Holiday Workshop Preview - Day 1

All this week I've been trying to recover from the crop and get back on track with my next order of business: My annual Holiday Workshop! The workshop will be Sunday, December 5th, from 12 - 5 and I'll be posting all the projects little by little over the next several days as I complete them. You'll see six different cards (workshop guests will make two of each), one altered tin (posted today), two gift card holders, five large gift tags, and 15 small gift tags. The cost of the workshop is $35 so if you'd like to join us, let me know. I would love to have you!

The altered tin starts with this great little tin from my local dollar store. It's about 6 inches high and perfect for filling with small cookies, homemade nut mixes (see my recipe below), or just about anything. Think outside the "box" and put a pair of funky socks inside, or fill it up with hair accessories. (can you tell I have a teenage daughter?) And by the way, everyone wins with this idea because my family likes to eat the cookies inside and there's plenty left to share with my workshop guests so they have something sweet to munch on while they create.

With the help of Close To My Heart's Mistletoe papers, ribbon, chipboard, and waxy flax, (and some punches) this tin transforms into a cute little gift holder. The Christmas Wishes stamp comes from the "Tannenbaum" stamp set (B1361). I find Bonding Memories glue to be the best hold for adhering paper to tin. 

Now here's one of my favorite recipes for edible holiday gifts, courtesy of Martha Stewart's Hors D'oeuvres Handbook...

Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com 

GINGER SCENTED PECANS

(Makes 5 cups)

5 cups pecan halves

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons canola oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place nuts in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Toast until nuts are fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, combine sugar, salt, and ginger in a small bowl, and set aside.
2. Combine honey, 2 tablespoons water, and oil in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and add roasted pecans. Cook, stirring once or twice, until all of the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl, add sugar mixture, and toss until well combined. Spread nuts in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool. These pecans may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Ginger Scented Pecans - Martha Stewart Recipes