Gingerbread Spice Tea

One of my most favorite things about this time of year (besides Christmas!)...

Gingerbread Spice Tea

I LOVE this tea!  Papa Bear has been looking for it for me, and finally found it at Smart & Final.  So, he bought 3 packages of it.  YAY, Papa Bear!  I had my first cup of it this morning, and it's so delicious!  Now, if we can find the "Sugar Cookie" flavored tea by Celestial Seasonings, I will be a happy camper!

What is your favorite tea?

What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

Mama Bear

Black Friday Sale in my Etsy Shop

‎**********BLACK FRIDAY SALE********** 

Get 30% off ALL HOLIDAY/CHRISTMAS Photo Greeting Card Designs this week only! Use coupon code: BLACKFRIDAY30 at checkout. Good through November 26th at Midnight PST only. This code may ONLY be used on Holiday or Christmas Photo Greeting cards.

Get your printable Holiday or Christmas Photo Greeting Card design at

Bear River Photo Greetings.

Mama Bear

A Fun New Venture -- Hair Accessories

I have been playing around with making headbands for my little girl with all of the little curls.  I have bought quite a few on Etsy.com and have thought "I can probably do this!".  So I bought some headband elastic, some artificial flowers, some other goodies, and I started to put things together.  I have so many flowers, that  I am now wondering if I should start selling these!

I LOVE how this one turned out!  Pretty much exactly how I envisioned it, but without the feathers.  I am working on a few others and will post when I get the chance.

Mama Bear

Make Your Spaghetti Better

The Bear Family LOOOOOOOVES my spaghetti.  And anyone who I've taken it to (we have a thing in our church where we take meals to families who have just had babies...or have had surgeries, or whatever) has LOVED it.  I don't do anything super special, but I will be glad to share what I do to kick it up a notch.

For the most part, we use Trader Joe's Spaghetti Sauce, but you can use any sauce you like.  Then, I just add about a tablespoon (or more) of Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and some fresh, chopped basil.  I also will add sometimes, a teaspoon of dried oregano and some minced garlic (unless the sauce already has garlic in it).  Sometimes I will also need to add a small can of tomato paste to thicken the sauce up a bit.

Everyone in our family eats this meal with gusto, from our 11 month old foster daughter, all the way up to Papa Bear....and we pretty much eat it once a week, with NO complaints!

It may not be the way the Italians do it, but it's the way Mama Bear does it.

Mama Bear

Did you Burn Yourself -- Honey?

Honey.

It's not just for bears.

When you burn yourself, whether it's with the curling iron, a hot pan, the microwave steam burn (you KNOW which one I mean!!!), or whatever, the best thing that I know to do is put honey on it right away!  If there is food on the burn, be sure to wash the food off first with cold water.  Then apply a thin coat of honey to the burned area.  Honey has healing properties that take away the sting and the redness.  The longer you are able to leave it on, the better, of course.

Yesterday, I burned my thumb when popping popcorn on the stove.  Somehow, the potholder allowed a bit of steam or hot oil or something come through one of the stitches in the potholder, and it burnt me.  And it HURT!  I put honey on it, and was only able to leave it there for about 15 minutes, but it did the trick.  No burn mark, no redness, no pain. 

I promise!

(Please do not rely on this method for a major burn that needs professional medical attention!  If you need professional medical attention for a burn, please get it!!!)

Mama Bear

Want a 20% discount on your Christmas Photo Greeting Card from Bear River Photo Greetings?  Please"Like" my Facebook page and then get 20 of your friends to "Like" my Facebook page by November 24th, and I'll give you a special code to use for 20% off any Christmas or Holiday Photo Greeting Card design in my shop! Be sure they let me know who sent them! :-)

 The person who sends the MOST people over to "Like" my page before November 24th will get FIFTY percent off!!!

Check out my Holiday and Christmas designs HERE.

(Coupon Code expires December 31st)

Mama Bear