Festive Fronts

Looking for that perfect front door decoration to welcome your guests and to get your neighbors into the Holiday spirit?? We are on the lookout for a festive front of our own. Not sure what look we are going for, or if we want to DIY it! Here are some fun wreaths that have been catching my eye:

snowy scape

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cinnamon sticks

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striped straws

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peppermint

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 winter twigs

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au naturel

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What's your festive front style??

-Whitney

Cornbread Jalapeno Poppers

'Tis the season for chili and after seeing these little guys I knew that cornbread would never be the same.  Jalapenos are the perfect vessel for the cheesy cornbread mixture, and after removing the seeds and veins the heat is just perfect.  I discovered that the perfect tool for removing the seeds and veins is a pie server!

 

 

Ingredients:

 

12 Med/Large fresh Jalapenos

1 Box of Honey Cornbread Mix

1 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (1 cup for the batter and 1/2 cup for sprinkling)

1 cup corn...frozen or canned

 

Directions:

 

1. Slice each jalapeno down the center and remove all the seeds and veins...remember my pie server trick!

2. In a mixing bowl, mix up the Honey cornbread according to the box instructions and add the corn and the 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.

 

 

3. Fill a baggie with the cornbread mixture and snip the corner, piping the mixture into each jalapeno half.

4. Place them on a baking rack and sheet pan

5. Sprinkle them with the remaining one half cup of cheddar cheese.

 



 

6. Bake them at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until the Cornbread is firm.  They will puff up!

 

 

7. Let them cool.

 

8. Enjoy!

 

Words for Wednesday: Christmas Printables

If you haven't started decorating for Christmas, then you're late! Just kidding, it's not even December yet, but after Thanksgiving we were more than ready. So we turned on Love Actually, lugged up the Rubbermaids full of greenery, ornaments, candles, nutcrackers, lights, the whole shebang! The house looks so festive and cozy! We have a wooden frame sitting in between our couches that we put different holiday/seasonal posters and prints in. I was searching for the perfect Christmas print to replace our fall leaves, and I thought I would share some of the cute printables I came across...

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Do you have a spot for a fun Christmas poster or subway art??

-Whitney

Fireplace Update

We were getting a little tired of our fireplace screen and the candelabra inside.

There was just too much going on. We decided to remove the fireplace screen and see if it made a difference. It made for a more simple fireplace area. There was one problem, the brick that was painted white was smoke stained from previous fires. It did not look good. However, this was nothing a little paint couldn't fix. We could have just kept the white and painted over the burns, but we decided to add a little accent color to the fireplace. Nothing too bright and crazy because we already have a lot of color in our house. We went with Valspar's "Cathedral Stone", a lighter, neutral gray.

A quick trip to Lowe's for some paint, a tray, a brush and a roller and we had ourselves a little Saturday project!

It's a fairly small area, so we just started with the brush and went along all the edges carefully (painters tape wasn't necessary).

Then we did 2 coats of paint with a small roller, letting the paint dry between coats.

We were quite pleased with the color, and it really makes the brick pattern stand out. We removed the candelabra and just stacked our Aspen wood in its place.

We hung our fancy gold and glitter dipped feathers for Thanksgiving (tutorial to come), and our updated fireplace was finished!

-Whitney

Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

'Tis the season to put pumpkin in just about anything and everything. I came across this recipe and I just had to make it.  Pumpkin and Rice Krispies why didn't I think of that ?? It is the most perfect snack to bring for the work pot luck, a family dinner, or even to pass out to trick-or-treaters! 

Ingredients: 

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup canned pumpkin 

1 10oz. bag of mini marshmallows plus one extra cup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

pinch of all spice

pinch of ground nutmeg

pinch of kosher salt

6 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:

1.  Spray your baking dish to prevent treats from sticking

2. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the pumpkin. continue cooking until the pumpkin is heated all the way through

 3. Fold in the bag of mini marshmallows, stirring constantly. 

4. Once marshmallows are melted, add vanilla, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg and salt, then remove from heat.

5. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes and then fold in the extra cup of marshmallows.

6. Let the new mixture cool for another 25 minutes, letting it come to room temperature.

7.  Add the dry cereal and stir using a silicon spatula to prevent sticking, until the cereal is evenly coated.

8. Press into the baking dish and try to let them sit for about 30 minutes before cutting.

9. Enjoy and Share! 

 -Megan 

Ghoulish Grub

Whether you're the haunted host or the gruesome guest, you may need some trick or treats for your Halloween festivities! Sweet or salty, scary or cute, here are some ideas to get you in the spirit: 

"Things I've Said to My Children"

Nathan Ripperger's illustration series of things he has actually said to his kids are both adorable and hilarious! On his flikr account, Ripperger says "The is a collection of posters featuring phrases that have left my mouth only because of my children." Here are a few of my favorites:

Ripperger has his illustrations for sale on his etsy site .

-Whitney