Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Reviewing Christmas Wreath Marshmallow Treats Recipe
Friday, December 4, 2015
A Charlie Brown Christmas Movie Review
The Christmas Classic Movie
I feel as if I have always known Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang. They were not only a part of my own childhood years, but they were a part of my husband's childhood. Of course, we introduced them to our children when they were little too. Therefore, our household has literally had decades of being entertained, and multiple generations taught, by the magnificent Charles Schulz characters.In 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" made it's debut on television. It is one of the Christmas classics that I must watch every year. I even find myself singing or humming "Christmastime is Here" while I am cooking or decorating our tree.
The Peanuts gang is an entertaining group for every age and every member of the family. Watching "A Charlie Brown Christmas" together is a wonderful family tradition.
Each year, my heart is touched by the message shared in this Christmas classic to such a degree that anyone watching me would think I had never seen the show before.
A Charlie Brown Christmas Ice Skating Party
The opening scenes of everyone ice skating are beautiful with the snow falling and the loving sense of happiness. The theme song softly plays in the background. As I mentioned earlier, it is such a simple melody, that it often plays in my mind throughout the Christmas holiday.While they are walking to the ice, Charlie Brown is telling Linus about his general depression surrounding the holidays and his own lack of understanding for his absence of excitement and enthusiasm.
(You can view that in the video scene below)
Setting the Stage for "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
Moving past the tranquil opening scenes, we find Charlie Brown seeking advice from Lucy about his holiday depression. Lucy takes her station in the lemonade stand as a Psychiatrist to help Charlie Brown determine why he is depressed. In an effort to help, she appoints him as the Christmas play director.
Meanwhile, the beloved beagle, Snoopy, sets out to win a decorating contest by decorating his dog house. Even though Charlie Brown detests the commercialism of it all, the dog house really is very pretty when it is decorated and later wins 1st place in the competition.
~ Charlie Brown from "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
The Christmas Play
When it is announced that Charlie Brown will be the Christmas play director several people, including Snoopy, express disappointment. Lucy takes over and assigns everyone their parts and the practices begin. Then, Lucy sends Charlie Brown and Linus to bring back a Christmas Tree for the play.The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree
It's so sad...
Against Linus' objection, Charlie Brown chooses the Christmas tree that needs him. Of course, he is laughed at and criticized by his peers when he returns with a real tree instead of a modern aluminum tree.
It is at this point that Linus steals the show with his description of what Christmas is really all about. His eloquent delivery of the true Christmas story is the reason why this show rates as one of my Christmas favorites.
Heeding Linus' words Charlie Brown determines not to let commercialism ruin his Christmas. He takes his little tree home to decorate it. After using one ornament from Snoopy's decorated dog house, the little tree bends under the weight of the ornament. Charlie Brown believes he has killed the little tree and walks away even more depressed than before.
Showing Love
Again at Linus' suggestion, the gang comes together to show a little love and decorates Charlie Brown's tree. When Charlie Brown sees what his friends have done for him and for his tree of course, he is overjoyed. The entire group breaks into song: "Hark the Herald Angel's Sing".
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Remastered Deluxe Edition)Check Price
Amazing isn't it? Charles Schulz was actually allowed to make a Christmas story that tells of Christ's birth and it became a classic.
A Charlie Brown Christmas Movie Review
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Reviewing Santas Village Cookie Jar
Cookies At Grandma's House
I Might Have A Problem
This is perfect for me to place the cookies in! It is so very cute and festive and large enough to hold several cookies, brownies and other sweet treats. I love that it looks like it is a part of Santa's Village and I will tell the kids that Mrs. Claus and the elves have been busy keeping the jar as full as possible.
How do I keep the jar full? Well, as much as I would appreciate Mrs. C and the elves help, they don't come through for me. So, I bake the cookies up ahead of time and freeze them. I can pull out a variety at any time. I start as early as October and keep them in empty coffee tins separated by waxed paper. This Grandma/Mom never runs out of cookies. And listen, if you don't enjoy baking like I do that is really not a problem. You can always buy an abundant supply at the store bakery or on the cookie aisle of the grocery. The cookie police are not going to come arrest you if the cookies and treats are not made in your own kitchen.
Besides traditional Christmas cookies, I also make up batches of Buckeyes, those wonderful peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate! Those are my favorites even though technically they are a candy and not a cookie. I also make batches of what I call "wreaths" which are a form of Rice Krispie treats with a twist. Instead of the rice krispies I use corn flakes, put green food coloring in the marshmallow mixture and top with red M&M's. They kind of look like holly leaves and berries.
How about you? Do you have a special Christmas Cookie jar in your home? What kinds of cookies do you like to have stored in them?
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
How to Make a Personalized Ornament or Decorative Tile to Honor or Remember a Much Loved Pet
Wouldn't you like an ornament of your pet hanging on your Christmas tree?
Eldon the Cat Yawning, © B. Radisavljevic |
The process is simple Just follow my links to Zazzle and use my easy directions to customize. I used a former neighbor's cat, Eldon, as my model, since I don't have any pets at this time. Eldon has already crossed the Rainbow Bridge. An ornament is a great way to memorialize him, as you might want to do for a pet who is no longer with you. During the holidays, we miss those who are gone the most. That certainly includes our pets.
Sarah the Cat Sitting, © B. Radisavljevic |
How to Customize an Ornament for Your Pet Keepsake
Just click the ornament images to get to them on Zazzle.
This is how you can change the ornament for Eldon to one in honor of your pet, as I did to make mine in honor of Sarah.
- On the ornament, you will see the "Customize it!" button. Click it. The photo will change to a design view with some red boundary lines.
- Look to your right under "Customize it!" Scroll past the blue icons.
- Look for Eldon with "Change Image" on his right.
- To put your pet's picture in, just click to change.
- Upload a picture from your computer. The picture you upload should be at least 2" square, 300 pixels resolution, and in png format.
- Use the buttons over where you changed the photo, to increase or decrease the size of the photo in the frame to fit or fill it. you can also use buttons to move the image up and down, left and right. Just play with it. You want to keep the image within the inner red box to keep it from being cropped. Test by clicking the button underneath to change to art view. That shows you how your finished product will look.
- Above where I changed the image, you can change the text to match your pet's name and date, to remove any text, or to change the text to whatever you want to say. While the square is still around your text, you can drag it wherever in the product you want it to be.
- As you scroll down the right side, you can change the background color or the ornament's shape and style. I normally pick my style first and then fiddle with the images and text, either of which you can change from this screen.
Here's how Sarah's ornament turned out. Notice that I dragged the text to a location where it would show better.
Ornament: Black Tuxedo Cat Sitting Square Metal Christmas Ornament
View other Pets Ornaments at Zazzle.com
Now Let's Look at Some Other Ornament Styles
Let's Look at the Ceramic Ornaments You Can Make from Your Pet's Pictures
See how easy it was to get her centered?
Ceramic ornaments have two sides you can fill and you have a lot of design flexibility. Be sure to customize both sides by clicking under the ornament to choose the front or back to work with. I put the date on the back side, leaving the front for just the photo. You can also make both sides identical.
If You'd Like a Pet Keepsake Larger than an Ornament to Display All Year, Make a Decorative Tile or Trivet
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Valentine's Day: A Review of the Fun Side
Historical Valentine's Day
Ever wonder how this tradition of Valentine's Day got started? Turns out to be a religious feast day, originally. There really was a man named Valentinus who was later cannonized in the Christian faith. Seems St. Valentine was known for performing illegal marriages. Of course, there is more to the history of Valentine's Day. But, it's fun to see how it's origins really happened.
Offbeat Holiday Traditions
Mind-floss.com pulled together a fun collection of offbeat Valentine's Day traditions (www.mentalfloss.com/article/61624/offbeat-valentines-day-traditions-around-world). Some are interesting, some are funny, while others are just plain strange.
My favorite is the tradition from Finland. They don't celebrate with romance but with friendship. Then there is the humorous, while traditionally romantic Valentine's Day custom in Taiwan. The meaning of the number of roses a guy gives a gal can change their lives significantly.
Valentine's Day Food Under Review
Certainly, modern day traditions include plenty of food for this celebration. Chocolate, of course. But, there are other fun options. Cooking for the Holidays author Cynthia gives us a fun collection of easy ways to decorate cupcakes for Valentine's Day.
Here on Review This, you can find a great review of other Valentine's Day food treats. Do we ever have enough heart-shaped goodies? Not in my view.
As long as we are celebrating Valentine's Day, why not celebrate with all kinds of love, whether the romantic kind or the friendship kind.
Posted by: BuckHawk
About This Contributor
BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Craft Review: Easy Handmade Valentine's Decorations
Show your love on Valentine's Day with the gift of your own handiwork. Inside this craft review, you'll find ideas for easy handmade Valentine's decorations.
The simplest expressions of love can leave the biggest impact on your loved one's heart. Especially when those tokens of affection are made from the heart and made by hand.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, review this list of easy handmade Valentine's decorations and find a craft that will melt your loved one's heart.
Pour Your Porcelain Heart Out
These white porcelain hearts are a kitchen crafter's delight. With a few simple ingredients from your local grocery store and pharmacy, you can cook up a batch of cold porcelain and mold it into any shape.
Cold porcelain is a homemade air-drying modeling clay made from white glue, cornstarch, cold cream, and glycerin. The ingredients are mixed together in an old saucepan, cooked over medium heat until it looks like clay, and kneaded until the mixture is smooth.
You'll find a detailed tutorial on how to make cold porcelain at CraftStylish. There are pictures to guide you through the porcelain making process step-by-step. And, there are ideas for molding the porcelain clay into different shapes.
Hang Your Heart on Your Hearth
Garlands are the perfect decoration for any occasion. On Valentine's Day, create a garland of hearts and hang those hearts all over a room.
Cut hearts out of any material you have in the closet and attach those hearts to a string. You can use fabric, paper, or plastic. Whatever material your heart desires.
Felt is a popular crafting material this year and Marie Williams Johnstone has an easy tutorial for a Valentine felt heart garland. To cut the felt, you'll need a good pair of scissors. To put the garland together, you'll need basic hand sewing skills.
More Valentine's Decorations and Crafts
Pinterest is blushing with Valentine's Day craft and decoration ideas. Here are a few Pinterest boards that you may find inspiring:
- Valentine's Romance by lakeerieartists has pins for heart-themed garlands, giant paper roses, wreaths, greeting cards, and date night ideas.
- Valentine Crafts and Gift Ideas by annmackiemiller has pins for heart-shaped yarn and string projects. If you love to crochet, you'll find several Valentine-themed projects.
- Heart Shapes I love! Crafty by haydnsgrammie has every heart design imaginable. This is the place to go when you need inspiration for a one-of-a-kind heart.
- Valentine Crafts and Ideas by planetpals has Valentine crafts and activities for kids with an earth-friendly approach.
Creating a handmade token of your love is a gift that creates lasting memories. In the time you spend watching a TV show, you can also make a craft or decoration to celebrate your Valentine.
Posted by Coletta Teske
About This Contributor
Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.
Friday, February 6, 2015
Valentine's Day Crafts Reviewed
Hanging Hearts Valentine Craft for Kids
If we are fortunate enough to be a part of the actual making of the craft, then we have shared irreplaceable, valuable time with the most precious "gift" we have ever been given.
Vicky Barone shares how to make the Hanging Hearts Valentine shown in the photo. With her step by step instructions, including photos to help us along the way, she makes it so easy, that even a child could do it. Wouldn't this make a beautiful Valentine gift!
Craft Tissue Paper Hearts
Lee Hansen shares another fabulous hanging heart craft that would touch any mother's or grandmother's heart if we were blessed enough to receive this valentine.
Would you believe this awesome Valentine's Day gift is made from a cereal box and tissue paper?
I truly love this very practical and economical approach to making craft gifts that will no doubt be a treasured possession.
Lee provides very easy instructions to make this wonderfully fabulous heart. I can just imagine the fun children will have tearing the tissue and decorating this heart.
DIY Valentine Candles
Another fantastic and easy Valentine craft is these DIY Valentine candles.With a store purchased candle and a few simple supplies including tissue paper, wax paper, and markers, these awesome candles will light up the recipients day and make their heart glow with delight.
You will find the simple directions to make these candles on Simple Saving Savvy, so grab you hot glue gun and get ready to decorate your own candle that is sure to brighten someones day with this special messenger of love.
Easy Valentine's Day Crafts for Seniors
From one of our very own contributors here on Review This, Mary Beth shares an extremely easy Valentine craft idea for seniors to make.Most of us understand how physically limited senior adults can be and how frustrating it is for them, especially when they still want to be creative and working themselves.
She shares from her own experiences derived from helping her mother and her mom's friends to have fun crafting in spite of their limitations.
Her craft ideas and recommendations would also be fun and easy for very young children.
Make a Sailor's Valentine
I, myself, have been crafting for as long as I can remember. Many years ago I made Sailor's Valentines for my children. To this day, the Sailor's Valentine is still my own personal favorite of all Valentine's Day crafts. I think, perhaps, that may well be the romantic in me though. I truly love the idea and history behind the Sailor's Valentine.
If you would like to learn how to make a Sailor's Valentine, or to read about the history of this special valentine, simply visit me by clicking the link or the photo below.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Reviewing Be My Valentine World
Every January, I start thinking of Valentine's Day. And searching the Web for ideas. That's where the website By My Valentine World comes into play. It's the kind of site that makes my preparation for this February holiday so much easier.
Celebrating Valentine's Day doesn't just mean your spouse or significant other. For me, it includes my family. Especially my darling granddaughters. So I look for delightful ways to show them how loved they are.
Valentine's Gifts for Children of All Ages
With my grandchildren, the ages span from pre-teen to toddler. That means I need to find a variety of gift ideas. And I found them. Be My Valentine World has a wonderful collection of ideas for kids of all ages. I found great gifts for my 13-year-old granddaughter. Now that's say something. Kids that age are hard to shop for.
Of course, stuffed animals are always easy choices for the younger girls. Our own contributing writer Wednesday Elf shared some great red stuffed animals in her article right here on Review This. My favorite is that darling ladybug! But, for the adults, heart-shaped chocolate candy seemed ideal.
Planning a Be My Valentine Dinner
Including in my celebration every year is a dinner for the whole family. I like to have a fun theme and Be My Valentine is an easy one. That's where the website came in even more handy. All the ideas for delightful extras are there.
Creating a centerpiece for the table is simple with things like vintage candy jars and Valentine's Day candle holders. These can be arranged on red or pink placemat to make a charming centerpiece for the dinner table.
Planning the menu will certainly include some great heart-shaped treats for everyone. Somehow, I never have enough ideas for those. But our own Sylvestermouse created a page here on Review This just for those kind of Valentine Day's treats.
Ideas Abound from Be My Valentine World
There are plenty more ideas for every way you want to share Valentine's Day on Be My Valentine World. That's one of the great parts about this holiday. You can celebrate it in many different ways. Whether it's a romantic dinner for two, the school kids day in the classroom, or a big family dinner for those you love, it's all still Valentine's Day.
It's also one of those things I enjoy about writing on Review This. I get to tell you about those great websites and articles that help you celebrate. Be My Valentine World is one of those sites.
Posted by: BuckHawk
About This Contributor
BuckHawk decribes herself as "Basically a lazy person who prefers the easy things in life." So that's what she writes about. Easy home decorating, easy recipes, easy entertaining. But, she is also a lover of animals, gardening and crafting. You'll find her writing all over the Web, but with Review This Reviews! she has the opportunity to write about all of her loves.
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Red Gifts and Romantic Ideas for Valentine's Day
Valentine Penguins on Etsy |
Red and Pink, along with white, are traditional Valentine's Day colors.
- Red is a symbol for passion and deep love.
- Pink stands for affection, sweetness and understanding and is a combination of red and white.
Handmade Happiness in Red or Pink Plush
These plush penguins in Valentine colors of red and pink will win her heart. Round and cuddly, your special someone will love this sweetheart penguin.
Perhaps a
Crochet Ladybug Plush Toy |
Lady Bugs are a symbol of good luck and happiness, making a lady Bug plushie a happy gift to that special lady in your life.
Cute Valentine Octopus in Pink or Red Crochet |
A mini crocheted octopus handmade in red or pink makes a cute gift for your favorite Valentine. It would look darling sitting on her desk at work or home as a reminder of the sweet person who gave it to her.
A Special Card - Sweet, Funny, Fun
Top off your Valentine gift with a fun card.
This card by aaronsgraphics on Zazzle may not be perfectly romantic, but your sweetheart will get a laugh and a smile out of it. Simply tell them "I love you every single day", "But today you get a card!"
Symbols of Love
Image Source: Pixabay |
If anyone has ever wondered how the heart became the symbol of love, and such burning questions such as 'why is the heart red', here's a light-hearted (yes, that's an intended pun) imagined conversation between Dr. Sheldon Cherry and a 2,000-year-old cardiologist.
Valentine's Day and Romance Go Together
For a list of romantic movies, books, songs and sweet stories perfect for Valentine's Day, check out these wonderful suggestions from many of the reviewers here on Review This in our ROMANCE section.
Valentine's Day is a Favorite Chocolate Holiday
As Lucy Van Pelt of Peanuts once wisely said “All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!” And no one at Review This knows more about chocolate than our own Susan Kennedy. Check out lots of her chocolate recipes and stories perfect for this chocolate holiday.
Have a Happy Valentine's Day
So, Happy Valentine's Day to you from the Peanuts gang and all of us at Review This!
(c) Wednesday Elf. Article written on 1/24/2015. Updated on 1/16/2024
Friday, January 23, 2015
Food Review: Special Treats and Recipes for Valentine's Day
Show someone how much you love them on Valentine's Day with these special treats and recipes.
Here are a few suggestions for making this Valentine's Day fun, memorable and full of hearts for you and the one, or ones, you love.
Delight your sweetheart with unique treats throughout the day, starting with a heart shaped breakfast. We have even included a special gift for your backyard birds.
Heart Shaped Breakfast Waffles
Why not start the morning off right with heart shaped waffles. Waffle batter is pretty easy to make. You can either use a product like Bisquick and simply add milk, eggs and vegetable oil, or you can whip up waffles from scratch with a recipe like this one. The secret ingredient to making homemade waffles delicious is a 1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract.
Add some delicious strawberry syrup or raspberry topping to the breakfast table, and your family is sure to be singing your praises all day long.
*All of the recipes are linked for easy clicking to find the delicious recipes. Plus, you will find a selection of Heart Shaped Waffle Makers by clicking here.
Mozzarella Cheese Filled Heart Shaped Snacks
These treats look easy and delicious for an afternoon snack, a treat for a child's lunch box, or perhaps an appetizer for a Valentine's Day romantic dinner.
The recipe and directions for these awesome Valentine's Day treats can be found on Hungry Happenings.
Beth also provides a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Pesto which makes the perfect red sauce for dipping for Valentine's or any day.
These mozzarella hearts really are a cool "twist" on the mozzarella sticks that are popular appetizers in so many family restaurants.
Valentines Peep Pops
Another fun and easy treat would be these Peep Pops.
Brianna gives us excellent instructions with lots of photos so we can makes these specialty chocolate goodies.
It is truly amazing how many different shapes are available in our favorite "Peeps" these days. They certainly allow us to make a lot of really awesome and tasty gifts by serving as the foundation for specially made designs.
I never could make myself eat the little chicks, but I have no trouble devouring the Peeps hearts.
Valentine's Day Chocolate Mice
I am sure it will come as no surprise to anyone that one of my own personal favorites has to be these Chocolate Covered Cherry Mice!
They are the perfect way to give chocolate covered cherries and Kisses for Valentines Day.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Mice |
A Special Treat for our Feathered Friends
We certainly don't want to forget to make a special treat for our backyard birds. They are always so faithful to sing to us and to add beauty to our ordinary days.Chrysa provides us with directions and a recipe to make a Valentine Bird Feeder Heart.
Many of us experience extreme cold, snow and ice during the month of February. These hearts are fun and easy to make. They are a wonderful way to say thank you to our outdoor "friends" as and a beautiful way to provide food during the winter months.
Heart Shaped Cake
Last, but my no means least, I want to share the gift I enjoy making for my own family each Valentine's Day.
Heart shaped cakes are easy to make with the right pans and they can be made in any flavor of cake and icing. Over the years, I have made pink and red icing for the cakes, but my husbands' favorite is a simple German Chocolate cake in the shape of a heart.
*Additional Heart Shaped Bakeware
Share your favorite Valentine's Day Treat
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