Christmas

Orange you Sweet Printable Christmas Gift Tags + Trader Joe’s Christmas +

4 · Dec 8, 2014 · 2 Comments

+ This Orange you Sweet Printable Christmas Gift Tags brought to you by WHIPPERBERRY +

With the hustle and bustle of the season, sometimes those fun little neighbor, teacher, boss gifts kinda make it to the bottom of the list. We all want to create a fun homemade gift, but at times… Homemade just isn’t in the cards.

NO PROBLEM! I have always been a fan of good packaging. When you have a goodie that has already been packaged well, It’s easy to all a little more pizzaz and voilà, you have a fun gift that everyone is going to love!! NO ONE is going to judge that you didn’t make 100 batches of your grandmother’s fudge. All they care about, is the simple thought.

The other day, I was at Trader Joe’s and I was reminded about how fantastic their Christmas goodies are! I thought…

Wouldn’t this be a great way to tell your neighbors, teachers, bosses, hair stylist, mail man, etc… That you are thinking of them this holiday season. I thought I could come up with some fun free printable gift tags and it will be even easier!

Here is the first little gift… Orange you Sweet Printable Christmas Gift Tags!

Who doesn’t love the Trader Joe’s Organic Milk Chocolate Orange?

This is a classic Holiday gift. I remember for years my Mom sharing stories of long ago about little children who were so happy to receive an orange on Christmas. How it was the most magical gift they could ever imagine. As a child I thought this was absurd. I didn’t have a clue as to how hard it was to actually grow and transport citrus to the fridged regions north of the Mason Dixon Line in the 1800’s. Once I matured, I got it. Oranges can be magical!

When chocolate oranges came on the market, my sister’s and I would get one in our stockings every year. It was for two reasons… First, to remind us of the simplicity that we should enjoy. To take the time to appreciate what we had. Second, they were pretty tasty!!

I thought this would be the perfect way to start my Trader Joe’s Christmas. You can get several different kinds of Chocolate Oranges, but I love the packaging that Trader Joe’s has to offer. All you need to do is find a ribbon that looks good wrapped around the box. I like this ribbon from May Arts.

Then I created a fun printable that you can print on simple white sticker paper.

Click here to download the free printable

Now, I’ve created a couple of files. For those of you who have a Silhouette cutting machine. You can use the Silhouette files. If you don’t have a Silhouette you can print the PDF file and and cut out the stickers yourself. It’s super simple.

You can grab some printable white sticker paper from Silhouette or you can go to your local office supply story and look for full sheets of sticker paper in the mail label section.

Then all you have to do is print and cut your stickers.

Wrap your boxes is a nice ribbon and secure the ribbon with your fun “Orange you Sweet, Merry Christmas” sticker!

Make-up a bunch of these for your co-workers, your church leaders, your kiddos bus driver… really anyone!

Stay tuned… Tomorrow, I will have another fun gift idea for my simple Trader Joe’s Christmas!

Disclaimer // This is NOT a paid post.

Bringing Home the Magic of the Holidays with Glade

0 · Dec 20, 2013 ·

Ahhhh, there is nothing like the magic of the holidays. It’s that wonderful time of year when we have the chance to create festive gatherings for our family and friends. To some that is a daunting chore, to other’s it’s a relished challenge. I have been hosting holiday gatherings big and small for several years now and I loved creating a magical event for my guests.

When I set about to plan a gathering, I try and find something simple to use as my inspiration. So much of the holidays envelope each of the senses and even the simple sight of white Christmas lights, the smell of gingerbread or the cold brush of fresh snow can inspire a special event.

Think back, back when you were a child… What are some of the sights, sounds and smells that you remember from around the holidays? I even have a sweet touch memory that will instantly take me back to those innocent days. I remember every year when we would unpack my Christmas stocking. It was a handmade knit stocking with Santa’s face on the side and my name knit in the cuff of the stocking. It always made me feel so special. The woman who made the stocking used a special yarn for Santa’s beard and it really looked like his beard. It was so soft, I loved to sit and run my little fingers through his soft beard and dream of what goodies he would bring to me soon. I think if you take a minute to think back, you can find these little memory gems that can help inspire your gathering.

I love trying to tantalize each of the senses when I plan a gathering and I am endless inspired by those who share their talents. Visiting some of these sites are sure to inspire any holiday gathering…

img source // snowflake cookies from baker lady

It would be so fun to plan a whole party just around these cookies!

I would dress my table and room just like Shelley from House of Smiths…

img source // woodsy winter wonderland from the house of smiths

I would plan a rustic yet simple meal and have fun whimsical desserts that take everyone back to their childhood like these Hot Cocoa Cakes along with jars and jars filled with those beautiful snowflake cookies to cap off the night…

img source // hot cocoa cakes from coordinating yours

Now what makes a gathering extra special is the attention to detail. I would have a Glade® Pure Vanilla Joy candles from their new Winter Collection, exclusively at Target, lit all though out our party space.

That way my guest will be transported back to their grandmother’s or Mom’s kitchen the minute they walk into my home. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the holiday season with close family and friends.

The Glade® Winter Collection would be a wonderful way to bring those special holiday aromas into your home. You’ll have to visit your local Target to select your favorite. They have several fragrances that will for sure take you back to happy holiday memories like; Apple Cinnamon Cheer™, Frosted Berry Kiss, Sweet Holiday Treat™, Merry Maple Morning, Ginger Bread Jingle and several more.

What scent inspires you? How do you like to plan your holiday entertaining?

Get festive this holiday season with the Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection available exclusively at Target. Inspired by the best feelings of the season, the Glade® Sweet Holiday Treat™ scent lets you indulge in the irresistible scent of rich cocoa, toasted nuts, and creamy caramel. The 2013 Glade® Limited Edition Winter Collection was inspired by the nostalgic, spontaneous, snowy, moments that build up to the holidays. Creating memories with loved ones defines the season and the holiday lineup from Glade® is just as memorable.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Glade®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Sweet & Savory Christmas Gift Idea // Compound Butter

36 · Dec 18, 2013 · 6 Comments

I love the long seated tradition of entering the kitchen at this time of year to create all kinds of goodies to share with family and friends. I also LOVE receiving these gifts every year. You can always feel the love that goes into each and every recipe that is shared. One thing I DON'T love is how frantic and hurried the season has become. Sometimes we just don't have time to bake for days and days in order to put together these treasured gift plates.

Another issue I have have… Sometimes, we get sugar overload with all of these scrumptious goodies. For the last several years, I have tried to find some savory goodies along with the sweet to give as holiday neighbor gifts. This year, my favorite sweet & savory gift for the season is compound butter. What is compound butter you ask? Well, it is butter combined with any of a number of tasty additions that can be used in various different ways in the kitchen. I am particularly fond of any type of berry butter, the ever popular honey butter and the luscious roasted garlic butter. All of these can be used on breads, French toast, crêpes, pancakes, used in sauces and even used to enhance many types of meats. I decided this year, that I am going to give little gift baskets with some homemade compound butter along with some bread…

Don't you worry, these butters are a snap to make AND you can even use store bought bread if you aren't the baking type. I am going to give you three quick butter recipes along with the fabulous printable that you can use to label your jars and your gift container if you like.

Berry Butter Ingredients

4 sticks of softened unsalted butter

1 jar of Smucker's Orchard's Finest preserves (you can use any kind you like, for this one I used cranberry raspberry preserves)

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon citric acid

Berry Butter Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add your softened, room temperature butter, the Orchard's Finest preserves, honey & citric acid. Why do I use citric acid? I like to add a bit of a tart kick to the butter without adding the liquid from the lemon. The liquid can cause issues with the consistency and I have found that citric acid is a perfect solution. You can get the hit of tart flavor without the consistency issues. I found citric acid at my local market in the canning section. If you can't find it, you can always order it online. I LOVE it and use it in all kinds of recipes.

Once you have all your ingredients in your mixer, turn your mixer on high and whip the butter for several minutes. Once it has whipped well and is nice and fluffy, take your mixture and add it to your sterilized 4 ounce Ball jars. Fill to the top and place the lid on tight. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This recipe also can be stored in the freezer really well.

Honey Butter Ingredients

4 sticks of softened unsalted butter

1 cup honey

Honey Butter Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, place softened room temperature butter and honey. Whip on high for several minutes until light and fluffy. Once finished, carefully spoon into sterilized 4 ounce ball jars and replace the lid. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This butter also freezes well.

Roasted Garlic Butter

I have a fabulous recipe for Roasted Garlic Butter over at WhipperBerry that you should check out. I also, show you how to roast your own garlic and everything!

Savory & Sweet Christmas Gift

Now this is where it gets fun… I LOVE packaging! To me the way you dress-up a gift is just as important as the gift. Now, I used my favorite 4 ounce Ball jars for the butter on purpose. With these jars I can create a lovely FREE printable label for everyone to use.

Aren't they fun?! Now… I have created a couple of different ways to use these free printable labels.

Silhouette Print & Cut Users

If you are a Silhouette User, you can download the Silhouette Studio file, print them with your printer and cut out with your CAMEO or Portrait. I used the Printable Gold Foil for mine, but you could use anything that you want. Card stock, printable sticker paper or even printable kraft paper. Use whatever you feel comfortable with. Click HERE to download the Silhouette Studio Label file.

Printable Users

Now, if you would like to print and cut your labels on your own… No worries, I have you covered too! Click HERE to download the free PDF for you to use for your special gift. Just print as many sheets as you would like on whatever paper you would like, cut out the labels and affix them to your jars and gift container.

Gift Container

I found my container at Target in their seasonal decor section. I would love to link to it, but I can't seem to find it on their web site. You'll just have to look at your local store. You can also use any type of container that will fit your butter selection and the bread your choose. You could use an inexpensive gift bag and it would look fabulous!!

All in all, I am in LOVE with this gift idea and I hope that it sparks some creativity for your holiday gift giving this year. You know… not all homemade holiday gifts have to be sweet! I know some of us would love some savory treats as well!

Free Printable Christmas Countdown and Wood Clipboard Tutorial

0 · Nov 26, 2013 · 3 Comments

Hi all! It’s Jenn from My Fabuless Life. I’m SO excited that the Christmas season is HERE, and even more excited to share a little printable Christmas Countdown project with all of you. If you follow me on my blog, you already know that I’m a sucker for all things counting down to the big Holiday, so this is one of several advent calendars that I have around my house.

All you’ll need for this project is:

* a block of wood (mine is 8×10, purchased from a local woodcraft store, but you can easily use whatever scraps you have lying around, or even a picture frame).

*a metal clip or clothespin

*the printables I’ve provided for you at the end of the post

I sanded and rounded out the edges of my wood block, and then stained it with my favorite stain (Early American from Minwax). Once the stain was dry, I sanded the edges again to give them a more aged look,

then I hot glued the clip on in the center of the wood.

To give the cards a little something extra, I colored the edges with a red marker.

This would be a really fun project with a picture frame too. Just put some pretty paper inside the frame, and glue the clip to the glass on the frame.

{DOWNLOAD FILES HERE}

Enjoy! And happy Holiday decorating! You can get details on my full Christmas display (including details on the coordinating "Merry & Bright" print) over at My Fabuless Life.

Or you might enjoy a few of these other Christmas projects:

Gold & White Nativity / Holiday Table Decorating Tips / $20 Handmade Tree