This is a pic of the fireplace that was part of my 'Gingerbread Creation' that I made. At the 'zeum where I work, there's an annual event at Christmas. I made this from 'lego candy blocs', fire is made from pretzels with coconut strand flames (tinted with red and orange food coloring), candles are rice paper and fondant with coconut flame, base and mantle are gingerbread covered with fondant, clock is gingerbread and fondant with spaghetti hands, Stockings are fondant, Tree is an ice cream cone on a cinnamon stick stuck in a chopped off flat bottomed ice cream cone. Fireplace tools are fondant and cereal. The nativity scene is made from gingerbread and fondant, Baby Jesus is a rice krispie wrapped in swaddeling fondant. The wise men and Mary and Joseph are made from fondant and gum drops with rice krispie heads.

Gramma and Grampa have apple heads with rice krispie/marshmallow bodies covered with fondant clothing.  Gramma has blue tinted coconut hair, Grampa is bald except for a fringe of peel that I left on when I carved the apple. It looks neat! They are sitting on a Rice krispie/ marshmallow covered with fondant couch. The gramaphone is a small ice cream cone, g'bread covered with fondant and  pretzels for trim and legs.

Close up of the kitty and mouse. They both have wee presents.

"Old Time Christmas Love" All put together and complete. The log holder is fondant with pretzel logs. On the g'bread  coffee table, there are wine glasses made from rice paper and chocolate covered strawberries (Candy) on a fondant tray. There is also a poinsettia in a pot in there too, in front of the gramaphone. It's on a wee table. Coffee table and wee table both have rice paper 'tablecloths'.
This lablor of love took just a few months of working on it in my spare time. It was so much fun to do!  A friend helped me with the fireplace and she made the rug that is on the  G'bread floor. It won the visitors choice, I was just tickled about that! And it brought in 50$ for the silent auction too.

Any ideas what I should do for next years?

Gingerbread nativity

We survived another one. That is another Christmas Day of course. We had a change of pace this year. My Mom is in Mexico right now, in-laws are in Cow Tow. So Hubby and I relaxed, visited with friends and had an awesome turkey dinner. (Cooked by myself) My tummy was so full after, I barely had room for dessert! But I managed to cram it in!!
Now, the bones are simmering along with onion skins, celery ends and leaves and carrot peelings to make some yummy turkey broth. My co-worker said I use 'garbage' to make my soup! I use all that to just make the broth, then strain it all and then use REAL celery, carrots and onions to put in the soup. So there's no 'garbage' in it. I told her that if she thought carrot peelings were 'garbage', we live in 2 different worlds! Even if I didn't use them in soup, they would NEVER go in the garbage, they would go into the composter. We get the BEST soil from our composter. It's amazing stuff, plants LOVE it!!
Freezing rain in the forecast today. Drat, I wanted to go for a hike. Since we don't have 2 feet of snow to tramp through, I figured it would be an easy walk. But maybe not so nice driving there if the roads are slippery.
So maybe a change of plans, perhaps some boxing day bargain sales instead. We shall see....

Christmas Time....

Well, tomorrow is the big day, then it's all over for another year. Good, this always seems to be such a busy time of year. So much to do and not enough time to do it all in! And I really should do my shopping all year through, not wait 'til the last minute, them rush to get it all done. I think I will do that again next year, I used to be pretty good at doing that. In a perfect world, I'd like to buy all the things at my gift shop, support my own employment! This year, our selection of items is down, so the choices just weren't there for some folk. So I had to look elsewhere too. There are many bad sales people out there, they shouldn't have a job in the public service if they don't have the personality for it. Why deal with the public if you hate people? Just don't get it....
But again, I'm off to work for now. Off early today, 3 pm closing for Christmas eve. May your Christmas be merry and bright!

Well here I am again. Off again to work, home to night to wrap presents and hopefully get a batch of muffins made. Bran/date muffins, best ever! So's people tell me anyways, I have a group that ask for them. Disappointed when I don't have any! In-laws are down from TO, have to hook up with them sometime soon too. Then they're off to Cow Town for Christmas. It'll be quiet on the home front! Gotta fly, off to earn my keep....

Sunday

Day off work today, woo hoo! Going to hopefully finish Christmas shopping, going to visit a friend and relaxing today. At least that's the plan, we'll see how it turns out anyways!
  I can't believe this weather we've been blessed with so far this winter! Yesterday it got up to plus 4! Totally weird for this part of the world. Perhaps there is something to this global warming that is doing this? I'm just scared that when winter does finally come, it will be really severe to make up for all this nice weather we've had. I hope not! I'm not a big fan of cold or snow! And as I get older, I dislike it more and more. I can see why all those seniors go south every winter!
  Well, not much to say today. I'm off now to make a batch of date/bran muffins. My friend really likes them, so we'll take her some 'fresh from the oven' She'd like that.
 So we'll see ya next time!