Color Me Crafty - Holiday Mantle Banner

If I could, I would play Arts & Crafts all day long.  I absolutely love creating and experimenting and I find it tough to control myself this time of year.  (Note: at the moment I'm writing this I'm looking at the top of my tree and trying to figure out what to make as a tree topper!)

Color Me Crafty - Christmas DIYs + Our First Refinery29 Feature!

via Refinery29



Sometimes making a list and checking it twice is about all a gal can handle this time of year.  But for some, that list has a whole slew of crafty, DIY projects!  (Confession, mine usually does)

Color Me Crafty - DIY Wine Tags

In case you're like me and don't think of these things until the last minute... here's the DIY for wine glass tags!  You need a paper bag, some tissue paper, tape (double sided if you've got it) and baker's twine.

Color Me Domestic - Thanksgiving Roundup

Even though Thanksgiving is late this year, somehow it has managed to sneak up on me!  This past weekend we celebrated Friendsgiving with turkey and all the fixins.  As much fun as it is to try new recipes, at Thanksgiving I find myself going back to the classics.

Last year I shared a lot of my favorite recipes and I wanted to share them with you again!

The Right Stuffing

Cranberry Salsa

Green Beans and Ravioli

Pumpkin Dip

Depending on how much you travel you'll want to make sure you pack appropriately.  You should consider the general casualness of your holiday, but it will also be handy to check the temperatures and pack the right coat!

Thanksgiving Style

A Coat A Day

And if you happen to be hosting for the first time... Congratulations!!! I'm sure you're busy getting everything together but here are a few extras that you'll be extra thankful for.  Or, be the best guest ever and snag one of these for your hostess!

#nomnomnom apron, oven mit and pot holder set, and dishtowel

White Lacquer Flatware Box

Coasters: Cheers, Arrows, Herringbone, Confetti, and/or Triangles

They're so easy you can totally wait until the last minute to get your supplies (chances are you have most of them already)!  Tomorrow I'll have the How To so you can make your own set of wineglass tags!

Give Thanks tablescape from CaitlinWilson.com

Color Me Crafty - DIY Wine Tag Event



In two weeks I'm hosting another craft night at Langford Market on Diversey.  And with all the meals coming up (Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Cookie Exchanges, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Tuesday's) there will also be a lot of wine.  And with a lot of wine comes the chance that you'll mix up your glass with someone else's.

Color Me Styled - Happy 4th of July!

Fireworks via Pinterest

Quick post today since it is a Thursday after all!

I hope you all have a safe and fun Independence Day. I highly recommend watching this clip at some point today!

Color Me Domestic - Memorial Day Decorations



Memorial Day is upon us! The official opening of summer! And the first 3 day weekend of the season.

The good news is that decorating for Memorial day is easy and with a few investments now you'll be good to go for the 4th of July and Labor Day too!

American holiday decorating is all about the red, white and blue!

I love this drink dispenser from World Market (similar here) and the red and blue ribbed tumblers, and American flag cocktail napkins. World Market also sells the Freedom Chips which are delicious red, white and blue tortilla chips!

World Market also has Americana stripe napkins and a table cloth and classic bunting flags.

But you can save on those decorations by putting together a quick DIY with crepe paper, double stick tape and string.

It literally is as easy as folding a 5-6 inch strip of crepe paper in half and using a piece of double stick tape to close it off. Then string them together on kitchen twine and hang it up.

Seriously, that easy.

The little bows are also made with crepe paper. This was a pinterest find and I will not pretend that I can explain it better. Here is the crepe paper bow tutorial.

The elements of a great Memorial Day party is to serve finger-food eats, BBQ classics and easy to sip drinks! If you've got a grill you can host a BYO-Meat party where each guest brings something to grill. This way you don't have to pay to feed the whole crowd nor do you have to worry about taste preferences, allergies or special diets!

Happy Memorial Day!!

Color Me Styled - St. Patrick's Day Style

St. Patrick's Day Style by ebdaily

You know the rules... If you're not wearing green you're going to get pinched!

Luckily green is a major color this year and it is everywhere so you can wear stylish digs for this weekend's festivities.

Have fun and Éirinn go Brách!!!

Color Me Styled - Cookie Exchange!!

Well Folks... the Mayans were wrong so onward with life we go. Hopefully you didn't put thousands of dollars on a credit card yesterday.

Last night was the cookie exchange party and it was such a lovely get together of many ladies in my life! 

We had a lot of great discussion over a lot of wine and then everyone took home big tubs of cookies. And I still have 3 tubs to bring to work today!

We also decorated the cookie cut outs that I made on Wednesday night. 

The big storm we were supposed to get turned out to be nothing so everyone made it easily and safely.

And today many of these gals are jet setting out across the country to visit their families for Christmas. I suggest they all wears leggings, tunics and the biggest pair of boots of all the shoes they are packing in order to maximize space in their suitcases! Scarves and gloves and hats in their carry on bags so they can bundle up on the flight. 

Color Me Styled - Buying for Boys

It is always easier for me to buy gifts for the ladies in my life because I can easily pick out something that I wouldn't mind having myself. But it gets a lot more difficult when the men we life with need gifts.

I think it boils down to the fact that most men are too practical. Plus they don't use a lot of things. Girls have make-up, jewelry and handbags. Boys have wallets and they usually are so attached to the ratty old thing that even if you try to upgrade it you're met with resistence.

So... what is it that boys like. Well to borrow a slogan from Bdubs... Boys like Wings, Beer and Sports.

Short of buying your guy a bucket of wings and putting a bow on it (which they would love, but we're above that ladies) get him the gear to make his own! He'll need a baking sheet, tongs and spices.

Sur La Table Non Stick Pan

            

  Portland Pepper Sauces & Scissor Tongs

Then if you want to be very helpful write up a wing recipe and tuck it into the gift too. And maybe send it via email since boys can be bad at keeping small pieces of paper.

Now, for the beer part of our mantra. Crate and Barrel has really upped their ante when it comes to beer glassware. All you need to do is narrow down which type your guy sips most... or just grab the whole set for $80.

They also featured a handy dandy beer poster in their catalog that would make a great addition to any manly office.

Now we move onto to the Sports piece. Luckily this can take many different forms. You can get tickets to a game for the two of you or for him and a buddy. If he is more of a gamer you can grab him one of the top rated sport games of 2012... NBA 2K13. Just make sure you get him the game that is compatible with his machine (PlayStation vs Xbox vs Wii). Or if he's more likely to just veg on a Football Sunday than anything else offer to pay for the addition of a sports package from your cable / satellite provider.

Notice that I am not suggesting the purchase of more apparel with sporting logos on them. When a man is old enough to deserve a beer glass designed to make his beer taste its best he should be able to demonstrate his support of his favorite team without covering his body in cartoon animals.

Color Me Styled - Christmas Gift Guide for the Lady Friend

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I know that there have been a few posts about Christmas cookies already (Christmas Confetti Cookies and Peppermint Nutella Crinkle Cookies) but now we've got the Christmas banner (thanks Liz!!) and today is our first gift guide post.

Buying for that lady friend in your life could go in a million different directions. When I am buying for a friend I try to combine the things she "needs" with what she "wants". So, if she needs a new iPhone case... I get her one or two from Kate Spade.

Chit Chat | Polka Dots | Hello | Live Colorfully
Exclamation! | #TalkIsCheap | #PopFizzClink | OMG That's Hilarious 


Or... if she isn't an iPhone junkie and still uses a BlackBerry or is a Google fanatic and operating on Android devices she would appreciate one of the Kate Spade sleeves. I mean, you can never go wrong with Glitter.

If your friend is more of a pen and paper gal... you can't go wrong with a Russel + Hazel SmartDate system calendar. 

I also adore their People+Places business card system.

Or if she is more likely to enjoy something pretty hanging on her wall, the Inslee By Design 2013 calendar is a lovely addition to any perfectly appointed wall.

Is your gal pal a coffee addict? Perpetuate the habit with these delightful mugs. Pick up a bag of gourmet beans too and you've got a great gift set going! Add in a 2-4 cup French Press and you've hooked her up for life!

Charity Mugs from West Elm

If she's more of a monogram gal... the Homegrown Monogram Mug from Anthropologie is a sure hit!

I think the most important part about giving gifts is that you remember why you are doing it! Be thoughtful and go the extra mile to complete the thought. (Like buying the coffee to go in the mugs, or the hot chocolate. Or if you're buying for a baker, buy the cake stand and the cake pans that fit it.)

I'm a great gift consultant... I really work towards giving the perfect gifts each year! If you are stuck on what to give a special someone let me know. I respond quickly to email, twitter and facebook messages! Or... better yet... leave comments below and I'll comment too and then everyone can be inspired! 

Color Me Domestic - Peppermint Nutella Crinkle Cookies

Later this month I am hosting my second annual cookie exchange. I don't make cookies very often during the other 11 months of the year but when it is Christmas time... I go a bit overboard.

I also have a cookie exchange at my office this week.

And... I made Christmas Confetti Cookies for our Friendsgiving celebration.

And... I made them this weekend, just because.

This weekend's cookie was a Peppermint Nutella Crinkle Cookie that I originally found on Pinterest. The recipe requires a few different steps but is actually very easy!

Peppermint Nutella Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs

1 egg white

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp peppermint extract (or almond, or vanilla)

7 oz 65% cacao (or... 3.5 oz 60% and 2.5 oz 70%)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup Nutella (plus more for snacking... spoon licking totally required)

1 cup powdered sugar

Process

Whisk together the all-purpose flour and the cocoa powder in a small bowl and set aside.

Beat together eggs, egg white and sugar until thick and fluffy. It will be bubbly like pancake batter. Beat in peppermint extract.

Meanwhile (having a buddy helps) melt the cacao, butter and nutella in a saucepan over low heat. 

Gently fold in melted chocolate mixture into egg and sugar mixture and once combined gently fold in the flour and cocoa powder mixture until totally combined.

Chill dough for at least 20 minutes.

While you wait prep your baking sheets by covering them in parchment paper, measure out the powdered sugar and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

When dough has chilled spoon out rounded balls (about 1 inch in diameter) and roll them in powdered sugar. Place balls onto parchment lined baking sheet. 

Cookies bake for 10-12 minutes. They will crack on their own and you have the choice of leaving them a bit rounded or flattening them with your spatula. Let them cool for a minute or two on the pan (while you put in the second sheet of cookies) and then move them to a cooling rack.

You should have 40 - 50 cookies depending on how good you are at making consistent sized dough balls!

Color Me Domestic - Christmas Confetti Cookies

Sprinkles are delightful year round but even more so at Christmas time. Making sugar cookies and decorating them is an annual tradition but not everyone has several hours to dedicate to that process. Sprinkles are mixed  right into these Christmas Confetti Cookies which opens up the time spent on decorating for hot chocolate in front of the fire!

Christmas Confetti Cookies

Ingredients:

1 box of vanilla cake mix (I love Duncan Hines French Vanilla)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable / canola oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract OR 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract OR 1/4 vanilla and 1/4 almond extract

1 cup sprinkles (I used Wilton peppermint sprinkles which add a nice hint of mint to the cake cookies)

Process

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the cake mix and baking powder. In a smaller bowl whisk all of the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir vigorously until all cake mix pockets are gone. Fold in the sprinkles, but don't over mix because you don't want to dye the dough.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the lined baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are taller than they are wide (the middles will puff up but then fall when cooling).

Bake for 9 minutes and don't let the cookies brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.

Try to only eat one at a time! These cookies are the best!

Color Me Domestic - Charcuterie Cones

Every Christmas season we are invited to a few more parties or find ourselves hosting parties. And sometimes those parties are on week nights or Friday nights where you don't have all day to prepare for them.

Prepping the cones. You get a peek of the cucumber salmon bites! I'll post that recipe too!

Enter - the make ahead appetizer - Charcuterie Cones

I found this recipe in Food and Wine magazine last month and tried it out on family before Thanksgiving. It got rave reviews. It is very flavorful and easy to eat with a drink in your hand!

Charcuterie Cones

Ingredients

1 head of raddichio - shredded (start with half and add more as you see fit)

5 pepperoncini peppers - stemmed, seeded and chopped

2 oz fresh goat cheese crumbles

1 tsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

4 oz of soppressata - sliced thin (yield 24+ slices)

Process

Dry toast (don't add olive oil) the pine nuts over medium-low heat in a non stick pan until just fragrant and remove from heat immediately. Combine all ingredients (until soppressata) in a small bowl and mix. Let sit for at least an hour but up to 1 day.

Before serving spoon a mound of the raddichio salad onto each slice of soppressata and roll / fold into cones. Secure with a tooth pick if needed (but you shouldn't need it). The prepared cones can stay in the fridge for a few hours but bring them out towards room temperature before serving to get the most out of the flavors.

Color Me Thrifty - Cyber Monday Shopping

Over the last few years I have used Black Friday and Cyber Monday to stock up on things I "need" and to grab any big ticket items I know I want to give.

While it is fun to go out on Black Friday and get in line with all my items and a ticket for 80% off a shirt, it is much less stressful to do everything online on Monday. At lot more comfortable too! 

Here are my favorite shops and their deals today. 

• Kate Spade - Surprise Cyber Sale - up to 75% off (my top stop)
• J.Crew - 25% off with code "MONDAY"
• Gap - 30% off with code "CYBER"
• Banana Republic - 30% off with code "CYBER"
• Nordstrom - exclusive deals online
• Macy's - up to 50% off
• Alice & Olivia - 20% off Friends and Family Sale
• Anthropologie - free shipping with any order (no minimum)
• French Connection - 30% off and free shipping over $150 with code "LUVYOU"
• Free People - 20% off sale and free shipping on any order (no minimum)
• Sephora - free goody bag with code "UNDERWRAPS"
• ASOS US - 30% off everything and free shipping with code "CYBERMONDAYSPECIAL"

These are just a few! Daily Candy rounded up a few other small businesses that are worth a look today too. 

Where are you shopping online today? Did you also go out on Friday? Have you been shopping all weekend? Let us know what other deals are out there!

Color Me Domestic - The Right Stuff-ing

My sister, Kelsey and my Mom starting the grinding process

The last component to Color Me Styled's Thanksgiving menu is the pièce de résistance... stuffing. 

I can never seem to get enough and to me it is the dish that makes Thanksgiving, well, Thanksgiving.

My mom has a cast iron hand mill that we use every year (stored in a 17 year old shoe box) to grind all of the ingredients together. And, my mom, with her strong stomach, is able to remove the innards and cook them to put into the stuffing instead of sausage.

How delicious does that look?? My mouth is watering.

Mom's Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing

Ingredients

One small white onion - quartered or diced if not using food mill

3/4 large celery stalk - in pieces or diced

1 1/2 red delicious apples - in pieces or diced

1 honey crisp apple - in pieces or diced

the innards or bulk sausage cooked

bread crumbs for stuffing (see package for how much you need depending on the size of your bird)

Process

Clean and cut all ingredients down to size in order to run through food mill or food processor. If you do not have either of these tools, just dice everything evenly. If using a food mill or processor, also process the innards or the sausage. It is also helpful to process a few bread crumbs through in order to soak up juices and clean the mill as you go.

Add processed ingredients to bread crumbs and combine well.

Stuff your bird!

Or - if you don't like to stuff turkey - then cook it on the side according to the bread crumbs recipe. It is pretty easy stuff to cook so you can throw it in next to another ingredient and just make sure to watch the top. If it starts to brown too much then place tin foil on top.

Enjoy!!

Color Me Styled's Thanksgiving Staples

Cranberry Salsa

Green Beans and Ravioli Salad

Potato Season - 4 of our Favorite Potato Dishes

Color Me Domestic - Potato Season

What is your favorite dish of Thanksgiving?

Potato Round Up (top left | top right | bottom left | bottom right) 

I have a difficult time narrowing mine down. I could eat turkey for days as long as there is cranberry of some sort smothered on it. I love green beans in a casserole, sauteed in butter or in a bright, citrus dressing (all of those recipes are coming, I promise). But I think what I come back to over and over is potatoes. I love potatoes and aside from fries don't eat them that often.

So I'm not surprised when my recent pins have included potatoes of several varieties. Mashed, scalloped and baked. Sweet and Yukon Gold. 

Luckily this year I have at least two Thanksgiving celebrations to try these recipes. And, again, as I do, I'll put them up. I have been cooking lately but they're classic recipes that I've featured before! If only you knew how often I actually eat the Asian Turkey Meatballs.

(side note: it isn't too sophisticated but it is my first official Photoshop creation. I am excited to continue learning and creating new fancy stuff for the blog!)