Day Two-Hundred Seventy-Two: Mandarin Cocktail

I enjoyed Sunday's champagne cocktail so much I decided to try Martha's Mandarin Cocktail on Monday.  If you like mimosas, this is the same taste...only quite a bit stronger.

In other words, you probably aren't sipping these over Sunday brunch since the orange flavor comes from an orange liqueur, not orange juice.

Or maybe you are.  I'm not judging.  

At any time of day, these are amazing...

Day Two Hundred Seventy-One: Red (and Green) Champagne Cocktails

There was an opened bottle of champagne left over from my party on Saturday.  My motto is waste not, want not...and who doesn't want a glass of champagne?

And I'll recycle the bottle.

I decided to use the leftovers to make Martha's Red Currant Champagne Cocktails.  You can use frozen red currants to make the puree and have some left over for later.

Saving the Earth has never been so delicious.

Day Two Hundred Seventy: Oh So Chic Mushroom Tart

I held a Sip and See for a friend and her new baby on Saturday.  Since my friend is vegetarian, I offered only meatless dishes, including Martha's Mushroom Tart.  Since it's made with puff pastry, all you do is saute the veggies and toss on top of the cooked pastry.  Sprinkle the goat cheese on top and throw in the oven.

Ridiculously simple...and gorgeous.

:pats self on back:

Day Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine: Evergreen Centerpiece

It's a truth universally acknowledged that a lady in possession of a table must be in want of a centerpiece.

(Or something like that.  Jane Austen said.)

I was in need of a centerpiece for my party on Saturday so Friday I went to the nursery to choose some evergreen boughs to make Martha's Evergreen Centerpiece.  After I paid $4 for a bundle, I realized that these were just the boughs cut from the Christmas trees.  :sucker:

Martha says the trick is to keep the branches hidden and accentuate the needles. I had a few holes so I tucked in a couple ornaments to keep it full:

I know.  It looks terrible.

I was pretty proud of it until I saw this photo.  It really looks better in person.  :cross my heart:

Day Two Hundred Sixty-Eight: Adorable Photo Garland

I'm hosting a Sip and See for a friend and her baby on Saturday.  My house is decorated for Christmas, but I wanted to do something special for the baby.  I decided to take some photos of my friend and her little angel and create Martha's Photo Garland.  It's such a cute idea, I'm sure I'll use it again in the future.  After printing the photos, I just clipped them to some ribbon using miniature clothes-pins.

So.  Stinking.  Cute.

Day Two Hundred Sixty-Seven: Rosy Bows

I put up outside decorations every year, but this year I had to update the 1990s ribbon and bows I had used in past years.  :so last decade:

I found some pretty ribbon and Wednesday I spent part of the morning making nineteen 15-inch bows for the outside of my house.  I used Martha's Rosette Bow, which is easy but each bow takes about five yards of ribbon.

I only had to return to the store for more ribbon once, which I consider a small victory.

Day Two Hundred Sixty-Six: String Me Along

If you are like most people, you string lights on your Christmas tree by wrapping the lights toilet-paper style. You might be extra crafty and attempt to hide the green wire among the branches.  Martha suggests Stringing Lights by running the lights along the underside of each branch.  When you get near the end, loop the lights around the top of the branch and work back to the trunk.  This technique plays up the depth of the tree and also conceals the wires.

It also takes ages.

I've used this technique for years, but every year I'm surprised at how long it takes.  Don't try it if you are in a rush.  Start on a small tree.  In my actual job as a designer, I decorate at least twenty Christmas trees every December.  Last year, I strung lights using this technique on a fifteen-foot tree.

It took eight hours.

Tuesday I had my six-year old son help with one of our trees.  With my assistance, he strung the lights on the lower branches.  He was pretty persistent, but after a while he sighed and said he was "retiring" from stringing lights.

Where do they hear these things?