Shopbrazos December 2012

DECEMBER 2012

Dealing with holiday stress, tips to lower anxiety & enjoying the moments Plant your tree after the holidays Mule Barn Boutique brings its unique clothing to Post Oak Mall

WHAT’S INSIDE

Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

SHOP BRAZOS .COM

Kyrstie Cox (979) 731-4665

Internet Sales Director

Internet Marketing Consultant

jenny.downing@theeagle.com

kyrstie.cox@theeagle.com

Shauna Lewis Editorial shauna.lewis@theeagle.com Eric Aguirre Layout & Design eric.aguirre@eveningpostinteractive.com ON THE WEB

/shopbrazos Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed in the publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the management of the publication. ©2012 GATEHOUSE MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Wondering what to do with your live Christmas tree after the holidays?

Just plant it.

page nine

‘It’s just been a blessing ever since,’ [Nancy] Gilmore said, ‘The store’s just taken off.’

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Jenny Downing (979) 731-4660

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Turn small pieces into stationery, cutting the pictures into different shapes and gluing them mosaic-style onto plain cardstock.

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THANKSGIVING

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Warm up with style

Amaretto coffee (from left) carries a vanilla almond bark lattice and wand. A white chocolate lattice (center) and wand finish hot cocoa. A semisweet chocolate lattice (far right) is a little melty but still supports a whipped cream blossom atop a cup of cinnamon cocoa. Photos by Margaret Maples/GHNS

Holiday drinks with added melty sweetness

By Margaret Maples GateHouse News Service

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A little nip in the air sets the stage perfectly for hot cocoa and Irish coffee. And with a little forethought, you can costume these deliciously for their cool weather close-ups.

You’ll need clouds of whipped cream, naturally, and can opt for a variety of whiskies and liqueurs. But the most elegant touch will be one you create yourself: a lattice of piped chocolate – we used both semisweet and white chocolate.

You can also use almond bark. All are available at your supermarket.

You can make these ahead of time and, if you like, decorate them with colored sugar. Store them in the fridge until the warm drinks are poured. Now it’s time to rest a lattice on the edge of your cup or footed glass.

Everyone will have an individual lattice style, but remember to pipe the lines a bit heavily, to help the chocolate stand up to the heat of the drink. Although whipped cream will offer some insulation, the lattices will soften and begin to melt. Let them slide into the drink or droop onto the cup’s edge, so your guests will taste a little chocolate or extra sweetness with each sip.

Making a lattice Line a baking pan with parchment. On this sheet, make several tracings of the top of the cup or glass you’ll use to serve the cocoa or coffee. Cover the tracings with a second sheet of parchment or waxed paper.

Fit a piping bag with a small tip. Melt chocolate or almond bark and stir thoroughly to eliminate lumps that might clog the piping tip. Fill the piping bag. Working freehand, make lacy designs that extend a bit beyond the traced circles.

This will let the finished lattices rest on the cup rims. While the chocolate or almond bark is still soft, you can decorate with colored sprinkles.

Chill the lattices for several hours or overnight. Keep them refrigerated until just before Pipe white or semisweet chocolate slightly wider serving. than the rim of your cocoa cup so the lattices will sit comfortably on the edge.

THANKSGIVING

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Oomph for coffee or cake

Peppermint power

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powder or grated chocolate, powdered sugar, lattices of chocolate or almond bark In a saucepan, mix sugBrew your favorite cofar, regular and Dutch profee and flavor each servcessed cocoas, salt and cining with one or two tanamon, if using. Add 1/3 blespoons of liqueur or cup milk and mix smooth. whiskey. Kahlua, amaretto, Place over medium heat Bailey’s, bourbon or Irish and bring to a simmer. whiskey are good possibiliDo not boil. Remove from ties, but there are probably heat. others that you’ll enjoy, too.

Stir in remaining milk Top with whipped cream, a and return to heat. Bring to sprinkle of ground cinnaserving temperature, just mon, powdered sugar, coshort of boiling. coa or ground chocolate, To serve: Pour hot cocoa and add a lattice.

A semisweet chocolate lattice puts extra zest in a pound cake dessert. Supporting to about 1 1/2 inches beThese lacy tops also dress players in this production include Kahlua syrup, whipped cream, and a dusting of colow the rim of a footed cup. up desserts that start with coa and powdered sugar. MarGaret MaPleS/GHNS Place whipped cream in a store-bought cake. To add 1 piping bag or a freezer bag n /8 c. unsweetened cocoa (such as begin! your own flair, drizzle chocowith a corner cut off. Cover the Hershey’s or Nestle) late syrup on the plate or be more 1 hot cocoa’s surface with whipped n / 8 c. Dutch processed cocoa (such daring and mix a syrup of sugar Haute Cocoa as Droste) cream.

Lay a lattice across the top water, Kahlua and powdered sugn Dash salt of the cup.

If you have a favorite hot coar. Follow with cake and whipped n Dash ground cinnamon (optional) Pipe a blossom of whipped cream. Sprinkle cocoa and pow- coa recipe or ready-made mix, feel n 2 1/3 c. milk, divided cream on the lattice, if desired. dered sugar as confetti on the free to use it. Or try ours, which is Garnish with ground cinnamon, Garnishes: Whipped cream, rather rich. plate. sugar sprinkles, cocoa powder or marshmallows, ground cinnamon, Finish the dessert with a lattice, n 1/2 c. granulated sugar grated chocolate. colored sugar sprinkles, cocoa and let the holiday celebrations

Candy cane recipes the kids can help with

By Emily Arno Special to the eagle

When Christmastime rolls around, kids begin munching on candy canes. See this seasonal obsession as an opportunity to get your kids in the kitchen by making the following: n Peppermint bark: Have your kids place candy canes in a plastic bag then crush them with a meat tenderizer (they’ll have a blast doing this). While they do the crushing, melt 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave and stir in a few drops of peppermint extract. Pour the melted mixture into a lightly greased pan lined

with wax paper. Sprinkle half of candy canes on top. Refrigerate until hardened. Repeat the process with 8 ounces of white chocolate — this time pouring on top of the semisweet layer. After topping with the remaining crushed canes, refrigerate for a second time. Once hardened, remove from the pan and break into pieces — better yet, let your little destructos handle that one. n Chocolate dipped peppermint sticks: Have kids dip the sticks of their canes into your favorite melted chocolate. Once coated, let

them sprinkle on coconut or chocolate jimmies if desired. Allow the sticks to cool on wax paper. Serve alone or as a tasty companion for hot chocolate. n Peppermintify a classic recipe: Tuck a whole candy cane in a mug of hot cocoa, or add crushed

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candy canes to timeless cookie and brownie recipes. Be experimental and try adding a cup or sprinkle to your favorite batter.

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FESTIVE DRINKS

Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

How to plant your Christmas tree Wondering what to do with your live Christmas tree after the holidays? Just plant it.

Here’s how. n Choose the right tree. Growing Earth Tree Care, a website dedicated to improving the environment, recommends buying a tree that will thrive indoors before Christmas and outdoors after Christmas. Most local growers are more than happy to advise you on the best tree for your region. n Acclimate the tree. Chances are, you house is warmer than outside. Set the tree on your porch or in the garage for a few days after Christmas and allow it to get used to the colder weather. At this point, you should have already removed the decorations. n Select a spot. You should do this before or when you buy the tree, but if you didn’t, be sure to choose a spot with full sun, good drainage and adequate space. n Plant the tree. The hole should

be the same depth as the root ball and at least twice the width. In most cases, you won’t need to add soil enhancements as long as the area is well drained and the soil adequate. n Place the soil. The soil may be too cold initially. If that’s the case, do not fill in the hole. Set the soil aside on a tarp or in a basket and let it warm up inside before backfilling the hole. If you plan on using stakes, be sure to place them before the ground gets too hard. n Fill the hole. Once the soil is adequately prepared, use it to backfill.

The hole is best filled in layers. Add soil. Pack. Add more soil. Pack. Continue until the entire hole is full. n Apply mulch. Put two to three inches of mulch over the root ball and surrounding area. There’s no need to add fertilizer until spring. n Water. Be sure to water the tree regularly, especially during thaws.

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AFTER CHRISTMAS

Tools that can help young ones learn the joy of cooking One way to get kids in the kitchen and get them cooking is to make it fun. Here are 10 cool tools they’ll love using while learning cooking basics

4. kitchen, a whisk whips everything from One of the most necessary tools in the

pie fillings and dips to omelets and frittatas — even dry ingredients for baked goods.

— no dangerously sharp edges or moving parts, just good old-fashioned hard workers that every cook needs to have on hand.

1. lemons and limes and drain every last drop of A wooden citrus juicer makes quick work of

the juice. Let kids use hand-held juicers to help make fresh beverages, dressings, marinades, pie fillings or curds.

2. end of a rolling pin by getTeach kids the business

ting hands-on experience with roll-out cookies, biscuits, pie crusts or homemade pasta.

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3. to cook, put a meat mallet in their

If you think boys won’t want to learn

hands and let them whack away at a tough cut like flank

A garlic press is a musthave for every kitchen — let kids use it to smush canned peppers for adobo sauce, anchovies for a Caesar salad or garlic.

6.

A flour sifter is not only fun for a kid to to use,

it’s handy for sifting dry ingredients where a light texture matters (like a cake) and for evenly coating goodies with a dusting of cocoa, cinnamon or powdered sugar.

7. make cookies, scones, tiny tea

Let kids use biscuit cutters to help

sandwiches … and, oh yeah, biscuits.

8. and useful a kitchen tool as they A mortar and pestle is as basic

come, and kids will have so much fun smashing and smushing herbs, nuts, olives, garlic, cocoa beans and more for pestos, pistous, tapenades and aiolis.

9.

Egg beaters are old-fashioned, fun and super handy to have around — sort of like a whisk on steroids.

Kids will have a blast beating up fluffy omelets.

steak. A tip: spray the mallet with non-stick cooking spray first and teach kids the importance of washing it thoroughly afterward for food safety purposes.

FRENCH DOOR

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Kids in the kitchen

Relaxing Winter Spa Specials

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(979) 696-8992 Monday-Saturday 9 am - 7 pm

3206 Longmire College Station frenchdoorspa.com

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SHO BRAZ .CO

MULE BARN BOUTIQUE

Find unique Christmas gifts at The Mule Barn Boutique inside Post Oak Mall

By Shauna Lewis

any more to buy anything unique than run-of-the-mill things.” he Mule Barn Boutique The business originally has a new store in Colplanned to open a store in lege Station, in addition College Station just for two to its Madisonville location months, Gilmore said, but the – so shoppers can now get the store has been so popular that business’s unique items locally, it will likely stay longer. such as custom-made western

boots, clothing, blingy flip flops The Mule Barn Boutique’s and jewelry. start The Mule Barn Boutique The business has changed opened on Nov. 4 in the Post significantly since it first Oak Mall, at the intersection opened in Madisonville about of Texas 6 and Harvey Road.

12 years ago, as the Kawasaki It also has a store at 115 South Mule Barn, then owned by Fred Madison in Madisonville. and Liz Henson. It served as a Owner Nancy Gilmore, who Kawasaki Mule and four-wheelbought the business in March, er dealership, but also started said she is proud of the store’s adding a mix of other things, friendly customer service and such as work coats, boots and unique merchandise. She said fishing lures. she tries to find items that peo- The Hensons in 2007 hired ple can’t find anywhere else.

Gilmore as store manager over “It’s all got some sass in it,” the clothing and fashion part of Gilmore said about the store’s the business, with Billy Terry merchandise. “It doesn’t cost managing the motor division.

The Eagle

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A few Mule Barn employees, Lexi Standley, Cherisse Neal and Kathy Ashurst.

Gilmore took over ordering merchandise and treated the store as if it were her own.

Eventually, the owners sold the Kawasaki division of the business to Terry, and about

a year later, sold the clothing part to Gilmore.

“The Hensons generously insisted I buy it,” Gilmore said.

Gilmore said she initially didn’t see how she could buy a store,

OP ZOS OM

MULE BARN BOUTIQUE

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Mall in College Station. The store opened on Nov. 4.

Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

no one else had,” Gilmore said.

“So we carved out a little niche with boots.”

The business creates boots for groups such as the Texas Hereford Association and Texas Rangers, and has also had them made for weddings and barbecue cook-off teams, she said. Boots made for wedding parties often include the names of the groom and bride, followed by the word “established” and the wedding date.

Gilmore said she used to not wear boots because they were uncomfortable, but boots have changed in the past 10 to 15 years. They’re more comfortable, and they’re not just for cowboys, said Gilmore, who has been wearing boots the past few years.

“They fit and feel like a tennis shoe,” she said. “They’re made not only to look nice, but but after about a year, worked Back in the retail business, and pitches in and works wher- to feel nice, too.” out all the details.

Gilmore said she has hired a ever they are needed,” she said. Besides boots made by the “It’s just been a blessing team of Mule Barn Boutique three Mercedes companies, ever since,” Gilmore said. “The employees who truly care Creating a unique boutique the store also carries several store’s just taken off.” about people and making Gilmore said after she was popular brands, such as Ariat, It’s not the first time customers happy, including hired as manager in 2007, she Corral, Justin, Tony Lama Gilmore has owned a boutique. getting the right fit for their started finding a more exciting and Lucchese. The Mule Barn In the 1980s and 1990s, she boots. Employees include her range of merchandise to add to Boutique also carries Gypsy owned Nancy’s Unique Boudaughter, Lindsey Hendricks, the store. She noticed that most Soul jewelry and flip flops, tique, opening a store first in who serves as manager and her stores offered the same selecother brands of jewelry, men’s Madisonville and then a store mother, Wanda Johnson. tions of boots, which she didn’t and women’s clothing, hats and in the Post Oak Mall.

“Everyone works as a team like. decorations such as crosses.

“I really wanted something to make Upcoming event us special,” she In April, the Mule Barn said.

Boutique will hold a trunk So she looked show at its Madisonville locainto getting some tion, and possibly in its College special boots, and Station store, too, Gilmore said. found what she The show lasts about four days, was looking for during which customers can with boots made by design their own boots, picking three boot compaout everything from the toe to nies in Mercedes: the heel – including stitch patAnderson Bean terns and leathers. In a large Boot Company, room will be trunks brimming Rios of Mercedes over with several thousands of and Olathe Boot samples of leathers, including Company. Mule hippo, elephant, zebra, bison, Barn Boutique ostrich, shark and capybara. started creating designs used by the For more information on the three boot compaMule Barn Boutique and the nies to make custrunk show, call the Madisontom boots for the ville store at 936-348-2869 or the store to sell.

College Station store at 979-6946505, or visit them online at Owner Nancy Gilmore poses at The Mule Barn Boutique in the Post Oak “We started designing ones that www.mulebarnonline.com.

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DINING

A touch of class

How to fold fancy napkins

By Randall Stokes Special to The Eagle

designs. Luncheon napkins typically are smaller than dinner napkins. Look for cloth luncheon napkins measuring 18-inches-by18-inches or 20-inches-by-20inches and cloth dinner napkins measuring 22-inches-by-22-inches or 24-inches-by-24-inches.

n Material. Opt for sturdy linens Here are five easy tips to spruce such as a double-damask weave. up your holiday table with creative According to NapkinFoldingGuide. napkin shapes: com, damask weaving threads one type of fabric (such as silk) with n Cloth napkin sizes. Square- another (such as flax) to create a shaped napkins provide a bet- “heavier fabric that is especially reter medium for napkin-folding sponsive to making fancy folds.� A

Arrow fold

cotton or poly-cotton blend is also n Creative touches. The basic fold-friendly, especially for less in- silverware pouch fold allows you tricate folds such as a basic cone, to slip the silverware into the napsilverware pouch or scarf. kin. You also can add a peppermint stick or sprig of holly for a n Preparation. Before folding Christmas dinner. The arrow fold each napkin, it needs to be laun- shape looks similar to a paper airdered, starched and ironed. Starch- plane and is a great way to showing is a key component to prepar- case napkins in rich seasonal coling the cloth napkin. The starch in ors. Likewise, the standing fan fold the fabric makes it easier to create allows you to show off the print of and hold the folds, allowing the the cloth. napkin to keep its form when it is placed at the table setting. Refer to n Choosing your folds. Holiday the tag on the napkin for launder- table settings should be special. ing instructions.

Consider five styles of napkin folds for your holiday table:

Cone fold 1. Lay the napkin face down in front of you.

2. Fold the napkin in half with the open end toward you.

3. Fold the far-right corner to the center of the side that is closest to you.

The edge of this fold should run down the center of the napkin.

4. Repeat the last step with the other side, folding the farleft corner in to rest along side the previous fold.

5. Fold the right-flap out diagonally so that its outer edge runs even with the far edge of the napkin.

6. Repeat the previous step on the other side, folding the leftflap out diagonally to meet the far edge of the napkin.

7. Slide the left and the right sides together, allowing the napkin to bend at the farthest point. This will cause the flat, center part to bow.

Basic silverware pouch 1. Lay the napkin flat and fold in half with the open end facing away from you.

2. Fold the left half over the right half.

3. Turn the napkin so it resembles a diamond shape with the open end away from you.

4. Fold the top layer of the open end toward you.

5. Flip the napkin over.

6. Fold the left side over about twothirds and then do the same with the right.

7. Tuck the corners into the left side to create the final cone shape.

8. The folded napkin should have a slight pouch. Slip a candy cane or small silk flower inside before setting the napkin atop the dinner plate.

1. Lay the napkin face-down in front of you.

2. Fold the napkin in half with the open end toward you.

3. Fold the napkin into quarters.

4. Turn the napkin so the open corner is facing away and to the left.

5. Fold the topmost layer of napkin in half diagonally and press it down.

6. Turn the napkin over so that the open corner is now facing away and to the right.

7. Fold the right side back about 1/3 of the way and press it down.

8. Fold the left side back also about 1/3 of the way and press.

9. Flip it over, straighten it up and insert your silverware.

ART

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Home is where the art is Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

From old-school displays such as this to public galleries on the Internet, there are many ways of displaying your child’s artwork. GHNS illustrations

How to display your child’s masterpieces

By Stephanie Vozza Special to The Eagle

With three boys younger than 7, Heather Mann may be short on time, but one thing she isn’t lacking is kids’ artwork.

“Since my older two boys are in school, they each bring home two or three pieces of art per day,” says Mann, 35, of Salem, Ore. “In addition, we make art and crafts at home, so we are looking at a lot of children’s art.”

Mann has plenty of ideas for using her kids’ avalanche of creative projects. Her favorite is a custom gallery hanger she made by personalizing an old wooden pants hanger.

“It’s easy enough for anyone to do, but chic enough to fit in with any decor, and you can switch artwork out whenever you want,” she says.

Here are more ways to display or share your child’s masterpieces.

• Fasten a corkboard border around your child’s bedroom, the kitchen or the mudroom walls and attach your child’s art to it.

• Use clothespins to attach artwork to ribbon or picture wire strung above kitchen windows.

• Enroll grandparents and other loved ones into your own “Art of the Month Club,” and share a new piece each month.

• Use large paintings as one-of-akind gift wrap or book covers. Turn small pieces into stationery, cutting the pictures into different shapes and gluing them mosaic-style onto plain cardstock.

• Scan artwork into your computer and create a public gallery for relatives to view.

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Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

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STRESS FREE HOLIDAYS

Harried holidays?

Give yourself the gift of a stress-free season

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narled traffic, crushing crowds, long cashier lines, sold-out toys, tangled strings of broken lights, children screaming, houses not ready for guests, feuding families -- ’tis the season.

So what can we do about all the stress of the holidays? Psychologist Ronald Nathan shares tips from his self-help CD “Relieving Your Holiday Stress and Achieving Your New Year’s Resolutions.”

you will get it done. If anything, underestimate how much you can do and then plan to do the things that truly bring you joy.

For example, you might decide to write fewer cards this year, or write a couple of cards each day until the holiday. This way you can avoid doing them at the last minute and losing sleep, just when you will need your rest the most. In general, permit yourself to postpone whatever can wait until after the holidays.

Decrease financial and social

stress Planning is the first step Avoid making comparisons and Recall your worst moments dur- focus on what you feel is imporing past holidays and realistically tant. How much is enough when it plan what you want to do and how comes to gifts? Research suggests

that children request only three or four of the 11 or 12 gifts they receive during the holidays. This excess raises their expectations and commercializes the holidays.

If you can’t get the toy of the year, consider options such as having Santa place an IOU gift certificate under the tree, assuming you are maintaining the magic of St. Nick.

Is the gift beyond your budget?

This can be an opportunity to help your child understand the difference between a need and a want. If complaints arise about other children’s good fortune, you can explain that Santa’s stock is depleted or that some people are able to pay for extra elves. If your child has prayed for the gift, it may be your chance to talk about how an

unanswered prayer is usually not a denial, but just a delay. It may also be a good time to emphasize the virtues of patience and hope in the face of disappointment.

For an older child, ways of earning and saving for the wanted item during the new year can be discussed. When you learn of unmet desires, you may want to develop a wish file that your child can fill.

This can help your child feel more actively involved, and you can use it to look for gifts that might be on sale before a birthday. Still another way of reducing the financial and decision stress of buying the right gifts for everyone is to ask family members to pick one name out of a hat and focus their efforts on the unique interests of that one recipient.

A spirited way of avoiding big

STRESS FREE HOLIDAYS

Exercise A hike around the mall can also do wonders for you because exercise is one of nature’s best tranquilizers and mood -lifters. If you take the attitude that walking through the mall and to your car is good exercise and you are properly dressed

for the weather, you can stop fran- holiday stress. tically searching for the closest Rule 1: Don’t sweat the small parking space and lower your over- stuff. all level of frustration.

Rule 2: It’s all small stuff. If you can’t fight and you can’t flee, then relax and flow.

Don’t overdo it If you are feeling overwhelmed with too much to do in too little Make peace time, it helps to create a list of onWhen families get together, they ly the most important things to do. need to be realistic and expect Avoid saying, “There’s too much some conflict, some friction along to do, I’ll never get it done.” In- with the warmth. The forced tostead, say rather, “I’ll make list of getherness of the holidays can easthe most important things and get ily lead to arguments. started.”

What can you do about it? If If you feel overwhelmed, stop you want peace, you must respond and do something for yourself that peacefully. It’s a time for yielding calms you. Read a book or take a rather than standing your ground. bath.

Don’t get stuck doing everything Party pointers yourself while suffering in silence When planning a party, rememand stockpiling anger. Avoid tryber it is not the host’s responsibiling to do everything for everyone.

Instead, speak up and get everyone ity for everyone to have fun. The pitching in to help out. If you del- goal is to provide a setting that egate, teach and follow-up with an would encourage guests to have a eye toward what each member can good time and make it more likely do best, they’ll enjoy the pride of that they will. Hosts can’t actually feeling useful, and be willing and make anyone have fun.

Don’t try to give the perfect party able to contribute for many years -give a friendly one. Your feelings to come.

To help you to keep many of are contagious, so relax and enjoy these suggestions in mind, I’d like your company. Your guests would to share with you two rules for rather have a relaxed hostess than

an extra cheese ball. If you like hosting holiday parties but always feel overwhelmed, have each guest bring something. This way, you can enjoy the company without having to do all the work.

If you are hosting a dinner with more than six guests and you have invited more than one Scrooge, you might consider carefully separating them with place cards. Distance is a great buffer to conflict. If possible, seat the children with the grown-ups. This usually brings out the best behavior and gives children a chance to become better-acquainted with their relatives.

If a guest is truly disruptive, ask the person to help you in the kitchen. Then ask the person a good question, such as, “Humor me -what’s really going on?” Once the problem is aired, understanding can be communicated and solutions sought. Remember, the pain a person causes others is usually in direct proportion to their own pain. Our tolerance and compassion can make a big difference.

Many times, we get too serious about our holidays. Aren’t some of our most memorable moments the least-expected situation comedies of our lives? Laughing at ourselves helps managing stress.

Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

bills is to plan inexpensive activities like caroling, reading holiday stories, or volunteering at shelters and hospitals. These can be a cost-containing way to find the joy in giving and experience what has been called “the helper’s high.”

Researchers have found this to be much like the runner’s high — a wonderfully relaxing sense of well being. Another inexpensive group activity is to pass out blank cards and ask everyone to write down anonymously what they are most thankful for, then read them out loud.

When you arrive at a store, you can help ease the stress by thinking: “There is no perfect gift; I’m going to have fun picking out something they’ll probably enjoy getting and if they don’t like it, they can always return it,” instead of thinking that you have to find the perfect gift.

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Boots, Britches, Bobbles & Bling.

Ask us about our custom-made boots!

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Located inside Post Oak Mall (979) 694-6505 mulebarnonline.com

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CRAFTS

Thursday, December 20, 2012____________shopbrazos.com____________The Eagle

Glittering garland

Use old cereal boxes for a fun holiday craft

By Teresa Blackburn

wire cutters, craft knife with a sharp blade, scissors, pencil, silver spray paint, silver glitter, white craft glue Turn cereal and pasta boxes in- and brush for applying. n Rubber gloves and mask. to stars (or other shapes) and string them on wire with magnolia leaves Cut boxes so they will lay flat. and tiny gourds for the winter holOn unprinted side using a penidays. Spray-paint them any color cil, freehand draw a simple, you like and hang. child-like star on the larger “front” Here’s what you’ll need: n Decorative wire or ribbon. and “back” panels of each box. This (Amount depends on how long you would be a great job for your children! Vary star sizes for interest. plan to make your garland.)

Use craft knife or scissors to n For stars: Cereal boxes, crackcut out each star from box er boxes or any other boxes you set panel. Make a hole with the aside for recycling. n Sturdy leaves (like magnolia hole punch in one of the tips of each leaves), miniature pumpkins and star for hanging.

Lay all cut-out stars on flat gourds with stems; unshelled walsurface that is safe to spraynuts; twigs; dried fruit slices; dried paint on. I always do my spray mini ears of corn. n Hole punch, thin sliver wire and painting outside on a day with no wind on an old tarp. Wear gloves Special to The Eagle

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and a mask for safety. Spray each side of all stars with silver coating well to cover up any printing. Make sure to spray edges well. When dry, set aside.

Lay all other gathered garland materials out on spraying surface and spray all with silver spray paint. Let dry.

Attach lengths of wire to each star, looping through punched hole and securing by wrapping wire several times through the hole.

Wire other items as well so they can later be attached to garland. For nuts I wrapped the wire around the middle several times and twisted the wire to secure.

Leaves and mini pumpkins were wired around the stems. Be sure to leave enough wire to hang them from garland.

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Everything is now painted and wired. It is time to glitter.

Working on a flat surface covered with newspaper, apply white craft glue with brush to each sprayed item, sprinkle with glitter and let dry. Repeat process until all sides are glittered and dry. This is also a great job for the kids.

To create my garland I hung heavier moss-covered wire across an open doorway in my home securing with pushpins, but you can use tape as well -- whatever works for your walls. Attach each glittered recycled item evenly and decoratively to create your own Holiday Glitter Garland.

Another box recycling idea for the holidays: Spray boxes with silver, gold, red or green paint and use for packaging gifts. — Teresa Blackburn is Relish’s prop and food stylist.

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