Shiva’s Holiday Craft Night

my holiday-inspired creation

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved making things. Crafts. And even at age ten, I was a promoter of planning craft nights with friends (although then it was more like a “craft afternoon”). Now as a grown-up lady, my friends and I often get together, open a bottle of wine, eat some good food and make things. An inspired evening transpired this past weekend, when my sweet friend Shiva hosted a night of holiday crafting for a small group. Guests were greeted with mugs of spiced mulled wine and bowls of winter minestrone soup (from the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook). My favorite dish of the night was roasted butternut squash with pomegranate seeds and bacon (will be recreating this soon). After a few hours of focused crafting (greeting cards and holiday decorations), our prize was a slice of homemade apple crostada with pistachio ice cream.

gorgeous flowers (in a pumpkin, mind you) by Moon Canyon 

hard at work 

gorgeous mess 

rachel brought the crafts! 

dried flowers and branches

bowls of cinnamon sticks

proud crafters

our prize – a slice of warm apple crostada

our gracious hostess and I pose for a picture.