Ventage Girls: Holiday Soundtrack

Confession. I didn't bust out my Christmas music until last Sunday. I thought about it the day we got a little bit of snow, but I didn't make time to do it. Deciding we'd all do this post today was what pushed me over into adding the Holiday 2012 playlist to my phone.

Here is what I find myself replaying this year.

And, there were some songs on my larger playlist that reminded me of my Ventage Girls.

"Elf's Lament" has Stephanie written all over it. She introduced the song to me.

George Winston's "Variations on a Kanon by Pachebel" makes me think of Em. I downloaded the album after she blogged about it. 

"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" also makes me think of a particularly hilarious Em blog post about Grinch insults.

Willie Nelson's "Please Come Home for Christmas" seems like just the kind of thing that should be playing in Angie's kitchen.

And, last but not least, I'm going with "Mele Kalikimaka" as a song that remind me of Miss Katrina. Why? Because I'd love to be sipping drinks with her on a Hawaiian beach to forget about the crappy parts of 2012 in place of Christmas. 

Ventage Girls: Traditions

Today we are talking about holiday traditions. 

Thinking about writing this post made me all sorts of sad. Writing this post made me all kinds of sad. Tears were shed looking for pictures for this post.

New life = Letting go of some traditions I loved
New life = New traditions

I thought it would be difficult to find five holiday traditions I love. In the end, it was hard narrowing my list to only five.

1. Unfinished December Daily
I love making the album, but I never seem to make time to actually use the album.

2. Bake-a-palooza (photo circa 2008)
The holiday baking extravaganza began with just Stephanie and I in 2007. Over the years we've gotten increasingly ambitious. The tradition is on hold this year, but it will - I am confident - be back in 2013.

3. Photos with Santa
My mom has a collection of photos of us (Rob, Laura, and me) with Santa beginning in 1979 and lasting well in to the 1990s. I love looking at them every year.

4. Fancy Wrap Job
I'm the proud owner of a giant roll of kraft wrapping paper. I always put it to use at Christmas. Not quite sure what the plan is for this year.

5. The Tree Hunt
This one really brought on the tears. Cutting down a tree was always how we kicked off the holiday season. I think we started in 2000 - the first Christmas we lived together. This year, I jumped in the Bullet with Angie & Co. and carried on the tradition.

6. Christmas Eve Hors D'oeuvres 
Pepperoni, salami, Italian cheeses, olives, meatballs, Italian sausage, crusty bread, pierogies, boiled shrimp. Yum.

7. Favorite Decorations
The only thing that has been hung in my new space is an advent calendar mitten garland. Someday I will have a mantle this will hang on.

8. Lights
My parents got bubble lights as a wedding gift when they were married (December 1978). I remember loving them on our tree as a child. I made sure I had bubble lights when it came time to have my own tree. And, my mom and I have bubble lights on our tree this year.s

Ventage Girls: Wishing For

I excel at shopping, specifically online shopping.

I can't imagine how you don't already know this about me. 

Today's Ventage topic is perfect for me. Without further ado, here is what's on my Christmas list.

Journaling card from In A Creative Bubble

For Barb The Reader:

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust

Subscription to Cook's Illustrated

A pretty copy of Wuthering Heights

For Barb The Cook:

Some new Fiesta in a variety of colors (rice bowls, chip and dip)

Stainless steel cookware (because a girl can dream)

Starbucks Verismo

Glass bowl for Kitchenaid

For Barb The Aspiring Fashionista:

A new home for my iPhone

Adorable polka dot pajamas

Ridiculous but adorable Orla Kiely bag

Bracelet from The Lucky Elephant

Earrings from Tiny Galaxies

For Barb The Decorator:

This reminder to hang on my wall

Gnome reading lamp (spotted at Target!!)

Smile pillow

"Everything is Wonderful Here" poster for Wisconsin

Wake Up and Be Awesome sign

An adorable bird dish

Really, though I'd trade the whole list to be able to plan a get-together get-away with my Ventage Girls. 

Angie, Emily, Katrina, and Stephanie - I would whisk us all away to some sort of secluded location. It doesn't even really matter where because the weekend would just be all about us. We would eat and drink and talk and laugh and sleep and be pampered.

Paper, Scissors, Glue. Christmas Edition.

Six months from Christmas. Six months from the baking and the eating and the present-wrapping and the tree decorating and the snow and the stress. In honor of this, I thought I would share my last few layouts about Christmas 2010.

I never did finish that December Daily. I really did like this year's album. Sigh.

Bake-a-palooza

Studio Calico Kit and add-ons: Metropolitan (December 2010)

Pen: American crafts

Cardstock: American Crafts

Letters: Sassafras, Cosmo Cricket

Embellishments: Pebbles (brads)

Patterned Paper: Basic Grey, Studio Calico, Crate Paper, Making Memoires

Adhesive: American Crafts

Bell Ringing

Based very loosely on a Jenn Olson layout from KP Sketchbook 2 (sketch 2)

Studio Calico Kit and add-ons: Metropolitan (December 2010)

Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, Studio Calico, Sassafras for Studio Calico

Letters: Sassafras, Making Memories

Embellishments: Sassafras (flowers), American Crafts (tape), Pink Paislee (tickets)

Adhesive: American crafts

Cardstock: American Crafts and Bazzill Paper Basics

Ink: Tim Holtz

Pen: American Crafts

Punches: Fiskars (heart), EK Success (border punches)

 

 

Christmas Photo

Based on a layout by Laura Kurz

Studio Calico Kit and add-ons: Metropolitan (December 2010)

Pen: American Crafts

Cardstock: American Crafts

Letters: Making Memories

Embellishments: Crate Paper (cardstock stickers), Pebbles (brads), Making Memories (envelope), Maya Road (stick pin)

Other: DMC (embroidery floss), Bernina (sewing machine), We R Memory Keepers (divided page protector)

No supply list and no link to the place I lifted this from - although, I think it may have been a Celeste Smith layout, originally. And, it's definitely supplies from Studio Calico's December 2010 kit an add-ons.

Bake-a-palooza (in review)

5 women.
14 hours.
18 recipes.
Bake-a-palooza 2010.

Here is what we made:
Triple Chocolate Almond Biscotti
Eggnog Baby Bundt Cakes

Pretzel Kiss M&M Candy
Reindeer Bark
Fudge (Mama Sue's secret recipe)
Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt

7-Layer Bars
Praline Strips (Mama Sue's recipe)
Red Velvet Bars
Toffee Squares
Candy Bar Bars (Mama Sue's recipe)

PB Chocolate Ritz Cookies (Em's recipe)
PB Cookies with Chocolate Kisses
Hot Chocolate Mocha Cookies
Egg Nog Snickerdoodles
Pecan Fingers (Mama Sue's recipe)
Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites (made by Stephanie)
Spritz Cookies (made by Mama Sue)

And, my thoughts on what we made. (I hope I remember to come back to this post next year as I'm planning recipes.)

• The biscotti was just okay. It took a long time to bake, cool, and bake again. And, it was difficult to slice it thinly enough to make it seem, look, and taste like biscotti.
• Eggnog baby bundt cakes. This recipe was actually for an eggnog pound cake. Note to self: pound cake does rise. Only fill the pans about half full. And, the recipe was just enough for 12 baby bundts. The final product was adorable, and the glaze made with granulated sugar looked like snow. I would change the glaze a little in the future - double it and omit the rum.
• Pretzel kiss candies. I am convinced that Hershey's changed the recipe for their Kisses to make them unmeltable. Next year, I will make these again but only using Hugs. 
• Reindeer Bark. I wasn't a fan of this. It did add some nice color to the trays, but the red Oreos were impossible to find and it was really difficult to get the bark to stay together.
• Fudge. Keep this every year - although, it sure does take a lot of stirring.
• Chocolate Truffles with Sea Salt. Keep this recipe, too. But, remember to make it toward the beginning of the line-up because the truffles need to sit for about 2 hours after being scooped and before being coated with chocolate.
• 7-Layer bars. I'm not so sure about this one. I think I might be able to find a recipe that is less crumbly. These just didn't stay together very well after baking and cutting.
• Praline strips. Although these cause quite the pronunciation controversy, they will stay on the list for every single year. Super easy to make and totally delicious.
• Red Velvet Bars. Keep. And, make several pans just to hoard for myself. Delicious.
• Toffee Squares. Yuck. Either find a new recipe or replace with something else in the future.
• Candy Bar Bars. Love these and must remember to make throughout the year. . . not just at Christmas.
• PB Ritz Cookies. Yum, but what a total pain to make. Luckily, Debbie did all the dipping.
• PB Cookies with Kisses. Next year, I want to try a recipe with shortening instead of butter. My mom insists on using butter, and the cookies end up totally flat and strange looking.
• Hot Chocolate Mocha Cookies. Note to self: a single batch of these makes about 36 cookies. There is, therefore, no need to triple the recipe. And, these tasted much better hot than cooled.
• Egg Nog Snickerdoodles. While great, in theory, I wasn't a fan of these. They got really flat and really crispy.
• Pecan Fingers. Family recipe. Will always stay on the list.
• Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites. Delicious and oh-so-cute. Need to be kept separate from other treats, though, because of their minty-ness.
• Spritz Cookies. Apparently, there are several secrets to these. 1. Soften the butter. 2. Have a good cookie press. 3. Ask your mom to make them for you.

And, some recipes I still want to try:
Oreo Truffles
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies
Pistachio Biscotti
Sparkling Ginger Chip Cookies
Almond Roca
Hot Chocolate Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Christmas Crunch
Smoky Bacon Ginger Cookies
Gingerbread Cupcakes with Orange Icing
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Candy Cane Macarons
Butter Toffee