diy book a day advent calendar

November 25, 2014

I love to read.

So, I guess it won’t come as a surprise to you when I tell you that books have always had a place as part of my holiday celebration.

In my home, reading holiday books is as much a part of preparing for Christmas as leaving cookies for Santa or trimming the tree. Every November, the stack of holiday picture books packed away with the rest of the holiday trimmings, makes its way downstairs.

A great tradition I am sharing with you today is to create a more formal celebration of holiday books by making them into an Advent calendar. Wrap up 25 holiday books to stack by the fireplace or a cozy couch and have the children open one to read each evening during Advent.

The books don’t need to be about the holidays in the literal sense. You can choose stories of love, family, friendship, travel…or, even cooking –all appropriate themes relating to the holiday season. There are so many great books – you don’t need to limit yourself to How the Grinch Stole Christmas or ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. If you need some suggestions, here are a few titles we have enjoyed to get you started:

Santa Calls by William Joyce
Christmas in New York City by Roxie Munroe
The Finest Tree by John and Anne Hassett
Penquin and Pinecone: A Friendship Story by Salina Yoon
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
The Tree that Came to Stay by Anna Quindlen
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Be sure to include some titles with beautiful illustrations:

Old Turtle by Douglas Wood
Santa’s Favorite Story by Hisako Aoki and Ivan Gantscher
Simon and the Snowflakes by Gilles Tibo
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Also, it is fun to include titles that promote activities:

I Spy Christmas by Walter Wick and Jean Marzollo
Snowmen by Peter Cole, Frankie Frankeny, Leslie Jonath
Recipe for Adventure Series by Giada deLaurentiis and Francesca Gambatesa
Kids in the Holiday Kitchen: Making, Baking, Giving by Jessica Strand

When wrapping the books, you can choose a color theme to match your décor, holiday theme, or favorite color of the child(ren). I used kraft paper this year to wrap the books and added stickers I personalized with ‘book a day advent’ at Tiny Prints (click here for the website). Their stickers are great – so many cute designs to choose from, they can be personalized as you wish, and a set is very inexpensive. I added numbers to my personalized stickers using rubber stamps and added one to each wrapped book.

When adding the numbers, be conscious that you can be strategic by coordinating number placement with book selection. Number an activity book for the weekend, time a relative’s visit with an appropriate theme/title, or read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas on the appropriate evening.

You can use books you already own and/or library books for this activity…no need for it to be an expensive project! Your local children’s librarian can help with your title selection if you need it. And, if you own the books, when opening your gifts this year, use the discarded wrapping paper to wrap up the books for next year’s book calendar!

I hope you are inspired to create a book Advent calendar this year! Have fun with it! I would love to hear your favorite titles! The children will love this activity – and, what better tradition than one that promotes a love for reading? :)

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Finding Silver Pennies, House of Hipsters, Thoughts from Alice, Crafts a la Mode, and Sand & Sisal.

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for the love of hazelnuts ~ homemade spread

November 7, 2014

When I was a kid, one of the best parts of Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s house was cracking and eating nuts! My grandmother would serve a basket of mixed nuts in the shell, providing a metal nutcracker so that we could open them ourselves. It took so much longer to open the nuts than to actually eat them, but then I guess that was what contributed to the fun – all that hard work!

My first exposure to hazelnuts was when they were in the Thanksgiving nut basket…of course, I had no idea they were called hazelnuts at the time. ..the same was true of pretty much all the nuts (including the silly looking Brazil nuts) in the assortment – except for the more familiar walnuts.

As I got older, and was able to identify the individual nuts and their flavors, hazelnuts were one of my favorites! So, it is no wonder that I had an instant love for Nutella …chocolate and hazelnuts? With these two flavors, how can you go wrong?!

This year, I thought about trying to make my own hazelnut spread. Of course it would be much easier to buy it prepared, but I wanted to taste a fresh batch of homemade! When I realized there was a hazelnut spread recipe in the Mast Brothers cookbook, I knew I had to try it! So, come into my kitchen for today’s Friday field trip to make some spread!

roasting hazelnuts for chocolate hazelnut spread pleasure in simple things

Roasting hazelnuts to use in homemade chocolate hazelnut spread.

I have included the recipe adapted from the Mast Brothers in this post and I will be giving away a copy of the Mast Brother’s cookbook as November’s giveaway selection. (If you leave a comment on this post, you are automatically entered to win!) Since I will be making several of the recipes in this wonderful chocolate cookbook to give as gifts this holiday season, I thought some of my friends may want to do the same! The Mast Brothers are chocolate masters, and I am hoping to use some of their expertise to create some of my own chocolate edibles this holiday.

When I buy nuts in bulk for recipes – like pistachio, pine, or hazelnuts – I usually purchase them at Trader Joe’s since I have always found they carry a good quality product that is reasonably priced. So, when I needed recipe ingredients for my hazelnut spread, guess where I shopped?

I had fun making the spread and I am eager to test out some recipes using hazelnut spread. I packaged up my spread in jars and plan on giving them as Thanksgiving gifts. Maybe I will make copies of some of the recipes I find to include with the spread and add a tie-on tag.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you will try making your own hazelnut spread…it has such a great, fresh flavor! If you should have any great recipes using hazelnut spread, I would love to hear about them!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

(If you’d like to see my Friday field trip to Mast Brothers Chocolate, click here.)

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christmas in october

October 24, 2014

Hi friends! Earlier this week I shared my first Christmas post of the season with a gift tag tutorial. Today, I am continuing the holiday spirit with a shopping trip! Who doesn’t love a shopping trip, right! For today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some of the items I’ve seen on an early shopping trip and am excited about for the upcoming holiday season. So, grab a cup of cocoa or tea on this cold, windy day and enjoy!

The first photo is one of some bottle trees at Terrain. You probably already know of my love for Terrain. This season, they are carrying bottle brush trees in many shades – including aqua and teal (did you see the photo on my Instagram?)…so exciting! Another really cool item I saw in the Westport store, was a candleholder in the shape of a house and made of cinnamon bark…can’t you just imagine the smell when the candle is lit!? I wish you had a scratch and sniff screen!

I also loved these cocktail napkins..so natural yet elegant! Since there are only two Terrain stores in the country, you may not have the opportunity to shop this fabulous home and garden resource. If not, take some time to check the website for some great holiday inspiration.

Talking about inspiration…what about this chalkboard wrapping paper at Paper Source! Definitely 50 feet of fun!

Christmas always involves ornaments and I love looking at the variety of ornaments offered at each of my favorite stores throughout the holidays. With my passion for typography, I could not ignore this stunner from Pottery Barn! I want to hang them up in many word combinations…like fa la la and ho ho ho!

I have been enarmored with this mistletoe ornament at Crate & Barrel for a couple of years now…so happy they are still offering it! I love to put them on packages of bridal shower or engagement gifts…so lovely!

I LOVE this Terrain ornament! Any favorite dried flower can be added…from your own garden or from a special bouquet! Even a lock of hair or small photo would be a great addition!

Mercury glass votives are always a lovely way to add some sparkle during the holidays. This year, Crate & Barrel not only offers some really inexpensive options, but has colors that remind me of the sea. At only $4.95 each, you can create a pretty cluster at a reasonable price for a beautiful sea inspired glow. :) Also, be sure to check out their snowflake hurricanes.

Fresh flowers are great all the time, but at the holidays they are always a requirement. Anthropologie has not yet put out their holiday merchandise, but I love these pinched vases as an artistic way to display a few beautiful blooms.

Ballard Designs always offers some beautiful holiday items, and this year is no exception. These gray and white antler totes really appeal to my neutral color passion! The Suzanne Kasler collection this year also features bears in a gray tone.

Christmas is always so very exciting for the children and it is wonderful to find great items for the kids (or the kids in us!) :) This cookie stamp from Crate & Barrel is sure to leave a smile on the faces of the kids during a Christmas Eve cookie making session for Santa!

Decorating the children’s rooms in a special way during the holiday is a great way to add to the excitement to the season. This year, Garnet Hill has a pattern called “North Pole” that is cheery and seasonal…

And, for the cutest little night light, how about this flameless squirrel candle from West Elm that can be used all year long!

With all the shopping and decorating, a relaxing cup of tea is always in order during the holidays…even better in a pretty mug. This monogrammed vine mug is from Terrain and oh, so pretty! It would also make a great holiday gift for that special teacher!

The last item I am going to share is also from Terrain. I love this inexpensive hanging zinc bucket as an alternative to a front door wreath! Filled with greens or holly, it makes for a really interesting addition to the outdoor decor! Don’t you love the dots! It would also make a great indoor organizer for wrapping supplies.

So that is it for today’s Friday field trip! I hope you enjoyed our little preseason holiday shopping trip! There is so much more to explore as the stores start stocking up…let me know some of your favorites!!

Please note that none of the photos in this post were taken by me…they came from the respective store websites.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Shabby Nest.

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pink velvet pumpkins to celebrate health

September 16, 2014

I make velvet pumpkins at this time of year, as you may already know! One of the fun parts about making the pumpkins is choosing the fabric. I love finding new and different velvets each year to make my velvet pumpkins – adding real pumpkin stems as a finishing detail.

One velvet that I continue to use every year is a pink one. Since breast cancer awareness month is in October, what better way to celebrate it than with a pink velvet pumpkin!

Every year I make some pink pumpkins to give to friends that have survived breast cancer that I may see during the month of October. (One year I had the opportunity to give a pink pumpkin to breast cancer survivor Hoda Kotb when I met her at a book signing!)

A pink pumpkin makes a thoughtful gift for a breast cancer survivor and displaying one is a wonderful reminder of breast cancer awareness month.

This year, for a friend celebrating 5 years cancer-free, I added a ‘5’ using a wooden tag stamped with the number 5.

A pink velvet pumpkin is a subtle and beautiful reminder of breast cancer awareness month. If you would like to make your own velvet pumpkin for yourself or a friend, click here for my tutorial.

Thanks for stopping by, Jackie

P.S. The ribbon used on the ‘5’ pumpkin was inexpensive white seam binding tape I bought on clearance and dyed with strong coffee…some of my favorite ribbon!

Sharing with Nancherrow, Crafts a la Mode, Craftberry Bush, AKA Design, and Sand & Sisal.

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shopping coastal cool

August 8, 2014

For Friday field trip today, I am sharing a little eye candy from one of the best coastal lifestyle stores in Connecticut.

In addition to the best in home, personal, and gift wares, this store carries both Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint! The only shop in my state to sell both paints, Grace in the center of Niantic, is definitely a one-stop shop for everything beautifully coastal!

I definitely needed a ‘beachy’ fix today…I hope you agree! It is such a great time of year and I am having trouble thinking about it ending! I am having a really tough time seeing Halloween candy in stores already! :( Walking into Grace is like walking into a warm salt water breeze! :)

My detailed nature always prompts me to make one final observation when I leave a location – at a restaurant this is always a trip to the ladies room – was as much thought put into the ladies room decor and amenities as in the rest of the restaurant? In a shop, this test is in the way the purchases are presented to the customer…

I think Grace has it covered nicely!

I hope you enjoyed Friday field trip to Grace in Niantic. If you are in the area, be sure to visit…Niantic celebrates Main Street’s Bargains by the Bay Tent & Sidewalk Sale now through Sunday so this weekend would be the perfect time to plan a visit!

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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diy bird nest garden stakes

June 24, 2014

Sometimes the easiest project can bring the most pleasure! I adore these bird nest garden stakes and they are so easy to make!

Garden stakes can definitely be an art form and I love collecting beautiful or unique designs to add some personality to my garden. Today, I am sharing a super easy one you can make yourself and it is sure to cheer up any garden or potted plant!

Inspired by one I saw at the Brimfield Fair this year, this DIY garden stake just requires a cast-off branch from your yard and a couple of mini bird nests attached to it with twine. You may decide to use more or less bird nests depending on the size/shape of the branch you choose. The tiny birds’ nests are easy to find in a dollar store or craft store – usually sold in multiples in a plastic bag.

After making some for your own garden, make up a bunch and use them in pots when you give plants for gifts. These cute bird nest stakes would also be wonderful in centerpieces for a garden party or outdoor bridal luncheon (a little slip of paper – like a fortune in a fortune cookie – in a single nest can be a table number…or, if the branch has two nests; one nest can hold the future bride’s name and the other nest can hold the future groom’s name)

I know, I know…they are missing some little eggs! They really need some! None of the real little eggs I have were small enough…I may need to make some!

Happy gardening!

Thanks for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Finding Silver Pennies and Crafts a la Mode.

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diy cupcake bath bomb

June 10, 2014

Special occasions are cause to celebrate and a great time for a little self-indulgence.

I have a very special occasion coming up…my daughter’s pinning ceremony and graduation. My “baby” will soon be officially pinned as a nurse and then receive her undergraduate nursing degree – all in the same weekend!

Most times when I visit my daughter, I stay with her in her apartment. It is a special treat when, instead, we stay in a hotel. Last time this occurred, we made a trip to Lush (a natural beauty product shop) to pick out special bath bombs from Lush’s huge selection to make full use of the hotel bathtub!

With a special hotel visit coming up, I decided to create homemade bath bombs to bring as a surprise to my daughter to use in the hotel bath during our stay.

Not having any experience in creating natural beauty products, I looked to Ecobeauty from last April’s giveaway book to utilize one of the many recipes from Lauren and Janice Cox’s book. I discovered bath bombs are easy to create and, I like to think, can rival any similar product sold at Lush!

The materials can be purchased at a grocery store or natural foods store. By following the directions in Ecobeauty, I was surprised at how quick and easy I could create such great results! At first it seemed a little strange to me to add sprinkles, but I was instantly relieved when the recipe in the book read “Don’t worry; the sprinkles will dissolve in the tub!” (I plan on keeping the silicone cupcake holders solely for beauty product use.)

I love the way they came out …I think the cupcake design is adorable! I packaged them like real bakery cupcakes to bring on the big graduation trip! I think they would also make great favors for a bridal shower or a gal’s get together. I cannot wait to give one to my daughter! Of course I may need to test one before I do. ;)

Thanks you so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at No Biggie.

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nautical father’s day coasters

May 20, 2014

Beverage coasters make great gifts, and with Father’s Day coming up soon, I have some quick and easy diy gift coasters that are sure to be a hit with the dads! And, they are easy enough for the kids to create!

I made all the coasters in this post from repurposed items (and a little bit of chalkboard paint)…here are three different ways to create some great nautical themed drink holders!

JAR LIDS make great coasters. I like to use the tops of old canning jars. There are so many ways to decorate a jar lid! An old photo of dad is one great way…you can use a copier if you don’t want to compromise a favorite photo. I like the old black and white photos! If you would rather draw your own design, it is easy enough to create a design on a circular piece of cardstock to later glue to the lid. For a new dad, a footprint of a newborn would be a sweet idea.

Here, I coiled a scrap piece of rope and used a glue gun to attach it to the lid. If you don’t have any rope, it is very inexpensive to buy by the yard at a marine store (or, you can buy a jumprope at a dollar store).

Another way to embellish the lid is to add a piece of cork. Here, I added cork and decorated it by simply adding a design with a permanent marker.

A map of the recipient’s favorite vacation spot is another idea…here, I used a page from an old atlas.

I found an easy way to protect the photo or map you use for your coaster – simply cut a circle of plastic from a fruit or vegetable container and lay it right on top!

For the next two designs, you will need to create a template…decide on the size and shape you want for the coaster and cut one out of cardboard. I made mine a 3 ½” square with rounded corners.

CHALKBOARD coasters are easy to make and are so fun! Using your template, cut coasters out of cardboard or chipboard. For Father’s Day, you will probably want to create a set – decide how many you want, cut them out, and coat one side of each with chalkboard paint – I used chalkboard spray paint.

For a nautical look, I tied a set of newly made coasters in twine and added a fish gift tag made from brown kraft paper. Don’t forget to add a piece of chalk! I also added a fishing bobber as a final touch!

Cardboard SIX PACK CARRIERS, that six packs of beer are sold in, are a great source for a fun coaster material. Using your template, just trace and cut coasters! I found some great six pack holders in recycling bins!

Any summertime design is really fun to use (wish I found some Landshark!)…or, a design from a favorite beer of the recipient!

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for easy ways to make coasters as gifts this Father’s Day. They are a super project to work on with the kids…enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Liz Marie Blog, Coastal Charm, Silver Pennies, City Farmhouse, and Sand & Sisal.

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vintage handkerchief lavender sachets

May 9, 2014

Back in my grandmother’s time, handkerchiefs were an art form. There were so many beautiful handkerchief designs – many embroidered – and every lady carried one.

I remember my grandmother always having one tucked up her sleeve. Everything was made to last in my grandmother’s time, and this included handkerchiefs. They were always fashioned of cloth, not the disposable variety of today.

Because of this, there are still many lovely old handkerchiefs around today. I saved many from both my grandmothers because of the sentimental value, but over time I have found some great ways to transform these heirlooms into items that are practical as well as beautiful.

For Friday field trip today, I am sharing my favorite way as we travel back to a time of beautiful cloth handkerchiefs and fashion them into lavender sachets. With Mother’s Day approaching, a sweet sachet made from a family heirloom can make a special gift for mom.

Inevitably, a gift like this may be too pretty to scent a drawer…and, instead…may end up displayed on top of a dresser or nightstand.

If you are not lucky enough to have a family heirloom to use in creating this sachet, vintage handkerchiefs are easily found for only a couple dollars each at yard sales or antique shops.

Very little lavender is needed to create a sachet, and because it is such a light material, a cup and a half of lavender weighs less than an ounce…be mindful of this when you are deciding how much to purchase.

To create the sachet, cut a square of cheesecloth (about a 7” square) to hold the lavender. I use the cheesecloth so the lavender won’t directly touch the hanky, but the scent will still come through. You will only need one quarter to one half cup of lavender. You can adjust the size of the cheesecloth and the amount of the lavender depending on the size of the handkerchief you use.

Tie the cheesecloth with a piece of twine and position the ball of lavender in the center of the handkerchief – enclosing the lavender ball in the handkerchief with a piece of ribbon or lace. I chose some vintage lace. That’s it! Beautiful…and, what a heavenly smell!

Handkerchief sachets also make wonderful bridal shower or wedding favors. They can even be personalized with an embroidered initial, name, or date.

Have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Mother’s Day!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Crafts a la Mode, Craftberry Bush, and Timewashed.

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may day flowers

April 25, 2014

For Friday field trip this week, we are stepping back in time to honor an old tradition that celebrates the start of spring. Up until the end of the 20th century, part of the May Day tradition included leaving flowers anonymously on neighbor’s doorsteps on May 1st as a signal to the start of spring.

Last year I had some fun making hanging flower containers with driftwood, shells, and repurposed glass tubes. This year, I am creating some gifts of floral spheres that are easy to create using flower oasis and grocery store flowers.

I am starting by cutting a block of oasis material into a four inch square. (Oasis is available at any dollar store, craft store, or flower shop.)

The material is very easy to cut with a serrated knife, but can be messy – be sure to cover your work surface with newspaper before starting this process.

After cutting a square cube, sculpt the material into a sphere shape using your knife.

Once the shape is created, let the material soak up water by submerging it in a container of room temperature tap water.

Next, add flowers. Pins or fasteners will not be required to attach the flowers if flowers with stiff stems are chosen – like the ones I have used here. Just leave some length on the stems so they can be poked into the material.

Place the flower heads in close enough to each other to prevent seeing glimpses of the surface (to avoid needing any additional filler flowers).

A 4″ cube can easily be filled with a small bouquet from the grocery store florist…or flowers from your garden – if you are lucky enough to be in a part of the country that makes this possible!

Now you have created a beautiful sphere shaped flower arrangement that can be displayed in any small container that accommodates the size of the sphere. I have used a sugar bowl and a small flower pot.

No fear, if you want to continue the May Day tradition of hanging your arrangement, this is easy to accomplish. Before adding the flowers, attach some twine around the sphere and you can easily hang your May Day arrangement.

Take note that hanging is possible because of the small size of the sphere. Because the added water adds weight to the sphere, this would not work with a larger size sphere – the twine would cut through the material. And be sure to use twine – moisture from the water would stain a ribbon.

I much prefer the sphere displayed in a container, but if you need to follow the tradition to the letter, your arrangement can be hung on a nearby doorknob. ;)