Free Jams, Jellies, Vanilla Extract, Etc. Labels

It's marmalade season around here! Bitter oranges - also called Seville oranges - have a very short season. So when we saw them in our local Whole Foods, we just had to buy some. This weekend we'll be slicing them up and making Darina Allen's recipe for marmalade. And in less than a month, it should be strawberry jam season as well! So, in the spirit of fellow preserve-makers and canners, I decided to take the time to alter and clean up two vintage labels so that they can be used to label your homemade jams, jellies, syrups, liqueurs, etc. I made them red and white because it reminds me of vintage gingham and vintage kitchens. Just right click and hit "save as", then print to whatever size you like! Attach with rubber cement, a gluestick, or glue or print them on sticker or label paper and then just peel off the back.

The first one shown above is perfect for homemade vanilla extract. It may sound complicated, but it's actually incredibly simple to make! Just pick a jar you like, add 5 - 6 vanilla bean pods scored down the middle but with the seeds intact, and then cover with vodka or rum. Let steep for at least three months, shaking at least once a week. Keep adding liquor as you use it up, and replace one pod every six months or so with a fresh one and you'll have homemade extract for years! So much more flavor than the store-bought stuff, and much less expensive. I know vanilla pods can be pricey in the store, but if you look for bulk amounts of them online, they are insanely cheap (as in less than a dollar per pod)!

This one is perfect for jams, jellies, marmalades, liqueurs or even your own homemade loose tea or spice mixes! You could use them for baked goods or handmade candies as well. Just write what it is on the line, then sign your name under 'Prepared By". It has enough space to add "with love", "in honor of your birthday", "Happy Easter!", or other little notes below the name. So many possibilities!

Please note that these are for personal use only. Please do not alter them and sell them, or sell them as is. If you link to them, please credit me. Thanks!

Christmas Decor

As promised, here are some photos of my Christmas decor and baking projects. These are all inexpensive, and with the exception of the tree topper which I'd say is medium-skill level, they are all fairly easy as well.

I love this chalkboard contact paper - it's inexpensive and doesn't leave residue! I put it on the inset of a closet door, then wrote "Joy to the World" in chalk and accented it with bells, stars, and a calligraphic scroll design. Easy and festive!

Cinnamon and applesauce holly cut-outs. I punched holes on each end with a straw, then outlined them with white paint after they'd dried so they would look like gingerbread. Then I strung them on candy cane-colored twine for a simple, fun banner.

I cut out the letters in "Let It Snow" from silver paper, then strung them on bright blue yarn, interspersed with cheap glittered snowflakes.

The banner above them is two different sizes of cotton balls strung on white thread. They're supposed to look like snowballs. What do you think?

I cut these stars out of an old olive oil can (note: wear gloves) using a barn star pattern in two different sizes, one large and one medium. I bent them along the right lines (up on the lines going down the point on each ray, down on the lines between each ray), glued them together using very strong glue meant for metal, rolled a triangle of metal for the part that goes over the branch, then painted the whole thing gold.

I make a Yule log every year using a chocolate chiffon cake recipe. This one's filled with vanilla and peppermint extract-infused CoolWhip. I took a large piece of birch bark (locally sourced from a dead tree), put ClingWrap over it, then put the Yule log on top. I dusted the whole thing with powdered sugar to make it look snowed-on and then perched a small carved wooden bird on top.

Yule log slice, candied orange peel, Swiss cookie, sugared cranberries (my new obsession), and Pavlova with sugared cranberries on top.

Melted good-quality dark chocolate poured into a greased/lined pan with chopped up candied orange peel sprinkled on top. This took less than 20 minutes but was so addictive and an instant fave!

So that's my Christmas decor and baking? What did you make and/or eat during the holidays?

Pinspirations

I'm still getting together photos of my Christmas decor. So in the meantime, I thought I'd post some of my favorite recent pins from my Pinterest page! Click on the pictures to go to the pin/see more details.

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Vintage lockets from Bhldn, Anthropologie's sister site for wedding dresses and jewelry. You can also find lovely, well-priced old lockets on Ebay.

A photo of Derbyshire in England, taken by Rick Harrison. I'd love to go here some day! It looks serene and breathtakingly beautiful.

How to make your own wax seal from a button, by Offbeat Bride. Seals don't have to be solely for fancy wedding invitations, you could easily use this trick for valentines or just regular letters as well for an extra personal touch.

I've always been mesmerized by the colorful domes of St. Basil's in Moscow. Luckily, Paper Matrix has created a free pattern so you can weave your own "onion" domes out of paper. These could be really amazing cake toppers, don't you think? Silver and gold paper would turn them into very elegant accents for a wedding or winter wonderland-type cake.

From I Spy DIY, a really cute and easy way to jazz up a plain sweater. This would be great for kids, but could work for brave adults as well (I'm not sure I would have the stones to rock that many pom poms).

First of all, let's talk about this amazing shade of ginger. I'm so jealous. While also a fellow redhead, only my highlights get THAT light. The rest of the time, I'm very auburn or a dark red/chestnut mix. However, my favorite part is Sara Lynn Paige's easy Short Gibson tuck. I'm not one of those people who really "does" my hair (I never know what to do, you know?) and even *I* can master this. It's easy and looks great whether in a casual or formal setting. Two thumbs up.

I didn't watch the Golden Globes, but I *did* catch up on all the dresses afterwards. Lady Mary is look very modern and elegant here. I love the gold part at the top, the high neck, and the sleeves. Here's hoping someone makes a knock-off version for not-filthy-rich folks like me asap! (Photo from The Daily Mail in London.)

I also have a Valentine's Day board up, in case anyone else is already daydreaming about shades of red and pink and hearts everywhere!