Wow Guests with These Easy DIY Thanksgiving Door Decorations + a DIY Cornucopia Wreath Tutorial

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With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’re making sure our home is in tip-top shape for guests. As the holidays get nearer, you never know who might stop by at any given moment. And the first thing they see when coming up to our home is our front door. So we’re sprucing things up with these easy DIY Thanksgiving door decorations and a simple DIY Cornucopia Wreath.

When we first moved into our new home, the one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the ugly solid brown door that stood in the doorway of our home. I didn’t care for it much and it always bugged me that it didn’t show off the awesomeness that is our home. So when my husband found a door in the exact style we were looking for on clearance at Home Depot, we picked it up right away and he installed it. Instead of leaving the trim around the door brown, we brightened things up with a deep red color to really make the door pop. 

To keep the door in tip-top shape, we rely on our go-to cleaning products to spruce things up. With the door being the first thing all walk through to enter the home, it can get a bit beaten up over time and gather dust and grime from the outside elements. 

Since our new door has three windows in it, we keep Windex® Original close by. It has an Unbeatable Streak Free Shine and starts working on dirt and grime even before you wipe*. Trusted for generations, Windex® Original cleans and shines glass, mirrors, and more! 

Pledge® beautifies and enhances the appearance of your hard surfaces and our finished, sealed door always looks so much better after we wipe it down with Pledge®. Pledge® Lemon Clean can be used on furniture all around the house to quickly clean, condition and protect –all while leaving behind the classic, fresh lemon Pledge® scent. It also features Allergen Trappers® to remove dust and up to 90 percent of the allergens found in dust. That means in addition to cleaning the front door, we can clean up the other household hard surfaces including wood, laminate, stainless steel, leather, marble, granite and plastic.

Scrubbing Bubbles® Fantastik® 32 oz. All-Purpose Cleaner is the perfect cleaner for our door threshold. It gets a beating as the kids run in and out of the home so we need a powerful antibacterial solution cuts to the center of grease and grime and dissolves it on contact and disinfects the area. And the no-rinse solution means you don’t have to spend as much time cleaning.

Easy DIY Thanksgiving Door Decorations

Now that our door is all nice and clean, it’s time to spruce things up even more with a few easy DIY Thanksgiving Door Decorations. This DIY Cornucopia Wreath is not only easy to make, it can be saved to use year after year! 

DIY Cornucopia Wreath

What you’ll need: 

  • Wheat wreath (found at Home Depot)
  • chicken wire
  • twine
  • hot glue gun
  • hot glue sticks
  • plastic/fake fruit and veggies

What you do: 

1. Cut a wide triangle out of the chicken wire and form into a cornucopia shape. 

2. Using the twine, wrap around the cornucopia frame and secure twine to the form and itself with hot glue. 

3. Continue wrapping the twine all the way down the form to the smallest tip and then secure the end by sticking it back in the end of the form.

4. Secure the cornucopia onto the wheat wreath with hot glue. 

5. Add decor in and around the cornucopia by hot gluing it in place. Make sure to balance the size of each piece and the colors. 

6. Hang on the door and step back to enjoy your handiwork! 

We grabbed a fun scarecrow and stacked two of the pumpkins from our trip to the pumpkin patch next to it to complete the Thanksgiving door decorations.

Keeping things simple yet welcoming is key. The front door doesn’t need too many decorations so choosing the pieces you use wisely will help keep a nice balance.  

Be on the lookout for Windex® and Scrubbing Bubbles® Fantastik® product promotions on display in Home Depot stores until 10/31/17, and Pledge® products on display starting 11/1/17. You can find all products in the cleaning products aisle at your local Home Depot store. 

What do you do to spruce up your front door during the holidays? 

*Claim Based on Windex® Original lab testing against leading competitor glass cleaners per AC Nielsen 52 weeks ended 7/29/2017

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25 Holiday Cocktail Recipes

Spiced Citrus Sangria Pitcher

Tis the season for amazing holiday cocktail recipes! Whether you’re celebrating at dinner with family, or having a few friends over for an ornament exchange, these festive drinks are the perfect way to tie everything together. What I love about this list of drinks is that there’s something for everyone! Warm, cold, blended, or on the rocks. You pick your favorite flavors and re-create these delicious drinks. 

Grown Up Hot Chocolate Drink Recipe with peppermint stir sticks

25+ Holiday Cocktail Recipes

Spiced Citrus Sangria – Simmworks Family

Apple Ginger Screwdriver – Simmworks Family

Grown Up Hot Chocolate – Simmworks Family

Golden Pear Champagne Cocktail – A Spectacled Owl

Pink Peppermint Russian – Kleinworth & Co.

Cranberry Ginger Holiday Cocktail – Domestic Superhero

Sparkling Pomegranate Christmas Cocktail – Happy Hour Projects

The Grinch Martini – Happy Hour Projects

bad-santa-cocktail-2

Bad Santa Cocktail – Who Needs a Cape?

Boozy White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha – Who Needs a Cape?

Cranberry Mimosa – Who Needs a Cape?

Crock-Pot Apple Pie Moonshine – Crock-Pot Ladies

Gin & Appletiser – Fuss Free Flavours

Spiced Snowflake Cocktail – 52 Kitchen Adventures

pomegranate-santa-hat-martini-ohmy-creative-com_-jpg9_-e1448684337622

Santa Hat Martini – Pomegranate Martini – Oh My! Creative

Sparkling Christmas Tree Cocktail – Floating Kitchen

Grapefruit and Sage Champagne Cocktails – Floating Kitchen

Hot Buttered Latte with Kahlua – Major Hoff Takes a Wife

Cranberry Wine & Hibiscus Mint Cocktail – A Worthey Read

Easy Party Cocktail or Holiday Cocktail: The Blitzen – A Worthey Read

Easy Christmas Cocktail: The Santa – A Worthey Read

Christmas Cranberry Cocktail – Simply {Darr}ling

cranberry-orange-cocktail-2-of-1

Spiced Cranberry & Orange Cocktail – Erren’s Kitchen

Lemonade Mint Cheer Holiday Cocktail – A Magical Mess

Glitter Champagne Cocktail – Simply {Darr}ling

Peppermint Dream Holiday Cocktail – Mom’s Endeavors

Jingle Juice Cocktail – The Farm Girl Gabs

Cranberry Honey Blossom Cocktail – Cooking in Stilettos

What are your favorite holiday cocktail recipe flavors? 

holiday cocktail recipes

Fall Is Almost Here: Apple Ginger Screwdriver Recipe

This refreshing apple ginger screwdriver is the perfect drink to cool down at the beginning of fall when the crisp hasn’t quite reached the air. 

Apple Ginger Screwdriver

The kids are back in school, it’s almost the official start of fall, and mama’s happy for a few hours  of peace during naptime to get back to what she loves doing… creating! So in celebration I thought I would start first with a delicious cocktail for all of the other mamas (and dads) who might need to take a moment to themselves before, dare I say it, the holidays get closer. 

In this time between summer and the holidays, we love planning fun outings and get togethers and try and map out how the end of the year will be. And right now it’s almost time to start planning our annual apple picking trip! I cannot wait to make a list of all of the fun apple-filled recipes I want to try this year. I never know exactly what apples we’ll be picking so it’s fun to get some ideas for tart and sweet apple recipes.  Many which would go great with this delicious cocktail! 

Apple Ginger Screwdriver with apple garnish

Apple Ginger Screwdriver

  • 1.5 ounces Tito’s Vodka
  • 3 ounces Apple Ginger Juice
  • 1 Ripe Red Apple
  • Crushed Ice

In a cocktail shaker, add Tito’s vodka or a vodka of your choice, R.W. Knudsen Apple Ginger Juice and top with crushed ice.

Shake it, but don’t break it for 30 seconds.

Strain into a standard whiskey glass.

Garnish with an apple slice.

Serve and enjoy with friends.

Apple Ginger Screwdriver - a refreshing fall beverage

What are you most excited about for this time of year? 

Looking for more great drink ideas as we head into the holidays? Check out a few of our favorites: 

Spiked Apple Cider Drink Recipe - with spiced rum

Spiked Apple Cider

Spiced Citrus Sangria Pitcher

Spiced Citrus Sangria

Grown Up Hot Chocolate Drink Recipe for Girls Night

Grown Up Hot Chocolate

Fall Harvest Table Centerpieces

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Fall Harvest Table Centerpieces

It is Thanksgiving weekend and in just a few days we’ll be sitting around the table at my brother-in-laws house enjoying a wonderful meal with family. But that doesn’t mean I don’t create fall harvest table centerpieces at home as well.

I love creating a festive feel in the home and enjoy coming up with fun ideas to share the holidays with my family. I always look to the table centerpiece and mantel as my creative outlet to explore fun ideas during the change in seasons.  [Read more…]

5 Ways to Enjoy Fall in San Diego

5 ways to enjoy fall in san diego

Sure we live in Southern California and we don’t have a true changing of the seasons but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy Fall in San Diego!

Here are some fun activities to enjoy with family, friends, and loved ones. Some have become traditions for us and others are just plain enjoyable.

[Read more…]

Homemade Green Bean Casserole {Side Dish Recipe}

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

My family was (and still is) absolutely obsessed with green bean casserole growing up. I have so many memories of Thanksgiving dinners of the past where my mother and aunt fought over who would get the first serving as soon as we were done praying.

And sometimes we’d see them munching on the french fried onion topping before we even sat down at the table.

I shook my head wondering how the heck someone could like a dish that included some of my least favorite things: onions, green beans, and mushrooms. Ick! Then I grew up.

It took a Costco sampling this year to make me realize how much I’ve been missing out this whole time. So I decided I’d attempt my own homemade green bean casserole this year. And you know what? I love it!

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 1lb green beans
  • 6 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup french fried onions + 1 cup reserved for topping

 

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Boil a pot of water and add salt. Cut green beans into 1-2″ pieces and cook for 5 minutes in boiling salt water.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

2. Heat butter in a cast iron skillet on medium. Clean your mushrooms off with a towel and slice thinly. Then chop into 1/2″ pieces. Cook mushrooms and salt and pepper in butter until they release their liquid, about 5 minutes.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

3. Add garlic and nutmeg to the mushrooms and cook an additional minute. Sprinkle with flour and cook another minute.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

4. Add chicken stock to the pan and scrape up all of the bits on the bottom. Reduce heat and let simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

5. Once green beans are done cooking, transfer them to an ice bath to quickly stop the cooking process.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

6. Add the cream and stir. Let simmer another 2-3 minutes until creamy and fragrant.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

7. Add the green beans and a cup of french fried onions to the mushroom sauce. Mix well until combined.

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

8. Add the green bean mixture to a 9×9 casserole dish and top with remaining cup of french fried onions. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let cool 5 minutes and enjoy!

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

 

Do you serve green bean casserole at Thanksgiving?

Don’t forget the pie! 

Fall Harvest Party Ideas - Mini Pecan Pie Bites

Mini Pecan Pie Bites

pumpkin pie with coconut milk close up

Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Milk

DIY Football Field Table Runner

DIY Football Table Runner

As I mentioned before, it’s football season! And that means one thing… my husband will not respond to a thing I say on Sundays unless we’re coming out of church or it’s during a commercial. So I do what I do best when I have no one to talk to… I craft! And this weekend I made this awesome football field table runner for our dining room table.

Not only is this a festive and fun piece for the house, it can also be brought to the game to spice up a boring folding table or a truck bed. Why not make tailgating fun with a little crafty decor, right?

This table runner is quick, easy, and the best part is there’s no sewing involved! So grab your glue, get some felt, and lets make a table runner! Then grab the scraps and make the football coasters to go along with it.

[Read more…]

How to Make Football Coasters

Football Coasters

 

Everyone in America knows that football season is upon us. Why not make watching the game a little more enjoyable with these fun DIY football coasters? With a little bit of felt, corkboard, and glue you can create these awesome coasters that are perfect for protecting your tables and properly holding your beer as you watch the game.

What’s even more awesome about these coasters is the fact that they take less than 10 minutes to make. No… seriously. All you do is cut, glue, and use!

We used these coasters for our tailgating party this weekend to go along with the football field table runner I made. Both paired perfectly together and made our game-time meal more enjoyable. These would also be perfect to pack up and take to the game for a proper tailgating party.

[Read more…]

How to Make a Spider Web Pumpkin

Each year we take the time to cut, gut, and carve out a few pumpkins. And every year we complain about the mess, the time, and the clean up. So this year we went simple! We let the kids paint pumpkins and we took an alternative approach.

We also used paints but used different kinds to make these spider web pumpkins. With the help of some spray paint and puffy paints we were able to make these super cool spider web pumpkins for our Amazing Spider-Man party and for our Halloween display.

It was super easy to do and I’m sure you’ll find it just as simple to create a pumpkin masterpiece of your own! Here’s what you do:

Spider Web Pumpkins

What you’ll Need: 

  • Pumpkin
  • Spray Paint
  • Puffy Paint

What you do: 

1. Paint your pumpkin with your base color. We chose to go with black.

2. Using the puffy paint, make lines going down and across the pumpkin to create your web.

3. Add a spider to the web with puffy paint and let dry completely. 

Once the pumpkin is completely dry set it outside your door for everyone to enjoy!

How do you decorate pumpkins for Halloween? 

Delicious Pumpkin Bars with Cool Whip Frosting

Oh Fall! I’m so happy you’re here again. We could definitely use the cooler weather (if that ever happened) and I’m very excited about the upcoming holidays. But a more important reason why I’m here… is because with Fall comes pumpkins! And canned pumpkin is on the shelves in full force.

That means I get to try a whole new batch of recipes out on my friends, family, and playgroup and this year is no different. I decided to go with a pumpkin bar. But the special ingredient isn’t the pumpkin, it’s the Cool Whip Frosting on top. If you want the perfect pumpkin treat this season you need to try this recipe.

Pumpkin Bars with Cool Whip Frosting

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 15 oz pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 pan with butter or cooking spray.

2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together sugar, pumpkin, oil, and eggs on medium until light and fluffy.

3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

4. With a spatula, add flour mixture to liquid mixture until just combined. Make sure not to over-mix.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

 
6. Once the pumpkin bars are cooked, transfer to a cooling rack.

7. When completely cooled, cut off top to make an even, flat surface.

8. Cut into squares.

9. Grab the Cool Whip Frosting and start spreading it on.

10. Top each bar with a pecan and serve.

This recipe makes 16 servings.

Note: 
You can easily bake in a 9×13 pan instead for thinner bars to feed a larger crowd. Simply reduce cooking time to 20-25 minutes. Feel free to frost then cut if you feel that frosting each individual bar will take too long. I just hate dealing with crumbs in my frosting.

What do you love to make with pumpkin? 



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