Category: Holidays
Holidays

Christmas Eve…

December 24
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It’s Christmas Eve!  We wish you all much joy and happiness during this festive and wonderful holiday!  As we all hustle & bustle getting ready for our Christmas traditions it is our wish that everyone has moments to sit back and take it all in…like looking in the windows of your home and seeing all the blessings inside!  May each of us allow all the wonder to shadow life’s imperfections…so all we see is joy!  So have a very merry and peaceful Christmas this year and enjoy…

all the visions of Christmas eve!

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Holidays

With Walls Made of Gingerbread

December 17
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One of my favorite Christmas traditions is creating a gingerbread house with my boys!  We never build anything spectacular…in fact, some years the sweet little dwellings must have looked pretty pathetic to the untrained eye!  But the eyes of a mother see nothing less than a grand castle perched high on a cake plate–representing more than just a traditional craft but an evening of family fun and cherished memories for years to come!  No matter how you go about it…bake your own or purchase a kit…making a gingerbread house is a lovely way to bring the family together for a night of merriment! (a little mess making too…but it’s not the holiday without some sprinkles on the floor!)  Gather up a selection of candies and tie on the aprons…it’s time to craft a home

with walls made of gingerbread!

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Holidays

Holiday Hutch

December 15
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The holiday season is a perfect time to add festive touches all around the house!  Unfortunately, what you put up must eventually come down!  But put that thought out of your mind…there’s some cheerful alternatives that can dress up your home without the stress of too much work afterward.  The kitchen is a perfect example…and one of my favorite rooms during Christmas!  It smells so good from all the holiday baking and seems to be where everyone gathers…so why not add to the festivity with some easy decorations just right for the room!  A hutch–that came from my son’s room after he out-grew its creative storage for tiny clothing & stuffed animals–made its way back to the kitchen where it now holds baking supplies & snacks (and many other things in a room without much storage!).  Why not dress it up for the holidays with nothing more than items that will get used up throughout the season?  Containers hold lunch snacks, holiday treats, and supplies all in Christmas colors…an easy way to decorate without extra fuss!  Nothing to pack up later…once the decor is eaten or used up the hutch goes back to normal!  Go ahead and dress your kitchen cabinets, shelves, or counters with usable decor…no clean up required!

add some “ho, ho, ho” to your holiday hutch!

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Decorate, Holidays

Passion for Plaid

December 12
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Tther’s something about plaid…it’s such a familiar Christmas pattern that has stood the test of time!  Just the sight of it evokes thoughts of holiday cheer, coziness, traditional elegance and charm!  I’ve had a soft spot for plaid for as long as I can remember…and though I experiment with my holiday decor from year to year I keep coming back to tartan to deck my halls for the season!  Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find wide varieties of plaid ribbon in the stores…but it’s plentiful online where you can locate shops that have multiple designs of true tartan patterns to suit just about any color scheme!  The great thing about plaid…a little goes a long way!  Take a peek at some simple Christmas displays with

traditional tartan touches…

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Holidays

Cocoa Cart

December 10
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With cold weather upon us it seems fitting to break out the hot cocoa to warm hearts, tummies, and frozen fingers as they hug the toasty mugs filled with fudgy goodness!  (is “fudgy” a word?)  So many varieties of the chocolate treat are available in stores and coffee shops…and you can simply melt the real stuff in hot milk for a decadent indulgence!  A deserved reward for shoveling the walk, building the best-ever snowman, or a hard day of chilly play…whatever the reason hot cocoa is a winter tradition and delight–an easy way to bring smiles to the faces of those you love!  Grab some favorite containers and fill them with the makings for this sweet, warm treat…have a cocoa station at the ready for anytime guests arrive or kids come in from the cold!  This year a bar cart holds all the mugs & fixins…but a space on the counter will always do and looks so festive during the holiday season!  A treat that will be well received all winter long–so celebrate hot cocoa…

a simple pleasure!

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Create, Holidays

Favors with S’more Holiday Fun!

December 8
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Favor:  n.  a small, decorative gift, as a paper hat, given to each guest at a party.  I don’t know many who give paper hats anymore as the definition states…but I do know that favors are one of the many highlights that are the makings of a wonderful gathering!  So much fun to create as they are to give…and of course receive!  Often they’re a small gesture of appreciation from host to guest…a thoughtful way to show thanks for attending!  This fall a friend handed out adorable favors that were so simply cute that the idea had to be shared!  Though this favor was intended for Halloween festivities…this sweet treat could be altered to suit just about any holiday!  Check out this fabulous idea…I wish it were mine!  No matter, like all good things it brought on inspiration…hopefully it inspires you too!

a simple and sweet favor…

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Create, Holidays

Ready, Set, Countdown!

November 24
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Even though there’s less than one week ’til the biggest shopping day of the year…you’ve still got time to create a holiday advent calendar!  A fun holiday tradition for the entire family–counting down the days until Christmas morning finally arrives!  Our family has made the advent part of our holiday traditions…I love searching for fun trinkets and treasures to fill the little bags and boxes that are cheerfully displayed and waiting to be opened!  I also love the fact that it can reinforce the idea of thoughtfulness over the actual gift!  Let’s face it…with Christmas morning following 24 days of advent-who wants to spend that kind of money and, more importantly, who wants their kids to think its a gift-giving frenzy?!  Yet still, it’s a sweet sentiment and a fun way to greet each day of December!  You can find lots of simple, inexpensive treats…especially when children are young!  But even as they grow it isn’t hard to find wonderful and thoughtful gifts…slip in a “coupon” for a special activity or a treat at their favorite restaurant!  This year we’re adding “giving coupons” to our advent with instructions for doing something nice for others tucked in amongst the tiny treats.  No matter what you choose to fill the little packages it’s a fun way to stretch that holiday cheer throughout the entire month!  So find what works for you and watch how wonderfully special an advent can be!

 get ready for the big countdown!

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Celebrate, Holidays

Pass on Pie…

November 19
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Do you have anyone in your family that would take a pass on pumpkin pie?  You might even find yourself with family or guests that don’t care for any kind of pie…a dilemma in my household!  This year I decided to try something different to accompany that traditional Thanksgiving dessert…a root beer float bar!  I was inspired after finding some fabulous root beers and sodas that were perfect for the season!  A fun treat that’s so easy to do…I had a trial run recently to see just how easy it would be–and so simple it was!  Now I’m prepared to serve up something sweet to all who sit at my table…not just the pie lovers!  Take a look at this dessert alternative and let your guests pass on pie and say…”yes please!” to floats!  Of course there’s no rule that states you can’t have both!  So save room for dessert and…

add a Thanksgiving float!

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Create, Holidays

…Be Seated!

November 17
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Holidays give us the opportunity to get a little fancy with our dinner gatherings!  An occasion that allows us to do it up differently than our everyday meals…getting out our china or adding details that make it feel truly special!  Thanksgiving revolves around the feast so there’s no better holiday to get creative with your table–whether you go all out or like it on the simple side–you can take any dinner up a notch by adding place cards!  Nothing polishes off a table like a seating tag…and it can be such a simple thing to do!  Even if you set your table without fanfare…plop a place card on each plate and suddenly you’ve created something special!  If you’re expecting a crowd for Thanksgiving it can also alleviate confusion or even confrontation about where your guests sit!  And we’re all about making our gatherings stress free and fun, right?  So take a look at some place card inspirations and let your guests be seated!

simple, fun & useful…place cards!

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Celebrate, Holidays

Crunch, Munch & Nibble!

November 7
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November is often synonymous with food and house guests…family and friends paying a call for the festive feast!  Even prior to the big day it seems that everyone has food in mind…maybe it’s the change of season, large fuzzy sweaters that give permission to put on a pound or two, or maybe it’s just the fact that good food sparks great conversation and celebration!  Nevertheless, if you find yourself with a visiting crowd…make it easy for those calling your house their temporary home to pull up a chair, enjoy wonderful company, and have plenty of munchies and nibbles to sustain ’til the big turkey finale!  This is the easy part…no cooking necessary to keep those nibblers satisfied…healthy or sinful, it’s easy to find wonderful purchased treats to keep on hand while you’re entertaining!  Fill up some containers and leave out a snack bar for all to enjoy whenever the mood strikes them to

crunch, munch & nibble!

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