Okay, so I don’t know about you. but I don’t enjoy eggnog…  not one little bit! Lucky for me, we have been drinking something far better during the holiday and Christmas season for as long as I can remember (or old enough to drink, ha!).  It is called Coquito and it is sweet and tangy cause we use Rum! Duh, I mean we are Puerto Rican, right? Well, if you are searching for a new holiday tradition and drink, allow yourself to join mine, cause after this you’re gonna learn how to make Coquito!

***This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.***

Also check out the video tutorial below! 

What you need: 

1. A bottle you can close either with a screw top or a pressurized lid. I prefer these. They are cheap and seal very well, plus you can always add a bow and give some Coquito to someone on Christmas as a gift! 
2. 1 Can of Cream of Coconut (preferably Coco Lopez)
3. 1 Can of Condensed Milk
4. 1 Can of Evaporated Milk
5. 1 tsp Vanilla extract
6. 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp of Cinnamon (depending how much you prefer)
7. Bacardi Rum (clear) add to taste, but don’t be shy!

***Some recipes call for egg yolks, but I don’t add them in mine. I don’t think it needs it and it makes the Coquito last longer in the fridge. Also, there are no raw eggs in it***

I like to mix it all up in a blender, then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours and drink it with my favorite Puerto Rican dessert.

Seriously, that’s it! Now you know how to make Coquito. It really isn’t rocket science. I hope you love it as much as I do….

It is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy and creamy… yum!

HATE EGGNOG? Try this Puerto Rican Recipe Instead! You won’t regret it! – CLICK TO TWEET

Cheers!!!

Related: The Ultimate Christmas Movie List

Related: Christmas Gifts for Him 

Hope you are enjoying your holidays and hope you have a Merry Christmas!!!

Happy Holidays friends! In continuing with our Christmas DIY projects, I wanted to share 3 gift wrapping ideas for Christmas that not only are different but give more than just the gift inside. So let’s get to it!

For my very first gift wrap idea, I will be showing you how to create this beauty which is perfect for grandparents and loved ones and I will tell you why…

One of the reasons I loved this one so much is because I only spent $1 on the gift wrapping paper and $1 on the Christmas pick (50% off at Hobby Lobby). I had the ribbon lying around the craft room leftover from another project. And the pretty Christmas tree was finger-painted by my lovely 4 year old daughter.

Here’s what you will need:

1. Mailing Paper (I like this option because it gives you a lot of paper for your money and it gives your gifts a more rustic farmhouse look which is really popular right now)
2. Burlap and Lace Ribbon
3. Christmas Floral Pic
4. Acrylic Paint
5. Double-sided tape

My kids love getting involved in my DIY projects, just like they did for my Halloween Tree  so I thought it would be nice to get her involved with this one as well.

She loves to paint and what better way to show off her skills than by having her create her very own Christmas tree. 

This is pretty thick paper, but I still taped an extra piece of paper on the gift box underneath the wrapping to make sure it prevented any bleeding from the paint to go through and damage the actual box.

For the paint, I used regular acrylic paint that I had on hand already.

We used the flat tip of a regular pencil dipped in magenta hued paint to add the look of ornaments.

Then I added ribbon that I secured with double-sided tape. Then added a Christmas floral pick and cut a piece of the same gift wrap paper with some fun edge scissors and used a hole punch to create a name tag.

So after spending some quality time with my baby girl, the second best thing this gift wrap idea gives you is an actual piece of art to use.

We made another tree for this post, but once you give the gift, the person receiving it can cut the tree out, write the name of the child and year the gift was given and frame it like the one below!

Recognize that ribbon I added as a tree topper? It was leftover from my DIY Christmas ornaments.

The possibilities are endless since you can paint snowmen, snowflakes, wreaths and even reindeer on the wrapping paper and have unique Christmas art for years to come!

The second idea is a much simpler one, but is a show stopper! 

What you need:

1. White Wrapping Paper
2. Christmas Ribbon
3. Red Doilies
4. A Large Snowflake Christmas Ornament
5. Double-sided Tape

Each of these cost $1 so I only spent $4 on this gift wrap with leftover supplies for more presents. I got all the supplies at Dollar Tree… don’t you just love that store?

I picked this large white studded snowflake for my ornament.

After you wrap your gift, embellish it with ribbon. Then add the doily and finally the ornament on top!

I used the same method from the previous gift wrap to make my name tag. And viola! Another gorgeous gift wrapping with an added bonus, an ornament.

Then lastly, I thought I would do a combination of both ideas. I wanted to get an ornament for the person receiving the gift, but also allow them the opportunity to personalize it for their decor.

I thought the perfect thing would be an unfinished wooden ornament. I kept the gift wrap simple for this one.

Things needed:

1. Red Gift Wrapping Paper
2. Twine
3. Wooden Ornament

Once I wrapped the gift, I added twine and tied the unfinished wooden snowflake onto it with a simple bow.

I chose to make a name tag from the brown wrapping paper to give a little contrast and to make it look even more rustic.

Then the person who receives the gift can paint the snowflake or embellish it to match their Christmas decor. I have several of these wooden snowflakes and I prefer them stained.

Check out this one that I stained for one of my wreaths.

Related: DIY Christmas Ornament

Related: Christmas Gifts for Her

Related: Christmas Gifts for Him

Related: The Ultimate Christmas Movie List

Well, that’s it for this post! I hope you enjoyed these gift wrap ideas and I inspired you to do something a little different this year for your friends and family.

It’s Day 2 of my Christmas Gift Round Up! And now that we got those great gifts for her taken care of, I present you with some pretty cool gifts for that special guy in your life. Cause let’s face it, guys can be pretty hard to shop for and if you are like me, I always like to really surprise my husband with gifts he just won’t see coming. So here are my 10 great Christmas gifts for him.

Related: Great Christmas Gifts for Her

*This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. For full disclosure, see here.*

1. Now I know what you are saying… a sweater?! Yami, really! Okay, but let’s think about about this Mockneck Twist Sweater for a bit. It’s not just any sweater. The mockneck is the perfect way to make any sweater look chic! I love a man in a dressy sweater and come on, how often does your guy shop for himself anyways? Let alone for something nice…. This is the perfect time to get him something like this. Plus it’s perfect for the cold weather and it comes in several colors.

2. Okay, so a couple of years ago I bought my husband a remote control helicopter, but this Star Wars Fighter Drone will win any man’s heart! First, it’s a drone. Second, it’s Star Wars. And third, it will get him off the couch (that one was for the ladies, ha!). But seriously, how fun would this be? It will take him back to his youth.

3. What man does not like sportswear? And with Under Armour being the most popular brand in sports you cannot go wrong with this Under Armour™ Men’s Pullover. Seriously, my husband has like 6 of these. All different colors. They are warm and are great when you need something quick to put on before you leave the house.

4. This one is probably my favorite. Get your guy a new wallet that he will be so happy to carry. This Wallet with Bottle Opener Money Clip is so freaking cool. My hubby has one and he loves it, because he is never short a bottle opener. This wallet has “saved” him several times while out and about. Plus the opener acts as a money clip and it’s definitely a conversation piece he will want to brag about. 

5. And just like women like their drinks hot, men like their drinks cold. This RTIC Tumbler is the more affordable version of the Yeti cup, but works just as well. Plus, it’s extra large!

6. Women shouldn’t be the only ones who travel in style. This leather toiletry bag is perfect for the man who travels. It has more than one compartment for easy organization. Keeping his things in one easy-to-find place will be a breeze with this luxury bag.

7. This one might seem weird, but hear me out. My father and my husband enjoy having their occasional bonding time via cigars and whiskey. A Cigar Sampler Pack is perfect for those who enjoy hanging out with the guys. Plus, even if you don’t know much about cigars, the sample pack makes it easier for you NOT to mess up (LOL!) and it gives them several things to try out. I have purchased these on more than one occasion and for different people and they have always been a big hit.

8. The cold weather is coming (if it’s not already here) and these Gloves with Phone Screen Touch Technology  are perfect for those who don’t want to remove their gloves to have to answer that call or return that text. The index and thumb are equipped with special tips to still use on your phone screens. BRILLIANT!

10. Most men are practical creatures, I know mine is! And sometimes you just don’t have a gas station nearby to put air in your tires. If you are like us and have a FIRST AID kit in your car, then this Portable Air Compressor is another must have. You never know when you may need to fill up and this is great because it uses the car to power it up, has storage for the needles and has a place to wrap up the cord so it won’t take much space at all. Perfect gift for the Macgyver in him.

Related: Christmas Gifts for Her

Related: The Ultimate Christmas Movie List

Related: DIY Christmas Ornament 

Hope you enjoyed these great Christmas gifts for him and that you now have some new and interesting ideas for the men in your life! I will be posting gifts for kids soon so stayed tuned and subscribe so you don’t miss out!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I love the Holidays because I get to cozy up with my family and watch classic Christmas movies next to a warm fireplace. I get to trim the Christmas tree and come up with new ideas for ornaments and decor. And I get to go shopping! I love getting gifts for others. It makes me so happy to see the expressions on loved ones faces when they get something that they truly love and appreciate. But let’s face it, sometimes it could be really hard figuring out what to get them, so I will be rounding up some ideas for you this season and I am starting off with 10 great Christmas gifts for her.

Related: Christmas Gifts For Him

***This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. See full disclosure here***

1. If you know me, you would know that I have a true love for Michael Kors! I love their clothing and their handbags, but surprisingly enough, I don’t have any of their jewelry (how does that happen, hubby?! Hint, hint).  And I just happened to have found this MK Rose Gold Bracelet. It’s gorgeous and simple, plus I am totally trying to incorporate rose gold into my wardrobe right now. And it even has FREE SHIPPING! Score!

2. I like to wear scarves out during the winter. Not only can they be a fashion statement but they can keep you extra cozy and warm and who doesn’t appreciate that? I am loving this plaid style right now. I love light colors, but this scarf comes in so many different colors that it would be a good fit for anyone.

3. Know any coffee drinkers? Who doesn’t! Amiriiight!? A simple, yet stylish and thoughtful gift is this Kate Spade To-Go Mug. The gold stripes make it super stylish, but she also has several other styles, if stripes aren’t your thing.

4. Another great idea is gifting a planner for the new year. What better way to stay organize, set goals and crush them than with this Kate Spade planner? It’s also pretty to look at too.

5. Another super thoughtful and creative gift is this Travel Jewelry Box. I mean, seriously, how man times do you NOT bring your jewelry with you because you don’t have a great way to transport them while your on vacation. This is perfect for anyone who travels a lot. It’s small and stylish and will keep your jewelry organized while your away from home. It also comes in several colors. Now I need an excuse to travel more…

6. The cold weather is also an excuse for new and warm PJ’s and I think this “I LIKE YOU” set is so cute! Perfect for any awesome mama or even a college student.

7. It looks like the Choker Necklace is back!!!! Fashion always has a way of coming back, doesn’t it? Should’ve kept my old ones. Well, I will say, that this one is stunning and I won’t lie, I want it! And don’t even get me started on the price. At under $15 it is super affordable!

8. And who doesn’t love to wear a nice black elegant blouse for the holidays. This cold shoulder black tee will go perfect with shimmery or leather leggings so you can work it at any holiday party.

9.  I love brown leather purses. They are so versatile and this brown satchel style purse is gorgeous and sure to be loved by even the pickiest mommy fashionista who needs something quick to go, but also allow room for sippy cups and baby wipes. Just saying!

Now if you are like me and prefer a fashionable but much larger “diaper bag” here is a gorgeous Faux Leather Tote that is not only reversible, but comes with a wristlet and is under $50! Say what?!?!

It also comes in several colors so it will suit anyone’s taste.

10. Another great option for gift giving is the giving of self-care. This hand soap and lotion caddy is perfect for those who appreciate a little pampering. Plus that ceramic tray is so pretty.

I hope this gives you some great Christmas gifts for her as you embark on this holiday season! My favorites are the MK bracelet and those PJ’s! How about you?

Related: The Ultimate Christmas Movie List 

Related: DIY Christmas Ornament and Giveaway 

I will be doing Great Christmas Gifts for Him too so stayed tuned!

I am so excited to be a part of this year’s Bling on the Holidays Blog Hop with 14 other amazingly talented women and our $150 AMAZON GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY! Make sure to scroll to the end of the post to enter in the drawing! 

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links for your convenience. Please see full disclosure here.*

Well! The holidays are just around the corner and the older the kids get the more fun we have this time of year. There’s nothing like watching Christmas movies, trimming the entire house inside and out and buying Christmas gifts for loved ones.

I love decorating and every year I try to diversify my decor by introducing new types of ornaments – this year I am loving the finial ornaments I am seeing all over the stores. I even used some for my Halloween Masquerade Tree this year.

Just look at some of them I found online. Gorgeous!

Shop the look by clicking the images above. 

As I was cleaning out some drawers and putting away fall decorations to make way for my Christmas decor, I came across a forgotten bag of plastic Easter eggs. I usually re-use them every year, but this time I thought I would recycle them and do something totally different and unexpected. So I decided to create my very own finial DIY Christmas ornament.

Here is what you need:

1. Glue Gun

2. Spray Paint – I used this gold one. It’s my favorite. I even used it for this project.

3. Plastic Easter Egg Shells

4. Ribbon

5. Gemstones

6. Wooden Finial Caps (like the ones below)

7. Small Metal Hooks (like the ones from this picture frame hanging kit that we had leftover from another project).

 Shop the look by clicking the images above. 

The process is pretty simple.

Just gather your easter eggs and finials… These were the ones I used.

I actually sawed off the top skinny pieces so that they looked like this…

Then decide which ends you want to place the finials for the look you want. Make sure to put the hooks on the top finial pieces first – this way when you paint them they will be all the same color.

Now, you definitely don’t have to do it this way. You can always leave them without painting. I did my second set that way. Whichever way you want it to look, just be sure to add the hooks to the finials before you glue them onto the eggs (the hooks require a little but of twisting and pressure and you don’t want the plastics eggs to crack).

Then proceed to glue your pieces on.

I was generous with the glue since I wanted it to look like it was part of the ornament. This is what all 3 looked liked. I actually liked them that way. They look kinda cute!

But I really had my heart set on some gold ones (ignore the acorn looking eggs… it was for a project that didn’t turn out the way I had hoped).

Then once they were painted I embellished them with ribbon and gemstones that I had.

This is what the first set looked like once finished. 

Then I decided to paint the finials a different color to give the other set some contrast and add even more ribbon.

I placed the ribbon strategically to cover the seems and the 2 ends that came together on the horizontal ribbon.

And the final look is below.

These were definitely a lot of fun to create. They compliment each other really well. And the best part is you can style these so many different ways. You can use more colorful ribbon or leave the dowels as is for a more rustic look. The sky is the limit folks!

I wanted to give you something totally different from other DIY Christmas ornament tutorials you may have seen and I hope I inspired you to create something new with your leftover Easter eggs.

Which one is your favorite?

Related: The Ultimate Christmas Movie List

Related: Christmas Gifts for Her

Related: Christmas Gifts for Him 

Now make sure you visit these other talented ladies and see what they have created to inspire you this holiday season as well!

Blog Hop List

P.S. I Love You Crafts – Our First Christmas Together Ornament

Anika’s DIY Life – LED Christmas Tree Wall Decor

My Pinterventures – Baking Soda Gingerbread Ornaments

Intelligent Domestications – Poinsettia Christmas Wreath

365 Days of Crafts – Handmade Christmas Cards

Love My Simple Home – Chicken Wire Christmas Tree

Day to Day Adventures – Glitter Letters for Christmas Decorations

Faeries and Fauna – Christmas Cushion and White Glitter Christmas Tree

Our Crafty Mom – Glittered Mason Jar Light

Knock It Off Kim – Holiday Napkin Rings

The Latina Next Door – DIY Christmas Ornament

Finding Your Joy in the Journey – Christmas Letters with a Little Bling

Craft Create Calm – Gingerbread House

DIY 180 Site – Vintage Christmas Bulb Wreath

The Inspiration Vault – Sparkly Snowflake Decor

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. See full disclosure here. 

Halloween is officially over and we can now officially hear Christmas music, decorate our houses with garland, bows and lights …. and spend as much time watching those wonderful Christmas movies that take us back to our childhood. And just like I brought you my fall bucket list I will also be giving you the Ultimate Christmas Movie List for your enjoyment over this holiday season.

Cause let’s face it, there is just nothing better than getting together with your loved ones to sip hot cocoa, cuddle up in blankets by the fire and watch some good ole Christmas movies in the cold of winter.

Related: DIY Christmas Decorations with Dollar Tree Products (video tutorial) 

Related: Great Christmas Gifts for Him 

Related: DIY Dollar Tree Candleholders

Don’t forget to download and print your ultimate-christmas-movie-checklist so you can keep track of how many you watch this season!

The Ultimate Christmas Movie List! Have you seen them all? – CLICK TO TWEET

The Classics

1. Elf
2. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
3. A Christmas Story
4. The Muppets Christmas Carol
5. Home Alone
6. Home Alone 2
7. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey)
8. Jingle All The Way
9. The Santa Clause
10. Prancer
11. It’s a Wonderful Life
12. White Christmas
13. Miracle on 34th Street
14. A Mom for Christmas (Olivia Newton-John)
15. Ernest Saves Christmas
16. I’ll Be Home For Christmas  (Jonathan Taylor Thomas)
17. Deck the Halls (Matthew Broderick)
18. Four Christmases
19. Jack Frost (Michael Keaton)
20. Christmas with the Kranks

Something a Little Different

1. 12 Men of Christmas
2. Surviving Christmas (Ben Affleck)
3. All I Want For Christmas (Thora Birch)
4. 12 Days of Christmas
5. Santa Baby
6. Love the Coopers
7. Holiday in Handcuffs (Mario Lopez)
8. Fred Claus
9. Nothing Like the Holidays (John Leguizamo – a little Latin flavor there)
10. A Madea Christmas
11. A Merry Friggin’ Christmas (one of Robin William’s last films before he passed)
12. Santa Buddies

Animated

1. The Polar Express
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas
3. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
4. Rise of the Guardians
5. Prep & Landing
6. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
7. Frosty the Snowman
8. Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
9. Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas Special
10. Arthur Christmas

Romance

1. Love Actually
2. While You Were Sleeping
3. The Family Stone
4. The Family Man
5. The Holiday (Cameron Diaz)

Not Your Typical Christmas

1. Gremlins (Because there is nothing better than a little green chaos before Christmas)
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (My kids are still too young for this)
3. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (Need I say more?)

Well there you have them! No matter what your fix is for this Christmas season, there is definitely something in this list that will get you in the Christmas spirit.

If I happen to have missed a favorite, please let me know and I will be happy to add! Which one is your favorite?

*This is a sponsored post. Some links below are affiliate links, see full disclosure here*

Make sure you make it all the way to the end of the post for a special announcement!

Okay, so if you know me and my family and live anywhere near us you would know that we are known as the Griswolds of our neighborhood, because every year we have the brightest house in the ‘hood. We love Christmas and Christmas trees and lights and ornaments and…. well, you get the idea. So when Treetopia reached out with the opportunity for me create my very own Halloween tree, I was overjoyed!

I mean, the sooner I can get a tree up and decorated in my home, the better! Amiriiiight???

I quickly fell in love with the Obsidian Black Christmas Tree. Gorgeous! I love it because it is not like most black trees you find in stores. It has the perfect sheen making it such an elegant and shimmery tree. It was easy to assemble and incredibly full. Plus, it is pre-lit so setting it up and plugging it in only took a matter of minutes.

I’ll be honest, I have never done a Halloween Tree before, but the first idea that came to mind was to create a Phantom of the Opera/Masquerade Inspired Halloween Tree. And frankly the best place for it was our dining room!

So, the first items I needed were masks and I was able to find these gold, silver and white masks from Party City.

Then, of course, I headed to Hobby Lobby to find some inspiration and craft supplies.

I got feathers, roses, cute foam spiderwebs, dimensional fabric paint, sequins and ribbon. Then I got to work on my masterpiece.

The best part about this experience was that my kids got totally into it! We have been working on our Fall Bucket List for the past couple of weeks and this gave me another opportunity to do something unique and fun with them this season. Their enthusiasm and concentration just melted my heart! (now if they could only do that when they pick up their toys)

Together we embellished the spiderwebs and masks with sequins to give them some sparkle and dimension.

I had these foam ball shaped ornaments I bought on clearance last year and I applied glitter and feathers to them to go with the theme.

I’m such a messy crafter, I know! 

Then, I really wanted to do something a little more eery and decorate some of the masks with blood. I used dimensional fabric paint and began to apply the paint on the top part of the masks and then began to run the paint down (as if the blood was dripping down them).

They came out exactly as I had pictured them!

I was so happy the dimensional fabric paint gave me the effect I wanted. I mean, how cool is that??? You can even wear those masks out for Halloween! (side note: if you try this, just make sure to give them enough time to dry completely.)

And then it was time to put it all together and everything just coordinated wonderfully.

Here is a close-up of one of the masks my daughter helped me decorate. With the extra details we added to the white masks, they actually ended up looking like they were porcelain.  The dark red roses I added reminded me of the love story behind the Phantom of the Opera.

I even used some of the pumpkins I transformed for my DIY Fall Centerpiece. The gold pumpkins looked perfect with the color scheme.

I included large red glass ornaments as they reminded me of a combination of grand chandeliers and red velvet walls you would find in an old Opera house. The red and gold decorations really popped on the black tree.

And finally, I added a tall feminine mask with tall feathers for the topper.

But I just couldn’t stop there!  Since I wanted to tie my dining room together with the tree, I created a simple red and black flag swag from a couple of felt sheets and red ribbon to go over my dining room mirror.

I found some candle holders and pumpkins I had saved from previous years (thank goodness, I’m a hoarder!) and created a simple centerpiece for the table. The runner is actually a Christmas runner, but I turned it upside down and it worked out perfectly.

I just love how everything turned out.

I hope I inspired you to do a little something different with your trees this holiday season. And if you are looking for even more inspiration, head on over to the other talented bloggers who created their own Halloween trees for this fun Blog Hop,  then check out the Treetopia Blog for even more ideas!

Jen of Jennifer Perkins and Treetopia

Sarah of All Things with Purpose

Fotini of Farmhouse Chic Blog

 Meagan of Sunshine and Sippy Cups

****Oh and yes! That amazing announcement!****

Treetopia and I have come together to give away a $150 GIFT CARD so that you too can have an amazing tree as well!

So how do you enter?

First, make sure you are following me on Instagram.

Then be on the lookout for my post (below) first thing tomorrow morning with all the instructions on what to do and when the winner will be announced!

Need a little reminder? No problem! Just subscribe to my blog and I’ll send you a message so you don’t forget! Which tree will you get if you win?

One of the things we love about our neighborhood is how so many of the neighbors get into the holiday spirit, starting with Halloween. There is no lack of goblins in our yards, spider webs on our bushes and eery ghosts hanging from our trees when October comes around. Another great thing we like to do is “BOO” each other.

If you are not familiar with what that is, it’s when you leave Halloween gifts and goodies at each other’s doorstep, but you don’t let them know it was you. Once you receive a “You’ve Been Booed” gift, you leave a little sign on your front door so that other neighbors know you’ve been booed already and then you pick the next neighbor (sometimes 2 depending on the instructions) to do it to. But you need to be quick and do it right away.

It’s pretty fun!

I woke up this morning to this sweet gift bag!

And look at all the goodies inside!

My kids absolutely love this time of year.

Now I have to head out and look for a “You’ve Been Booed” gift!

If you haven’t done anything like this yet, there is still time. I have rounded up several blogs with beautiful “You’ve Been Booed” printables you can download to get started.

1. Tidy Mom 

2. Happiness Is Homemade

3. Paper Trail Design

4. Lucky Scarf 

5. The Tom Kat Studio

And if you are still looking for more fun things to do this Fall Season, make sure you check out my free Fall Bucket List printable!

Also stay tuned for more this week. I have joined forces with Treetopia and 4 other talented bloggers this week in the Witches & Wonders Blog Hop!

Hi my friends! I know I have been a little absent lately, but it has been crazy behind the scenes at home. My littlest and I have been sick (and the pollen is NOT helping!). Also, the new website design has been giving me a TON of trouble. It is still not complete and the support I have been getting has been far from stellar even though the reviews I read on the company I bought my theme from were “raving” reviews (which is why I went with them in the first place!). I’m not even going to call out any names in hopes that things come around and I get what I want out of it. All I ask is a little patience from you all while I get everything straightened out. So if you run into anything a little cray-cray on my site, just know, it will EVENTUALLY be fixed. UGH.

In addition I have started a new blog. YES, I know, it’s crazy, another blog! But I won’t have this one up for a few more weeks. I can’t spill any details just yet, but I hope to share more with you all once we get a little closer to the launch. The new website will be totally different from this, but it’s time I step out of my comfort zone and see what I am really made of. And if it comes together like I hope, it will……

Okay, so now to what you really came here for. As we all know Easter is right around the corner which means going to church, wearing pretty flower dresses, Easter egg hunting and sitting around a table having a wonderful meal with family and friends. I will be honest, the only holiday I really decorate my dining table for is Christmas. I am not one of those peeps who has to have a setting for every occasion. Mostly, because I don’t have the time. Second, it costs money. And third, where the heck am I going to store so much stuff?!

So if you are anything like me you’re probably thinking the same thing. But this year, I did decide to do a little “something” to my table and share with you a few tips on how to keep costs down, make an elegant “theme” and use items that can be re-purposed so you don’t have a TON of different decorations stored around your house that you only use once a year!

So here is my setting for Easter this year.

Simple, clean and look ma’ NO EGGS! Okay, so here’s the deal. I don’t care to decorate with Easter eggs. I am NOT going to go out and buy napkins or place mats or plates with bunnies and eggs on them (at least I haven’t seen any yet that don’t look cheesy).

And the only cheese I like goes with my wine…..Just sayin’!

So here is what I like to do on these occasions that will help with cutting down costs and give you the opportunity to reuse some of this stuff!

First off, don’t EVA underestimate the power of the Dollar Tree! If you have never been to that store, get your butt up, in the car, and drive yourself right on over there. It is the best place to find awesome chargers, glassware, seasonal decor, dishware and my favorite… storage. We will focus on the first 2 for this one.

Those awesome glasses I got for $1.00 each at Dollar Tree! And those chargers too! Why do I like buying glassware at Dollar Tree and why should you? Cause 1. it’s cheap 2. it’s actually good quality 3. they bring new stuff in all the time and 4. you won’t cry whenever your kids (or occasionally, you) break one. It will just cost a dolla’ to replace. Those glasses I have had since last Thanksgiving.

The white napkins cost me zero. My mom had them stored away and never really used them so she offered them up and I was happy to take them home with me. They are an awesome soft linen that I just love. I use them over and over again. One tip, if you prefer cloth napkins, I always suggest white, cause if anything nasty gets on them you can just bleach the heck out of them and get the stains out. Something you can’t do with color napkins. Just sayin’!

The burlap ribbon was also from Dollar Tree. I had a roll left over from another project. If you want to add a little extra detail to your napkins like I did, just cut some ribbon and glue the ends together to create a ribbon “napkin ring”. You can slide the napkins right out of them. Easy peasy!

The chargers usually come in around Thanksgiving for the holidays. I bought those last December for my Christmas setting, which leads me to talk about re-purposing. When choosing something like chargers that you won’t use that often and will most likely be stored somewhere for some time, taking up valuable storage space, use neutral colors like golds or silvers. They are so versatile and can be paired with so many color combinations. Look how awesome they look with those new place mats I got from At Home.

Does anyone else miss the name Garden Ridge? I still refer to it as that cause I find it weird saying, “I’m going shopping at At Home.” Okay moving on!

I wasn’t even in the market for the ikat place mats when I was there over the weekend, but I found them in the clearance aisle for 50% off. Since I have a table set for 8, I got 2 four packs for $7.49 each. By the way, I have a rule of not purchasing place mats that cost more than $2.00 each. It is my absolute rule and I can really find some good ones at that price. There ain’t no need to pay extra.

So as you may have noticed they are not “Easter” theme, but I prefer them that way. The colors are fresh and soft and work well in Spring. And the ikat design is trendy right now, but has a timeless feel so you can use them again and again.

One thing I don’t like about At Home is that they don’t do regular sales like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s do which is a bummer, BUT if you wait a week before ANY holiday (at least in my neck of the woods) they always have their seasonal stuff for sale. So, naturally when I was there I ran across these cute little bunnies which were 50% off – actually all Easter was 50%. And look at that little frame! So adorable.

The bunnies ended up costing $3 each and the frame was $2.50. So, okay yes, I have bunnies. But in my defense they aren’t pink or blue or have bows on them. You can easily place these bunnies on a shelf or on top of some books on an entry table and you can easily re-purpose them to NOT look “Eastery” which is the only reason I got them. And the frame, well it was too cute to pass up and it went with my gold theme anyways!

My point here is that if you can wait until the week before to decorate for your Easter setting then I would encourage you to do so, this way you can get some awesome deals from stores trying to push their last merchandise out.

You can see how I broke everything out above. I mean you just can’t beat those prices and the fact that you can use them separately for different occasions makes me do the happy dance!

Put a red ribbon on that bunny with some mistletoe and you got yourself a Christmas bunny. C’mon guys! Let’s use those imaginations!

Another thing I suggest is to have a set of white dishes reserved for your more “formal” occasions. Again, the purpose here is to save money. This way you can work around their neutral white color and pair them with any setting for any occasion. Having colored plates or patterns limits what you can do with them and more likely than not, they will end up being stored somewhere most of the time.

And lastly, I suggest to keep it simple. You don’t need any large arrangements or a ton of stuff on your table. Cause, let’s be real, you will mostly have food on your table on Easter so you don’t need to cramp your space with fru fru. And also, it would totally suck if you spilled something on or knocked something over and broke it. Less is more here peeps!

I hope you liked what I came up with for my tablescape and the tips I shared on keeping it extremely affordable. So if you thought you couldn’t have a nice setting on a budget, well, you’re out of excuses now.

Oh and if you thought it was weird that we don’t have name assignments, we don’t do that in our culture. As long as you don’t sit in the “head of the house’s” seat and the “wife’s seat” you’re good to go. How do you know which ones they are? Well, you ask OR you wait till they are seated. That’s just how we do when we have a formal sit down.

As always, I hope you enjoyed and I always look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Okay, my friends today is February 11th, are you all set for Valentine’s Day? Well of course you are! But maybe you forgot someone OR are still thinking about what to get that person who is really hard to shop for (we all have one of those)? Perhaps you have a mom, grandmother, mother-in-law, teacher or even a dear friend you would just like to give a little something special to. Well I have a great last minute Valentine’s Day gift idea that any plant lover would appreciate. And all for under $10!

Check it!

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