Mother's/Father's Day Gift Ideas/Wed. Blog Hop

Now that Easter is Past...Mother's/Father's Day
are fast approaching..May 8th/June 19th....

These Basket/Tubs were so popular for Easter
(And I simply adore them!) I decide it wasn't fair
for Mom & Dad not to have one for themselves, too!

They can be found all over the place & my Vinyl
Decals jazz them up a lot. The Vinyl will last a
long time, is made for the outside & is of the best
quality available.

There are so many things you can do
with them...

For Mom a Spa type basket with ..Bath & Body
stuff..head bath pillow..slippers or cozy socks,
towel, loofah, beautiful smelling lotions, eye
masks, her favorite book, chocolates, songs..
Anything to help her have a relaxing time.

For Dad stuff for a Movie night... fav DVD,
popcorn, candy bars, or Football/Baseball
stuff, glove, tickets to a game, jersey, ball.


Then afterwards it's so practical because
they can use the tub for all sorts of other
things.

Or if you would like to personalize it with
their name or Monogram on them...Endless ideas.

BLOG HOP BELOW..You know the Rules..& Have Fun!

A TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS EVERYWHERE!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

This is a tribute to my Mom...& all moms..

even though she is up in heaven with

my dad...I know she will know just how

much she is missed & loved by her children

& grand children.. especially on Mother's

Day..this Sunday!

Although she had a hard life growing up

(her own mother died when she was 1yr. old

& her dad died when she was 15) she made

a wonderful life for my dad & us 5 kids & I

will be eternally grateful for all the wisdom

she gave each one of us & example she

showed daily..

First & formost she was the most charitable

person I ever knew..she always made room for

people who did not have a place to stay or food

to eat. She opened her home & her heart to

always helping someone or something.

Below is an old picture (sorry it's blurry) of her

helping a Rooster that my little sister brought

home from school (to give a good home to) My

mom was raised on a farm & she helped that little

rooster (until the neighbors complained of being

woke up@ 5am!) He eventually went to a zoo.

You could always find her in the kitchen
laughing & baking something for
somebody in need. She would bring in
dinners, babysit, take care of the elderly..
you name it..she did it.. But by the same
token...she was always there for
each one of us to make feel special
everyday. She had a special gift that way.

I think it was because as a child she only had 1 pair
of shoes & 1 dress made out of a flour sack material
& her parents dying so young she wanted to give
us everything but most importantly..time & love.

She worked the graveyard shift at the hospital
just so she could have breakfast ready & lunches
made when we got up each morning...& be home
when we got home from school so she could help
us with our homework & have chocolate chip cookies
& milk waiting. I really wondered when she ever got
to sleep or eat..She loved cooking meals & serving
them to my dad & us kids & she would get up 10
times for us before she ever got a bite of food.
(That reminds me of the "Christmas Story" Mom)

Anyway..I salute you mom & treasure all our talks,
& everything you taught me about being a good mom.
I cherish the memories of all our times baking together
& you being such a good example of Charity to others.

Your loving Daughter,
Barb

*****Hope all of you get to give your moms a kiss
& hug (I wish I could) & tell them how much they
mean to you..Life goes too fast & is too short to
not tell them what they mean to you...

And the Winner of the Mother's Day Giiveaway is...

WE HAVE A WINNER of the Mother's Day
GIVEAWAY....First of all...thank you so much
to all who shared their favorite things about their
Mother's. The comments were all so special.
Welcome also to all the New Followers & Friends.

Now for the winning number...We used Random.org
to pick a winner and the number was...

Comment #28
Leenda said...
Link back to my blog post:
http://purpletomatoes.tumblr.com/post/548071235/
mothers-day-giveaway-on-santas-gift-shoppe-

Leenda's 3 other comments were...

Hi. I just love the bracelet and would love a chance
to win it. I am a couple of days late,(she wasn't late!)
but I'm visiting you from New Friend Friday on the Girl
Creative. Your blog is so cute.

My absolute favorite thing about my mother is how
she was willing to give up so much for my sister and
me when we were growing up. I really didn't
appreciate it at the time, but I can sure appreciate
it now!

I love Christmas! I am following your blog. Thanks
for the great ideas. :-)

CONGRATULATIONS LEENDA!
Please send me an email at
santasgiftshoppe1@hotmail.com with your
address and I will get this bracelet in the mail
for you!

So It pays to leave 4 comments!!! Leenda did & won
the Light green Bracelet.

Valentine's Dessert (Brownie a la mode w/chocolate sauce & chocolate heart)

Here is another FAST/EASY Dessert for the ones you
love... It's just a Chocolate brownie cut out with a
heart shaped cookie cutter...topped with a scoop
of vanilla ice cream, Chocolate sauce dipping
down the sides..& a Chocolate heart place on top!!!
It looks harder than it is..I promise...

RECIPE
1 box of Brownie mix (any kind)
ingredients for brownies (eggs, oil, & water usually)
vanilla ice cream

For Chocolate Hearts on Top:
1 bag chocolate melts (like in previous post..from
Walmart or Michael's)

For Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 c. heavy cream
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Make brownies as directed on back of pkg.
(cool & set aside)

2) To make Chocolate Hearts
Take 1/2 a bag of chocolate melts and microwave
for 1 min. on 50% power...then continue at 30 sec.
intervals at 50% power stirring after each one
(until smooth & shiny)

(Line a baking sheet with wax paper for the hearts
to be placed on & to dry)

Take melted chocolate & put into baggie (that
is not pleated) or small Ziplock bag with spoon.
Grab & twist bag tightly at top so chocolate doesn't
come out & cut a tiny bit off the corner so you have
a small hole that you "write" a heart on the prepared
baking sheet. Make as many hearts as the baggie will
hold or that you need. Let cool (I put them in the
refrigerator to speed up the process.) Set them aside

For Chocolate Sauce:
Melt chocolate chips in microwave @ 50% power
for 1 min & then 30 sec. intervals until melted
(Stirring after each interval) stir in cream slowly
to blend & is smooth & shiny

Putting it all together:
1) Cut brownies with heart shaped cookie cutter
2) With ice cream scoop put 1 scoop of vanilla ice
cream on top of brownie
3) Make sure the Chocolate sauce is warm & with
teaspoon drip some sauce on top of ice cream.
4) Place a Chocolate Heart on top of ice cream &
Chocolate sauce....What a Masterpiece!!! Just take
Bows!!!

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Would you like to give a FAST & EASY "Special
Treat" to someone you love on Mother's Day?
Here it is...It could not be any easier than this. Can
you believe that there are only 2 ingredients???

1 pkg. Candy Melts (found @ Walmart, Michaels)
1 c. Planters Roasted Peanuts (salted, or lightly salted)
**(You will need wax paper & a baking sheet, too)

Directions:
1) Take a full pkg. of candy melts and microwave on

50% power for 1 min. Continue to do this every 30

sec. until completely melted (stirring at each interval)

2) Stir peanuts into melted chocolate..

SEE BELOW:

3) With a teaspoon.. scoop some melted Chocolate
& Peanut mixture on to a baking sheet lined with

wax paper.
SEE BELOW:

4) Let Cool..(I put them in the refrigerator to speed

up the process) To plate the finished candy....put on

a heart plate with a white heart doily.

Like the plate??? I got mine at Walmart (they have

Red & Pink...) HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

Enjoy...These are Yummmmmmmmmy!!!!!!

How to make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Mother's Day is coming so what a wonderful surprise it
would be to give her some wonderful, delectable,
mouth watering Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Friends always think they take a long time to make,
but truth be known they are really easy to make...

Why don't you surprise that special mom that you
love ...with these babies...I bet she'll love them &
you for being so thoughtful....

RECIPE
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips or wafers
2 Tbsp. butter or shortening
2 (1lb.) boxes of fresh strawberries

You also will need: baking sheet, wax paper,
microwave-safe bowl

Directions:
1) Line a baking sheet with wax paper (I used
Cut-Rite). This will give you a good place for
the strawberries to cool & harden after you
dip them in the melted chocolate.

2) Wash strawberries...

and dry thoroughly.

Paper towels are probably the best to use for

drying strawberries. You want the melted chocolate

to adhere to the strawberry without any problems.

SEE BELOW: (Also leave the hulls on the

strawberries so you have a "Handle" to hold

on to while dipping.)

3) Put chocolate chips & butter or shortening

in microwave-safe bowl.

4) Place in microwave & heat for 1 min (on 50%

power) Continue to stir & check every 30 sec.

until smooth. SEE BELOW:

5) To dip strawberries: Take strawberry by the

stem (hull) and dip into melted chocolate...

6) They should be dipped almost completely & placed

on prepared baking sheet (with wax paper)

SEE BELOW:

7) After placing them on baking sheet..

Let them dry thoroughly..Place in refrigerator

until hardened if necessary. (I like to do that!)

They harden faster that way...

8) You did it!!!!!!! See that wasn't so hard..

Now go share these with someone special..

These are Sooooo Delicious.....Enjoy!!!

P.S. ***GIVEAWAY...FEW DAYS AWAY.....YAHOO!!!