People Actually Pay For This?

Early this morning, I was checking out the home section of CC and look what I came across!

Don't they look remarkably like the ones I just made? Geez, who would pay those prices--$49.95 for one candle! No wonder they are in the outlet! I do have smaller pieces of bark on mine, but they only cost me a few minutes of time and a couple squirts of hot glue. Those of you who commented about all of the money I saved, were right! I had no idea how much money I saved. LOL.

When I got home from work today, I set a tiny little Christmas table for two right in front of my tree. Note the candle with the birch bark that I made.......OK, I admit my bark is pretty tiny compared to theirs, but the overall theme is the same and it did not cost me $39.95 for this sized candle.


Sunday afternoon I quickly made up this pine tree trivet (a pad to set hot items on) for my SIL, who is hosting a Christmas morning brunch.  I am planning to make a recipe Patti, from Osage Bluff,sent me for a blueberry french toast casserole as well as some Napoleon cookie bars.

 This pad is the perfect size to set a 9 x 13-inch dish on.  Usually when you are having a buffet with hot items, you have to toss at least 4 tiny potholders down under the hot dishes. These are so much easier to use.  I think she will like it.  I gave her one a couple of years ago, but she won't use it because she says it's too pretty. This time I am just going to take this and put it under my dish (if a few blueberries stain it, that's OK). I will tell her it's hers to keep and PLEASE use it, abuse it, and when it's all worn, throw it away!  I make these for people to use!

Tomorrow night I am going out to dinner (Chinese restaurant) with my two sisters. We are all planning the Christmas Eve party. Some of you know that I have been doing it for the past three years, but this year I  did not feel like doing it, so Sister T is hosting it this year with the help of Sister D. Sister T has decided to serve a full dinner --prime rib--everyone brings a dish. I have been assigned dessert. It will be fun and different from the heavy appetizers we usually do.  I know that I will thoroughly enjoy being a guest and not having to do all the work!

I hope all of your Christmas plans are coming along as nicely as mine.