4 Weeks Until Christmas

 

Tree was made from a cinnamon stick, fake evergreen cut, and buttons.  The candy apple ornament was a mini muffin wrapper, a small apple ornament dipped in glue and bird seed.

Drum was made from half a toilet paper tube, craft foam for the top and bottom, felt and ribbon, and the drum sticks were painted tooth picks with tiny pom poms glued on.  Yes, they took forever to make, and back then, I didn't blink an eye on how much time they took to make.

A small bit of all of my duplicate handmade Christmas ornaments.  I could not believe how many duplicates worked their way to the Christmas storage totes (Three more totes to go through yet).  Good grief.  Anyway, the story behind them all. . .

When the kids were in elementary school, I would race to the school and sign up for room parent for their Christmas party first.  My second choice was always Valentine's Day when the lists were full.  

Anyway, for some crazy reason, I fell in love with making ornaments, and when I was a Christmas party room Mom, I came up with a handmade ornament.  I made one for every single kid in the class, and I hand wrapped each one, so every kid had one to open.  Yes, I did that.  Some years there could be almost 30 students too.

In the process of the ornament making, my family got one every Christmas too.  Ha!  Probably way too many, but they got one too.

I would go to our large area library, and check out every single handmade ornament books they had, and then some.  I would get ideas, or in some cases, even patterns (I made a LOT over the years).

The duplicate pile was loaded into a box, and the kids got to pick out any they wanted.  The rest will be donated to a nursing home or if I hear of a family in need. 

~~~~~~~~~~

As for what's happening for this up coming Christmas?

First, I realized when I bought dye free, non-gmo cookie sprinkles for the advent gifts, I did not buy us any.  I had to find them again (not easy to find in the area here).

I have started yet another crochet project related to Christmas, but it's on the slowdown time, for an idea for next year (too late for this year).  More on that later I think.  I saw the idea on facebook one day (ha ha!  Social media at it's best to influence us).

Two advent gift bags delivered.  One more to deliver yet.

I have yet to get a Christmas grave blanket/or saddle for Mom and Dad's headstones.  I will not be able to make them myself, and may not even be able to deliver them this coming month.  In the past, I did a barter with an acquaintance, and she made us two.

I have my 2026 planner now, and there is a section for "projects" in it, so that is where "Christmas 2026" will be kept noted and organized.

We have talked to someone we know, who is not working and could use the extra money over the next month.  We may have found someone to help with a few home repairs before or after Christmas.  We are not done painting, and took a long break from it.

Tried a new macaroni and cheese crockpot recipe.  I added additional cheese.  It's a white cheese dish, and it tasted fantastic.  I will try and get the recipe up soon, but it may be the best we have tried so far, and perfect for potlucks or gatherings.

4 Weeks Until Christmas  ©  November 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

5 Weeks Until Christmas

 

Not new, but sharing a hand crocheted XL (for those 13 x 9 size pans/pizza pans etc.) pot holder I created and gifted one Christmas.  I made one for each of my sibling's family, Mom, and a few friends one year for Christmas.  I used to put together a box or container of handmade gifts for each family, and had so much fun creating the gifts too.  

As one blogger stated recently, life requires us to make "adjustments" sometimes.  I have a few local people to gift this Christmas, and it's not happening this year.  I had plans to can a ton of "Christmas" jelly, but it will have to wait until Holiday season of 2026. 

Note:  My husband is already trying to assist, and help can jelly sometime after late January.  He's so sneaky really.

I have looked into adopting a person in a nursing home/assisted living facility.  I plan to keep that a year long commitment if I can locate a facility.  Many facilities are doing things like fill a stocking for someone etc. I am looking for someone who gets zero visitors.  It's harder than you think, as most out reach programs help kids more than single elderly adults.  I will be asking around with the local people as well.

Another past gift item for Christmas . . .

I may have shared these before.  Sorry if it's a repeat.  Not much going on, other than decorating right now.

              

Homemade Vapo-Rub

Herb garden, home grown rosemary, dehydrated and put into recycled jars.  I also included a recipe to use the rosemary.  Even the kids bus driver was gifted rosemary that year.

Every year I had fun coming up with unique, useful homemade/handmade gift ideas (one post here, what I gifted in 2015).

The Christmas decorations have made their way out of storage, thanks to my husband.  I am slowly, going through all of it, and filling a box of donations, and some actually were so worn out they went into the trash (no kidding there).  

I have a pile of duplicate handmade ornaments for the kids to look through.   I used to make a new ornament to gift every single year, and the extras must have made their way to the Christmas totes.  Whatever they do not want, will be donated to an area 55+ living facility (to put on their "free items" table).

Many of the older decorations are retiring and moving on to a new home (not handmade).  I found items that belonged to the kids and their past homes (after moving back in again, leaving things behind).  I found ornaments that the kids bought and they no longer want, and even childhood stockings.  

It is simply a good time to sort it all, purge, toss, and narrow it down to a better collection of decorations.

I have about two or three new recipes to try, but have yet to try any of them.  Two advent gift bags were delivered (one left to deal with).  The Christmas tree is up and is being decorated.  yes, we still put up a tree, even if no one comes home for the holidays.  It brings cheer to the homestead.  I am about halfway done with the larger lap afghan crochet gift.

As for house cleaning for the holidays, I really need to clean my oven, but it may not happen until after Christmas.  

5 Weeks Until Christmas  ©  November 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

7 Weeks Until Christmas

 

The very last advent gift was wrapped and stickers attached.  The bags are ready to deliver.  

All fall decorations were taken down. Christmas decorations are slowly being put up.  No new recipes tried lately, but I have ordered a fiction Christmas themed book from the library.  I have more Christmas themed books on my own shelf to read yet too.

I started a crocheted lap afghan for a Christmas gift.  It will need mailed to the recipient, so I hope to get it finished this month.

A "first" for us this holiday year - Christmas Spice Extract.  I am making it homemade to try in baking recipes, but I do need to add peel from one organic orange yet.  Not sure if it's worth making until we use it in recipes.  

7 Weeks Until Christmas  ©  November 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

10 Weeks Until Christmas

We are experiencing cooler weather, but the rain is back.  Although we need the rain, it puts a halt on garden clean up, and fall herb garden dehydrating.    I may need more spice jars in the mean time.  

Two doctor appointments are off the calendar now.  We have found yet another new-to-us place to walk trails.  I pulled 10 summer tops from the closet, and about half are being donated.  Took 4 boxes of items to a thrift store, and passed one Christmas decoration on to a kiddo.

 I donated one Christmas book to a free little library.  I got to about page 60 and just could not read the rest (did not like it at all).  I forgot to take a photo of it, but that is one less Christmas book on my shelf.

Visited a flea market (indoor) and found a Christmas book display.  I ended up buying one book (gulp!).

Bought this "blind date with a Christmas book" at the "Christmas in October" event (see below) we went to.

Three new recipes for the holidays tried - ham and swiss cheese pinwheels (gulp - recipe called for puffed pastry).  We did not like them.  We really liked the one recipe with the homemade dough (and when baked can be frozen - Pigs in a Blanket).

Peanut butter bars - no bake, from AllRecipes.  I used organic ingredients and the peanut butter I used is homemade from a store in Amish country (peanuts), and it had tiny bits of peanuts in it.  

Very easy to make by the way.  I used dark chocolate for the top.  I wanted to not only try this for the holidays (much easier and quicker to make than traditional buckeyes), and for potlucks.

In trying new recipes, I finally used my miniature measuring do-hickey that I got free from doing an online Pampered Chef show way back in 2020.  Ha!  Best way to measure peanut butter by the Tablespoon.

I sent the rest of the bars to my husband's work, and asked for honest opinions.  These were not the super sweet peanut butter type treats, as the peanut butter I used was simply peanuts.

The results?  Well, first of all, we tasted it right after I pulled it from the refrigerator (and still cold).  We were both saying "meh" to it.  

I had pulled it from the fridge, cut it up and by the time it go to my husband's work, it was room temperature.  He said it was all gone in an hour or so.  He also said it is 100% better when it's room temperature.  Guess who has to make it again to try it again?  Yep.  Like I said though, it's very easy to make. 

Sunflower Seed Brittle.  A keeper recipe for sure!  Yum!

I found the recipe in a library book:  

Recipe from Gooseberry Patch Homemade Christmas.

ISBN:  978-1-6209-3443-2

Very easy to make and delicious, if you like sunflower seeds.  Not hard as a rock to eat, and hard to eat just one piece.

We went to a "Christmas in October" craft event (almost 300 vendors).  I bought one item for the advent gift project.  Would I go next year?  Maybe.  It was a lot of "stuff" I would not use.  It was a very nice set up to look for gifts however. 

Visited a very small Christmas Village that is locally owned, and all proceeds (100% according to the owner) go to Children's charities.  We laughed when we pulled in, as it is very very small, with very small buildings, but we both fell in love with it, bought some items, and plan to go back. It's only open in the late fall up until Christmas.  

Bought 4 more advent gifts for the advent project of mine.  One of the purchases ended up crockpot meal cookbooks from a thrift store.  I mean why not?  $1.50 for a book they may just need with their busy work schedules.

Another advent gift  - magazines from the dollar tree store.  I found one store that was still selling magazines for $1.25 each (almost all stores now have stopped selling magazines for $1.25, or stopped selling them all together). I found one on freezer meals, one pot meals and thrifty decorating for the kids.

Remember the crocheted cord keepers I crocheted for an advent gift?  The plastic snaps do not work for the cotton yarn. I am looking into metal snaps or snaps you sew on.  The plastic ones might work if you use a thinner yarn.  

Special purchases for the home?  Yep.  I bought a few decorations, one for outside, but we are still careful to buy what can easily be stored as well.

10 Weeks Until Christmas  ©  October 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

16 Weeks Until Christmas

 It's not hard to believe that we are traveling closer to the winter holidays.  I'm trying to focus on enjoying every single day until then, but I am fitting in a few snippets of holiday preparing. 

Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year.  It's hard to believe it's the last day of August.

I have not yet gotten rid of the links to all the advertisers using my blog posts, but again, still working on it. However, my profile has gone from my blog, and while I am in settings, it is not able to add as a "gadget" to the blog.  Weird things are happening.  

Google had a data breach recently as well, so gmail users were advised to change passwords.  Not sure what else is going on, but just in case you are wondering why my "profile" is not on my blog any longer.  

Okay, back to the Christmas countdown post . . .

21 Weeks Until Christmas

It's 21 weeks, but that is also 4 months and 28 days until Christmas. 

We attended one Christmas in July event, and it was themed with a German festival of sorts.  We enjoyed (even on a hot day) a bowl of German potato soup.  Most items sold, were antique sellers.  I did not not get any photos of the event, nor made any Christmas purchases (very limited selection to buy from at this event).

Visited a store outlet of sorts, and picked one Christmas door mat out, and a Christmas mailbox cover.  It's going to be fun figuring out how, and where, to store the door mat until Christmas.  What was I thinking?

I washed up our Christmas tablecloth.  It has a few yellow stains, so I have ordered some special cleaner, that is specifically for antique yellowed fabrics.  The stains actually came out better than I thought, by using "Grandma's Stain Stick" that is made from lard and lye.  I was just waiting for a day to hang it on the line to dry (vs. using the dryer).

Cleaning out my handmade leftovers . . .

I finally opened a small storage container I had been moving here and there.  It was filled with some handmade Christmas ornaments that needed a new home.  Some had crochet work, or completely crocheted, but most repurposed materials such as wine corks donated to me, old Christmas cards, used canning lids, etc.

A closer look at these.  They are made from scrap rounds of wood, and misc. craft supplies I had on hand at the time I made them.  They were a special order for a blog follower who later backed out of the order.  Thus, they were shoved into a container.

I started making these ornaments maybe 4-5 years ago??  Mom gave me old wooden spools, and a blog I followed mailed me the cross-stitch paper, and I hand stitched the center part, sewed the mini yo-yo's and created these with the intent to gift one to each siblings family.  It never happened. One, they all don't have a tree anymore, and it was mentioned I gifted way too many already.  

All of the ornaments found a new home now.  A few were mailed to friends as a surprise "Christmas in July" snail mail.

I had these random granny square keychains leftover from years of craft shows, and as part of my "Christmas in July" surprise mail (really purging a box and came up with the idea), 3 people got one in the mail (randomly picked), and I left the remaining ones in various locations with a note (Random Acts of Crochet Kindness/Christmas in July).

The storage container is empty and will be re-purposed for another use.

No new purchases for the advent gift project, but I do need to get to the store for scotch tape and start wrapping what I do have already.  

I have one Christmas treat recipe I may be trying soon.

Christmas book read in July . . .

I will rotate in some more Christmas books soon.  I have more on my shelf to read.  I really liked this book.  I found myself giggling often with the main character's "ghost"  haunting him.  A much different book, but I really enjoyed it.  The book was in a large box of books I bought for $6 at an antique store (very early in the year).                            

21 Weeks Until Christmas   ©  July 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

27 Weeks Until Christmas

 

Visited a thrift store that was in an old house, and one room was a "Christmas" themed room.  I bought two $.50 ornaments (proceeds went to a local church).  Most items were over priced for a "thrift" store.

A favorite crockpot side dish of ours - crockpot creamed corn.  It's different than some recipes you make on the stove top (we still love that kind too).  Crockpots are so handy during the holidays.

The recipe is from Southern Ladies Cook online.  We have been making the recipe for a few years now, and it's been so handy, and quick to make for a side dish.

I would double or triple this recipe for larger get togethers.  We love it the most, because we freeze corn off the cob every year, and when it's frozen, it's frozen with butter and a bit of sugar (I salt later when it's cooked).  The recipe for this crockpot side dish requires corn and butter both, and since the butter is already in the corn, I cut back on what's added.  

The recipe calls for fresh bell pepper and bacon, but if you are making bacon (uses 4 pieces), I tend to also utilize the rest for another meal, saving the extra drippings.  The recipe also uses some of the drippings in the recipe too.  It is different, but so delicious.

This last time we made the recipe, I added some finely diced jalapenos to it.  Oh my gosh, so good.  It's not a new recipe tried, but a new twist on a recipe we really like.

No new advent gift purchases.  In fact, I have not even starting the wrapping of the purchases.  I'm losing steam on this project.  Gardening season has taken priority.

27 Weeks Until Christmas ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

28 Weeks Until Christmas

 

Restocked.  Our grocery stores used to carry this, but with vanilla in it.  All area stores stopped selling it.  I have now prepared for the Christmas season, by re-stocking the organic/non-gmo corn syrup for any holiday treats.

If I don't make holiday treats, it will not be a wasted purchase.  I use it to make homemade Teriyaki sauce and also for a sweet treat (maybe once a year, and I typically share) of Whiskey Butterscotch Sauce (that is a true delicious sweet treat worth gifting, but will need refrigerated).

Tried a new recipe for baked and flavored pretzels.  I had about a half of a bag that was leftover from another occasion, and I decided to bake garlic-ranch pretzels.

First, the recipe stated to put it all in a ziploc bag and shake it.  I found that most of the seasoning stuck to the inside of the bag.  I will coat the pretzels in the bag with oil first next time, then sprinkling the season on the tray and mix right on the tray to retain the seasoning.

I used homemade garlic powder, and homemade ranch dry dressing mix for ours.  Very good too.  I only had the stick pretzels, but obviously, you could use any pretzel.  Most non-gmo pretzels we can find are in the "stick" form.

Recipe is very simple, and pretzels bake in 20 minutes.  It is a very quick recipe to add to your snack tray, or take to a gathering. Or simply to enjoy yourself.  Eating on a Dime (Recipe online).

Read this Christmas themed book, and crocheted a matching granny square for my book blanket.  The book also contains a recipe.

The recipe seems pretty bland or basic, but I may give it a try (to amuse myself), before handing the book off to another person.  Then again, I may not try it.  

I have not made any purchases for the advent gifts.  I, honestly, have not had the time to even think about them. 

I have finally found a store that still offers brown paper bags.  I have plans to use them to wrap the advent gifts with.  I have also ordered a roll of brown paper (pretty inexpensive), because I don't shop that often with a garden.  

I do need to get the wrapping of the gifts started, so I'm not wrapping them all at once.

28 Weeks Until Christmas  ©  June 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

31 Weeks Until Christmas ~ Christmas Countdown 2025

 New Sweet Tasty Treat!  New Recipe Tried.

Pomegranate-Vanilla Cashews.

These would be great for simply gifting at Christmas, to take and add to your charcuterie board, a side to go with a cheese appetizer, etc.  They are addicting, so be careful, ha ha!  They would be tasty as an ice cream topper too, if you do a sundae bar for a gathering or for own ice cream treat.

3 cups of raw (unroasted, unsalted) cashews came out to about 1 pound (16 ounces) of cashews.  

One note:  I think I would use a slotted spoon to spoon it all out onto the parchment paper, vs. dump the entire mix onto it.

Here is why.

Where the extra coating puddled, the cashews stuck a lot more to the parchment, and although they are also still on the crunchy side, I felt the pieces that sat and baked in the extra coating came out more soft and sticky.  To get all the pieces nicely crunchy, and come off the parchment much easier, I think eliminating the extra liquid would help.  The recipe stated to just mix, dump and bake.  Anyway, those are my thoughts, but yes, it's a keeper recipe.  

I used a non-gmo pomegranate 100% juice, my homemade vanilla and regular sugar (I did not have cane sugar, but will get some now).

The recipe is online at:  Veggingonthemountain

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Just some more Christmas gift giving thoughts to share.

One year I gifted homemade taco seasoning to my family. I saved baby food jars (from someone) and filled them.  I painted the lids, and made a handmade refrigerator magnet to top the lid too.  

                     

Old photo from years ago, but you can see the lids painted gold, and the fridge magnet on the top.  I used bottle caps and crocheted granny rounds with cotton #10 crochet thread, and clued it on the inside of the bottle cap, and glued on a magnet.  I have no idea if anyone ever used the seasoning or used the magnet, but there was apparently a lot of thought (or over thought) to this gift (ha ha!).

I was making a new batch of homemade seasoned salt (linked post for recipe), and remembered, that I gifted some to my Mom one Christmas.  She loved it.  In fact, she loved it more than the seasoning from the store.  I have no idea where I got the recipe from either, as I have had it that long now.  Sharing just another idea to gift, if you need some more ideas.  

               

One year I gifted dried rosemary from the herb garden, and attached recipes.  I even gave one to the kids bus driver at the time.  We had a lot of rosemary that year.  One year I gifted sage, as well as recipes, and a note about medicinal sage tea.  I can't recall if I gifted other herbs, but they make nice gifts too, if you have an abundance of a homegrown herb.

I am hoping I have enough sage growing this year to dry a good amount.  We'll find out come summer and fall.

31 Weeks Until Christmas ~ Christmas Countdown 2025 ©  May 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

33 Weeks Until Christmas 2025

I have tried a few new recipes, but not sweet treats.  I do have one of those sweet treat recipes to try, but I have just not had the mojo, nor the time to make it.  🎄🎅🤶

Here is what I did make to try. . .

Crockpot  Scalloped Potatoes {Slow Cooker recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook}

I am always looking for ways to make sides without the oven, due to space constraints on some holidays (or I used to).  I gave this recipe a whirl, and yes, you can use homemade condensed mushroom soup for a richer flavor (because it's made with shallots and fresh mushrooms with butter).

It is a much easier way to take potatoes to a get together, but I also consider if there will be enough outlets to keep the crock pot warm too.  

One year I took a sweet potato dish (in a baking dish), and it was left in the oven during the entire meal, so I went home with the entire dish.

Anyway, back to the potatoes....

Slice those bad boys up with a mandolin, as well as the onions, and this is the easiest potato side dish ever!

Top with shredded cheese for some more goodness like we did.  Not limited to the holidays, but boy is it a nice additional side for any holiday.

Yum!  It's a keeper recipe.  Although, the first time making these, we said it was "good" but no "wow" factor (had used a mix of mushroom and celery soups).

Notes:  Recipe states you can mix mushroom soup with celery.  We found that more bland than using all mushroom soup (homemade is the best!! So much more flavor).  We also felt it needed more seasoning than just pepper and paprika.  Cheese on top adds even more flavor.  We will make these again, and add either ham or even chopped up Canadian bacon and try them that way next.

Of course, the recipe is not limited to Christmas, but we tend to have little oven space when cooking for a crowd at the holidays.

Now on to the next recipe we tried.

Pea Salad.  Also called Bacon Pea Salad.  New Recipe Tried, but not limited to "Christmas" or holiday meals.

Delicious!

Honestly, I'd crumble the bacon and add it right before serving to give it a crispy crunch to the salad.  

The original instructions I got were to mix it all up.   I used organic peas from the store, but if your garden produces some wonderful home grown peas, you are in business.

You could also use homemade mayo if you have fresh eggs, and of course make your own sour cream if you have what's needed to make it.  

Here is how I made it.  First cook 8 strips of bacon, cool and crumble them.  If you raise your own pork, kudos to you.  If not, like myself, I buy from a local butcher if I can.

Continuing . . .

In a bowl mix:

4 cups of organic frozen peas, thawed
1 "handful" of shredded organic cheddar cheese (I used a medium cheddar, and hand shredded)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup organic sour cream
1/3 cup organic mayonnaise
2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
(1 Tbsp. sugar - optional?? Was told to add this, but does it really need it?)
A quick dash of salt and pepper 
Add the cooked bacon.  Stir and chill.  Enjoy!  

I'm definitely adding this to my all year round side dish, and for just about any meal, picnic, summer outing, holiday gathering etc. 

Lastly, if you are still with me with this much longer post . . .

Crockpot Turkey Breast (bone in)

Have you ever thought to cook your holiday turkey in a crockpot?  Not me.  Not ever.  It does save oven space and it is very convenient.

I did not go buy a turkey breast either.  I had one in the freezer from a gathering fail here, so I needed to rotate it out of the freezer.  Nothing like 3 days of turkey ha ha!  Healthy anyway.

I had a 5 pound organic turkey breast.  I went searching on the internet, and there are many recipes for a turkey rub for cooking your turkey breast in the crockpot.

I adapted my own seasonings to a recipe I found online, but cannot link it for you, as it is heavily loaded with ads. 

 Allrecipes has one recipe, but they use a packet of dry onion soup (if you make your own). It might be good.  I went with a mix of homemade seasonings, with some others.

What I used:

-homemade seasoned salt

-homemade Italian seasoning

-homemade garlic powder

-homemade onion powder

-Paprika, and black pepper (salt is in the seasoned salt)

I used olive oil to make all of the seasonings stick to the turkey.

Cooking time is based on the size of your turkey breast, and if you have completely thawed it, or partially thawed it. I used a thermometer to check ours.

I read a few recipes, and cooked ours on high for 1 hour and then turned the crockpot to low.  The turkey turned out great.  

By the way, the only way I have ever (and I mean ever) had a tenderly, moist cooked turkey, was when one of my brother's smoked one.  Oh my gosh, it was the best turkey I have ever had (if you have a smoker, and we do not).  

The crockpot perfect for cooking a turkey breast with bone in.  We are so glad we tried this.

On another note, yes, my brain is drumming up these ideas and for one last share. . .

                                   

December of 2020 I gifted a few family members homemade Paprika Dry Rub.  I saved jars from organic tomato paste I think (smallish, but not really small). The recipe is online with Taste of Home. 

I did not have any made, but you need to note (if you are diabetic) that the dry rub from Taste of Home contains brown sugar.  The rub is good on turkey or chicken.  I have not tried it on pork, but a pork tenderloin might be good with it.  

That's all for this Christmas countdown post.  I hope you enjoyed it, despite that it's May.

 33 Weeks Until Christmas 2025 ©  May 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart