Category: Holidays
Create, Holidays

Holiday DIY

October 12
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Holidays are such a fun time to craft…even people who think they’re “craft challenged” (two words I don’t believe in!) find themselves putting forth an effort or two at getting creative this time of year!  Well, I happen to LOVE crafting and spend a good time of the year getting my fingers covered in paint, glue, and glitter!  But I too get extra excited about all the fun projects during the holiday seasons…and it seems as though there’s endless inspiration out there!  So when the opportunity came up to work with my friend and fellow blogger, Beth from Polka Dots & Picket Fences on a crafting article for a local magazine…I think it’s needless to say that I was THRILLED!  We both are regular contributing writers for the “Creative Corner” section of Village Life & Home.  It’s such a fun way to share inspiration for decorating, crafting, and entertaining…and this time we got to work together which made it all the more merry!  So if you live in the Toledo area and receive the publication, check out the festivity!  This month we decided to share some Halloween inspiration by coming up with a DIY “challenge”!  After a trip to the craft store, we made a list of some ordinary, holiday crafting items and each came up with several easy ways to use them!  Have a peek at some of my creations…and if you get the publication, read the entire article to get double the inspiration!

getting a little crafty…

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Holidays

Easy All Hallows Eve!

October 7
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I love to decorate for the holidays…any holiday!  But I totally understand that not everyone shares the same passion…not due to lack of enthusiasm but sometimes not knowing where to begin!  It can seem overwhelming to go all out with holiday decor…not only can it be expensive but what goes up must eventually come down which can cause us to avoid the hassle!  I can’t imagine not decorating for Halloween, but as the years keep getting busier I don’t want to be under unnecessary pressure to create a holiday fun-house!  And I don’t want to feel the need to out-do myself each time a holiday rolls around…those expectations add too much stress to what should be fun times with family & friends!  Fortunately there are some simple ways to add some minimal holiday touches to a home…they’ll still look just as festive and won’t cost as much either!  I’d like to share some Halloween ideas that are easy to put up AND easy to take down…’cause I really understand the dread of packing all those decorations away!  So decorate as much or as little as you want…but you don’t need to pass on ALL the fun!  I hope you can get some inspiration from my pared down decorating this season…my much simpler displays are still enough for me to feel the whimsy of this season without all the effort!

simply spooky…

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Holidays, Savor

Time for Treats!

October 5
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Last week was a bit on the dreary side…but weirdly, I kind of like days like those.  Not that I don’t adore the sunshine, but a dark and chilly day offers the perfect opportunity to fire up the oven and do some baking or cooking…leaving your home smelling heavenly!  So that said, I took the opportunity to try some new and completely easy recipes for some fall-inspired treats!  The cool weather seems to call for us to gather around the fire and share conversation with family & friends…AND nibble on delights from the kitchen!  I love to be prepared for impromptu guests or even those moments where the kids are content to hang out and actually participate in conversation!  Setting out some treats and munchies can be a tactic to keep them around us a bit longer and keep the conversations flowing!  (nothing like a little bribery!)  And when guests come calling, the same applies!  Even though it’s easier to keep some packaged treats in the pantry, I do love serving homemade sweets whenever possible!  So today I’m going to share some tasty nibbles that are as easy as they are delicious!  So “hello fall”…

it’s kitchen time!

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Create, Holidays

That’s a Holiday Wrap!

October 3
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Now that October is officially here it’s time to start thinking about all those spooky gatherings you might be headed to!  And if you’re a guest at an event or two this season, you may not want to show up empty handed!  Even though hostess gifts are never a requirement, they can be a lovely gesture of gratitude…a sweet reminder that you’re thankful to have had the opportunity to celebrate together!  I’m sure like many of you, finding the perfect token can sometimes be a challenge, but there is a tried & true gift that’s always easy and appreciated…a favorite beverage!  Whether it’s wine, sparkling waters, beer, or sodas, beverages always work and can be a useful addition to the host’s drink menu!  I will often take a bottle of wine to a party as a gift.  It can be opened that evening or saved for later, but something consumable is always an appreciated and an effortless choice…especially if it’s a last-minute gathering!  But if you want to gussy it up…I have a really easy way to dress up your bottle in holiday attire!  As most of you know by now, I’m a bit of a Target dollar spot addict!  I really can’t look away from that alluring section set up so smartly to reel in consumers like me as we enter the store!  The upside to my addiction is that most everything in those wonderful little bins are a dollar…keeping it somewhat affordable!  So let me share with you some wrapping inspiration that all began with some dollar spot finds!

string, paper, and tags…oh my!

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Holidays

Shop Time!

September 30
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Happy Friday everyone!  This has certainly been a busy week for me and I’m glad to see the weekend finally arrive!  I played a little blogging hooky on Wednesday to make room for several opportunities and obligations…and I have to admit, some free time!  We all need that every now and again!  But even though the week was an extraordinarily busy one, every second of what occupied it was worth it!  One of my favorite “jobs” of the week was helping at my favorite shop…Alice-Louise Press!  It was time to dress the windows and “spooky” up the place in preparations for all the October fun!  Last year the shop had barely opened it’s doors before Halloween was almost over…so we weren’t going to let the whimsical holiday pass us by without stepping it up a notch!  Decorating for holidays is fun no matter where you do it…at home, in the classroom, or in a shop!  So if you’re feeling in the mood for some Halloween inspiration, you need a unique gift, or you want jaw dropping invitations (for a spooky event possibly?)…stop in and see what’s new in the letterpress studio!  And if you’re not in the Toledo/Perrysburg area, check out the link to see all the goodies this wonderful shop offers!  Today I’ll share a peek at the Halloween fun…

even a shop can play dress up!

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Holidays

Hint of Halloween!

September 26
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We are officially into my favorite season…fall!  I just love this time of year so much!  It’s a season that hangs onto summer during the day but gives us touch of that crisp, cool air at night.  It offers bountiful harvests of apples and pumpkins and splashes the countryside with vivid color bursting from the trees!  We indulge on baked goods and hot apple cider, participate in tailgates, and bundle up on stadium seats!  Then there’s also that fun little thing called HALLOWEEN!  But unfortunately, all these wonderful opportunities of the season also make it seem to go way too fast!  And since I love this season so much, I just want to enjoy each and every second of it!  With so many school activities and autumn events making life hectic, I decided a couple of years ago to start my holiday decorating at the end of September.  I know this may not sit well with some…even I really would prefer to wait until October 1 to haul the holiday boxes from the attic!  But, to keep my sanity AND fully enjoy the decorations of the season I’ve begun to add some hints of Halloween to our home.  And as the boys get older, I don’t feel the need to decorate with EVERY holiday item we own…I’ve learned over the years that just because we’ve got it doesn’t mean I HAVE to use it!  Each year I can pare it down a bit, pick some current favorites from the storage bins, and on occasion add something new…but keep it simple and fresh!  Today I’d like to share with you how I used old and new items on my mantle to start the holiday season off with a colorful bang!

October is just around the corner…

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Holidays

Hooray for the Red, White & Blue!

July 1
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I normally take most Fridays off during the summer, but today I’d like to share some simple treats for the holiday!  It’s always fun to serve up some red, white, and blue goodies to put everyone in a festive mood…no matter how busy your 4th of July schedule may be!  Have a peek at the sweets we dished out to some active kids…easy, yummy, inexpensive, and definitely patriotic!  I hope you can find some inspiration for your stars and stripes weekend!

Have a Happy 4th of July!

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Holidays, Savor

Chew on Some Red, White, & Blue!

June 29
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Even though my family doesn’t have the time to entertain big for the 4th this year, I still have some opportunities to create some fun and festive food for our little family celebration AND a year-end baseball party pot-luck!  Since both will happen over the holiday weekend, it’s the perfect timing for some patriotic creations!  Check out some recipes and easy ideas to create delicious sweets and sides to dish out at your celebrations!  Have some fun in the kitchen with…

patriotic preparations!

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Favorite Things, Holidays

Festive Favorites!

June 27
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The Fourth of July really snuck up on me…I can hardly believe that it’s only one week away!  It seems like just yesterday I was gathering up my patriotic goodies for Memorial Day weekend and here it is time to break out the red, white, and blue once again!  This week I’ll be sharing some fun products, recipes, and holiday ideas that my family will be enjoying over the long and festive weekend ahead!  And even though we still have a final baseball tournament to attend, I have some really easy 4th of July celebrations planned to squeeze in between games!  Today it’s all about simple items to create a party atmosphere…even if there’s no official “party”!  Have a peek at some favorites…

faves to make a festive 4th!

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Create, Holidays

Red, White, and Boom!

June 15
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I was out shopping yesterday…not the fun kind of shopping but ordinary, necessity type shopping.  But while I was out trudging I spied a really cute idea and the inspiration for a holiday craft was born!  So instead of heading home, I detoured to the craft store to grab a couple inexpensive supplies so I could try and recreate this adorable idea for a patriotic centerpiece!  And you may be wondering what it was that I saw that got me so inspired?…oversized firecrackers!  I thought this fun stick of dynamite might make a festive decoration for our Fourth of July celebration…and I knew I could make one for a fraction of the price tag on the ones in the shop!  I love DIY projects that are easy, inexpensive, and relatively quick to create…especially for those holidays that seem to come and go before you blink an eye!  But patriotic celebrations kick-start all the summer fun and I just can’t help myself from decorating the patio with some red, white, & blue!  So let me share this festive DIY…there’s plenty of time to grab some supplies and have some~

firecracker fun!

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