You don’t need a contractor’s license to build this house – just directions and a lot of candy! The instructions are in A Christmas Handbook, you bring the candy.

Our launch was a success! Friends and fans of A Christmas Handbook had fun at our boutique launch.

The house was dressed in winter finery.

As guests entered, they were greeted by an Advent calendar made of felt stockings.

Refreshments were made from recipes in A Christmas Handbook. Favorites included Mixed Nut English Toffee, Pecan Sandies, Peppermint Crunch Cheesecake, Krisp Kringle cinnamon popcorn, Walker’s Shortbread (R) and Utah Truffles (R).

Friendly retro-style decorations adorned the refreshment area.

In the demonstration room, there were crafts and gift projects from A Christmas Handbook. There were also thrifty gifties from thrift shops.

2 guests at the launch won A Christmas Handbook as door prizes! We had a fun afternoon, and copies of A Christmas Handbook went home with many friends.

Book launch! Save the Date: November 9th from 1 – 4 p.m. Come enjoy treats, fun and prizes!

A Christmas Handbook was just awarded an Author to Watch designation by Richard Paul Evan’s Author Ready group. What makes A Christmas Handbook special and why does it stand out from other Christmas planning books?

Engaging Christmas celebrations – we all want our get-togethers to be special and memorable; with a touch of the traditional and something novel added to keep it fresh.  Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the World, a time deserving of our best efforts. As a caterer, event and ward activities planner in Fallbrook, Newport Beach and Carlsbad, CA and Kaysville, UT, I’ve had the pleasure of creating meals and activities for groups from family-sized to several hundred participants. In my role as wife and mother, I’ve created Christmas activities and memories for my family for nearly 50 years.

A Christmas Handbook has 9 full party plans, over 90 recipes, 45 craft and gift patterns, including the toddler busy book shown above. There are activities that you can follow or change and personalize as needed. These are the party themes:

A Little Lambie Baby Shower – in honor of the birth of the Lamb of God and our Good Shepherd, this is a lamb-themed shower where guests bring baby gifts to be given to shelters or families in need. This can also be used with children’s nativity programs, Evening in Bethlehem ward and family parties, women’s group activities and other charitable events.

St. Nicholas Eve Dinner – Our youngest son was born on St. Nicholas Eve. As we started having birthday parties for him, we incorporated the tradition of leaving our shoes out to receive a small treat. This is a fun way to enjoy a little pre-Christmas activity to take the edge off waiting and to learn about the ancient Christian tradition and charity of St. Nicholas. Also fun for families that want to have a Santa-themed party if they are saving Christmas Eve for a Christ-centered activity.

The Party that Wasn’t invites people to forego an activity and instead donate the party funds to a family in need or charity.

The Nutcracker Party features the iconic story and ballet that are so popular during the holidays. Exploring Tchaikovsky’s fantasy world is a great way for little ones to learn about music and art while having fun.

Frosty’s Cozy Winter Party features a retro version of the good-natured snowman. With food and fun, this party can even carry over to January after Christmas quiets down and as the gray of winter wears on.

Merry and Bright is a vintage party for mid-century holiday and Santa fans. With old-school refreshments, music and merriment, this step back in time is a colorful reminder of the good times we spent with parents, friends, grandparents and family long ago.

Paint with Pals – here is another creative activity for Moms and others who need a night to relax and unwind. Snacks, chats and art make for a welcome diversion.

Christmas Ornament-Making and Exchange parties are perennial favorites. From July to November, this activity is a way to prep for Christmas before the busyness of the holiday season catches up to us. Who knows – you might find inspiration for your next Christmas theme.

Christmas Villains – an antidote to the sweetness of holiday themes, this party features famous baddies. Green foods and a not-so-fun game give a nice variation to ugly sweater parties. The premise is fun, especially for pro-antagonist types.

The book features:

“The Birth” used by permission of the Richard Macneil Studios Ltd.

The Light of the World, a Christmas Eve family or other occasion program for family, church or women’s groups featuring prophetic Old Testament scripture and sing-along Christmas carols about the birth of the Savior.

Mrs. Claus Movie Night, a talent show, activities and games such as Santa’s Naughty and Nice game, Santa Bowl, Santa’s Secret Sack and a scavenger hunt. Also, an extensive family history activity based on pioneers and western settlements that was created for Pioneer Day, but the heritage ideas could be adapted for holiday get-togethers.

Sweetness and Light, a medieval party with authentic games and activities that our ancestors of that era enjoyed. Included is a nativity play from the Middle Ages.

Stories and traditions of Christmas from Great Britain, France and Germany for a jumping off point for planning international Christmas activities. Also, the memoir of an American soldier who spent Christmas in a war zone in a foreign land.

Recipes to make and decorate cookies. And lots of handmade treats to enjoy and share.also festive dinners and easy meals for busy December.

A Christmas Handbook provides readers with ideas for Christmas fun all year round, with projects that take a lot of time, to things women can get together and make in one evening, to simple gifts and ways to make a holiday budget stretch. The patterns for the wool felt heirloom advent calendar miniature stockings below is included.

“Author Pam McMurtry is a member of Author Ready, an author’s group mentored by 46 x best-selling author Richard Paul Evans, whose first book was also self-published. She was a guest on multiple Broadcasts as the “Holiday Diva” on BYU SiriusXM Radio 143. Her A Harvest and Halloween Handbook won a “Hot New Picks in Design” Award from Amazon Kindle and she helped with or had 60 articles published in The Deseret News, U.S. News and World Report, Parents and other media. She holds a B.F.A. with a drawing and painting/art teaching emphasis from the University of Utah. “

A Christmas Handbook eBook is now available on Amazon.com.

Click here for A Harvest and Halloween Handbook.

Autumn and Halloween are fun times to get creative and crafty. Here are a few favorite quick and inexpensive ways to help you jumpstart your creativity! They are all included in my A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2, available on Amazon.

Paper fans and cut outs

Instead of carving a pumpkin, paint one!

Host a Wonderland Tea Party using mismatched fun stuff!

Button bouquet made with buttons, wire and glue

Grab a stick of charcoal and piece of paper and create a monochromatic sketch for your Halloween decor. By eliminating color, you focus on the value (light and dark) qualities making it simpler to learn drawing techniques.

Create costumes using inexpensive material and clothing you already own.

Rag garlands are a fun way to add color and texture to your decorating. You can buy fabric, use up your stash or even cut up old tablecloths, costumes and decor. Cut or tear strips and tie to a rope or heavy twine.

Turn thrift store treasures into autumn decor and party games like this Halloween-themed fairy doll house that can be used to hold the prized from a scavenger hunt.

Haunted farmhouse beanbag game, using recycled boxes and cans – it’s super inexpensive and fun to make!

Showcase past Halloweens by creating a family tree, made from gathered branches, fall leaves and photo ornaments that you create with scrapbook paper and copies of favorite photos.

No need to wait until Christmas to enjoy your family heritage foods. Here we highlight our Scottish roots with a Macbeth-style feast. No I didn’t attempt haggis for this, no one makes it like Scottish chefs!

Do something nice for neighbors or the community. These treats were sent to deployed soldiers (some of which were probably trick-or-treating just a few Halloweens previously.)

Silly old cats can be used for a beanbag knock off game, placed in a basket or as shelf sitters keeping an eye on things. The first set of cats I made were all black. I like the variety here.

Add lunch box jokes for your littles!

Don’t forget healthy treats – these Cuties make great snacks, party food and trick or treat handouts.

And here are a few ways I’ve used my Halloween stash to decorate my house this year. When we moved to Missouri last autumn, I gave my daughter Heather a carful of Halloween decor to take back to California. I have a bigger house and less stuff now so I’m stretching…

I’ve had this cloche for 15 years (how is that possible?) This Halloween it’s outfitted with the cutest resin Jack in a nest surrounded by ceramic balls with old type letters. A black bow adds a fun finish.

This autumn fireplace mantelscape features one of my art school studio paintings, thrifted iron candlesticks and lots of saved foliage, some of it over 25 years old!

I love this funky collage in a metal basket hanging in the ladies’ room. The garland was from Michael’s and the plaque was from Hobby Lobby when they used to sell Halloween things 😉

Another centerpiece with a folk art figure and vintage-style candles with pumpkins, eucalyptus and dried botanicals. When real pumpkins hit the market, the faux ones will get swapped out.

An Americana crow perches on the primitive pumpkin. They are a fun contrast to the more formal beaded table scarf on our new coffee table.

This wreath is made of old garlands attached to a wire frame and adorned with ornaments, thrift store stars and picks

The entertainment center got some repurposed fall foliage.

A basket of autumn enhances the fireplace. I might add Halloween items, but maybe not – this can stay just the way it is until Thanksgiving.

Here’s another metal basket made into a crazy collage with a retro pumpkin and doll house things.

An old urn is the base for this decor which can’t be outside – rain will melt it! It’s a work in progress…

My favorite Christmas wreath got a gothic makeover with this glittery spiky garland, complete with bats and spiders. It reminds me of an old church grave yard.

A Christmas pencil tree does double duty as a display for autumn and Halloween things.

Remember to download your A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2 from Amazon and enjoy the amazing recipes, fun Halloween activities and autumn celebrations – all while saving money and letting your creative spirit soar!

I am so excited to announce the near completion of my new book! I’m tying up a few loose ends to have it ready for publication soon. Stay tuned for updates for Create a Christ-Centered Christmas; a Christmas Handbook by Pamela Layton McMurtry.

As the weather begins to cool ever so slightly here in the Midwest and pumpkin spice products are beginning to fill the shelves of stores everywhere, I want to remind you that A Harvest and Halloween Handbook Second Edition is ready to download any time you want it.

Like a party in a book, A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2 will make you giddy with inspiration – there are great recipes to try, games and activities for your family and friends and wonderful ways to show gratitude for the blessings of the harvest and the beauty of autumn. Sidestep the macabre and enjoy the fall season with warmth and celebration.

Here are a few of my favorite projects from A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2

Host an evening in a Sukkah for Feast of the Tabernacles/Sukkot, or if you’re not Jewish, build a beautiful structure to enjoy balmy autumn evenings (before it gets too cold!)

Enjoy a Wonderland tea party with your family and friends! The upside-down whimsy of Alice’s world provides a perfect spot to land to enjoy the fantasy of fall.

You simply must join us for tea!

After you finish your tea – win a treat at the cake walk!

The giant playing cards are from Hobby Lobby 😉

Or try your hand at tossing beanbags to knock silly old cats off a wall.

Create a bubblegum necklace! Go on a treasure hunt to find treats hidden in a fairytale fantasy Halloween dollhouse.

Imagine the fun and adventures your A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2 will inspire.

Oh LaLa! Pumpkin pie cake!

Chewy old-fashioned popcorn balls!

Create cool costumes using things you already have!

Then play more games!

Before the beauty of autumn fades into the splendor of winter, download your A Harvest and Handbook 2 and have a ball! Or a tea, or a carnival…whatever works for you 🙂

Happy Augtober everyone!

Did I mention there are 32 coloring pages included in A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2? Check out a few here!

Fishing booths are a popular carnival and party activity!

Don’t forget to reserve your bounce house 😉

Download your A Harvest and Halloween Handbook 2 today!

If you visit any retail store or shop online, you know that Halloween merch is already filling the shelves.

Which reminds me to let you know that there’s a whole treasure chest of ideas, recipes, games with inexpensive materials, new themes, and lots of wonderful stuff to entertain you while you entertain your littles. This award-winning eBook shares everything you need to create your happiest Halloween while sidestepping the dark and creepy stuff (no one’s got time for that.) Here’s the link to Amazon and it is also available on BN.com.

https://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Halloween-Handbook-Second-Artisan-ebook/dp/B0BFG5Y9HR

Just like a Costco sample, tempting you to buy, here are a few tasty morsels you will find in A Harvest and Halloween Handbook Second Edition:

Isn’t this a fun cover? I took the photo at the Garden Park LDS chapel in Salt Lake City. I’ve hosted lots of autumn and Halloween church carnivals through the years. Having a party at a holy place, to me, means making sure that your activities are appropriate for the venue. Hence the focus on harvest and autumn, while avoiding evil and creepy stuff. We’ve had lots of fun and made sweet memories.

Here’s an inexpensive carnival game made with lumber scraps and stuffed cats. You knock the cats off the fence with beanbags to win a prize.

Here’s another fun and free game. Collect your Halloween containers (or borrow some), toss pennies into them to win treats.

A lollipop ring toss made with pegboard and painting with acrylic paints. Use glow bracelets to ring a lollipop to win it!

A candy jar guessing game – the winners take them home. Use jars you already have or pick up a few at a charity thrift store. Adults can play too!

This festive entry was made with a sheet, a scarecrow, some repurposed decor and lights. Great for photo booths.

How is that for fun? Ready to download your A Harvest and Halloween Handbook yet? Here a few more photos to help you hit that buy button…

An Alice in Wonderland tea party with recipes, decor and games like…

A Treat Walk – sweets for the sweets! Use giant cards from Hobby Lobby or make your own for this musical game.

Pin the tail on the cat…

Buggy croquet and more!

Here’s a fun craft, add a rag border to dress up a throw or a wreath.

Or make a wall hanging quilt out of festive fabric.

You could even repurpose a doll house for a fairy Halloween party, a decoration or a children’s scavenger hunt game.

Here’s a tasty treat – old-fashioned popcorn balls, the recipe is included!

Plus coloring pages…

No need to wait – download yours today!

Happy Halloween!

Parley Street in Nauvoo, Illinois marked the beginning terminus of the Trail of Hope and the start of a 1,300 mile (on foot) trek by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to safety in the Rocky Mountains in 1846. Religious persecution and political conflict had led to the untimely assassination of their prophet and leader Joseph Smith Jr.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2011-03-0001-joseph-smith-the-prophet-of-the-restoration?lang=eng

A barely literate farm boy, Joseph had prayed earnestly to know which of the Christian churches was the true one established by Jesus Christ during His mortal ministry. To his astonishment, in 1820 Joseph experienced a divine visit from both The Father and The Son, who explained that all of the sects of the day had strayed from the original and true Church.

In time Joseph would be taught how to restore and organize Christ’s church and kingdom on the earth. Over the succeeding years, Joseph was visited by angels and resurrected beings who instructed him and gave him the keys and authority to restore the priesthood, the power of God, to the earth once again. In 1830, after having translated an ancient American historical record from gold plates buried in the hillside in New York, The Book of Mormon, named for the ancient American prophet, was printed and available to read. This history was a compilation of almost 1,000 years of the story of a branch of the House of Israel, one who had been led away from Jerusalem just before it fell in the days of King Zedekiah.

Mormon’s son Moroni had been tasked with keeping the record safe just before his people were wiped out in a genocide in the 4th Century. The resurrected Moroni, also known as the Guardian Angel of the Americas, visited Joseph many times giving him instruction and guidance in preparation for restoring God’s church and priesthood to the earth before Christ’s second coming.

In the 19th Century, the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth along with the divine keys of the priesthood and the power and authority to gather Israel before Christ’s Second Coming. The reconstructed town of Nauvoo, Illinois gives a powerful lesson about obedience, temerity, loyalty and reliance on the Lord through good times and bad. The beautifully rebuilt Nauvoo Temple stands as a witness to the reality of eternal families and shows the love of God by a band of refugees that had not reached the end of the trail of discipleship but only the beginning. Next, our family’s history and experience in Nauvoo.

Freedom is one the great hallmarks of the United States of America. Our founding fathers worked hard to create a government that supports free speech, freedom of religion, thought, philosophy, the ability to own property, to move through society without meeting the requirement of a monarch or overlord. Our Constitution protects us and allows for personal and cultural growth and change.

Our grandparents, sons, fathers, daughters, mothers, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters have sacrificed for the cause and idea of freedom. I am visiting a friend and her family on this special day so I am going to share one of my favorite stories from a post 10 years ago that illustrates the principle of freedom.

Elizabeth Duncan Porter: Heroine of the American Revolution

Elizabeth was born to Thomas and Elizabeth Duncan at Lancaster Pennsylvania in 1750. The Duncans were born in Scotland, moved to Ireland and then to the British colonies in America. They settled in Lancaster, which is known in modern times for the Amish community and lush green farms and hillsides.

Elizabeth enjoyed growing up in the beautiful countryside of Pennsylvania. In the spring she played with the lambs and picked flowers. But childhood ended early for Elizabeth; her father died when she was six years old and her help was needed for the family. She grew to be a strong and lovely woman.

At twenty-five she met a man who would sweep her off her feet ; she married her beloved Samuel Porter. As a member of  the Virginia militia, Samuel was one of the men responsible for patrolling the roads and trails to keep travelers safe from Indian raids. The British had enlisted the Indians to attack settlers on the western frontiers of the colonies.

The winds of war began to blow across America.

Samuel, Elizabeth, their two children, her mother, brother and other family members were captured by Indians  in 1780. It is thought that British soldiers were with them because they were not scalped. The attackers took all of their stock and possessions. 

They were marched and carried over 600 miles to Detroit. Elizabeth had to work hard to keep her little children quiet so they would not be killed by their captors. She was pregnant with her third child. Sometimes she was permitted to ride, she sat with her feet in water for hours and hours. Samuel was sentenced to die. The men were placed in stockades and pens and nearly starved to death.

Elizabeth was put to work cooking for the British officers. After preparing a meal, she saved scraps of bread and meat and smuggled them out in the dishwater. She placed the tub of water near Samuel’s prison. He was able to reach through the bars and get the food. Her act of courage probably kept him alive. 

Elizabeth, her children Margaret and Hugh and her mother were marched as a prisoners of war another 700 miles from Detroit to Quebec, Canada. 

On January 7th, in the bitter cold of a winter that would become known as the “little Ice Age,” far from her home, Elizabeth gave birth to baby Samuel. She was a captive of the British and Shawnee Indians because she believed in freedom.

Her husband Samuel suffered as well in the confinement of the prison camp. 8 of 10 American prisoners died in the hulls of British warships. He did not know what had become of Elizabeth, their baby or the other two young children.

Many people sacrificed much for the cause of independence. Some sacrificed everything.

Elizabeth took care of baby Samuel and little Margaret and Hugh the best she could. She sang to them the Celtic lullabies her mother had sung to her.

She told them the Bible stories she had learned as a child. Tales of Moses leading Israel to freedom; of brave Joseph and how Daniel’s life was spared.

She would have loved to have been home when Spring came. She would have loved to have worked in her garden with her children and enjoyed outings with her friends. Because the cause of freedom had meant so much to Elizabeth and Samuel; she had no home to return to. 

Samuel was a hard worker and tried to be helpful. His execution was stayed by a British commander who took a liking to him.

The price of independence was very high. When the war ended and freedom was won,  Elizabeth, Samuel and the others were released and made their way back to Virginia and to each other.

Samuel’s trials did not end with the war. An American officer accused him of treason because the British did not execute him. Tried again, he was cleared of wrongdoing. Elizabeth and Samuel had three more children. Their lives were filled with joy and sorrow and their sacrifice blessed their family for generations.

Elizabeth lived 95 years. She died and was buried in Jackson County, Missouri where a marker and plaque were placed to honor the memory of this heroine of the American Revolutionary War. Elizabeth’s legacy is celebrated today by the Daughters of the American Revolution organization with chapters that have been named for her. 

During Elizabeth’s lifetime, the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Revolutionary War fought, the Constitution was written and ratified, Joseph Smith was born, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized and Joseph Smith was martyred. It was a most  important era in the history of the world. 

On this Fourth of July, we remember and give thanks for the concepts, the sacrifices and the blessings we have enjoyed because of those who had the foresight to create this amazing country.

Happy Birthday America!

I wish I could say happy Father’s Day but the happiest thing about this one is that my sister’s husband, with whom I sat in hospice the past 3 days, died yesterday instead of today, Father’s Day. He and my sister shared a deep and eternal love, her children adored him and he loved them like his own. Considerate to the end, he was an amazing man, loved by many; he will be sorely missed.

He was always the first to rise, to take the bill, to open the car door for ladies and to make sure everyone had what they needed to be comfortable. He worked in construction, and with a sense of style and a fastidious laser focus attention to detail; built multi-million dollar mansions on the beaches of Corona Del Mar, California. He had the most extensive collection of tape measures. His favorite sound was a Harley engine and although he worked in a tough industry, he cleaned up very well.

He loved my sister and her children and was, in every way, a treasured part of our family. Quiet and unassuming, every activity or get-together he attended was better because he was there. He was at my mother’s side when she passed away two years ago. Best brother-in-law ever. Alzheimer’s took his memory but his huge heart beat strong until the very end. I am devastated. Fly high Davey, it has been a privilege to have had you in our world.