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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday ~ January 1st | Hot Chocolate Cups

Happy New Year!

We have had a lovely Christmas, and hope yours was the same. We are feeling very ready for a new year! So many plans already. :) We are currently very busy with getting the winter issue of Seasons at Home out though... can hardly wait for everyone to get their issue in the mail!

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday was put on Christmas break last week, but this week I was so happy to post January 1st's Blog Hop Wednesday, I decided to post it a day early. Along with a little treat... 

Hot Cocoa Cups  
I had never really wondered before if there was a difference between "hot cocoa" and "hot chocolate", until I did these hot "chocolate" cups. There is indeed a difference - and if you do a little Google search like I did, you will find that hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder mixed with hot water or milk and sugar. Hot chocolate is melted chocolate mixed with warmed milk. So, here is my easy recipe for a fun and quick hot "chocolate" treat you can make up and save for later, make immediately, or give as a New Year's gift!

~ Recipe makes about 1 1/2 dozen hot chocolate cups ~


You will need: 
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (optional)
paper muffin liners


1. Melt 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat, or in the microwave. Don't burn, just heat until the chocolate is warm enough to stir smooth.  

2. Line a muffin pan with pretty muffin liners. 



3. Spoon about 2-3 tbsp. of melted chocolate into each cup (create a little swirl with the spoon to make it pretty!)

4. Sprinkle each with mini marshmallows and crushed peppermint candy if desired. You could also use crushed toffee pieces for a little bit more of a grown-up treat... 

Chill in the refrigerator until firm. Put a few in some pretty winter treat bags for a gift (perhaps with some extra marshmallows!) Keep extras stored in an air-tight container. 

To Make Hot Chocolate: 

Single Serving ~ Pop one hot chocolate cup into a mug. Pour 1 1/4 cups of very hot milk into mug. Stir until chocolate is melted. Top with extra marshmallows or whipped cream!


Enjoy! ~ Jessica

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Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday

The Featured Hopper!

Each week, we are going to be picking our favorite link or links of the previous week's link-up and featuring them as the Featured Hopper!! Share your best blog posts with us and you might get featured!! :)

This Week's Featured Hoppers

JES at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth has posted a wonderful recipe for a homemade orange sugar scrub! And I saw a lemon sugar scrub on her blog as well. :) We are so glad that she has started sharing here on the blog hop, we have really been enjoying her blog! 

Make an Orange Scrub - Citrus Series



And Angela from Gallimaufry Grove shared a sweet post on hospitality and entertaining that I enjoyed reading. Thank you Angela for sharing!

Entertaining vs. Hospitality






Thank you for sharing, ladies!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Participate in the Blog Hop!

Have fun sharing in this week's blog hop, and have a blessed week, Ladies! 
~ Jessica ~   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing we love to do in our work is encourage ladies in making their homes... we are so pleased to host this Homemaking Blog Hop each week! Please join us, and share your links!

Topics can include... crafting, homemaking, encouragement, recipes, homeschooling, sewing, quilting, organizing, anything that has to do with making our homes! 


At the bottom, use the link tool to share your link, title and pick your image, it's so simple! And yes, you can share multiple links. =) 


Grab our Blog Hop button to add to your blog to share the fun! *Required to participate*









Friday, December 20, 2013

December 20th Free Book Friday Update

Hello Everyone! 

Just a quick update about Free Book Friday - We have decided to postpone this week's giveaway due to Christmas. We don't want to overload people with emails at this time when there is so much busyness and so many good things to be doing!

We will post within a few days the new giveaway date - Go bake some cookies, and have a wonderful, blessed Christmas! 

In Christ, Jessica

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday ~ December 18th

This Friday, December 20th, is Free Book Friday! So be sure to check back here on Friday to participate in the giveaway! We will be giving away... 



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Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday

The Featured Hopper!

Each week, we are going to be picking our favorite link or links of the previous week's link-up and featuring them as the Featured Hopper!! Share your best blog posts with us and you might get featured!! :)

This Week's Featured Hoppers

Debbie at One Little Project at a Time! It's a time of recipes this week, and Debbie's Peppermint Whipped Cream looks awfully yummy! 

Peppermint Whipped Cream





And Melanie from Feeding my Giant shared a delicious soup recipe... we love soup. It's a winter staple meal around our homes! So have a look at her Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe!

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup




Thank you for sharing, ladies!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Participate in the Blog Hop!

Have fun sharing in this week's blog hop, and have a blessed week, Ladies! 
~ Jessica ~   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing we love to do in our work is encourage ladies in making their homes... we are so pleased to host this Homemaking Blog Hop each week! Please join us, and share your links!

Topics can include... crafting, homemaking, encouragement, recipes, homeschooling, sewing, quilting, organizing, anything that has to do with making our homes! 


At the bottom, use the link tool to share your link, title and pick your image, it's so simple! And yes, you can share multiple links. =) 


Grab our Blog Hop button to add to your blog to share the fun! *Required to participate*









Christmas Rum Cake

Something from my sewing this week... 


and a recipe too! Lots of baking for Christmas going on this week... what are you making? :) ~ Jessica ~



Christmas Rum Cake
We made this for Thanksgiving, but it's so good, we might just make it again for Christmas! ~ Makes 1 Large Bundt Cake


To prepare your cake pan: Place 1/2 cup pecan halves in a food processor (or Bosch blender) and blend on high until nuts are very fine. Toast on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees until lightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool. 


Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray. Sprinkle toasted pecans in the pan and turn to coat. Tap out some of the excess. Set aside while you prepare the batter. 



~ Cake Recipe ~

In the Bosch mixer with batter whisks, or a standing mixer, combine the following:
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 3.56 oz. package of instant vanilla or instant white chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt

Mix on low speed for one minute to blend the dry ingredients. Then add:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until batter is smooth. Scrape the sides and mix again for a few more seconds. Add 1/2 cup light rum and mix on medium speed just until blended and smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread evenly in the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set cake aside to cool while you make the sauce. Leave the cake in the pan!


~ The Sauce ~

In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Then add:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

Bring to a boil over high heat, boil for 2 minutes. Syrup will thicken slightly. Stir in 1/2 cup light rum, and continue to cook for another minute or two. 

Poke deep holes into the cake with sharp knife. Pour hot sauce evenly over still warm cake (still in the pan!), a little at a time, until all of the sauce is absorbed. 


Cover cake with plastic wrap and in the refrigerator (yes, still in the pan!) overnight. Before serving, loosen the edges by running a sharp knife around the outside of the cake, then invert cake on to a pretty cake plate.


Have a wonderful week! ~ Jessica




Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Free Book Friday/Giveaway Winner!! | Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday ~ December 11th

Announcing the winner of the
Free Book Friday and Five Days of Christmas Giveaway Bundle, the winner is...
Dawn B.!

Thank you all for participating in the giveaway and The Five Days of Christmas! We enjoyed the event and the sweet comments! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday

The Featured Hopper!

Each week, we are going to be picking our favorite link or links of the previous week's link-up and featuring them as the Featured Hopper!! Share your best blog posts with us and you might get featured!! :)

This Week's Featured Hoppers

Shirley at Under an English Sky! We have been enjoying Shirley's blog for the last couple of weeks, and loved all of the pictures she shared in her post A Little Frugal Kitchen Festive Cheer - simply lovely. 

A Little Frugal Kitchen Festive Cheer



And Gin from At Home in Doe Hill has put put up the part two of her DIY 6-Panel Skirt Pattern! We love do-it-yourself skirts - even more wonderful in a house full of girls! Thank you for sharing ladies!

DIY 6-Panel Skirt Pattern: Part Two




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Participate in the Blog Hop!

Have fun sharing in this week's blog hop, and have a blessed week, Ladies! 
~ Jessica ~   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One thing we love to do in our work is encourage ladies in making their homes... we are so pleased to start this Homemaking Blog Hop each week! Please join us, and share your links!

Topics can include... crafting, homemaking, encouragement, recipes, homeschooling, sewing, quilting, organizing, anything that has to do with making our homes! 


At the bottom, use the link tool to share your link, title and pick your image, it's so simple! And yes, you can share multiple links. =) 


Grab our Blog Hop button to add to your blog to share the fun! *Required to participate*









Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Five Days of Christmas | Day Five - Cookie Day | Free Book Friday!

Welcome to The Five Days of Christmas! | Day Five

Day 5 giveaway runs through Tuesday December 10th!

This week will consist of several things: fun, simple projects, recipes and wonderful giveaways! And... an opportunity to share your Christmas blog posts with us! 

Today through Friday we are going to have a Christmas Blog Hop going, and we would love for you to share your blog! Make sure to follow the guidelines for the hop. Make sure to thank the link participants when you visit their blog! And always read to the very bottom - you never know what you might find!


This part is really going to be fun... 

Old Time Radio Theater!

Every day we will include:
A story a day, all from 1939-1947! 30 minutes to an hour long and perfect for the little ones to have a break from modern media.

MP3 format. Right-click the link - choose SAVE LINK AS and download to your computer. Enjoy as you would any other MP3! 

Today's audio story:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday's Giveaway winner was Teresa R.!


Today's Giveaway

 We have a double-event taking place today... because it's Free Book Friday! So, we have today's Five Days of Christmas giveaway bundle AND Free Book Friday combined

How fun is that? You get a chance to win an extra big bundle!



Here's what you're entering to win:

Free Book Friday: 
A Time to Keep, by Tasha Tudor (Hardcover)

  


Along with The Five Days of Christmas Bundle:

The Gingerbread Man, by Barbara McClintock
(Hardcover)
The children's favorite cookie story... perfect to read while you put cookies in the oven. This book is adorable! Plus illustrations of how to make your own "gingerbread man"... so fun!


Wilton 3 Piece Gingerbread Cookie Cutter Set

Cookie cutters for all that wonderful gingerbread cookie dough you are going to make!

 


and a 2013 Seasons at Home Magazine Subscription!




We're really excited about today's giveaway, what a fun package someone is going to get! 

You have until Tuesday, December 10th to enter in this giveaway. We will announce the winner on December 11th, and contact the winner via email.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's Cookie Day...

While I was sitting here putting this post together, was thinking about all of the baking we've done, and all of the cookies we've made over the years. We love to bake, and for a very good reason - we have a lot of people to eat up the goodies! I like to think back over the years, and I usually remember things about a certain Christmas based on what kind of treats and crafts we were making then. I can even remember what Christmas music albums we were favoring that year, and playing over and over again!

I remember the Christmas when we had really gotten the hang of making whole wheat bread, and also learned how to make holiday sweet breads - it felt like we made bread every day! I remember the Christmas when we found the best cookie magazine at the grocery store. We made every cookie in there. Today, that same little cookie magazine is falling apart and has been stapled back together a dozen times, the cover long gone, but we still use it every year. 

I remember the box of sugar cookies we made for a drive in the mountains. There was nothing perfect about them - I remember how messy the frosting was, but they were so good! And of course, I think of the year we got a really good cookie press and made what felt like a thousand spritz cookies, and decorated every single one. 

Christmas cookies always seem so different from all other kinds of cookies you could make at any other time of the year. I don't know how it turns out that way, but somehow, Christmas cookies always means there's going to be flour, sugar and sprinkles packed into every corner and crevice of the kitchen floor for a month. Many memories of that... No matter how hard we cleaned, there was always another heap of sprinkles and crumbs. Especially when we had a baby/toddler combination moving around the house. There was always one-half of a wet cookie mixed in the toy box at all times (Precious baby days!)

They look different too. You know all those Martha Stewart sugar cookies (and a lot of other cookies too) we see every year? They are absolutely perfect, so posh and pretty. Must have taken 30 minutes per cookie. But we all know the truth - Real sugar cookies don't look like that. Of course we get those beautiful batches of almost-pristine cookies, but most of the time, they are quite, creative. And sometimes a bit crunchy, or crispy, as my little sister likes to say. Colored sugar and sprinkles are never sprinkled evenly. There is usually a lovely heap right dead in the center of the cookie. This applies to frosting as well. 

But, perfect or not, they are always so special, and so full of memories. :)

What's your best cookie day memory? Share with us!

~ Jessica ~

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Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookie Dough
~ for Spritz cookies and thumbprint cookies ~  
Recipe makes enough for about 3 dozen of each cookie, double if needed!

One dough, two cookies for a more productive baking day! Holiday baking can be hard when there are so many recipes we want to make, but there's not enough time in the day! I like to use one cookie dough recipe for multiple cookies to make baking day a little more productive. It saves some ingredients too. We don't really need 6 dozen of one kind of cookie when we are making three others, and I won't find myself sitting in a kitchen with bowls of unbaked cookie dough all over the place.

In the Bosch mixer, or standing mixer, combine the following:
     1 cup unsalted butter, softened
     1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
     1 cup brown sugar
     1 egg yolk
     1 tsp. peppermint extract (or vanilla for a plain chocolate dough)

Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add:
     1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
     2 2/3 cups soft white wheat flour (or 2 1/4 cups unbleached white flour) 
     1/2 tsp. sea salt

Mix until a soft dough forms. Divide dough in half and chill for one hour. These are the two cookies I made with it... 

Peppermint Spritz Sandwiches


These came out so good! Use a cookie press (spritz press) to make the spritz cookies, any shape you want. Press them out 1" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are firm. Don't over bake them though, or they won't be soft! 

Cool cookies, and make filling.

Peppermint Fluff Filling
In a small bowl with a mixer, combine the following: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream 
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Lorann's Peppermint oil (available at many grocery stores, or here)

Mix on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until creamy and fluffy. I mixed in 1/2 cup of Williams-Sonoma Handmade Peppermint Snow, or you can use 1/2 cup of crushed peppermint candies. Fill the cookies and roll edges of the cookies with additional crushed peppermint while the filling is still moist and sticky! 



German Chocolate Thumbprints


I love German Chocolate Cake... and naturally a cookie version is just as good! I used a finely shredded coconut I bought at a natural food store, and loved it. It wasn't like the cheaper, sticky shredded coconut - it was light and fluffy, perfect for rolling the balls of dough in! I highly recommend finding some, but if not, regular shredded coconut will work just fine.



Roll chocolate cookie dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in shredded coconut and place 2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each ball. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool and make the filling. 


Coconut Pecan Filling 
In a saucepan whisk two egg yolks until smooth. Add: 
1 cup evaporated milk 
1/2 cup brown sugar  
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Over medium heat, whisking constantly, bring mixture to a low boil and boil for about one minute. Remove from heat and add 2 cups coconut and 1 cup crushed pecans. Stir to combine, then transfer filling to a glass bowl to prevent further heating. Fill cookies with a spoonful of the filling... and then:  

Melt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Fill a small zipper bag with the melted chocolate and snip off a tiny corner of the bottom of the bag. Drizzle cookies with chocolate... and chill.
So good!


Decadent Eggnog Cookies

Another eggnog cookie? Maybe. I haven't tasted one like it, ever. We even used soft whole white wheat (freshly milled). So maybe another whole wheat cookie, but you'll never know there is wheat in there. How many will it make? I don't know! I'm guessing we made 3 dozen, but they were larger. You could always make smaller drops.


Combine in a bowl and set aside:
     5 1/2 cups soft white wheat flour
     3 tsp. baking powder
     1/2 tsp. sea salt
     1 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice or cinnamon

In the Bosch mixer with the whisks, 
cream together:
     1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
     1 cup brown sugar
     1 cup white sugar





Now add:

3 eggs beaten, 
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. rum extract or rum
1 cup eggnog 
 Cream until fluffy. Slowly add your flour mixture, jogging each time you add. This is about the consistency. It looks pretty empty because I always do a test cookie when using wheat flour - it was so good we immediately did another tray.

This is about the size we dropped onto the sheets. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Oh boy.



Now the best part:
FROSTING!



Creamy Eggnog Frosting

In a large bowl with a hand mixer (or in the Bosch with the whisks) combine: 
     1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
     4 Tbsp. eggnog
     3 cups powdered sugar
     2 tsp. rum extract or rum

Beat together and frost. You could use real rum but I separate the frosting and sprinkle the real rum iced cookies with spice so the children know which to pick.



This will be a keeper. Enjoy the recipes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now for the giveaway and blog hop!

Follow the steps in the Punchtab box below to enter the giveaway. You need to be a newsletter subscriber in order to qualify to win. By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to receive emails from Joyous Home. The winner will be notified by email. 









Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The Five Days of Christmas | Day Four | Ornament Day

Welcome to The Five Days of Christmas! | Day Four

This week will consist of several things: fun, simple projects, recipes and wonderful giveaways! And... an opportunity to share your Christmas blog posts with us! 

Today through Friday we are going to have a Christmas Blog Hop going, and we would love for you to share your blog! Make sure to follow the guidelines for the hop. Make sure to thank the link participants when you visit their blog! And always read to the very bottom - you never know what you might find!


This part is really going to be fun... 

Old Time Radio Theater!

Every day we will include:
A story a day, all from 1939-1947! 30 minutes to an hour long and perfect for the little ones to have a break from modern media.

MP3 format. Right-click the link - choose SAVE LINK AS and download to your computer. Enjoy as you would any other MP3! 

Today's audio story:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday's Giveaway winner was Ilka J.!


Today's Giveaway

 You have a chance to win a...

A Christmas Carol, DVD (1938)
This is one of our family's favorite versions of A Christmas Carol!

Starbucks Holiday Blend Coffee... 


and a 2013 Seasons at Home Magazine Subscription!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ornament Traditions

 by Theresa Powers

Ornament sharing is one of the best traditions we have started in our family. I love ornaments. Years ago, we were invited to a friend's home for Christmas. Their children were well grown with families of their own. Upon seeing her tree, I was fascinated!  I didn't know any of their children, but you could almost know them just by looking upon that tree. I looked at each one and could see so many loving memories she had to gaze upon. Little hands, quotes, pictures, sewn objects by a beginner -there were so many things, the tree couldn't fit another ornament. I decided then, our children would make ornaments every year for our tree, and for each other, when they could.

Not only can you make memories, siblings can make ornaments that express personality, and get really creative. It's a wonderful way to give to each other! We write down names and have each child choose a name, mom and dad participate too. We usually do this on Thanksgiving Day after we eat.

Here is a selection of ornaments we've made for the tree this year.

First, let's talk about walnuts. You can really get creative with them! But splitting them in half so both halves are useable is a challenge. Note: Always check the walnuts for blemishes or cracks before buying - and the cost for about 6 walnuts is less than $1! That will give you 12 halves if you don't mess up.


Here is what worked for us:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and toss the whole walnuts into a pan. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. When you can pick one up, take a sharp knife (mom or dad only), and put the knife on the slit and push  gently down some. Give the knife a sharp push down, BE CAREFUL! The nut should fall cleanly in two. My 15-year-old daughter figured this out, after I destroyed several walnuts. Note the rubber, it works to hold the slippery thing in place.


aww...


"Born This Day..."
This an easy ornament, the children will love this!


Supplies:
     1/2 walnut shell
     24 gauge wire (I found red!)
     1 Hazelnut
     Cotton ball and triangle scrap of fabric
     Colored cardstock/printer
     Fine marker

     Hot glue gun
     Paint or stamp pad - gold

1. Make a tiny face with the marker on the hazelnut. I just did closed eyes and tiny mouth. Glue the head to the pointed side of the nut. Cut a length of wire to hang, and glue each end inside.



2. Pull the cotton ball in half. A whole one was too much. Wrap your cotton ball like a little present, and glue - while hot, tuck inside the nut so it sits nice and cozy. Use a toothpick to 'adjust it around'. It should fit snug but loosely like a blanket.





3. Print out on card stock Born This Day in Bethlehem. I made an image .5" high and 2" long and put the text on it. I cut it out and trimmed the edges with decorative scissors. 

4. Now, take some raffia and tie it in the middle with another piece, making a sort of bow. You want to sandwich the wire between the sign and the raffia on the back. I just laid the raffia down, ornament with wire on that, put hot glue on, and pressed onto the sign. Just do it carefully with minimal glue! You can always add a little more from the back.





4. Cut out a star and paint it gold. I cut part of the star, then stamped it and finished cutting. It was easy. Glue onto the front! All done!


Always write the year somewhere on your ornament. I wrote ours on the bottom of the walnut. 


Bell Hanger
 Bell hangers are expensive! These are easy to make, use a coupon when you buy the bells!



You'll Need:
    Wire from first project
     Bell - ready to hang
     Pinecones - We found our outside, easy in Colorado! You may need to purchase some.


1. Glue two large pinecones together, one sitting a little higher than the other. 


2. You want to glue the hangers from the bells to the pinecones, staggering the height of each. Hang as many as you want.


3. Use the wire from your last project and cut a long length for the hanger. Take one end and wrap around the inside one pinecone, bring back to the wire and twist. Repeat for the other side. How easy is that? You're done! If you make a mess with the glue just wait until it's dry and pick off. I had an after thought on this - brush some fake snow on the ends. How pretty!

Christmas Ribbon Trees


For each ribbon tree ornament, you will need:
     16" silk embroidery ribbon (available at Joyous Home)
     Size 8 embroidery needle, or a needle thin enough to fit through a seed bead, or other petite
     19" of 3/4" wide crafting ribbon
     11 pearly beads
     2 seed beads or other very petite bead (found in the embroidery section of the craft store)


On one side of the 19" piece of ribbon (the wrong side if the ribbon is not double-sided) Make a single dot in the center of the ribbon 3" from the end. Make another dot 2 3/4" away from this dot. Continue, spacing each dot after at these points (specified below), stopping at 1".

 2 1/2", 2 1/4", 2", 1 3/4", 1 1/2", 1 1/4", 1"

1. Thread the embroidery needle with the silk ribbon and knot the end with a single tight knot. Slide one seed bead over the needle and pull to the end of the ribbon so that sits on the knot.

2. Start with one pearly bead. Slide down to meet the other seed bead. With the wrong side of the ribbon facing you, bring the needle up through the first marked dot, from the right side of the ribbon, pull through.



3. Add another pearly bead. Insert the needle through the next dot as shown, pull through and then add another bead...

4. Continue the pattern until you finish with the last dot; top with one last pearly bead and the last seed bead on top of this.



5. To make the ribbon loop and finish off - run the needle through the ribbon at the top of the bead as shown. Pull through until a loop forms, stop when it's the right size.

Run the needle back through from the opposite side; pull through, but stop right before the loop closes, and pass the needle through the loop, then pull until tight and snug. This will complete a knot. Clip the ribbon.



6. Trim the ribbon on the top and bottom of the tree, and finish off with a triangular cut into the ribbon end. Finished!  


Have fun making traditions!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now for the giveaway and blog hop!

Follow the steps in the Punchtab box below to enter the giveaway. You need to be a newsletter subscriber in order to qualify to win. By entering the giveaway, you are agreeing to receive emails from Joyous Home. The winner will be notified by email. 




We shared on: Proverbs 31 Link Up
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