Happy Holidays!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye - I interrupt our usually scheduled British Invasion programming with a holiday announcement: The Monogram Holiday Assortment is complete! Go to the jump to see the contents but before you go... 

It's Friday so I can't leave you without a British Invasion song! In 1984, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote the song "Feed the World" in an effort to raise money for starving Ethiopia. The super band was a venerable Who's Who of 80s British pop music: Sting, Phil Collins, Simon LeBon, Paul Young, Jody Watley (I know, she's American), Bananarama, George Michael, Boy George and more came together and sang. Recorded and released in four days, it was an international hit and to this day, the song still moves me to tears. Feed your soul. Feed the World. 

"And in our world of plenty
We can spread a smile of joy"

I'd like to wish you all a happy and a merry, a joy and a glee, a full and a warm. Thank you for reading and supporting me through my first half year of blogging. It's been an incredible ride thus far so thank you thank you thank you. Mr. Mari and I will be in Florida visiting our families this coming week. To give our families my undivided attention and to start the New Year off fresh (and relaxed), I'm taking a small break from posting. Until then, happy eating and see you back here on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013! I think it's going to be a banner year! Woo hoo!

Here are the treats:

• Peppermint and Orange Puzzle Piece Marshmallows
• Ho Ho Ho! Candy Dots
• Monogram Apple and Cherry Flavored Stained Glass Candy Ornament Cookies
• Monogram Coconut Macaroons
• Chocolate Caramels
• Apple Cider Caramels
• Vanilla Toffee

I know, caramels don't have much to do with monograms or holiday but Ms. Ashley and I decided to have a caramel wrap-a-thon. We each made a recipe, made one batch together and joined forces for the tedious task of wrapping all of them. Having some company made the job definitely way more fun to do. I can't knit and talk but now I know I can wrap and chat. 

All the packaging (minus the ribbon, gold labels and plastic bags for the marshmallows) are from the Container Store. Since all the parts are different sizes and shapes, plopping them into preformed cupcake liners simply wouldn't do. The only really fragile item is the stained glass cookie. By cutting packing foam for the bottom and sides, the cookies should be swaddled enough. Just no shaking of the tin!

The dotted waxed paper is my go-to tissue paper for food. It's festive and super cute. I cut each sheet into six pieces and loosely wrapped each food element. 

Since some of these tins were being shipped, I not only added a layer of foam to the top but also a 'box of chocolates' decoder key. I can't stand biting into a chocolate and wondering what I'm supposed to taste. By knowing ahead of time what you're about to put in your mouth, you only have to enjoy it and not try and analyze it at the same time. 

Being me, I couldn't just send a plain ol' white tin. The coordinating holiday polka dot wrapping paper seemed fortuitous but to add more oomph to the package, it needed something 3D. A paper carnation, perhaps? Yes! Super simple to make:

I used this tutorial but used a single sheet of the dotted waxed paper instead. Take one sheet of waxed paper and cut it into six pieces (same as the treat liners). Place all the sheets on top of one another and face the short end towards you. Fan-fold the stack into 3/8-inch folds. Don't worry too much if it gets a little wonky. Sew two stitches in the center with some white thread. Cut the ends into points or a half moon (or just use pinking shears). Separate each sheet from one another. Voila! A little hot glue and you've got yourself a poofy tin topper!