Playing in the Kitchen

Last year, after the holidays, my friend, Jennifer, and I agreed that we wanted to hold on to our holiday-creative-energetic spirit and get a jump on next year! Well, I hope she agrees that it isn't too late to get that jump. For the last ten months I have been planning, hoping, dreaming, and wanting to make things for Christmas... gifts, decorations, crafts, but you know... stuff happens, and the days pass, and suddenly: November!

All right. So this isn't exactly early planning. But there is still time to enjoy some crafts, and leisurely preparing. Alex, Maria, and I had the glue and glitter out today, and we made some ornaments... mostly acquainting ourselves with some lovely supplies I have been collecting and the beautiful things from 32˚North that arrived. We had a grand time... the carpet is sparkling!

I cleaned up all of the paper-glue-glitter fun, and then decided to try stamping on some little muslin bags I had on hand, and then I remembered the can of mulling spices I brought home from Trader Joe's.


These smell wonderful! Look at all those bits of spice and orange rinds... the cloves, cinnamon. It even sounds lovely. Maria asked if she could stir them, to hear them tumble around in the can. Following the directions on the can, I measured two heaping tablespoons, and centered that in a square of cheese cloth.


With a long section, about sixteen inches, of cotton cooking twine, I cinched the cheese cloth around the spices. I tied it close to one end of the string, leaving a long end to make a loop with.


The big loop is for convenience. It can hang over a wooden spoon when steeping the spices in cider or wine, making it easier to remove when you are ready to serve your spiced beverage.


I chose a chickadee and a simple star to stamp my bags, and love how they came out. A little rustic charm s'il vous plait? I put the cheesecloth wrapped spices in the stamped muslin bag, then added a tag.


One more little stamp, another bird. Bird... Bird House... get it? I thought it was a sweet touch.


I need more muslin bags! I want to share these with everyone. I want the house to fill up with the aroma of spice and fruit! I like the idea of giving them alone, as a token of kindness, or with a jug of cider... maybe a hostess gift? Coupled with a nice red wine, and it could be a very classy gift.


If you have a friend with an eclectic collection of stemware, like me, who loves to mix up her styles, like me... then the mulling spices would go beautifully with a pretty wine glass, or a thrift-shop goblet, like mine!


These aromatic gift bags are ready to go.
That was fun.