tis the season ...

Hello! I'm wearing my red and green this Monday morning and I thought I aught to share a little Christmas spirit on the blog today. I've been decking the Nest (a.k.a my condo) out with pine branches, lights and white pumpkins, but I need to snap a few pictures to share. Until then, here are a few festive ideas for you from last year. I know, I know, butcher paper and gold spray paint were so last year ... but these are from last year and, besides,  I'm not really over it yet. 

(click the titles to see more)

Butcher Paper Gift Wrap

DIY Stir-in Hot Cocoa


Gold Woodland Animals

Holiday Granola 
photos by sarah fritzler

happy valentines day!

Happy Valentines Day! My single sisters and I are planning an extravagant evening of Panera Bread take-out, sweatpants, toffee and sea salt chocolate bars and a chick-flick at home. I can't wait.

Above are a few photos I snapped this morning of my valentines. It's been a busy week so I chose something simple and that everyone loves — girl scout cookies! I hope you have a wonderful day!


x o x o,
Sarah

[supplies: mini brown bag, mini doily, fabric tape, date stamp, gold paperclip, cookies!]

photos by sarah fritzler

diy: stir-in hot cocoa

Hello!
Here is another easy do-it yourself valentines idea. And this one can be paired with the literary quote mug valentines. You didn't plan on handing them an empty mug, did you? ;)

I'm going to call this Grandma's Favorite Stir-in Hot Cocoa because my grandma loves it!

Supplies you will need:

- Melting chocolate for candy-making (I used Wilton, but I've since found out you can get Ghirardelli's — there's a no-brainer!)

- Candy-canes or peppermints

- Candy mold

- Lollipop sticks

- Red cellophane wrapper, string, valentines tag

All of these supplies may be found at your local craft store.

Do it yourself:

1. Use bag instructions to melt chocolate into candy molds.

2.  Stick lollipop sticks into each mold.

3. Put candy-canes or peppermints in zip-lock bag and crush into small pieces. Sprinkle on top.

4. Let chocolate set according to bag instructions

5. Remove from molds and wrap in red cellophane. Finish with a bow and valentines tag.

Of course, you can customize these as much as you like. A few ideas: heart shaped molds, white and dark chocolate swirl, mini-marshmallows on top, caramel swirl ... enjoy!

 pictures by sarah fritzler

from the archives: valentines

Just a few ideas from my Valentines archives!

DIY Literary Quote Mugs (full post)

Worst Pick-up Line Tags (full post)

Handmade Valentines (full post)

photos by sarah fritzler

diy: valentines chocolate bar label

This may be my favorite DIY yet.

Valentines Day tends to overdose my sweet tooth. But chocolate bars? I never feel like I have too many of them laying around! Here is a chocolate bar label valentine idea for you. You can customize it to your heart's delight! I simply took the label off of a Symphony Almond Toffee Chocolate Bar (so good!) and used it to make a template. I created a vintage flower design on the front and a love quote on the back (I personalized these for each recipient). I also made tags with the "worst pick-up lines" to add a little humor.

The options are endless! Make them your own by personalizing them for your loved one on their favorite candy bar. These would also be great children's valentines with crayon drawings wrapped around chocolate bars. Have fun!

p.s. The little secret behind this DIY is that I made it two years ago. My mom thought it was too pretty to eat (silliness!) so I found this one fully intact and snapped some pictures to share with you.

pictures by sarah fritzler 

friday foliage: tiny package

I know, I know, it's not foliage. But snow is all the foliage I have around at the moment. Plus it's cute. :)



Happy weekend!

photos by sarah fritzler

love notes

Just enjoying Oana Befort's angular hart love notes. Full DIY over here.

images by oana befort

peanut butter love

Happy National Peanut Butter Day! My your day be filled with peanutbutterygoodness.

Above is the best cake I've ever made, albeit the ugliest one. And by made I mean mixed from a box of Ghirardelli chocolate cake mix. The peanut butter cream cheese frosting is the KEY. This stuff is to die for and super easy to make. Please test my word against yours and make it today.

Peanut butter cream cheese frosting recipe found on Smitten Kitchen (along with pictures of a lovely cake!).

And why not a special shout-out to Courtney and Deborah, my peanut-butter-loving partners in crime. :)

photo by sarah fritzler

please pass the gold

I thought I would share a few more snaps from my gold woodland creature photo-shoot (or something like that). They just came out too pretty not to have a photo-shoot! Enjoy my little woodland jungle. :)

[ more gold: sticks, wreath, deer ]










The behind the scenes is really the funniest part. Yes, it's true, they are just a bunch of spray painted plastic animals stuck in the snow in my front yard. Amazing what a camera can do, isn't it?

BEHIND THE SCENES:


photos by sarah fritzler

friday foliage: christmas tree

One of my dear friends hosted a Family Christmas Dinner the week of Christmas. The strange part was that most of the guests weren't related to her. She decided to host this "family dinner" for the people in her life that she considers family. Doesn't that warm your heart?! Well then, you should have heard her toast. I cried. She even made 21 ornaments (below) for her guests!

These are just a few of the branches that were sparkling on her tree that evening.



images by sarah fritzler