Darth Vader Pinata for your Star Wars Birthday Party $25

This is the perfect addition to your Star Wars Theme Birthday Party.

The perfect replica of Darth Vader which the kids will love. It is a pull string Pinata hence your child can keep this as a decoration in their room when the party is over – just tape the bottom back up and hang it up.
The Darth Vader Pinata is 11″ and is a Pull String Type.  A removable sticker on the bottom marks where you can fill it up with goodies.

Each Pinata at $25. Email info@giftafavour.com.sg or contact 9238-5202 to place order.

Winnie the Pooh Doodle Kit $3

Great value for bulk purchase. Each doodle kit makes up of 4 coloring pencils, sticker sheet, eraser and sharpener.

Balsam Hill Review

   Tis the Season for decorating! Fa la la la la! I for one am so sick of the same old, boring, awful quality Holiday decorations that fall apart after a few weeks of use! So what to do? Thankfully I found Balsam Hill and I am now a fan for life!

A Bit about Balsam Hill

  Balsam Hill is SO popular it has been featured on the Ellen Show, The Today Show, and many more...At Balsam Hill ®, they are committed to creating the best Christmas trees on the market. Their founder, Thomas Harman, was inspired to start Balsam Hill ® by a family member who was allergic to live trees but wanted to create a festive atmosphere in his home during the holidays. When Thomas' search for a few lifelike artificial Christmas trees came up empty-handed, Balsam Hills mission was born to develop the most realistic and luxurious artificial trees. To accomplish this mission, Balsam Hills designers carefully craft their trees to mimic nature using site visits and cuttings from live trees as their guides.
   Just how real are Balsam Hill trees? They are routinely used by set designers of popular TV shows and have even been known to fool one of America's most savvy TV hosts into commenting on air about the "live" trees on her set. They routinely grace the lobbies of fine hotels and embassies around the world, and are used in Macy's famous Santaland exhibit in New York City.


My Review

   I was sent a gorgeous 30" Colorado Mountain Spruce Christmas wreath from Balsam Hill to review. The quality of this wreath is unbelievable! The wreath is SO lifelike! The wreath is covered with 100 crystal clear lights and the lights shine beautifully through the snow, rain, and wind. I love how gorgeous my front door looks because of this festive Holiday wreath...I have received SO many compliments on it. My Mom now wants to purchase a few of the same wreaths for her home because she was so impressed with the quality of the wreath I was sent from Balsam Hill. Honestly, I will never purchase another Christmas tree or wreath from anywhere other than Balsam Hill....they are the BEST of the BEST. So if you are looking for a gorgeous wreath, garland, or Christmas tree definitely pay a visit to Balsam Hill!

The company did send me a product or service for review. This in no way has affected my opinion of the product or service. This review is my opinion and has been written in my own words.

Lately

1. We went to Kansas City for Thanksgiving and while I'm SO THANKFUL for the blessing of being pregnant, I get so sick in cars lately so I really hated the car ride. I loved seeing all of our family!!

2. I took ya'lls advice and broke down and got a belly band!! And it is truly a gift from God!! Where has this been my whole life! I could have been using it after big meals! Ha!

3. Are you a real tree or artificial tree person?? I am a HUGE real tree person! When I lived at home with my parents I begged them to always get a real tree because I love how they smell and I think artificial trees are just too "perfect! Ha! I always put up a couple artificial trees around our house and then we buy a big real tree for the living room. I'm afraid to say that Joe and I had a "talk" this year and decided to break down and invest in a big artificial tree. We figured next year we have a crawling baby and it's probably safer to not have pine needles around the living room. We ordered this one from Walmart.com.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Roasted Sage-Rubbed Cornish Hen with Cranberry and Pecan Stuffing

The name Cornish hen, in and of itself is a complete and utter misrepresentation of what the product really is. First of all, it does not originate from the Cornwall region of the United Kingdom (ie. not Cornish) nor is it always a hen (it could be either male or female). It is actually just a regular chicken that is slaughtered at a younger age, hence its smaller size. Yes, that's about as exotic as the young bird gets. It is also often referred to as a poussin. But I digress. We are not here to debate the poultry industry's branding methodology but to really talk about how to roast yourself a delicious bird as an alternative to turkey during Thanksgiving. So, read on.


Here, I have a Cornish hen that is seasoned with a combination of chopped sage (or dried sage powder), garlic powder, thyme, salt, pepper and vegetable oil. Roast it slowly in a 375°F oven between 45 to 60 minutes. In that time span, continue basting the hen a couple of times with the seasoned herbs and oil combo.

To make the cranberry and pecan stuffing, here is what you'll need:

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup potato (small cubes)
4 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 tablespoons butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a pan and sauté all the vegetables except the garlic, which should only be added at the last moment. Add the herbs, garlic and a splash of chicken stock and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and set it aside to cool down. In a mixing bowl, shred 2-3 slices of white bread and add the cranberries and pecans. Next, add the cooked vegetable into the bowl, together with another splash of chicken stock and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. And you are done.

You can either stuff the stuffing into the Cornish hen when you roast it or just serve it on the side with the hen. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Rescue Me Part II

“What the fuck am I doing here?” familiar words once again swirling around in my head as I found myself slightly terrified and alone in a place I didn’t know. They were quickly followed by, “Don’t fall asleep. Just rest for a….” and I was out. Clothes and shoes still on my body went into a post travel, hours of travel complete with navigating foreign airports and procuring a taxi for the 45 minute drive from the final airport to my hotel….with me unable to speak the language and having a “conversation” that consisted of a series of nods, pointing, showing of papers and grunts, coma.

This was not my first trip to France but it was the first time that I left LAX without at least one person at my side and the first time that I was to be on my own for a couple of days before my fellow travelers arrived. Randy found a great deal on airfare for the trip, one that would have me flying business class….another first and fuck can I just say, makes all the difference, on the way there but I had to leave a couple days before my scheduled meeting time. Randy was of course thrilled about the fact that I would have some free time, I on the other hand, knowing myself the way I did/do was a total wreck. So you know how people make fun of their “high school French” yeah, well I’m an infant, cannot speak a word…shameful but true. Well okay I can order a glass of Champagne and ask for the toilets so I could live there and junk but directions, suggestions, dinner, well I’m pretty much screwed.

I had pep-talked the hell out of myself before the trip. This shy thing of mine is not useful in these types of scenarios, traveling with people I didn’t know around a country full of people I couldn’t understand…had to muster up any ounce of courage and charm I could find. I was going to make friends dammit and I was going to start with the one place I try to avoid even making eye contact, the airplane. I told myself that I was going to make friends with the person that was going to be sitting beside me for the ten hour flight. Now this might not sound like much but I assure you, for me this was a very big deal. I even recited a little chant in my head, a mustering of courage chant to light my fire and keep me on my path of friend making, a playful ditty that was a cross between The Little Engine That Could and Run DMC. Had one cocktail before the flight and climbed aboard, tucked myself into my luxurious seat, arranged my ipod….that I was not going to need seeing as I was going to be talking up a storm but pulled it out just in case. As we got nearer our departure time I felt a little pang in my gut, my seat mate had yet to arrive, the business class section was completely full aside from the big empty seat next to me, awesome. Here I was using this one big step to set the tone for my trip and my test patient was missing, fuck.



About ten minutes before the doors closed a tall, thin, rather built man in tight jeans and with a shinny shaved head approached my row and deftly slipped into the seat beside mine preparing his reading material and electronic devices just as I had done thirty minutes before. I didn’t want to pounce the poor bastard so I just sat sipping my Champagne, (Um yeah, once again business class rules) and flipping through a magazine. Once the tardy gentleman was situated he looked in my direction and flashed me the biggest, blindingly white smile I had ever seen, I of course gave him my ever adorable scrunched face and raised eyebrows, yeah super charming that. Not to worry I thought, I can still strike up some kind of conversation that might kill that first impression and that was when I heard the flight attendant offer him something to drink….in English of which he did not speak a word. Fantastic.

I woke from my ten minute nap five hours later, shoes still on and my fatigued body in the same place I had first rested it upon making it to my spacious hotel room at the Hotel le Menestrel in Ribeauville, a very tiny but utterly charming town in Alsace. I once again felt a gnawing in my gut, this time a mix of anxiety and hunger, both justified seeing it had been about thirteen hours since the last bit of airplane food passed my lips and peering out the sliding doors of my little terrace I could see that the tiny town had long since closed up for the evening.



I had noticed a dining room adjacent to the lobby, (read check in desk) when I had first arrived and this time with hunger pushing me rather than a friend making chant, I grabbed my borrowed, “Seriously cold weather” jacket and the scarf I was sure I would never use and my room key….the one that had almost brought me to tears hours before, its doorknob sized holder smacking against my frozen knuckles as I turned the key over and over again in the centuries old lock. Took a deep breath and heard my stomach rumbling so loud I felt like I had smuggled a wild cat into the country and the fucker was pissed. I made my way down the wide staircase at the back of the hotel and stopped at each platform to look out the massive windows that looked out upon rows upon rows of rather frigid looking vines, the vineyard dormant and shivering in the cold January air…I felt for those lonely fruitless vines as they braved the cold wet weather and searched deep below the surface for the strength, warmth and the nourishment they needed.

When I reached the lobby level I was struck by how quiet it was, no sound of people sharing a glass of wine at the tiny bar. No chatting over plates of cheese, ham and tearing of crusty bread. Nothing. I heard absolutely nothing but the growling cat in my tummy and the clumsy thump of a thick bodied girl’s shoes as she walked the long hallway to the door that lead into the lobby and dining room. As I feared there was not a single soul in the dining area, the lights out and even the bar was closed, fuck. I sheepishly walked to the front desk and had to ring a tiny silver bell before anyone appeared. The same tall blonde man that had checked me in and walked me through getting internet access in my room smiled at me while wiping his hands and face on a thick cloth napkin. Dinner, he had been in the back having his dinner, the smell of pork and buttery potatoes drifted across the counter and spun around me, so real and intense that I could almost feel my teeth piercing sausage flesh and taste the pungent mustard that I would have dipped it in. I stood there devouring my meal, eyes almost closed and heart racing but was snapped away from my imaginary dinner table when I heard, Yes?”

A brief and rather stumbling couple exchanges later I was to learn that I would not find a restaurant open at that hour on a Sunday, at least not one within walking distance of the hotel, the wildcat in my tummy fooled for the moment by the aromas of someone else’s dinner I stood there, alone, terrified and longing for anything that might be familiar. “Where might I be able to buy a bottle of wine?” the words fell out of my mouth without my even thinking of them. A series of hand gestures and cold weather warnings, the potato saturated man pointing to my scarf and doing a twirling motion with his hand above his head….either the international sign for “Put on your scarf” or yet another miss-communication and he was calling me a crazy American…and I was on the front steps of the hotel making the left turn and beginning my march down the barely lit street in search of what had brought me there in the first place.



Not a soul, there was not another soul on the icy sidewalk that evening, my thumping footsteps and the sound of my lungs taking in freezing cold air was all I had to keep me company as I passed the storybook houses. Their big temple shaped frames, shutters…closed of course, and chimneys huffing out plumes of white smoke laced with the smell of wood and chicken stock. I tried to picture the inside of the homes as I walked by, made up stories of the families that lived there and laughed at myself as I removed the dreaded scarf from the crook of my arm and began wrapping it around my neck. It was so frigid that I didn’t care how fat the scarf made my face look, didn’t care that I looked like a roided out Jerry Lewis, it was freezing and I still had a few more blocks to go before I would find anything to fill and warm me.

“Jesus, how much longer?!” I whined, my lungs now burning with cold, feet beginning to slip on the sidewalk that was just starting to be covered with a thin layer of ice and my nose, that would have been running had my snot not frozen, bright red and beginning to sting. Just when I was about to give up I saw it, a tiny little house with one of upside down L posts, the ones the real estate dealers use to hang for sale signs, with a wooden plaque in which was carved a wine glass and a tall slender bottle of wine. I swear I heard angels singing…might have been a few harps too.



I made my way up the stoop and saw that there were in fact lights on inside, very good sign I thought and still with a little fear I reached for the icy cold metal handle and literally cringed as pressed the latch with my thumb and gave the door a little push….it opened. (Insert angles and harps again here) Two steps inside and it was my first bit of familiar, hot! The French always overheat their rooms in the winter, this was something I knew well from my first trip and as I stood there removing the fat-face-making scarf and starting to melt I noticed something just to the right of the wine shop slash tasting room….a dinner table, a full dinner table. I was once again interrupting someone’s meal.

At this point while I was very sorry I was intruding, I kind of didn’t care. I took in the glorious aromas and let my eyes fall upon the pink with warmth faces of those around the table and shot a pathetic smile at the woman with the tight curly hair that jumped up from the table and hurried over to save me. We struggled a bit with the understanding of each other; me just wanting to purchase a couple bottles of wine and she wanting me to taste through everything. We compromised, I tasted three wines and she snatched a small piece of bread from the table for me to chew between sips. That warm, soft, chewy morsel and the racy, faintly sweet, oh so familiar Alsatian Riesling with which I washed it down were the first in what would be a series of unforgettable meals over the next eleven days. This one however, by far the sweetest. I bought all three of the wines I tasted, thanked my gracious hostess profusely and made the icy trek back past the lines of huffing chimneys’, the barely moving streams, the barren vines and bid a quiet good night to the families whose stories I had made up to keep me company along the way.



I slipped into the still hotel, the only creature stirring and made my way up wide staircase, past the windows that framed the sleepy town I had just left and carefully spun the key in the “vintage” lock to the door of my room. I kicked off my shoes, pulled my jammies from my suitcase, washed my face and popped the cork on a dear friend. Let the liquid fill my palate, the flavors reminding me of home….of standing in the tasting room with Randy, of “getting it” for the first time. This, this was why I was here in this strange place. This magical liquid that danced across my palate and sang to my soul had done once again on this night what it had done so many years before…it had once again rescued me.

November 2010 favourites

Almost another year over and done with! Eek! It's frightening enough how quickly these posts come around on a month to month basis, but when I think that this is my favourites post for November? Oh lordy - that is scary! That means it's almost 2011! Anyhoo, the favourites for this month:

MAC Lipglass - Icescape

I got this with the Chill collection, 2 years ago I believe, and to be honest, I only started using it up so I could B2M it. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do! I've enjoyed wearing this recently as it's given my lips a frosty yet glossy pale nudey pink look. It hasn't been too sticky either, which is a surprise as I find MAC lipglasses the stickiest of lipglosses I own.

MAC Brush - 219

This has been my favourite brush this month. It adds the perfect amount of colour and can be used in the crease or along the lashlines. It's been a great brush for doing precise work in the outer corner, with it being so small and all and it's blended the colour perfectly in the Outer V, whilst keeping the definition. I've been meaning to pick up a full size one for ages but I always seem to forget!

Barry M Nail Paints - 244 Silver Hologram and 293 Raspberry

Deep red nails with a glittery overlay - can you get anymore festive?! I love Barry M Nail paints because they're great quality and cost less that £3 per bottle. Can't go wrong in my opinion! I'm not a big lover of more expensive nail polishes because I haven't got decent enough nails to warrant using them, but these do the job perfectly enough for me anyway.

Matte eyeshadows

I've been loving matte eyeshadows with a dewy complexion and shimmery lips this month. My favourites have been quite boring shades - MAC's Brule and Blanc Type, and Urban Decay's Naked and Buck (from the Naked palette). Although the colours are quite safe and plain and probably 'blah', they've been creating lovely definition and impact on my eyes. I'm not sure whether it's because they're matte that they're more intense than they seem, but I love them. Brule is on the left and Blanc Type is on the right, and although they look the same, Blanc Type is much lighter so makes a great highlight. Well, I can tell the difference anyway.

What have you been loving this month?

xoxo

chicken broth

making homemade chicken broth is so therapeutic

and a bit tedious at the same time 

therapeutic and tedious

not synonyms 

but here's what i mean

therapeutic:

the chicken broth makes your whole home smell oh-so-good

it tastes divine

it makes all your other recipes that need chicken broth taste even better

it makes you feel accomplished

tedious:

you got to watch all the fat rise and spoon it out

if you want a perfect clear broth your must strain it through cheesecloth

yes, cheesecloth

but its optional 

when im lazy i just spoon the fat off of the top

but when i feel like impressing ryan

i strain it through cheesecloth

yes, cheesecloth

i divide the cb into many individual ziplock bags

it can get messy quick

and some people might think you are crazy 

but is it worth it?

oh yeah 

here is the recipe i use

BT (lagi)

Baru pulang nyampe rumah.BT sendirian mulu.
kenapa kalo untuk berpikiran positif itu susah ya?ada aja hal yg bisa buat bahan curigaan.abis yg jd objeknya jg gitu sih.ga jelas senengnya bikin org curiga aja.bingung mn yg bener mn yg gak.terlalu banyak yg diumpetin keknya.tapi Allah selalu bersama.Dia maha mengetahui.dan semoga Dia menunjukkan kebenarannya

Christmas Joy!

Hello Friends!

"SEW" What's New?

New Handmade Bags have arrived to my etsy shop!

First, I'm sharing a few MORE Christmas Swiss Rolls with you!

Welcome Christmas JOY!

Welcome New Handmade Bags...Celebrate good times throughout the year!

You will see a lot of mixed patterns and vibrant colors along with colorful 

 FLOWERS, BIRDS, TREES, AND A LOT OF

POLKA DOTS!

Inspiration from my daughters for the younger crowd!

More Bags soon to come!

Fabrics from Riley Blake, Timeless Treasures, Moda and many more!

I'm hoping to add more Baby/Diaper Bags, especially one for a Baby Boy!

Flower clips are detachable, you can wear them in your hair, on denim jackets,

mix and match with other bags and accessories etc.

More Christmas Quilts! Christmas Quilts bring Happiness to your Christmas Decor!

Moda Charm Pack-My second Christmas Quilt--a favorite for beginners!

The FUN is in the mix and match of fabrics

No pattern needed, just start sewing and let the magic begin!

(I LOVE charm packs, super fast and displays your Beautiful Fabric Collection!)

(I made this quilt when my LOVE for QUILTING started-2007)

BELIEVE...

In The Magic of Christmas!

                      Believe in YOURSELF--YOU CAN SEW!

Try a Charm Pack.

Try a SIMPLE Pattern to begin your love for Quilting.

(If you can sew a straight line, you can do it).

You are "SEW" Creative for all my friends who tell me differently!

Everyone has CREATIVE talents!

Share your talents.

Have a "JOYFUL" Day!

Have FUN!

Thanks for visiting!

I love hearing from you! Thank you for your heartfelt emails!

Ideas to Decorate a Christmas Tree

In years past, Christmas tree ornaments were collected or made over the years and displayed on trees during the holiday season. Many times ornaments would be handmade and used every year to be passed down from generation to generation. Today the trend is toward theme trees. A certain theme is developed and appears for a year or two on a tree when another theme will be chosen for several more years. There are thousands of themes from which to pick and all make charming Christmas trees.

Color Themes
The easiest Christmas tree theme to create is a color tree. This is where everything on the tree is one color. Red trees are strung with red lights, ribbons and beads. Red ornaments or fake apples can be used and poinsettia blooms and cardinal birds can be perched on the branches. A blue tree will have blue lights and ornaments with blue garland. White trees have clear lights with pearl garland. Ornaments are white or clear glass, white satin covered or clear acrylic snowflakes.

Country Theme
Create a country tree by using rustic looking decorations. Use a red and white checkered tablecloth for the tree skirt. String popcorn and cranberries for garland. Bundle cinnamon sticks and tie with red bows to hang on branches along with gingerbread people and cookie cutters made into ornaments by poking a hole in the top and inserting a tie on which to hang them.

Victorian Theme
Instead of tinsel garland use fabric eyelet or lace to wrap and dip around the branches of the tree. Lights should be clear in order to show off the old fashion glass ornaments with intricate detail. The Victorian era was a time when ephemera, or post cards and other paper ornamentation, was popular. Purchase reproductions of Victorian post cards and cut the figures out decorating them with feathers, beads and other bobbles to hang on the tree.

Vacation Theme
Decorate the tree to reflect a family vacation. Recreate a beach vacation by trimming the tree with sea shells and string blue lights. Use pearls from oysters in the sea as garland. The tree skirt can be made from several grass skirts.

Family Theme
Every person in the family should pick a favorite ornament and place it on a family tree. They should also make several ornaments and these will grow year after year. Place photos of family in tiny frames made with toothpicks or craft sticks to hang on the tree as well.

Unique Themes
Decorate a tree with just candy or place family collections of teddy bears, butterflies, dolls or tiny cars on the branches. Sports items make a good theme or anything else your family loves.

Pobjoy Mint Prince William 2010 coin

Pobjoy Mint start the race of minting a commemorative coin for the royal wedding with a Isle of Man 2010 Prince William Engagement Coin. The coin reverse bears an image of Buckingham Palace. The new Buckingham Palace coin are available in Proof Sterling Silver and Unc Cupro Nickel. This special coin will carry the initials ‘W&K’ entwined as a Privy Mark to celebrate the Royal Engagement. There are no technical specification provided by Pobjoy Mint about the coin. They already submitted an engagement coin design to Clarence House for approval.

Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton using his mother, Princess Diana’s engagement ring on a private holiday in Kenya in October this year, ending months of speculation. The Royal Wedding is planned for 29th April next year and is certain to be an event watched by millions of people all over the world.

This beautiful coin, issued on behalf of the Isle of Man, depicts Buckingham Palace, the home of the British Monarchy. The design features the principal façade – the East front of the Palace with the gates open, which is most familiar to the public. The balcony here always plays a principal part of any historic royal event and the Royal Wedding next year will be no exception with thousands of people flocking there to see the newly married couple appear on the balcony following their much anticipated wedding. This special coin will carry the initials ‘W&K’ entwined as a Privy Mark to celebrate the Royal Engagement. The obverse of the coin bears a fine effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Lord of Man, by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

You can visit Pobjoy Mint for more information about the coin.

Related Posts:

• Prince William married on 29 April 2011
  
• Royal Mint Prince William Wedding Memorabilia
  
• Prince William engagement coin 2011?
• John Lennon £5 coin
• New 50 pence 2012 Olympic coin

CELEBRATE JOY @ SM CITY CAGAYAN DE ORO, BACOLOD, ILOILO & DAVAO

A musical special featuring the country's best theater artists, MASKARA THEATER GROUP, performing a joyful array of inspring contemporary Christmas songs!

ONE JOYFUL COMPANY | SM CITY CEBU, DAVAO, ILOILO & BACOLOD

A Christmas musical special featuring the country's top vocal group... THE COMPANY!!!

Picture of a Christmas Tree

Pictures of a Christmas Tree, image, images, logos: Clipart illustration of a trimmed christmas tree with presents, Christmas, christmas tree, christmas trees, christmas gifts, christmas presents.

Christmas Tree Pictures Free

Christmas Tree Pictures Free: Free Christmas graphics, clip art, and animated gifs. Plus free clipart for all the holidays of the year. ... Animated Christmas Trees ... Feel free to open the pictures in your favorite graphics software, such as Photoshop or Image.

'TIS A JOYFUL CHRISTMAS | SM CITY DAVAO

Get ready for something enchanting with SM City Davao's most joyful Christmas celebration!!!

Simply click the image below to see our exciting line-up of events!!!

'TIS A JOYFUL CHRISTMAS AT SM CITY LUCENA

Shop, dine and celebrate the most joyful season of the year with us! Experience the Sweetest Christmas, from November 07 - January 06, 2010 at SM City Lucena!!!