Christmas week

Few pictures around my house.  Doing some serious cleaning before Christmas at the moment.

Waiting on the plumber this week to take care of the leak in our area downstairs kitchen that we use a lot.  Our lounge area is close by to the area of kitchenette and stove.  Hopefully next year we can get some kind of redo.  Apt size oven and stove top with a new sink, nothing fancy, just something to make the area more pleasant to cook in, summer especially and some canning.  I stay downstairs mostly so this will be good. 

Downstairs coming into our utility area.  Tin man standing guard holding some faux poinsettias.

I didn't have anywhere else better to set them, so in his arms they sit. 

Sitting on table at front entrance is the printed song with Mary and Joseph. Now that I am thinking about it.  I will draw with my gold pens a star over top of manger, Mary and Joseph. 

  While doing last minute cleaning I had a fruit cake in oven.  I used the recipe on container of dried fruit. I boiled water and poured some over the fruit to soften.   Cranberry juice is called for in the recipe. I used unsweetened as I think there is enough sugar in the fruit already.

I put in walnuts.  This is the bottom of cake I took from pan to cool.  It is very good.  Very moist.

I made a round one too.  This loaf was excess batter, so I put in a loaf pan. 

 

Meanwhile in the kitchen

My window in the kitchen

Nothing special but decorative anyway

I am liking skinny green ribbon.

I was watching a video @hillhouse vintage. Have watched her for several years. Hillhouse vintage blog  of hers is great too.  I love her Christmas tree this year with the small olive green ribbons.  

I purchased this ribbon months ago.  It sparkles and didn't want to just use it on packages so up it went on several things around the house.   Well seeing the backside of ribbon ruins it for me.  Gotta get back on ladder and fix. 

My chandelier has little green bows too

rosemary on my window

I sent off a photo I took and made into Christmas cards. Not many made this year because the price went up quite a bit and so did shipping.

I had a pillow also made of the same pic as cards.   It's taken from my window of the snow in January of Hemlock tree and Lavender Cottage aka children's playhouse.  They are older so now it's called mostly lavender cottage.

The hanging candle is on a timer   I placed my metal ivy in planter with faux greenery.

Across to living room

vintage made arrangement purchased a few years back.

 banister 

Ground orange rind.  First, I dried rind in my air dryer and then ground up for cakes and chocolate chip cookies.  

needs to be ground more but just showing how it looks

adding to batter for my cranberry orange muffins 

out of oven and sprinkled with confectioners' sugar

Last bite... Can ya see the little bits of orange?  It is so good made this way. 

I am linking post to My World  and to Autumn Happiness