Christmas is Here!!!

Well, at least the Christmas ornaments are here. This posting is all about the Christmas trees - all five of them. Of course, Nancy wanted me to get the pictures taken before the open house last weekend because the trees had a whole lot more ornaments. Now, you can actually see the trees.

With all the pictures, you can click on them and make them full size - big enough to more than fill your monitor screen.

The first (red) tree is from The Good Life. It's sitting next to the Mantle where there used to be two Mantle Covers, two matching Tree Skirts, and another half dozen matching stockings. They went fast last Friday during the Open House. Oh yes, in the lower left hand corner, you can just see a bit of my favorite chair - the red leather recliner. Maybe that will be my Christmas present from Nancy?

The second tree, the one with all the flocking and feathers and birds and such, is also at The Good Life. What a wonderful tree. Nancy had me set it up and it came out of the box fully flocked and lit. I had it assembled and up in less than 30 minutes. Nancy's keeping this one, but she has another one for sale in the back room. This wonderful (I like easy) 9-foot tree is $800. Of course, even though it only took less than 30 minutes to assemble, Nancy spent 4 or 5 hours, or more, putting thousands of dollars of decorations on it.

The next tree is the first one you see when you walk into Whimsy. Right at the head of the stairs is WOW! The picture doesn't do justice to it. First, it looks better in person. Second, Nancy's friends took 2/3 of the ornaments and decorations off the tree last weekend. Nancy keeps telling me that's okay, that it's okay if her friends take the ornaments home to make beautiful trees at their houses, even if her magnificent trees at the stores go bare.

Right inside the front door is Nancy's playful tree. This is a little different than Nancy's done before, and it's really neat.

Nancy hasn't even thought about decorating our home for Christmas. That won't come until the middle of December. However, there's just one story along that line that I've got to tell. All of Nancy's friends know about her passion for creating themes that go together well, matching colors and textures to create just the right setting. That's why she can create 5 totally different Christmas trees that all feel right. Well, the thing about Christmas trees is that they look all nicely coordinated, then you get complete chaos in the wrapping papers that are used.

Well, Nancy's solved that problem in our home. Every year she finds 4 or 5 completely different but coordinating wrapping papers that become the "approved" wrapping papers for under our tree. Of course, she picks them out the previous Winter or early Spring when she's ordering all the other Christmas things for the stores. You should see it - all the presents looking different but nicely coordinated. That is, until we shred the papers ripping open the presents.

Ah yes, the last tree. Somehow, I don't think this needs a lot of explanation. With Eiffel towers on the tree and in front of it, plus "Paris" in 8" high script, tin walls and ceiling, and racks of unique clothing, this must be Whimsy.

If anyone is actually reading this blog, please leave comments. Nancy promises that she'll post something personally eventually, but for now, she tells me what to do and I try my best to do it.

Open House Results - Gingersnap Recipe

We had a great weekend seeing lots of old friends and new friends. The Christmas trees are much lighter than they started, with so many ornaments going from our trees to your homes. Fortunately, there's still a great selection for those that are still waiting to buy just the right decorations for the holidays.

We'll be closed on Thanksgiving, of course, but open again on Friday.

I was asked a number of times over the weekend for the recipe for the Gingersnaps. So, I've included it below. They're not real tricky, as I prove every year by making them. I got the recipe from Nancy's Mom, and others claim it's in the old Betty Crocker Cookbook.

I always make a triple recipe, for several reasons. First, if I'm going to go to the effort of measuring, mixing, baking, and cleaning up, I want to get more than a few cookies. Second, I find the measuring easier with the triple batch - mostly the molasses. I never measure that into a cup because it turns out that half a 12 ounce bottle of molasses is exactly what I need for a triple recipe. The third reason I make a triple recipe, is that I end up making 3 or 4 triple recipes every November for our friends at the open houses - we serve a lot of cookies!

Gingersnaps - Each Recipe Makes 36 2.5" cookies
	1 Recipe				3 Recipes
Mix Together:	3/4	cup	soft shortening		2 1/4	cup
	1		egg		3
	1/4	cup	molasses		3/4	cup
	1	cup	brown sugar		3	cup
	2	tsp	soda		2	Tbs
	1/2	tsp	cloves		1 1/2	tsp
	1	tsp	cinnamon		1	Tbs
	1	tsp	ginger		1	Tbs
Then Add:	2 1/4	cup	flour		6 3/4	cup
Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of large walnuts. Roll in sugar.
Place sugar side up on no-stick cookie sheet. Bake until just set in
375 degree oven - around 10 minutes, then remove quickly from
pans to keep the bottoms soft.

Open House

You’re Invited

to a

Holiday Open House

at Whimsy

and

The Good Life

Refreshments

15% off everything!

(In-store only)

Friday & Saturday,

November 16 & 17, 10 am – 8 pm

Whimsy &

The Good Life

133 & 135 East Main Street in

Historic Downtown Madison, IN

nancysstores.blogspot.com

the most

fun gifts,

beautiful clothes,

yummy food,

pretty stuff for your home,

& holiday decorating ideas

all at your favorite stores

Whimsy &

The Good Life

make sure you come to our

once-a-year sale and open house—

a holiday gift to our great customers