Sugared Cranberries Simple Recipe

Aren't these just beautiful?

I think they look like berries in the snow.

Sugared Cranberries are strangely addictive.

They look so tempting sitting on the platter.

The sugar hits your mouth and then the bright tart cranberry almost pops in your mouth.

HMMMMM

Have I made you want to make them?

I think this treat would be a perfect addition to a New Year's Eve dessert buffet.

Easy Sugared Cranberry Recipe 

• 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• additional sugar for rolling (you can make superfine sugar in the blender if you want to get fancy)

Wash cranberries and discard any damaged ones. Place in a bowl. Combine sugar and water in a pot and heat until simmering. Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool for a few minutes until warm (not hot). Pour over cranberries and let sit in fridge, covered at least 3 hours.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use a slotted spoon to remove berries from syrup. Set berries on a cooling rack that is placed over foil to collect drips. Spread berries out so they are not touching each other. Let dry for 1 hour.



 

 

 

Roll berries a handful at a time in sugar. Place sugared berries on a baking sheet, or foil, etc. and let dry for an hour or two.

That was easy....!

The finished cranberries look amazing sitting in a single layer on a tray.

BUT....

I found this when I was doing my "research" for this post!

 

Sugared Cranberries as a Cake Topper.

I love the little sprigs of Rosemary...or you could do mint.

 

http://www.shaydacampbellblog.com/2015/11/sugared-cranberries-cake-topper.html

 

 

 

 

Have a Wonderful Day!

 

Get Your Holiday Tool Kit Ready

Don't you admire/hate those people who have all of their holiday shopping done before Halloween is past?
I know I should be doing this....
BUT
Somehow...I really don't get in the spirit of shopping until at least Thanksgiving.

I do start to put together an essential Holiday Tool Kit to have ready for the hectic holiday decorating, wrapping and shopping!
I thought I would share my "gotta have" list with you.  I would love to hear what your essentials are.

Source

 

 

 

 

 

Paddle Wire

You won't believe how many times you will use this.

It costs about $3.

I keep a paddle in the craft room and the junk drawer.

It is great for hanging decorations....without damaging surfaces.

It is the way to secure the center of a fancy bow!

Paddle wire is available at craft stores and on Amazon.

Wired Ribbon

Costco has 50 Yard spools of wired ribbon for $6.99.  I don't think there is a better deal out there.

This ribbon works for everything.

I always buy a pure red and a burlap look.  

You won't believe the ways this will work in your holiday wrapping and decorating. 

Here is a link to a tutorial all about tying fancy bows.

http://sweetwaterstyle.blogspot.com/2012/11/put-bow-on-it-fancy-bow-tutorial.html

Pine Cones 

 

Pine cones are accents that work in November as well as December...and even up until Valentine's Day.

If you have pine trees or access to them.....start collecting all sizes of pine cones.  We have trees with those tiny "mini" cones.  I gather tons of these to use as filler. 

Start watching at the grocery or craft store.  You can find deals on those wonderful cinnamon scented cones.  Instant Holiday atmostphere is just $5 away!

If you feel like splurging....invest in some giant Sugar Pine Cones.  I have been able to order them in bulk for around $3 a cone....but even at twice that....they have a dramatic impact. I think this arrangement could work from November to January.

 Cellophane Wrap

I love to use this simple clear cello wrap to dress up a hostess gift.  If you buy food grade...it can make that home baked treat look pretty upscale.  If you have some on hand you can add some instant glamour without much expense or fuss.

source

All Kinds of Tape/Adhesives

This is the time to buy those 3 packs of clear tape both single and double stick.  The ones at the dollar store work great for most things.

Zots...are great for sticking paper to paper.  You can also use them to put paper on glass....easy to remove.

Command Strips...great to have on hand to temporarily put up holdiday themed art.

Spray Mount Adhesive....make sure to have a full can.

Modge Podge...even a small bottle from the dollar store may come in handy.

 Picture Frames

Start gathering small sized frames from the thrift store.  You can frame cute family photos with a holiday theme or a beautiful holiday card from the past!  Print out a favorite quote captured from the internet and present it in a frame.  (wrap it in cellophane for a classy touch)

Those are just a few of the things that are in my arsenal. 

I know I won't have the ambition to get the big shopping items purchased before mid-December....but I can be ready to do some small things.

The whole idea is to have things on hand so that you don't have to take time out to go to the store when inspiration hits you.

What are the things you deem essential for your holiday preparations?  I would love to hear from you!

Have a Great Day!

A Charcuterie Board -Easy Entertaining

This week the Sweetwater clan gathered for a belated birthday party for little old me.
With an almost 3 year old and a two month old to work around, it makes no sense to try to serve any kind of sit down meal these days. We are all too busy holding babies and playing with toys to sit down at the table.

The solution: Charcuterie!

Ooh La La!! Doesn't that sound french and fancy? 

So what is Charcuterie? 

The definition is actually the shop where you buy cured meats....but it has come to mean the way of serving them.

Basically it is just a fancy word for a big platter of cold meats (usually cured), cheeses, fruit and nuts!

The Sweetwater Daughter delivered a huge bag of goodies from Aldi of all places.

My job was to figure out how to make our Charcuterie look something like this!

Boughs, Bows and Beverage Party

Oh my, it has been even busier than usual here at Sweetwater.

Sweetwater Floral Design had the honor of creating all the floral decor for a wedding last Saturday!

Doing the flowers for a wedding is lots of fun, but oh so stressful!  

We were thrilled that the bride was happy with the results of our efforts. 

We were also thrilled that the temp last Saturday was above freezing and not the 11 degrees it was just a week later.

The events here on Friday night and Saturday morning were a lot less stressful and every bit as creative and beautiful as the wedding flower project.

Sweetwater Floral hosted what we call "Boughs-Bows-and Beverage" events.

This is a great way to gather some friends for a few hours of fun.

The best part is that everyone goes home with something beautiful.

Minimalist and Thrifty Holiday Decor

 I wouldn't imagine that many people would describe me as a minimalist!
In fact....someone just told me that my style was "to randomly put a whole bunch of stuff together and then stick a bow on it!"

For some reason, when I started to get out the "whole bunch of stuff" and the "bows"...I felt like taking a step back and going with a more minimalist look.

Now....

as lovely as this little vignette is.....I don't think that I could go quite that stark!!!



minimalist is an adjective that means extreme simplification of form and color. When you call a person a minimalist, you're describing their interest in keeping things very simple. A minimalist prefers the minimal amount or degree of something


Well....I could take that definition and interpret it here at Sweetwater this holiday season.


Wanna See?

Hydrangea Tips and Tricks

Hydrangeas are to late Summer what Peonies are to Spring!

 Big

Lush

Beautiful!

 You have to love this sentiment!

 

This post is not about growing hydrangeas.

 I want to talk about using Hydrangeas in floral arrangements.

If you don't grow them or know where to beg, borrow or steal them, you probably know that each bloom can cost upwards to $5 a stem.....YIKES!

Hydrangeas can be a bit tricky. So it really helps to know some tricks to keep them from flopping!

Easy and Pretty DYI Insect Repellent Lantern

Minnesota in the summer means lots of outdoor fun.

It also means that if you are outdoors you will probably get "bugged" by Mosquitoes.

Repelling bugs has a pretty high priority around here!

Here is a tutorial for a DIY Insect Repellent Lantern that I put together the other night.

Source

Here was my inspiration.

I have a couple of gel fuel fire pots that are really pretty.

But.....that gel fuel is really pretty scary!

In fact, the pourable gel fuel has been recalled because of how dangerous it is!

I just knew I could find someone who had figured out how to recycle the gorgeous container into something practical. 

Supplies:
Citronella Patio Torch Fuel

This is about $10 at Home Depot
We had this in the garage so this brand is no longer available there.
Any brand will do.

 

Pea Gravel

 You can buy a bag of this at Home Depot for a couple of dollars.  The bucket of this has been in our garage for a long time.  I use it for lots of stuff.....it makes a nice landscape path for the Fairy Garden!

 

Torch Replacement Wick

This pack of 2 cost $4.00 at Home Depot.  They are long enough to cut into thirds enough for six lanterns.

Fireproof Container with some sort of lid 

I had 2 gel pots with inserts.

Then I got out an old cheese crock with a top that will work.

Mason jars will work too.  They are shatterproof.

Put the pea gravel in the container around the wick.

Pour the citronella oil over the rocks.

Light it up!

Looks and sounds like a pretty simple project!

Well......sort of!

I lit the wicks and you can see that the flame is a BIT out of control!

Here is what I learned!

More to the point.....this is what Mr. S who is a member of NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) taught me!!!!  Yikes....what was I thinking.....doing a FIRE related project when the "fire safety police" lives in the house!

The wick can't be too tall!

The rocks can't go right up to the top!

There can't be too much oil in the container!

You'd better check to be sure your container is high temp safe!

You probably shouldn't burn these on a wood deck!

After learning all of these safety precautions.....and fixing some of the problems.....the little lamps look great and let off a nice amount of citronella vapor!

 To make Mr. S happier...I will move these down to the fire pit ledge!  The bugs are worse down there anyway!

Here is a nice website with lots of ideas for Insect Repellent Lanterns!
Don't you love the simplicity of these Mason Jar Lamps?

 Last.....but not least....just so the Fire Safety Police know that I was listening and paying attention!

This site has some great safety tips for using oil lamps.

Have A Wonderful Day....

Hope NOTHING is BUGGING you today!

Link Parties
Savvy Southern Style   DIY By Design    
Crafty Allie  Dedicated House   
The Lemoine Family Kitchen    
The Bajan Texan   

Thrifty No Stress Entertaining Tips!

The Baby Shower in honor of the soon to arrive 

Sweetwater Grandbaby was so much fun!

As usual....I didn't take very many pictures!

I suppose THAT is because the party was SO MUCH FUN!

Instead of beautiful pictures of all the perfectly arranged tables and decor.....

I thought you might be interested in the way this party went together with almost NO stress!

So here is the stress free party planning edition of:

 Decorations don't need to be decorations!

HUH?

Running all over to buy or make kitchy decorations is expensive and time consuming!
 Now...I like to craft as much as the next woman...but adding that to party prep isn't necessary!
  I spent 10 minutes searching for cute ideas for baby themed blackboards....and a little time copying it....big impact.....no money!

For sure this is staying up well past when the baby actually  arrives!

This baby buggy is actually the one MY MOM was wheeled around in....a far cry from the high tech strollers of today....but way more charming as the spot to collect the shower gifts!  Another decor statement for no cost.....unless you count the cost of Mr. S having to wrestle it out of mom's basement, into the truck and into the house!  So maybe NO stress doesn't actually work here!!!!
The two enlarged photos of the new parents was the simple decor in the diningroom/beverage center!  Simple and easy to do ahead of time!



To COOK or NOT TO COOK!

Sometimes using prepared food is actually cheaper than making it!


Since this was an "Happy Hour Baby Shower"...the menu was hearty appetizers! The thrifty/no stress approach here....buy it almost ready made!

Imagine buying and grilling and marinating 8 different vegetables...

Imagine buying and cutting up fancy cheeses and the fruit and nuts to make it pretty!

That would actually be a lot more expensive and add a lot more stress than ordering the trays already made.  The two trays from Whole Foods made four big platters for the buffet. Since people arrived over a span of time....it was great to be able to bring out totally fresh platters mid-way through the evening.

Cost Co has an amazing (and cheap) array of frozen appetizers....again cheaper than making them!  72 little quiches for $9 and 48 Spanakopita for $5....and they are really tasty. 

The ready made Artichoke dip is also a steal....buying the ingredients...much less mixing it up would be at least as expensive....and of course...more stressful!

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends!

This party was not a one woman show!
The Sweetwater fiancée was instrumental in planning and orchestrating the event.  Not only does that reduce stress....it makes it a lot more fun!  

She was in charge of the desserts....so I can't speak for her....but it was stress free for me when this array of yummy treats arrived!
The miniature Red Velvet Whoopie Pies were the star of the show!
Who doesn't love lemon bars?

The super skinny little cookies came from Trader Joe's....these are something I keep stocked in the gift cupboard...they make perfect hostess gifts!

Of course....I have no pictures of the little red dessert cups that went with the black and white striped ones...but trust me....they were very very cute!  
Putting the desserts in the little cups made it easy for people to "graze" and enjoy them without a plate!

Speaking of PLATES!

 




There is no need to keep shopping and buying paper party goods that end of in the trash...I would find THAT stressful....

This stack of dessert plates came from the whole collection of china that was purchased from Goodwill for the Sweetwater Daughter's wedding.  
Instead of renting dishes and glassware for a couple of hundred dollars...we spent fun times buying them at the thrift store!


They are unique and infinitely more interesting than catering dishes....and the best part is that now these dishes can be reused for lots of parties!  A couple of loads in the dishwasher has to be better for the environment than all that paper trash!  

Have Wine Glasses....Will Travel!

I don't know about you....but I HATE drinking wine out of plastic glasses!  Again....I have purchased a bunch of small sized wine glasses at the thrift store over the years!  They are perfect for parties....but would take up lots of space in the cupboard....that space is reserved for the BIG wine glasses.

Instead of storing them in a box on the shelf.....I keep them wrapped in a towel in a picnic basket that actually sits out as display in the family room! 

HUH?  Why is that better than a box on the shelf?

• Because the picnic basket has handles and is easy to carry around!
• Because you can set a few glasses out on the table....and set the basket aside to add more fresh glasses as the party goes on!
• Because the basket isn't taking up shelf space!
• Because my friends know that I have these glasses and I can deliver them to parties on request!

Use What You Have....Thank You Favors!

How clever of the Sweetwater Daughter....this is sooo thrifty...but I am not sure about the stress...I will have to ask her!

• she knew the succulent pallet garden on her deck would fall victim to the winter frost....
• she had a bunch of little glasses from Good Will...
• She wanted something to use as a favor to thank her guests for coming....

Her solution....these clever little miniature gardens!

Sitting on the table in the entryway....they were the perfect send off for everyone!

I am thinking that most people would trade this for a formal thank you note.....that would reduce some stress!

Choose Your Guests Wisely!

The guests really are the most important ingredient for any party!
I am not being funny when I say to choose them wisely!
One of the reasons that this party was so much fun....the people!

The mix of friends from different areas of life....family...and some pretty cute kids....made the atmosphere entirely stress free.....so stress free that it went well beyond the advertised time frame!  That is my idea of a party!

Have A Wonderful Day!

Link Party Goodness
Coastal Charm   House on the Way