My Family's Favorite Cheese Ball

  

I honestly can't believe I've never shared this recipe on the blog before, because it is one of my most requested recipes 

- for 2 reasons:

            #1  It really is one of the best cheese ball 

recipes around

and 

            #2  Family members can't seem to find their 

                  copies of the recipe at Christmas time!

The conversation always goes, "Hey, I just did a search on 

your blog......and I can't find The Cheese Ball Recipe......

So, if for no one but my family - Here It Is!

1 pound Cheddar Cheese, shredded

2 - 8 oz. packages Cream Cheese, room temp is best

2 tsp. Garlic Powder

2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 - 1/2 Cup Mayo (I lean toward the 1/4 Cup)

Chopped Pecans (about 1/2 Cup)

Chili Powder

Combine the cheeses, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and mayo.  Mix well with your hands.  Shape into a ball, Christmas tree, heart, log, or whatever your mood dictates.

On a piece of plastic wrap spread the pecans and sprinkle chili powder over them.  (You can mix some pecans into the cheese mixture, but I just coat the cheese ball with them in case someone does not like pecans.)  Now, just roll the cheese ball around on the pecans and chili powder until it is completely coated.  I usually finish off with some extra chili powder.

Lavender Tub Tip:  I hang on to the plastic wrap with the pecans and chili powder.  If the cheese ball is not consumed in one sitting,  I can always reshape and roll it again.  Sometimes I use the leftover cheese ball in a pan of enchilada casserole - just break it into small pieces and use in place of the shredded cheese.  It tastes wonderful.

Lastly, if you are watching your carbs, this makes a super yummy treat when eaten with almonds.  It really hits the spot when you need something snacky.

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as ours does!  At least my family can all pull it up on our phones now!

Winter Mantle

Spray an old window rescued from a curb with frost

 Cut out a banner/snowflakes with your cutting machine

 Glitter up the snowflakes

Add some mercury glass and Christmas balls

Dress it up with beads, crystals, willow branches

tuck some lights behind the window

and finish with some really cute kids!

What could be prettier?

Love ya,

Ellie

1929 Breakfast Room

If you've been following The Lavender Tub for long, you know that we are in the process of getting our 1929 Prairie Style home ready for market.  As we get a room "show" ready, I've been posting pictures to share the character and beauty of this old home.  With that said, I'd like to invite you to visit our Breakfast Room.  C'mon, this way......

 

 

  

 

  

Thanks for stopping by the tub!

Ellie

 

Mary and Baby Jesus

It's Christmas season!  Wow, can this time of year get busy.

I've been crafting up a storm and haven't posted much in the last couple of days, but I should have some things to share soon.

Until then, I thought I'd share this Mary and Baby Jesus picture from the Graphics Fairy, found here.

I love the Nativity and have collected some stunning sets over the years. They are really the only think I like to collect, but I'm pretty particular about how they look.  It just doesn't feel right when the figures look European, and Mary and the Christ child have blond hair.  I must have shared my disdain with my children, because when they made this nativity for me a few years ago, they made sure to point out that everyone was painted Biblically accurate per their understanding.  That made me sooo happy!

So, while I liked the image above -  I decided Mary and Baby Jesus needed to look a little less fair.  Here is my remake of the above image:

Now, to make some cards or ornaments.......

I'll update this post when I do.

Thanks for stopping by the tub,

Ellie

Heirloom Stockings and 101 Dalmations

When my children were very young, we decided it would be fun to let each person in our family choose the fabric and embellishments for their own stocking.  Now, when you give this kind of freedom and choice to a 3 year old little boy, you shouldn't be surprised when their stocking looks something like this:

 

 At the time, I tried to talk him into something a little more classic and traditional, but that kind of stuff doesn't appeal to a little boy.  So, a bright pink 101 Dalmations stocking it was!  I'm sure it will not surprise you that that same little boy was begging me to make him something different a few years down the road.   Oh how that bright pink stocking stood out from the rest -  but I wouldn't have changed it for the world.  It was so fun letting him pick what he liked at 3.  I did allow him a re-do a few years ago, and this is his stocking now:

He went more traditional this time, but notice we did have to add a patch for his future college.  He is reading over my shoulder as I write and wants to make sure everyone understands that he does not use the pink stocking anymore!  Ha, Ha!

Here are some of the other unique stockings we hang on our mantel:

I'm anxious to make a new stocking for my grandbaby, but she is only 7 months old and I want her to be able to choose her own fabric.  Until then, she can use the teddy bear stocking that her other uncle refuses to use anymore.  Why do they have to grow up so fast?

If making stockings is something you would like to do for your family and you need some help, please leave a comment and let me know.  I can post a tutorial.

Thanks for stopping by the tub,

Ellie

Patterned Chalkboards

I'm super excited to share a fun idea with you.  

I read about this product

 which turns almost any surface into a chalkboard.

It is sooo cool, my brain is kind of on overload 

with the possibilities.

All you do is paint one coat vertically; let it dry for 1 hour.

Then paint a second coat horizontally, and let it dry 1 hour.

Seriously - That's It!

One of my favorite applications, so far, has been to turn a

piece of scrapbook paper into a patterned chalkboard.

After gluing the scrapbook paper to a piece of cardboard to 

add substance, I simply painted it with 2 coats of the

chalkboard coating - and my project was finished.

It is so cute, and I think it would make a wonderful gift.

Here are a couple of other scrapbook paper ideas to get

your brain storming going:

 

I think the entire cost for my chalkboard

is about $1.50, including the garage sale frame.

 

Is this something you would try?  

Wouldn't kids love making this?

Thanks for stopping by the tub!

Ellie

Parties I Will Be Linking To:

Sunday - The Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table and Dreaming, DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff   

Monday – Brag Monday at The Grapics Fairy  Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Tuesday - Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife,  

Wednesday - Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style, 

Thursday - Open House Party at No Minimalist Here,   Catch As Catch Can at My Repurposed Life

Friday - Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home, Weekend Wrap up Party at Tatertots and Jello  

Hello, Christmas - At the Gaylord Texan

A few weeks ago, Edward had a conference at the 

Gaylord Texan Resort 

near Dallas, TX.  Since it is only three hours from our home, we both thought it would be fun for me to tag along.

 

While he went to meetings all day, I whiled away hours walking around the resort, frequenting coffee shops, shopping thrift stores in Grapevine, TX, and strolling an antique mall.  It was like living in Cottage Living magazine for four days.

 This is the atrium in the center of the resort.

They say, "Everything is Big in Texas!"  

These boots above the Texas Station restaurant 

in the resort were enormous.

And this is Hank.  Hank hangs out along one of the paths

under the atrium.  He's real, but stuffed.

How's this for Early Mission style?

  Yes, it was dreadfully hard!
But what's a girl with 3+ days
all to herself to do?

The Gaylord was busy putting up their Christmas decorations on Wednesday when we arrived.

The big tree lighting and kick-off for their ice sculpture show was to take place on Thursday evening.  Many local families were there with their little ones for this magical event.

Sadly, the main attraction - a very tall Christmas tree in the atrium - did not light up at the end of the count down.  It was kind of a bummer for the children, but Santa showed up and the kids were soon over the dark tree.

So, want to see how they do Christmas at the Gaylord?

  

Now, y'all, if that doesn't get you 

excited for Christmas, 

I don't know what else will!

Thanks for stopping by the 

Gaylord Texan with me today.  

Wasn't that fun eye candy?

Edward and I certainly thought so,

and we had a marvelous time.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Ellie