I am Thankful

Just wanted to pop in and say Happy Thanksgiving to all the stampers in the US!  I'm  hosting the turkey dinner for some of my family today so I thought I'd share a few of the crafty things I did for our celebration today.

Here's my table all set for 6 with a high chair for my dear grand nephew, 14 month old Landon.  I grow the Japanese Lanterns in my garden that I used in the center piece.  I found the bittersweet mixed in on a walk a few weeks ago!

 I made the little name place treat holders with a pattern from Split Coast (look here) and filled them with caramel Hershey kisses!  I saw the wishbone idea for tying around the napkins  in Martha Stewart Magazine - you can find the wishbones here. 

You may be able to see the fern print on the napkins?   I made these by taking real ferns, placing them on the linen napkin, covering it with a piece of white computer paper and pounding over it with a rubber hammer - the green from the fern dyes the napkin.  I ironed them after to help seal the color but they do turn brown when you wash them.

These cool turkeys are cornbread!   I found this idea again in Martha Stewart Magazine (I love her wonderful seasonal ideas!)   You can find the turkey mold here.  

I made a recipe of pumpkin butter to use on the cornbread.  Also from Martha - here's the recipe:

  Beat together 2 sticks softened unsalted butter, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt with a mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy.  The mixture will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Here's the dessert selection!   Homemade pumpkin and pecan pie, some fudge and white chocolate dipped pretzels!

I make this fudge every year - it SO delicious and SO easy to make -  the recipe is from Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk:
3 cups (18 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
dash of salt
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, optional
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a heavy sauce pan, over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt.  Remove from heat, stir in nuts if desired and vanilla.  Spread evenly into a wax paper lined 8 or 9 inch square pan.  Chill 2 hours or until firm.  Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares.  Store covered in refrigerator.   YUM!!

For the pretzels, I just melted the round white chocolate pieces (from JoAnn's or Michaels that you use to make lollipops) rolled the pretzels in the melted chocolate and sprinkled with colored jimmies and colored sugars. (I put them in the freezer on wax paper for a few minutes as they take a bit to harden!)

And finally here are two pics of traditional decorations that come out every year at my house.

My son, Josh (now 33) made these pilgrims when he was in kindergarten and although they are a little worse for wear and packing - they come out every year and I love them!

 And the tradition of getting out this picture called  Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton goes back at least to my great grandparents - my parents reproduced the picture for my sister and I as we each were  married and established our own homes. 

Today I am thankful for so many things -  my family, my friends, the wonderful art of stamping, that I have a warm home and plenty to eat,  that I have a job and my health.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone celebrating today!

If you'd like to see all the Thanksgiving projects I've done since I started my blog you can check them out here.