Friday, December 10, 2010

Saving Money for the 12 Days of Christmas

December is by far my favorite time of the year. I just love the holiday spirit, contagious cheer, and spending time with friends and family. Even though it feels wonderful to give gifts to those we love, it can be a little disconcerting once the holiday season is over to see the damage suffered by our bank accounts.

You might enjoy some homemade gift ideas. While it may take more time to make gifts than to purchase something at the store, the extra effort is much appreciated. To make this work, choose a gift that the recipient will enjoy and pay special attention to the packaging. Get ready to preheat the oven because below are some great DIY gift ideas.   

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Winter Wedding Favors

Favors are usually the last thing on someone's mind when planning a wedding. Since winter is quickly approaching, I thought I would share some ideas for wedding favors. 
Sources: snowflake wedding cake candle, snowflake candle, snowflake bookmark, snowflake key chain

Here are some winter inspired place card holders:
Sources: snowflake ornament, snowflake holder

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

8 Holiday Trifles

Trifles have great presentation potential. Stacked layers in varying color combinations make a bright and refreshing dessert that will be admired by all. If you are heading over to a holiday party this month, you may want to bring one of these trifles. It will certainly please a crowd. 

Monday, December 6, 2010

Fall Dessert Table

Fall is one of my favorite seasons and worthy of celebration. So before it draws to an end, take some inspiration from my recent Fall Dessert Table. To create this look, I used a golden yellow tablecloth that is embossed with tone on tone leaves. Above the table, I placed a series of bottles that I painted black and filled with a single blossom of yellow amaryllis. The centerpiece is made up of a prominent glossy-black urn filled with an assortment of branches, some of which were still hanging on to their weather-beaten leaves. My nature-inspired miniature fallscape centerpiece needed a little boost which I supplied by hanging perky bright yellow leaf-shaped chocolate lollipops from the branches....just charming!
The table featured a combination of full, warm fall flavors, such as: caramel, apple, pumpkin, and cranberry. Jumbo pumpkin muffins are in a large basket flanked by 'Fall into chocolate' bars. Arguably, everything tastes better on a stick! Here we have brownie pops dipped in chocolate and sprinkles and what could be better than apple pie pops. What a treat these warm apple pie pops were... a toasted crust popped into your mouth surrounded by warm baked apple. Both the apple and brownie pops were a huge hit! A perfectly shaped leaf bowl is piled high with white yogurt pretzels that taste even better than they look. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are stacked and tied together on one side of the table, while mini cranberry muffins are lined up on the opposite end.

Above, caramel popcorn balls are proudly assembled in large glass containers. An assortment of candy topped off the dramatic presentation that featured woven baskets, acorns and custom turkey tags. A festive mood was set and the colors, textures and fragrance inspired warm cheer. What a great way to kick-off the holiday season.