Holiday - grace grits and gardening

Handmade Ornament Ideas

December 6, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

I signed up for the Arkansas Women Bloggers handmade ornament exchange and immediately thought what on earth was I thinking? I had to come up with a homemade ornament idea just when my mind felt tired and blank. Ornament.Exchange.Remorse. With only a couple of weeks to made final edits and get my manuscript to my editor, I was doing everything except what I should have been doing. (Not gonna lie, it feels good to say my editor even though there’s always a chance she may return the thing back marked “lost cause”.)

Anyhoo.

I was matched up with Jessica who blogs at Life With the Bauer Bunch. Jessica, a small town Arkansas girl, is super busy working and raising three kids. She blogs about motherhood and figuring out life as she goes (her words). Jessica is real and normal and reading her blog is like visiting with my best friend.

I finished my edits, my manuscript has been sent and I managed to make an ornament for Jessica too. The season of eternal holiday magic.

Here it is.

Jessica and her kids seemed to like it. Whew:))

I sort of cheated because I’ve made this ornament before. You can get the basic pattern HERE. I changed up the process somewhat by using scrapbook paper instead of vintage book pages, and I Mod Podged it to make it a bit more substantial. The buttons and rick rack are vintage. I used glitter glue instead of real glitter which is not so messy.

Now for my surprise.

Alicia who blogs at Simple Words by A drew my name. Alicia and I met last year in Helena and even canoed the Mississippi River together without incident, a bond not many people share, right?

A self-proclaimed crafter and apparent overachiever, Alicia sent me two handmade ornaments. (Sorry, Jessica. You got shortchanged…)

Her gift included a sweet, handwritten letter. When was the last time I received a letter?

The ornament on the left is filled with Hemingway quotes because she knows now much I love Ernest Hemingway. Very thoughtful! The fun ornament on the right is covered with a soft red and white yarn. Both really boosted my holiday spirit.

Now if I could just get my Christmas tree up!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis url=”http://wp.me/p58902-1aU”]#Homemade #ornaments = holiday spirit! @SimpleWordsbyA @thebauerbunch @ARWomenBloggers [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Celtic Women – It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

December, carry me home.

December 1, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Yesterday was November. The warm, humid weather and gusty winds announced sure signs of change. I thought about dragging my Christmas decorations from the garage but didn’t. I’ve spent so much time packing and unpacking boxes, the whole idea of digging through more stuff is about as appealing as the leftover brussel sprouts morphing into a science experiment in the back of my fridge.

I have a hard time finding the Christmas spirit on a balmy November day.

So, I found other things to do. Like removing fall from the house. That counts.

I tossed well-seasoned pumpkins into the garbage. I removed my orange toile table runner and replaced it with one more reflective of the holidays. I did manage one smidgen of decorating only because I stumbled upon a length of garland while putting away my tissue paper turkey.

See?

And I relocated my silver pear candle (which is on display somewhere in my house year-round) front and center atop a stack of old books. Somehow it now looks more Christmas-y.

That’s it.

So far that’s all I’ve managed.

I like the simplicity.

Today is December. I woke to a glittery coating of ice on rooftops. Spitting snow greeted my morning walk with the dogs. Today feels like a Christmas decorating day, good and right and full of possibilities. Carry me home, December.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Today feels like a #Christmas #decorating day. [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

December – Norah Jones

“How did it get so late so soon?”
― Dr. Seuss

Southern Christmas Gifts under $25!

November 25, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

(This Southern Christmas Gift post is sponsored by

P. Allen Smith, Bourbon and Boots and Bentley’s Batch 5. All opinions are my own.)

Once again, Christmas is rushing up on us, and I have a problem—I hate to shop. If shopping doesn’t involve plants, books, an antique/thrift store or the farmer’s market, I DREAD it. And because I dread it, I do most of my shopping on-line. For those of you who enjoy shopping from the convenience of your cozy home, I’ve rounded up these southern Christmas gifts, something fun for everyone on your list.

Everything is locally made in the South.

Everything is priced under $25. You don’t have to spend a pile of money to buy something perfect and thoughtful and full of southern charm.

Before you get started, I have two deals that will save you money on several of these gifts found at the online stores of P. Allen Smith and Bourbon and Boots.

Deal #1

Sign up today to receive news from P. Allen Smith and you will immediately receive a 25% off coupon code to use in his on-line store. Click HERE to sign up. Easy money! Your inbox will not be bombarded with tons of emails, I promise. Plus, once you do this you will be eligible to win one of ten $50 gift cards to Shop.PAllenSmith.com. The winners will be selected by random draw. Offer good through December 12, 2014.

Deal #2

Use the code bloggracegg14 for 5% off any purchase at Bourbon and Boots. Offer good through December 31, 2014.

Okay, now on to my Christmas gift list…

For the Dedicated Gardener:

As a gardener myself, I love these herb stakes made of natural wood. They come perfectly packaged in a whitewashed box and make a great little gift or stocking stuffer!

click to see more: HERB STAKES

For the Sweaty Outdoorsman:

If you’ve spent any time in the Ozark Mountains, you know the area is special. These 100% unbleached cotton bandanas are hand printed with eco-friendly water-based ink. These babies make me wanna go hiking.

click to check this out: OZARK MAP BANDANA

For Girls of all Ages:

How seriously cute is this? These state charm necklaces are made in Oklahoma but available in several different state versions. I bought the Texas one for my niece’s birthday last year. The chain is a simple antiqued brass and the charms come in a variety of fun colors.

Click to see all the options: STATE CHARM NECKLACE

For Thirsty Farmers:

Raise your hand if you know a thirsty farmer? Every farmer I’ve ever known is thirsty at the end of a long day in the fields. Could this gift be any more appropriate? At $10, buy one for each of your farmer friends. I bet they will crack open a cold one for you too.

Click for all those hardworking farmers: TRACTOR BOTTLE OPENER

For the Crafty Seamstress:

I don’t sew, and I love this pincushion. I do have a junk drawer with straight pins just laying around waiting to stab me. This little treasure will wrangle all your pins and be stylish doing it. Just think how much someone who really sews will appreciate it.

Click to view: ANTIQUE-STYLE PIN CUSHION

For the Stylish Imbiber:

In a word, cool. These flasks are pocket sized, stainless steel and covered with synthetic leather. The images range from deer and fish to guns and mustaches. Perfect for tailgating and other southern hipster activities.

Click for more coolness: HIPSTER FLASK

For Sweet Eating Book Hoarders:

This book by Arkansawyer Kat Robinson includes everything you ever wanted to know about pie in the Natural State. And she will sign it for you too. An autographed book always makes a delicious gift.

Click here: Arkansas Pie

For Squealing Babies:

If you’re a Mama, you appreciate the beauty and simplicity of the onesie—THE newborn wardrobe essential. Plus, doesn’t every child deserves to start out life with a Merle Haggard-ism on his or her chest? Absolutely.

Click to try: MAMA TRIED ONESIE

For Fashionable Dogs:

Nothing says southern like a bit of gingham flair. All the fashionable fidos agree.

Click to sniff: GINGHAM DOG COLLARS

For the Hot Grillmeister:

Elevate your barbecue with this bold, rich sauce made from an old Texas family recipe. Better buy all three because each is wonderfully different. Isn’t life too short to eat less than stellar barbecue sauce? I think so.

Click to buy pronto: BENTLEY’S BATCH 5 BARBECUE SAUCE

For Dirty Men Everywhere:

What do these three things have in common—gravel roads, gunpowder and home brew? They all lead to fun times and big trouble. Clean your man up with this soap handmade in Little Rock.

Click for fun: MEN’S BAR SOAP

For the Ornament Collector:

Show your state pride with these wire ornaments that aren’t just for Christmas. Hang them from your doorknob, rearview mirror, wherever. If you have a family divided like ours (Razorback and Longhorn), you will need more than one. Currently available for the folks who love Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.

Click for more info: SOUTHERN STATE ORNAMENT

For the Hostess with the Mostest:

Ahhhh, this candle is light and refreshing like a sip of sweet tea. Hence the name. Any southern hostess would be happy to receive it. And really, you can’t have too many candles.

Click to buy: SWEET TEA CANDLE

For Santa Claus:

Let’s talk about Santa. He works hard all year with a bunch of elves way up at the frozen North Pole so that he can pack his cramped sleigh and deliver a bundle of soon forgotten toys down your sooty chimney. Doesn’t he deserve chocolate? Real chocolate. Chocolate with moonshine? Yes, yes he does. He’s tired of slice and bake chocolate chip cookies. He told me so.

Click for Santa: MOONSHINE TRUFFLES

So that’s my list. Check it twice and don’t forget to use the coupon codes mentioned above.

Happy on-line shopping!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis url=”http://wp.me/p58902-182″]#Southern #Christmas gifts under $25! #shoplocal @PAllenSmith @BourbonandBoots @TieDyeTravels @BentleysBatch5[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

White Christmas Cartoon Song – The Drifters

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