Author:Lori
Celebrate, Holidays

Chinese New Year

January 20
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January 31st 2014 marks the start of the Chinese New Year!  An ancient family celebration to honor elders and ancestors, rid bad spirits and welcome good fortune is now a popular party theme–whether you descend from those regions or just enjoy the idea of gathering with friends for an evening of festivity!  Each year of the Chinese calendar is represented by an animal in 12 year cycles…2014 is the year of the horse…so you can have fun creating a celebration with traditional Chinese decorations as well as the animal representing the year!  Make it a family affair and invite all ages to experience the excitement of something new!

the year of the horse…

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Celebrate, Holidays

Good Cheer!

January 10
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Now that the hustle & bustle of holiday celebrations has ended, decorations have come down and winter has whole-heartily revealed itself…the rest of the season can seem a tad boring.  Many people confess how sad they are when the decorations are gone and their houses suddenly appear empty…I know both Sarah & I feel that way in our own homes!  And spending so much time indoors during these long, cold winter days doesn’t help.  So I was thinking, why should all the merriment disappear with the the holidays?  Why not invite some cheerful whimsy to hang out in your home a bit longer?  All it takes is a little holiday recycling!  By using some of the decorations from past seasons, the buffet in my dining room is dressed up with some sparkle and cheer!  A very easy way to be ready to accommodate guests on a whim with little preparation…and it looks festive too!  Fill the evenings of winter with warmth and fellowship of friends…

and keep the good cheer going!

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Collect, Create, Decorate

Fun with Flashcards!

January 8
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Today seemed like a great day to share a sweet and very simple idea for a window treatment!  Now that the holidays are over it’s that time to revamp and reorganize our homes…and though it’s nice to start fresh, I definitely miss the fun and whimsy of the holiday decorations–but why should we loose all the fun in our decor just because the festivities have ended!?  At Giggle and at home, we love to add a fanciful side to ordinary decorating…it’s often so easy to do and can create such an enchanting atmosphere!   Try this easy idea for a new twist on a simple window treatment…

having a little fun…

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Create

Snow Day!

January 6
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We asked for it and we got it–more snow!  In fact, almost bordering on a blizzard!  What was supposed to be the first day back to school has now turned into a much anticipated snow day!  However, the excitement of the school cancellation scrolling across the TV screen comes hand-in-hand with the challenge of filling those indoor hours that lie ahead!  Though a winter storm can be daunting, why not still celebrate the snowfall with some good, old-fashioned family activities that center around those lovely white flakes!  Since today happens to be a snow day, it’s the perfect opportunity to share some ideas to pass the indoor hours and…

…have some snow day fun!

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Celebrate

Come In From The Cold!

January 3
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The New Year came in with a little extra “fluff”–and for our family, this was great news!  We don’t always get enough of the white stuff around here and the anticipation of breaking out the sleds is almost the equivalent of Christmas morning! (I do believe that even my husband secretly awaits the excitement of firing up the snow blower that is usually a neglected object in the garage!) Whether you love snow or hate it–are hard at work or hard at play–the best part of frolicking in the fluffy stuff is coming in for a thaw!  From the moment the temperatures begin to fall both Sarah and I set out the hot cocoa in our homes for a quick warm up at any time of the cooler seasons!  Not only does it look cute on the counter, it makes for a super quick set-up to warm the hearts and tummies of those with rosy cheeks and cold noses!  So play in the snow till you can’t feel your toes!  When you come in…

…the best part is waiting!

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Create

The Party Popper

December 30
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A holiday tradition for well over 100 years, the Christmas “cracker” has been a fun addition to many holiday celebrations.  Invented in London, this holiday tradition would have guests pull the paper from the ends of the tube making it “crack” or “pop”–spilling out the goodies hidden inside!  Typically filled with paper hats, tiny toys or trinkets, and small strips of paper with trivia or jokes, the cracker or “popper” is a sweet way to bring whimsy and fun to your holiday table!  You can purchase them just about anywhere but they’re so simple to make yourself–you can match your table decor or even personalize them for your guests–either way, it’s a fun and easy project that anyone would appreciate!

simple supplies can create such joy!

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Celebrate, Holidays

Set a Holiday Table!

December 27
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The holidays give us so many opportunities to set up our tables with great food and festivity!  We love to share ideas for table settings that are easy and inexpensive so that the focus of your event can be the joy of guests and not so much on the preparations!  Always remember you don’t have to sacrifice elegance to be thrifty! This example of a place setting and centerpiece is lovely for the New Year celebrations to come in a few short days…and created with many common supplies!  If you are still entertaining guests this holiday we hope you can take some inspiration from this easy set-up!

let’s set a table…

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Create, Holidays

Unexpected Gingerbread…

December 23
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We’ve all experienced the Christmas joy of decorating a gingerbread house or icing those classic cookies to set out for the jolly old elf himself to indulge in!  What would Christmas be without the delightful smell of ginger and spice drifting throughout the house tickling our noses and making tummies rumble?  When you set out to bake your goodies this year why not try something new?  We know the gingerbread house and greeted gingerbread man…how about something unexpected…

gingerbread fun in a new way!

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Decorate, Holidays

Favorite Things

December 20
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It’s often fun to decorate a mantle…especially during holidays!  You may remember me saying however, that I struggle with my mine…it’s been a love/hate relationship that has gone on for years!  Well, while hashing out ideas with Sarah for all our holiday happenings–an idea occurred…I’ve had so much fun with my chalkboard wall in the kitchen–why not over the mantle?  Sarah enthusiastically encouraged me to try it–it’s only paint after all!  So here’s an idea for something unexpected & a new favorite thing–a chalkboard mantle!  It can change with the seasons, it was inexpensive and most importantly, it’s a lot of fun!

chalk one up for the holidays!

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Create, Decorate

Wrap It Up!

December 16
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Gift giving is just around the corner…and that means gift wrapping is upon us!  A daunting task for some of us…wrapping quickly in closets, during naps or school hours…a joyous occasion can quickly take a wrong turn!  Well, while some wrapping needs to happen in secret…a neat, orderly place in which to spread out, keep organized and get creative makes the entire process much more enjoyable!  After all, Christmas is a time to be rejoicing!  A wrapping station is a place where the entire family can get in on the action…sprucing up gifts for friends, neighbors, & teachers and anyone else on your list!  It can be a place to craft, decorate cookies…you name it!  So try making the task of wrapping as fun as its counterpart on Christmas morning!

that’s a wrap!

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