J-O-Y cookies via $5 Dinners
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. Alphabet cookie cutters + sugar cookie dough + tissue paper + cute box = JOYful gift!
December 21st, 2011
Give the gift of J-O-Y
Posts Labeled ‘holiday’
December 19th, 2011
Celebrate the New Year!
Ring in 2012 with style using these creative New Year’s entertainment ideas! Serve drinks with a fun tinsel stirrer to add some sparkle and shine to your party.
Tinsel Drink Stirrer by Martha Stewart
For dessert, try making these fun ball drop cupcakes or arranging a cheescake bar buffet with an assortment of sauces and toppings.
Ball Drop Cupcakes
Cheesecake Bar Buffet by Southern Living
These free retro printables from Ellinee can enhance your festive party decor.
Retro New Year's Printables by Ellinee
Retro New Year's Printables Template
For easy noisemakers, fill clear ornaments with colorful foods such as popcorn, jelly beans, or pink peppercorns. Noisemakers can be placed in a bowl or vase to serve as a centerpiece until the countdown to the stroke of midnight begins.
Ornament Noisemakers by Rachel Ray
December 8th, 2011
DIY Holiday Gift Tag Printables
Here is a roundup of free gift tag printables that will dress up your holiday gifts this year! Click on the pictures below to view websites with links to the templates. Enjoy!
Typographic Gift Tags by Eat Drink Chic
Holiday Gift Tags by Jones Design Company
Rustic Wood Type Holiday Gift Tags by Ellinee
Holiday Gift Tags by Whisker Graphics
Holiday Gift Tags by PaperSeed
Holiday Gift Tags by Domestifluff
Holiday Gift Tags by Paper Crave
December 1st, 2011
Holiday Hostess Gifts
Instead of bringing the standard bottle of wine to holiday parties this year, try some of these unique hostess gift ideas that will surely brighten up the season!
Holiday Spreaders from Williams-Sonoma
Holiday Banner Cookie-Bar Pan by Crate & Barrel
Four Seasons Dishtowel Set by Terrain
Antique Soap Dishes by Pottery Barn
Moroccan Lantern Candle Holder by Paper Source
Vintage Silverware Magnets by Ballard Designs
Wine Thermometer by Sur la Table
Knit Cozy Mugs by Leif - perfect when paired with hot chocolate mix!
November 29th, 2011
Creative Holiday Gift Packaging Ideas
Want to add some festive flair to your holiday gifts this year? Here are some creative packaging ideas from Martha Stewart that promise to do just that!
For packaging holiday cookies and other baked goods, try making these easy envelopes and tins using the clip-art templates provided (click pictures below to open links).
Cookie Envelopes
Doily Tins
Recycle last year’s holiday cards by transforming them into colorful gift box toppers.
Cheerful Gift Boxes
Instead of ribbon, try embellishing gifts with decorative tape made from traditional Japanese washi paper that comes in a variety of fun graphic designs. Tape can be purchased online from happytape.
Decorative Holiday Tape
Personalize gift cards with these fabric-covered envelopes and onament-shaped holders.
Gift Card Holders
November 28th, 2011
DIY Advent Countdown
Each year, I promise to buy an Advent calendar or make some sort of Advent countdown and each year it never happens. So this year, I vowed to do it.
I knew I wanted to make a countdown instead of a calendar and I also wanted to use materials I already had in the house. I happen to have an embarrassing amount of cylinder vases and thought I might try to utilize those. So I picked 25 vases of varying heights and set them on my sideboard. I found a fun font (try www.dafont.com or www.fontspace.com for some free ones) and printed out numerals from 1 to 25. I cut them in small rectangles and affixed them to the cylinders using double-sided tape.
I then printed out Bible verses for each day and cut them so that they would rest in a place card holder. In the picture below, you will see Day 1′s scripture verse set to the side in the holder.
The plan is to fill each vase with water and set a floating candle in the top, lighting each one as Advent progresses day by day. I currently have them all set on the sideboard, but I could just as easily break them up into groupings and set them around the house.
There it is! My quick, easy Advent Countdown!
November 23rd, 2011
Simple, delicious cranberry sauce
One of my favorite dishes at Thanksgiving is cranberry sauce. The canned kind is good (I love how it comes out as one giant cylinder on the plate!) but homemade is even better. Here is my favorite cranberry sauce recipe, courtesy of Food & Wine magazine. It is easy and delicious.
Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Fuji Apple
One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1 large Fuji apple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
- Line an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap and spray the plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries with the apple, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently until the cranberries are completely broken down and the sauce is very thick, about 15 minutes. Scrape the cranberry sauce into the prepared pan and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. Invert the jelly onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Garnish with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs. Slice with a serrated knife before serving.
MAKE AHEAD The cranberry sauce can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Serve chilled.
November 14th, 2011
“I’m Thankful For…” note cards
These little cards from Paper Source are so perfect for Thanksgiving celebrations. It would also be easy to make your own. Either way, set them out for your family and friends to fill out before dinner and read them during the meal. What a stylish way to express your gratitude for all the blessings you’ve experienced this year!
October 18th, 2011
Chinese Lantern Pumpkins
Chinese lanterns have been a popular way over the last several years to decorate a party space. I love the Fall twist Martha Stewart gives these lanterns, making them into seasonal, festive pumpkins. And they look super easy to make, too.
September 29th, 2011
Advent Calendar
I am not usually a fan of seeing holiday decor before Halloween, but sometimes it makes sense to do a little advance planning for the holiday season. For instance, it takes time to order things like this fabulous advent calendar from Land of Nod. The fabric calendar is so fun and festive and is a great way to count down the days until Christmas. You could have a lot of fun stuffing the pockets with some really clever surprises. Kids will love it — and grown up kids alike!
Advent calendar from Land of Nod
