A Peak at Our Thanksgiving

This years Thanksgiving Festivities were held at my sister in laws house. She, a friend and my mother in law were responsible for the food and I got to do the decorating. The china and silver belongs to my mother in law. We had 18 people altogether as family had flown in from the East coast, Arizona and California to help celebrate our last Thanksgiving in this country.

Even the sun peaked out and blessed us with its presence.

The traditional Canned Cranberry that my sister in law just has to have.

One of two types of turkey. My mother in law had a whole turkey smoked and then baked one breast. They were both delicious.

My homemade Cranberry sauce anno 2010. Yes it kept very well in the freezer.

My sister in laws homemade mashed potatoes. Every time we gather for a dinner that calls for mashed potatoes we all request that she brings it.

My sister in law and her husband celebrated their wedding anniversary the day after Thanksgiving and had their special glasses out for their anniversary toast.

The girls actually stood still long enough for me to capture their pictures and these even made it onto our Christmas cards.

I filled cornucopias with some decorative leaves, pumpkins and straws and put on a ledge behind the sofa. My sister in law had some big homemade ornaments that we hung from the ceiling.

A cheese platter with the best brie ever.

A friend of ours made a veggie turkey.

The vegetarian dish, unfortunately I don’t remember what this was.

Heaven on earth. Bacon covered water chestnuts drenched with maple syrup and baked in the oven. Yummy…

Homemade Pumpkin bread made by me. Mmm I still have a loaf in my freezer…

Thanksgiving Decor

These are a few of the ideas I have found on Pinterest

Source: abeautifulmess.typepad.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A craft to do with my 7 year old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: 320sycamoreblog.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Combined décor and Christmas gift for my sister in law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: marthastewart.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This would look so lovely as a centerpiece either on the dining table or on the kitchen island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: twotwenty-one.blogspot.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So easy and so pretty. And not to forget safe from toddlers who like to blow on candles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: creativetryals.blogspot.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would look so pretty on a little note to every guest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: prudentlypaintedvintage.blogspot.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would love to make these to decorate outside the front doors of both my sister in law and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my mother in law as these does not take up that much space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: kindovermatter.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A collection of printables. Easy and fun décor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: celebrationsathomeblog.com via Marianne on Pinterest

More of the same as the one above but with nuts and lentils.

These are some of the ideas I have for our big family gathering which will be the week of Thanksgiving. Since we are moving back to Norway next year the whole family will be coming from California and the East coast to Seattle to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. Many of them I have never met. My sister in law is hosting, she and my mother in law are cooking and I have asked to please be allowed to decorate. Maybe I will even cook or bake something too.

Easy Change Season Wreath

A year ago I made a twine covered wreath and yes it took a long time to wind the twine all the way around, but it was so worth it.

I started out with some fall colored fabric flowers that I pinned to it and I had it hanging all through the fall till Christmas came and I hung my Christmas wreath up.

Then this spring I went to Joann and bought some sheet moss, twigs with leaves and pretty pink flowers, a nest, a few eggs and a little bird. I pinned those on using nails with big flat heads. That way when I am tired of the moss and all I can just take it off.

Then suddenly it was fall again and in five minutes I removed the summer décor except for the moss, added my fall flowers and voila fall is here.

I hope this might be an idea for you who have little space for seasonal décor.

A start on my Christmas gift list

 

 

 

 

 

For my parents, sister in law, mother in law and father in law this would be the perfect gift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some canvases, paint and a sharpie marker makes perfect little butterflies of the print of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

their feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: pinterest.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

For the girls in the family, there is 5 cousins, these would be fun no matter how old they are.

Source: acreativeprincess.blogspot.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For my cousins and aunts it would be so nice to make these to represent their children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: sarahortega.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isabel could make these as gifts to those on her list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: marthastewart.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great idea for my girlfriends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: thecraftingchicks.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My youngest cousin would love this for her camera and so would I.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com via Marianne on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my cousins like to ride his bike and I am sure his wife and he would like one of these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: craftycupboard.blogspot.com via Marianne on Pinterest

Wedding gift

On October 1st my husbands stepsister got married to the man of her life. We were so fortunate that we got to go up to Vancouver BC. to celebrate the day with them and we wanted to bring a thoughtful gift even though they had asked for no gifts as their apartment is very small and they really couldn’t fit anything more there.

My first thought was that we should make a date for them, but we live to far away to set up something special. Then I thought of one of me and my husbands favorite things to do before we had kids, cooking together and having picnics.

I went to JoAnn and found a perfect little picnic basket, a couple of towels and two candles. Then to Trader Joe and found some crackers and tapenade for an appetizer, pasta and a sauce for dinner, chocolate covered ginger for dessert and a bottle of red wine to enjoy with it all.

I wanted to make the towels a little special and found this H in one of the fonts on my pc. I printed it out on freezer paper (just make sure it is the ruff side up in the printer) and then cut out the black part, ironed it on the towels and used black fabric paint on a sponge to fill in the cutout. I love freezer paper stenciling. They turned out just perfect.

I assembled everything in the basket using some red ginger ribbon to make bows matching the basket and added a card. I really hope they enjoy this little gift.

A wedding gift really doesn’t have to be expensive, it is all about the thought you put into it.

What was you favorite wedding gift or what is your go to staple when it comes to giving wedding gifts?

Embroidered kitchen set

We are on our way home now to the US. I just wanted to share this with you.

In the mid 90’s I embroidered a nice kitchen set that I wanted to keep in Aanderbakkan. It took me 3 – 4 years to get it all done.

I still love the colors and the design.

Decoupage picture 1 Cor. 13: 4-7

I have seen so many beautiful picture featuring the scripture of 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7.

“⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

So I decided to make my own. I used a cardboard backing, a frame, book pages, Mod Podge, Scrapbook paper, Black Sharpie, a pencil, paper and Black paint.

I wrote the text on my computer and printed it out. Then using a pencil I covered the back of the text to make my own carbon paper. Then I just places it on top of the book page covered cardboard and traced the text onto the picture. Afterwards I used a Sharpie to write on top of the traced letters.

I painted a tree and cut some birds and leaves out of a pretty scrapbook paper I had and put Mod Podge over the whole thing to protect the surface.

Now I want to make a similar artwork for the Philippians 4:6-7.