DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards

We had an early Thanksgiving last Thursday with our friends (we call it "Friendsgiving"). It was a blast, something we will have to continue each year.  We wanted some fun and simple place cards for everyone, to make the table look a little festive. We decided to collect all different shapes and colors of leaves, and then write our friends' names on them.

So basically all you need are some leaves, and paint pens. We used gold and silver, they showed up the best. We got white also, but it didn't really work.



 Here's how it looked on our faux-porcelain plastic plates! With 28 people attending, we had to go with plastic and paper everything, except for the wine glass, which we have over 30 of for some reason!

Some more pics of the whole place setting, and part of the table.  We also discovered that you need to make these the day of your dinner, or the colored leaves will wrinkle and dry up a little. We learned that the hard way, and had to re-do a few.

Throwin Elbows

I've been seeing a lot of elbow patches lately, and I'm a huge fan! I think that the traditional leather patches are my favorite, but I love seeing all of the different colors and shapes! Here are a few of my favorite tops and sweaters with elbow patches:

 Nordstrom

 Urban Outfitters

 ASOS

 Forever 21

Banana Republic

If you can't find the perfect patched top, why not add them to your favorite top or sweater yourself? Check out this awesome DIY from Because I'm Addicted

looks easy enough, and I think I have the perfect top!

-Whitney

Cute Video Alert- The Lazy Song

How adorable are these twins singing and dancing to Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song"!?!?!

Thanksgiving Dinner Club PINspiration

We are hosting a rather large dinner club at our house this Thursday, and of course it's Thanksgiving themed. We want the tables to look festive, so we have been looking around for ideas. Where better to look than Pinterest right? Here are some fun and festive table settings for Thanksgiving, that are giving me some great ideas!

 Not sure if I want to buy 25 pumpkins, but love the burlap!

 Apparently there is a shortage of acorns this year in our area, but maybe I can scrounge some up! looks so cute with the candle.

 Love these lettered candles!



The simplicity of this is gorgeous.

We can't have a table setting without name cards! Here are a few fall/Thanksgiving name cards:

 So simple.

 Love this, and you could use any type or leaf/flower/bud as an accent.

 I think that white pumpkins make great decorations, and so cute with the book page nametags.



So delicate and cute.

Hope this helps give you some inspiration for your Thanksgiving feast too!

Happy Weekend

and even more important Happy Veteran's Day.  Thanks to all those who are serving and have served in the past for America.  Thank a Veteran today.

Veterans throughout History

Penny's friend honoring Veterans

Slow Cooker : French Dip

It's that time of year to dust off your slow cookers and put them to use.  There is nothing better than coming home from work to a kitchen that smells like you have been slaving for hours.  This week we made a favorite meal of mine French Dip Sandwiches. This is the first time I have ever made them myself, usually I order them at a resturant, and I must say mine are right up there. 

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

approx 3 and a half lbs beef chuck roast

16 oz. beef broth ( 1 1/2 cans )

1 10.5 oz can condensed French Onion Soup

6 oz. red wine

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

4-6 French rolls

sliced provolone cheese, optional

1.Season meat with salt and pepper

2. Pour beef broth, condensed soup, red wine, and garlic powder into slow cooker and place meat into liquid.

3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, may very depending on the strength of your slow cooker.

4. Strain beef from juices, however keep juices. 

5. Place meat back into slow cooker and cover allowing meat to rest, leave cooker on low allowing meat to remain warm.

6. In a 450 degree oven toast bread with or without cheese slices, adding a little crunch to your bread (best dipping tool)

7. At this point season your Au Jus, I used a combination of pepper and garlic salt.  We also needed to skim excess fat that had settled on the top.

8. Build, Dip, Bite, Enjoy

- Megan 

Obsession : Fairy Tales

I have recently been loving anything Fairy Tale, I think it all started with my

Sunday Night Fave "Once Upon a Time"

Today I read about a few new movies that won't be in theater until next summer

but they totally captured my attention...

Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Kristen Stewart as Snow and Charlize Theron as Evil Queen, described as an epic action-adventure.  As we all know Snow White is the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen therefore the queen sets out to destroy her.  The queen is reluctant to know that Snow White had been training in the art of war with a huntsman.  (Cue Title)

Produced by the same minds that brought us Alice in Wonderland, this film is a modern vision of the tale we all grew up with. 

The Trailer

Mirror, Mirror starring critically acclaimed Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen and the fresh new face Lily Collins as the one and only Snow White.  This version sounds like it could be one of my new favorite takes on the Snow White story because of the attention paid to the dwarfs and their plot to reclaim the kingdom from the evil one herself.  Tagged on The Internet Movie Database as a Comedy, Drama, Fantasy sparking my interest even more. 

Movie Stills

And to bring your own Fairy Tale to life below are a few homes for the Modern Dwarf, I mean Dweller.

My favorite part about these thatched roof beauties are their unique shapes and how they seem to blend into the surroundings not take away from it.  All we need now is some porridge and good Fairy Tale to read. 

-Megan