The Peppermint Experiment

Here's the result of my late-night rush on the fabric store for red & white striped fabric. My church is donating a decorated tree to a family in need (love this idea), so I had some friends and the teenage girls over last night to make this zany garland for contribution.  We sipped hot cocoa with homemade marshmallows (Katie-made) and sat in a circle, sewing.  Now, why can't that happen more often.  My kind of evening.

(The top garland is the ceramic one I mentioned two posts ago.)

The gingerbread house was a whole-family activity.  Thank you Costco.  Have you seen these kits?  All of the hard stuff is already done for you;  the cookies are cooked and the frosting is mixed.  Just assemble and decorate (and snack).  Elijah did most of the work, but tuckered-out before the house was gaudy enough, so Charlotte and I helped him out.  I could glue candy on things all day.  It's a lot like making yo-yos - repetitive and hynotic.

Comments

[Anna Maria]

oh yum. all of it. but after my spicy spaghetti dinner that house is looking mighty scrumptious. We watched a chef's challenge on gingerbread houses and the kids are pining at me lately. My get-it-done-before Christmas list is gettng way long.
thanks for sharing your treats!

[Casey]

I love this version of the yo-yo garland!! Its great that you're donating it to a good cause too. :)

Mmm... gingerbread. My mouth is watering!

[sara]

All the colors in your post are delightful. Thanks for the costco tip on the gingerbread house...I think my little sister would love that!

[prairie mouse]

its all gorgeous! i can sense a garland coming on! and the gingerbread house is one of those things i have always meant to do. wish we had costcos here but we can get graham crackers so might make them like the ones in marthas christmas mag! : - )

[Karen B.]

those colors are amazing. this family will remember this tree for sure !

[Alicia A.]

The peppermint yo-yo's are adorable. It worked perfectly!

[Jen]

When I got home on Sunday from my trip across half of Canada, I was pleasantly surprised to see the very same gingerbread house perched beautifully on my microwave! my bestfriend house-sat for me and left it as a welcome home gift. Does your kitchen smell slightly of cinnamon? Usually I don't like the smell but this was so light that it was pleasant as a peach!

[gyl]

It all looks so YUMMY! I love (and crave) it all!! Garland, Christmas giving & GINGERBREAD FUN!!!

Thx for sharing!
~gyl

[domi]

Bonjour,

je ne parle pas anglais, je trouve votre blog sublime !
Pourriez vous me dire ou trouver vos tissus en France ou sur un site français ?

Merci d'avance

Domi

[Di]

What a lovely idea to help out a family. It's just not the same without a tree. One year a cyclone hit our area in Australia and we couldn't get to our holiday house(where all the decorations and tree were) and I will always remember the trouble my mum went to, to find a tree branch (that wasn't soaking wet) and make hand made decorations. Your lucky family will remember this wonderful gift forever!

[Ruth]

I love your ceramic garland... I wonder if I could make something like that out of Fimo... hmmm. Although it looks like the red was painted on afterwards rather than being part of the construction iykwim...

I made some toffee garlands (wrapped in shiny wrappers) but have a feeling the kids will eat their way through it sneakily and I'll end up with a pile of empty papers!

Wish people round here were up for a "sewing evening"... I'm afraid I don't know many people with my way of thinking who aren't over 70... :o(

[juju]

All Gorgeousness!

[beki]

A sewing circle, sounds like a wonderful evening! Thanks for reminding me about those kits, I've done them in the past. I think I need to pick one up for this weekend.

[gleek]

very cute! i love gingerbread houses but never have the time to make them :) i love the yo-yo garland! hopefully next year when we have an actual tree i can make something like it.

[Beth]

I love the yo yo garland. Now did you just seww the yo-yo's together or are they attached some other way? I cannot wait until Em is old enough to put a needle in her hand and sew (without poking an eye out that is...). I want to make one of these garlands.. but I have not been able to find any red and white striped fabric...

Need to get one of those kits. Em would really enjoyed making a gingerbread house.. but then she would want to eat it pronto! LOL

[Lori]

It looks lovely. That family will be very lucky indeed!

[Laurie]

Ohhhh, Heather, you always put the icing on the cake with your gorgeous photos of your gorgeous artwork! I'm drooling over the colors in your garland!

[sunshine]

Lovely second garland. I love your little house I had just purchased two. My oldest daughter turns nine today so she will get to do one all by her self unless she wants help. The other is for her two little sisters to share so they don't get mad. Looks like Monday Night family time will be making gingerbread house here at the Harbaugh house. I finally got my tree up and my garlands on it. None of mine are handmade by me ( one is handmade but I am not the maker the lovely white beaded one if you happened to have see it on my blog). The peppermint garland is very very cute. It and the yo-yo garland go so well with the gingerbread house and the fabric you used as a back drop was just right. Have a lovely day Sunshine

[decor8 Holly]

wow heather, you are like super mom. sometimes i read your blog and feel like a total slacker as a wife. he he but it's good for me to aspire to be you!!!

love the mints!!!

[Clare Adams]

I love the yo-yo garlands. I saved fabric scraps from a Christmas swap on MJF, and now I know just what to do with them. I know our small local quilt store does not have peppermint striped fabric, but I am going to keep my eyes out. That peppermint yo-yo really makes your lovely pink and turqoise print ones pop.

Ahhhh... gingerbread houses, there is something so timeless in them. You know that it means visiting, spending undivided time with your kids, decorating and adding more and more to it. There is no wrong way to do one. Ours will happen next week. I like to make the house from a Pampered Chef mold. I wanted to cheat and buy a kit this year, but my son would not let me.

I LOVE the photography here on your blog. It really showcases your work and the details of the constructions.

[Pink]

Holy wonderful!

[Anahata Katkin]

Aaaaaah! Sudden panic! Must-go-to-Costco-(In robot voice)....NOW! I am intending to have a gingerbread house party for my son and his friends. This post makes me feel I can do it without freakin out for all the fixings! Prey they aren't out of kits here. THANK YOU!

[Amy]

Ooo ooo. Love the peppermint yoyo. Yes - a whole string of those would be just lovely. Thanks for sharing the results of the experiment!

[Sasha]

The cermaic peppermint garland is sweet (pun intended)... I made one a few years back with real gumballs. I drilled them on the drill press in my dad's workshop and the place reeked of bubblegum until February!