New & Notable Mentions #19

This week on New & Notable Mentions #19, you’ll find Christmas decor and simple displays. Food of course and crafts.

A printable as well. And then 2 books I’ve chosen that were published this month.

Decorating:

Le Cultivateur chose a very traditional style when decorating their Christmas tree.

She wrote on her blog: “Come take a little peek into my holiday home 2021!”

Tatortots & Jello shared her very colorful holiday cottage.

She wrote: “Welcome to our 1891 home decked out for the holidays. I love color and using it in unexpected ways.

I have to say that we’ve lived here for a little over two years and I struggled with how to bring color into this historic home.”

Designthusiasm added holiday cheer to the guest room in her home.

She wrote: “The best part of having a white room is that it never has to be completely white.”

Simple Holiday Decorating:

Blesser House shows off her entryway decked out for the holidays.

She wrote: “Dig any big bowls out of your kitchen cabinets… even if you typically use it as a fruit bowl on your kitchen counter or a popcorn bowl for movie night. No one has to know, right?

“Fill it with rocks and paperwhite bulbs (real or fake). Use moss and pillar candles. Or throw in some glass ball ornaments (I mean, don’t throw them in… you know what I mean).“

A Pop Of Pretty said this is her minimal Scandi style Christmas tree.

She wrote: “My Christmas trees are normally so full that it’s hard to see the branches! Yet, I used just one spool of ribbon for this tree. And in my world, that’s called MINIMAL.”

My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia displayed simple decorations in her kitchen.

She wrote: “I always love decorating the kitchen, it’s bright and cheerful and brings me joy, maybe because it involves delicious food.

“I added some black ribbon to the little cypress wreaths and brought in a few small decorations for a clean yet simple feel.”

Christmas Traditions:

Robyn’s French Nest tells you how to make stocking stuffers special for the whole family.

She wrote: “Stockings are one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  I look forward to them just as much as I do the gifts and I love shopping for fun stocking stuffers too!

“Stockings have been a huge part of our family Christmas traditions for as long as I can remember.  On my mom’s side of the family we all have HUGE (as in, 30″ tall) stockings that have been handmade.”

Crafts/DIYs:

Remodelacasa showed how to create gorgeous gold-dipped ornaments to give as a gift to a friend or family member.

She wrote: “Are you all excited for Christmas, Hanukkah, or maybe Kwanza?!

“Well guys, this is the perfect time to hop on the DIY crafting train to get those gifts out of the way before the rush.”

Little House Of Four created free printable gift tags for you to print out.

She wrote: “I went one step further and painted small flat washers using oil-rubbed bronze spray paint then attached one washer to each tag using gorilla super glue.”

Food/Recipes:

Foodie Crush has a recipe for Deer Valley’s Famous Turkey Chili.

She wrote: “A couple of years ago, I was invited to make a video for Deer Valley Resort’s famous turkey chili alongside one of their chefs. If there’s one thing that’s nearly as famous as Deer Valley’s snow-capped slopes and signature service, it’s their famous Southwestern turkey chili.

“Because it’s so often requested, Deer Valley offers the seasonings and beans in a mix packet to make the chili at home. So after dissecting and taste-testing their spice mix, then matching it with the method I learned from the chef, I believe I’ve hit upon the best copycat version of their famous Deer Valley turkey chili to make at home.”

Savory Nothings has a recipe for Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad.

She wrote: “This recipe goes great with grilled meats or other summer-y dishes.”

The Country Cook has a recipe for Peppermint Fudge.

She wrote: “It’s just not the holidays without some kind of fudge, right? This easy recipe for peppermint fudge can be made on the stovetop or in the microwave.

“No candy thermometer is needed! This is one of my favorite holiday fudge recipes to make!”

Books:

“Bed Stuy: A Love Story” by Jerry McGill was published on December 1, 2021.

From the author of Dear Marcus comes a breathtaking novel about a fated love affair that crosses the divides of race and class.

Rashid is a young Black man from Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, with a complicated life. Looking for an escape from a neighborhood few ever leave, he finds it in Rachel―married, twenty years his senior, and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.

It begins with a flirtation and a tryst. It becomes an intense romance, exhilarating and enriching, that defies the expectations of Rashid’s friends and family. What draws Rachel to Rashid is his curiosity, his need for intimacy, and his adoration―everything lacking in her crumbling marriage.

But as the fault lines of their relationship become more prevalent, so do the inevitable choices one makes when falling in love.

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“The Defense Lawyer” by James Patterson will be published on December 20.

For more than a decade, Barry Slotnick never lost a case—no matter how notorious or dangerous his clients.

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Everyone deserves the best defense.

Known for his sharp mind, sharp suits, and bold courtroom strategies, Bronx-native Barry Slotnick is known as the best criminal lawyer in the US.

He calls himself “Liberty’s Last Champion.”

Slotnick mediates Bette Midler’s bathhouse contract and represents John Gotti, “The Dapper Don.” He defends “Subway Shooter” Bernie Goetz and negotiates future First Lady Melania Trump’s pre-nup.

“Design is coming to grips with one’s real lifestyle, one’s real place in the world. Rooms should not be put together for show but to nourish one’s well-being.” —Albert Hadley

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