New Years Eve Dinner

New Years Eve is only a day away and I still do not know what I will be cooking. Help! Suggestions?

The tree is up!

In my family we celebrate Hanukkah and New Years. Russians put up a tree for New Years and as a child that was what I looked for. Staying up on New Years eve and waiting for Santa to visit with gifts. Sometimes the gifts waited for me under the tree on the first day of the New Year. I wanted to carry some of my Russian traditions on to my children. For years we put up the tree, but every year I suffered with allergies. I was going to skip this year, but the guilt took the best of me. I want my daughter’s to enjoy their childhood to the fullest. So here comes the tree.
We had a great time decorating it with the girls. Now they are more excited about the New Years Celebration.

Vintage Victorian Style

I have always been a pretty modern girl. With the arrival of my girls I got into a more girly and yet still modern style. Everything from clothing to home interior. I could not understand people that have antique anything. I had appreciation for the item, but not much of any other feelings. As years went on, and I got more into crafts and decorating, I started noticing that I am completely in love with a Vintage Victorian Style. The colors, the detail in the design and yet it is still light and makes you happy when you see it. Opposed to much of the antiques that are dark and put a little heaviness on the mood.
With that being said, I am on a mission to find a perfect tea kettle. I see it in my mind, but have not found it live yet.

Day after Christmas sales

The malls are crazy today. There are 50%-75% Sales everywhere. As I walked through the stores this morning, I realized that people are returning. The lines for returns are longer then for purchases. Does that mean that people are not happy with their gifts?
Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that “Bath and Body Works” is having 50% to 75% off sales today. http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/home/index.jsp

Merry Christmas

Gifts, gifts and more gifts

With every season come new holidays. I love buying a perfect gift, or what I think would make a person happy. I really am not into the idea of re-gifting, therefore I try to give with thought and a receipt.
With the economy the way it is now and me without a job, its tough to find a good gift and it not being too expensive. I did make a few scarves for my youngest daughter’s teachers. I do hope that they like it. What do you think?

Back to reality

This is my first day back to reality. I have been sick with a flu and my girls were sick with a stomach virus, while my husband was working all weekend. Today the oldest is still home with me, while the youngest went to day care. This gives me a little time to write.
On Saturday we were all too sick to move, but Sunday I made meatballs in my slow cooker.
I also had some time to wrap a few gifts for my school staff, pictures are attached.



With that being said here is my recipe for meatballs:
½ pkg. of stove top for turkey
1 lb of ground turkey
½ lb of ground beef
1 egg
½ cup of water (I used purified)
½ pkg. of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
½ pkg. of white mushrooms, sliced
½ white onion, chopped
1 jar of spaghetti sauce

Sauté the mushrooms with onion in a frying pan. Combine: stuffing mix, egg, water and shape into 1 inch balls. Place the balls in slow cooker, top with sautéed mushroom and spaghetti sauce, cover and cook for 5 hours.
Tip: I garnished with parmesan sauce.

Weekend Agenda

My favorite holiday is New Years. This is the time that we decorate a tree and exchange gifts. This tradition came with my family from Russia. I would love for my daughters to enjoy the holiday as much as I do.

When the New Year begins, you get a chance for a fresh start. It gives me a crisp breath of air as the New Year begins. With that, come more gifts. I love giving gifts. The look on the persons face when the gift you chose to give makes someone happy. I personally believe that the presentation of the gift is also important.
At this point I am almost done with getting the gifts and some are even wrapped but not finished.

Please send links with beautiful wrapping ideas!!!
I will keep you posted on my progress.

P.S. need cool recipes for the New Year’s celebration dinner.

Pictures from last Birthday

These are the pictures from my oldest daughter’s 9th Birthday Party, last year. It was a spa/dress up party and the theme was Pink Poodle.

Birthday Party Planning

My last post was my candy centerpieces. I really do love making beautiful things that people appreciate and remember after the party is over. My true passion is party planning. I have done many parties for family and even tried Event Planning business (which did not make it). Usually in mid December I start planning my oldest daughter’s birthday, which is February 7th. This year I have no idea what to do for her. She wants a sleep over party for a few girls. It will be fun for the girls, but I am always concerned for the boys. I try to make the parties and even the gift bags to suit girls and boys. (Ex. My youngest had a princess theme party and the girls got everything princess, but the boys got pirate theme stuff).

From now until the party I will be blogging about the party and preparations as well as the holiday related things that are going on in my “stay at home” mom’s life.

For the sleep over party I was thinking cupcake theme. If anyone has a cute idea, please share with me.

Here is the link to the cupcake theme: http://www.birthdayinabox.com/party-themes/boxbuilder.asp-tab_cat_id-1-cat_id-5-dept_id-416 . I think I will make my own invitations.

Candy centerpieces

I made these for my sister-in-laws rehearsal dinner. It served as centerpieces and then dessert.

Finished projects

There are three things that I have finished today. First is my website is starting to look like a website and not just a holding place. Two is I finally finished the shawl for husbands grandmother who is 85. And the backpack for my niece. Both the designs are not mine, I just followed the patterns. www.mashuta.com

Hanukkah updates

The first night of Hanukkah was a success. Family time is always great, but exhausting for the hosts. The girls loved their gifts and I am very grateful that my husband cleaned up the kitchen.
I still need to get gifts for the teachers and husbands co-workers. Opened for suggestions.

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah
To all that celebrate the holiday of light.

Extra Yarn Part 2

I have decided not to waist all the left over yarn and make granny squares. I think when I have enough I will make a blanket.

Extra yarn

I have to report that I did start making a few items yesterday and have gotten pretty far into crocheting a cardigan for a 3 year old boy, a shawl for my husband’s grandmother and a scarf for my mother-in-law.

Here is a question: what do you do with all the left over yarn? There is a lot of yarn left over. Not enough to really make anything, not even a flower. Suggestions?!

P.S. the pictures will be coming later on today.

Holidays 2009

Hi everyone! Is it me or this year went by very fast?! I just realized that it is December and Hanukkah starts this Friday. I am not ready!
It seems that during December we get together with more relatives and friends than any other month. You know that a holiday get together is a success if the kids are happy with their gifts and the adults are slightly buzzes with full stomachs.
Gifts:
For the gifts this year I decided to use my newly learned skill and crochet some gifts. I will post them as I get them finished.
Food:
Still not sure. Opened for suggestions.
Drinks:
My old time favorite is champagne with cranberry juice or orange juice.
If anyone has a great idea, please feel free to share it.


I am also working on my website: www.mashuta.com. Stop in and let me know what you think.