Thursday, November 21, 2013

Don't Give This Recipe to Anyone FUDGE- and Trips to Europe for those who work and save

I just LOVE this image of an angel that spreads glitter and good wishes  (photo taken in Germany) -the passage below is what I am reminded of....
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love -  and good works
Heb 10:24
 
I love this billboard I took a photo of in Switzerland in 2006. It says that Santa shops at this store...pretty funny.
    So next week is Thanksgiving and I will be on my way to Amsterdam and then Cologne Germany with friends and other people that will hopefully be new friends.
Two years ago when everything was peachy in my life I worked hard to pay for another trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland to visit the Christmas Markets.
              I had it paid for long ago thanks to quilting classes and saving my money.
Then as you know we found out Mark (my husband was ill). I hoped to sell my ticket which proved difficult as it was last minute and alot of money for one person to come up with all at once. My husband insisted I go and have a lovely time. This is the way he is...thoughtful and generous. In my mind this money could have been better used for a new furnace and water heater but I am spending it on the trip. :0)                                   
                  Mark will be spending Thanksgiving with my kids and we will be having another turkey dinner here on Sunday before I leave. I love getting together with my kids and Grandkids! What a blessing to be able to be together to share in what we are thankful for...mostly each other.
       I am going to take LOTS of photos and enjoy the trip as much as anything I could purchase. Photos last forever  There are some things that are affordable (cheap) and fun. I thought I might share some photos here of what I saw the last time at the Markets in Germany.
     If you are interested here is the trip I will be taking and the itinerary.
http://www.tauck.com/tours/europe-tours/central-and-eastern-europe-tours/christmas-market-tours-rcn-2013.aspx
     I think it will be very exciting next week as it gets closer. I need a warm undershirt, a warm hat and some warm gloves. I have everything else.
    I am using this trip for more inspiration for workshops, and perhaps a Christmas book or patterns I will be doing next year. I just completed another super Christmas tree quilt , and two wreaths and will be doing a pattern of them for workshops. I have one Christmas tree workshop booked because as soon as the girls saw it, they signed up! If you would be interested in a Christmas tree workshop later next year or the year after, please contact me. I am crazy for Christmas and all of the beautiful things that can symbolize this loving time of the year.
Here are photos from my last trip.
This is sideways but it is the bottom of the roof of a building...amazing. Wouldn't this make an awesome quilt?
This is someone's house
I love angels and this is a church that was simply filled with them...even ones we could not see
This is the Annuciation when the angel Gabriel told Mary she would be having a baby....it was so pretty in real life and look at all of the designs in the background
A bakery sign...so cool!
VERY folksy and fun!
Handmade holiday chocolates
All colors and all flavors...delisious and melt in your mouth...
 
It's hard to imagine these are people's homes...I would want all angels outside my house - how about you?
Christmas ornaments! Beauty everywhere you turn
 
 
Below is just one of hundreds of booths and they are all different and all filled to the brim with ornaments, hats, candies, wreaths, doo dads etc. I have deleted alot of those photos I am sorry to say so I will be getting more this trip around.
 
 
One of the things I loved best about Germany was the beautiful lights that hung and lighted up the streets. I focused alot of parents or grandparents and children and the excitement in their faces. I would love for my Grandchildren to see what I saw when I was little that is in Germany. They have many store front windows with scenes of Santa or family around the tree or elves making toys etc. I remember that when I was small. Now it is to expensive I guess to do what they did back then.
It just adds to the wonder and excitement of Christmas and the Holidays!
 
 
 
 
Here Santa haulds shoppers here and there and everywhere-darling trolley
 
 
Stollen and giner cookies and pepperneuse and candies and cookies and....
 
The prettiest ornaments ever!
 
 
My most favorite below...I did not buy any of these but love the photos
 
Can you see why it is hard to choose what to buy at the Markets???
Below is someone else's home...love the fruit
 
The poot man's way of decorating their house (below)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To buy good stuff for Christmas in the US, I adore this quilt shop...it has everyone a GOOD shop needs to have including a friendly, happy staff...every one of them! That is the sign of a good shop owner~
 
 My Aunts "Don't Give This Recipe to ANYONE Fudge -shhhhh don't tell her, this stuff is divine and worth the trouble!
4 cups sugar
4 cups cream
1 cup Karo
1 cup  real butter
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 cups of walnuts or pecans
2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine sugar, karo butter, chocolate, and 2 cups of cream. Boil 15 minutes, Next slowly add 2 more cups of cream and boil to soft ball stage- 1hour hour or more...worth the time and effort, honest. I stir with a wooden spoon off and on throughout this process. Add Vanilla and then beat until thick. Add nuts and put into a greased pan. Enjoy. People love this fudge!
My Granddaughter's turkey-is there anything more fun than a child's drawing? I don't think so.
This might be a good time to order my Angel Block of the Month to sew for the coming year. it is really fun to embellish and to personalize too

10 comments:

  1. So glad you are going ahead with your trip! What a"Storybook Place" this time of year! Making it a research trip for new books and quilts makes it even more valuable! Have a wonderful time!

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  2. Wow, what a great sounding trip! Bring a few camisoles too for layering. They add just enough extra warmth to your core and won't take too much room in your luggage. Plus they're so small that they'll wash and dry in hotel rooms quickly. I bet that your children are going to love having your hubby all to themselves for a few days.

    Oh and I thought of a few cow quilt ideas ... has there been an AquaMOOrine (mermaid and teals and aquas), MOOrine (Semper Fi! maybe in a WWI or WWII uniform), or MOOd ring. Doggone it, I have your lovely signed copy at home in CA but everytime I ask my husband to bring it back to WY he can't find it in my studio. I'll probably order another copy from you when you get back from your trip (if you have any left). Otherwise I'll just wait until when I go back to CA and look for it.

    Safe travels and take lots and lots of pictures!

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  3. Thank you for sharing all the beautiful pictures of Christmas Market in Germany! I am so happy that you are able to go again this year - your husband is a generous soul and wants you to have a happy time.

    Please have a pfefferneuse for me!

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  4. Thank you for the fudge recipe. I look forward to giving it a try. Have a wonderful trip. Happy Thanksgiving! Barbara

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  5. Mary Lou,

    Have a wonderful time ion your trip and know that Mark is surrounded by loved ones.

    I can't imagine what lovely photos you will have to share with us n your return.

    Love to your family on Thanksgiving.

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  6. Enjoy your trip - just the thing to get you in the mood for Christmas. I took loads of pictures of the wonderful cow quilts at Houston and you said it was fine to post them on my blog which I've now done. I bought a book for myself and one for a friend who has been collecting cow blocks hoping she will now think BIG. Now two friends here have got their own copy and we're going to work on projects from it in the New Year. What fun!

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  7. You are What you Eat is by Kathy York - I sent this picture to my sister-in-law in Inverness who has the same problem - Mary

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  8. What a joyful lot of eye candy is in this post!! Thank you!

    Have a wonderful time on your trip and I'm happy Mark will be having fun with the kids while you're away.

    I recommend Cuddl Duds for staying warm. They're sold at Penney's and all sorts of other places.

    Hugs!

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  9. Have a great trip. My daughter will be in Germany for Christmas. She is living in France and will visit her family that she was an aupair for a year ago. She plans on going to Aachen, also to the Christmas markets. Aachen is a beautiful city, we went there when visited her a year ago this last summer. It sounds like your husband will be taken care of while you are gone, enjoy yourself.

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  10. A trip….lucky you!!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on my "Cow" post. I hope you did not mind me showing the photo of your purple cow from your book. I made sure to cover up any instructions or info so others will have to purchase your book for that. I have had a cow quilt idea "stewing" around in my noggin' for a while now and maybe I should just get on with it…huh? Ha!

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