Christmas in July Day 4: Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day everyone.  For many, celebrating the 4th of July means a pancake breakfast, hanging out at the park with friends and family, camping, boating trips, hamburgers, hotdogs and fireworks. Some aren't that lucky and have to work through the celebration. However, you are spending your day, I encourage you to stop and think about why you are able to enjoy the freedom you have today to do these things. Thank those around you who have served to provide that freedom. Stop and ponder about your ancestors who fought and sacrificed. Think about our forefathers and the courageous men they were for standing as patriots. 

The Preamble: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."


The History Channel has a great page on Independence Day, that includes several short videos telling the stories behind Independence Day. This short "Bet you Didn't Know Video", is full of quick, fun facts.





If you are a big history nerd like me, you can even own your own copy of the Declaration of Independence on Parchment Paper. Here's a link to purchase one on Ebay, but shop around. They come in all sizes and quality. 

Christmas in July Day 3: Patriotic Christmas Trees on a Budget

It's down to the wire here at home, but I'm determined I'm getting this post done before midnight here in Denver. I'll admit, I started working on it earlier today and was side tracked. And when I say sidetracked, I mean SIDETRACKED. While searching for patriotic themes, I came across some patriotic wedding theme ideas, that stopped me in my tracks. I had to save them for my daughter and that ended up taking a huge chunk out of my afternoon. I do plan on sharing those idea boards at a later date, so let's get busy with today's Patriotic Christmas trees.

One of my most popular post in the past, was a 4th Of July post about Patriotic Christmas Trees. I'll admit, if I could have endless Christmas trees, one of them would be themed in Red, White and Blue, with all kinds of presidential and patriotic themed ornaments. I've seen some beautiful ornaments, but most are super expensive. After 9/11 I did put together my attempt at a patriotic tree, however it was on a budget. I used a white tree I already owned, transformed some blue ornaments from Christmas in the past and added some star die cuts from the dollar store. It wasn't as fancy, but it was perfect! Thinking about that today, got me thinking about how you can put together a patriotic tree on a budget.


By just using lights or garland, you can transform a white tree or  green tree perfectly.

This tree takes it a bit further in details, but limits the decorations to lights, bulbs and poinsettias. Personally I love it!

Think small! Little details can often make all the difference. This tree uses curly ribbon in red, white and blue and I think it's fabulous.

Make your own paper star garland or red, white and blue paper chains.

Using lights outside, can be just as simple and effective in making a statement.

I know not all families choose to have a themed tree and not all families have more then one tree. This holiday junkie just happens to have to many themes to count and probably would have more, if I could. However, switching it up once every few years, can be fun for the entire family. Get the kids involved. Have them make some homemade ornaments. You'll be surprised at how such a simple change can bring some extra sparkle into your holiday. 



Side note: I do not own these photos. I do apologize for not having more links to original sites. The majority of these pics, took me no when when I tried to link on Pinterest. So if you are the owner of these photos, feel free to notify me and I'll get the information added. 

Christmas in July Day 2: Save a Seat

Some think it's a bit early to start planning for activities during December, but when it comes to stage productions and purchasing tickets, now can be the perfect time. No only do you get better seats buying them in July, it will also help with your holiday budget. Having such a large purchase out of the way, always feels great. Most tickets for December productions have been released, so if you haven't checked what's playing this coming season in your area, take a few minutes, talk it over with your friends and family and get those tickets purchased!

Here's what we have listed in the Denver area for 2014. Some are national tours, others yearly traditions for those in the area.

 

Christmas in July Day 1: 2014 CIJ TV Schedule

It's July 1st and I'm super excited to be hosting another Christmas in July celebration here on the Confessions of a Holiday Junkie Blog. As usual, it will be a modge podge of information, tutorials, recipes, crafts, videos and links.

Today I thought I'd start by sharing the CIJ 2014 TV schedule listed on It's a Wonderful Movie. July is always a great time to catch those Christmas movies you missed the previous year on Hallmark or just an awesome excuse to watch your favorites all over again!

July 1, 2014 - Tuesday
Christmas in July Sale Preview ... QVC

July 4, 2014 - Friday
Angel in the Family … HMC … 6 AM
Christmas in Canaan … HMC … 8 AM
Christmas Comes Home to Canaan … HMC … 10 AM
Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe … HMC … 12 PM
The Case for Christmas … HMC … 2 PM
The Christmas Spirit … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
Window Wonderland … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
The Ultimate Gift … HMC … 4 PM
Finding Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
Our First Christmas … HMC … 6 PM
The Christmas Ornament … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
November Christmas … HMC … 8 PM
Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
The Christmas Card … HMC … 10 PM

July 5, 2014 - Saturday
Help for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe … HMC … 12 AM
A Bride for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
Angel in the Family … HMC … 2 AM
The Christmas Ornament … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
Christmas in Canaan … HMC … 4 AM
Finding Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith … HMC … 6 AM
The Christmas Spirit … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
The Case for Christmas … HMC … 8 AM
Window Wonderland … Hallmark Channel … 10 AM
The Ultimate Gift … HMC … 10 AM
Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 12 PM
Our First Christmas … HMC … 12 PM
Help for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
November Christmas … HMC … 2 PM
Hitched for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
The Christmas Card … HMC … 4 PM
Snow Bride … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
A Christmas Visitor … HMC … 6 PM
A Bride for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
A Christmas Wish … HMC … 8 PM
Hats Off to Christmas! … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
The Town Christmas Forgot … HMC … 10 PM

July 6, 2014 - Sunday
Matchmaker Santa … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
A Season For Miracles … HMC … 12 AM
Fir Crazy … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
The Three Gifts … HMC … 2 AM
Christmas With Holly … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith … HMC … 4 AM
Hitched for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
The Christmas Choir … HMC … 6 AM
Catch a Christmas Star … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
A Christmas Wish … HMC … 8 AM
Matchmaker Santa … Hallmark Channel … 10 AM
Silver Bells … HMC … 10 AM
Snow Bride … Hallmark Channel … 12 PM
The Three Gifts … HMC … 12 PM
Naughty or Nice (2012) … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
A Christmas Visitor … HMC … 2 PM
Hats Off to Christmas! … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
The Town Christmas Forgot … HMC … 4 PM
Fir Crazy … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
A Season For Miracles … HMC … 6 PM
Let It Snow … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
Silver Bells … HMC … 8 PM
Christmas With Holly … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
The Christmas Choir … HMC … 10 PM

July 7, 2014 - Monday
Naughty or Nice (2012) … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
Cancel Christmas … HMC … 12 AM
Catch a Christmas Star … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
A Christmas Carol (2004) … HMC … 2 AM
Let It Snow … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
The Note … HMC … 4 AM
Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
Secret of Giving … HMC … 6 AM
The Christmas Pageant … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
Cancel Christmas … HMC … 8 AM
Mr. St. Nick … HMC … 10 AM
The Case for Christmas … HMC … 12 PM
Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
A Christmas Carol (2004) … HMC … 2 PM
Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
An Old Fashioned Christmas … HMC … 4 PM
A Holiday Engagement … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
The Ultimate Gift … HMC … 6 PM
A Very Merry Mix-Up … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
A Dog Named Christmas … HMC … 8 PM
You’ve Got Mail … UP … 9 PM
The Christmas Spirit … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
Christmas with Tucker … HMC … 10 PM

July 8, 2014 - Tuesday
Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
Mr. St. Nick … HMC … 12 AM
The Christmas Pageant … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
Secret of Giving … HMC … 2 AM
Christmas Song … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
Silent Night … HMC … 4 AM
A Holiday Engagement … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
The Case for Christmas … HMC … 6 AM
A Very Merry Mix-Up … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
An Old Fashioned Christmas … HMC … 8 AM
The Ultimate Gift … HMC … 10 AM
Christmas in Canaan … HMC … 12 PM
The Christmas Spirit … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
Christmas Comes Home to Canaan … HMC … 2 PM
The Wishing Tree … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
A Dog Named Christmas … HMC … 4 PM
Catch a Christmas Star … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
Christmas with Tucker … HMC … 6 PM
Window Wonderland … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
The Christmas Heart … HMC … 8 PM
Help for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
The Christmas Card … HMC … 10 PM

July 9, 2014 - Wednesday
Meet the Santas … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith … HMC … 12 AM
The Wishing Tree … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
Angel in the Family … HMC … 2 AM
Annie Claus is Coming to Town … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving … HMC … 4 AM
Window Wonderland … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
A Dog Named Christmas … HMC … 6 AM
Help for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
A Christmas Wish … HMC … 8 AM
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith … HMC … 10 AM
Angel in the Family … HMC … 12 PM
Catch a Christmas Star … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
The Town Christmas Forgot … HMC … 2 PM
Meet the Santas … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
The Christmas Heart … HMC … 4 PM
Hitched for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
The Christmas Card … HMC … 6 PM
Snow Bride … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
A Christmas Wish … HMC … 8 PM
Finding Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
November Christmas … HMC … 10 PM

July 10, 2014 - Thursday
Annie Claus is Coming to Town … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
Cancel Christmas … HMC … 12 AM
Matchmaker Santa … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
The Christmas Choir … HMC … 2 AM
Santa Switch … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
The Town Christmas Forgot … HMC … 4 AM
Christmas Dance … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage … HMC … 6 AM
Hitched for the Holidays … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
Our First Christmas … HMC … 8 AM
Secret of Giving … HMC … 10 AM
Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe … HMC … 12 PM
Snow Bride … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
November Christmas … HMC … 2 PM
Finding Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
The Christmas Choir … HMC … 4 PM
Hats Off to Christmas! … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
Cancel Christmas … HMC … 6 PM
Fir Crazy … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
A Season For Miracles … HMC … 8 PM
Matchmaker Santa … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
Silver Bells … HMC … 10 PM

July 11, 2014 - Friday
Moonlight & Mistletoe … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
Secret of Giving … HMC … 12 AM
Christmas Dance … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
Our First Christmas … HMC … 2 AM
A Carol Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage … HMC … 4 AM
It's Christmas, Carol! … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
Anne Tyler's Saint Maybe … HMC … 6 AM
Hats Off to Christmas! … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith … HMC … 8 AM
The Three Gifts … HMC … 10 AM
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving … HMC … 12 PM
Fir Crazy … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
A Season For Miracles … HMC … 2 PM
Moonlight & Mistletoe … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
Silver Bells … HMC … 4 PM
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
Secret of Giving … HMC … 6 PM
Christmas With Holly … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
Christmas Visitor … HMC … 8 PM
A Bride for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
Cancel Christmas … HMC … 10 PM

July 12, 2014 - Saturday
Christmas Magic … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
What I Did For Love … HMC … 12 AM
It's Christmas, Carol! … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
The Three Gifts … HMC … 2 AM
Baby's First Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith … HMC … 4 AM
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving … HMC … 6 AM
Christmas Magic … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
Secret of Giving … HMC … 8 AM
A Bride for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 10 AM
A Christmas Visitor … HMC … 10 AM
Christmas With Holly … Hallmark Channel … 12 PM
Cancel Christmas … HMC … 12 PM
A Boyfriend for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
What I Did For Love … HMC … 2 PM
The Christmas Ornament … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
Angel in the Family … HMC … 4 PM
A Very Merry Mix-Up … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
The Christmas Heart … HMC … 6 PM
Angels Sing … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM *NEW
Christmas with Tucker … HMC … 8 PM
Let It Snow … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
A Dog Named Christmas … HMC … 10 PM

July 13, 2014 – Sunday
Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 12 AM
The Christmas Card … HMC … 12 AM
Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 2 AM
November Christmas … HMC … 2 AM
Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 4 AM
The Ultimate Gift … HMC … 4 AM
A Princess for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 6 AM
The Christmas Heart … HMC … 6 AM
A Boyfriend for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 8 AM
A Dog Named Christmas … HMC … 8 AM
I’ll Be Seeing You (1944) … TCM … 8:30 AM
A Very Merry Mix-Up … Hallmark Channel … 10 AM
November Christmas … HMC … 10 AM
The Christmas Ornament … Hallmark Channel … 12 PM
A Christmas Wish … HMC … 12 PM
Let It Snow … Hallmark Channel … 2 PM
Christmas with Tucker … HMC … 2 PM
Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 4 PM
The Ultimate Gift … HMC … 4 PM
Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle … Hallmark Channel … 6 PM
November Christmas … HMC … 6 PM
Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 8 PM
The Christmas Card … HMC … 8 PM
A Princess for Christmas … Hallmark Channel … 10 PM
A Christmas Wish … HMC … 10 PM

July 19, 2014 – Saturday
QVC’s Christmas in July

July 20, 2014 – Sunday
QVC’s Christmas in July

Holiday Life Hacks

Each of these has some hits and misses on the "Hack" videos, but are fun to watch.

And for a Bonus, here's the "Summer Hack" edition.

Grumpy Cat's Worse Christmas Ever....Really?

You know, you see these animal videos go viral and think....Why didn't I think of that?  Well, the owners of Grumpy Cat, have gone beyond marketing images and are now making a Christmas movie for Lifetime. The storyline reads as " Grumpy stars as a lonely kitty in a mall pet store, where she deters potential owners with her grouchy face deters. Her bad luck changes when a 12-year-old girl named Chyrstal falls head over paws for the sour puss." 

Let me say, as a Christmas Movie Junkie, my expectations aren't exactly high, but I'll keep an OPEN MIND and let you know, just how this masterpiece turns out. 

A Hello Kidney Cake... A Special Celebration!

This past week, my niece celebrated her 1 year anniversary of her kidney transplant. Although her health has been far from perfect this past year, we are blessed by the donation and the life saving changes because of it.
She chose to celebrate and honor the donor of her kidney by releasing balloons with her family.

 I wanted to honor her and celebrate her accomplishments by making her a special cake. I knew I wanted to make her a Kidney cake, but after doing a search for ideas, I was flooded with choices. Believe it or not, alot of people have made Kidney cakes. Some are silly, others more realistic and some just have a weird color and I wasn't sure I wanted to go there.

Since my niece is 12, I wanted to be more girl friendly. Once I crossed paths with this photo and the group online, I knew I wanted to use it as my inspiration.

If you are interested in purchasing any Hello Kidney products or connecting with the group, you can do so at these links... 

 Hello Kidney On Facebook  

Hello Kidney T-Shirts


Now, I'd like to say upfront.  I'm far from being a cake expert, but I've dabbled in cake decorating a bit. 17 years ago or more, my friend called me and said.."Hey, lets go sign up for a cake decorating class". She was trying to find a new hobby, so I volunteered to tag along. We bought all the necessary supplies, enjoyed the class, but once we were done she never used those tools again. Me on the other hand, had a 2 year old daughter and put my skills to use for birthday cakes and parties throughout her childhood. Some turned out great, others so, so.  This one, I happen to be pretty proud of and even happier at how simple it was to make. Here are a few photos from the process.

 I started with a 9x13 cake, a paper template and a frozen cake. Using a frozen cake, warmed just a tad, gives you stability to cut your cake into the shape you want.

 I used the template as a guide and just used a sharp knife to cut a guide on top of the cake. Once I had my guide, I went back with a longer knife and carved the cake out. If you are having difficulty carving it, because it's still to frozen, just let it sit a few minutes and try again.

One of the most important steps in making a decorative cake is putting 2 layers of frosting on. The first, is your "crumb layer". You frost the cake quickly, with a thin layer of frosting, pop it back in the fridge or freezer for a few and then come back to put your final and thicker layer on. This keeps all those crazy crumbs from your carving taking over your final frosting master piece. For more details on crumb coating your cake, check out Martha Stewart's video tutorial.

This cake only required two colors, but two of the hardest colors to mix. Black and Red. I just so happened to have Wilton's tubes of each, which made my task even easier. Easier on time, but these tubs can give your hands a workout. I always seem to find these tubes on clearance after holidays and pick them up for future use. Christmas Red, can be used for Valentines Day, Valentines Red, can be used around the Fourth of July...ect! Just think ahead and outside of the box.

Here is my final piece.....

My 19 year old daughter was pretty impressed, being a Hello Kitty junkie. When I told her "to bad I never made you a Hello Kitty cake as a kid". I was quickly told "I still can", so I'll have to keep that in mind.

Now, on to the most important part of the story, delivering it to my niece.  As you can see from the photos, her smile tells the story.

Now on to more important things. Let me take a moment to share Shae's story and tell you how you can find out more information or get support following a diagnosis. In a matter of months and less then a year, my niece Shaelyn went from being a healthy young runner, to a fragile young lady, needing a desperate kidney transplant. After multiple misdiagnoses, and lost previous time, she was diagnosed with  Wegener's Granulomatosis. 

The kidney loss was a result of lost time treating her disease. Before she could be put on the transplant list, her disease needed to be stabilized. This was accomplished and just 6 days after being put on the transplant list, she was called with the news. She had a donor!

Today, her life is getting back to a "new normal". She's been home-schooled this past year, but plans of returning to middle school in the Fall. They've also been working hard at supporting and bringing awareness to the treatment of Wegeners Granulomotosis and Vasculitis by organizing a non-profit called W.G. Warriors.  In support, many of her friends and family, wear Red on Wednesdays to support Shae and W.G. warriors all over the world.
 

To support or contact W.G. Warriors, you can locate them on the web and Facebook.

W.G. Warriors Web Site

W.G. Warriors Facebook Page