Category: Holidays
Decorate, Holidays

Winter Whites!

December 9
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There’s something so serene about decorating with white.  And using this color for the holidays is not only beautiful but still perfectly festive for Christmas and the winter months to follow!  However, no matter what color you’re using, you most likely won’t want to leave ALL your decorations up after the New Year begins…but some can easily transition to January and might keep a little cheer in the house after the tree comes down!  Even though I have lots of various shades of white in my house all year long…this Christmas I decided it would be nice to stick with the neutral color theme.  For me, using white is not just simple and calming, but at this time of year it can be somewhat enchanting!  And keeping with the theme of “simple” this year–some winter white is an easy way to make my holiday bright and joyful without all the fuss!

simply beautiful…white!

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Favorite Things, Holidays

Stuff the Stocking!

December 7
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It’s so much fun to search for all those little tokens to pop into stockings!  I think I almost love filling those fuzzy socks on the mantle almost more than placing the packages under the tree…when Santa’s running behind of course!  I sometimes like to use mini stockings to fill in place of a gift for my friends or family…especially when I find several little goodies that are just right for the recipient!  Besides, it’s a fun alternative to spill open that sweet sock and see all the wonderful trinkets hidden inside!  For me, the stocking is so fun because it’s not just filled with little treats but that they’re not associated with monetary value and are far from being the most popular gift on the market…they’re just thoughtful tokens of love and appreciation!  So I’ve found some little goodies that will make their way into many of the stockings I’ll be filling this year!  I’d like to share these with you…just in case you see something you love, you’ll have plenty of time to go out and get it!  Or, simply find some inspiration for the stockings you’ll be stuffing this season…

fill ’em up with tiny trinkets of joy!

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Holidays, Savor

Peppermint…Twist!

December 4
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I LOVE peppermint!  And to me, nothing taste like Christmastime more than that minty flavor topping my cocoa, chocolate treats, or even in my coffee on winter mornings!  Well you can imagine my happy surprise when my cousin-in-law brought a festive treat to our family gathering last weekend…a simple dip that will make your mouth water the moment you smell it’s sweet scent!  A new discovery for me…and I’m positive I’ll be making plenty of it this holiday!  I want to share this recipe for a decadent treat…and bonus!–it’s so simple and easy you’ll be able to whip it up at the drop of a hat and share with all your holiday callers!  So grab a pencil..and add these ingredients to your shopping list!

try a new twist on a peppermint treat!

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Holidays

Tiny Trees & Tags…

November 30
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So Thanksgiving is behind us now and I’m hoping everyone had a wonderful holiday!  It was so much fun having extended family visitors for a long weekend of relaxing and of course, EATING!  And with the exception of an entire bowl of mashed potatoes getting gracefully dumped on the kitchen floor by no other than yours truly…the rest of our holiday meal went off without a hitch!  Fortunately, I didn’t have one bowl big enough for the gigantic amount of potatoes we prepared and I had to divide them into two…so we were able to ration what was remaining and were ALL still able to have some creamy spuds on our plates!  What’s a holiday without one disaster to laugh about, right?  So Sunday came, guests headed for home, and I can now begin to prepare for Christmas!  I think I’m not alone when I say that even though I love Christmas, I still get a little overwhelmed when it’s time to start decking the halls!  And since I also had house-guests all weekend I feel like I’m getting a late start…even though I know there’s plenty of time!  This year I’m trying to keep the decorations simple, quick, but still totally festive!  I’ll share with you today the easy and cheerful accomplishments of my Sunday afternoon decorating–working with little more than some tiny trees and tags!

add some effortless “merry & bright”…

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Holidays

Thankful!

November 25
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It’s my turn to host the Thanksgiving feast this year…and I can hardly wait!  I know I’ve mentioned this several times already…but I REALLY am excited for all of us to be together again!  Holidays are so wonderful for creating opportunities to gather with family, friends, and combinations of both to celebrate togetherness!  I really wanted to create something special for my buffet this year…something sentimental, even humorous, and something for each family visiting to take as a memento.  So while I’m thankful for so many things, I’m very thankful for my friend who helped me pull this off in a way that I couldn’t create myself!  I really wanted to represent each member of my family with photos–old and new–to capture those special memories and start great conversations around the table!  Take a peek at this fun idea that would be so wonderful at any celebration!

thankful for family…

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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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