family pictures November 2008 edition...

every year the fabulous Haley Ann Warner takes our family pictures.  since she is going into earily retirement... at least from family photo shoots.  i had to hire her one last time!!!!  oh how i wish she would change her mind!  but if anyone understands about trying to balance work & family, i promise i know her delema!  i know that i am totally bias as there mom, but my kids are pretty dang cute!!!!!!  too bad they had to be bribed with suckers & Avi with her snuggley.  Thanks again Haley!!!!!

Thanksgiving take-home boxes, this is a long one!...

My amazing, talented, beautifully creative friend Debbie Lew is my fun partner in crime for this little project.  She did this a few years ago for her Thanksgiving guests & it was so fun!  She is my muse for all things crafty & am so glad she helped me make these little lovelies.   I think this is such a great idea & we wanted to share it with all of you.  I know that it is a lot of pictures, but i wanted to give you step by step instructions & also a couple of different style to finish them.  I hope that you will feel as inspired by debbie as i do!!!  

{Thanksgiving take-home boxes}

{the ingredients...}

the theme for our boxes was turkey sandwiches.  you could pack whatever you wanted in yours, but we found these things easy to pack.  You can also do a couple of different things in the construction of the boxes.  the year debbie did them, she cooked another turkey a couple of days before thanksgiving.  she didn't stuff it, she just filled it with lemon & herbs & cooked it up.  She made up her boxes with her daughters before thanks giving & just refrigerated them until she was ready to give them.   You could also have all of the packing products (boxes, cello bags, waxed paper, jars, twine, ect.) ready for your guest after your Thanksgiving Feast & they could pack up there own, just the way they want.

Here's what we filled ours with...

{stuffing...}

{turkey...}

{cornbread...}

{pumpkin chocolate chip cookies...}

{yummy bread... you could also use rolls}

{cranberry jelly & gravy... in recycled anne made jelly jars jars}

{we adorned them with vintage clip art cards...}

{just printed out of books on linen paper & cut with pinking sheers}

{we used a 6 x 6 kraft colored box... we got ours from Xpedx}

{we wrapped our stuffing...}

{in brown waxed paper...}

{the same way...}

{debbie's mom used to wrap...}

{her sandwiches for school lunch...}

{perfect!}

{we started with the jelly & gravy... heavies on the bottom}

{& then packed the rest in.  with the lighted on top.}

{we finished this one with brown satin ribbon & one of the clip art tags.}

{another we simplified & tied up with turkey twine & added fall colored leaf die cuts.}

play around with it & just have fun.  this time of year is for family & friends to spend time together & enjoy the things we are so blessed with.  

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!

artsy avi...

Avi's latest obsession is drawing.  she wants to color non-stop... on everything, with anything!  she loves coloring on scribble pads with crayons & markers.  she calls every color GREEN.  i love how she holds the crayon perfectly.  & she's alway so excited to tell me what her little drawings are.  

{picking just the right color... green}

{what mommy?!?}

{i love the way she holds the crayon!  so cute!}

{she loves tracing her hand}

{what color she brings to our life!}

love you baby girl~ Mommy

ANNE MADE...

i wrote a couple of posts ago about some new jellies & jams that we started carrying at the store.  well let me just say that i am so IN LOVE with them.  one of my best friends Kacy's sister-in-law makes them.  her company is Anne Made (her name is Anne... cute huh?!?)  anyway, Anne is a genius in the flavor department.  she does the most amazing job mixing fruit with herbs & spice.  seriously, genius!  we carry 9 different flavors-- i love them all, but i think that my favorite is spicy kiwi.  it is sweet, tart & just a little bit spicy.  we have them all out to sample, if you're in the neighborhood.  we also do ship them.  they are perfect for the holidays!  i serve mine with a cream cheese mold that is to die for... it also might kill you-  

{deadly delicious cream cheese mold}

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup mayo

beat it all together & spread into a bowl lined with plastic wrap.  refrigerate at least an hour.

{i love her jars & labels}

{spicy kiwi, on a pita with the cream cheese mold}

{spicy mango, another yummy one... like i said, i love them all}

all the flavors-- Strawberry Basil, Lemon Zinger, 

Raspberry Habanero, Cranberry Habanero, 

Blushing Peach, Orange Rosemary, 

Apricot Habanero, Spicy Kiwi 

& Spicy Mango

party planning 101...

this year Avi's birthday falls ON Thanksgiving day.  that is the bad news, the good news it that she told just what kind of party she wants.  it did change a couple of times before she finally decided.  first it was candy... then cupcakes... & she finally settled on iCe CrEaM.  i am so excited about it.  i think that it is going to be darling!  i have ordered a die cut for the invites that i will be making this weekend.  i have found a couple ideas for the cupcakes, but i am going to need your help deciding!!!  leave me a comment on which one you think is the cutest & hopefully it will make my decision easier.  thanks for the input!

{cupcake #1}

{cupcake #2}

Christmas Open House...

for anyone who didn't know-- my husband & i own a floral & gifts boutique.  this week is our christmas open house.  we will be sampling some of our different food items & as well as offering special discounts on gift item, home decor & wrapping supplies** my personal favorite.  we just got in a new line of gourmet jellies by a local company & friend of mine... Anne Made.  they are so delicious & beautiful.  stop by this week taste some yummy food & to say hi!  if you don't know where we are located, leave me a comment with your e-mail & i'll give you directions.  here are a few other things we are having specials on.  hope to see you their!

{american crafts gift wrap... Christmas & everyday- 25% off}

{cafe du monde beignet mix... for sale & to sample}

{lots of different cute dishes... including these--15% off}

halloween 2008...

hAlLoWeEn was so much fun!!!  we trick-or-treated, made cotton candy & visited with friends.  the kids had a blast & looked so dang cute... if i do say so myself!  i also had a super fun time coming up with some fun, different things for my trick-or-treaters.  i got a cotton candy machine, spun purple cotton candy.  put some spider rings in it, wrapped it in cellophane & put these little spider web tags.  i also made these "witch's brew" labels.  they fit right around any glass bottle &  after my cute friend Debbie added the cute ribbon & tulle, i think they ended up DaRLinG!!!!  i hope that you had a hApPy HaLloWeEn & i have already started on Christmas!

**sorry for the grainy-ness of the pictures.  low light + not wanting a flash= high ISO!!!

{meet Farmer Beckham & JD}

{serious hat hair!}

{& his little pig Bleu}

{this little piggy went trick-or-treating...}

{this little piggy came home...}

{she hitched a ride with the farmer...}

{what a great brother/farmer}

{to hurry home to her treats...}

{& this little piggy went- yum, yum, yum, yum all the way home}

{all the kids loved the "sticky spider webs"!}

{clipped up, ready for the taking}

{& nothing better to wash it down than with some "witch's brew"!