Our First Year with Tinsel.

This year we welcomed Ivy’s Elf on a shelf, Tinsel. She was messy as hell but brought a lot of happiness to Ivy and even her friends at school who couldn’t wait to hear what Tinsel had been up to the night before.

Here are some of the best Tinsel moments from 2013.

   

Excited to have added an Elf on a Shelf to our winter festivities.

English Tea & Biscuits

While I am still new to cold process soap making, this soap was my first two color try and one of my favorites to date. Our English Tea and Biscuits soap is swirled with a yummy almond biscotti scent and topped with English garden tea. 

I really look forward to cutting the individual bars of soap from the loaf. I love seeing how each bar’s top has it’s own personality with nooks, swirls, peaks and scatters of tea.

I also love the natural color of the oils that is in contrast to the pink coloring. 

 

Ingredients: Water, Saponified Olive Oil, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil, Almond Biscotti Fragrance, Color Pigment.  

A whole new place.

It looks like we have found a whole new place in the mountains. 

What it holds for us we are not to sure, but we are ready with open arms to find out.

I am excited to record our adventures in a little mountain chalet and old fashioned soap making.

Homemade Winter Peppermint Bark

My sister, Jon’s mom and I made this amazing peppermint bark for Thanksgiving at my parents. This bark was a big hit, fun to make, delicious and pretty to display at the desert table. I like the idea of bringing something unique to a family gathering.

Here is what you need to make this winter treat:

• 2 high quality white chocolate bars.
• 2 high quality dark chocolate bars.
• Peppermint extract
• Bag of red and white swirled peppermints or a peppermint stick.

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a plastic bag crush peppermints with a mallet to desired shapes.
• In a double boiler melt dark chocolate to a silky consistency, then add a couple splashes of peppermint extract.
• Spread dark chocolate mixture over parchment paper. Place tray in freezer. Now melt white chocolate to a silky consistency, then add a couple splashes of peppermint extract. Let this batch cool slightly.
• Before you pour the white chocolate on the bottom layer of dark chocolate, make sure the bottom layer is hard enough to take the top layer of chocolate. Working quickly so that you do not melt the bottom layer of chocolate, spread the white chocolate evenly then top with crushed peppermints. Put the tray back in the freezer for 1 hour. Break the sheet of peppermint bark into desired shapes and sizes. You can store the bark in the freezer, fridge or at room temperature in an sealed container.

Yum!