Add a little more flavor to your cocoa ...and how to assemble a Cocoa Station

It's so easy to set up a Cocoa Station and to make it special, you can make a few white chocolate spoons...let me show you how!

These Sweet Spoons are very easy to make!

All you need is some chocolate buttons to melt, a few sturdy plastic spoons, and some cinnamon candies, crushed peppermints or sprinkles!

Simply dip the spoons into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the candies, then lay the spoons on waxed paper.

I wrapped each in "pretzel bags" (I cut them a bit shorter).

All you have to do is stir one into a cup of hot cocoa for added flavor!

To set up a Cocoa Station, all you need is a tray, or area in your kitchen to gather your mugs and supplies needed to prepare a cup of cocoa.  I chose a round tray and 4 mugs:

I bought marshmallows at Trader Joe's (they are the best!!) and put them in a jar and placed some peppermint sticks in a glass:

A bowl of cocoa packets and a jar of peppermints are also on hand:

My handmade spoons are also in a large apothecary jar:

So I can just grab a mug and enjoy a cup of cocoa whenever I catch a chill and add some more flavor if I am in the mood!

If you want to make your own Cocoa mix, here's an easy recipe:

ENJOY!

There's a little bit of irony in this sign for 2020!

Hand Painted Christmas Cards....

When I get bored I want to do something creative, so the other night I painted some holiday greeting cards....

...I scoured my craft drawers for card stock and envelopes...

...and pulled out my paints and brushes...

...and went to town, painting away!

Unfortunately, this made me feel like I should start decorating, but it's too early for me!

so, I think I will just paint some more cards and keep busy!

Life slows down in January....

The decorations are down, the parties are over, the company has gone home, the sweets are all eaten,  the drinks have been downed, and my home is back to normal!

I am now settling in for a long winter - January and February can be quite challenging in central NY!

Follow me on Instagram:@ppultorak

Winter White...

The decorations are put away, the house is clean and bright, and I have pulled out a lot of "white":

I LOVE Milk Glass.

Fenton Hobnail, Westmoreland dishware, the Indiana Grape pattern, Imperial bowls, Fostoria fruit dishes and so on....

....There is something about it that reminds me of my past...

....I have a variety of pieces, 24 dinner plates, enough for the family dinners....

...and a few special pieces, some were from my home growing up....

...like these dessert dishes...

....and some I have had since my first apartment, many years ago...

...some I purchased in thrift stores...

...and some I have collected for years, like six of these hens, which are perfect for soups, stews and chicken salad...

...the detail on milk glass is so pretty...

...and all of it makes for a cute table setting for lunch...

...the white Luminara candles brighten up the coffee table at night...

...a cute gifted initial plate brightens up an end table...

...a white topiary cheers up the kitchen table...

...and the white books are ready to bring on the next season!



AND we even have lots of snow outside to match my decor!

Do you collect milk glass?  I'd love to see your collection!

Snow Rollers....

Last night we saw something so unique:  

Snow Rollers!  

I have never seen anything like it before!

They weren't as amazing this morning:

The nightly news even mentioned it.  After a quick internet search, this is what I found:

A snow roller is a rare meteorological phenomenon in which large snowballs are formed naturally as chunks of snow are blown along the ground by wind, picking up material along the way, in much the same way that the large snowballs used in snowmen are made. They can be as small as a tennis ball, but they can also be bigger than a car.^[1]

Unlike snowballs made by people, snow rollers are typically cylindrical in shape, and are often hollow since the inner layers, which are the first layers to form, are weak and thin compared to the outer layers and can easily be blown away, leaving what looks like a doughnut or Swiss roll.

The following conditions are needed for snow rollers to form:

• There must be a relatively thin surface layer of wet, loose snow, with a temperature near the melting point of ice.
• Under this thin layer of wet snow there must be a substrate to which the thin surface layer of wet snow will not stick, such as ice or powder snow.
• The wind must be strong enough to move the snow rollers, but not strong enough to blow them apart.

Fascinating!

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!