A Little Perspective If You Please

I relish this time of year. Although the nights are growing longer, the days will soon begin to lengthen again. There is an exhilarating rush as we gather with family and friends, warming ourselves in love, and good cheer.

There's also a lot of cranky buzz kills out there.


I cannot for the life of me understand why people get so offended when someone wishes them a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Festivus or Joyous Yule. So what if that is not their religious belief. Isn't the statement just a wish from one person to another to have happiness and hope. Isn't that a good thing?

I think this flowchart on Imgur says it best.

The Bestest Perfect Peanut Butter Cookie

For me, it's not the Holiday Season without lots and lots of Christmas cookies. I don't really eat that many ... well, maybe this time of year.... but I do love sharing them and finding new and interesting recipes. In fact, Cindy and I have a bakeathon the weekend after Thanksgiving when we get the first round of baking done.

Recipes come from all over. A real family favorite is your basic peanut butter cookie. And the best recipe I have is in an ancient tome - the 1957 Betty Crocker NEW Boys and Girls Cookbook. 




It's a well worn cookbook. I don't remember if it was mine or my husbands or where we got it, but it has lots of easy kid friendly recipes. It's also a bit of a time machine, showing how certain things have changed through the years. The kids comments crack me up.


 















I found this Peanut Butter Cookie recipe ages ago. It was always something the kids and I made together when they were young. It is so easy.

QUICK PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
1 package yellow cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter

Mix together 1/2 package of the cake mix, eggs, water and peanut butter. Beat until smooth.
Add the other 1/2 of the cake mix and beat until blended.

Heat over to 375°. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls unto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press a fork dipped into flour, flatten rounds by pressing in a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then continue to cool on cookie rack.

Perfectly yummy peanut butter cookies.

When I made these last night, I started thinking. What if I used chocolate cake mix instead of yellow? Or maybe Spice Cake Mix? Hmmmm. I think I see an experiment in my future.
 

A Very Joyous and Happy New Year

We at Celtic Chairde Creations wish all of you a most joyous, festive, fabulous and magical 

New Year.

Here's looking forward to the great adventure that is 2012!

From now through the end of the year - Free Shipping!

We want to thank all of you for your inspiration and encouragement throughout the year.  It's your enthusiasm for our products that keep us going when we're tuckered out.

We'd like to thank you for that support. So, from now through the end of the year, we're offering free shipping on all orders within the US. Just order on our website or email us your request.

Important! If you would like your order by Christmas, those orders must be placed by December 21st to guarantee arrival for the big day.

It is the summer of the soul in December,

Yes when you do your best for love, it feels like Christmas

The Ghost of Christmas Present, Muppet Christmas Carol

A Very Happy New Year to All!

2010 has been a very busy year for all of us. There have been ups and downs, tears and laughs. The year closes out and let us all

Welcome 2011!

We at Celtic Chairde Creations hope that the New Year brings you many more ups and laughs, friendship and joy,!

Time for the Brick High School Marching Dragon Caravan Holiday Craft Fair

The holiday shopping kicks into high gear! We're busy getting all kinds of goodies ready for one of our last craft fairs of the season.

Marching Dragon's Caravan Winter Craft Fair
Saturday December 11, 9 am to 4 pm,
Brick Township High School
346 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick, NJ

This is always a terrific craft fair. Over 100 crafters fill the halls, gym and cafeteria. Music from the Marching Dragons fills the air with holiday spirit. Crafters are carefully selected and only hand made items are allowed.

We'll be there with our lotion bars, dreamy dream mists and all of our skin soothing products. We may even get in a little holiday shopping ourselves.

Shopping for holiday gifts at craft fairs is magical. You'll find unique and interesting items, many with stories and history behind them. You'll meet the people that created these gifts. It adds a little joy and extra twinkle to the holidays.

See you there!

Christmas Trees, Chai Tea and Seed Catalogues

It was late into the evening. I was curled up on the couch, sipping a lovely cup of Ducky Life's Doreen's Green Classical Chai Tea. The lights on the Christmas tree twinkling like stars while I flipped through my catalog, marking pages and taking notes. The wind howled outside, making the 20 something degrees that it was feel more like single digits.

At one point, the catalog was not enough and I jumped up, startling one of my cats and creating momentary havoc when the cat startled the dog. I went to the computer. I pulled up the website and began clicking and filling up my shopping cart. It was about to start the checkout process when I stopped - frozen by realization.

"What the hell am I doing buying seeds right now?"

Yes indeed. I was shopping for seeds and seedlings for my garden. The candy canes were still hanging and yet I had an over whelming urge to start buying things for my garden.

Tis the season of the seed catalog, and it brings thoughts of lovely spring days digging in the dirt and coaxing little seeds to life. Now, many people have a true aptitude for starting seeds. Alas I'm not one of them. I'll keep trying, but it doesn't seem to be my forte.

Days are growing ever so slightly longer. The catalog's hold many temptations for new and exciting herbs to try: Toothache Plant, which soothes sore teeth and gums; Stinging Nettle, wonderful for hair and a nourishing tonic; Roselle, the form of hibiscus with which you make tea; the list goes on and on.

I will be daring, I will get my seeds and try again. I will make my sojourn to Well Sweep Farm and by an array of young plants to nurture. I will refresh my mints and bee balm from Mountain Valley Growers. But first....

I think I should take down the Christmas tree and finish paying off the holiday bills.

What are you looking forward to planting in your garden?

Support a Cause While you Shop - Join us at this weekend at the Holiday Progressive Shopping Event

Extended Arms Fourth Annual Holiday Progressive Shopping Event

Sunday December 7


11:00 am to 4 pm.
Event takes place in 4 homes in one neighborhood in Toms River, NJ.

This is a wonderful fundraiser to benefit Ocean's Harbor House and Contact of Ocean County.
Take time to shop in an informal, friendly atmosphere - right in one of the lovely homes in Toms River.
It's a unique craft fair that you won't want to miss. Make sure to find us while you're browsing
through through the rooms of handmade treasures We'll have some lovely gift sets perfect for the holidays - and maybe a few new creations to try.

For ticket information contact Donna at dloblein@comast.net or call: 732-244-6089

Find the Perfect Gift for the Holidays at The Crafts Extravaganza at Birchwood Manor

Holiday Shopping has almost qualified for an Olympic event. But you can stop the craziness and rediscover the joy of the season by stopping by the Arts & Crafts Extravaganza at Birchwood Manor in Whippany. This spectacular craft fair takes place on Wednesday December 3rd, 2008 from 10 am to 8 pm. The Birchwood Manor is at 111 N. Jefferson Blvd, Whippany NJ. You'll be able to find room upon room of unique handmade treasures from artists and crafters from all over the state.

Whether you're looking for clothes, wood work, candles, and - naturally,

the beauty products from us at Celtic Chairde Creations, you'll find it here. We'll have our lip balms, body butters, bath products and lotion bars, as well as gift baskets and a few surprises. Mention this blog post - and we'll give you a free lip balm!

See you at the Birchwood!