Happy New Year and Contemplating on This Past Year

Happy New Year to everyone! I guess with this being New Year's Eve, I am thinking a bit about 2010. I didn't have the best year, did I?That's putting it mildly. First there was the shingles,but I guess the event that has caused the most havoc was when I fell and injured my legs. I can never tell the story about the donkey causing the fall, because then I can't get them to stop laughing. It was funny how it all happened, but it isn't funny that my legs can now so easily reinjure, so I move about like I was walking on eggshells, sometimes looking like a duck.Getting up from a chair is a challenge in itself, and you should see how I do that....a bit of humor in watching that one. LOL Finally, my arthritis in both of my knees is pretty severe, so in essence, things are not the way they used to be, but then what do they say about getting older?..."Old age isn't that bad when you consider the alternative." Joe always says that, and boy does it make me smile.

It is still rather hard to imagine how one event can make such a radical change in one's life, but funny enough, I guess that I still do have a Pollyanna attitude and always say to myself , "There are things one can get that are worse." I just said to Joe yesterday that I would be gutted if it were my hands, as my hobbies are dependent on them. I can still walk, and we take a long walk each morning together for 7-8 miles. I know people who have great legs, and they can't do that. Hey, it shows, I am a persistent little devil for walking each and every day like that, doesn't it?

The best advice I can give to anyone: Keep Movin' while you can! LOL

Now, as to 2011, I can only hope that it brings joy to everyone.I have been reading about people in blogland who are going through so much, and I do pray that 2011 is an easier year and will bring happiness and health to them, because there is no price tag on happiness and health.

I do want to say that I am thankful for many things and here they are:

1. I am grateful for Joe first. He is a keeper, as most of you know, and he is my best friend. It is amazing that we met so many thousands of miles apart, and we are soulmates, so one does not take something like that for granted.

2. I am grateful for Rufus and Charlie, who are my two older dogs. I am so thankful that they are still in good health and happy. Sounds stupid, but they are the two who have stayed the most loyal and faithful to the two of us over the years.

3. I am grateful for our life here in Ireland, as Joe and I found a beautiful place to live. Dunfanaghy, in County Donegal, is a magical place, and I am still in amazement that every corner you turn is stunning. In Pennsylvania, I had to drive for hours to really get to a gorgeous place, but everywhere in this county is stunning. I do appreciate all that so much!

4. I am grateful for my friends, and also all the people I met in blogland, and some have gone beyond the casual relationship and have opened up their hearts to me. That isn't easy when we are doing it through writing and visiting each other's blogs. I do thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

5. I am grateful for each and every moment that I am with Joe. We never let a day go by where we don't say, "I love you" and never just once, but many times. I am so grateful for each and every day that I am with him. He can really make me smile and laugh, and that is rare. We have been married for 14 years, since 1997, and I hope that we are together for many more years to come!!!

6. Lastly, I do enjoy my hobbies, and I am so grateful that I have so many interesting things that I love to do: quilting, art journaling, crocheting, paper crafting and scrapbooking, and reading.

It's the Gemini in me...dabbling in a lot of different things. I am so grateful for the time that I have in retirement to do all things that I could never do when I was working hard as a teacher in America.

Many of you have said that I have the luck of the Irish...I do if one considers the things that I am grateful for.

Well, bring on 2011......I hope that you all have a great year that is filled with so much inspiration, happiness, and joy. I have so enjoyed visiting your blogs, seeing your stunning work, sharing your lives. and always, but always, I am so inspired by you all. I thank those who have taken the time to become my friend, and I can only say "thank you." Be kind to yourself in 2011, but most importantly, be happy and keep smiling!

Happy New Year to all!

Winner of My Surprise Irish Giveaway

The winner of my surprise Irish giveaway, which will include the latest Irish Quilting Magazine, some homemade projects that I made, and some Irish surprises that I bought in our craft shop is Patricia of Tapestry of Dreams.

Congrats to you! This is like Christmas again for you! Please email me your address so the magazine and Irish package can be sent to you. Thanks for everyone who entered.

I will have the magazine subscription drawing for The Quilt Magazine on January 2nd, so keep on entering for that one at this link. Don't forget to enter, because this magazine is going to be so much fun!

I will also be posting about the magazine on Facebook on January 12th, where you will have a chance to win the magazine there too, in case you didn't win on January 2nd.I will give you the details before I post on Facebook, so you can enter there too.

Second Watercolor Journal Entry on the Native Americans

I did another watercolor journal entry of an Indian child in an elaborate costume. I have kept art journals for many years, and have been enjoying pastels and watercolors since I was a kid, as my mom was an artist.

Some people emailed me and asked me how I landed up on the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley. I took the Civil Service Exam, I scored well, and then I got called to a job position rather quickly. Besides having my degree in English Education, I had gotten my Certification in Teaching English as a Second Language and also in Special Education. I then got permission from my principal to take a year's hiatus, and so I was off to Arizona.I had one of the best experiences in my life there!

The Navajo children were so sweet and I learned so much from them. The first Navajo word that they taught me was " ya'at-eeh", which would be pronounced like "yah-ah-t-ah." They Navajo refer to themselves as "the Dineh" or "the People". Children didn't have too much time for play. Boys hunted and fished with their fathers, and the girls had many chores, but the mothers made their daughters beautiful, handmade dolls, and they were crafted with great skill. That is where I developed a real love for handmade, cloth dolls.

Teaching them was a joy, but they taught me so much more. They told me many stories about the Navajo people and discussed their customs and traditions. They throughly loved when we studied poetry, as they wrote wonderful poems about their culture. They also enjoyed seeing my pastels and watercolors in my art journals, and I had each of them start their own journal too, which was an instant hit. We went on day trips where we wrote in our journals and painted.

Besides, falling in love with the people,I was amazed with the stark and incredible beauty of the Navajo Reservation in Monument Valley, and boy is Monument Valley magical!

Anyways, I wanted to remind you that tomorrow is my Irish giveaway. I will be giving away the latest copy of the Irish Quilting Magazine, which will be mailed directly to the winner from Irish Quilting, which is located in Wicklow. Then I will also mail to the winner a special Irish package that I have put together....That will be my surprise package.

The magazine giveaway will be in the first week of January, so I will hold that on January 2nd.

Enjoy your day! I will be sewing a bit.

Watercolor Journaling by Oh Be Joyful

I am about to go out for a walk with Joe. We plan on stopping at the local coffee shop, and on a bleak, cold day like this one, it will be welcome to sit having a cup of latte.

I have been working on my watercolour journal. I am doing some Native Amercian watercolours and writing about my experiences teaching in Arizona. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I took a year's hiatus and went to Arizona to teach English on the Navajo Reservation. It was one of my most memorable experiences, and Monument Valley was amazingly beautiful. I was not very happy back then. I was in a very bad marriage, and so the experience was marred a bit because of that. The Indians accepted me rather quickly...I think one reason was that I told them that my parents were holocaust survivors, and the other reason was that I had read a lot about the Indians, knew a lot of their cultures and traditions, and made a point of being very knowledgeable of their ways of life before I went there, and that was appreciated. I did learn a lot though. I was given the name "Oh Be Joyful", and that is because they wanted to see me happy, and I wasn't. I was happy teaching the Indian children, and I fell in love with Arizona, but I guess that there was always a sad look in my eyes, at least that is what they said, even though I always had a smile for each and every one of them.

On the day, that I left, I went to say goodbye to the chief....He took my hand and thanked me, and the look in his eyes, I will never forget. He said to me , " Be happy one day, Oh Be Joyful."

I wish that I could go back, so they could see the happiness in my eyes. Also, Joe would love the spiritual beauty of Arizona. Though it is very different from Donegal County, both have that special magic about them.

I will be making a few Native American watercolour paintings for my art journal. It was nice thinking back on my experiences and some of the things that I learned there.

I Won Again

In the last giveaway I won, where I gave the course prize to Vicki, I was the last comment . You know that the random generator rarely picks the first or the last comment. Well, in that case, I won, even though I was the last comment. Then I got an email from Janet, whose blog is Quilting from Janet,telling me that I won her giveaway. The weird thing is that I again was the last comment and was chosen again by the random generator. I am keeping this prize. It is a gorgeous Benartex Holice Turnbow Wholecloth Quilt kit called Anchors Aweigh, which includes everything, including the backing(except for the batting) to finish the quilt.It will be 40x54 when completed. I am tickled pink and thanks so much Janet for the opportunity to win this wonderful prize!

We are now approaching New Year's Day. Joe and I will be going to our local Chinese restaurant and having a meal there on New Year's Eve. Time is flying by.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I have been hearing of lots of bottles of Baileys bought, and if that is due to me, I am very happy.

Merry XMAS and I Won

Merry Christmas! It is Christmas morning here in Dunfanaghy, and Joe is still asleep. I am up early to make breakfast for everyone. Gene emailed me and said that I won a free online quilting course in his giveaway. I was the last one to comment, and as Gene said, generally that last one doesn't win, but I did. Thank you so much Gene!

I am giving the course to Vicki, who doesn't have a blog, but you can see her profile. She has been writing me how she wants to get into quilting, and this is a perfect way to help her....

my Christmas gift to her. I also suggested that she get a Quilt in a Day book by Eleanor Burns, as my first quilt was a log cabin quilt from one of her books. I still have that quilt as a memory, and when I look at it, I realize how much I have improved as a quilter. I also mentioned Alex Anderson, as she is really my all time favorite, and I have tons of her books.

Merry Christmas to you all ! I have not had an easy year this year healthwise, but I have my Joe and two doggies, and so many wonderful friends, and that is all a blessing. I hear that some of you bought Baileys and will be making some of the dessert recipes that I shared with you....Just enjoy it all...Today is a day for happiness, being with family and friends, eating good food, having fun, and just appreciating all that we have. We are going to eat breakfast, and we are off to see Bobbi.It will be a glorious hike through the snow. A joyous day to you all!!!!!!!

Happy Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas

We are into our afternoon of Christmas Eve. We are back from our long hike to Bobbi, and it was especially pretty with the sun out and the snow still on the ground. We stopped by our local health food store, and we got free mulled wine....that really warmed me up quickly. I am enjoying a series of Twilight movies on tv. First was the original Twilight, and now I am watching New Moon while Joe is taking a wee nap. It will be a quiet, peaceful day at home.

Here is a aerial tour of Ireland...It will give you an idea how very pretty Ireland is. All the shops will be closed tomorrow and decorations are up in many of the homes.It is a beautiful time here in Ireland. One of my favorite Irish singers named Enya is here singing in Gaelic one Christmas song I truly love...."Silent Night"...Someone commented that when we die and go to heaven, we will hear Enya's voice there singing. That is a lovely thought for sure...She truly has a voice of an angel.

Oh, if you are still in the mood for a bit of baking, this is my all time favorite:

Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake. Guess what I am having tonight with a cup of coffee?

Here is the recipe for you...You still have a bit of time to bake this one. This is one of the easiest Baileys Cream Cheesecake recipes.

100g/3½oz unsalted butter

250g/8¾oz biscuits such as Digestives, Hobnobs, Oaties. Crushed.

450g/1lb Cream cheese such as Philadelphia

1 slug of Baileys Irish cream

100ml/3½oz icing sugar

200ml/10½oz double cream

60g/2oz chocolate (dairy or plain, as you prefer)

Method:

Gently melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the crushed biscuits and mix until the butter has been absorbed.

Remove from the heat and, while still warm, press the mixture (using the back of a spoon) into the bottom of a lined 23cm/9inch springform or flan tin. Leave to set for one hour in the fridg

While it is chilling, grate the chocolate. Set aside in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.

In a bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is soft. Beat in the icing sugar and a shot of Baileys. Fold in the whipped cream and three-quarters of the chocolate. When the mixture is smooth, smooth it evenly onto the biscuit base.

Refridgerate and allow to set for at least two hours. If you can bear to leave it overnight, so much the better.

To serve, remove from the tin and decorate. You can either sprinkle the remaining grated chocolate over the top for a simple finish, or add some individual chocolates and flakes for a more elegant and ceremonial dressing.

Some people serve individual portions with additional cream, poured over or whipped into a peak. Personally, I don't think this is necessary as this Baileys Irish cream cheesecake is already fabulously rich.
You can, however, decorate it with a bit of chocolate curls if you like it the way I do....very yummy! By the way, only the brave and very thin should try to calculate the calories, but when you want to indulge yourself, like on Christmas Eve or Day, this can't be beat. The hard part is waiting for it to chill in the fridge...It seems like a long wait.LOL

Merry Christmas or as they say here in Gaelic "Nollaig Shona." Have a blessed, happy, and peaceful holiday!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve

I just finished watching Miracle on 34th Street...Do you remember that movie? Here is a link to show you the highlights of the film. I have to admit that I love that movie, and of course we all believe in Santa Claus.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and it is a tradition that I watch that movie, and so I was thrilled that it was on tv again this year.What a lovely two hours I just spent! By the way, that little girl is Natalie Wood. Amazing, isn't it?

I will be back tomorrow to wish you all a wonderful Christmas Eve.

Happy, Happy Day Before Christmas Eve to you all!

The Quilt Pattern Magazine Giveaway and My Own Surprise Giveaway

The Quilt Pattern Magazine is a brand new online magazine that will be available from Jan.2011.

It's packed full of wonderful patterns and projects. No more waiting for a magazine to be delivered by mail.

• You can file your favorite patterns on your computer or
• You can print the patterns you need and organize them in a folder
• You have instant access to the magazine as soon as its published

To win a year's subscription, go look at their website and and comment about the magazine on my post here. There is no room to comment on their website.In January, one name will be drawn for a free subscription for all of next year.

Here is my surprise:

If you came back and commented about the magazine here at my post, you will be entered in my draw too, but only if you commented on the magazine. Now, you have a chance to win two prizes...How nice is that!

My prize is a surprise Irish package which will include The Irish Quilting Magazine and some other Irish goodies, and it will be drawn on December 30th at 1 PM my time.

Remember your comment must be done here at my post, not at the website.

I can't wait to see the magazine and get it each month. I love patterns, and this is going to be a great way for me to collect tons of wonderful quilting patterns.

Packages Arrive and I Made a Purse

Barb from Bejeweled Quilts sent me a wee pink slipper necklace. Needless to say, I love it because it is pink, and also because it was sent by a good friend "just because". She sent me an Aloha card with it, and it is nice to get a necklace from Hawaii. I wore it all day with a pink sweatshirt and leggings...very cute indeed. Thanks so much Barb! How neat to get it all the way from Hawaii. The purse in the pic I made, and I will go into how I did that below.

I also ordered the book called Worst Case by James Patterson from Amazon UK. I have been wanting to read this book for a while, and tomorrow I will start it. Why didn't I start the book today?

I made a purse for myself to use when I go food shopping, so I don't have to take a huge bag with me. I just needed something small to carry my money, the list for the shopping and a pen. It is a cute purse, and so easy to make. It is made from colorful jelly roll strips that are on the front and back of the purse, and inside is a bright yellow fabric.

This is how you can make your own purse:

1. You can use a jelly roll and sew the strips together. You want to make this unit 15"x8.5 inches.

2. Cut out the batting also 15x8.5" and pin it to the jelly roll strip unit and then do the machine quilting that you like. You can see what I did hopefully from the pic.

3. Then cut a fabric that you want to use to coordinate with it that is also 15x8.5"

( I chose bright yellow cotton, which will be the lining for the purse)

4. Sew it to the machine quilted strip unit (right sides together) leaving 4 inches unsewn so you can turn it inside out. I used a chopstick when I pushed out the corners to make nice points.

5. After you turn it inside out, whip stitch the opening .

6. Then you are going to sew the handle for the purse. I cut out a 3 inch strip, folding it towards the center and ironing, it and then folding it again and sewing down a quarter of an inch down the strip.

7. Fold the machine quilted strip unit( that you turned inside out) from the bottom up to about three quarters and insert the handle on the left side under the folded edge, and then sew a quarter of an inch down on each side of the purse(backstitch in the beginning and end). That will secure the strap also.

I then added a bit of trimming, some buttons, a neat flower, and then sewed on the snaps to be able to close it.

You have a quick and easy purse.

This is a nice, quick project like the mug rug.

Still lots of snow on the ground, and it is snowing right now as I write this post....Enjoy your Monday! Tomorrow, I will be reading a really good suspense book with a nice latte.

Fun With Mug Rugs and a Few Irish Dessert Recipes

Yes, I have made another mug rug. I have four PIFS to do so I am making mug rugs to put in a package of goodies that I am preparing for each PIF.

I used a lovely snowman fabric for the mug rug and also a mini jelly roll that I had. I put a teapot button to match one of the colours on the mug rug. I won't say whom this is for, but the packages will also have some Irish goodies.

Also, we got some more snow and lots of it. Joe and I just got back from feeding Bobbi a whole bunch of carrots, apples, oatcakes and sugar cubes. He was a happy horse, but the hike took so much longer to complete with us having to walk through all the snow. We are definitely going to have a white Christmas celebration. I know everyone is busy with getting ready for the holidays. I will be posting before Christmas to wish you all a Merry Christmas.

I thought to get you prepared for Christmas, I would give you some wonderful Irish dessert recipes. If you are on a diet, forget about it for just that one day. You will love these...they are so yummy.

Here is the first one . It is called Irish Pudding Parfait with Oatmeal-Walnut Crunch. I have to admit that I am partial to this one, and you will truly love it. It is just so so so good!

Ingredients for Crunch

1 c. old-fashioned oats

3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. instant coffee crystals
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

Ingredients for Pudding:
1-1/4 c. chilled whipping cream
12 tbsp. Irish Cream( you know I use Baileys for this one)
3/4 c. packed brown sugar6 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
12 tbsp. dried currants

Preparation:

Crunch:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture forms moist clumps. Mix in walnuts. Sprinkle mixture onto rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, occasionally stirring gently and leaving mixture in clumps, about 35 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight.)

Pudding:
Combine 3/4 cup cream, 6 tablespoons Irish cream, sugar, yolks and nutmeg in large metal bowl.

Place over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Using electric mixer, beat until custard thickens and thermometer registers 160°F, about 8 minutes. Remove from over water and beat until cool, about 8 minutes. Mix in remaining 6 tablespoons Irish cream. Beat remaining 1/2 cup cream in medium bowl to medium peaks. Fold into custard. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Layer 1/4 cup pudding, 1 tablespoon currants and 3 tablespoons crunch in each of six 12 ounce goblets; repeat layering 1 more time. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

Another really good one is for Christmas Bread Pudding, which is for a microwave, and it is truly easy to make and delicious.

1/2 c. golden raisins

1/2 c. raisins

1/3 c. Bailey's Irish Cream
3/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
3 c. light cream
4 beaten egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla
11 slices white bread
10 slices whole wheat bread
1/2 c. whole red candied cherries, halved

In a small mixing bowl combine raisins. In a 1 cup measure, micro-cook Irish Cream, uncovered, on HIGH 45 seconds or until warm; pour over raisins. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, for custard, in a microwave safe 1-1/2 quart casserole, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in cream. Cook, uncovered, on HIGH 7 to 9 minutes or till bubbly, stirring every 2 minutes until slightly thickened, then after every 30 seconds. Cook, uncovered, for 1 minute more. Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to casserole. Cook, uncovered, on HIGH 30 to 60 seconds more or until edges of mixture are bubbly, stirring once. Stir in vanilla.

Remove crust from bread slices; cut into 1/2 inch cubes (should have about 12 cups); toss bread cubes together in a large bowl.

Grease a microwave silicone pan. Drain the raisins, reserving liquid. Arrange 2 tablespoons of the cherries in the bottom of the tube dish; then sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the drained raisins into the tube dish. Add remaining cherries and raisins to bread cubes. Stir reserved Bailey's Irish Cream into custard mixture. Pour the custard mixture over bread cubes and remaining fruit; toss lightly to mix.

Spoon bread cube mixture into prepared dish. Smooth surface with back of a spoon. Cover with vented microwave safe plastic wrap. Cook on MEDIUM 8 to 10 minutes or until set, giving dish a half turn once. Let cool 5 minutes. Carefully unmold onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges; serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Yield: 12 servings

I will give you a few more Irish recipes next week. Enjoy! Off to do some sewing!

Hiking Through Snow and Hail and A Lovely Surprise

It snowed again in Dunfanaghy. I have been here since 1997, and in all that time, I can only remember seeing some snow a few times. Having this much snow in one winter in Ireland is just unheard of. It is the worst winter and snow that Ireland has had in the last 25 years.

Joe and I left for our hike to Bobbi as usual this morning, and we walked through lots of snow with snow and hail falling. It was not fun! We were so glad to reach the forest, as there is always less snow falling there, because of the canopy of trees.Bobby was so happy to hear us calling him, and he galloped to us with joy and in anticipation of all the goodies we had brought., which was sugar cubes, oatcakes, apples and carrots.

I also received my giveaway gift that I won from Jansie's blog called Jansie's Fancies, and it was a really pretty Christmas ornament. Isn't it just lovely? I also got a pouch for it, and that was quite pretty too.

Thanks Jansie!

We are both chilled from our walk, and it has been hours since we took our walk. We are sitting in the our living room watching tv. I am under my electric blanket.

I can't believe that next week is Chrsitmas. I am so glad that you all loved the Irish Christmas traditions that I discussed in a previous email. It looks like we might have a White Christmas.

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Completed and the International Quilt Festival In Ireland

I got the cutest pattern/kit for Rudolph. I have been wanting to make one and voila, here is mine. I took a mini Christmas tree and added it, so that was not included in the kit. The kit came with all the fabrics you would need, so that made it so much easier. I had to hand embroider his mouth, and his smile is a killer...just makes you happy looking at him. I have to admit that the antlers and ears were not that easy to get just right, but I was pleased with the results. Joe thinks he is just adorable, and I just love how chubby I made him. He turned out so cute! The shop that I got it from is the cutest store ever and mostly sells kits like this.

Rudolph is going next to one of my Santas. I am getting this awesome Santa for the holidays that is at Heatons to add to my collection. I can't resist. It is only 20 euro, but boy does he look like the old St. Nick. The two of them will look great together. I have to say that I am proud of my creation.



I wanted to remind you of the International Quilt Festival in Ireland. They are on facebook here, and they are giving away free trips to Ireland. There is a wealth of information about the festival, and what a wonderful time to come and visit this magical island.

Irish Christmas Traditions and a Few Extra Tidbits

I promised to tell you about Irish Christmas traditions, so today is as good as any day. First of all, if you want to wish your friends and family a Merry Christmas in Gaelic, all you have to say is,"Nollaig Shona Duit", which is pronounced "null-ig-hun-a-dit."

In Ireland, fall is the time of the year to get the house all cleaned up for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Then the decorating begins and when you light the fire, nothing is lovlier.

Ireland has a number of Christmas traditons that are all its own. Many of them come from the Gaelic culture and religion.

1. The Candle in the Window:

The placing of a lighted candle in the window on Christmas Eve is still practiced today. The candle is normally red and it is a welcoming sight to see.

2. The Laden Table:

After the evening meal on Christams Eve, the kitchen table is set with a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins and a pitcher of milk ,a large lit candle, and other goodies.



Looks yummy, doesn't it?

3. The Wren Boy Procession:

On St. Stephen's Day a procession takes place where a pole with a holly bush is carried from house to house and families dress up in old clothes with blackened faces. In olden times, a wren would be killed and placed on the top of the pole, but this is not done anymore. Also on this day, people visit each other bearing gifts.

4. Decorations:

Instead of a fancy Christmas wreath on the door, the placing of a ring of holly on the door is more traditional.

Holly and mistletoe are placed all over the cottage or house, and of course there is a Christmas tree in most homes.

5.Traditional Irish Christmas Meal:

Well, you will mostly see turkey with stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, sausages, pudding, and yummy fruit cakes.

6. What do children give to Santa Here in Ireland?

It is traditional to leave him Guiness or milk, and Christmas pudding or mince pie

Mince Pie is one of my favorite desserts. We make sure we always have some fresh mince pie on hand during the holidays and cold winter months.

Mincemeat Filling Ingredients:
1/2 lb. finely chopped fresh beef suet

1 1/4 cups of sugar1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

4 cups raisins, seedless

2 cup currants, dried

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup candied citron, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup figs, dried and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup candied orange peel, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup candied lemon peel, coarsely chopped

2 cups peeled and cored cooking apples, coarsely chopped

1 cup of pale dry sherry

2-1/2 cups cups of brandy

Preparing the MincemeatIn a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the brandy and sherry and stir well. Pour in brandy and sherry. Using a wooden spoon, mix together all ingredients until well moistened. Next, cover the container of mincemeat and store in a cool place for 3 weeks (do not store in the refrigerator). Once a week, check on the mincemeat. The fruit will absorb the liquid. Using about 1/2 cup at a time of brandy and sherry, replenish the liquid. When kept covered in a cool location without refrigeration, Mincemeat can be kept indefinitely. If preferred, after about a month you can refrigerate the mincemeat. Make 1 1/2 qts.

Recipe makes 8 (2-1/2-inch) pies and requires the following pastry plus 8 teaspoons softened butter and 1-1/2 cups mincemeat.

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits

1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Tablespoons ice water

Preparing and Baking the CrustPreheat oven to 375° F. With a pastry brush, coat bottom and sides of 8 (2-1/2-inch) tart tins with the softened butter, allowing 1 teaspoon for each tin. Combine butter, flour, salt, sugar, either in bowl or food processor. Add enough water to make the mixture just adhere together, so it is not crumbly. Form into ball, wrap in waxed paper and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out onto floured pastry cloth and with a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut 16 (3-inch) rounds of pastry. Gently press 8 rounds into tins, one at a time, then spoon about 3 Tablespoons of the mincemeat into each pastry shell. With a pastry brush dipped in cold water, lightly moisten the outside edges of the pastry shells and carefully fit the remaining 8 rounds over them. Crimp the edges with a fork. Trim excess pastry from around rims with a sharp knife, and cut two parallel slits, about 1/2-inch long and 1/4-inch apart in the top of each pie.Arrange pies on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F. and continue baking for 20 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown. Run the blade of a knife around the inside edges of the pies to loosen them slightly, and set them aside to cool in the pans.
Then turn out the pies with a narrow spatula and serve. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

By the way, here is a recipe for Christmas


Pudding:

8oz Cream Flour
8oz Sultanas
8oz Raisins
8oz Currants
8oz Fresh White Bread Crumbs
8oz Dark Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3oz Mixed Peel
1 Medium Eating Apple
1 tsp Mixed Spice
8oz Shredded Suet
1 tsp Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
3 tblsps Milk

Put the sultanas, raisins and currants in a large bowl. Use seedless raisins or stone them first.Stir in the breadcrumbs.Sift the flour and stir in the sugar and mixed peel.Peel, core and grate the apple into the bowl.Add the shredded suet with the beaten eggs, the spices and salt and mix very well to a soft consistency with milk.Turn the mixture into two 2lb pudding basins and cover each one with greaseproof paper.Cover with foil and tie on the coverings.Boil the puddings for 4 hours, replenishing the pan with more boiling water as it evaporates.On the day, boil or steam the puddings for another 2 hours.Serve with custard.Cooks Tip: If possible, keep the puddings for 4-6 weeks before eating.

Don't forget to try all these yummy recipes I have been giving you with either a Baileys or Irish coffee and Nollag




Shona Duit!

Irish Coffee Wallhanging Top Completed and Some Yummy Irish Drinks with a Delicious Irish Dessert

I am decorating the house a bit for the holidays, but I also decided as both Joe and I are fanatical about coffee, we needed a reminder of that in our kitchen. I made an Irish Coffee wallhanging. It is all machine applique, and I had such fun sewing it. I am done the top, but before I layer the batting and the backing to the top and do the machine quilting, I wanted to show you the top.
Joe took the pic, but the flash went off.. The greens of the letters are brighter, the red at the bottom is brighter, but when I finish the top, Joe will take it outside so you can hopefully see the colours better in the natural light. At least you got a sneak peak.LOL

Isn't it just so cute and Irish?

I don't know if you ever had Irish coffee, but here is a really good recipe for it:

Irish Coffee:

Ingredients
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Irish cream liqueur
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Irish whiskey
1 cup hot brewed coffee
1 tablespoon whipped cream
1 dash ground nutmeg
Directions
In a coffee mug, combine Irish cream and Irish whiskey. Fill mug with coffee. Top with a dab of whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.

I have to admit that my favorite drink of all here is Baileys Irish Creme, and besides the original flavored Baileys, they also have chocolate mint, caramel and hazelnut. I , of course, being a chocoholic, love the chocolate mint Baileys, which I plan on having on Christmas day.

Joe and I love to sit in the snug area of our favorite pub called McColgans. I always have a Baileys Irish Creme, and we basically have the pub to ourselves. That is because we usually go there on a Saturday morning. This past Saturday we went, met a local musician there named Ernie, and a neighbor named Charlie, and it was great craic sitting with the Baileys by the fire, and listening to Irish music being played on the jukebox. Pefect way to spend Saturday morning.

Christmas is not Christmas here in Ireland without Traditional Irish Christmas Cake. Here is a good recipe if you want to try it out.

IRISH CHRISTMAS CAKE RECIPE:

1 cup raisins1 cup yellow raisins1 cup dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, etc.)1 cup chopped dried apricots,1 cup chopped dried plums,1 cup candied citrus peel, chopped finely,1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons of brandy (I use Christian Brothers)1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened 8 eggs,1 tablespoon lemon zest,1 tablespoon lemon juice,2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt,1 teaspoon nutmeg, 3 cups flour,2 cups slivered almonds

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup brandy. Let stand overnight, stirring occasionally.Position the rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 F. Butter a 10-inch-diameter tube pan. Line the bottom with parchment or waxed paper. Butter parchment and dust with flour. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy, add in the 2-1/2 cups sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the lemon peel and juice, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Mix in flour. Fold in almonds and dried fruit mixture. Spread evenly in the pan.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 275 degrees.Bake the cake until toothpick comes out clean, about 4 hours. Dribble the remaining brandy over the cake. Cool for five minutes. Turn the cake out onto the rack. Cool completely. Store, wrapped, until just before serving. Additional brandy can be dribbled over the top of the cake weekly until icing.To decorate the cake, shortly before serving: First layer honey and marzipan. 3 7-ounce packages of marzipan1/2 cup honeyPress the marzipan into a circle. Sprinkle a cutting board with powdered sugar. Roll out marzipan to 14-inch round. Turn cake right side up; place on serving plate. Drizzle the honey over the cake. Drape the marzipan over cake, trimming around the top of the cake only. Press lightly mold it to the top of the cake.

Royal Icing: 2 large egg whites2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add in the sugar and mix gently until smooth and shiny. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.The final frosting of royal icing is spread over the marzipan and honey layers. When the royal icing has hardened, wrap the cake first in waxed paper, then in a layer of aluminum foil for keeping.

Anyways, I will be completing the wallhanging tomorrow, the latest Wedenesday, so I will post the pic of the completed wallhanging.

Before Christmas, I will be telling you how Christmas is traditionally celebrated here. There are Gaelic traditions to the holiday that I have never seen in America. Stay tuned for that.

Another Mug Rug and a Lovely Gift from the Heart

I was right...I was bit by the mug rug bug. I made another one..This time it was for me. I thought about what I wanted, and I decided on something pink with a butterfly. Now, I have my own cup of coffee on my very own mug rug. What can I say? it is me in a nutshell. Isn't it cute as can be?

I know this is only the beginning. I will be making a mug rug for every major holiday and season. Why not? They are so much fun to make!

Then, a lovely package arrived in the mail...What can I say? I was overjoyed to receive this gift from Linda whose blog is The Sewing Granny . She knows I love to read so she made me two of the cutest bookmarkers you can imagine. Aren't they just adorable? I love the Warner Brother characters! Then I got a fat quarter which is so pretty...love it Linda! Also, a heart shaped yo yo...You must have read my mind, as I was going to order it for myself. Finally, a purse that is also the Warner Brother's characters. ...I have to admit I love all of each and every one of them, esp.Bugs Bunny and Tweetie. It is the best purse I ever had! I have to say that in her note to me she said, " I know you love to read, so I thought these markers might save your place and remind you that you are loved."
Linda, you are the sweetest! I was so touched by it all.

Here is a limerick for Linda in thanks for her present.

There once was lady who is my friend you bet,

Who always is so sweet to me, even though we never met;

She has a heart filled with so much love,

She's like my guardian angel sent from God above;

I love you too and will always be true to you;

Many hugs to you Linda and much love sent your way too.

By the way Linda, something will be coming your way from my wee cottage here in Dunfanaghy, and thanks so much again!

Well, that was my day. Oh yes, we did take a long hike to see Bobbi and fed him his carrots and oatcakes, and we gave him many pets and kisses.

Have a great day! Mine has been so nice!

Christmas Tag Tim Holtz Style, A Giveaway and Some Neat Events

I had fun today making a Christmas tag using tons of Tim Holtz products. I made everything on the tag including the tissue paper flower. It took me a while, but I really had a blast. Thank God for my craft sheet, or there would have been such a mess. I am going to make some more tags for gifts, and will be busy with the crafting end of my hobby. Hope you like the tag...it is the trend now and makes for a lovely gift. I got Tim Holtz's book A Compendium of Curiosity ,and I have been slowly but surely building up my collection of items. If you are interested in doing this type of crafting, the book is a must.

I think that I told you that I have pre-ordered the Vagabond, but it is not arriving in the UK till the end of January. Funny enough, it will also cut a lot of the GO dies, but I will be mainly using it for my embossing and cutting for my journal making, tags, cards, scrapbooking etc. This is a Tim Holtz product too, and instead of cranking, you just push a button, and voila, it cuts and embosses. The motor is supposed to be very powerful, so I can't wait to try it out. The neat thing is that it looks like a suitcase.

Finally, Linda at Stray Stitches is giving away a fabulous package to make a great quilt. I think it is so generous, but you only have till 9 PM Friday to enter, so hurry on over.

She is also having a virtual quilting bee that you might want to join, and here is info about it. Also, Linda is having a Big Swap Adventure where quilters will be swapping blocks. This will start in January, 2011.

A Giveaway Prize and Pay it Forward

I am lucky to have won a stunning ornament from Jansie who has a wonderful blog you should visit. I am thrilled to have won it, as it will look so stunning on any Christmas tree that we have.

Thanks so much Jansie.

I also joined in on Joanne's Pay it Forward, and she sent me a wee, pink mug rug, some chocolate/cocoa mixes, and a tissue fabric dispenser with cold remedies. Thanks Joanne!

Ok, if you know anything about Pay it Forward, now I will be passing it on to 3 people.

To the first three people who comment below that they want to join in, I will send you something homemade and something Irish within the next 365 days, but I will get it to you pretty soon....LOL...so don't you worry!

You then will pay it forward to three people by posting what you received and then passing it on to the three people who comment on your blog.

Joe and I are off to Letterkenny for shopping, so I am heading off to make us breakfast.

Enjoy your day !

Had to Try a Mug Rug

Everyone's been making a mug rug in blogland, so I decided to make one for Joe today. he is a big coffee drinker, and I knew he really needed one. Being that I love Santa, I cut out a novelty fabric of Santa and machine appliqued it to a block and then used various Christmas fabrics to finish it off. Joe is using it at this very moment, and needless to say loves it.

Gee, have I been bitten by the mug rug bug? Is it like potato chips where you can't just have one of them? I have to admit I had fun making it. I will have to be on the lookout for some neat novelty fabric, but paper piecing would also work for this....really anything would be nice.

Enjoy your Sunday! We still have cold weather here, but the snow is melting. If you are having cold weather, keep cozy and warm! Back to my cup of coffee!

Happy Holidays

Joe and I are not very religious at all, but we both respect our cultural backgrounds. This week is Hanukkah,and I wanted to wish all the Jewish bloggers a Happy Hanukkah! I have to admit that Hanukkah was my favorite holiday when I grew up. It was 7 days of gifts and generally at the end, we got a huge gift too. My parents made it very special for us all. There is nothing like the menorah lit up, as you can see from my pic. It brings back many memories.I had wonderful parents, and it is at this time of year that I miss both of them.
Funny enough,my dad also took me to see Santa every year and the Christmas Toyland village in Philly. I have many a pic of me sitting on Santa's lap, and it was a very special time for me and my dad. Of course, he explained to me that Santa was for every child in the world, and as a result of loving Santa all my life, I now collect Santas with much fondness.

I light my menorah, and there is a Christmas tree in our cottage. It is a good representation of both Joe and me. We are proof that people from very different backgrounds can be anam cairde or soulmates.

Anyways, I do hope that the holidays are wonderful for all of you, and they only bring much happiness and health to everyone.

Bingo Fun

In Stitches, which is the official blog of the Quilt Shoppe and the Holiday Cloth Shoppe, is having a really fun bingo game, which is starting on December 10th. A prize will be awarded each day to a lucky person who is drawn from all the comments posted, and then one person who reaches BINGO will get the Grand Prize. You must submit your list of 25 words by December 9th, so hurry and enter. This is going to be so much fun, as I did it last year and loved it.

Hurry up and join in on the fun!

December Star

My star of the month for December is Debbie St. Germain. I met her through my AccuQuilt GO Giveaway, and I am so happy that we stayed in contact and became friends. Debbie is a a very versatile artist and quilter, and she is very creative with her techniques and mediums that she uses. Her blog Woolen Sails is wonderful, so do visit and get to know her. Debbie is not feeling well now, so I was most appreciative that she still found the energy to do the interview and send me pics of her wonderful work.

Here is Debbie's interview:

Name: Debbie St. Germain

A Bit about Me: I call myself a folk artist, since much of my work is naive, but based on life around me. I love to take realistic images and create them into a simpler form, working in different mediums.
I guess I take after my grandmother, in that respect. She was a talented crafter, who sewed, quilted, hooked rugs, as well as, running a ceramic studio. I spent most of my younger years with her, during the summer and spent many an hour at her side, watching her work on her crafts.
For most of my life, I have been crafting, in one way or another. I love to work in textile mediums, but I also dabble in frakturs, tole painting and wood working. Recently I have been experimenting with needle roving and like to incorporate it into my art pieces.

What Inspires Me:
Nature is what inspires me most. I love to go for walks or kayaking, taking in my surroundings. Nature has her own way of creating art and I capture those things, to use in my pieces.
What I love to do the most creatively: I think quilting would be the answer to that question. I find that I have more freedom with fabrics and I can be as detailed or simple as I want, depending on what type of result, I am going for. I also find myself changing things as I work, or changing other designers patterns, so I truly tend to be more creative in fabrics.

My Favorite Fabric and Designer: That is a tough one, I do love quite a few designers. But I would have to say Jan Patek, since I love and use her designs more than most and her fabrics are wonderful.

UFO I intend to Finish First: The first thing I want to finish is my wool quilt. I took patterns from several sources and cut the background blocks to fit the size of the design. I need to finish one more block and the details, then I plan on joining the blocks with various wools to fit them together. I guess it will be a cross between a crazy quilt and wonky blocks.

What's On the Design Wall Now: Right now I am busy with Christmas gifts. Once I finish those, I plan on making a wall hanging for my entry way. I am thinking of something simple with a deer in a forest, using Silent Night as my theme. My design wall, is in my head.
Who I would love to meet: I think that would be Marylou Weidman. I love to visit her blog and see all of the wonderful creations she makes. She is just so fun and full of happy energy.

If I Had One Wish: To win enough money to pay off all of my bills. Then I could spend all my time creating and giving gifts to people. I love to make things for others and often get my inspiration for ideas, from things they love.

Plans for the Future: I will be spending the next year, working more on my own designs and perfecting my sewing skills. I would like to start working on patterns for quilting, and explore my creative side, with art quilting. I just need some fun time to create and see where it leads me.

Thanks Debbie for sharing your wonderful creations! I am sure that everyone will be inspired by your work and will throughly enjoy visiting your blog. I am so happy that we met, and that we are becoming friends. It has been so much fun getting to know you, and I do thank you again so much!