Sorted with Style: December 2011

Serendipity Experience 79 : Be a Sydney Spectator!

3:02 PM

This is our first year of owning a boat and so of course we had to join the hoard of spectators out on Sydney Harbour to watch the popular Sydney to Hobart yaght race.

It was quite a surreal experience sitting in the midst of the action and hearing the boom of the starter gun.

It was the most amazing atmosphere, being surrounded by these immense sailing ships and hearing the crews shouting orders to one another!

We felt as though we were in the race itself....I can not imagine what it must be like to head out through the heads knowing you have days of sailing through trecherous conditions!

Surviving in the harbour alone was enough for us!!!!!

Christmas traditions

Serendipity Experience 78 : Share Christmas Traditions

2:48 PM

Despite living in a country that celebrates Christmas in Summer our family always has a traditional Hot Christmas Dinner complete with Roast Turkey, Yorkshire Pudding, Peaches with Cranberry Sauce and Plum Pudding with Brandy Sauce. To me it wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't celebrate in this way!

We always have Christmas Crackers on our table. We sit around the table joining each of our crackers and break them at the same time. We then put on our silly hats and share the jokes inside. Until I read a recent blog by Sherry at The Heart of Home I thought this was a universal tradition!!!

We set aside the week before Christmas to make our Mince Pies, Snowflake cookies and of course our Reindeer Poo!

The Christmas Tradition which has changed the most for us is Christmas Card giving. We used to love going to the mailbox each day to collect our cards and would string them across the garland. Of course like everyone else we are now resorting to sending e-cards!

I also couldn't imagine Christmas without the obligatory bowl of nuts to crack!...Although with the increase of nut allergies around, perhaps this is the next tradition that will disappear!!! Would love to hear about your Christmas Traditions!

With love and good cheer from our house to yours, Merry Christmas!

Linking with Sorted with Style The Creative Exchange and A Holiday Haven

Clay ornaments

Serendipity Experience 77: Make Clay Ornaments

7:45 AM

My daughters and I decided we would attempt to make our own white clay ornaments this year. It was such an easy and enjoyable task!

We have used the ornaments to decorate our presents, wine glasses and even our Christmas Wreath!

How to make White Clay

Making these decorations only requires 3 ingredients

2 Cups Bi - Carb Soda ( Baking Powder)

1 Cup Conflour ( Cornstarch)

1 1/4 Cups water

Mix ingredients in a heavy pan and place on stove stirring until

it reaches boiling point. Remove from heat and place a damp

cloth over bowl until cool. Place into small balls and roll between

two sheets of baking paper. Cut out shape with cookie cutter and

stamp with a suitable Christmas stamp - our say's "no peeping"!

We tried two seperate methods for drying, placing in an oven for 10

minutes and just air drying them for two days. The air dried ornaments

were definitely better as they did not distort and were far whiter than

those dried in the oven

Linking with sorted with style My Romantic Home, At the Picket Fence, French Country Cottage, The Charm of Home

Candy canes

Serendipity Experience 76: Candy Canes and Christmas Carols

5:28 AM

Candy canes seem to be featuring very strongly in our Christmas preparations this year! My daughter is busy preparing us spectacular Lindt hot chocolates and milkshakes with candy cane stirrers, whilst my son and I are sharing a nightly reading of "The Christmas Carol" accompanied by a glass of milk and mandatory candy cane. We are thoroughly enjoying our nightly reading sessions and have decided we should read more Christmas stories.

We have decided that the next in line will be "The Nutcracker" and "Twas the night before Christmas"

If you have any good Christmas story suggestions please let us know!!!

Linking with Michelle at Keeping the Spirit Alive 365. and The Mustard Ceiling

Christmas cooking

Serendipity Experience 75: Christmas in the Kitchen!

1:05 PM

With the Children embarking upon their seven weeks of school holidays I am already looking for ways to keep them off their computers, what better than the offer of food???

Our Hot Chocolate Station

My youngest daughter is hot chocolate crazy, so when I came across the idea of a Christmas drinking station we just had to have our own!!!

Supper for Santa!

My son, on the otherhand is only interested in what Santa and his reindeer are going to drink!!!

Reindeer Poo!!!

The most fun we had was making our Reindeer poo Rocky Road clusters. If you ever make this

I recommend adding turkish delight and red frogs to the recipe, it is absolutely delicious.

We found this cute little verse to attach to our treats - " I checked my list once and then

checked it twice and discovered that you had been more naughty than nice, as coal is expensive,

here's the scoop, all you are getting is reindeer poop!" .

Linking up with sorted with style The Picket Fence, French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home,The charm of home, Holiday Haven, Tatertots & Jello

Babushka

Serendipity Experience 74: Babushka, Babushka!!!

11:03 PM

Today we went Christmas shopping at the Boutique Markets at The Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park. I was thrilled to come across these most gorgeous Cake Pops, handmade from balls of cake dipped in chocolate candy. My favourite was this lovely Babushka pop made by Zsa Zsa Delights, they really are too gorgeous to eat!!!

This season I am decorating with my Babushka nesting sets that my husband bought back from Budapest. Although it is driving me crazy the way my family keep stacking and restacking them!!!