an anthro home for the holidays

December 6, 2013

Do you have favorite places to visit during the holiday season? Are there a few stores you visit as an annual tradition? Anthropologie is one of those places for me.

I always enjoy checking out the unique home items in the store, but I find it especially fun at holiday time.

As a tradition, I always purchase a tree ornament as a gift for my daughter…but, I can always find some great stocking stuffers as well…

If you are an Anthro shopper, you know that the store always provides a fun package tie-on for gifts purchased at the store during the holiday. This year, there are a couple choices – one is a miniature Russian nesting doll…cute!

Of course I took special note of some of the woodland themed items!

Anthropologie is always a fun place to visit…I hope you enjoyed sharing a few of my favorite things in the store on this week’s Friday field trip.

You have seen two of my annual store traditions – one last week and one this week…do you have any stores you visit as an annual tradition at the holidays?

Thanks so much for visiting.

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

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diy advent calendar

December 3, 2013

This year, I am using jars for my Advent calendar. I think my creation ties in well with my woodland holiday theme and jars are great for stashing surprises.

I started collecting baby food jars about a month ago. Some of my coworkers thought it strange when I offered them baby food at lunch break, but geez…who wouldn’t want free organic fruits and vegetables as part of their lunch! (Granted, they were in pureed form!)

After eating all the baby food and cleaning all the jars, I spray painted the outside of the jars with a cream colored spray paint. I didn’t want any paint inside the jars since I planned on putting edible items inside them…I didn’t want to risk chipped paint in my woodland treats!

Paint will chip off glass, though this was not a big concern for me since my calendar was planned for a one-time use. A clear coat can be applied if a more durable finish is desired. I sprayed the tops in forest green and created labels by cutting shapes from chalkboard Contact paper.

As a decorative touch, I added some bells around the rims – also a great security device to discourage any premature jar openings!

What am I putting in the jars? Some examples include spiced nuts; maple sugar candy leaves; candy rocks; marzipan mushrooms and acorns; and gummy bears, worms, snakes, frogs, and spiders.

The fun part is arranging the jars on the mantle among forest inspired items.

This is a great project that can be easily adapted to any theme and can be arranged creatively in any nook, shelf, or corner – stack them up or spread them around.

If you plan on making one of your own, I highly recommend buying plenty of banana mango baby food…it was my favorite. ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by, Jackie

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shopping frenzy?

November 29, 2013

I hate the term ‘Black Friday.’ To me, the day after Thanksgiving signals the start of all that is good about the holiday season. I would prefer the term for the day signify the start of the holiday spirit and not the start of retail frenzy. How about ‘Magical Friday,’ or ‘Enchanted Friday,’ or even ‘Family Friday.’ How would you sum up the seasonal spirit in one word?

I am not saying I don’t enjoy visiting the stores. I do. But, not the ones that have long lines at midnight or that spotlight the latest ‘must have’ toy. I prefer the stores that showcase the magic…the sparkle…the beauty of the season…the kind of store that contributes to the spirit of the season – not the spirit of commercialism.

Taken for Granite in Stony Creek, Connecticut embraces the holiday spirit by providing homemade holiday treats for visiting shoppers.

One of my favorites is Taken for Granite. So, today’s Friday field trip on ‘Black Friday’ is a trip to Taken for Granite in Stony Creek, Connecticut to a store that helps kick off this magical time of year in a way no other store can.

And, of course, I had to include some woodland inspirations to go with my theme this year! Enjoy!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed Friday field trip.

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

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happy thanksgiving :)

November 26, 2013

This Thanksgiving week, as I pause to give thanks – I want to give a special thanks to you – for sharing pleasure in simple things with me.

Click here for a special gift from me to you...and…

Please enjoy all that is dear to you this Thanksgiving…

Peace & Love, Jackie

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diy wire gift tags

November 19, 2013

I adore holiday decorating and baking. Gift wrapping, in particular, is a passion of mine and I always start thinking about design details for my packages as soon as I establish a holiday theme – months before the holiday season approaches.

I assembled some of the materials I knew I would need for my woodland gift wrapping ideas quite some time ago…hoping to squeeze in some of my planned projects in free moments.

Working 15 hour days isn’t particularly conducive to fitting in creative activities, but I did use a couple of late night hours recently to work on some gift tags I had envisioned a while back.

Using wire from the craft store, I very simply bent the wire to form words to use as gift tags on my gifts…choosing fun holiday words or the name of the gift recipient. I chose an antique bronze colored wire and picked the strongest gauge that I could still shape using my hands. (Pliers are an option if you would rather use a tool or don’t have significant hand strength.) I formed a loop on either end of the word shape to use as a ribbon loop and cut the end of the wire with pliers being sure to check for sharp edges and using a file or sandpaper to smooth any rough spots…

I shaped the words freehand, but you can certainly use a handwritten word on paper or print out a word from your computer to use as a pattern.

These packages will coordinate nicely with the others I have planned for my woodland theme. ;) Wire is available in a wide choice of colors in the craft store, so you can choose one to match your own holiday theme.

These word creations have so many uses – they can be used as ornaments, to identify a Christmas stocking, or as a wine bottle gift tag. It is an especially great idea to use one on a gift for someone that can never find anything printed with their unique name!

I hope you will try your hand at some of these fun wire word gift tags for holiday packages and create some to coordinate with your own holiday decorating.

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

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holiday shopping trip

November 15, 2013

Today’s Friday field trip is a shopping trip! My woodland holiday theme has been so much fun, I thought I would share some of the great items I have come across in my travels. When I decided to put a few photos up for you to see, I never realized how much trouble I would have editing all the great things I have found!

A woodland feeling would not be complete without a cozy blanket or scarf…this one is from L.L. Bean and in a favorite color palette. And, I love the way this set of three tree candles from Crate and Barrel mixes with neutrals. The serving tray from Ballard Designs is perfect to serve ‘fruits, nuts & berries’ at your holiday gathering…make up some candied or spiced nuts to include on your cheese tray!

Doesn’t this bring back memories? Burning Christmas tree smelling incense from a log cabin incense burner is an old time favorite…and it helps bring the Christmas tree smell to every room in your home! This beauty can be purchased at Terrain.

In recent years, straws have been available in so many different varieties…this holiday season you can even find straws that look like birch trees! At Anthropologie, I found these lovely simulated birch bark paper straws…perfect for sipping an icy holiday beverage. No outdoor themed party would be complete without maple leaf shaped maple sugar candies…the Vermont County Store is a wonderful source to find varieties of maple candy. I had to throw in the classic plaid traveling companion! This plaid number is not just for woodland picnics…it can be used to plant small holiday trees or mosses on an entryway table or for planting some succulents or paperwhites indoors. You can purchase this classic at Orvis.

What to wear? Of course you need to coordinate what you wear with the theme! For the little one, how about this adorable handmade creation? SO CUTE! It is available on Etsy from Crochele. Not really my style though…I am planning on wearing this long forest green dress from Anthropologie. To give others to wear, I found some great handmade jewelry pieces for gifts…the bird nest necklace is available on Etsy from Alwaysabridesmade and the silver band squirrel ring is by Elizabeth Ryan and available on her website LookaJewelry.com.

These containers by Carla Peters are available at West Elm and are perfect for a single holiday bloom or…are beautiful all on their own!

Even though I plan on making my woodland themed ornaments (like my acorn ornaments :) for starters), I managed to find something available for the tree that got me excited….the perfect treetopper (at Terrain) for a woodland Christmas…isn’t he great?

I hope you enjoyed our little woodland holiday shopping trip today for Friday field trip. Here in Connecticut it has turned very cold and definitely brings with it thoughts of the holidays (of course Christmas songs playing in all the stores certainly helps this along lol!) Thanks so much for stopping by…

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

Please note: The photos in today’s post were not taken by me. They are photos from the respective websites where the products are sold.

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the season to count blessings

November 12, 2013

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I find myself reflecting on all the blessings in my life.

Especially when things get difficult, I try to pause and remember that I have so much to appreciate.

Today, I share with you some sentiments I find relevant as I reflect on giving thanks.

I have paired some favorite quotes with photos I have taken that help capture the beauty of fall in Connecticut.

Thanks for being one of my blessings…

I am thankful you have chosen to stop by today. :)

Enjoy. Feel free to share… and,

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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repurposing clothespins

November 5, 2013

I guess being born a Virgo and a firstborn explains how the simplest of organizing ideas can get me excited.

Using extra clothespins as an organizing tool is a perfect example…yes, I find this exciting!

Who hasn’t used a clothespin to hold a chip bag closed?

But, by adding a few stamped letters and a freebie refrigerator magnet, I gave a few clothespins some more specific daily assignments. Days of the week clothespins are a great way to help organize the week’s menu by clipping recipe cards onto the appropriate day that you will need them… an easy way to have some clothespins doing double-duty in your kitchen. Also a great way to remember a coupon you may need to use on a specific day during the week.

You can also add a little character to some old style clothespins by adding a coat of whitewash and then using a little sandpaper to give a worn appearance. I like to use these as ‘clips’ for markers on my appetizer trays…here for a dessert tray, I also added a splash of gold to go with a gold theme.

I am also incorporating some clothespins into my woodland holiday theme table decor…using a glue gun to add some pheasant feathers and some scrap velvet to some clothespins, they will stand in for more traditional napkin rings. I always have plenty of feathers on hand, but if you don’t have access to game bird feathers, you can certainly pick some up at the craft store.

Another use for wooden clothespins to tie into my woodland theme is to use them with mini brown bags to create a natural element Advent calendar…stamp the days on the clothespins and clip natural materials to bags you have filled with surprises.

A jar full of leaves from the backyard serves as a ‘jar of thanks’ …a slip of paper from each guest on Thanksgiving Day, giving a message of thanks, is folded and included in the jar to be read later in the day.

Do you have any great uses for wooden clothespins?

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

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thanksgiving treats

October 29, 2013

Using a few confections, it is easy to create some cute candy turkeys to use Thanksgiving Day at place settings or as an after dinner activity for the little ones.

When my children were very young, I put together these candy turkeys to bring to my family’s Thanksgiving feast at my sister’s home.

Even though the kids are now well beyond grammar school age, candy turkeys have become something of a tradition at our Thanksgiving celebration. (As much a tradition as my brother-in-law playing “Alice’s Restaurant” as background music!)

So, at my sister’s at Thanksgiving, not only does she supply more varieties of pies than people, but also the ingredients for making candy turkeys.

Using a few candy ingredients and some melted chocolate as the ‘glue,’ the turkeys are easy to put together. (My sister has sometimes successfully substituted prepared canned frosting.)

Don’t pass up this wonderful opportunity to embrace playing with your food!

Note: for instructions to make the acorn ornament to use as a napkin ring, click here.

Thanks so much for stopping by…

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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dreaming of a white halloween

October 15, 2013

Who says Halloween decorating has to be black and orange? I prefer white…think ghosts, tangles of spider webs, fangs…all white! So, why not decorate with white?

Of course decorating with treats is a requirement…and there are some great white options. Because I love white decorating, I often create white dessert tables at the holidays. White is a fun option for Halloween treats also!

For visiting adults on Halloween, champagne bubbles are the perfect sweet!

Decorating a white Halloween. Create a white on white polka dot pumpkin by creating white dots with acrylic paint, white nail polish, or white felt and glue. Champagne bubbles in treat sacks continue the dot theme.

These “yum” sacks are better suited to the young ones. Fill with white jelly beans, mini marshmallows, or white gum drops to appeal to younger tastes.

I made these ghosts from a traditional meringue recipe. Flavoring them with root beer makes them a fun and different sweet for Halloween. The color from the root beer extract also gives them a vintage color. Eyes are easy to create with a toothpick and some black paste food coloring.