JOY TO THE WORLD!

On behalf of Anastasia and the gang, may your days be merry and bright!

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--BEADED REINDEER ORNAMENT

This cute reindeer ornament is stitched on cross stitch fabric but with seed beads instead of embroidery floss.

Materials:
6” x 6” 14-ct. white Aida cloth
lt. gold, dk. gold, red and green seed beads
beading needle
white sewing thread

Directions:
The beads are stitched onto the fabric with a half-cross stitch. Work across each row using the color bead indicated in the chart. Use lt. gold for the reindeer; dk. gold for the antlers; red for the mouth, nose, and holly berry; and green for the holly, collar, and eye.


Readers, do you have any special holiday traditions you'd like to share? Post a comment to be entered in this week's drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

DECORATING WITH JEANIE -- EASY OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING

Here are some hints for great green outdoor entertaining this summer from our decorating editor Jeanie Sims: -- AP

The best way to entertain outdoors is one that keeps clean-up to a minimum, but paper goods are a huge expense and clog up our landfills. Instead, buy a set of plastic dishes, utensils, and beverage cups. You can find these at big box stores. Don’t skimp of the quality, though. You want to buy the good stuff that will hold up to repeated trips through the dishwasher. If you do a lot of outdoor entertaining over the summer, the service won’t cost you any more than you’d pay for paper goods throughout the season, and you’ll have them for seasons to come.

No place to store another set of dishes and beverage ware? No problem! After they’re washed, store them in your cooler.  Everything will be right at hand for your next barbeque.

Scatter oversized beach towels around the yard for guests to eat picnic style.  Instead of paper napkins, substitute inexpensive dish clothes from the dollar store. Just pop everything in the washing machine when the evening is over.

Finally, go for Christmas in June, July, and August by stringing up your holiday lights along your deck railing.

What sort of outdoor entertaining do you do? Let us know, and you could win a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP