The Brass Paperclip Project

Not Your Nana's Corned Beef and Cabbage

Want to wow your family for St. Patrick's Day dinner?  Come closer...lean in...that's it.  I'm going to let you in on a little secret...roast your corned beef and cabbage instead of boiling it.  Say what??  I KNOW.  It's not traditional and is, in fact, down right daring, but I promise...your loved ones will thank you. 

Here are three easy recipes for oven roasted corned beef, cabbage and potaotes...I dare you not to salivate...

 

ROASTED HONEY MUSTARD CORNED BEEF

Oh yah...this was good.  And it made the whole house smell uh-ma-zing.  Recipe: Roasted Honey Mustard Corned Beef

ROASTED CABBAGE WITH LEMON

I have made this recipe several times and it never fails to please.  It is quite easy and very tasty.  Works with purple cabbage too. Recipe: Roasted Cabbage with Lemon

PAN ROASTED YUKON GOLD POTATOES

Easy breezy...dice your potatoes, toss with olive oil and roast them while everything else is roasting...takes about 30-40 minutes.  Toss them around occasionaly to get even color. 

If you can't fit everything into your oven at the same time, don't worry.  Cook the meat first and then let it sit while the veggies cook. 

When you're ready to platter up, spread the potatoes on the bottom of a large oven-proof serving dish.  Center your sliced meat on top and arrange the cabbage along the edge.  Keep warm in the oven if needed.  Serve with some fresh soda bread and good Irish beer.

Be brave, have fun and let me know how it goes.  I'll leave ya with an Irish toast...

"May the sound of happy music, and the lilt of Irish laughter, fill your heart with gladness, that stays forever after."

And be sure to check out my other St. Patrick's Day posts for more holiday fun.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  XOXO, Cindi

 

 

Easy St. Patrick's Day Bento

It's always fun to surprise my daughter with a fun lunch for special occassions.  This St. Patrick's Day bento is done in our Plant Box and was super simple to put together. I stuck to a green and orange "Irish" color scheme and used a shamrock shaped cookie cutter to make some fun shapes.

Here's what I packed going clockwise from the top left:

• shamrock pita bread (1 round will yield a few shamrocks)
• frozen edamame (thaws by lunch)
• green pepper rings (naturally shamrock shaped - score!)
• shamrock cheddar cheese (just cut thick slices and cut with your cookie cutter)
• fresh kiwi
• orange and green gummy worms for dessert

Do you like to play with your kids food?  If so, feel free to share your ideas in the comments section...I'd love to hear them!  And be sure to check out my other St. Patrick's Day posts for more holiday fun.  Thanks for stopping by!  XOXO, Cindi

Pinch Proof DIY St. Patrick's Day Dress and Headband

No one wants to get pinched on St. Patrick's Day for not wearing green, right?  But what's a girl to do if she never wears green?  The only green thing my daughter had to wear last year was a pair of green rubber boots.  Problem was, the kids weren't allowed to wear shoes in the classroom, so my daughter literally had nothing green to wear to school.  I didn't really want to spend a lot on a green outfit that she'd likely never wear again, so what now?  Mmmm....you guessed it...hit the thrift store and pop some tags!  (Like how I slipped in that Macklemore reference?  I featured him on my blog months ago you know...before he blew up...just sayin'.  Lucky you read this blog, so you can keep up on this stuff.)

So, back to the project.  Here's what I did.  This is so stinkin' easy you can practically finish it while your child eats breakfast. And the whole project only cost a couple bucks.  At the thrift store, I found this cute green halter/tube top that was long enough to be a dress on my daughter....all it needed were some straps to keep it up.  To make the straps, I used an old ribbon belt...circa 1993 and sourced from my closet, cause I'm THAT fashionable.

To figure out the length of the straps, I had my daughter try the top on while I held the ribbon over her shoulder and cut it.  Then I pinned the pieces in place while she stood there, so I could get the length and placement right on both sides.  When she took it off, I stitched the ribbons in place. Voila!

And here's the bonus...I had plenty of ribbon left, so I was able to make a matching headband.

I just slid the open end over an old headband and cut it off, leaving about 1/2 extra ribbon on each end.  Last step was to hot glue the edges down and add a flower.

How cute is this?

The finishing touch was a necklace her grandmother made for her...I'd say she's safe from pinching now, if not the giggles.  ;)

And if those photos weren't enough cuteness for one blog post, here's our after school donut run...I have to say the green boots were the pièce de résistance of her whole look. 

That little green dress saw way more action after St. Patty's Day than I thought it would, but eventually met it's doom later that summer when it became a fierce scarecrow for our garden...LOL.  (The best part was watching the balloon head slowly shrink and the features become more and more creepy.)  Eventually, some animal had enough and tore that scarecrow to bits. 

So, that's how you put your goofy old ribbon belts to use, set your kid up for St. Patrick's Day and ensure a top-notch wardrobe for your scarecrow.   You got a little more out of this post than you were expecting, didn't ya?  That's ok, you don't have to thank me.  It's how I am.  I'm a giver.  ;)

Come back again soon...I have two more cute St. Patty's projects to share...a fun Bento lunch and a Leprechaun hat headband.  I'd be honored if you'd like to follow along, so feel free to join me at any of the links below.  Thanks for stopping by!  XOXO, Cindi

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Friday Flashback: Pocket Valentines 2010

I can't believe it's been three years since I shared my very first DIY project on this blog...seems like 10 years ago!!  LOL.  But it's true...this tutorial for DIY Pocket Valentines was my very first and it went live on February 12, 2010.  I have recently re-edited the photos and updated a few expired links, so I hope you'll check it out!

What were you doing three years ago?  Something for you to ponder...LOL.  Have a great weekend!  XOXO, Cindi

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Handmade Holidays: Wool Ewe Be My Valentine?

It's that time of year again, when I pull out my craft supplies and get busy making Valentines. I make them for my daughter to take to school and for friends and family near and far. This year's design, was inspired by finger knitting.  Strange, but true.  My daughter and many of her schoolmates are really into finger knitting, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate yarn or wool into their Valentines this year.  I did a quick inspiration search online and found a vintage knitting Valentine with the phrase, "Wool you be my Valentine?"  I thought that was pretty cute and my daughter liked it too.  From there, I made the leap to a fuzzy wool sheep and immediately knew I wanted to use some of my felted wool sweaters.  We changed the spelling of "you" to "ewe" and this is what we came up with.

Here's the design sketch my 6-year old had given me to work with...who could resist such a cute client??

I always enjoy sharing my projecst, so....are EWE ready to make some Valentines?  Here's how to do it...

GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES:

*cardstock

*printer

*felt or fabric cut into approx. 2 x 2 1/2 inch ovals  (I did this freehand...no need to be perfect.  If you are really motivated, you could even try to cut a scalloped edge.)

*scissors

*spray adhesive

*google eyes

*heart punch (optional)

*glue

*glitter (optional)

Felting Tip: I find wool and cashmere sweaters at thrift stores all the time and always snap them up to make felt with.  They usually have holes in them, so I have no qualms about cutting them up to make something new. Felting them at home in your washer keeps them from fraying and makes a nice sturdy material to work with.  Just wash them in hot water and dry on high heat...it may take a few cycles to get them where you want them, but it's easy.

STEP 1: Save the image below to your computer by right clicking and saving.  Print it out on 3.5 x 5" cardstock just like you would a photo.  You may need to adjust your printer's settings to do this.  (I cut down an assortment of 8.5 x 11" sheets I had left over from other projects, but you can also buy pre-cut "4 bar" sized cards from places like Paper Source.  If you would rather print four-to-a-page and cut apart after, here is a PDF file for you... Download Wool Ewe Be My Valentine.)

STEP 2: Spread your printed cards out on the table to get them ready for adding the wool sheep bodies.

STEP 3: Lay your ovals face down in a box or on some paper; then spray the backs with spray adhesive. (I used a paper lined pizza box leftover from the previous night's dinner....using a box helps contain the spray, so you don't end up with adhesive all over your floor.) 

STEP 4: Apply your felt ovals to the printed cards. 

STEP 5: Glue on google eyes and punched hearts if you wish. 

I thought they looked pretty cute at this point and could have called it quits, but something was missing. I was feeling a strong urge to add glitter.  So glitter I did...all 45 of 'em! 

KICK IT UP A NOTCH: Pour plain white glue into a shallow dish and pour glitter into a second dish. Dip just the edge of the card into the glue and then into the glitter...repeat for all four sides.  (Be sure to check the back too, so you don't end up with sticky bald spots on the back.)  Set them out somewhere to dry.

And, voila!  The finished product is pretty darn sweet if I do say so myself. 

Now onto the hard part...getting my 6-year old to sign them all...LOL!  So that's the project.  I'm excited to hear what ewe think, so feel free to leave some comments, won't ewe??  XOXO, Cindi

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Handmade Hanukkah: Easy Hanukkah Bentos

Welcome to day 4 of my Handmade Hanukkah series!  Today, I'm going to share some lunch box ideas that are sure to bring smiles come lunchtime.  Bento style lunches have gotten really popular recently and are especially fun for kids.  I am constantly amazed by the skill and creativity people put into their little works of food art.  I haven't seen many with a Hanukkah theme though, so I came up with some ideas of my own.  My brother would tell me I need a job...

Let's talk hardware first.  My daughter has a Planet Box lunchbox, which I really like for a number of reasons.  It's easy for my little one to open, there is no packaging waste and it also reminds me to think in terms of the four food groups...most of the time.  You could do this with anything you have though....one big tupperware or several smaller containers would all work...just use what you have.

Now on to the food!  Here's my first attempt....  I will admit, it's a little heavy on the sweets and the protein and veggies are a little lacking, but hey, it's a holiday!  The child will live.  I had an extra Hanukkah donut from our Hanukkah feast the night before.  These came from the Daily Dozen Donut Company in the Pike Place Market. They make them fresh while you watch...so good!  I also used cheddar cheese which I cut into shapes using a small paring knife.  I got a real kick out of the pretzle rod candle, btw...my favorite part.  Homemade applesauce left-over from latkes the night before felt perfectly symbolic and the blackberries were there for color.  In the bottom left compartment is some pear...again, sticking with my blue, white and yellow color scheme.  The center is normally the treat spot, so even though there was already a donut, I used two yogurt covered raisins and two small candies...mostly because I liked how they looked...LOL.  How much of this did my daughter eat?  Everything except the pretzles, the raisins and the blackberries.

My second lunch is a bit more balanced.  I made little candles with mozarella cheese sticks and carrot flames.  There are 9 orange sections, which if you stretch your imagination, kind of look like the lights of a fully lit menorah.  Blue corn chips were there for color, along with the white yogurt covered raisins again.  Two pieces of gelt were the treat of the day.  Ham is rolled and tucked into the last compartment...a lunch box favorite!  In the center square, I made a Jewish star out of yellow bell pepper. 








If you are curious about how to cut shapes in food, it is really quite simple.  For the cheese, I sliced thick pieces with a wire cheese slicer, then free-hand cut shapes with my paring knife.  Cookie cutters are also great for this if you have them.  (Regarding the slicer, it came with my husband...not something I would have bought for myself, but for the purpose of cutting shapes in cheese, it's great.  You can also use a big knife, but the slicer keeps the slice really even.)  For the carrot flames, I cut thick rounds of carrot and then just cut in the points of the flames.  For the bell pepper star, I picked a flat side of the pepper to work with and hand-cut the star like I did for the cheese.  Honestly, it's not hard and it really doesn't take long.  I usually end up eating the scraps that I cut away while I'm making lunch, so nothing goes to waste.

I have a few more lunch ideas up my sleeve that I will add to this post as I make them, but I wanted to get these up while there is still time for you to make some bentos of your own.  I hope you are feeling inspired!  Please feel free to share your own Hanukkah lunch box ideas...I'd love to see what you come up with so leave links in the comment section or post some photos to my Facebook page.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you'll come back tomorow for an eco-crafty Hanukkah project.  XOXO, Cindi

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Handmade Hanukkah: Perfect Potato Pancakes

Oh, how I love potato pancakes for Hanukkah.  But oh, how I can't stand making them.  To be totally honest, there is not one part of making potato pancakes that I enjoy.  Oy!  Did I just say that out loud??  I don't like peeling or grating potatoes and I don't like the sticky, starchy liquid that comes out of them.  I know the symbolism behind frying the pancakes in oil, I get it.  Huge part of the celebration.  But I loathe frying.  No matter what I do or how careful I am, my entire kitchen becomes a slippery, greasy, oil slick.  And then there's the matter of the whole house smelling like oil for a week afterwards.

That being said, I always make them because I must have them for my Hanukkah dinner!  What is Hanukkah dinner without potato pancakes?  What you may not realize, however, is that potato pancakes are hardly a Jewish invention.   They have been on menus throughout the world since the dawn of man...well, maybe not that early, but nearly every culture that has access to potatoes has a version of potato pancakes. 

There are a ton of potato pancake recipes out there, and plenty of people like to jazz them up with interesting ingredients and different flavors, but I am a purest.  For Hanukkah, I want a simple potato pancake drenched in sour gream...nothing unexpected.  I've had friends ask for my recipe in the past, so I thought this would be a great time to put it out there....along with helpful tips for making your potato pancakes the best they can be.  As I mentioned a few posts back, I'm come from a mixed-faith family, so this recipe actually comes from my Catholic, eastern-European roots...Poland or Lithuania if you're curious.   It's a forgiving recipe, so feel free to tweak as your heart desires....I usually double this and still don't have enough.  :)

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs, beaten

3 C. grated, drained potatoes

4 T. grated onion

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

2 T. matzah meal

lots o' oil

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Use a food processor to grate your potatoes...makes it so much easier.  Unless you feel the need to up your martyrdom...and who doesn't?...then feel free to grate by hand.

2. DRAIN YOUR POTATOES. Most important step in the recipe. After you grate your potatoes, wrap them up in a tea towel or large cloth napkin (your least favorite one, because it will end up stained) and squeeze them like your life depends on it. Just plop the potatoes in the center of the towel, draw up the four corners and twist to wring every last drop of water out of those potatoes.  Too much moisture prevents your latkes from browning up properly....and after all the trouble you've endured to make these, heaven forbid they don't brown up properly.

3. After your have drained your potatoes, add the eggs, onion, salt, pepper and matzah meal.  Mix it all up and use right away.  Keep the mixture covered with a damp towel between batches, to prevent the potatoes from turning brown.

4. Fry those pancakes in as much oil as needed until you are properly covered in hot oil and have a few good burn marks to show for your efforts

 FRY TIPS:

* Make sure your oil is really hot before you start...pancakes that sit in warm oil will simply absorb it, creating a greasy, soggy pancake. 

* Try tossing a few pieces of potato into the oil to test the temp...they should sizzle up on contact.

* When you're sure the oil is hot enough to leave a burn mark on your arm, the oil is hot enough to start dropping spoonfuls of batter into the oil.  I like to smash them down into the pancake shape as soon as they hit the pan.

* Don't crowd the pan or the steam will mess up the frying process...

* Use a cast iron pan if you can...I swear by them for even heating and they never burn.

* Keep your pancakes warm in the oven until you are ready to serve with heaping dallops of sour cream or apple sauce.

So, are you totally excited to go make some perfect potato pancakes now???  Did I sell ya on this one?? LOL. Seriously, I really don't like making them, but I love eating them and if I don't make them, no one else will. I just look forward to the day when my daughter takes over and I can revert to my child-like ways of sitting back and watching while someone else makes them.

These go great, by the way, with my 3-ingredient brisket which I shared in my last post.  Let me know if you make some and we can compare cooking injuries!  Don't forget to come back tomorrow for Day 4 of my Handmade Hanukkah series....we're going to play with our food and make some easy Hanukkah bentos.    XOXO, Cindi

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Handmade Hanukkah: 3-Ingredient Hanukkah Brisket

Welcome to Day 2 of my Handmade Hanukkah series!  Yesterday, I shared a fun DIY menorah made from repurposed salt shakers.  Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite Jewish holiday foods... my mom's beef brisket.  I guess it's not technically a Jewish food the way latkes is, but we always had it for holidays growing up.  Fork tender and smothered in thick mushroom-onion gravy it goes perfectly with everything from potato latkes to noodle pudding...as long as you're not kosher.  It's also better the longer it sits, so it's the ideal entree to make ahead and freeze...then all you have to do is pop it in the oven to reheat and you're good to go.  This is especially nice when you're up to your ears in oil frying all those potato latkes.

There are only three ingredients, so it couldn't be easier to make... 

INGREDIENTS:

4 lbs. beef brisket

2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1-2 packages of dry onion soup mix. 

HELPFUL HINTS:

1.) Do NOT use corned beef for this...LOL.  I made that mistake the first time I cooked this myself and let me tell you....the salt content was off the charts.  To this day, after 10 years together, it's the only thing I have ever cooked for my husband that he would not eat. 

2.) Semi-condensed soup works too, for a lighter version, but makes a less creamy gravy.  You can always thicken it up later with flour.

3.) I prefer this recipe with only one packet of dry soup mix because I think it's too salty with two packs, but I'll leave it to you to decide.

DIRECTIONS:

Line a baking dish with a large sheet of aluminum foil.  (If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend Reynold's 100% recycled aluminum foil.  It costs the same as regular, feels heavier and is better for the environment.  Another option is If You Care brand's recycled foil, although it is much thinner. That's actually what I'm using in these photos.)

 

Mix the mushroom soup and the onion soup mix to make your gravy. Pour half of the gravy into the dish, place the meat on top, then cover the meat with the rest of the gravy. Make sure your brisket is totally smothered, then seal the foil tightly, completely encasing the contents. (Sorry, I forgot to get a picture of the meat covered with gravy.) Bake at 300 degrees for two hours.

Let brisket cool slightly, then slice against the grain.

Place slices back in a clean pan and cover with gravy. At this point you can either heat and serve or freeze it for later.

That's all there is to it! 

Ready to try a brisket for Hanukkah this year?  If not, what will you be making?  I'm always on the lookout for great new recipes and menus so feel free to share your favorites in the comments below.  (And don't be afraid to make this anytime of year!  It's not just for Hanukkah.)

Thanks for stopping by...hope you'll come back soon. In my next post, I'll be sharing my mom's recipe and tips for perfect potato pancakes!  Follow along at any of the links below so you don't miss a thing. XOXO, Cindi

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Handmade Hanukkah: DIY Crystal Menorah

Welcome to Day 1 of my Handmade Hanukkah series!  I'm so excited about today's project which is a simple, but dramatic DIY menorah made from repurposed crystal salt shakers.  (My daughter's response at seeing this was..."Nice Chande-norah!"  With all this crystal, it does look like a bit like a chandelier.)

The menorah, as you may know, is truly the focal point of any Hanukkah celebration.  Traditionally, a Hanukkah menorah, or Hanukiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum, but menorahs come in all shapes and sizes and range from traditional to modern.  Making a special one for your celebration is fun and adds a personal touch.

I was inspired to make this menorah last year, while working on another salt shaker project which I'll share later this month.  I find these little shakers at thrift stores all the time...usually for $2-$3 each...sometimes less.  You may even have a stash of them already hiding in your china cabinet.

To make one, gather up nine salt shakers that you want to use for your menorah.  If the shakers are dirty when you find them, use some denture cleaner tablets to break up the grime and restore their sparkle.  (I used the cheapest store brand I could find.) Soak the shakers in hot water first to loosen up the dirt.  Then add your cleaner. (Just break up a tablet and drop the pieces into the shakers.)  Pour water in, swirl it around and then let them fizz up and do their thing.  (Any oxygen laundry cleaner works for this too.)  When you are happy with your results, rinse out your shakers and let them dry. They are ready to go!

To set up your menorah, arrange your shakers on a tray or windowsill.  I'm using a vintage mirrored tray that I've had for a while.  I find these in the thrift store all the time too...ususally priced at about $5-6.  I love how the mirror and the gold filigree reflects the light.  Any tray would work though. I've even used cutting boards under my menorahs.  You just want something that can catch wax, should there be any drips. You can arrange your shakers in a line or a V or try some curves...just have fun and play around until you find an arrangement you like. 

All of my shakers have narrow necks that hold standard sized Hanukkah candles perfectly.  If you get a shaker with a slightly smaller opening, just carve the bottom of your candle a bit to get it to fit.  Shakers with larger openings may need bigger candles or might not be appropriate for this project.

A NOTE ABOUT CANDLES: I'm using beeswax candles from Seattle candlemakers, Big Dipper Waxworks.  I love love love beeswax candles for many reasons.  One, they smell lovely and burn slowly.  Two, buying them supports our beekeepers, who in turn help to boost our declining bee population.  And three, burning beeswax actually helps to purify the air, as opposed to polluting it, which is what regular petroleum-based paraffin candles do.  (If you are interested in bees and beeswax, you can find out more in this post, Honey, I Do! Sweet Ideas for Earth Friendly Weddings.)

So, what do you think?  Let's kick it up a notch...add a drop of food coloring to each shaker and top off with water.  The effect is totally different and is a great option if you can't get your shakers really clean.  Use whatever colors you like and have fun with it! 

So, how easy was that?  Which way do you like better?  Clear or with colored water?  I'm dying to try these with olive oil and a wick to see how they work as tiny oil lamps.  I'll keep you posted on how that goes and will try to get some good pics of this lit up at night.  I would love to see your versions if you decide to try this.  Please feel free to leave your feedback and and links in the comments below or post some photos on my Facebook page.  Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you'll come back tomorrow for my mom's amazing 3-ingredient brisket recipe.  XOXO, Cindi

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Handmade Hanukkah: 8 Ways to Shine

 

Photo via SpreadArtCulture

I love it when Hanukkah comes early in December and doesn't have to share the spotlight with another holiday..no offense to Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It's just nice to have some room to breathe.  I was raised Jewish, in a mixed-faith family, so we always had a little bit of everything going on in our house.  We had a menorah and a Christmas tree...potato latkes, Christmas ham...Santa even made appearances.  Suffice to say, every year I have a slight holiday identity crisis that comes from hitting this kind of childhood holiday jackpot.  :)

Hanukkah, for those who don't know, is not a religious holiday.  It is a celebration of light and hope and just happens to occur around the same time as Christmas.  It is no more like Christmas than say...Groundhog Day.  Historically, Jews have never really been into decorating for it.  We like to keep things simple...place our menorah in a window if possible, but that's about the extent of it. 

photo via 972

That being said, I do enjoy making special decorations for the holiday.  It makes me feel good to personalize our celebration and share crafty moments with my daughter.  I enjoy spending time preparing for the holiday and getting in the spirit.  I also like using the projects as a way to teach my daughter about the customs and traditions that we celebrate each year.

Clever Hanukkah crafts can be hard to come by, which is ultimately what drove me to distraction this year as I surfed Pinterest for hours trying to come up with clever ways to celebrate and decorate for Hanukkah without going over the top. (Ok, I guess that makes me sound a bit insane...)  My goal was not to convert Christmas crafts to blue and white, but to capture the essence of the holiday...which to me is about light, love, family, fried food and miracles.

As a result, I've come up with some holiday ideas of my own that I'm excited to share.  For the next eight days, I will be sharing new Hanukkah projects and crafts that I have created along with a few treasured family recipes.  The ideas are simple, eco-friendly and guaranteed to help fill up your Handmade Hanukkah board on Pinterest!!  {wink wink.}  Ready for me to stop jabbering and get to it??  OK!

Here is the official Handmade Hanukkah lineup.  As I post each project or recipe, I'll come back here and add the link.  That way, you'll have a one-stop shop of delicious, eco-crafty Hanukkah goodness. I know this is coming a tad late to be useful this year, but hopefully, it will inspire you for next year.

 

DAY 1:

DIY Crystal Menorah

DAY 2:

3-Ingredient Hanukkah Brisket

DAY 3:

Perfect Potato Pancakes

DAY 4:

Easy Hanukkah Bentos

DAY 5: Eco Crafty Goodness

DAY 6: Mind Blowingly Awsome Food Craft

DAY 7: Eco Crafty Goodness

DAY 8: Wild Card

To wrap up this post, I'm going to share a Ladino Hanukkah song called Ocho Kandelikas, performed by the always entertaining, Pink Martini.  I was introduced to this song at a performance of the Seattle Jewish Chorale last weekend and haven't been able to stop humming it since.  I am ashamed to say, I had never even heard of the ancient romance language, Ladino (aka: Judeo-Spanish) until last week, but I love this song and I hope you will too.  What makes this clip so perfect for this post is that whoever made the slideshow that goes with the song, did it all up with Christmas pictures!  Ha!

 

If you live in the Seattle area, you can still catch the Chorale performing their "Light The Candles" concert this Sunday, December 9th in Olympia or Wednesday, December 12th in Bellevue.  It was an awesome show - go if you can!  Details are available on their website: SeattleJewishChorale.org.

That's the scoop on Handmade Hanukkah.  I hope you'll come back tomorrow for Day 1 and follow along for all 8 days.  Be sure to bookmark this page or follow along at any of the links below, so you don't miss a thing.  XOXO, Cindi

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