Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Christmas Cards

Hello Readers.....



I am so curious where you all stand with Christmas cards????

Do you mail them out still? Do you love to receive them???
This year I sent off 100 Christmas Cards.
I love to set down and write them out. I love picking out a special card for each person and I always include a little note with how our house and family is doing.....
I run to the mail box every day just to see if I am getting any in return.....


I really think that people are not sending like they used too...
5 years ago I received 114 cards in the mail!! IT was amazing!! I had them everywhere!!!

This year..............20


So it seems to me that the world has forgotten how WONDERFUL Christmas cards are!!

Do you send them? Do you love to receive them?

Friday, December 11, 2015

Sugar Cookies~ Christmas

I have had a lot of requests about my sugar cookies.

Sugar Cookies
Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sugar-cookies-recipe.html?oc=linkback
I made a few batches of dough about 2 weeks before Christmas and then I spend the week making so many a day. Your dough will last that long!!!!
What types of cookies will you be making this year?


Thursday, December 3, 2015

2015 Sephora Holiday Gift Guide

It is that time of year again!!
I know Christmas is my favorite time of the year!!!
And my FAVORITE post every year is my Holiday Gift Guide From Sephora!!
I love Sephora!!!
They always have everything on my gift list and EVEN on my wish list!!!
I love how I can shop for women and men all in one place!! Whoop Whoop!!!

In case this is the first time you are hearing about Sephora let me take a minute to tell you all about them......

Sephora is a visionary beauty-retail concept founded in France by Dominique Mandonnaud in 1970. Sephora's unique, open-sell environment features an ever-increasing amount of classic and emerging brands across a broad range of product categories including skincare, color, fragrance, body, smilecare, and haircare, in addition to Sephora's own private label. 

Today, Sephora is not only the leading chain of perfume and cosmetics stores in France, but also a powerful beauty presence in countries around the world. 

To build the most knowledgeable and professional team of product consultants in the beauty industry, Sephora developed "Science of Sephora." This program ensures that our team is skilled to identify skin types, have knowledge of skin physiology, the history of makeup, application techniques, the science of creating fragrances, and most importantly, how to interact with Sephora's diverse clientele. 

Owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury goods group, Sephora is highly regarded as a beauty trailblazer, thanks to its unparalleled assortment of prestige products, unbiased service from experts, interactive shopping environment, and innovation. 

Sephora stores – Sephora operates approximately 1,900 stores in 29 countries worldwide, with an expanding base of over 360 stores across North America. Sephora opened its first U.S. store in New York in 1998, its first Canadian store in Toronto in 2004. Sephora's North American headquarters is located in San Francisco, with corporate offices in New York and Montreal.

Sephora.com - Launched in the U.S. in 1999 and Canada in 2003, the foremost beauty site on the Internet is also Sephora's largest North American store in terms of sales and selection of products and brands. 

Beauty Insider - In 2007, Sephora launched a client loyalty program as a way of thanking clients with special products, exclusive information, and an all-access pass to personalized beauty. The Beauty Insider program is available in Sephora stores nationwide and at www.sephora.com. In 2009, Sephora launched V.I.B. [Very Important Beauty Insider], a premium level for Beauty Insiders giving clients access to exclusive gifts, event invitations, and early access to select products. 

Sephora inside JCPenney - JCPenney began opening Sephora inside JCPenney stores in October 2006. That original launch has turned into a phenomenon. Today, there are Sephora locations in JCPenney stores nationwide. These stores are smaller than a normal store with approximately 1,500 square feet but they are located in the center of the store and feature the signature Sephora look and beauty offering. 

NOW let me show you some of the AMAZING HOT items this year!!!
                                                                          
  This is a BITE Cream Lipstick and a Sephora lippy

                                                             
 This is Tarte Holidaze
                                             
 This beautiful palette is Sephora Color wonderland
                                     
 FORERO Facial Cleansing System
                                       
 Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skin Care
                                         
 Smashbox Pout Collection
                                       
Clean Rollerball Layering Collection
                                           
 Clinique Holiday Helpers
                                       
  L'Occitane Best of Provence
                                           
 Boscia Japanese Favorites



Sephora is for sure the BEST place to shop for beauty, hair and skin products!! They offer so many varieties of products and the staff is always amazing and have so much knowledge of the items in the store! You can shop in store and online!!
What item are you hoping is in your Stocking this year?????
I know I want ONE of everything!!!!