 5° and 7° F)

1/2 tsp vanilla flavoured liqueur

 1 tsp peppermint schnapps

1 oz club soda ice

crushed candy cane

1-2 drops of food coloring in either green or red for effect (I’d probably skip this step)

What you do:

Put some ice in the cocktail shaker

Add  vodka, peppermint schnapps, and the club soda

Shake vigorously, then pour contents into a martini glass rimmed with crushed candy cane

Apparently, the makers of Iceberg are also very practical, as they’ve come with some ingenious ways to use vodka that don’t end up with you wearing a lampshade on your head. That’s a joke, right? Of course, you always enjoy your fave tipple responsibly, don’t you?

Things you didn’t know vodka was good for:

To remove ink from fabrics, grab some vodka and dab it on the stain. It won't set, and the ink will come out after the next laundry.

Is your glass looking a little grimy after your holiday hoe-down? Dilute one part vodka with two parts water and pour into a spray bottle. Clean windows, coffee tables or anything else that’s worse for wear.

If you’re at a beach party and someone gets stung by a jellyfish, (umm, okay) pour vodka over the affected area and use a towel to carefully remove any objects off the skin. Once the skin has been cleared, dampen a cloth with some more vodka. Then mix the victim a drink (that last part is my idea!)

Clean up a messy stain by spraying the area with vodka, scrub, and then dry.

Dip diamond jewellery in a small amount of vodka and then clean with a soft brush. Don’t drink the leftover vodka.

Love it all (except the gold-silver combo)

 

 

 

 

Checking out holiday décor is especially fun this year, in part because there is so much to choose from. I love the hand-spun artisanal touches that are showing up. Perhaps the prettiest examples are those I found at westlem, where I dropped by yesterday. I saw (and loved) for example, David Stark’s beautiful flower garlands, made out of newsprint and silver foil veneer. They would look lovely gathered into a bouquet, threaded into a garland of pine cones, or nestled among tree branches on a mantle. I also loved the funny little penguin-shaped felt ornaments, which are hand-made in Nepal. The store looked gorgeous and had a wonderful selection of small gifts and stocking stuffers. My first new year’s resolution is to get my up-town butt down to their downtown location more often.

I also love the bold and unexpected colour combos I found at others retailers and the drama that ornaments and accessories drenched in either white or black sparkly sequins added. The only trend I’ve heard bandied about that I don’t go for – the mixing of silver and gold. I prefer either as an accent – mixing too much of these shiny shades gives me a tummy-ache.

Other faves this year, which I’ve shown in pics above (starting at the top)

The cool-but-not-chilly black, white and silver themes shown at Ikea and Bouclair(as shown above, along with Bouclair's nutcrackers)

The non-trad aqua and silver holiday theme from HomeSense

The mix of warm brown and golden metallic ornaments from Urban Barn, as well as the glam holiday table setting they’re showing