Getting our Christmas swag on…

…More this weekend.

Enjoying the season?

Imbibe…Christmas-y, Tropical-y…

We don’t tend to do a classic red bow Christmas

in this tropical land of sun and color that is Florida

We happen to do pinks and oranges and gold gilded coconuts in this here casa.

 

So…say I…Why not add that  tropical twist on the classic Christmas eggnog?

Enter the Coquito.

Puerto Rico already figured this delicious concoction out…centuries ago.

It is true Feliz Navidad in a cup.

Slowly cooking egg yolks and evaporated milk over a double boiler

adding the quintessential tropical ingredients of

coconut milk, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla

and

white rum

Then blending…

and then…pouring into a cleaned wine bottle

and keeping in the fridge. Great to break out for guests.

Or continue to taste….and then REALLY get your decorating mojo going.

and hang glittery paper stars from the ceiling

as I may or may have not done.

Coquito:  helping your tropical flag to fly.

:: cha cha cha ::

Coquito…Puerto Rican Christmas eggnog

• 2 egg yolks, beaten
  
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
  
• 1 (8 ounce) can cream of coconut
  
• 8 oz of coconut milk (I use light)
  
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (I tried it with non-fat)
  
• 1 cup white rum
  

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• some fresh grated ginger (you can omit this….I did)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions

1. In the top of a double boiler, combine egg yolks and evaporated milk. Stirring constantly, cook over lightly simmering water until mixture reaches a temperature of 160 degrees F. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
2. Transfer mixture to a blender, and add cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, rum cloves, cinnamon,ginger  and vanilla. Blend for about 30 seconds.
3. Pour into glass bottles, and chill overnight.
4. Decorate your house in wild Christmas colors. You will. Promise.

 

~~~~~~~~~

Planting narcissus and bringing fall indoors…

Fall flowers awaiting their Thanksgiving debut

in a vintage champagne bucket

 

Ilex, croton from the garden…and orange tulips from afar

Paper white bulbs….

 

slowly opening and unfurling for winter

I love collecting thrift store trophy bowls and loving cups through the year

and planting the narcissus in them

easy….and so winter in the tropics to me!

 

“Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul.”

                                                                                       ~Koran

A bathroom…

As big as an airplane

lav….

 

That would be our  powder room.

Took me 4 minutes to paint it  including priming and getting the mail.

When just the Mexican star is lit….It feels like the night sky.

A fave snap of Picaso on the beach

brought to Staples and made into an engineering print

$4.99 clams.

Benjamin Moore Hale Navy on the teensy walls.

Now

just need to place this  suggestion somewhere…

Apparently tight spaces can be confusing…

OOOO

carry on.

Land of the free…BECAUSE of the brave.

To an awesome Veteran’s Day!

This time…a ONE minute lamp re-do.

I tell ya.

Getting faster and faster at this.

:: Lamp re-do weekend in the ole casa ::

Added some grass cloth wallpaper to these lamp shades

 

And

well... you know.

Big Black Dog approved.

Another 3 minute re-do…'cause that is all the time I can afford...

So…I found a  reading lamp

for 30 clams

Nothing exceptional….but wanted the warmth of brass.

Enter this paint

and about two minutes of my time

 

Voila.

Now the dog can read

On HIS couch

::sigh::