Easter is upon us, but it's not all bunnies and chocolate--here are some happy spring finds to brighten your Friday.
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Tasty Tuesday: Beer Floats
Friday Finds: Dreaming of Green
DI-Wednesday: Heart Shaped Envelopes
Valentines is approaching, and what better way to give that with something you made yourself? This great DIY from Instructables shows you how to make a heart-shaped Ang Pao (envelope), just in time for the holiday. Are you making anything for that special someone?
Tasty Tuesday: King Cake
Those of you from Louisiana probably know what King Cake is--and as we've passed Epiphany (January 6th) we can officially eat it once again as we approach Mardi Gras! I typically order one through the mail, but this year I may try my hand at cooking my own...though I must admit that my baking history with yeast is spotty at best. Hopefully this recipe will guide me to success--bon appetit!
Getting Ready...
The renovations are done for now (no more crawling in the attic!!!), and so now it's on to cleaning. My husband's family has a tradition of wearing new clothes on New Year's Eve (to represent a fresh start to the new year) and cleaning the house before the clock strikes 12. Supposedly, the state of your house when you enter the new year is how your house will be the rest of the year.In my family, we eat cabbage and black-eyed peas on New Year's Day to give us luck and money in the new year.
Do you have any New Year's traditions?
Happy New Year!
image from Old Crow Farm Happy New Year to all! May the 2010 be a year of happiness and prosperity.
Friday Finds: Happy Holidays on Etsy
I was not out Black Friday shopping, as I think sales that present even the teeniest chance of being trampled to death aren't worth it. Instead, I've been on Etsy, finding some holiday inspiration:
Bronze Star Urchin Ornament from Kissa Design -- made entirely of paper! Wouldn't this be gorgeous on top of the tree?
DIY Ruby Red Double Paper Luminary (set of six) from Prudence Octavia. The warm glow is so inviting...
Vintage Shiny Brite Ornaments (set of 12) from Hope and Joy Home. These take me back...
DIY Swinging Ornaments Holiday Christmas Card Kit from Heal.Create.Share. I love this idea--so much better than the cards I could create by myself, but still personal.
Last Chance DI-Wednesday: Ornament Wreath
If you're looking for a last-minute wreath to great your family as they cross the threshold, check out this easy to make wreath from CB2: all you need is some wire and leftover ornaments! Enjoy!
Christmastime is Here!
There's always something about Christmas--even when we're grown and know that Santa won't be coming down the chimney, there's always a spark of happiness in the air, that gives us an excuse to hang sparkly lights to our heart's content.
With that in mind, here are a few inspirational pics to get us in the mood:
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving! May your table be as lovely as the one above, and may it be surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Setting the Table in Style
Today we finally bit the bullet and decided to purchase our first adult plates. As the hosts of Thanksgiving this year, we looked at the sad mish-mash of dishware in our cupboard, some found, some bought, some inherited, and most chipped, and decided to head out to the restaurant supply store. Now, we are the proud owners of some plain off-white plates, bowls and mugs, and a set of versatile bar glasses, all for around $70.
Restaurant supply stores are usually worth checking out, especially around the holidays. Most of them are open to the public, and, by nature, their serving items are designed to be used and abused (mostly the latter in my house). They certainly aren't the fanciest place settings possible, but who needs fancy? It's all the same when it's covered in gravy!
For good measure, check out how to decorate your table simply, with items from your own back yard!
DIY Holiday Wreath Ideas
I've been looking for some DIY wreath ideas to spruce up the house--but I'm trying to go for something that says "Welcome" instead of "isn't it a bit early to be decorating for Christmas?"--I love the idea of these paper wreaths made from trashy old novels or more of a structured magazine roll wreath.
If I do end up hosting Thanksgiving this year, I'll be ready...
Racking up the To-dos
The holidays are just around the corner, and hubby and I will be treating ourselves to an in-house vacation at the end of December. Being the crazy planner that I am, I'm already looking to create our to-do list for the two weeks we'll be trying to fill. On the list so far:
1) Replace the side door to the kitchen - right now, it's a hollow-core door. I can't imagine the heat loss right now! We'll likely replace the entire door and frame, and we're hoping to find a good option at a local salvage yard, and try to do the work ourselves.
2) Put in an extractor fan/light in the guest bathroom - we've only got a light right now, so there's no air circulation (and no air circulation in a wet place=mold!). We've already got the unit, we're just waiting for the time we'll need to crawl around in the attic.
3) Re-tile the fireplace hearth - it's just a gas fireplace that we barely use, but it's got some classic 1950s speckled ceramic tile that has started to lift and crack, right to toe-stubbing height. I'm thinking of some mosaic tiles, such as you might find on Modwalls.
And, if that's not enough, I've been sniffing around for more projects, and Re-nest has obliged with this best DIY ideas round up...hubby is probably feeling a chill run down his spine right about now...
To Host or Not to Host?
Thanksgiving is fast approaching (along with a slew of other holiday happenings) and while we usually host the festivities, this year we're frankly pooped. All of the shopping, cooking and cleaning are starting to wear on us, and we're trying to encourage some of our other friends to act as host this year.
I think it may have something to do with my perfectionist streak--I love to have everything 'just so' before guests arrive, and that usually involves cooking everything myself. Believe it or not, I miss the days of the kids' table--being able to just show up, eat myself into a semi-comatose state, and wish there was something else to watch besides football on television. But, I will certainly miss setting myself a pretty table...
All Souls' Day (a.k.a. Day of the Dead)
In Catholic tradition, today's the day when we remember our loved ones, and pray for their happiness in the next life--in Mexico and the southwest, they take this a bit further and invite the souls of the departed to join them, so these souls can hear the well-wishes being given to them on earth. This vibrant celebration, the visiting of graves, and the building of alters, has inspired many an artist's creativity. Here are a few inspirational examples from fellow Etsy-ites.
This print from acageybee (above) really captures the spirit of the Day of the Dead
