Favorite Projects in 2013

This blog has been a blessing to me in so many different ways since I start it last year. Keep me organized with my little apartment. Also, with all my little projects. I also blessed with many different great project ideas from the other blogs.

I have a lot of projects and things happened in our life last year. I will review some of my favorite projects in 2013.

I made this tablescape during Easter with eggs shell vase.

This country looking end table was a postponed project from previous winter finally I finished it on the Spring time.

I got this unique end table from Goodwill Auction and just love the shape. I painted it and put walnut cherry finish on top. Just love how it turned out.

I made an art work from this blouse that I got from one of my friend and its got smaller. I love the embroider on it.

I just found about this shopping cart diving and hooked with it. I got lots of goodies that I can use around my projects and decorations. As a matter of fact I use the ribbon to decorate my Christmas tree this year.

Love how this old sewing machine table turned out. I painted it with all white.

This bamboo coffee tablet project was the easiest one during this year. And someone even tempted come all the way from North Carolina about 4 hours away to buy it. But they changed their mind. Instead someone closer travel 1 and 1/2 hours away came to get it :)

Hmm....this apple cake was so yum ! You should give it a try in the fall time :)

Oh...what a great year in 2013. I thank God for all His blessings and cant wait what He will give us in 2014 !!! Happy New Year All !!

Linking up to :
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52 Week Money Challenge

Wow....we almost say good bye to 2013. Some of you might full filled all or some of new year resolutions you made in the beginning of the year. Or just like me not even have one. To be honest I have never have new year resolution. Because I know I will never reach the goal :)

 

Some of you might already familiar with this Challenge. I found out about it last year and gave it a try for our Christmas money. I was so glad that I did it. I did pretty good except when it reached $350 we need emergency money for a car so we used it. From that point we never used it again until to the end. So I have save for about $1030.

 

This year I will do this again for the same goal Christmas money/emergency. The first 10 week still easy until you reach the bigger number. You can do it backward too. Whichever is easier for you and your family. No matter what you still need to have saving :)

 

 

This method seems to work for us. Do you have any other method to save money???

Happy Saving in 2014 !!!

 

Linking up to :

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Weekend Blessing

1 Peter 2:9

But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Around Our Christmas

What a great Christmas !!! We had a nice one ! I hope yours too !! Most of all I thank God for gave me His only Son to saved my soul. That is the most precious gift I ever received.

On Christmas Eve. I made a nice sea food  dinner just my husband and I. All the food were delicious.

After that we went for a tacky light tour around our area. We just love to see how people going crazy with lights on this Christmas season. I cant imagine how much electric bill they have to pay during the month of December. I thank them for that so I can enjoy the beauty of lights :)

Just love this house very classy with all the wreaths

My husband and I start new tradition for fun. Get each other gift with max price $10 but my husband ended up spent $13. He got me nice and warm sleepers for my toes with beautiful note. I got him movies on sale from Target.

boxes keep you curious  :)

On Christmas day we went to my brother in law house for dinner. We had a great time there. Opening gifts and relaxing from the busy month of Christmas.

goofy around with our niece

Tablescape For Christmas

I hope you all have a nice Christmas ! Ours was wonderful. We had nice Christmas Eve dinner just the two of us. I still want to have a nice tablescape for us to enjoy our dinner.

I used plain white plates and salad bowl. I placed Christmas card from last year and green ornament on top the napkin inside the bowl. I love how it turned out. What a great way to use Christmas card from family and friends.

Pink Roses For Christmas

I made another batch of flower arrangements for gifts this Christmas. I just love using flowers as a gift. I hope the person who receives them love it too. This time I used pink roses.

 

I embellished a glass vase with candy canes and wrapped it with ribbon. These I already had on hand.

Next, I arranged green inside the vase. This will make the arrangement look full and you don't need as many flowers. I just use a 1/2 dozen for each arrangement. I made two this time because I bought a dozen roses.

I finished it with a printed Merry Christmas sign and inserted the card with it. Also, I had this Joy sign I hung with a rose stem. I just love how it turned out. Pink roses for Christmas wasn't so bad after all !!!

Have a Merry Christmas Everyone !!

May Jesus Christ be born in your heart as well !!

Remember His Salvation is the greatest gift you will ever receive !!

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Cheesecake Cookie

 

Wow....can you believe it tomorrow is Christmas Eve already...?? And I didn't do any baking yet ! I have lots of cheese in the refrigerator. So I decided to try this recipe cheesecake cookie. I made 16 cookies with this recipe.

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, separated
• 1/4 cup chopped pecan
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the four and baking powder. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter with the brown sugar using an electric hand mixer. Add the egg white and beat until well combined. Add to the flour and baking powder and chopped pecan until well combined.

In a separate medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar, egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla until well combined. Set aside.

Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the cookie dough and place on a nonstick or parchment lined baking sheet. (If you do not have an ice scoop, then measure out the dough into scoops of about 2 tablespoons.) Flatten slightly, pressing your thumb in the center of the ball to create a small bowl shape. Repeat with the remaining dough. Spoon the cream cheese into the indents in the cookies.

Bake until the filling is barely set and the cookies are lightly golden, 12 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before removing them and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Weekend Blessing

 

Isaiah 9:6

 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Pineapple Cookie / Kue Nenas

source I use this pic because I couldn't find mine from last year :)

I made this cookie last year for a cookie exchange in my church. This is one of my favorite cookie during Christmas time back in my country. This cookie very common during big holiday either for Christian or Muslim ( we are one of the biggest Muslim population country in the world ). I don't know why. I think because we have lots of pineapple around :)

You can make the shape in many different variety from leaves, little ball like above ( which I usually do ).

PINEAPPLE COOKIE /KUE NENAS (about 7 dozen cookies)

INGREDIENTS FOR PINEAPPLE FILLING:
1 pineapple (cut and coarsely chopped or grated)

1 cup sugar (depends on how sweet you want it)
1/2 Tbsps. cinnamon powder

COOKING METHOD FOR PINEAPPLE FILLING:

In a large pot, put in the coarsely chopped pineapple, sugar and cinnamon powder on low heat. Cook until thickened. This may take 2-3 hours. Let it completely cool before used for filling if you do not use up all the pineapple filling, save it in the jar and refrigerate it, it will last for at least a month I can say. Use it for your toast, yum J

INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH:
3 cups  all-purpose flour  (you may need a little more)
1/2 cup  sugar
4 sticks butter

4 eggs yolks

½ Cheddar Cheese

2 teaspoons Vanilla extract

INGREDIENTS FOR EGG WASH
2 egg yolks (beaten)
1 teaspoon water
2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese for sprinkle
Cloves (for decoration) – optional

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Mix eggs  yolk, sugar and butter from low speed to high speed until  soft.  Add cheese and Vanilla Extract mix it in high speed until the cheese blended and  flour  until the  dough  quite oily and it should not stick on your hand. If you feel that the dough is still too wet, add more flour (a bit by a bit) until you get the consistency where you can work with the dough

2. Divide the dough into  7 dozens  equal size balls, depends on how big you want them. I suggest not too big as they will expand a bit when you bake. Flatten individual ball and fill about 1 tsp. of the filling  into the middle of the dough and wrap them around

3. You can shape them however you want them. Sometime you can make them shape like pineapple too but sure a lot of work so I just make the easy one J

4. Brush each cookie with the egg yolk wash

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray the cookie sheet with non-stick spray and bake for  20-25  minutes or  until  golden brown.

ENJOY J

Our Home Christmas Decoration

Happy Wednesday All !! I hope you had a great day !

I used lots of green for this years Christmas decorations. Mostly, I used stuff I already had.

This is our view when we open the front door. I always try to keep the true meaning of Christmas as a focus. It's a nice reminder of what this time of year means to us. From the entry way , I just changed the flowers to berries and pine leaves. I used them in several spots throughout the house. This is a cheap way to decorate yet very festive.

Our coffee table is very simple. I just put bunch of ornaments inside this big bowl. Also pine cones, green and this beautiful manger ornament.

This is our dining room. I keep it simple too. I have another  nativity set I use here. The deer was a freebee from one of my shopping cart diving expeditions.

This center piece is very easy to do. I  used a cake stand and put a candle in the middle with little pine trees and a few ornaments. The cardinals are salt and pepper shakers.

This is our powder room or extra bathroom. I used the book wreath from last year that was in the dining room. Also, I kept the fresh green flowing into this room as well.

 

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