Courtyards & Cobblestones 2014

 www.courtyardsandcobblestones.com

I can't believe it's that time of year again! We are less than a month away from Courtyards & Cobblestones 2014 taking place downtown Wilmington, NC. If you are a bride looking to plan your wedding in Wilmington, you won't want to miss this creative bridal event. Bring your husband-to-be and tour six historical venues while meeting and greeting our areas top wedding professionals. I hope to see you there!

MORE INFO ABOUT C&C

Courtyards & Cobblestones is an event designed to showcase historic wedding venues and wedding professionals on a downtown Wilmington self-guided tour. We aim to provide an inspirational and transitional atmosphere for Brides to tour and plan their wedding day.

On your SELF-GUIDED TOUR  you will experience six themed reception and ceremony sites in our city's oldest landmarks. Let Wilmington's history be a part of your future!

MINGLE with Wilmington’s top wedding professionals as they showcase their products and services.

ENJOY music from local artists as you sample scrumptious appetizers, lite bites and tasty treats!

HAPPY BRIDES could walk away winning fantastic jewelry giveaways from Reeds' Jewelers and other fantastic giveaways from Pressed Cotton. Attend for your chance to win!


ADMISSION & TICKETS:

www.courtyardsandcobblestones.com
Online - $18
Door - $25

TIME:
4:00 pm to 8:00 pm

CHECK IN LOCATION:
The Atrium - 15 South 2nd Street - Downtown Wilmington
Check in will be from 3:30 to 6:oo 

Merry Christmas! Love, The Mattis Family

 

  

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you.

May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
and give you peace.

Merry Christmas to you and yours this holiday season!

With Love, 

The Mattis Family

Salt Dough Ornaments

I remember making salt dough figures and shapes when I was a little one in pre-school and even some in elementary school. It was a fun craft. I remember the way it felt in my hands and even the way it tasted. :) But what all of the Moms in pre-school loved and remembered was the little hand print shapes in the dough, knowing their kids would grow and if it didn't break a hand print was stuck in time and a treasured keep sake. I am now on the opposite end of this craft and one who wants to freeze these little hand prints in time and keep them on my Christmas tree... sighs.

I live for moments, crafts and adventures that take me right back to sweet memories I had as a child but what a true blessing it is to be an adult and have an opportunity to experience it all over again from a different view point and with new eyes.  I love sharing moments like this with SM & E.

Excited to pass this craft on and make some keep sakes for our 2013 Christmas tree we had to do this! In a small window of time my kids and I were able prepare the salt dough and make our shapes. We then left the shapes out to dry for several hours and then baked them for about 3 hours at a low temperature. We then painted, decorated and hung them on our tree! I hope you can pass this along to your kids this holiday!

WHAT YOU NEED: 

1 cup salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup warm water

Eve adding in the salt

This does get messy :)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix salt and flour in a large bowl.
2. Stir in the warm water and mix well until it forms a doughy consistency.
3. With your hands form a ball with your dough and kneed it for at least 5 minutes. As you need the dough it will get smoother. 
4. Shape and press your dough onto a flat surface and either cut shapes out with a cookie cutter or shape them as you wish. We decided to shape our own circle and put a handprint in the dough and cut around the hand.
5. To add a hole in the dough use a straw to remove a small circle from the dough.

I used a knife and cut around the hand print after the impression was made.

You can paint your ornaments or shapes with acrylic paints and seal them with a varnish or polyurethane spray. The kids loved being a part of all of the salt dough ornaments steps the making, the baking and the painting.

Reindeer Hand print

Cookie Ornament for Santa

Eve's hand print Santa process

Stephen Michael with his cookie, snowman and reindeer!