Tag Archives: easy

A Last Minute Holiday Gift for Your Furry Friends

handmade cat toyI didn’t finish my handmade holiday challenge, but I got close. Sometimes life just gets in the way. Never fear, I will have a recap for ya’ll. And I did have time to eek out this little gift for my furry friend. If it was up to me, I’d have 10 cats, but alas, I’m a cat lady who is allergic to cats.

My sister brought her newest furry friend home for the holidays and I just had to make him something. I couldn’t leave him out! P.S. he looooved the toy!

This DIY was super easy, I made it with scraps and it only took me about 10 minutes.

easy version how to make pom poms First, I made two pom poms. I made them the easy way and just wrapped the yarn around my fingers, then tied the yarn together in the middle. Then, I cut the looped ends. I made two pom poms and tied them together, so the poof was extra poofy. I also made sure to reinforce all my knots since this kitty loves to play (aka rip things apart.)

I then braided a length of yarn slightly longer than my arm and traveled outside to find a nice-looking stick. Once I found the perfect stick, I attached the braided yarn to the stick and attached the pom pom ball to the braided yarn. Finally, I wrapped yarn around both ends of the stick to make it a little prettier.

cat toy close upThe hardest part of this project is tying knots super tight so little kitties won’t immediately kill the toy.

Did you make anything for your furry friends this year? I’d love to see links to your projects in the comments!

love,
melanie

Cheap and Easy DIY Holiday Crown

winter berry crown There aren’t very many occasions in my life that I get to wear something fancy. Weddings, our anniversary, maybe. I mean, a library doesn’t really call for glitter or even heels. But during the holidays I get the urge to spice my ensembles up a bit without buying anything that won’t be worn more than twice a year.

I’ve been seeing some adorable holiday crowns on Pinterest. Gah, so many of my conversations lately have started with, so I saw this thing on Pinterest… Anyway, I wanted to recreate the look without spending more than a few bucks. Enter this pearlized branch stem from Michael’s. It cost me a whopping $1.49 and would have cost me less if had I remembered to pull up my Michael’s coupon on my phone. Michael’s always has coupons. It’s kind of awesome.

berry crown close upWhen I got home, I just bent and fashioned it into a circle that fit my head and voila! I’m totally fancy.

I can’t wait to wear this on our anniversary trip to Austin! It’s coming up so fast!

Have you made anything festive lately? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

An Easy Way To Wrap a Gift: Use Hot Glue!

wrap a present with hot glue I’m embarrassed to admit that I still have pumpkins sitting outside of the ol’ Airstream. With everything that has been going on, our home looks downright Scroogy this year. But the one thing that has been putting me in the Christmas spirit is putting on some holiday music and wrapping gifts. I think wrapping is almost as important as the gift itself. I hate putting a ton of effort into buying a meaningful gift and then throwing it into the cheapest bag I can find. No, I believe in wrapping.

I love wrapping gifts in brown paper because you can use it for every occasion. I got this paper and the bow at the Dollar Store. I did all my wrapping for $2.00. I’m also digging the contrast of the rustic brown paper and the glitter bow.

wrap with hot glue close upAnd can we talk about my new tip! I wrapped all my presents this year with hot glue. I hate the way tape musses up a perfectly wrapped gift. If you want to replicate this technique, just make sure you either use a box (not the gift’s box) or fold the paper over so you don’t glue on the gift. (See the example above.)

What is your best gift wrapping tip? Leave ’em in the comments!

love,
melanie

My Easy, Go-to Holiday Dish: Baked Brie

Baked Brie with raspberry jelly and walnuts I always have grand plans for the holiday. I’m going to bake a dozen gluten-free pies, and mail 100 holiday cards, and craft all my gifts! (Holy crap, I am a nut job!) In reality, where I actually live, all I’ve got time to do is throw some brie into the oven while I’m drying my hair and brushing my teeth at the same time.

This baked brie has been my holiday go-to dish this season. Who doesn’t like a large wheel of hot, melty cheese? No one. It’s a crowd pleaser and it looks like you spent hours and lots of money on it. The best part is that it takes about 15 minutes and $5 to throw together.

Baked brie, easy holiday dishIngredients

  • A wheel of brie
  • Jelly (the flavor is up to you, but I used raspberry)
  • Nuts (again, you’re choice, but walnuts are my fav)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When oven is heated, put your wheel of brie on an oven-safe dish and bake for about 15 minutes. The brie will be done when it’s lightly toasted. Usually the brie will look a bit deflated and the gooey cheese will be slightly oozing out.

Take out of the oven, liberally spread on jelly or jam and sprinkle with nuts! You look like a gourmet chef, you. Pat yourself on the back!

What’s your easy go-to holiday dish? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

Cranberry Sauce French Toast

french toast with cranberry sauceMy dad said he was sick of turkey the day after Thanksgiving. That man does not like leftovers. But me, I’m down with the cold turkey. I could happily eat a turkey sandwich every day. Plus, leftovers are like finding pre-made meals in your own fridge!

And although I like leftovers, I also like to mix things up a bit. This morning I plopped a little bit of warm cranberry sauce on my french toast. It was delightful.

Can we talk about how easy it is to make cranberry sauce? I’ve never understood why people buy the canned stuff. It takes two seconds to make and it doesn’t have that creepy can shape.

cranberry french toastHere’s my ultra-easy, tangy cranberry sauce recipe:
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of cranberries
  • 1/4 heaping cup of brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • Zest from 1/2 a small lemon
  • Juice from a small lemon

Directions
Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until boiling. Then, turn down the heat to low and simmer until sauce reaches a more gelatinous consistency (usually about 10 minutes).

Serve warm over french toast (gluten-free, for me) and a drizzle of maple syrup! Ya’ll don’t need directions for french toast, do you? I love the tang of cranberry sauce and the sweetness of the toast.

How are you using your holiday leftovers? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

Handmade Holiday Challenge: Infused Liquors!

infused liquorsI’ve never been too keen on flavored liquors with the exception of my college Smirnoff Lemon Vodka phase. I feel a little barfy just thinking about it. But that’s because most of those liquors are artificially flavored. I mean Cinnabon-flavored vodka? That can’t be real.

Infusing your own liquor is so much tastier than the manufactured stuff and makes mixed drinks extra special. And infused liquors make a great hostess holiday gift. Good thing my friends like to party because everyone is getting infused liquor this year!

infused liquors closeupHere’s the stupid-easy how-to:
Grab a canning jar. Cut up some fruit, add spices (if you desire) and fill the jar with liquor. I recommend using organic fruit so there’s no yucky stuff infusing the liquor. Then, shake once a day, everyday. The liquor will be infused in about a week!

I’ve tried strawberries and vodka before with great results. The vodka tasted just like real strawberries! This time I’m also trying an apple-infused bourbon and a green apple-infused moonshine. (The moonshine is legal, guys. It’s Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon, if you are curious.) For the apple-infused liquors, in addition to the fruit, I also added a cinnamon stick and three cloves. I’m thinking with a little bit of simple syrup it will taste like apple pie!

I’m so excited about these holiday gifts, I might have to keep one for myself!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

Easy DIY: Washi Tape Mirror

Before and After Washi Tape Mirror

You know those projects that somehow never just finish themselves? Those projects are super inconsiderate. I can’t even believe them sometimes. My dishes are the worst. They just pile up and pile up until finally I get angry enough and do them myself.

The mirror in my bathroom was one of those projects. I had planned to paint or cover the edges in small strips of wood, but sometimes all I’ve got time for is a five minute project. I found this washi tape that has been lying around since our wedding and simply put it up around the mirror to hide the ugly, old edges. The best thing about washi tape is that if you mess up, it doesn’t leave residue or loose it’s stickiness. There’s really no trick to this project.

I love projects like that. No tricks, just treats. It’s super simple and it makes a big difference.

What’s your favorite 5 minute DIY? I’d love to see links to your projects in the comments!

love,
melanie

Texas Pete Bloody Mary

texas pete bloody maryWhen I worked at the Boys and Girls Club, the older kids liked to scare the little ones with the story of Bloody Mary. Have you heard it? As legend goes, Bloody Mary appears if they spun around three times in front of a mirror while chanting her name. (You can read more of the legend here.) It was kind of terrifying and I’m an adult. I will never forget the morning my favorite little kid ran out of the bathroom with tears in his eyes, so afraid that “Bloody Muddy” was going to get him. There were so many time-outs that day.

This drink goes out to that little guy, wherever he is. I hope he’s out terrifying the big kids with some gut wrenching tales.

bloody mary in a jar

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. Bloody Mary Mix (I cheated a bit on this one and went with a Trader Joe’s mix. You could also use tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce).
  • 1 shot of vodka
  • 15! shakes of Texas Pete (less if you like a less spicy drink)
  • 1 dash of onion powder
  • 1 dash of garlic powder
  • Splash of canned olive juice
  • Garnish with fresh, cracked black pepper and olives

Also, can we talk about how serving in a jar saves on clean up. AND. AND. AND. You can make these before a party and have them ready to go! Have you ever had a Texas Pete Bloody Mary? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

 

10, 10-Minute Harvest Crafts

Leaf Garland

I haven’t been my usual play-in-the-leaves-I’m-so-happy-it’s-fall-crafty-self this season. My allergies have been out of control this year. I’ve felt as if I’ve had a cold for weeks. I’m loaded up on (prescription) drugs and all I’ve wanted to do is hide out under the covers and binge-watch Downton Abbey. Sorry to be so boring and whiney, but I never thought I’d be so happy for my least favorite season, WINTER.

But it’s against my personal rules to decorate for Christmahanakwanzika before Thanksgiving. Although this year Hanukkah falls on Thanksgiving! I still can’t bring myself to decorate with menorahs or boughs of holly just yet. (If you’re wondering my family traditionally celebrates Christmas, but I like to celebrate all the holidays.)

To try to excite myself for the nearest holiday, Thanksgiving or Harvest day (whatever you celebrate) I mustered up enough energy to make a small fall garland. I also spent hours browsing Pinterest for the best, easy harvest crafts. Because sometimes you’ve only got enough energy for a 10 minute craft and some Pinterest browsing. Am I right?

10. Leaf GarlandFall Garland

My attempt to make the trailer a little more festive. Probably not the brightest idea, since I’m probably allergic to leaf mold, but what can ya do. Anyway to create this easy-peasy craft, I sprayed leaves with clear spray paint, let them dry, then tied them to some twine.

9. Glitter, falling leaves

boxwood-clippings_diy-falling-leaves-garland_2-e1379949094746This 10-minute craft from 6th Street Design School is so elegant and easy. She was a smarty and used fake leaves to create her garland!

8. Pinecone birds

pinecone birdsHow cute are these pinecone birds from World Market? Technically, there’s no DIY instructions for these, but they look super easy to make. Sprinkle a pinecone and a foam ball in glitter. Attach them together, add eyes, a beak and feet. And voila! You’ve got perfect placeholders for Thanksgiving dinner.

7.  Little Mouse

Fall-crafts-how-to-create-pictured-with-leaves-Little-mouseI cannot get over how cute this little mouse is from Kiddie Foodies. I’m dying to make this with my niece.

6. Leaf Paintings

Leaves painting_thumb[1]Another easy one to do with kids. This time found via the blog, Au Pair Link Taranaki. I had painted with potatoes and fish (?!) as a kid, but never with leaves. The results are super pretty and dare I say, frameable?!

5. Fall Leaf Centerpiece

fall centerpiece

This fall leaf centerpiece from HGTV is whimsical and elegant. And again, they don’t use real leaves, do’h!

4. Twig Flower Pots

twig flower pots

Twig flower pots! Why didn’t I think of that? Nini Makes has a great tutorial on how to make them on her blog. I think they’d also be cute on a smaller scale as votive holders.

3. Pinecone Door Hanger

pinecone door hanger

How clever is this pinecone door hanger? Easy and cheap is just my style. You could even change out the colors for different holidays. Click the link above to see the how to on The New Witty’s.

2. Acorn Vase

Acorn-VaseII love how pretty and FREE this crafts is. Eclectically vintage has it going on.

1. Painted Acornspainted acornsAnd last, but certainly not least are these glamorous acorns from Decor to Adore. We’ve got these giant acorns at my work with prickly tops. I’m dying to get out there with the squirrels and do this craft.

What crafts have you been craftin’ lately? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

 

 

 

 

Easy and Cheap Halloween Costumes from Halloweens Past

The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers

I love Halloween. I love all holidays, but if someone held a gun to my head and asked for my favorite holiday, I’d probably say Halloween. Can you imagine an attacker jumping out from a dark alley with a gun and asking you their favorite holiday? That’s ludicrous. And Halloween is a bit ludicrous, that’s why I love it.

Although it may be my favorite holiday, I still manage, without fail, to procrastinate making my costume. And I always make my costume. Because I’m cheap and I like to have clever costumes.

Last year, George and I scavenged our closet for our Blues Brothers costumes. Below are a couple more of my favorite costumes from year’s past. They’re all cheap and easy.

Voodoo Doll costume

Voodoo Doll costume

This voodoo doll costume was super easy. I made it a couple of hours before we had to go out. All you need is a burlap sack, hot glue, felt, pipe cleaners and pom pom balls. Then draw Xs over your eyes and stitches around your lips. Super easy and slightly scary to boot!

Cat Lady and Sugar Skull Costume

Cat Lady and Sugar Skull Costume

For my true self, I mean, Cat Lady costume, I just got a sweatsuit and glued small, stuffed cats and random bits of fur all over it. George also kindly painted a cat on my sweatshirt and wrote “Cats are people too” on it. Not only was this costume easy, it was also warm!

My sister, pictured right, just rummaged in her closet for random bits of scary attire and painted her face to look like a sugar skull. That costume is super easy too and spoooooky.

The Internet has a million easy and cheap costume ideas, it’s all in the execution. Before you go out to buy a lame, polyester costume check around your house and get creative. The best costumes are homemade.

What has been your favorite Halloween costume? Are you dressing up this year? Let me know in the comments!

love and spookiness,
melanie