Our gingerbread house tradition

My daughter Bethany and I have a tradition of making a gingerbread house every Christmas.  It started several years ago when we visited my sister's house over the holidays. She was so sweet to share her tradition with my young daughter and myself by letting us help her make their gingerbread house.  After helping my sister, we were hooked.  We have made our own edible masterpiece every Christmas since.  Even the year we moved into our new home on December 18th we didn't let that stop us.  We may not have had all our boxes unpacked, but you better believe we made a gingerbread house before Christmas day!

For the past few years, we have been using the book, The Gingerbread Architect by Susan Matheson and Lauren Chattman.  I have other books about gingerbread houses, but none compare to this book. Not only does it give you inspiration, but you find the pattern for each house in the book, and a little history about the house's architecture. You also get detailed instructions, recommendations for candy to use for decoration as well as a yummy recipe for the gingerbread.  This book has patterns for simple houses as well as the more challenging.  You will know the complexity of the construction by the rating that is given in the book.  The houses are rated from one gingerbread for easy up to 4 gingerbread for more difficult.

This year, we went with the Second Empire/Mansard house plan.

The first step after deciding what house to build is making the pattern.  My daughter typically takes this task on each year.

Once the pattern is made and cut out.  It's time to make the gingerbread.  Like I said, we use the recipe in the book.  It's a basic gingerbread recipe.  Most gingerbread recipes need to be refrigerated a few hours to allow the dough to chill before you roll it out. 

Once the gingerbread is chilled, roll it out like you would sugar cookie dough.  Place the pattern over the rolled gingerbread and cut around each pattern piece using the sharp tip of a paring knife.  Bake according to recipe instructions.  Allow to cool and remove from baking sheets, lying flat until you have cut out and baked all your pieces and are ready to construct your house.

For assembly, we use royal icing.  The book also gives you an icing recipe.  This year we used a royal icing mix.  All you add is water.  It worked well.

Another helpful tip we learned to help with assembly is using straight pins.  They work kind of like nails to hold the pieces together while the royal icing dries.

Clearly, you can see we are NOT professionals!!  Our icing is messy and our seams are not clean.  We still have MUCH to learn!!!

After you get it assembled, it is time for decorating.  We generally start with the roof and work our way down.  For decorating, we use buttercream icing.  Rice Krispy treats formed into wreaths, garland, trees and bushes makes for quick and colorful decorations.

Another thing we like adding to our house is lighting.  We place a 10 watt bulb inside.  We also use crushed candy to make "windows" and bake it for around 5 minutes until candy has melted.  When it dries, it hardens into a translucent "glass" effect.

Here are a few houses from previous years.

This house was made to look like our home.  An English Tudor.

This is our attempt at a Carpenter Gothic.  We did this one 3 years ago.



Two years ago, I made my own pattern, and we made a house to look like my daughter's house, in honor of her buying her first home that year. 





Last year, we made a farm house.  I think it's one of my favorites we have ever made.

Whether you build a simple house or try for a more challenging one, the most important thing you will build is memories.  My daughter and I have built 12 years of memories now with our gingerbread houses, and I am so thankful for each one of them!

Christmas at Bethany's Fancy Dancy house

A couple of years ago, my daughter bought a cute little house, just a few blocks from us.  It was a short sale, and perfect for this single girl who was studying to be an elementary school teacher.  Since purchasing the house, Bethany has finished school, is now teaching first grade and loves living in what she calls her "Fancy Dancy House" because it sits on Dancy Street. 

 

Even before Bethany moved into her home, she started collecting vintage inspired Christmas decorations, fitting for her cute little cottage. 

 

Bethany places her tree between the living room and dining room areas.  She has small touches of Christmas sprinkled throughout the space.  In a house this small, a little goes a long way to giving it that Christmas feel.

 

 

Bethany used home made snow globes on a vintage tray for the table centerpiece.  They look cute on her vintage tablecloth.

 

Elf on a shelf sits atop the cupboard and approvingly looks over the space.

Bethany has even added Christmas to her wall gallery in her living room area.

 

Doesn't every teacher need a map of the United States in her home?  Bethany placed a garland over her map and uses it to display her Christmas cards.

 

 

Tree trimming is extra fun in such a cute space.  Bethany's tree is trimmed with home made glitter word garland and whimsical, vintage inspired ornaments.

 

 

 

Isn't it so fitting for a first grade teacher to use Little Golden Books in her decorating?

 

 

The kitchen is peppered with a few touches as well.  Again, it's such a tiny space, it doesn't take much to get you in the mood to roll out some yummy Christmas cookies!

 

 

 

This sweet space is perfect for the sweet teacher who resides there.  Merry Christmas from the Fancy Dancy house!

 

 

A day in St. Simons

One of my favorite nearby places to visit is St. Simons Island, GA.  Only one and a half hours north of Jacksonville, St. Simon's Island is like stepping back into time in the deep south.  The island is rich in beauty as well as history.  I'm not sure which one of these characteristics about the island draws me more, the beauty or the history, but I love them both.    

A few years ago I read Eugenia Price's historical fiction trilogy that she wrote about St. Simon's Island and some of it's prominent figures of the past.  I found myself feeling such a connection with the characters in her novels.  I felt as if they were my friends, even though they lived on the island over two hundred years ago.  James Gould, Horace Gould, Ana Gould Dodge and Anson Dodge all played important roles in shaping the history of St. Simons.  I couldn't wait to go back and retrace their steps and reacquaint myself with the island they all called home.

A friend of mine asked if I would like to take a day to practice photography.  We each enjoy the hobby.  When she asked if I had any suggestions as to where to go, I immediately thought of St. Simons.

 The light house, originally built by James Gould in 1808 was demolished by confederate soldiers during the civil war.  A new lighthouse was built next to the foundation of the original and completed in 1872, and still stands today.  The beautiful tower stands tall on the southwest corner of the island.

 

 

 

Jessica looks pretty relaxed for just climbing the 129 step spiral staircase to the top of the tower!  But it's worth it for the beautiful views.

Another amazing place we visited on the island was Christ's Church.  The Gould family was very instrumental in having the church built.  After the civil war, Christ's Church also had to be rebuilt.  Anson Dodge came to town and had a deep desire to not only rebuild the church, but to pastor it.  His heart was drawn toward the people of St. Simons and wanted to be their shepherd.  His dream became a reality, and the church he rebuilt and pastored still opens it's doors for worship every Sunday.

When you walk around to the back of the property you can't help but have an immediate solemnness come over you as you are greeted by the graves of these historical figures who made such an impact on their community.  Their lives made a difference. 

 

 

When you enter Christ Church, you can see the beautiful architecture that Anson Dodge designed and built over one hundred and forty years ago.  His eye for detail was impeccable.

 

 

The history and impact of religious leaders does not stop with Anson Dodge.  Preceding him by many years were the Wesley brothers, John and Charles.  Rumor has it, back before the church was ever built, they both preached on the property where the church now stands, underneath an old oak tree.  The tree is no longer there.  It fell a few years ago.  But the impact of the two brothers remains on the island today.

 

 

 

 

There is so much more to see on the island, but these three places were all we had time to explore on our one day visit.  Another day perhaps, we will go back and see what else the beautiful St. Simons has to teach us.