Quick DIY: Mini Place Cards & Notebooks

I'm a pretty big fan of making little kids feel like a holiday meal is special for them too. Just because they can't read doesn't mean they shouldn't have a place card with their name on it. Just because they may be four years old doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to actually participate in creating the place setting with you. 

Here's a simple little way to involve the kiddos when you're setting the table for Christmas (or any little party, really): First, grab a little stack of index cards. For each child, fold the card in half and write their name in block letters. Have your kids color the letters with their own crayons or colored pencils. Together, tie colorful string around the top and tie. Perfect! Now you've made place cards together! How long did that take? Umm, I think about five minutes flat. 

Next, grab three more index cards and fold them in half together. Punch two holes on the side of the seams. 

Take some scrap ribbon in an assortment of type and textures- or the same if you prefer cohesive looks- and pull them through the holes and knot!

Set a little cup of crayons in the middle of the table, and every kid has a little something to pass the time while adults get their chit chat on! The full table setting will be up on the Honest blog later in the week, so check back for a link soon!

XO,
Kate

DIY: Simple Christmas Stockings

I make my own stockings every year. It seems like a big task, but they're incredibly simple to make. Making them annually also gives me the flexibility to decorate in different ways each year, and still have our stockings blend with the rest of our home decor.

For 4 stockings, you will need:

• 2 yards of fabric for stocking body
• 1/2 yard of fabric for the top
• Scissors
• Sewing machine or hand sewing kit

Step 1: Start by folding your 2 yards of fabric in half (to cut matching pieces). Place an old stocking from last year on it.

Step 2: Trace your old stocking about an inch wider than your old stocking to allow for your seams.

Step 3: Cut out your stockings.

Step 4: Sew your stockings, right sides together, leaving the tops open. Turn them right side out and iron them.

Step 5: Measure the width of the top of your new cutout stocking. Cut your contrasting fabric the width of the stocking by 8 inches, plus an inch to allow for the seam.

Step 6: Sew the tops inside out to form a tube.

Step 7: Pull the stocking into the tube so the right sides are together. Pin the top edge of the stocking to the edge of the top and stitch. Pull the top up so it's right side out. Now the top is sewn onto the stocking.

Step 8: Hem the top of the stocking by folding the top inside one inch and hand sew a few invisible stitches. Once it is all complete, iron and hang on your mantel!

Happy Decorating!

Erin

Make It: Apple Crumb Pie

I love a good pie recipe in the winter. The smell of a baking pie always got me really excited as a kid, and I want my kids to have sweet smells around our house just like I had. It's such a blissful nostalgia for me. I've been a big slacker in the baking department, so my mother-in-law taught me (and you!) an easy recipe for the tastiest apple pie this week... Bonus: it was actually FUN for me... If you know me, you know that's saying something. Anyway, enough chatter; let me get to it:

You will need:

Pie Ingredients:

1 Pie Dough, 2T Tapioca, 6 Large Apples (or enough to fill the pie pan), peeled, cored & sliced.

Mixture:

Combine 3/4 C Sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, 2 T Flour.

Crumb topping:

Blend 1 C Flour, 1/2 C Butter, softened, 1/2 C Brown Sugar, 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon.

Step 1:

Make or buy pie crust. Use a rolling pin to roll it flat, cover your pie pan with the flattened dough. Trim the edges so it doesn't roll over the pan, then pinch the edges so they look lacy.

Step 2:

Add your dry tapioca to the unbaked pie crust and spread it around...

...Then fill the pie pan to overflowing with all of your apple slices.

Step 3:

Make and sprinkle the dry "mixture" over apples.

Step 4:

Prep the "crumb topping" and sprinkle it over everything. (So just to clarify, you have two different mixtures that you're spreading on top).

Step 5:

Bake 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until apples are soft. Remove and enjoy!

Love,

Kate

Ps. Special thanks to my mother-in-law for the lesson, and to Sophie, my willing and darling assistant. XO.

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Make it: Baked & Stuffed French Toast

Today I'm going to teach you to make this. Aren't you glad you decided to visit the blog today?

I'm currently on the east coast enjoying time with my in-laws and came up with this fabulous idea to share one of their family recipes we have every year when we come. This one is definitely not low-cal, but totally worth it, let me tell you. Okay, let me get to it:

Ingredients:

One loaf of "Texas toast," cubed

12 oz cream cheese, cubed

21oz can of blueberry pie filling (or you can make your own!)

10 eggs

2 cups milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

Cinnamon to your liking

Now here's what you do... It's very simple:

 

1. Fill a 9x13 casserole dish with a layer of your bread (use about half the loaf)

2. Distribute your cream cheese cubes on top.

3. Layer blueberry filling on top.

4. Add another layer of the remaining bread cubes on top.

 

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and syrup.

6. Pour mixture over the casserole dish. Let soak at least one hour, but ideally overnight.

7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

 

8. Remove from the oven, plate it, and enjoy! (We added strawberries and powdered sugar to make it extra fancy).

I love this recipe because it easily fills our whole family (with leftovers!) and it can be made the night before a holiday, then easily popped into the oven with no extra stress or cleanup day-of... Not to mention it's absolutely delicious!

 

Enjoy!!

XO,

Kate

 

 

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Colored Stick Letters

I was at Anthropologie the other day, and I saw the cutest yarn-covered stick letters. They're seriously perfect for the holidays. You can hang initials next to each stocking to be sure to know whose is whose, you can make them a gift topper, or you can hang them on the tree for ornaments...

What did I do instead of spending $8 per on perfection? I got crafty. My crafty efforts are clearly not perfect, but Sophie and I made them with love...

If you want to try for yourself,
You Need:
- Sticks
- Hot Glue Gun
- String... though yarn would have been much better because it's thicker.

- Cut sticks in the sizes of your letters.
- Hot glue the sticks together to form your letters and hold until the glue dries.
- Tie a knot around to begin your stringing.
- Wind your string all the way down your stick.
- Glue the end and cover with string.
- Your perfectly imperfect stick letter is done!

I thought this would be a great craft for Sophie, but bottom line- she wasn't interested! She did her stick, but she kept begging me to paint instead, so maybe you'll have more luck with your little ones. I'm excited about using them on gift boxes, so I was okay being left to do them alone (they're really quick!), but if the goal is to get your kiddo crafting, maybe try painting the sticks instead. :)

Also, you can cover just portions of the stick, rather than the entire stick. It's kind of fun to have a little of the rustic look combined with the color! Also, the pictures make these look big, but they're actually only about three inches tall.

XO,
Kate

Bright Little Baby Brunch

This weekend I hosted my one and only beautiful sister's baby shower at my home. Her little girl is due in four short (translated: seems-like-forever-till-she'll-be-here) weeks and I am beyond thrilled. We had a small brunch with dear friends and showered her with little gifts that made us all say way more "awww" and "so cute"s than I care to admit. There is nothing like seeing tiny onesies and pj's with ruffles on the bottom... it melts me. Baby fever! 

This was the first official sit-down meal party I've hosted, and I had a lot of fun being crafty and decorating. The fringe was inspired by Oh Happy Day (I only had the skinny crepe paper, so I did mini fringes) and it's the simplest thing in the world to do but makes a great impact in the room. 

The menu is something I recommend for any brunch because it was delicious AND simple. I'm the type that cooks because I have to, not because I love it, so my dear friends were kind enough to make a gorgeous brownie cake from scratch, a beautiful salad, and an egg frittata. Fancy cheeses, grapes, french bread, fresh berries, and a cheesecake were my contributions. 

The best part was enjoying laughs and joy with dear friends to celebrate my best friend. We are so excited to meet my niece... so, so excited.

LOVE,

Kate

Ps. Pretty Ruffle Table Runner by Rufflewood. More photos on www.delightedmag.com