3 Recipes To Amp Up a Holiday Cheese Platter
Tell me how you handle New Year’s Eve? Do you stay in or go out? Get sitters or bring the kids? Or maybe the party is at your house, and the guests come to you!
Our New Year’s Eve celebrations seem to change every year, but even when it’s just us, and we’re cozy at home, we love to set out a celebratory feast of finger foods. Think dips, appetizers, hors d’oeuvres. We want to eat well, but we don’t really want to cook. And this kind of food is perfect.
So here are three amazing recipes to improve even a casual New Year’s Eve feast.
Let’s get to nibbling.
…Living With Kids: Trina McNeilly
There are stunning homes that look like they should sit on a magazine page or ten, and there are homes that look like – whoa – a lot of little children live there! And then there is Trina’s home, which is a splendid mix of beauty and beast! There’s not one space in her home that’s too precious or too perfect for her four children, but there’s also not one space in her home that doesn’t look absolutely precious and utterly perfect, either. I’m happy she’s achieved this magical blend, and I couldn’t wait to show it all to you.
Also! She is one of the lucky ones who get to relive her childhood all over again in her family home. You’ll love that part of her story. (There’s a line or two about one decorating regret that will make you misty, I bet. Tell me if you find it and have to wave off a few tears like I did!)
Friends, please welcome the McNeilly family. This is such a fun tour.
…Recipe: Homemade Marshmallows — With Flavor Options!
Let’s make marshmallows! Let’s make pretty bags of marshmallows, in lots of different flavors, and give them out to everyone we love!
Have you ever eaten a homemade marshmallow? They’re kind of game changer. I mean, I’m not one to complain about any sweet treat, so it’s not like I reject store-bought marshmallows, but once you’ve eaten a really good homemade marshmallow, nothing else quite compares.
So let’s grab a mug of warm sweetness and get this sugar show on the road!
…Recipe: Homemade Marshmallows — With Flavor Options!Read More »
DIY: Giant Knit Mega Scarf
The obsession with giant knit blankets and poufs and pillows continues. And with good reason. There’s just something about those oversize stitches! The texture is pretty much irresistible — it demands to be touched and cozied up to. If you’re trying to communicate comfy, any oversize knit piece will do so immediately.
I’m always on the look out for giant knit projects when I’m on places like Pinterest. And when I saw the work of Anette, I begged her to share one of her tutorials on Design Mom. Happily, she said, “Yes!” So let’s whip up chunky knit scarves for everybody!
Click through to meet Annette and find instructions for this gorgeous chunky scarf.
…94 Awesome Gift Ideas for Teens
Your #1 most requested gift guide category? Teens! This gift guide includes 94 options — and over 50 of those are $20 or under. Lots of great stocking stuffers too.
My own teens were a huge help figuring out what to put on this list. There’s something here for every type of teen you can think of. I’ve got all the Breakfast Club stereotypes covered, and a whole bunch more as well. Shopping for Tweens? There are quite a few items on this list that I know tweens would love as well.
Let’s get started.
…Recipe: Almond Feta Dip That You Will Want to Eat With Everything
We’ve been making a wholesome walnut feta dip from The Moosewood Cookbook for almost two decades. It’s one of the Blair Family favorites! But the last few times we made it, I could see we needed to change it up a bit — its popularity was waining.
So I switched out the walnuts for something spicier — I used smokehouse almonds instead.
Results? Holy cow. This dip is SO GOOD! I mean it. You are going to want to skip the veggies and the crackers and just spoon this in your mouth like it’s porridge. You will love it.
It’s a super easy recipe, and I’m betting it will become one of your family favorites as well. Let’s get started.
…Recipe: Almond Feta Dip That You Will Want to Eat With EverythingRead More »
Living With Kids: Rebecca Green
Rebecca describes herself as the stay-at-home mom of a family who really doesn’t like to stay at home! Once a big-firm attorney, she now spends her time planning family field trips, blogging, and authoring a book. I admire her sense of adventure, her enthusiasm, her Fall Bucket List, her advice about living a brave, can-do life — and, yes, I also adore her navy couches. Sigh.
So come meet Rebecca! You’re going to like her so much, I just know it.
…DIY: Easy Half-Moon Pendant
I’m so excited to share this project with you. Amy Christie and I have been talking about it for months! We saw a gorgeous half-moon pendant necklace by Winifred Grace and we both went all heart-eyes for it. Alas, it’s no longer for sale, but Amy reached out to Winifred and asked permission to try and recreate something similar in a DIY post, and Winifred said yes! Which means, lucky us! We can all learn to make one. We can make one to bling up our own holiday wardrobe, or we can make a bunch and gift them to all of our favorite people.
The half-moon pendant is simple and clean and goes with just about everything. You may not have the skills or materials for metal work but you can create a half-moon pendant necklace with polymer clay and gold leaf. Polymer clay is the chameleon of materials; it can be made to look like so many substances. For this piece, the gold leaf does the work, giving the half-moon a metal-like appearance. Add a couple of jump rings and a length of leather cord and this inspired necklace is ready to wear in no time.
If you’ve ever wanted to make your own jewelry with polymer clay, this is the tutorial for you. It’s super easy and in no time, you will be all shiny for the holidays.
Let’s get to it!
…A Continuing Discussion on Setting Boundaries & Disrupting Normalcy
I originally published this on September 1st 2020. I can’t believe how relevant it remains. I’m publishing again in full, with no edits. I hope you find it helpful.
When I write a thread for Twitter, I can’t predict if it will go viral, or what the responses will be. I don’t know how it will be misunderstood, or where my words aren’t clear, until I see the responses to it. I always wish I could revise it for clarity, but you can’t edit tweets. With the thread about Trump supporters, all responses so far (they are still coming in) have fallen into 3 categories:
-85% of the people who responded love the thread. They said things like: It was a balm! It was a relief! It gave me hope! I didn’t realize I needed permission to stop putting up with the abuse. I wrote the thread for these people.
-10% of the responses are from die-hard Trump supporters. They typically haven’t read the thread and just take a moment out of their day to call me a cunt, yell at me for being intolerant, call me a fascist, and say they feel sorry for my kids. I block them and delete their comments.
-5% of the people who respond are not Trump supporters but feel very protective of them. They insist we can’t just “give up” on Trump supporters.
…A Continuing Discussion on Setting Boundaries & Disrupting NormalcyRead More »
Recipe: Award Winning Three Bean Chili Deluxe
The Blair family chili recipe has become legendary — it has been entered into chili-cookoffs all over the country. By us, by friends, by Design Mom readers. And it has won many, many times! It’s a pretty fantastic chili for several reasons, including how easy it is to make. It’s a recipe my family has been making (and loving) for 24 years!
One more note before we jump into the recipe: I consider this a slow-cooker recipe, but I don’t actually use an electric slow cooker! Since we work at home, and aren’t leaving the cooking food unattended, we typically do our slow cooking on the stove top in a cast iron pot. But these recipes will work for any type of slow cooking — stove top or crock pot.
Let’s dive in.
…DIY: Lace-Imprinted Clay Containers
I could tell you that this clay containers project came about because I wanted to organize my makeup drawer (and I do need to organize that drawer), but the truth is, I got the idea to imprint lace into clay, and wanted good excuse to try it. Hah!
A few months ago, I came across a plate that had a crocheted doily imprinted onto it, and I wondered if lace would work just as well. So I combined some lace samples from the fabric store with air-dry clay, and tada!, now I have the cutest little set of containers in world. I’m using them here for makeup brushes, cotton balls, and jewelry, but I’m sure these clay containers would work fabulously on a desk as well.
Air-dry clay is so easy to work with. Just sculpt and allow to fully dry. It is easy to manipulate and holds texture well. Oh. And did you know air-dry clay can be tinted any color you like? I’m kind of into the ceramic look of the plain white, but if you’re craving color, the skies the limit with this clay containers project.
Let’s begin!
…Living With Kids: Liz Young
This home tour feels a little romantic to me. It’s got all the makings of a perfect story. There’s the storyteller herself, the serendipitous discovery of the perfect forever home after a series of inspiring wanderings, a painful separation of lovers, an in-house bakery and creative studio (which basically translates – to me, at least! – to a 24-hour access to gorgeous cakes and big ideas), and lots and lots of bikes. I’m not sure the bicycles add anything to the story, but they sure add fun to the Young family’s afternoons! We all want our homes to work for our families, but the Young house truly works with them. And after a lovely glimpse of this home, I think it deserves a raise. Friends, please meet the Young family and their delightful home. I just know you’re going to fall in love!
…DIY: Moonlit Mummy Lanterns
I like to keep a few last-minute decoration ideas on hand for any given holiday or event. Some years are busier than others, and I can’t always go all out with preparations. But if I have some easy ideas in my back pocket, then it’s much more likely that I’ll be able to add some instant magic to the house.
My internet friend Amy, wrote a book called Washi Tape Crafts. It has tons of ideas for cute ways you can use washi tape, and even offers technique guidance — like how to get a good precision tear, how to weave with washi, and how to create specific shapes. Most of the ideas are for anytime crafts, but some are centered on specific holidays, and when I saw the mummy lanterns, I thought they were a perfect last-minute Halloween idea!
Happily, Amy sent over the instructions so I could share them here.
…Dowager Countess Maggie Smith Quote Napkins
I adore the Downton Abbey series, you too? For those who are unfamiliar, Downton Abbey is a British period drama set in the post-Edwardian era and tells the story of an aristocratic family and their servants. The styling is out of this world! The ensemble of characters makes the show award-winning. However, Violet Crawley — the Dowager Countess of Grantham, portrayed by the indelible Maggie Smith, is my very favorite. She has the best lines.
With her unforgettable one liners in mind, these napkins came to be.
With the help of a letter stencil, the words of Violet Crawley will make for fun dinner conversation. And wouldn’t these make a great gift for the Downton Enthusiasts in your life? So find your favorite quotes, Downton or otherwise, and let’s get started.
…Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
School has started. Fall is here. Life is as busy as ever. It’s a great time to start relying on slow cooker recipes to help get dinner on the table. And what could be better as cooler weather returns than a plate full of slow cooker Beef Stroganoff?
Stroganoff originated in Russia, but different versions have popped up all around the globe. This one is a pretty basic, traditional one made with big chunks of stew meat, flavorful cremini mushrooms, and red wine. The low and slow cooking time transforms the stew meat and it becomes super tender. All you need is a big bowl of buttered egg noodles and you’re set.
Any meat+sauce over egg noodles works as a comfort food for me, but I have a special fondness for Stroganoff because of a funny little childhood memory. My little brother Jared was making a spotlight poster about himself for an assignment — hobbies, favorite colors and foods, stuff like that. For the food example, he cut a picture of stroganoff out of a magazine, just to represent that he liked food in general — he didn’t know there was a name for the dish in the photo. But his teacher saw the image and recognized it has Beef Stroganoff and determined — to Jared’s surprise and confusion because he didn’t know what it was — that his favorite food was specifically Beef Stroganoff.
Throughout the rest of our childhood and into adulthood, any time Beef Stroganoff was seen on a menu, eaten in our home, or mentioned in any way, someone would be sure to comment, “Hey Jared, look, it’s your favorite meal!
A silly little memory that is making me nostalgic today. I hope it reminds you of a funny memory from your own childhood home. : )
This recipe makes enough for a gathering of friends or a large family. It’s great with some green veggies or a salad on the side.
…Old Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies
As soon as the weather drops, and fall is in the air, we starting making pumpkin cookies. It’s like our family’s official welcome to the new season. By the way, I prefer mine without chocolate chips. So whoever is baking that day usually makes half the batch with and half without. Find the easy recipe we’ve used for twenty years now below.
…Big & Small DIY: Sturdy Household Containers
Busy homes are pretty much always in need of storage containers to organize stuff — why not make them ourselves! This Big & Small project is all things fun and functional. The materials needed are minimal and the best news is, you probably have everything in your house already. It’s ideal for all ages and perfect to do side by side.
Both Bigs (grownups) and Smalls (kids) can follow the same instructions and simple technique but will simply vary the tape used. Small children can make these containers using washi tape. Washi is a light but colorful tape perfect for small hands.
Bigs can use duct tape to make larger containers for both display and utilitarian purposes. Chances are you’ll find more and more places you want to use tailor-made containers with this technique. The combination of duct tape and plastic also makes these containers usable both in and outside the house. How cool is that!?
Round up building blocks or safari animals with bins in the playroom. Use them to sort and store paints and ribbons in your craft space. Try one as a rubbish bin, and another as a plant pot!
These containers are also fantastic up-cycle projects when you use re-cycled plastic or paper bags. Let’s get started.
…Dessert for Two: Peanut Butter Cup Deep Dish Cookies
Many of us crave a little something sweet after dinner almost every night. As we sit down on the couch after the sprinted final lap of dinner, dishes, baths, and bedtime, we may find ourselves craving a victory lap of chocolate. That’s why we love recipes for two. They offer an after-dinner fix without having to bake a dozen batches of cookies.
Let’s get to making!
…Dessert for Two: Peanut Butter Cup Deep Dish CookiesRead More »
Wooden Postcards with Image Transfer
When I was in 6th grade, I got to take a trip to Hawaii with my dance group (it was called the Super Steppers, in case you’re curious). One of the main things everyone told me I must do in Hawaii is mail home a coconut in its husk. No box. No padding. Just write the address on the coconut with a marker and slap on the stamps. Of course, to my 11-year-old ears, this sounded like the coolest thing a person could possibly do. There’s something so fun and funny about getting a non-standard letter or package in the mail!
These postcards are admittedly not as extreme as a coconut. But. They are made of wood! And they are awesome to find tucked in between the bills and junk mail! I’m a huge fan of photo transfers — they’re practically magic. And image transfers + wooden postcards sounded like the perfect storm of fun, useable, good-looking projects.
To up the charm even more, these feature historical images from New York City, and I love how they turned out so much!
I should note from the beginning, these handmade wooden post cards are not the same as paper post cards. Due to their width and weight, they are priced similar to a large envelope or a ‘flat’. But they’re worth the extra stamp — their unique, one-of-a-kind quality makes this snail mail more like art work.
It takes some work and patience but the outcome is definitely worth it!
On to the postcard how-to!
…Living With Kids: Amy Doak
Amy seems like the type of friend who will always tell you like it is. The unedited truth, if you will. Those of us who have a treasured friend or two like that know how valuable a trait this is! So I can assure you that if you’re thinking of starting an online endeavor or company of your own, Amy has some solid advice for you. And if you’re ever worried about your child not displaying traditional boy/girl qualities, worry no more. Truly.
A number of lovely reminders, just ahead. Please enjoy Amy, Friends!
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