Category: Holidays
Holidays

Black & White Holiday

November 23
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If you had to pick two colors that scream Christmas I bet you might not choose black and white!  I LOVE traditional holiday colors and will always use them in my home…but this year I decided to decorate a little differently!  The color palette in my house is pretty neutral and that makes it easy to change it up for any season…so a little black and white Christmas is in the works!  It really is a fun, new color combo for the holidays…you see plenty of it in the stores which makes it even easier to get inspired AND find great items!  At Christmastime I always create an advent for my boys and this year my tiny sun room will host the tiny gifts hanging…all dressed up in their black & whites!  This is a great space to decorate in non-traditional color…it’s not the biggest of rooms and it’s not the first thing you see when you walk into our home–so I can feel free to experiment a little!  And the greatest thing…black & white looks good with ANY color so I can add other hues to make my Christmas really shine!

try a little B&W this holiday!

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Create, Holidays

That’s a Wrap!

November 20
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As Christmas gets closer I can’t help but start thinking of wrapping those pretty packages!  And while the holidays inspire me to re-vamp my wrapping supplies, i do try and keep these materials handy all year long!  A while back one of my friends gave me a metal file drawer…I THINK that’s what it was!  She was planning on making something with it but decided it might be a project that never saw the light of day…so I was lucky to get it!  I think my plans for it were far less elaborate than what she was originally thinking…but  it works perfectly for me to hold all my paper supplies!  Making it more functional was pretty easy to do and it makes me happy that it has a new purpose in my home!  Today I’d like to share with you this DIY project and how I organized my wrapping table…just in time for Christmas!

get ready to wrap it up!

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Favorite Things, Holidays

Favorite Holiday Deals…

November 18
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Okay…I’m addicted to the dollar bins at Target!  I can’t help myself when I walk into the store…they just lure me in hoping to find that perfect bargain!  The good thing is (or maybe it’s a bad thing) I always seem to find something!  I guess at a dollar or two I can’t often go wrong so I’ll continue to search in those glorious little racks…and though I’m quite certain most of you look there too, I’ll still share my favorites–just in case!  Since I also have a passion for plaid…these latest found treasures are perfect for all my upcoming holiday gatherings!  Have a peek…and if you see something you like–you better go get ’em before they’re gone!

perfectly priced plaid!

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Create, Holidays

Holiday Place Card DIY…

November 16
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Whether you’re entertaining a crowd or just enjoying the togetherness of a family meal…any gathering around the table is truly a special event!  And since it seems harder to do than in generations before us, I really love the times that I can make a meal shared together look as wonderful as it really is!  With Thanksgiving on its way, many of us will have just this opportunity to fancy-up a table to celebrate all our blessings and those we hold dear!  My inspiration for this year’s place cards I’ll be making for my holiday table came when I was cleaning out my cupboards a while back.  You might remember I found all sorts of little containers buried behind closed doors.  I also had duplicate, and sometimes triplicate containers of spices…clearly I don’t double check when I construct a grocery list!  And as I was getting ready to trash some of the extra spice containers it came to me…the inspiration to create something special for the gals who will be seated at my table!  Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan for the guys too!  And during a season to be giving thanks…I’m thankful I didn’t throw these supplies away!

 say “hello” to holiday recycling!

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Favorite Things, Holidays

Favorite Things

November 13
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Even though the brisk winds were blowing last night…they weren’t strong enough to keep the holiday shoppers from missing the joy!  At least it wasn’t snowing!  But if you missed the Downtown Perrysburg Holiday Open House yesterday, not to worry!  It’s only mid November so plenty of the goodies offered last night will still be in the shops throughout the season!  Today I’d like to share some of my favorite things from Alice-Louise Press!  We still have plenty of time to gather all our Christmas supplies and find the perfect gifts or stocking stuffers…but I’ll make it even easier for you to get your treasures early by sharing some goods from one of my most favorite shops!

these are a few of my favorite things…

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Holidays

Simple Changes

November 4
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I feel like once October arrives the holiday train begins barreling down the track, barely stopping at each station!  Three celebrations before the New Year (so actually four!) squeezed into a short amount of time!  And even though I love Christmas decorating as much as Halloween, it makes me sad that Thanksgiving sort of gets sidelined!  Sandwiched between the others it just seems like it gets a little less glory and attention…but I still love to add some simple decor to my home that lets me hang on to fall a little bit longer!  But since Thanksgiving is so close to the big hoopla of Christmas preparations I really try to keep it minimal and, if at all possible, try to re-purpose some of my Halloween pumpkins and gourds.  I’m not yet ready to put out the jingle bells…however I have to admit I’ve already played my Christmas instrumental playlist (I’ll hold off on Bing Crosby until closer to December!)  So until it’s an acceptable time to really get Christmas on, I want to share my simple transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving…using little more than paper and string!

simple, natural…fall!

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Celebrate, Holidays

Shadows of Halloween…

November 2
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So another Halloween has come and gone…but before we move on, I’d like to reflect on some of the fun!  One thing I love about entertaining & decorating is that you can take ideas from one holiday and make them work for another!  So whenever I’m checking out other blogs or Pinterest boards, I try to think how I might be inspired for future celebrations…like trading orange and black banners for red and green, or chips served in a cauldron might find themselves spilling from a cornucopia!   For me, this past weekend was full of future inspiration potential!  With Halloween falling on Saturday we had the entire weekend planned with festivities…one of which was a Friday night bonfire at our home!  A chilling evening for sure…not just with the “spooky” treats but the weather tried to trick us with spine chilling breezes!  But the kids weren’t phased by the temperatures and the evening was filled with fun and Halloween whimsy for all!  Have a look at the holiday joy and I hope you can find your own inspiration…for celebrations on the horizon or tricks and treats for next year!

a glimpse of Halloween past…

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Create, Holidays

No Tricks…Halloween Hacks & Treats!

October 30
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I love to surprise my boys with simple Halloween treats…whether it’s an after school snack or a holiday breakfast I’m always looking for fun ways to celebrate–especially if it’s easy to pull off!  Today I want to share two simple treats…one waiting for them when they get home from school today, and the other they’ll receive tomorrow on the actual holiday.  Even though I’m making these Halloween goodies for my family only, they would be fabulous for guest too…or even wonderful party favors for all those special ghosts and goblins that may come calling!  So have a peek at how I cut some corners but ended up with some Halloween sweets and treats…fit for the Great Pumpkin himself!

easy holiday treats for your ghouls…

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Holidays, Savor

“Souper” Spooky!

October 25
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My family loves soup!  And I’m so happy they do since it’s an easy meal that’s perfect for taking the chill off when autumn arrives…not to mention the kitchen smells heavenly while it’s simmering on the stove!  We used to host soup parties, often times with other couples helping to brew up some tasty varieties for guests to sample!  And as fun as those large gatherings were, we decided this year to forgo the big bash–keeping it small and simple.   Since my husband and I both love to host AND cook we decided to have several little gatherings throughout the season so we can reconnect with all our friends in smaller settings!  Autumn is here and Halloween is around the corner so this first of hopefully many soup soirees needed to fit the season…we just had to serve up some PUMPKIN CHILI!  Such a yummy recipe (and yes, I will share)…easy to make and so perfect for fall!  It would go great with leftover turkey so keep it in mind for your Thanksgiving festivities too!  Today I’d like to share our simple gathering to celebrate friends, the season, and Halloween!

warm your bones with steamy soup!

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Favorite Things, Holidays

A Little Nostalgia…

October 23
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I’ve said it many times before but I love Halloween…and part of that comes from my own childhood memories!  Though we didn’t have access to all the stuff that’s available now, I grew up decorating and crafting for the holidays and have so enjoyed carrying that tradition on with my family!  One of my most vivid memories of Halloween crafting with my mom is making black paper cats with long curly tails and displaying them throughout our home!  I also remember excitedly heading to the basement where all our holiday decorations were stored to carry up the boxes which held all those special trinkets!  So when my mom presented me with a holiday gift some while back, I was instantly transported to my childhood home and all those Halloween memories!  The gift, a reproduction of tiny candles that I so fondly remember, was all wrapped up in a darling box displaying an illustration of each!  You may remember these sweet guys as I do!  My mom had them all…and I can remember like it was yesterday carefully unwrapping each from the tissue paper they were stored in…finding just the right spot in the house to place them!  Today I’d like to share this simple Halloween favorite…

holiday memories!

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