This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Sunday 23 December 2012

Festive Holiday Wishes

It's almost Christmas... the grocery stores are pack with people buying groceries and the shops are frantic with last minute shoppers. I prefer staying at home and enjoying the decorations, eating goodies, and sipping cups of hot chocolate. 

No gardening for me over Christmas. I've already got my potatoes and carrots stored and ready for using on Christmas day. Other than that, I'll be reading some gardening books and making plans for 2013.

I'd like to wish all fellow bloggers a restful, enjoyable and happy holiday period and New Year. I always enjoy reading about other bloggers experiences, stories, gardening tips, recipes, etc. Hoping that 2013 will be a great year for gardening!

Above: Rudolph ornament, hand made from felt over ten years ago.
Above: A little Christmas stocking decorated with sequins. I always enjoy making things and made this from a kit about twelve years ago.
Above and below: more handmade ornaments. The mouse and candy can is a cute idea. My mom made the gingerbread man below. She has two blogs, Cottage Living and Paintings by Egretta Wells.
The paper chain and paper angel (above) came from a book called "Christmas Decorations to Cut, Fold and Stick" by Fiona Watt. Fun for children and adults!
Above and below: I've been busy baking peanut butter cups (recipe from Nigella's Christmas cookbook), carmel squares, white chocolate covered pretzels sprinkled with crushed candy cane, and sugar cookies (recipe by Betty Crocker) decorated with icing sugar and sprinkles. Yum! I definitely have a sweet tooth!
Best wishes over the holiday period - Merry Christmas!

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

11 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas & roll on 2013, I cant wait to start planting again.

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  2. Such lovely, well-made ornaments and the cakes, pastries and candies! Have a Good Christmas!

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  3. Happy Christmas, Kelli! You have certainly inherited many of your Mum's crafting skills, and I detect a certain similarity in your approach to cookies and other sweet things. Best Wishes to you and Mark from me and Jane. Here's hoping that 2013 will be a good year - and a drier one!

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  4. You have been busy. Love the decorations. Have a lovely Christmas, Any potatoes and carrots we have this Christmas will be cold and the sprouts and parsnips will have to wait.

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  5. Here's hoping you have a lovely sweet-toothed Christmas - love your hand-made decorations - they are very special. Look forward to reading more about your garden next year.

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  6. Hi Kelli, Your ornaments are so pretty. Love the sequined ones you made years ago and I loved the garland. Did you make it, too? What a clever use of pretty Christmas papers. Your treats look really yummy and I adore that Christmas tree holder for them. Very festive! Hope to hear later about your garden plans for 2013!

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  7. Wishing you a very happy Christmas Kelli! Love your Christmas decor; it is all very festive and the cookies look scrumptious! Cheers to a fulfilling 2013!

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  8. I love all the handmade decorations, and the food goodies look yummy. Have a very merry Christmas.

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  9. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! All those goodies look fabulous - but I think my favorite thing is that adorable mouse ornament! :)

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  10. Those decorations are lovely and the food looks yummy. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.

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  11. You have been busy with holiday goodies too, just like me. They all look yummy!

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