Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Gingerbread House Decorating Party

Could this gingerbread house invite be any cuter?  I love the idea of having a gingerbread house decorating party.  Each family could bring their favorite candy to share & decorate!

Invite your friends, make a few gingerbread houses & get decorating!


One Charming Party is planning all the details for you.  You can find it all here.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Todays Creative Blog Gamestop Winner

So late last night I am in the laundry trenches, scrolling through my phone reading emails & I see an email from Kim of Todays Creative Blog saying I won the $250 gift certificate giveaway from GameStop!  I literally started jumping up & down & screaming like a crazy person!  My winning comment was:



"My boys are HUGE gamers (my son even made it to Pokemon DS Nationals this year) so this would be so PERFECT for our family! The game list is long in our household so I will pick one for each boy. My youngest wants the udraw tablet for Wii, my oldest wants Kirby’s Epic Yarn, & my hubby wants NBA 2K11! Thank you & GameStop for hosting such a great giveaway! Happy Thanksgiving!"


 I am SO thrilled & excited!  A HUGE Thank you  to Todays Creative Blog & GameStop for making it a fun, gaming Christmas for our family!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Star Wars Baking

Have you seen the new Star Wars cupcake liners & toppers from Williams Sonoma?  They have both the Rebel Alliance


AND The Galactic Empire

 as well as the coolest apron for your young Jedi


& a Darth Vader spatula to flip those cute pancakes & cookies!


Check out Williams Sonoma for the complete Star Wars collection here.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Snowman Sundaes

The boys & I are making our ARIZONA version of a snowman this weekend with these adorable Snowmen Sundaes.  My favorite part is you don't have to get out of your pj's to make them!

(photo from Midwest Living)


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Silverbox Studio

Have you ordered your holiday cards yet?  I have & it is the only thing I have done for Christmas!  If you haven't, I have found the perfect solution in silverbox creative studios.  Their designs are elegant, timeless & simply beautiful.    A few of my faves are Love & Joy







For their complete Holiday 2010 collection, click here.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Thanksgiving Placecards

While looking for last minute Thanksgiving table ideas, I found these adorable place cards from Paper Source.







I know it's last minute but they were too cute not to share!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Harry Potter Cookies

Did anyone see Harry Potter & the Deathly Hollows Part One this weekend?  We took the boys this Sunday & now we are all dying for Part Two to come out!  I adore these HP cookies that Bridget from Bake at 350 posted this weekend-isn't the Harry cookie the cutest?!! 



Bridget has posted the best tutorial on how to create your own HP cookies!  You can find it here.

Mama's Holiday Wishlist 2010

TodaysMama and GameStop have made it their mission to give Santa a run for his money this year. TodaysMama is hosting Mama’s Holiday Wish List, a HUGE giveaway on their site.

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama  and GameStop are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?
That everyone is happy, healthy & together!

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?
Our neighbor (who is award winning baker) brings us homemade cinnamon rolls WARM from his oven that we enjoy while opening gifts with my three favorite boys in the world!

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?
A week of pampering spa treatments with my best friend Amber.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?
One of our favorite family traditions is playing the "THERE'S SOME" game!  When I was a little girl, my Dad would drive around neighborhoods & we would shout "THERE'S SOME" everytime we saw Christmas lights.  The person with the highest number would win! My kids love playing this game!

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?
My family all loved playing tennis & golf together!  We also loved to play Rummikub, gin, backgammon, Scrabble, & Hearts.

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?
Big family mexican dinners on Christmas Eve, home made Christmas cookies, gingerbread house, advent calendars.

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?
NYC

8. Check out GameStop and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
On our wish list is the udraw tablet for Wii, NBA211, & Kirby's Epic Yarn.

Now its your turn!  You can find all the details here.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Turkey Centerpiece

    Did anyone see this turkey centerpiece on Martha last week? 


I am still in AWE...if I had the extra time this week I might attempt to make this for our Thanksgiving centerpiece.  For the full how to, go here.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

And the winner is...

           The winner of our Spaceships & Laserbeams giveaway is (drumroll please)



                              Brandy from Simply Creative Insanity!  Congratulations!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Thanksgiving Printables

Here are a few of my fave FREE Thanksgiving printable downloads for Thanksgiving:  Thanksgiving Dinner Menu from Stephanie Lynn



Give Thanks banner from Moselle


Thankful paper chain from Silverbox design


How are you decorating for your Thanksgiving celebration?

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Spaceships & Laserbeams

Friday at midnight is your last chance to sign up for our Spaceships & Laserbeams GIVEAWAY!!  Please take a second & sign up here.

Advent Cones

     Have you seen this cute Advent Cone Calendar by Anders Ruff?  What a sweet idea for your little ones this Christmas! 



I love how they have all the days hidden around their tree!


I think this would be such a cute idea for my stair garland too!  For all the details, visit Anders Ruff here.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Spaceships & Laserbeams Giveaway

We have a great GIVEAWAY from Spaceships & Laserbeams this week!  (Scroll down to the end of this post to find out all the info).  I am a HUGE fan of their party printables & these are my Top 5 Reasons why I think they are so AWESOME:

1.  Spaceship & Laserbeams consists of a team of professional graphic designers.
2.  They specialize in only BOY party printables (and we all know there is a shortage of boy party goods!) .
3.  All of their collections feature 100% original artwork!  NO CLIPART is used in their products!
4.  5% of all their sales goes directly to the YMCA Strong Kids campaign.
5.  Spaceships & Laserbeams creates SUPER fun designs!  Here are just a few of my faves: 




Now here comes the FUN part!  Spaceships & Laserbeams is giving away a $30.00 gift certificate to their Etsy store!  For a chance to win, check out the Spaceships & Laserbeams collections & leave a comment here on your favorite design.  For an additional entry, become a fan of Spaceship & Laserbeams on Facebook & leave a comment here that you did so. Want another chance to win?  Become a follower of Poca Cosas & leave me a comment.
Giveaway ends Friday, November 19th.  Winners will be contacted via email.  
Good luck! 

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

I know it is a little early but I am easing into holiday mode at the Crabtree house.  I try to add new cookie recipes every year & these Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies from
Southern Living are a definite yes .


I love how they are individually wrapped like peppermint candies! 
 For the recipe & directions, click here.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Gourd Gobblers

I found this great kid friendly craft on Martha Stewart!  I want to make a whole family of turkeys with our left over pumpkins & gourds for our dining room table centerpiece.  All the supplies needed are:


•15 fried cornhusks or construction paper
•Red food coloring
•Screw punch
•Brown paper
•Hot-glue gun
•Turkey template
•Winter squash or gourd that narrows at stem


Step 1: Download and print the turkey template. Using template, cut feathers, head, and wattle from cornhusks.
Step 2:  Dye wattle (and tips of feathers if you like) in a small cup of water with 4 or 5 drops of food coloring. Use screw punch and brown paper to create dots for the eyes, and glue them onto the head.


Step 3: When the dye is dry, use hot-glue gun to adhere feathers together in a fan shape, then secure to bottom of gourd.
Step 4: Glue together edges of neck and head, leaving the bottom and back open. Glue wattle to front of neck. Open bottom of neck, and fit over stem of gourd. Glue in place.

Holiday Ideas from Pottery Barn

I love flipping through the holiday Pottery Barn catalog!  There is always such great ideas for your entry



your mantle


Christmas tree (LOVE the Happy Holidays garland)



 & table centerpiece


 Where do you like to look for holiday decor inspiration?

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Pom Pom Pumpkins

Fuzzy, cute pumpkins??  Yes please!  I would like a dozen or so of various colors & sizes
for my bookshelves.


Visit Domestifluff for directions on how to make this furry cuteness.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Clairebella Cell Phone Cases

If anyone is looking for a birthday present for me, I found it for you! These Clairebella Cell Phone Cases from Layla Grace would make the perfect gift!


I will picking up a few of these for my girlfriends for Christmas.


With all the fun patterns & colors, you will find one for every girl on your list!
For ordering info, click here.


Mayflower Cupcakes

Spotted these adorable Mayflower cupcakes from The Decorated Cookie via Gordon Gossip-aren't they perfect for Evan's classroom Thanksgiving celebration?  


I think the kids will enjoy decorating their sails before they assemble their cupcake vessel!  

Monday, November 8, 2010

Turkey Sandwich

Isn't this the cutest turkey sandwich EVER?  I am making this for my boys but I am going to substitute apples for the feathers instead of peppers.


(photo via Meet The Dubien's)

Kids Turkey Table

This year we are having a Thankful dinner for my youngest son's class.  I have been looking for some fun table & craft ideas for the kids & found this Fiskars cuteness on Cheers for Every Occasion

 love the pilgrim hat


turkey leg place card


this is my kind of pie!


For all the details & instructions, visit Fiskars.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Sweet 16 Hogwarts Style

    A few days ago, I started putting together a Honeydukes inspired candy bar for Gabby's Sweet 16  party. She LOVES the world of Harry Potter & invited 12 of her closest friends for a birthday feast, Hogwarts style.  I found alot of  sweet inspiration/ideas from the amazing HWTM Harry Potter party ideas &  Loralee Lewis' recent Harry Potter party.  I filled leaky cauldrons with Honeyduke's treat mix


            one for each Hogwarts student


          made yummy magic licorice wands


          gummies in liquid candy became magical ingredients for potions class

                            
    Parseltongue Pops were a favorite amongst the Hogwart students

                                            
            Quidditch brooms filled with Hufflepuff Popcorn (carmel corn) & glass
           containers for the Sorting hats, Bertie Botts Beans, & Droobles Best Blowing Gum

  
      all the W.I.T.'s loved their own little taste of Honeydukes, especially
 the birthday girl!


Happy Sweet 16!