Shakesville - Latest Comments in War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

psychobroad — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:35:13 -0000

My mom had the very same Betty Ford Clinic cocktail napkins. Irony, thy name is Dorothy.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

rubyromaine — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:46:41 -0000

That white tree is elegant.

My main interest is listed on Facebook as "glitter". I own every color of glitter available. I buy my superfine glitter from the Art Institute @ ArtGlitter.com. It is the most shiny glitter you can find. The effects are unbelievable.

Art Glitter comes in translucent and opaque. It is expensive but goes a long way. I sometimes mix it with cheaper large-grain glitter to make it go farther. I also like to mix the colors, it comes in about six shades of each color.

There is nothing that you cannot glitter. Take any old or tired Christmas decorations (even pine cones!) and glitter them. White glue works fine, just thin it down a little and cover the area to be glittered with glue, let it dry for a minute then sprinkle or dip it in glitter. Shake the excess glitter back into the bottle. Sprinkling the glitter on over a file folder works well, you can easily pour the extra glitter back into the bottle.

I saw glittered cupcakes in a cookbook. They had been frosted and then covered with pink glittery sugar crystals. They were amazing,

I wanted to buy the colored sugar crystals but I am broke so I figured out how to make them. You probably did it in middle school lab. Just follow the instructions for making rock candy, you can find the directions on the Internet. It involves boiling water and then adding huge amounts of sugar until the solution is super saturated. Add food color to the solution, then let it dry into crystals.

If the sugar crystals grow too large, smash them with a hammer. Smashing things with a hammer is always is always fun.

I use paste food color from the craft store, it is very concentrated and comes in many colors. You can make the sugar crystals as large as you want to want to make your own fabulous cake, muffin and cookie decorations. It will only take a couple of days to grow the crystals. You can sprinkle the large sugar crystals on anything, put them on the cookies and muffins prior to baking.

I have started making cupcakes for presents and parties, people go insane over them and they are very cheap to make. I developed a delicious, easy butter-cream frosting recipe which you can pipe onto the cupcakes with a freezer bag with a hole in the corner. I can't wait to make the glitter cupcakes!

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Cate — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:13:18 -0000

I LOVE THOSE SANTAS! They look slightly demonic, but mostly just jolly and star-shaped.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Petulant — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:57:47 -0000

And I have visions of you, Mr. Petulant, cocktail in hand, staring at a screen-full-o-Tweety, and softly crooning, "Scotch and Soda - Jigger of gin - Oh, what a spell you've got me in - Oh, my. . ." Is this wrong of me?

It is probably more along the lines: oh... why is he spitting at me? Did he just say something stupid? ahhh.. .yes... he did. O' there is Joan Walsh making sense. Don't pay attention to her. The wymmins are evil.

Dammit! I missed O'Reilly tonight! How can my War in Defense of Christmas be complete without the true savior?

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Susan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:39:26 -0000

stayss,
Thank you! My classmates are going to be majorly impressed at my creativity next week.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

schrisa — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:17:01 -0000

okay, now I want alien Santa cookies and a baked potato with broccoli and feta cheese.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Petulant — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:37:28 -0000

That's a nice sized cocktail...

One always requires nice-sized cocktails for WAR.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

shadmarsh — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:56:12 -0000

That's a nice sized cocktail...

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Protest8SF — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:32:13 -0000

Technically, people are not suppose to decant liquor anymore because of the lead levels in crystal and the alcohol leeching the lead.

There are also tempered glass decanters, which don't have lead in them. One of my friends has a glass decanter which was somehow made so that the wine dregs rinse out of the bottom cleanly, and you're not left trying to shove a sponge down the narrow neck, or figuring out how to get it back out of the bowl of the decanter. It's a miracle!

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Protest8SF — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:30:40 -0000

Those cookies remind me that it's time for afternoon coffee & cookie.

Petulant's abode must be amazing to see at the culmination of the War In Defense of Christmas!

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

tricia — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:09:59 -0000

I have a peacock around here somewhere that I want to put in the middle of the wreath, but like everything else- I CAN'T FIND IT.

I can relate. I've been looking for the two small aqua tassels that go on my mantel scarf for days now. :::head asplodey:::

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

rrp — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:48:18 -0000

Petulant, you are a one-man brigade in the great War.

And I want those alien santas.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Petulant — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:17:17 -0000

Oh my your decanters are lovely

Thank ye Andrea. Technically, people are not suppose to decant liquor anymore because of the lead levels in crystal and the alcohol leeching the lead. Some companies have reduced the levels (not much) in their stemware, but decanters are a no-no. However, if you decant, be sure to drink it all quickly. Then, there is no problem. HA!

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Andrea — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:28:08 -0000

Oh my your decanters are lovely... I never drink enough to warrant a decanter. Perhaps that's a problem I should remedy.

Sorry... all this discussion of GLITTERY PINE CONES and my attention goes straight for the booze.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

stayss — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:26:03 -0000

Susan
The Santas are a giant pain in the ass and one of those holiday errors that makes it's way into a tradition. My niece and nephew will not let Christmas pass without them. If you must torture yourself:
basic sugar cookie recipe, rolled dough and cut out with a star cutter
the red body and black boots are an egg wash with food coloring
cuffs and beard are royal icing
before the icing dries dip in white bead candy decor, the hat tip in red sugar crystals, cinnamon red hots are the buttons
hopefully by this point your cocktails have kicked in
dye the remaining icing black and create the alien eyes with a piping tip
Voila
Alien Santas

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Petulant — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:09:47 -0000

Thank ye Deeky. I believe that honor should go to Liss though. : )

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Auntie Meme — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:49:44 -0000

As a very new--as of this morning, in fact--convert to glittery pinecones---I vote for more, more, more! The ones here at work are painted gold with gold glitter on top of that. Oooh, I want to go back to kindergarten.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

car — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:16:02 -0000

When I was in kindergarten, we made Christmas trees by gluing together sweet gum fruits and toothpicks into big pyramids, then spray-painted them gold. All those sharp points - I have no idea what the teacher was thinking.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Siobhan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:08:56 -0000

One can never have enough glittery pine cones

Petulant, Misty, you had me at "glittery."

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Susan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:52:16 -0000

The Santas are awesome! How did she do that?

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Deborah Lipp — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:29:27 -0000

I am afraid of those Santas.

I think they are the Christmas version of the brooms from Sorcerer's Apprentice. I think they're massing for a march on my kitchen and I. Am. Afraid.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Lyonside — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:27:41 -0000

I see all those Santas, and I just think,
"HO. HO. HO. HO. HO. HO."

From The Tick, or Dr. Who, pick your poison...

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Kitty Glendower — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:21:24 -0000

You are correct, one can never, NEVER have enough GLITTERY PINE CONES. A few years ago, I made a trip to Pine Mountain (CA) for no reason other than to procure three laundry baskets full of pine cones. If you would like one, I am sure I have one or two I can send to you. They are lovely. A pine cone exchange program would be so fun. I also wanted a pine cone from Maine, and Vermont, yeah Vermont.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Misty — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:03:42 -0000

One can never have enough glittery pine cones. That's a life motto, right there.

I mostly worked out my mantel angst. New candles, candle holders, and festive glass beads helped. I'm not done but I feel a bit better about it already, lol.

Re: War in Defense of Christmas: Day Two

Siobhan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:56:04 -0000

Glittery pine cones. DEFINITELY.