Creative Gift Wrapping

DIY.

I LOVE wrapping gifts. Perhaps it's my obsession with beautiful packaging, but I think it is well worth the effort do something special and unique. And during Christmas when all of the gifts are piled under the tree, I also consider my wrapped gifts part of the home decor...so it should be beautiful right?

When I saw these three fashion-inspired gift wrap ideas in Instyle Magazine, I was instantly in love. I think the monogram might be my favorite. I always run out of tags or have a difficult time finding ones that I actually like. Wouldn't it be fun to just monogram the outside of the package and leave my mis-matched santa tag collection out? So chic!

Holiday Reading

Book Suggestions.

When the thermometer drops below 30 degrees and all of my favorite tv shows go on a brief holiday hiatus, I find myself craving a warm fire, a big blanket, a cup of tea or coffee, and a really good book.

photo courtesy of moonlightbulb on flickr.

Last year during this time, I was smack dab in the middle of house hunting and spent my spare time reading MLS sheets. But this year, I want to savor some juicy literature. I'm talking pure, fictional escapism.

I just picked up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I know I'm way behind on this bandwagon, but I'm loving every minute of it so far. And at least I'll have it read before Daniel Craig heats up the screen with the movie adaptation.

But I know that I'm going to breeze through this one pretty quickly, so I'd love some recommendations from you all out there. Whatcha reading these days??

Homemade Thin Mints

Cookie Recipe.

The holidays don’t really conjure up visions of sugar plums dancing in my head, but they do make me start thinking about cookies. Who am I kidding? I think about cookies all year round. But I do get a little more organized about my cookies around the holidays. I love the idea of a holiday cookie exchange as a time saver and a way to try a number of different style cookies.



This year, I am going do a homemade version of the beloved Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. They look yummy and everyone loves a good mint-chocolate combo. Check out the recipe here.

Christmas Ornament Wreath

DIY.

I've been admiring the below picture on This is Glamorous all week. That wreath is divine. I love the clean, monochromatic look of the silver ornaments. And the mixture of matte and shiny is just so lovely. And I got to wondering, how hard would this be to make?



So I did a little online searching, and Good Housekeeping has super easy instructions on their site (along with some other DIY wreath ideas). Here's how the experts at GH recommend you make this gorgeous holiday decoration:

"Buy a straw wreath about 22 inches in diameter from the crafts store. Using 1/2 yard of white felt cut into 3-inch-wide strips, wrap each piece around the wreath, pinning to secure and overlapping the edges. Take assorted Christmas balls and attach to the felt with a low-temperature glue gun, using the smallest balls to fill in holes and gaps. This is also a great way to use older ornaments that may not look good from all angles. You can also add small stars, snowflakes, or other ornaments to give your wreath a unique look. Hang with wire, wrapped securely around "top" of wreath. (Note: You'll need to add the wire before you cover the wreath completely with ornaments.)"

Link Love

Tuesday Inspiration.

This is Glamorous
Loving the bright pink and super chic topknot hairstyle.



Apartment Therapy
Some great holiday decorating ideas from Donna Hay.



Shim and Sons
This advent calendar is genius and adorable



The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Fruitcake scares me. But the excellent step-by-step on these fruitcake cookies is peaking my interest…

Guest Post from FlowerDelivery.net

3 Beautiful Autumn/Winter Flowers

I have a very pedestrian knowledge of flowers. So when we received an email from flowerdelivery.net offering to teach us about great flower options for this time of year, we jumped at the chance. Prepare to learn a lot...

Flowers have a way of changing a mood and will even sometimes help you to realize that your life isn’t as bad as you thought it was. Flower gifts have been appreciated and adored since the birth of mankind and we want them around us at all times. This is why we keep them in our gardens, use them as decorations for our special moments in life, and even use them for remembrance; because they have a special place in our hearts.

Autumn/Winter is a season that produces some of the most beautiful flowers and there are three in particular that are favourites of ours. These flowers will brighten up your garden when it is desperately needed and at a time when most of your plants are fading these flowers will be full force.

Chrysanthemums



Chrysanthemums, which are also called Mums or Chrysanths, are a beautiful sight in autumn and were first grown in China. The flower was brought to Europe in the 17th century where its popularity grew by leaps and bounds. Chrysanthemums are divided into two groups, the Garden Hardy and the Exhibition.

Garden Hardy Chrysanthemums are able to withstand some harsher weather conditions and are relatively sturdy. Garden hardy Chrysanthemums will be much easier to grow and will take little maintenance while the Exhibition will need to be cared for and could very easily not last as long. While Exhibition Chrysanthemums are more of a fragile type and often need to be stalked there is no denying the beauty of these flowers.

In Asia Chrysanthemums flowers are boiled to be used as a tea. It is believed that the Chrysanthemum tea has many medicinal purposes such as treating influenza and other common conditions.

Chinese Bellflower



If you are looking for a flower that is easy to grow and can withstand harsh conditions then this is the flower for you. When most flowers beauty is fading the Chinese Bellflower, also called the Balloon Flower, is just starting to mature and the exquisiteness of this flower is all that your garden will need. The Chinese Bellflower is a beautiful autumn flower that is native to East Asia and is also sometimes called the Japanese Bellflower. The Chinese Bellflower more commonly has blue flowers but there are also varieties of the flower that produce pink and white (Korea).

The root of the Chinese Bellflower is commonly used as treatment for colds and coughs and in Korea it is a common ingredient found in salads.


Aster



The Aster can be grown in almost any climate, it is found in colder areas of the world and it has also been grown in warmer climates. The Aster’s name is Greek meaning “Star” because of the shape of its flowers which bear a strong resemblance to those of a daisy. The flowers can come in a variety of colors including white, purple, lavender, pink, and red. The Aster is also a favourite of butterflies so if you want the presence of butterflies in your yard then an Aster will attract them.

For some autumn is a dreaded time of the year because so many of the beautiful flowers and plants in our gardens are vanishing. This is why it is a great idea to compliment your garden with autumn flowers like Chrysanthemums, Bellflowers, and Asters. At a time when many of your other flowers are shrinking away these flowers will be in full bloom and filling your garden. Building a beautiful garden can add so much value to your home and property so if you are thinking of selling your house then creating a breathtaking garden should not be ignored. Personal loans are a great way to put value into your home and it will be one of the best investments of your life.

Holiday Karaoke

Holiday Entertainment.

My new favorite song on the radio is “Gettin Over You” by David Guetta. Every time this tune comes on I can’t help but dance around and who doesn’t love to belt out the lyrics with Fergie. I was always amazed at how much I sounded like Fergie, why did I not persue singing instead of event planning?

Suddenly while singing the same song in my kitchen without the backup I started looking around for the dying cat…OMG…Fergie has been carrying me!



So this got me thinking, every year around the holidays I buy some board games or video games. Just a little something to kick up the fun. This year I was thinking I would spend a little more and get a good karaoke machine. I OBVIOUSLY need one with all the bells and whistles.

While walking through Costco what did I see right before my eyes but a professional Emerson Karaoke machine for $89.99. If you are looking for a little karaoke action at your upcoming events this deal can’t be beat. Fergie better watch out!

HH Brit Baby List

Gift Ideas.

Once again...I'm reminiscing on my trip to London. This time it's all about baby gifts.

Our good friends Chris and Priya had just told us that their soon-to-arrive baby is a boy, so I was on the hunt for a unique gift to supplement my tried-and-true registry gift selections (pack n play or baby bjorn).

I absolutely went gaga for The White Company section at Harrods. Classy, understated, and too freakin adorable, The White Company is a great option babies of both the blue or pink distinction. Here are some of my faves:

Baby Toiletries - Gorgeous packaging that can sit out in your bathroom without turning it into a primary color wonderland.

Babies 1st photo album - White linen with silver detailing. It's an elegant way to keep track of the baby's first year.





Stuffed toys - These ULTRA soft toys come in three different sizes. Even infant tiny. And they are safe for the baby to snuggle from birth.

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And no sooner did I land in the US, and I had received an email from another great UK based baby/kids product company,Sparkle and Spin Kids. Vibrant and fun, these products are even more great options for a unique gift.

I'm loving these toys:



And don't you just love these adorably funky kid's clothes too?

What to bring?

Recipe.

It’s time to start thinking about what to bring to your holiday get-togethers. Last year, I was all about the crostini. This year I have an almost incurable desire for pate of all types which made my decision easy. I’m going to leave the meat pates to the experts but have chosen a vegetarian pate that gets its hearty flavor from mushrooms. I like this dish because while still being a dip type of appetizer it is a little more avant-garde and different than your normal dip and chip scene. Plus you can’t beat the presentation which is basically throw it in a cute bowl and put some scallion or chives on top. It is best served with pumpernickel or rye bread.



Vegetarian Chopped Liver
(via Melissa Clark)
Yields about 2 cups

Ingredients
2 oz. unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
2 fresh thyme sprigs
¾ lb. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cut into medium dice
½ lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into medium dice (2 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. dry sherry
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice; more to taste
¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Flaky sea salt to finish
Thinly sliced scallions or chives for garnish

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes-it should be darker than gold, but not black. Stir in the cremini and shiitake, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and golden and the liquid they release has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sherry and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Let the mixture cool to room temperature

Transfer half of the mushroom mixture to a food processor. Add the walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, zest, ¾ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining mushroom mixture and the eggs. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve in a crock or bowl drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and scallions or chives.

The HH List

Favorite Things.

Oprah’s “O” list just hit the newsstands. Here are a few items from the “HH” list. I am sure there will be more to come but this should help get your personal wish list started.

Artisinal Rum, Vodka and Gin
About $30



Lacquer Ring Box by Thomas Paul-Ring Box
$24



South House Boutique-Burlap wine bags
$6



Lekker Home Furnishings-Olive Oil Dish
$22

Link Love.

Tuesday Inspiration.

100 Layer Cake
Love the paperwhites.



Eat Drink Chic
Tis the gift giving season…why not pair your gift with this cute downloadable card.



Sweet Paul
Perfect time of year for a delicious cup of hot chocolate.



InStyle
Having trouble finding the perfect gift. Check out InStyle's best of the web.

Prosecco and Raspberry Jellies

Boozy Treat Recipe.

Few people love rich desserts as much me. Give me chocolate, caramel, butter crusts and the like, all day long. But we are smack dab in the month-long period where even I can reach my max-capacity. So should I stop serving dessert at parties? NO!!

This little gem comes from the UK Magazine, Ideal Home...Prosecco and Raspberry Jellies. Consider it a grown up jello shot. Light, fruity, and delicious!



Prosecco and Raspberry Jellies
Serves 8
Time: 40 minutes, plus overnight to set

3 1/2oz fresh or defrosted frozen raspberries
2 Tbsp powdered gelatin
750 ml prosecco (or lemonade if you are making non-alcoholic)
2/3 cup superfine sugar (1/4 cup if using lemonade)
1 tsp gold-leaf flakes (optional)

1. Press the raspberries through a sieve and discard the pips left in it. Pour the juice into a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatin powder. Heat 250 ml (about 1/2 a typical bottle size) of the prosecco or lemonade with the sugar over medium-low heat until just warm and the sugar has dissolved.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the juice mix. Whisk until the gelatin has fully dissolved (sieve if there are lumps). Leave to cool.

3. Put eight glasses in the freezer for exactly 20 minutes (any longer and they'll be too cold). In the meantime, whisk the gold flakes and remaining prosecco or lemonade into the cooled jello mixture. Freeze for 10 minutes, whisk again. Dish into glasses and leave in the fridge to set overnight.

New Sponsor: Magnet Street

Invitations and wedding paper purveyor.

In the world of weddings, we all want something unique. We might adore what someone else has done and be inspired, but ours has to be different at the same time. Unfortunately, being unique and different can often come at a lofty price.

Our newest sponsor, Magnet Street, can definitely help in your search for wedding individuality. Their site is filled to the brim with invitation designs that can be customized to fit your distinct color scheme. Flat cards, pocket invites, tri-fold, and many more options are available. And the prices are VERY reasonable...especially for all of the flexibility that you have in customization. Here are some of my favorite designs (I love a square invitation)...





And besides the basic invites, Magnet Street offers components that will complete your wedding invitation and reception paper needs. Address Labels, table numbers, place cards, and much much more.

And of course there is their namesake product...magnets. They are a great option for Save the Dates. Instead of getting lost in the ubiquitous pile of mail, these guys will be a constant reminder of fun times to come on your wedding day when your guest go to the fridge for a late night snack.

Link Love.

Tuesday Inspiration.

Bliss
I love the look of clustered exposed bulbs as a chandelier. Raw chic.



The Selby
These fabric covered books from Jeanne Lanvin’s private library in Paris are just to die.



What Katie Ate
Baked Apricots with Lemoncello…oh my.



Type Depot
Lovely font for free.

Thanksgiving Cocktails

Cocktail Recipes.

During Thanksgiving, I have a really difficult time using my self control when the turkey and stuffing hit the table. In fact, if truth be told...I could eat an entire bowl of stuffing. What usually happens is that I eat my fill and have absolutely no room left over for dessert. I love the idea of pie...but it usually has to wait until breakfast the next morning (healthy...I know).

So when I saw these recipes for cocktails that are inspired by Thanksgiving dessert, I thought they were the perfect solution. They taste just as delicious, give you a little holiday cheer, and take up far less room in my stuffed belly.

I think they are well worth a try on Thursday, don't you?

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Caramel Apple Pie Martini




1 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila (dont skimp here...you want the smoothness in this drink)
½ oz. butterscotch schnapps
1 oz. apple cider
1 tsp. lemon juice

Combine ingredients and shake well with ice, strain into martini glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

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Pumpkin Pie-tini



1 oz. milk
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 ½ oz. Three Olives Vanilla vodka
1 ½ oz. crème de cacao

Using a small amount of honey, rim martini glass with graham cracker crumbs.

Shake milk and pumpkin puree over ice to combine. Pour in remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into the martini glass.

Make them melt

Food DIY.

My Thanksgiving celebration doesn’t include a lot of kids, but if it did I would be sure to set up a fun project to keep them occupied and intrigued for a couple of hours. I think the DIY hot cocoa dippers in this month’s Good Housekeeping, has all the makings of a great activity.



Set up a card table with brown paper, a fondue pot or bowl of chocolate from the microwave and some wax paper. You will need drinking straws, large marshmallows and red nonpareil sprinkles. Skewer the marshmallows with the straws, dip the marshmallows in the chocolate leaving the tops exposed. Be sure to lift the straws straight up to let the additional chocolate drip off. Cool briefly on wax paper, but dip marshmallow bottoms into sprinkles while chocolate is still slightly soft.

If you have a variety of age groups at your gathering this is a great way to get the older kids and younger kids mingling. Designate the older kids to supervise the project and then everyone has great hot cocoa dippers for dessert or a take home gift to celebrate the holiday season.

British Invasion - Living Etc Magazine

Magazine.

While waiting for my gate to be announced at Heathrow, I popped into a newsstand to buy a ridiculously large bag of Cadbury chocolates and happened to catch a glimpse of the cover of Living etc Magazine. The cool styling on the cover reminded my of my dearly departed Domino Magazine. I snatched a copy for the plane and made my way through the terminal.



One hour later, my copy of the magazine had more rabbit ears than the holiday section of target in March...and surprisingly not a drop of caramel or smudge of chocolate on any of the pages. The perfect mix of interior design advise, fun product finds, and food & bev ideas, Living etc Magazine is now officially added as a regular source of inspiration for yours truly.

British Invasion - Russian Spring Punch

Cocktail Recipe.

One of the cocktail lounges that we visited in Piccadilly featured famous contemporary London cocktails. And luckily I decided to give Russian Spring Punch a try. Don't let the "Spring" in the title fool you. It is perfectly lovely to drink it in Fall, Winter, and Summer as well. Add it to your repertoire...you'll be glad that you did!



Russian Spring Punch
Serves 1

3.0 fl. oz. of Vodka
1.0 fl. oz. of Lemon Juice
1.0 fl. oz. of Creme de Cassis
1.0 fl. oz. of Sugar Syrup
Ice
Champagne
Sprig of Mint

Combine all ingredients (except Champagne) in a cocktail shaker with the ice, shake, strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with Champagne. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Garlicky Kale and Spinach Dip

Recipe.

This is my go-to healthy dip. It is literally just a few fresh ingredients with a kick of garlic. I always like to have one super healthy snack at all of my get-togethers. My personal way of eating my way through a party is to start with the healthy snack and try to fill up as much as possible and then move on to say, “the cheese tray.”

I’ll be very honest about this dip. It looks beautiful and sometimes that can be deceiving. It doesn’t taste like spinach and artichoke dip. It tastes like kale and spinach. I happen to like both of those flavors so this dip works for me. However, I suggest labeling it for your guests so that they are aware that it is a HEALTHY choice. That way people like my husband who are perfectly happy just eating sliders all night will not make the horrible mistake of eating something that tastes like fresh vegetables.

It’s easy to make and lasts for up to 5 days in the fridge. It is inexpensive and should give you enough iron to power through holding your glass for the entire night.



Ingredients:
Makes 1 ½ cups.

• 1 bunch kale, washed and tough stems removed (about 7 ounces)
• 1 bunch spinach, washed and tough stems removed (about 5 ounces)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside.

2. Add kale and spinach to the boiling water and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and plunge into the ice bath. Once the greens are cool, remove them from the ice bath, shake off any excess water, and place in the bowl of a food processor.

3. Add garlic, pine nuts, and vinegar and, while puréeing, slowly pour in the olive oil. Continue puréeing, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary, until all of the oil is incorporated and the mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and serve.

Link Love.

Tuesday Inspiration.

Love and Lavender
Engagement photos inspired by the movie Up.



Dessert for Breakfast
The perfect fall dessert…cognac, caramel, pecan and pear pudding.



The Cinderella Project
Great use of flea market finds.



A Cup of Jo
Check out the DIY on how to get this chic, party- ready side chignon.