Pillow Pets

Pillow Pets are a "hot" item right now. Kids are going crazy about them. Learn how to make your own with Twelve Crafts Til Christmas. These would make great presents under the tree!

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See how to make the pillow pet body (part 1).

See how to make the pillow pet head (part 2).

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Free Printable Letters FROM Santa!

I'm back! What a perfect vacation we had. Honestly, hubby made me leave a day early and while that threw off my packing schedule a bit, I'm sooooo glad he did. The original day we had scheduled to travel ended up being the first day of a very heavy week of snow that followed. They had record breaking snowfall and below zero temperatures. It was exactly why we went. My husband loves the dark cold gloom of winter, don't ask me why! It was really beautiful, I must admit. But I do love the weather we came back to in SoCal. It is sunny and the air is cold and crisp.
We did get our family photos done. The day we did it, it was like 7 degrees below zero and windy! But we managed and got some great shots in the snow by the lake. They won't look like all my friends cards I'll be getting from the beach, I know that!

Now that I'm back and in Christmas card and photo book mode, it reminded me of something else I plan to send out along with Christmas cards. Last year Chloe recieved a letter in the mail FROM Santa! It was very very exciting for her. One of her friends mother sent it. Chloe is 8 and has started questioning Santa's reality. I know this is the last year she will "believe" so I want her to get the letter this last time. I know a ton of other young children I can send it to as well. If you want to send some letter's from Santa, click HERE. They're free!

Holiday Boutique Is Here!

50 Amazing Shops

with

50 Fabulous Discounts

Including Your's Truly

(Buy 3 items, get the 4th item free)!

I'm so excited to once again take part in the Ucreate Holiday Boutique!

It's a great place to find some incredible handmade gifts from amazing & talented artists.

Let's start shopping!

Free Holiday Card Templates

Download these gorgeous card templates from Florabella for FREE! Perfect for the holidays, but they can also be used year round. All the front of cards can be used like frames. Get the templates HERE and start creating!

Trying & trying to win a Silhouette!!

Today the awesome giveaway is on  The TomKat Studio blog.

I read this blog everyday in my handy-dandy Google reader. I am always inspired by her projects and was jumping at the chance to enter her most recent giveaway for a Silhouette.

I can't even begin to tell you about the amazing amounts of crafts the Silhouette would inspire me to create! I love everything about it. It would definitely be a step up from scrapbooking skills, stamping, paper punches, and be a welcome addition to my budding "career" as a sewer.
I have entered many giveaways on blogs over the last few months, but non have been as amazing & important as the Silhouette!!

Toddler Turkey Hand Tee

Here's a modern twist to the Thanksgiving hand turkey! My daughter and I made this last year and we had so much fun I wanted to share it again!

Gobble ~ Gobble!

(Look at that sweet little face! I can't believe how much she's grown in one year!)

We followed the tutorial from Treasures For Tots as our guide. Using fabric scraps, ribbons & buttons, w made the whole thing in less than one hour & the best part... No sewing involved (woot)!

Hope you & your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Awesome giveaway!!

Check out this awesome giveaway on the Tatertots & Jello blog.

I can't even begin to tell you about the amazing amounts of crafts the Silhouette would inspire me to create! I love everything about it. It would definitely be a step up from scrapbooking skills, stamping, paper punches, and be a welcome addition to my budding "career" as a sewer.

I have entered many giveaways on blogs over the last few months, but non have been as amazing & important as the Silhouette!!

$10 off $10 Hallmark Purchase

Moms and expectant moms can sign up and print a coupon good for $10 off your purchase of $10 or more at select Hallmark Gold Crown Stores. This is a great way to stock up on wrapping paper or treat yourself to a special ornament to remember 2010. Get the coupon HERE

Also Hallmark's "The Night Before Christmas" recordable storybook will be $10.00 off with ANY purchase on 11/26-11/28. No coupon required.

The book is regularly around $30, less $10 sale discount and pair it with the $10 off coupon - making it a great deal at around $10. I'm going to get one and have my mom record it for my daughter.

Thanksgiving Wine Suggestions

We're Outta Here!

We are getting ready to head out for the holiday. It seems that no matter how well I plan and no matter how early I start preparations, I'm still running around frantically before it's time to go. I'm so looking forward to this trip to Coeur d'Alene. We are also hoping to make a day trip west to Seattle since none of us have been there. We'll see if that works out. I booked a photographer, so we are going to get professional photos done while on vacation. Hopefully we will be able to do an outdoor shoot if the weather permits. Since I'm not cooking for Thanksgiving this year, I won't be posting my fab appetizer recipes. (Maybe next year!)

But, I did want to give some wine suggestions. I happen to know a little about wine, maybe even a lot compared to some. I studied wine over the course of three years. I've worked in all aspects of the wine industry. I have worked as a sommelier in a fine restaurant, I have sold wine as a distributor to stores and restaurants, and I have worked selling wine directly to the customers either in a store or by leading private wine class parties.

But I digress, my point is that you can trust my advice in regards to this subject! Thanksgiving wine selection is pretty easy and straightforward. For a typical traditional Thanksgiving dinner my selection for red is Pinot Noir, something from the Oregon, perhaps, and a for white, a Riesling. Now with Riesling you can go a couple of different routes. I would suggest a dry or semi-sweet. Germany and Alsace are good bets. I also like one they have at Costco, from the Coppola Collection (California produced). It is called Sofia (after his movie-producing daughter). It comes in a fun, lovely bottle. My guests always seem to enjoy every last drop of it!

Just spend what you can afford. There are great wines in a variety of price points. I think a good starting point is $11-13 a bottle. Of course you can always go up from there, but you don't want to go through all of the trouble of cooking a great meal only to pair it with crappy wine. And if you're buying for a hostess gift, spend at least $20. Either buy one nice bottle or get two, a red and white. Definitely ask a sales person to help steer you in the right direction. That's why they're there. Use them to your benefit!

These two wines are perfect because there are so many different flavors going on, and these will compliment while not overpowering them. I'm sorry I don't have more time to explain but the kids keep talking to me and I'm supposed to be packing!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving All!

FREE Thanksgiving Cards from Tiny Prints!

Ohh this is a GREAT freebie from Tiny Prints - but it ends tomorrow, November 11 so order your cards today!

Simply choose one (or more) of 33 adorable Thanksgiving cards here, personalize it and then head to checkout.

Enter code: FREETHX

You can have the card(s)s sent directly to you at no charge or you can have Tiny Prints mail the cards directly to the recipient for $0.44 (cost of a stamp)!

What a wonderful treat!

Starbucks: BOGO Free Holiday Drinks

Starting Thursday, November 18 all holiday drinks at Starbucks are Buy 1, Get 1 FREE! The offer is good daily between 2pm - 5pm and runs through November 21st. I'm so hooked on Venti Peppermint Mocha's that I usually buy 2 at a time, so this is a great deal!

Caramel Brulee Latte, Peppermint Mocha, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Gingerbread Latter, Eggnog Latte, Caramel Brulee Frappuccino, or Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino.

What's your favorite drink?

Also Starbucks has an upcoming "12 Day of Sharing" promo. Just text 12DAYS to 29943 to sign up. You'll receive one offer per day starting on December 1st (standard text messaging rates apply). I can't wait to see what they offer.

Thanksgiving Black-Bottom Pumpkin Tart

Ready for a dressed up version of a Thanksgiving classic? The chocolate cookie crust is the perfect compliment to the pumpkin filling. YUM!

Black-Bottom Pumpkin Tart

Ingredients:

• CRUST:
• 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafers (about 30)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• FILLING:
• 1 15-oz. can 100 percent pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F; line a baking sheet with foil. Make crust: Combine wafers, cocoa powder and sugar in a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add butter and pulse until mixture just clumps together. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press firmly onto bottom and sides to form a crust. Place on lined baking sheet and bake until slightly firm to the touch and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet to a wire rack; reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

2. Make filling: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; whisk until blended. Place baking sheet with crust on oven rack and ladle just enough filling into crust to come up to the rim. (Do not overfill.) Bake until a knife inserted into center of tart comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly, then chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

It's My Birthday...Crown

Today Is My Birthday!

Today is my birthday! A couple days ago Chloe made this crown for me. She even thought to include little sheets I could tear off each day for a countdown. When she presented it to me, she made it clear that I was to wear it all the time leading up to my birthday...."Even in public," she said. Was she kidding, I thought?

So on Sunday we all had to go out to pick up some supplies for a school project (and my wine ornaments) at Michael's. Being the mom I am, I happily adorned my birthday crown. Let's just say on a Sunday afternoon there were no shortage of shoppers. There were a lot of looks my way, a little girl who pointed and laughed, (no joke), and a past PTA president, with whom I had an entire conversation. I even stopped her to ask if she could take me seriously while I was wearing the crown. At the end of our chat, she tapped me on the arm, looked at me pathetically and said, "You're a good mom." Hmmm, I thought, I guess I am. But, really, I thought, how could anyone not honor a wish like that of their 8 year old daughter? It reminded me to have some childish fun while celebrating my birthday!

On the inside she wrote "If lost return to"....and my phone number.

While at Michael's Nash made a secret purchase for me, asking the store attendants their opinion on his idea. Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll love it. I already feel like the luckiest person in the world. I have all of life's greatest gifts already.

Wine Cork Ornaments

Wine Cork Ornaments

{Printable Instructions}

Aren't these lovely and adorable? I'm so excited. I have been wanting to make these little ornaments since last fall. (I know, I know!) After searching for an answer for what to do with all my wine corks I remembered this. I can't quite remember where I saw it. This was way too easy and I'm looking forward to making tons of these and giving them in sets this Christmas. These guys were my first try at it, so I'm looking forward to what else I can do. I picked up all my supplies from Michael's including a mini hand drill and I paid $4 for the set of three key charms. Here's a simple photo turtorial, so you can make them too. Just don't forget to share your ideas with us after you've made some. Let's get started, shall we?

Some supplies (shown below) you'll need is a drill, small drill bit, cord ribbon (in the ribbon section), glue, scissors, 9mm split rings (they look like mini key rings), decorative charms with an attached split ring, & buttons with holes.

First, drill a hole through the center of the cork. From one side, through to the other. The hole has to be big enough to thread your cord ribbon through.

Next, attach the split ring (#1) onto the charm(#2). Cut a piece of cord ribbon to 12-18 inches in length. Slide your charm onto the ribbon as you would a necklace.

1.) Slide on the button. One end of the ribbon through one button hole and the other side of the ribbon in another button hole. 2.) Thread both ends of the ribbon through the hole in the cork. 3.) Add a little glue to the button and pull the ribbon so the cork and button are affixed. 4.) Add one or two more buttons as you did in step 1 and 2. Then glue those in place. You should now have something that looks like (from top to bottom) button, button, cork, button, slip ring, slip ring, charm. All held by the ribbon and glue.

To further secure your glued button, simply loop the ribbon one time as if you were going to tie your shoe. Just don't make a bow or not. Now towards the end of the length of your ribbon tie a double knot. Tight. Cut off any excess ribbon.

Wha-La!

ADDENDUM: Dec 27, 2010

I'm adding some more photos to this post, I have been experimenting with different charms, the crystals are expensive, but I really love them. I have also started using a different type of cord, I picked up in the jewelry making section. The cupcake one is perfect for the baker in me, and the ones with the crystal look great hanging from my rear view mirror, although I'm not sure if that's a safety hazard! If you choose to go that route, cut your cord extra long. I also experimented with beads and I started using larger slip rings :

Deal Alert: Paul Frank Rain Boots

So cute! Target's Daily Deal is for children's Paul Frank Rain Boots. Today just $13 PLUS Buy 1, get 1 50% - making them around $18 for 2 pairs shipped! Use code 4IKCC8AJ to take an extra 10% off.

These will sell out fast, so don't wait if you are thinking about ordering them! I sooo wish they had these in adult sizes :)

Cake Decorating Book Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations Sue!

You're the winner of the beautiful Toba Garrett Wedding Cake Decorating Book.

You should receive an email from me shortly.

Stay tuned for more great cookbook giveaways in the month of December.

Spaghetti Sauce (15 of 120+)

A Resch family favorite interpretation of a classic bolognese sauce.

• 1-2 lbs. Ground Beef
  
• 1 lg. yellow onion, small dice
  
• 1 lg can crushed tomatoes
  
• 1-2 cans tomato sauce
  
• 1 can tomato paste
  
• 2 TBS. Olive oil
  
• 1-2 cups red wine
  
• 1 TBS. Italian seasoning
  
• Salt & pepper
  

Sweat onion, olive oil & pinch of salt on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste & Italian seasoning. Add a couple pinches of salt and one pinch of pepper. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low for 30 minutes. Taste and season accordingly.

    

 

Give Thanks!

Want to bless someone with a little gift for Thanksgiving?
Now you can give thanks with these simple favor tags - perfect for teacher, neighbor & hostess gifts! Download the FREE printables from It Is What It Is HERE.

Personalized Photo Ornaments - $1.99 Shipped

Looking for a fun personalized gift? ArtsCow is offering Personalized Photo Ornaments for $1.99 with FREE Shipping when you use code ORNTS2010 at checkout. After doing a little research I learned the ornaments are ceramic and had very positive reviews.

I ordered 4 & my total was just $7.96. The offer is valid on single-sided personalized ornaments only. They are shipped from overseas, so I suggest ordering them soon to make sure they arrive in time for Christmas.

Give A Hoot For The Holidays

How cute are these little guys? Every Christmas, I buy an ornament that reminds me of something special for that year. This year seems to be the year of the owl for me, so I'm going to make one (or two, or ten) of these adorable woodland friends. Aside from tree ornaments, these would be fun party favors, gift tags, etc.

Get the tutorial & details from Juicy Bits HERE!

Hip Holiday Cards

Christmas is just around the corner (44 days to be exact!). Now that I'm a parent, one of the joys of the holiday is sending Christmas cards to friends & family with an updated photo of our little gal. But I tend to stress myself out by trying to make each card fun & fabulous. Choosing the perfect photos can be a challenge. This year I'm going a different route (attempting to make my life easier) and using my favorite online printing store, Shutterfly. I'm going to use them for my holiday photo cards, Christmas party invites & holiday gift tags. I love one-stop shopping especially when I can do it my pajamas! Plus they have a great selection and their prices are reasonable. I am also a big fan of the quality of their cards – not to mention their prints and photo books…

Here are a few of my favorites:

Starlight Snowflakes

Retro Ornaments Photo Card

Clever Rudolph Gift Tag

If you aren’t already signed up with Shutterfly, sign up now and get 50 4x6 FREE prints. Then be sure to check out their latest holiday cards – in addition to Christmas cards – they offer Hanukkah, New Year’s, thank you cards and more!

Are you blogger? You can receive 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. Just click HERE for information on how you can get 50 free cards this holiday season!

So are you a procrastinator or have you already started your holiday cards?

Free Flip Flops with Orbit Gum Purchase

Here's a fun new promo! Get a FREE pair of Tropical Flip Flops when you purchase Orbit gum! All you need to do is go HERE and click on the “Redeem Now” link, then enter the lot code number (on the side of the Orbit gum package). Finally, choose your design, size and fill out your mailing info. Now just wait 10-12 weeks for your flip flops to arrive!

This promo is sure to go fast, so don't wait!

Recipe Blog I love and Easy Cinnamon Bread Recipe

I love the blog Plain Chicken. All of the recipes that I have tried from Plain Chicken have made it into my Tried and True cookbook binder. To qualify to be in the Tried and True Cookbook binder I must have made and loved the recipe at least 3 times. The latest Plain Chicken recipe to make it in was this Parmesan Skillet Bread.
http://plainchicken.blogspot.com/2010/09/garlic-parmesan-skillet-bread.html
It's a great addition to most any dinner but recently I tried a sweet breakfast version using the same method.

Cinnamon Skillet Bread
1 can flaky buttermilk biscuits, cut in quaters
3 Tbsp butter
2 tsp prepared cinnoman and sugar mix
8" saute pan
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Water or milk, start with a teaspoon
Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter in saute pan.  Add cinnamon and sugar.  Add quartered biscuts and toss in saute pan.  Place whole pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and slide onto platter for serving. Combine powdered sugar and liquid, one teaspoon at a time until a desired constistency is reached. It should drizzle off a spoon.

Popcorn Paper Bag Turkey

This Thanksgiving add this adorable treat to the kids table. So cute & clever! Our preschool has a little turkey day feast & this is perfect for my daughter to bring. What kid wouldn't love this?!

Head over to One Charming Party to get the directions on how to make this adorable popcorn paper bag turkey!

Millionaire's Spinach Salad

Menu Monday: 
Monday: Crock Veggie Beef Soup (leftovers are great for lunch throughout the week)
Tuesday: Chicken Ciabatta Sandwiches
Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (a kid favorite!)
Thursday-Sunday: Veteran's Day Holiday Getaway! No cooking!

Here's an easy Millionaire's Spinach Salad recipe we love:

1/2-3/4 of a bag of baby spinach or 1/2 spinach & 1/2 arugala

1 avocado, sliced
1/2 can of hearts of palm*, chopped (I omit the pieces that are not tender)
1/4 cup Gruyere, shredded (or chunks of mozzerella)
1 Tbls. grated Parmesan
1-2 Tbls. olive oil
Place spinach in large shallow bowl, top with avocado, cheese, & hearts of palm. Add a bit of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Lightly drizzle salad with olive oil.
*Hearts of Palm is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees. It can be found in the canned vegetable aisle of most grocery stores.

*This post is linked to Tasty Tuesdays @ 33 Shades of Green.*

Product Review:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Bundt Cake Mix

HAVE YOU SEEN ME?

By now you know my love of cakes and for 'good things simple'. Well this is the epitome of good and simple. I always keep Ghirardelli brownies on hand for last minute entertaining. I pick up a large box from Costco that has about 6 mixes in it. Last time I was at Costco, I saw that they carried these instead. I grabbed it to try even though there are only 2 mixes. I whipped one up on Saturday night and let me tell you....AMAZING!!!!!! I made the bundt cake shown on the front, but you can also make it into cupcakes, or a layer cake. It even comes with powdered sugar for dusting. If you made these as cupcakes, I'm sure you would get some type of Mom Of The Year award. Here's the problem...I searched for these all over the Internet and they are virtually non-existent. Couldn't find any trace of them. So I called Ghirardelli and they said this is a new product that is seasonal. Here's the bad news. It's only sold at certain warehouse stores in certain states. California, Arizona, Illinois, and Utah are the lucky ones. I am going to head to my Costco this week and see if they still have it. If so, I will make it a giveaway. If you would like more information you can call 1-866-645-8080. Oh and last thing, it's MILK-FREE. It does however have its little disclaimer about how it is manufactured on equipment that also produces products containing milk. All of the lactose free people I know are not affected by this.