Photographs on Calendars

Are you struggling with find a gift for someone?  How about a calendar?  It is a great gift that keeps on giving all year long.  I love turning the pages of my calendars each month and enjoying a new picture.

There are many different options you can do with calendars.  Here are some suggestions for you.

• Pick a subject you know that the person who will be receiving the calendar loves.  Perhaps it is a favorite hobby, animals, or anything they really enjoy.  I love lighthouses and would always love a lighthouse calendar.  Here is one I created on Zazzle from my lighthouse photographs.  You can also purchase many lighthouse calendars on Zazzle.

Scenes from the Outer Banks by lighthouseenthusiast

Browse for another calendar at Zazzle

• Another option would be to use family photos to create a special memory of photographs in your yearly calendar.  I use Shutterfly to do this.  I save up photos all year and then I make a calendar for special people.  Here is the cover of one I made for my Mother a couple of years ago.
  
• A fun option for a calendar is to use favorite vacation photos to relive your trip.  This would be a great gift for a family member or friend who accompanied you on the trip.  We visited Quebec City this year and I made this calendar.  It is also available for purchase on Zazzle. 

Scenes from Quebec City Wall Calendar by mbgphoto
Find more Calendars

All of the calendars shown on this page can be ordered in various sizes and styles.  Think about the people on your list and pick a calendar that will be special to them for the coming year.

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Homemade Christmas Centerpiece Decoration Ideas

When it comes to Christmas decorations, shop your favorite store or browse your favorite websites for inspiration. Here are a few festive homemade Christmas centerpiece decoration ideas using common holiday ornaments that are fun and easy.

The simple decoration above of Christmas tree globes setting in a dish is a combination of cold colors that brings brightness to the center of a table. And, it is so simple to put together. All you need is a pretty platter and a trio of decorative globes. Look for globes that are a color that compliments your holiday decor.

If you like this frozen holiday theme, you and your kids will have a fun time building igloos. Not the big blocks of packed snow igloos, but igloos made of sugar. Corinna Johnson shows us How to Make a Sugar Cube Igloo. She suggests using frosting to build the igloo so that you can use the sugar cubes in a dessert later.

The Christmas stocking isn't the only way to hide extra special presents. Make a centerpiece that is simply an arrangement of tiny wrapped packages, similar to the ribbon-wrapped boxes shown above, neatly nested in evergreens or holly. Wrap a tiny treat inside each box and pass out these miniature presents after dinner.

A pretty ribbon gives these tiny boxes an elegant touch.

It wouldn't be Christmas without poinsettias, evergreens, and reindeer. Glittered poinsettias fit in with any decor, the evergreens add an aromatic appeal, and reindeer statuary creates a unique touch.

Need ideas on how to arrange a menagerie of ornaments, the House of Sylvestermouse shows us How to Make a Christmas Sleigh Centerpiece that will add a touch of Santa Claus to your home.

I hope you enjoyed these homemade Christmas centerpiece decoration ideas.

Find more inspiration on Pinterest. 

This Victorian Christmas board is full of easy vintage crafts with a bit of Steampunk style.

Follow Coletta Teske's board ¢ A Victorian Christmas on Pinterest.

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.

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Crafty Signs of the Season

A Humpty-Dumpty Santa Doll

As we enter December and the beginning of the holiday season, we realize that the Christmas season began as Thanksgiving weekend ended. In many cities people enjoyed watching Thanksgiving parades and the traditional finale to every parade is the arrival of 'Santa Claus'.

Santa Claus and Friends

Christmas Decor Toys Santa Dolls on Etsy

Images of jolly old St. Nick in all forms make darling seasonal decor.  This set of a crocheted Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus would look terrific as part of your Christmas holiday decor or would make cute stocking stuffers for your kids.

Handmade by HelenaCrochetToys in the Ukraine.

Holiday Decor

Other signs of the season begin to appear as Christmastime gets closer. Christmas bells and poinsettias, Gingerbread men and candy canes, ornaments for the tree and stockings hung by the chimney with care.

Christmas Design Coasters

It's time to display holiday themed items, like these Christmas Coasters for your holiday beverages.  These colorful coasters are the crafty work of the Christmas Elf at Coastal Crochet Crafts on Etsy.

Snowman Wall Hanging

Snowman Wall Hanging

For a seasonal wall hanging that doesn't have to be taken down after Christmas, as it is a nice decor all winter long, create this Woodland Friends Snowman Door or WallHanging from a kit. Everything you need, except the stuffing, is all in one package ready to craft. 

Turtle Cookie Balls

Turtle Cookie Balls Recipe Card

Christmas cookies are another sign of the season and cooking is every bit as much a craft as needlework and sewing.  Mary Beth Granger (mbgphoto) shares her recipes for Cookie Balls which are wonderful for your own holiday time and also make terrific homemade gifts for friends.  Mary Beth created a beautiful recipe card on Zazzle for her cookie balls and the card would be a lovely addition to your gift.  Tuck it into the package and your friend can have a gift that 'keeps on giving'.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Don't forget the Christmas Tree ornaments.  Sylvestermouse shows us a wonderful group of Bead & Sequin Christmas Ornament Kits we can craft for our own tree or to give as a gift.  

Another contributor to Review This Review, Dawn Rae, brings us some easy Christmas ornament crafts you can do with your children as you get ready for the holiday season.

When it's Time to Put Away the Crafts

At the end of the day, it's time to put away our craft supplies.  Susan Kennedy (BuckHawk) helps us get organized with helpful tips and tools at her "Organize Craft Supplies" site.

Christmas Shopping Ideas

And for an extra easy way to begin your Christmas shopping, check out this handy online Holiday Gift Guide brought to you by the contributing members of 'Review This'.

Have a Happy Holiday!

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How to Put Fun into Your Holidays

Wouldn't we all love to put some fun back into our holiday preparations? Here are tips to help you do just that. Remember those days as a kid when the holidays were all about excitement, anticipation and just plain fun. It's time us grown-ups got to enjoy that as well.

Shop Online for Some Fun

Skip the crowds, the traffic, the lines and the surly salespeople. Shop online for just about everything you need from holiday decorations to gifts. The contributing writers for Review This put together a great holiday gift guide just to help you do that very thing. 

You can get in the mood for some fun Christmas time while still

curled up in your pj's and fuzzy bunny slippers. Just do it online. Christmas Time Treasures has lots of those great pages to help you with holiday decorations for your home, like pre-lit Christmas trees, festive kitchen towels, even holiday cats on decorative pillows (www.web-surfing-with-susan.com/christmas-cat-throw-pillows). 

Get your Christmas tree decorated with personalized ornaments or something even more fun like Eiffel Tower ornaments (www.web-surfing-with-susan.com/eiffel-tower-christmas-ornaments). Holidays are definitely easier and much more fun when you shop online from the comfort of your own home. 

Take Some Time to Relax

Since you won't need to spend many extra hours fighting the malls and the traffic, use that time to relax and do something you love. For me, it's a long hot bubble bath with festive scented soaps (www.the-bubble-bath.com/get-in-the-holiday-spirit-with-a-festive-bubble-bath) and reading a great Christmas mystery book (www.mysterybookworldlive.com/holiday-mysteries/christmas-mysteries).  Now, we're talking relaxing. 

Whatever you like to do to relax, do it. Your own holidays will be more fun. More like those days when you were a kid and the whole month of December was all about the excitement, anticipation and fun.

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.

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Thanksgiving Blessings

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States.  I would like to take this opportunity to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving.  May you find a few minutes today to reflect on your many blessings and each in your own way give Thanks. 

I have been very blessed and thank God for my faith, my family, my health, and the love He has surrounded me with.

May You and Your Family have a Blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving Blessing Postcards by mbgphoto

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EVA Airlines Goes the Extra Mile!

Review of EVA Airlines

Want to fly to Asia and haven't picked your airline? I've discovered a fantastic airline company, EVA Airlines.  We booked our trip to Hong Kong online at FlightHub.com which a travel group I belong to suggested and we could not be happier with our experience of EVA Airlines! (I booked our whole trip at FlightHub.com and it was smooth as silk with no problems whatsoever.)

First of all the fare was outrageously low, only $521 each from Los Angeles to Hong Kong including taxes and landing fees. It's a long long way to  Hong Kong! 

Secondly, or in my case, I should say first of all, they have Hello Kitty Jets! Okay, everyone who knows me knows I love Hello Kitty so that was the clincher for booking the deal. Then while in Taipei we discovered they have a Hello Kitty lounge in the terminal! How cool is that for Hello Kitty lovers.  

Sadly we were running to catch our connecting flight, so I could not stop to take a photo of the lounge but I did get a snapshot of the in flight magazine which did happen to feature that cute little character.

Hello Kitty cover from EVA Airlines in flight magazine

So that had me enthralled but the service and the attitude of the attendants was just over the top fantastic! The attendants were all Chinese beautiful girls with porcelain skin and very sweet mannerisms. 

Then there is the fact that we got 3 full course meals for that flight! Not junk airline food either, real gourmet meals. They served things like salmon with dill sauce and veggies, roast beef with veggies, ham and cheese omelettes, rosemary chicken and rice, and all the meals came with wonderful desserts too. (plenty of chocolate!)

Plus they let you check 2 bags for free too, unlike most USA airlines.  Then there were the planes themselves which were very beautiful inside and outside both. And despite the planes being gigantic, the pilots on both flights landed them like they were feathers. I just can't say enough good about this airline! 

We will definitely fly on EVA Air again! I even looked to see if they have an affiliate program; I was just bowled over by them.

Hong Kong view from my hotel room

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Best Bread Recipe for Kitchen Dummies

Thanksgiving and the holidays are quickly approaching. This time of year brings discussions of celebrations complete with good food and good company,  As a result, I found myself getting into the baking spirit.  I began to look for easy bread recipes.  Historically, I have not been able to make bread that contains yeast with any success.  But I have found a recipe, of a bread containing yeast, that I am able to bake with reliable success.  I am thrilled about it and I will share that recipe with you in a just a minute. 

First, I want to begin with why I love homemade bread.  My mom sometimes made breads such as banana nut bread and zucchini bread.  As a child, I could help make those types of delicious breads. I haven't made a loaf of banana bread in decades and have recently asked around for a good recipe. 

Photo by Cynthia Sylvestermouse

Sylvestermouse shared her banana bread recipe with me. I am excited to add this recipe to my baking successes. With the exception of having bananas most of the time, not all of the time, I always have the necessary ingredients in my kitchen. I can almost smell the banana bread baking now. 


I also spent part of my childhood raised with Amish folks, farmers, and other women who baked their own breads.  Bread recipes that called for yeast. Since I was not able to get my breads to rise properly, I look for an alternative.  I have been baking wheat Irish soda bread for some time now.  The recipe does not call for yeast, which is why I've been able to bake it successfully.  We love this full-bodied, whole grain, dense bread.  I make long loaves in this amazing bread pan and we partner our soda bread with soups.  I don't end up baking this wheat Irish soda bread often enough and the Mister ends up asking me to bake some more.  

Photo by Dawn Rae

One Thing that has been indispensable when it comes to baking my Irish soda bread has been this amazing bread pan.  I had experimented with baking the soda bread in the traditional round loaf, in a little bread pan, and then finally in this loaf pan.  I love the pan.  And if you bake bread, you may end up loving this pan too. 

Now, I will tell you about this amazing white bread, with yeast, recipe that even I can bake.  Alexandra describes it as the easiest bread you will ever bake. She is not exaggerating.  She gives step-by-step instructions for every bit of the yeast-proofing and bread baking. There are videos and photographs, but even without the videos, she describes the process in a way that made perfect sense to me.  I made her mother's peasant bread in the round bowls a few times before switching to a small square baking dish that worked beautifully too.  I have not yet baked it in my amazing loaf pan, but you can bet I'll try that soon. 

Since I found Alexandra's mother's peasant bread recipe, we have not been without homemade bread in the house.

As I said, Alexandra's tutorial about baking peasant bread comes complete with photographs and videos. So, in case there is any doubt that you should also try baking this bread, I will leave you with this tempting video: 

Written by Dawn Rae

Disclosure: In affiliation with Amazon.com, Dawn Rae is a blogger and content writer who may earn compensation from the sale of  Amazon  products.

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I Was Here, I Made a Difference, I Mattered

History of Money Fridge Magnet Here

There's an Unexplainable Feeling in Your Soul; You're being Called to Contribute Something well Beyond Serving Self

It's an ache, a light, but mainly Something you're driven to achieve for the contribution it will make to the greater good.

Money isn't the driver.

Money almost annoys you. You've come to terms with the fact that money isn't even the measuring stick you were told it was.

Money turns out to be Something the human condition glorified as necessary paper in a desperate world saturated with mixed-up priorities.

This driver goes well beyond money.

This driver is the Art.

It's the grand vision to bring a smile to someone's face, aid a suffering heart, tell someone they matter, and bring unexpected laughter to a troubled soul ... you know the truth about this driver. This driver is timeless. The immortal spark that endlessly ignites creativity and genius through multiple generations.

You have been gifted a universal secret, and you comprehend the ultimate meaning of purpose:

"When this body has sung it's last glorious song, written it's last sonnet, or penned it's final poem, you know without a doubt that just like love, the artist leaves the body and lives on"

The Art is what's remembered.

Art is what matters.

The Art, like the artist, lives on.

I Was Here by Lady A:

(Lyrics) "I wanna do something that matters
 Say something different
 Something that sets the whole world on its ear
 I wanna do something better
 With the time I've been given
 And I wanna try To touch a few hearts in this life
 Leave nothing less Than something that says "I was here"

You can find the song I Was Here by Lady Antebellum on the Album 'Act of Valor' - A Compilation Album for 2008 Team USA. 

Learn more about and follow country music sensation 'Lady Antebellum' on Facebook and Twitter.


Article dedication: To George William (Billy) Tremblay, My Uncle - Forever remembered and respected. His Art lives in his family and will forever be his family.

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Planning the Holiday Table Review

With Thanksgiving upon us and Christmas just around the corner, planning the holiday table is a part of our world. Place settings, centerpieces and serving dishes all need to fit somehow on the table. So we'll review some of those tips for planning your own holiday tables.

Holiday Table Planning with Buffets

If you are like me, your holiday table will be overflowing with lots of family and probably some friends as well. My Thanksgiving includes a sweet elderly neighbor as well. With this many people, the dinner table has to be extended to it's fullest and side tables have to be added as well. So setting my holiday table means lots of dishes, silverware and glasses.

The Stylish Buffet

Yes, I have been accused of not leaving room for the food. But, I make use of buffets for the food
instead. 

On my table, I keep the rolls and butter, relish trays and other small extras on the table. The buffet holds the main course and all the sides dishes. I have gotten many tips to creating a great buffet table from The Stylish Buffet. It's worth checking out.

Creating Tablescapes for the Holidays

When I plan my holiday table, I like to think in terms of tablescapes. Hm, never heard of this term? You're in luck then. I did an article for Cooking for the Holidays just to explain tablescapes and how to use them for your holiday meals. 

Don't worry, this isn't about a new etiquette that's expected. Instead, it's about the fun of arranging your holiday table with variation in height. This creates a more visually appealing table for you and your guests. 

Holiday Centerpieces for the Table

Holiday Centerpieces

Decorating for Events has given us great ideas for creating our own holiday centerpieces. She makes use of simple things to create a charming, yet beautiful arrangement for the table. 

Although this page shows Christmas ideas, you can easily adapt her tips for any holiday. It's the color schemes and little extras that will transform her suggestions from Christmas to Thanksgiving. Add in fall colors, like yellows, browns and oranges and accent with Thanksgiving items like a turkey salt and pepper shaker set.

 

Planning the Holiday Table

You have your menu set and all your guests invited. Now is the time to get planning your holiday table. These are just a few of the many options to help you plan. So don't panic, relax instead. Your beautiful table will soon be filled with your many family and friends to share the holiday meal with you.







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.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

After days of cooking in preparation for Thanksgiving, it seems like no matter how well we plan or how many years of experience we have, there are always leftovers.  I hate throwing out leftovers, but I very much enjoy having a recipe on hand that makes good use of leftovers.  After all, few of us really want the exact same meal several days in a roll, so having a recipe for a totally different meal is simply awesome.

Cheeseburger Soup Recipe 

Cheeseburger Soup Recipe by Mbgphoto

I want to start with a recipe that sounds delicious!  Not only will it make good use of our leftovers, but most of us don't need or even want a very heavy meal on the days immediately following Thanksgiving and soup is more than sufficient.   

This Cheeseburger Soup recipe by Mbgphoto is the perfect recipe for leftover turkey!   It gives us a great alternative meal for what is otherwise plain turkey.  I do love turkey, but after a day or two of eating it, I am ready for something different and Cheeseburger soup is most definitely different.

Curry in a Hurry

Susan Deppner offers another fast and easy recipe that uses the leftover turkey.  What I really love about this recipe is just how fast it is to prepare.  I looks like in less than 20 minutes, you could have a delicious meal without having to spend any more money for the meat. 

This also helps you make good use of that leftover apple from the fruit basket!  This recipe makes me doubly happy because it uses double the leftovers.

 

A Variety of Recipes for Leftover Turkey

For a real variety of salad and sandwich recipes for your leftover turkey, please visit AllRecipes.com.  Turkey sandwiches are my husband's favorite creation to make with turkey leftovers.  I have no doubt he will find several suggestions in this group of recipes that he will want to try this year.

A Delicious Fruit Salad with Leftover Fruit
 

I have personally committed several times about how much I have having a fruit basket for the holidays.  It is so easy for guest to grab a healthy snack between meals if I have a fruit basket available.  However, I inevitably have a few pieces of fruit left over, which means it is time for me to make a fruit salad.

Tossing the leftover cut-up pieces of fruit in a bowl together is perfect for leftover fruit.

 

More Recipes for Thanksgiving Leftovers

If you have a published recipe that would be great for Thanksgiving leftovers, we would love to have you share it with us.  Please leave the link to your recipe in the guestbook below.



Recommended by Our Readers!  (Thank you for sharing with us!)

Healthy Vegetable Soup with Cannellini Beans and Optional Chicken Sausage

 

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