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Pompom Christmas Necklace

November 15, 2018 By Kelle

Repeat after me: The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…

If you’ve seen Elf, you know that sentence ends with “singing loud for all to hear,” but I’m going to give you some other options so that you have a little smorgasbord of cheer to choose from, okay?

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…swinging from a chandelier.
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…going to Butch McGuire’s for a Christmas beer.
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…making a festive necklace with a little Christmas deer.

I’m planning to do all three this season, but to keep this kid-friendly, let’s jump right into that last one because it’s easy, and kids will love turning any outfit into something festive and fun with these darling necklaces.

If you’re gutsy, combine all three and make one of these necklaces to wear at Butch McGuire’s while you swing from their chandeliers.

Here’s what you need – a small, lightweight ornament or Christmas trinket that would serve well as your “charm” (or a collection of them if you want to make more than one necklace). Since we made these, I keep spotting more little ornaments that would make the cutest necklace. We found our gingerbread plush ornament at Target, the reindeer one at Hobby Lobby, and the miniature bottle brush tree in a pack of 5 in the Dollar Spot at Target. These little snowmen are pretty cute too.

Then, all you need is some suede lacing (inexpensive, usually sold in packs with different colors at any craft store), some pompoms, and a needle and thread. I’m sure you could also use glue to adhere the pompoms, but sewing them on with just a few loops of thread secures it a little better.

Cut off any long hanging loops on the ornaments. If there’s not a ring on the ornament to slip on the suede cording, sew one on. I sewed the gingerbread man on by looping the thread around a few times, but leaving it a bit loose so it could “slide”. For the miniature bottle brush tree, I just tied some thread tightly toward the top of the tree to make a loop.

Sew the pompoms where you want them along the suede. We used different sizes of pompoms and sewed two on one side, one on the other to give it some interesting asymmetry.

And that’s it. You’re officially dressing festive!

These are great to give to little friends as gifts or make a great party craft. Then hang them up, and have fun choosing which one you’ll wear each day from now until Christmas.

Who Would You Cook For?

November 13, 2018 By Kelle

This post is sponsored by Blue Apron. When life, as it does, gets a little heavy in the responsibility department, we love using Blue Apron to lesson our load a bit. It’s like putting the delicious home-cooked meal part of our responsibility load to autopilot. We don’t have to think about what we’re cooking–Blue Apron takes over. Click the link here to get $50 off your first two weeks of Blue Apron.

Something you should know about us: We have the best neighbors in the entire world. No, really–the best. In fact, we’ve said that if our neighbors ever moved, we would probably consider moving too because part of the value of our home is wrapped up in what it comes with across the street…friends that have become family. Friends that show up an hour before your kid’s Halloween party to help you set up tables and frost cookies and garnish drinks even though their child is all grown up. Friends that save you from running to the store for that egg you need or the vanilla you ran out of or–not kidding, this has happened–three bottles of wine because your party is still kicking and you ran out. Friends that invite your babysitter and all your kids to their house while you’re on date night because they heard the kids were missing you, and they thought they could help.

So, when Blue Apron asked us to answer the question “Who Would You Cook For?” during this season of gifting and gratitude, I knew our table would be shared with these friends who continually share kindness with us from across the street. Cooking for someone is such a great way to recognize the contributions they’ve made in our lives, and it’s perfectly fitting as our neighbors have cooked for us on so many occasions. If we were keeping track, they’d so be in the lead for sharing kindness; so it was fun to pay it forward for once.

The best part about using Blue Apron to cook for someone is that you don’t have to worry if it’s going to be good or not (I’ve cooked for people before and had it fail, so this is nice). Blue Apron meals are created from chef-designed recipes, use farm-fresh ingredients and have step-by-step directions (with photos!) that you can’t mess up. A refrigerated box with everything you need in just the right portions (no waste!) arrives at your doorstep, and all you have to do is follow the cooking instructions to serve and enjoy.

Their meals are great opportunities for the kids to help because the directions are all laid out. I read them aloud, and Dash does the work.

We made Garlicky Cilantro Beef & Beans, and it turned out delicious. I love the combination of flavors and the way Blue Apron’s creative recipes push me out of my same ‘ol meal repertoire.

And while the recipes are creative and introduce us to new things, we’ve never had a Blue Apron recipe that’s overly complicated or takes a long time to prepare.

My favorite part about this recipe was the to-die-for cilantro sauce we drizzled on top of the finished meal. I am all about the sauces.

Our neighbors approved. And yes, I admitted the meal was not my own creative compilation but Blue Apron’s. Either way, it was delicious, a great opportunity to do something for friends who are so good to us, and a fun invitation to gather.

If want to lighten your own load this season, cook for someone else, or gift someone with a meal for the holidays, click here to get $50 off your first two weeks of Blue Apron. And share in the comments…who would you cook for?

Nella’s Room Revamp (with a side of Christmas Decor)

November 12, 2018 By Kelle

The Trickle Effect has now moved into two bedrooms in our home, threatening a full takeover which we will not fight to withhold because you do not fight with Christmas cheer. Christmas cheer will win (as if I’d fight). This weekend’s trickle happened to line up with an entire room revamp which makes it even more fun. I know I am just the kind of person who would completely upturn a room and redo it simply for holiday decor–and I’m not saying that might not be the case someday–but that’s a Red Belt level Elf, and I am still at green. So this room revamp was already planned but coincidentally timed with The Trickle Effect; and that, my friends, is holiday serendipity.

And we now take this moment to pause and acknowledge Thanksgiving–the middle child I, of course, love and adore but sometimes forget to publicly share affection. I see you, Thanksgiving. I’m here for you. Just embrace the twinkle of your attention-stealing holiday sister and know we all love you too.

Where were we? For a while now, I’ve been wanting two twin beds in Nella’s room. We’ve done the big bunkbed thing for a few years, and it’s just so large–a bit of a wall-hogger that served us well for a few years, but it was time to move on. Thing is, I couldn’t justify buying new beds because we had a perfectly good one. So I stalked Craigslist for a set of simple twin beds–every. single. day. for two months which yielded nothing but Florida old people furniture (enough of the wicker, Doris) priced, like, six times for what you’d find it brand new–except you’d never find it brand new because Doris bought it twenty-six years ago. Then Heidi and I found ourselves in Fort Myers a couple weeks ago at this thrift shop megastore that I shall not name or else it will get discovered and people will steal all the cashmere sweaters and vintage books and furniture with good lines. Okay, fine, I’ll tell you–it was Family Thrift Store. As we were walking out with our little handful of treasures, Heidi looked in this hidden corner and said, “Hey, don’t you need two twin beds?” There, leaning against the wall, were two twin beds–disassembled with some boards–but definitely two matching headboards and footboards that just needed some love. And the price? All my little thrifters gonna love this…$1.99 for the set. You heard me, TWO DOLLARS FOR TWO BEDS. What?!

I’m making a short story long now, so I’ll get on with it. Fast forward two weeks later. I gave the beds some love–painted them white, had Home Depot cut me some more support boards–and if you give a mouse a cookie, what will he ask for? A gallon of paint. Sherwin Williams Tradewind Blue, to be exact. And some new bedding and some Christmas decorations, and I’m so in love with how this sweet little room turned out.

That dresser in the middle? That was a $25 Craigslist find from a few years ago. Yeah, we splurged hard to furnish this room.

The snowy tree print I found going through some old photos. I took it on a walk in Vail last year, so I turned it black and white, dialed up the opacity to wash it out a bit and printed it 20 x 30. .

Nella enjoyed a sleepover at my dad’s while I put the room together, so it was so much fun revealing it to her yesterday. She keeps saying, “I love my room so much, Mom.”

The big question…where are her Barbies? All the toys are stored in baskets that slide underneath the bed…

…and the bigger dolls and plushies fit in one big basket.

Bedding details:
Gingham Duvet Covers – I’m so happy with these. Amazing price, 100% soft washed cotton, zipper closure and ties that hold the comforter in place.
Down Comforters – perfect weight for Florida.
Organic Dutch Floral Sheets – I’ve had my eye on these sheets for a girls’ room for quite some time. I’ve been buying Land of Nod (sadly now Crate & Kids) sheets since crib day. The quality is perfection, not the mention the sweetest collection of patterns.

And the wall book ledges (set of 2) are perfect for the end of the bed.

Christmas Decor Details:
Wreaths above beds
Trees on dresser (large & small)
Deer – Homegoods

Santa plush on the beds.

And the North Pole that threw up on this dresser is all Hobby Lobby.

I wanted to make sure we kept the mirror in this room because both girls love getting dressed and having a full-length mirror to admire their outfits and play with their hair.