Holidays

Christmas Snowball Fight Edible Centerpieces + Loads of GIVEAWAYS

4 · Nov 29, 2014 · 54 Comments

+ This Christmas Snowball Fight Edible Centerpieces post brought to you by Hostess #HostessHoliday +

Who’s up for a SNOWBALL FIGHT?!

I’m talking the tastiest snowball fight around….

We’re starting a new tradition here in the WhipperBerry house, we are going to have indoor, scrumptious snowball fights each Christmas.

As a kid I LOVED the snow, I still do, I just don’t love the cold very much.

I have magical Christmas memories of playing out in the snow for hours, building snow caves out of the drifts along our house. Snuggling in to making scores of snowballs in my cave, getting ready for the battle to come. The battle was never as epic as I had planned for, but I was prepared for darn sure!

This year I’m preparing in a much sweeter & easier way…

How fun is this edible centerpiece that you can simply create with some Hostess Sno Balls®, some peppermint bark and a fun banner?!

We run around like crazy during the Holidays,working tirelessly to create magical memories for our families and friends. Why not let Hostess do a little heavy lifting?!

The folks at Hostess not only want to make your Holidays tasty, they want to sweeten the deal with a Pin to Win Hostess Holiday Sweepstakes!

Wouldn’t it be cool if Hostess helped not only with some sweet treats, but helped pay for Christmas as well?! I’ll fill you in on all the details on how to win $1000 at the end of the post… First, let’s talk snowball fight!

Christmas Snowball Fight Edible Centerpieces

This is the easiest centerpiece you’ll ever make, not to mention the fact… Your kiddos will LOVE it, it’s magical and white so it will match any decor! I went to Walmart and stocked up on four boxes of Hostess Sno Balls®. That’s 24 Sno Balls® to make your epic fight!

First, on a cake plate, layer some peppermint bark. This step is optional, if you can’t find peppermint bark you can leave this step out.

Next, pile your Sno Balls® as high as they will go.

If you have a fun little red truck, you can add that in if you would like for a pop of whimsy and color. I found my truck at Target.

Now, all you have to do is make your Christmas Snowball Fight 2014 banner.

If you have a Silhouette it’s super simple, as a matter of fact… HERE are my Silhouette files for you to download and use!

All you have to do is print them from your computer…

and cut them on your Silhouette cutting machine…

Once you cut them out…

bend them along the perforated lines and that is how you get that fun 3D effect.

Using some glue dots, glue them onto some bamboo skewers that you can find in the kitchen section at the market. I dipped the top of my skewers in plain old glue and added some gold glitter first. I also added some glitter to the edge of a couple of the banners.

The tassels are made out of gold baker’s twine. They are simple to make…

Wrap some of the twine around three fingers about 8 times.

Using another piece of twine roughly 6 inches long. Tie the top of the wrapped twine.

Then using another small piece of twine roughly 4 inches long, tie around the top of the tassel.

Then trim the bottom of the tassel and voilà, you have a simple tassel to add to your banners!

How fun is that edible centerpiece?! It really takes minutes to make and it adds a fun, whimsical flair to your holiday table.

Pin to Win Hostess Holiday Sweepstakes

Who wants a go at $100o this Holiday Season? There’s even more…

Here is what you have a chance to win!

Grand Prize: One random winner will receive a $1,000 Walmart gift card and Hostess products.

First Prize: One random winner will receive a $500 Walmart gift card and Hostess products.

Second Prize: One random winner will receive a $250 Walmart gift card and Hostess product.

All you have to do is visit the Pin to Win Hostess Holiday Sweepstakes HERE to enter!

BONUS $100 GIVEAWAY

Want another way to win?

For a chance to win $100 Walmart gift card GIVEAWAY… follow the steps in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more holiday inspiration, follow Hostess on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram or on Facebook…

Disclaimer // This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and Hostess blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.

Thanksgiving Pie Stencils

5 · Nov 25, 2014 · 3 Comments

When it comes to Thanksgiving… I’m the pie girl. I LOVE making pie. I even have the PERFECT pie crust recipe. However, I do understand that pies can sometimes be intimidating. Whether you’re baking your own pies or bringing store bought pies to your Thanksgiving celebration… I have a fun little way to add a little more bling to your pies… Have you ever thought to stencil your pies?

I thought I would experiment with ways to make you look like a rockstar when you serve your pies, homemade or store bought!

First step… If you are bringing a store bought pie, put your pie in a pie plate if you have one. That will mask the store bought pie tin.

If you don’t have that… No worries.

Bust out your Silhouette CAMEO or Portrait. (I’m giving away TWO Silhouette Portraits this week!) I have created some fun Thanksgiving pie stencils that are super easy to cut and dress-up your pies with.

Download the Thanksgiving Pie Stencils Silhouette Files HERE

Cut your stencils out of just basic 8 1/2 x 11 card stock.

Once they are cut, set them aside until you are ready to serve your pies. When you are ready to serve them place your stencil right onto of the pie.

Put some powdered sugar into a mesh strainer and gently tap the mesh strainer with a spoon and dust the top of the pie.

Remove the stencil and voilà… Your boring old pie has a little flair!

Now with pumpkin pies, your powdered sugar will melt, so make sure you do this right before you serve. Other pies like apple will stand-up for quite a while.

And… They look amazing!!

All three of these pies are from the store, and they don’t look boring anymore!

If you have a Silhouette cutting machine… this is a fun way to dress-up any pie.

This is reason #586 why you need to have a Silhouette cutting machine!

I will have some GREAT Black Friday Deals here in a day or two will all the details on how you can grab a machine of your very own!

Disclaimer // This is not a sponsored post.

5 Holiday Tips + Every Meal Matters

0 · Oct 29, 2014 · Leave a Comment

+ This 5 Holiday Tips post sponsored by the J. M. Smucker Company +

We’re almost there… The Holidays!

It’s my favorite time of the year. Time to slow down and just enjoy being together.

Yes, it can be hectic. Yes, it can be stressful. However… If you can manage to find some balance, they can turn into some of your most magical memories.

They are work, but the kind of work that is so rewarding. Some of my favorite childhood memories are from those simple Holiday experiences with my family. Sitting down to a special meal together, baking Christmas cookies, playing games, door-bell-ditching your neighbors with special treats.

This is when we teach our kiddos the true meaning of sharing and caring for those who are in need. Finding ways to share some of our bounty with those who have hit hard times. Sometimes it’s sharing a simple, yet special meal.

Before I share my Five Holiday Tips, I am honored to share about a special program from the J.M. Smucker Company starting this week.

This campaign is near and dear to my heart.

When I was five years old I had a rather profound experience in my life. My Father had lost his job, I was still so young and naive I didn’t really know what that meant. I had no idea the heartache that my Parents were experiencing as the Holidays were approaching. I can’t even imagine the cloud that was in their hearts knowing that they would not be able to provide a magical Christmas for their young family.

As the Holidays approached, for several nights we would receive a knock at the door.

Each night when we would open the door, all that was there was a bag or box full of something special.

Some nights it was much needed groceries, other nights it would be special little trinkets for my little sister and I.

They even gifted us with our full Holiday meals.

No one was ever on our door step!

We had a special angel.

Someone who took the time out of their busy Holiday schedule to share a bit of themselves, and their Holiday purse with our little family.

I was FIVE, I don’t remember much from that time of life, but I remember that Christmas!

I remember those special nights when our Angel visited.

So many people are in need these days.

The folks at the J.M. Smucker Company (whom I have come to love,) are heading up a fantastic campaign to help Share the Goodness this Season.

They have been working this year to help bring families back to the table, because EVERY MEAL MATTERS! They understand the power of a family meal. No matter if it’s a standard Monday night or Thanksgiving… Every meal matters and we need to make sure they are special. We need to be the angels to help those in need and we need to let our own families know how much we care for them.

Did you know that On November 2 (this Sunday), there will be coupons in participating newspapers for Crisco and Pillsbury products that help you share the goodness this season and make every meal matter.

For each coupon redeemed, the J.M. Smucker Company will donate the equivalent of THREE meals to Feeding America®.

They have committed to providing 6 MILLION meals this Holiday Season to Feeding America®. Every $1 helps provide 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

The J.M. Smucker Company will make a minimum donation of 4.5 million meals (a $450,000 donation) and a maximum donation of 6 million meals ( a $600,000 donation) to Feeding America.

They need our help!

Let’s help the folks at the J.M. Smucker company become Angels for millions in need.

You can find more information at The Power of Family Meals or on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

Who’s Ready for Some Holiday Tips?

The holidays are a special time of year. It’s time to make the magical memories that your kiddos will remember forever. You don’t need to create an over the top experience that exhausts you and is totally unnoticed by your family, but do try and go the extra mile.

Several years ago when my kiddos were little we had moved far away from our families and were on our own for the first time. I set-out to create my first stand alone holiday meal and was saddened to realize that my Mom wasn’t going to be there to create the magic… The magic was all up to me.

We didn’t really know anyone in the area quite yet, and family members couldn’t travel so we were on our own. I was feeling some serious pressure. I cooked a great meal and made sure to create a beautiful table setting for the celebration. I pulled out the good china, used cloth napkins and created a fun centerpiece. It wasn’t over the top, but it was just enough to make the day special.

Many times, especially around the holidays, you are gathered with a bunch of strangers. This could be strangers from your husband’s office or even family members that you haven’t connected with for awhile. When it comes to family, at times relationships can be strained. Rather than an awkward night, plan for an ice breaker activity to level the playing field, break-down barriers and get the fun flowing.

The ice breaker can be a silly game or a staged event that gets people talking. Ina Garten from the Food Network in one of her first cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa Parties tells of a party that was turning into a real dud. She scrambled and called in reinforcements. Her neighbor was Paul Neuman and she stealthily called her friend to come help the sinking ship. Within minutes, he walked right into the house in is racing gear, walked up to a woman, planted a shocking kiss right on her lips, turned and walked right out. Needless to say… The icy party had been shattered. All of those walls that were preventing people from connecting has been demolished.

Think outside the box to create a fun experience for all.

So many times we plan our celebrations and events around the people over 5 feet. We tend to forget the kiddos. Make sure when you are planning your gathering, create a kiddo safe zone. A space with simple activities for the little ones that is child proof and ready for the under 5 foot crowd to have a special space of their own. You may even want to go the extra mile and hire a teen in your neighborhood to help supervise and run activities. That way, everyone can have fun!

Farm out the cooking responsibilities. If you want a specific spread. Handout recipes to family members so you can have a controlled meal. If you have guests coming from out of town who can’t cook. Put them to work in the kitchen. No need to be a one woman show. Enjoy that time in the kitchen together!

Foster fun memories by creating some quirky traditions. Ugly sweater contests, Go Fish marathons, Door-bell-ditch your neighbors with scrumptious Holiday treats together. Do something out of the norm to create those lasting memories.

Disclaimer // This post is sponsored by the J.M. Smucker Company.

DIY Chalk Paint Halloween Apothecary Jars with BB Frösch Chalk Paint Powder

5 · Oct 29, 2014 · Leave a Comment

+ Guest Post by BB Frösch Master Jonelle Morris from Chalk-a-Lot +

EEK! It’s almost Halloween! I’m not one for the guts and gore of the holiday, but I do love me some fun Halloween decor. I have wanted to make an apothecary display for a few years now, but never got around to it thinking, “oh that will take too long,” or “that will be too expensive,” or “I wouldn’t make it look good.”

Well, since I have joined the BB Frösch team, I have been trying all sofrts of things I never thought I would do. I set out to good ol’ Michaels to see if they had any glass bottles I could turn into something amazing, and as luck would have it, they did!

And the best part, each one was a $1.29 or under—score! But my luck didn’t run out there. Most of their Halloween stuff was 50-60% off, so therefore I made my whole display with what I purchased at Michaels, plus a couple small things I already have for….drumroll….$25! Double score!

I wanted some of the bottles I made to be black, and thought I would put the “BB Frösch bonds to virtually anything” claim test. I started out with my plain glass bottles and put a quick few coats of BB Frösch chalk paint with some leftover black paint I had from another project. BB Frösch isn’t just for furniture!

And when I say quick, I mean quick. Three coats on those four bottles took me about 25 minutes, drying time included. I then took a wet rag to wet distressed the tops and corners of the bottles to create a more authentic vintage look. I chose to leave the other bottles clear, so I could put some water with food coloring inside.

Then, because I am cheap 🙂 I searched for free vintage apothecary labels online and found some awesome options! I printed them off on regular paper and Modge Podged them under and on top of the label.
I used the labels found here:

Two Crafty Paws

Love Manor

The Graphics Fairy

For some other wonderful options you can go here:
Lil’Luna

Then to complete my display, I printed a beautiful, but slightly creepy picture of an old Victorian house (that was most likely haunted) on burlap.

Yes, you read that right, I printed on burlap, as in on my home inkjet computer.

Amazing! You can find this easy to follow tutorial on Domestically Speaking. It seriously took me about 10 minutes. The graphic I used as well as several other vintage halloween images can be found on The Graphic’s Fairy.

There, I did something I never thought I could do, and quickly and inexpensively! Happy Halloween!