#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Food and Drink Christmas Tree {2014}

January 14, 2015 · Narrative

Since I was putting away some of our Christmas decorations this past weekend, I thought it was a good opportunity to snap some shots of a few of my favorite new additions. If you’ve been visiting Sweetnicks for awhile, you know one of our holiday traditions is my food-and-drink themed Christmas tree. I started it in 2009, with a little tabletop tree in our kitchen, and it has grown bit by bit since then. Two years ago, I upgraded to a six foot tall, skinny tree that was relocated to our dining room. I hate to say it, but that new, bigger tree is already looking pretty full, but I think we can squeeze at least another year or two out of it.

Now that we’re five years in, I’m a little more particular about what ornaments we add to the tree.

Because we have a LOT of cupcakes.

So for the past year or so, I look for either 1) an ornament that isn’t like anything else we have or 2) an ornament that has some special meaning to one of us.

And here we go.

ornament - ice cream sundae-001
I love this Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sundae. I got it at the end of the holiday season in 2013 from Macy’s, and mint chocolate chip just happens to be Nick’s favorite ice cream. Peeking behind it, you can see a glimpse of a gumball machine ornament, a new find this year from Target.

ornament - fancy cake-001
Oh how I love this ornament. Also bought after Christmas from Macy’s a year ago, but it hadn’t appeared on our tree yet. You wouldn’t believe the amount of trouble this ornament caused me. The first time I bought it, I got it home and it was broken. Went back, found another one at Macy’s and as I was holding it up, it came undone from the spring and fell to the floor and broke. Found another one, got in line to pay and as I’m holding it, it fell and broke. By then, onto the fourth ornament, I was bound and determined to get the stinkin’ thing home – it was too gorgeous not to! Thankfully I did, and it miraculously survived a whole year in a storage box.

ornament - chinese food-001
This little ceramic noodle bowl (and one other similar one) was an early season find at Cost Plus World Market. I was first introduced to that amazing store on a trip to Seattle in 2011. FINALLY, they have opened one up in New Jersey. They had a few food ornaments (two for $5!) that I grabbed when I first saw them.

ornament - coffee cup-001
Coffee mug from Target this year.

ornament - canned tomatoes-001

ornament - spaghetti box-001

Ornament - Greek yogurt-001

At the end of the 2013 holiday season, Sur la Table had an amazing blowout sale and I seriously took advantage. I added this tomato can, a box of spaghetti, the Greek yogurt, and um, a few more. Love their ornaments, but can’t afford them until the deep discounts start.

ornament - strawberry shortcake-001

ornament - raw oyster-001

ornament - pink ombre cake-001
Those three also all come from Sur la Table, but this past year. A dear friend patiently sat in the store and texted me pictures of all the ornaments (and, thankfully, they were on sale). I narrowed my choices down to four. I love raw oysters, so that one was not only beautiful, but perfect. And the pink layered cake reminded me of our favorite rainbow cake, and, of course, PINK. And the strawberry shortcake one was a fun addition. Not pictured is a gorgeous cinnamon roll ornament, which is perfect for Nick. He looooves cinnamon rolls.

Another friend tracked down the uber-cute gingerbread man from Shake Shack, my mom found several more ornaments at Kohl’s this year (she always has the best luck there!), and my sister snagged a bacon ornament from an airport of all places – I love that everyone has their eyes open for me. It’s like a fun community project!

But as much as I love the tree and twinkly lights, everything is now all tucked away until the next time.

image

Hungry for more tree photos?
The Christmas Tree in 2012
The kitchen Christmas Tree in 2011
And 2010
And the first year, when it all started, 2009
I somehow managed to miss 2013. And that makes me sad.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Christmas tree, food and drink ornaments, food ornament

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    January 15, 2015 at 8:06 am

    I love seeing all your food ornaments! They are so cute. A MAJOR incentive to get a tree this year was so that I could have an excuse to buy some. I have that Sur la Table cake also!
    Joanne recently posted..Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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