Wrap it up: Too many gifts to wrap and too much ugly cheesy wrapping paper out there to do it. Don’t fret alternate options for wrapping is all the rage this season, so take your pick! A few of my faves are fabrics and newspaper; these sustainable and often reusable wrapping alternatives are a fun way to wrap gifts. Pick a few fabric patterns you like from cheap fabric stores and wrap or tie them up at the top of the box.

If you chose newspaper, make sure the section you are using is mostly all words, so the pattern looks consistent. There are also fancy embellishments you can add like the newspaper “flower”, shown below. Don’t be afraid to get a little fancy, or just stick with simple and rustic by tying the present up with twine.

Wrath of Wreaths: So far every wreath you’ve seen leaves something to be desired. You want to be creative and stand out amongst your neighbors, don’t you? This year, DIY and create an amazing edible wreath that you can use even after you take it down. Country Living shows us an edible oregano, sage, rosemary and bay leaves to create an awesome smelling and looking wreath for inside or outside. I would start by using a wire hanger, bend it into a circle, then gentle wrap the herbs around the wire and attach them with pieces of twine.

Punch it up: Oh no! Your holiday party is tomorrow and your punch is looking boring. Stiff? Yes. But it needs some flair. Not to worry, just put water in an angel food cake mold and place two rosemary twigs into the mold. Then place in your freezer to freeze overnight. When ready to place into your delicious punch, place the mold in hot water until it slips out. And voila your very own holiday rosemary ice ring that will keep your punch punching all night!

No Tree No Problem: No room for a tree this year? Or no time? No problem, there are great affordable and time saving solutions for trees to spruce up your home and make it just as festive this year. If you have ornaments and a silver or gold bowl, place them on a mantle or as a centerpiece for your dining room table. You can mix it up by adding pinecones which can be purchase at Trader Joe’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, or any craft store.

Party Favors: There are many types of garlands out there; fresh tree, imitation, sparkling green, red and gold. But why not do something different this year? Temp your houseguests with a party favor-esque garland made from Werthers candies, peppermints and other holiday treats! All your need is your favorite kinds of holiday candies and a staples or hot glue gun. String them together and staple or glue the ends together. Just make sure your garland is twice as long as your mantle for hanging. String up your candies and pin them up! Tip: make sure to have some extra on hand so your guests don’t get grabby!

Sooo, I must admit that this year I went a little decorator-crazy for Halloween.  I have historically always loved this holiday – it’s fun, silly and it’s a day out of the year when you can have any excuse in the world to behave and look the way you choose – with little-to-no judgement!  While my costume idea this year is pretty underwhelming to years past, I am pretty proud of the DIY decorations I hung up early yesterday morning.  Check them out, and let me know if you want some tips on how to make these!  Enjoy the weekend, and be safe!

Like many people I know I have been saving wine corks for a while now looking for that special project where I can showcase my lovely talent of consuming wine. I have toyed around with the idea of making a corkboard (original thought, I know) out of them but I have never gotten around to it for whatever reason. However, I recently came across this project and am for sure doing it! Its simple, creative, stylish, and easy peasy.  All you need is a basic outline for a letter, wine corks, a hot glue gun and some glue sticks.

And, I am so good at drinking wine, and saving corks, that I have plenty of supplies to share. I plan to invite friends over so that they can make their own monograms too. Should be a fun party! If you were like me and didn’t know what to do with your corks jump on this project and party idea now!

Visit  http://www.greenisuniversal-reuse.com/home-decor/monogram-letter-recycled-wine-corks for complete instructions.

Inspiration for Wall Display

If you are need of some inspiration for those bare walls in your home check out these templates from hubpages.com. If you are like us you have seen frame galleries popping up all over; from John and Sherry’s frame gallery over at younghouselove.com; to feature photos in the pottery barn catalog, frame galleries are huge right now. We too think they are great as you can display so many meaningful things all in one space, while creatively and beautifully filling your wall space.

This project can be budget friendly too! Try framing everyday items you have on hand, or create your own art like John and Sherry did here.

Head over to ikea for some matching frames with mats, or check out your local Aaron Brothers. . .rumor has it their ‘buy one get one for a penny’ sale is ON until the end of July!

With the new year quickly approaching and so much holiday shopping to be done, I realized that we often lose sight of all the things we have to be grateful for. I decided to come with a crafty way to help the people in my family make notes of these blessings and keep track of them. Taking the suggestion from one of my favorite blogs (www.younghouselove.com), I created 5 ‘Pot-o-Thanks’ and gifted them to my parents and siblings for Christmas. Here is a photo of mine, which I keep on my mantle next to a family photo:

To Make:

1. Scour the bric-and-brac section of a local thrift store for an old apothecary jar –best if it has a lid. If you’re “allergic” to the Goodwill in your neighborhood, you can find a fancy one at Home Goods or Pottery Barn.
2. Purchase a small jar of Armour Etch – which can be painted onto glass to create whatever designs you might like. I wrote “thanks” on some of them; mine has just a solid bar. You can find this at Michael’s or even on Ebay.
3. Cut up small pieces of scrapbooking paper, and fold in half.
4. Set a time for you to write yourself some thanks – whether it’s once a week, once a day. Just do it. It feels good. And looks cute too!