🔥 Around the Campfire (week 50)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

12/8: 🔥 week 49

12/9: Christmas tree optical illusion 

12/10: TT candy cane cake 

12/11: gingerbread contest: nakatomi tower 

12/12: gingerbread contest: Buddy's journey to NYC

12/13: gingerbread contest: carnival 

12/14: words (Groot/Christmas)

Mickey sent this Georgie craft (she's 16 months old) with the caption
"Not quite old enough for crafts from hobby lobby 😂😂😂"

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

12.15.23: Christmas cupcake wreath

12.15.22: P's fried chicken

12.15.21: hambone, bean, and veggie soup

12.15.20: TT: holiday phone case by Brooke

12.15.19: 🔥week 50

12.15.18: rolled paper Christmas tree

12.15.17: Brooke's homemade ice cream/shake

12.15.16: sugar and spice mixed nuts

12.15.15: travel jewelry pouch

  

12/14 ~ Words

 

I love Guardians of the Galaxy and Groot 😂 Happy Saturday! 

12.14.23: button ornaments 

12.14.22: confetti gift wrap #2

12.14.21: snowman poop 

12.14.20: plant pot bells by B

12.14.19: caprese chicken

12.14.18: Christmas pinecone wreath

12.14.17: bacon jam

12.14.16: Georgian cheese bread

12.14.15: Christmas bell door hanger

Gingerbread Contest: Carnival

Here's #3 of the entries in the gingerbread contest my sister's work held and she shared with me - I've shown you the Nakatomi Tower (seriously, did you see how tall it is?!) and Buddy's journey to NYC, today's is a carnival and just wait til you see how much work went into this one! They have it all and it's incredible - roller coaster, ticket booth, merry-go-round, ferris wheel, bumper boats, fun house, tunnel of love, arcade games...and more! This was the winning entry - congrats to some very dedicated crafters, this had to have taken days and days to put together and is very impressive. If you're out to win your contest and have enough time consider a carnival theme, here's some pics for inspo:

Note: to save yourself some frustration if you try to build any of these I will say that there was some glue involved and these aren't completely edible - the rules for this contest did not specify it had to be edible so it was still eligible to win. If you're entering a contest make sure you know if glue is acceptable! 

That reminds me of Brooke and I making gingerbread houses when she was little - we tried and tried to stick our walls and roof on with frosting only to keep having it fall apart, that's when aunt Jill got out the glue gun and solved that little problem. Does anyone actually eat their gingerbread houses?!

click here to see how to make hot chocolate spoons if you need an easy food-gift! 

12.13.23: paper snowflakes

12.13.22: tt - muffin tin drink holder 

12.13.21: nantucket cranberry pie

12.13.20: 🔥 week 50

12.13.19: candy cane reindeer

12.13.18: felt Christmas trees

12.13.17: wood reindeer and snowman

12.13.16: glass block winter scene

12.13.15: cinnamon roll sugar cookies 

Gingerbread Contest: Elf's Short Story of a Tall Tale

Yesterday I shared that my sister's work had a gingerbread contest and she sent me pics 'cause she knew I'd want to see how creative these people got - and how much work went into each project. No simple gingerbread houses here, they are so elaborate and you can tell people took this very seriously - don't know what the prize was but maybe bragging rights was enough to warrant going all out! Today I'll show you this super fun and creative walk thru Buddy's journey from the North Pole to New York City looking for his birth father. 

Depicted in gingerbread are these places he traveled from/thru/to:

North Pole

Candy Cane Forest 

Sea of Swirly-Twirly Gum Drops 

Lincoln Tunnel

New York City 

click here for yesterday's gingerbread Nakatomi Tower. 

click here to see how to make felt candy cane mice, which has nothing to do with gingerbread but I came across the post from '16 and thought I'd refresh your memory if you're looking for a fun craft to do before Christmas! 

12.12.23: plastic hanger snowflake

12.12.22: Christmas lights cupcakes 

12.12.21: 🔥 week 50

12/12/20: how to make a looped bow

12.12.19: santa gift card holder

12.12.18: Mary's painted ornaments

12.12.2017: coincidentally, I posted the adorable pillow Mary me one year ago today!

12.12.2016: marquee letters  (using paper mache letters and christmas ornaments)

12.12.2015: fireball hot toddy

Gingerbread Contest: Nakatomi Tower

My sister's work held a gingerbread contest and she sent me the top 3 winners - this one made me laugh out loud and I had to share - they built a Nakatomi Tower replica hahahahah. In case you don't know - Nakatomi Tower is from the movie Die Hard, people are held hostage in the tower during a Christmas party and John McClane (Bruce Willis) saves them. It's got some r-rated language but it's one of my favorites and has become a Christmas movie must-watch, which some people don't agree with that but I think it's awesome LOL. 

Anyway - the gingerbread tower didn't win (I would argue the decision but no one asked me haha) mostly because it was built from graham crackers and not gingerbread. Technicality. But still amazing and deserves a shout out in my book, mostly for making me laugh, and check out how tall it is! Whoever made this was committed to the tower theme. They have a cop car and 'dead' body laying at the bottom of the tower and a helicopter on top - too funny. 

If you're going to a gingerbread contest this is one very good idea: 

12.11.23: tiered Christmas tree skirt 

12.11.22: 🔥 week 50

12.11.21: sheet pan sausages and grapes

12.11.20: gingerbread cookie hugs by B

12.11.19: cucumber ranch salad dressing

12.11.18: bath salt ornaments

12.11.2017: tinsel wreath

12.11.2016: chicken marsala

12.11.2015: tomato cage Christmas tree

Tip-sy Tuesday: Candy Cane Forest Cake

Today's tip is really just a pretty inspiration picture for an easy Christmas cake! Frost the cake with white frosting, you wouldn't have to break out the decorating tips if you cover the top and sides with enough crushed peppermints no one will know it's just a pain cake underneath (!) and then add some candy canes. 

I might not have time to make this before Christmas since time is ticking by at break-neck speed, but I wanted to share the idea if you're in the mood to make a cake :)

12.10.23: 🔥 week 50

12.10.22: Christmas gift wrap ideas

12.10.21: santa gnome cupcakes

12.10.20: MSIH scalloped potato review

12.10.19: TT make a gift bag out of wrapping paper (it's easy and so handy, I make them all the time!)

12.10.18: Santa's wreath making workshop 

12.10.17: sweetly spiced pork tenderloin with butternut and pears

12.10.16: herbed angel hair pasta

12.10.15: wine glass snow globes

Christmas Tree Optical Illusion

This is not really an optical illusion but I'm calling it that since it's in the spirit of what I was going for when I learned we'd be home in Michigan for Christmas this year and I really wanted a taller tree but didn't want to buy one and have to store it (we aren't often here and I've been putting up 3 smaller 3' trees for quite a while now). So I put one tree on the mantle, and two trees on a short table underneath and 'created' what feels like a tall tree by stringing lights over all three to sort of connect them together. Might be a dumb idea, but I don't care -  I'm really enjoying sitting by our tall tree! 

I decorated each tree in a different theme, I could have combined all three for a more cohesive look but I like each tree having its own thing and think it works. Check out Georgie's tree art in the space between the 2 bottom trees as filler, it makes me happy to look at this every day! 

12.9.23: words

12.9.22: poinsettia place setting

12.9.21: jar ring present topper

12.9.20: scalloped potatoes

12.9.19: felt mitten gift tag clip

12.9.18: 🔥week 49

12.9.17: elf gift tags

12.9.16: k-cup snowman lighted garland

12.9.15: paper Christmas lights garland

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 49)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

12/1: 🔥 week 48

12/2: slow cooker bananas foster

12/3: TT: quick bbq sauce 

12/4: winter mum

12/5: homemade dry onion soup mix

12/6: diamond dotz

12/7: words (live loudly)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

12.8.23: santa gift enclosure

12.8.22: candy melt pine tree cake toppers

12.8.21: catalina cranberry chicken 

12.8.20: TT: prosciutto (and a great pear/cheese/prosciutto appetizer)

12.8.19: 🔥 week 49

12.8.18: snowman place setting

12.8.17: crocheted cactus

12.8.16: origami gift card holder

12.8.15: framed glitter words

12/7 ~ Words

 

12.7.23: Quebec Chicken

12.7.22: Christmas tree pull apart bread

12.7.21: tip-sy tuesday: cheese

12.7.20: how to decoupage glass plates 

12.7.19: beef and beer stew

12.7.18: pumpkin snowman 

  

12.7.17: paper doily wreath

12.7.16: homemade crescent rolls

12.7.15: snowman gift box

Diamond Dotz

I told myself I couldn't start any new crafts until I finish all my half-finished projects I currently have going on in my craft room...but then I was up north camping and felt like making something - found a kit called 'Diamond Dotz' which I'd never heard of before and it seemed pretty easy so I bought it. And have found my new favorite thing to do!! 

It reminds me of a cross between paint-by-numbers and cross stitch - you stick 'diamond dotz' (which are little bead things that are flat on one side and faceted on the other) on a sticky canvas using a stylus tool with the end rolled in wax that makes it easy to pick them up and place in the correct spot.  Each color is given a symbol and you just look for the symbols on the sticky canvas - for instance maybe light pink is a triangle symbol, you look for the triangle symbol on the canvas and place a diamond dot on it. 

One tip is to not peal off the protective piece of plastic that covers the sticky canvas, only peal up the area you want to work on and then replace the film and move to a different place on the canvas. 

This is so fun and relaxing to do!!! Really, I love this new craft find 😊

so far I've bought 2 kits - the first one I've completed is this turtle 
from Diamond Dotz and it came in this box

the second one I purchased online came rolled up in a plastic bag, 
it has lots of creases in the canvas that I hope will come out as I work on it

stick the end of the stylus in the wax every now and then when
it starts being harder to pick up a bead

\

12.6.23: asian salad dressing 

12.6.22: cork santa hats

12.6.21: christmas tree/wreath

12.6.20: 🔥week 49

12.6.19: celery syrup

12.6.18: snowman treat holder

12.6.17: Grandma Jean's pecan pie

12.6.16: succulent terrarium

12.6.15: rocky road cookies

Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix

I'm making crockpot apricot chicken for dinner tonight which calls for dry onion soup mix - my niece is joining us but she can't have gluten so I googled to make sure onion soup mix is gluten-free. Turns out it has yeast extract so it isn't GF. Hmmmm - I could have just left it out I guess but then I googled to see if anyone has a homemade version and sure enough, there are lots of recipes. I picked this one and it turned out really good so I'm sharing it - not just for GF purposes but also just in case you don't have any of the store-bought mix on hand you can easily make your own with just a few spices. 

• 1 1/2 T. beef bouillon granules*
• 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
• 1/2 t. onion powder
• 1/4 t. dried parsley
• 1/4 t. paprika
• 1/8 t. garlic powder
• 1/8 t. black pepper

Mix all together and store in an air-tight container. 1 recipe = 1 store-bought packet.

Notes: I didn't have bouillon granules so I added a little concentrated beef stock to the sauce ingredients (apricot jam and french dressing, click the link above for that recipe). I also added about 1/4 t. celery salt to the soup mix. 

12.5.23: pumpkin deer re-run

12.5.22: crocheted joy pillow

12.5.21: 🔥 week 49

12.5.20: Christmas wreath vegetable tray

12.5.19: MSIH: pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

12.5.18: snowman ornaments

12.5.17: add a pocket when gift wrapping

12.5.16: pumpkin deer

12.5.15: hand painted wine glasses