Your Handmade Home Magazine December 2017
This issue is packed with holiday design and decor, and an interview with Linda Phan from Property Brothers - Drew's Honeymoon House
This issue is packed with holiday design and decor, and an interview with Linda Phan from Property Brothers - Drew's Honeymoon House
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<strong>December</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Home</strong> for the Holidays<br />
with<br />
Linda Phan<br />
DREW’S HONEYMOON HOUSE<br />
DIY<br />
Fireplace<br />
Makeover
features<br />
departm ents<br />
<strong>Home</strong> for the Holidays<br />
with Linda Phan<br />
Last-Minute Gifts<br />
How to Make Living on Base<br />
<strong>Your</strong> Favorite Place<br />
Health & Beauty<br />
Hello Gorgeous!<br />
Design and Decor<br />
DIY Fireplace Makeover<br />
Oh, Christmas Tree!<br />
Holiday Cards and Decor<br />
Shop the Look!<br />
Fashion and Accessories<br />
Warm Winter Fashion<br />
Artisan Spotlight<br />
Passion for the PNW<br />
In the Kitchen<br />
Kitchen Essentials<br />
Christmas Desserts<br />
Family<br />
Destination Disney<br />
The Perfect Christmas<br />
Littles Lifestyle<br />
<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Handmade</strong> <strong>Home</strong><br />
<strong>Magazine</strong><br />
Christy Winfrey<br />
Publisher, Editor In Chief<br />
Linda Phan<br />
Property Brothers at <strong>Home</strong>:<br />
Drew’s Honeymoon House<br />
Creative Director/Editor<br />
Jane Makransky<br />
Special Projects Graphic Designer<br />
Vanessa Offerman<br />
Feature Writers<br />
Jennifer Brown<br />
Allison Yeager<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
Photo Courtesy of<br />
HGTV<br />
Warm Winter Fashion<br />
DIY Fireplace Makeover
Letter From<br />
the Editor<br />
Christmas is the time<br />
when we all wish we<br />
had the wonder and<br />
excitement of a child.<br />
The way their eyes light<br />
up seeing the Christmas<br />
tree, how they wake us<br />
in the wee hours of the<br />
morning on Christmas<br />
day to discover what<br />
presents lie under the<br />
tree for them. This season,<br />
let’s all step back<br />
just a bit and let that wonder and excitment overtake<br />
us.<br />
Christy<br />
Christy Winfrey<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
Instagram @christylynwinfrey<br />
Unto us a child is born<br />
Unto us a son is given...<br />
Merry Christmas<br />
From<br />
<strong>Your</strong> <strong>Handmade</strong> <strong>Home</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong>
It all started four years ago while walking the dog.<br />
how to Make Living on Base<br />
<strong>Your</strong> Favorite place<br />
Erin Morris, a military wife, would walk her dog, and peek into homes for<br />
decorating ideas. She needed a way to make her temporary housing feel<br />
more like home. Moving to a new home every few years, some on base, and<br />
some in rented homes can be daunting in itself. But making that temporary<br />
house a home was her big vision. Erin enlisted the help of another military<br />
spouse, Meg Smith, and together they formed the group White Walls. Although<br />
they have never met in person, their enthusiasm for helping others<br />
has made White Walls a much needed and much appreciated service.<br />
White Walls is now a Facebook group for military families to come together<br />
to inspire each other. But this is no ordinary group. White Walls’ main<br />
group has over 82,000 members, with offshoot groups for different topics<br />
like cooking, cleaning, real estate, fitness, sewing, and a few others, which<br />
also have thousands of members.<br />
Erin Morris<br />
“I don’t think either of us had any idea how<br />
quickly White Walls<br />
would take off, “says<br />
Erin. “We didn’t realize<br />
how many others were<br />
also wanting to find ways<br />
to make their house more<br />
comfortable and stylish<br />
for their families. I think<br />
we’re still kind of astonished<br />
at how many people<br />
are still wanting to join<br />
on a daily basis.”<br />
Meg Smith<br />
Photos courtesy of Erin Morris and Meg Smith
“It’s pretty exciting for us! We started with just a few people, and have really<br />
just spread through word of mouth. “ says Meg. “I think just having a place<br />
to have a discussion is huge--- Having a community of people who understand<br />
the nomadic lifestyle we often times live is extremely helpful. We<br />
have thousands of eyes on our group at any given time, and people are willing<br />
to help! Everyone wants to see the person with the design dilemma love<br />
their home and be comfortable, and it’s really exciting to see the before and<br />
after pictures people post. Having a place to bring your home problems, or<br />
find a solution for that weird nook in your new place is so valuable when<br />
you’re trying to make a house your home. I think when we see others with<br />
similar circumstances get creative, that’s what is truly inspiring.”<br />
“We love seeing families encouraged<br />
to love their space,<br />
and [be] empowered to get<br />
creative. It’s daily in the group,<br />
and it’s fantastic! There are<br />
posts just about every day<br />
that say something along the<br />
lines of ‘thank you for inspiring<br />
me!’ or posts showing off<br />
what they’ve built, or a project<br />
they tackled. That always<br />
gives us the warm fuzzies, and<br />
makes us feel like we’re really<br />
doing something. We’re all<br />
military families... Most of the<br />
time we’re far away from the<br />
place we consider home, family,<br />
and often times on a pretty<br />
tight budget. Many times,<br />
the house we have to live in is<br />
not the house we would have<br />
chosen for ourselves. We have to play Tetris with our furniture over and<br />
over again, and try to settle in wherever our families are stationed. It can<br />
be challenging and discouraging, so when we see someone take the bull by<br />
the horns, get crafty, and ‘bloom where they’re planted,’ it’s really awesome.<br />
Beyond that, the community in White Walls is great for asking questions...<br />
The responses can almost be overwhelming! People are<br />
excited to help, and that’s really special. The internet can be a cold place<br />
sometimes, so it’s great to see people helping one another, even on something<br />
small like paint color, what to make for dinner, or how to get a stain<br />
out of a sofa. It’s great to have a community of people who are in the same<br />
boat, or at least truly understand the boat you’re in, who want to help, and<br />
show you some love.”
Meg and Erin have some big ideas for giving back as well. They are considering<br />
creating and selling a cookbook using recipes from their members,<br />
with the proceeds going to help feed homeless veterans, and fund a scholarship<br />
for military spouses.<br />
“We’re all about giving back to the community that helped to build White<br />
Walls. These things take time, but we’re excited!”<br />
We asked Erin and Meg what advice they would give to new military<br />
spouses who are just embarking on their journey.<br />
“Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20. It can sometimes<br />
be discouraging when, maybe you’re first starting out and have a<br />
bunch of hand-me-down, mismatched furniture to see someone’s home<br />
that is beautifully put together. Or maybe you’re at the stage in life where<br />
your kids are little and your living room is overrun with toys--- it can be<br />
frustrating when you scroll [Pinterest] and see pristine living rooms. You<br />
don’t know which season of life people are in or where their priorities lie,<br />
so stay encouraged, and positive! Enjoy the ride!”<br />
Our hats are off to Erin and Meg for their enthusiasm and willingness to<br />
help others. It is truly amazing that two women who have never met have<br />
helped change the lives of so many.
FAMILY<br />
by Vanessa Offerman<br />
Destination<br />
Disney by<br />
Vanessa Offerman
Christmas is a magical time of year. It’s a time when children of all ages<br />
experience pure joy and excitement at the sights and sounds of the holiday.<br />
Our trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida brought a similar magical<br />
feeling to our family, especially our children. It was an experience that I<br />
will hold dear to my heart for the rest of my life.<br />
I went to Disney World with my husband Chris, eldest daughter, Olivia,<br />
son, James, youngest daughter, Hailey, and my parents, who made this trip<br />
possible. This was our first trip there.<br />
Getting to experience this with<br />
my family and my parents was<br />
something extraordinary. We<br />
chose to go to the Magic Kingdom<br />
and we had two days to<br />
enjoy and try to see everything,<br />
which we soon learned was impossible!<br />
On our first day, we all woke<br />
up early, excitement in the air.<br />
Driving up to the exit Olivia<br />
was yelling out “Magic Kingdom<br />
signs!”, James spotted<br />
Mickey hands, Hailey saw the<br />
“Welcome to Disney” sign and<br />
the kids all wiggled with excitement.<br />
We parked the car,<br />
walked up to the transportation<br />
hub, and had to choose between<br />
the metro or ferry.<br />
It didn’t take us long to all agree-- it would be the ferry! As we waited for<br />
the next ferry to arrive, the staff blew bubbles for the kids waiting in line<br />
and entertained them with stickers and secrets of Disney. Smiles were<br />
HUGE as the ferry pulled up and we boarded. We could see Cinderella’s<br />
Castle in the distance growing larger as the ferry got closer and closer.<br />
When we arrived at the park, we walked down Main Street USA, taking in<br />
all the shops and buildings with one of the most stunning features in front<br />
of us --Cinderella’s Castle. In person, it is truly stunning. As we walked<br />
through the castle we took in all of the pictures of the fairy tales on the<br />
walls. The magnificent castle left the kids awe. To see their imaginations<br />
brought to life was a treasure.<br />
After touring the castle, we began the thrill of the rides. Our first ride was<br />
Peter Pan’s Flight. As we waited in line we entered Wendy, John and Michael<br />
Darling’s bedroom where Peter’s shadow was darting across the walls.<br />
Tinker Bell was flitting about, hiding inside clothing chests where her glow<br />
peeked out from the keyhole. She fluttered across the room, flying into a<br />
picture frame, then into a toy ship, teasing the kids to try to find her. Every<br />
time that Peter’s pesky<br />
shadow appeared, enchanted<br />
shadow butterflies would burst<br />
into view flying in all directions.<br />
We finally got through the line<br />
and entered the ride, where we<br />
flew in boats over Neverland.<br />
Beneath us we saw the Lost<br />
Boys, along with the Magical<br />
Mermaids, Captain Hook and<br />
Mr. Smee, as Tick Tock Croc<br />
tried to capture them.
We ended up on Skull Island where my son was a Lost Boy for a moment,<br />
with his hand in the air, ready to fight off Captain Hook and his pirates. We<br />
left the ride with smiles, shouting out our favorite moments of the experience<br />
to each other.<br />
Next we experienced It’s A Small World, a classic ride where the adults<br />
complain they won’t ever get that song out of their heads and the kids<br />
find joy in singing it all day. The dolls from around the world in their native<br />
attire were all on display. A must ride for all kids, big and small. We<br />
walked and talked and tried to soak in all of the sights as the day wore on.<br />
We knew we had to make our way back to the castle for the big parade, and<br />
once we returned to there, we all waited anxiously for it to start. As the music<br />
came over the speakers, Olivia was bursting with excitement. When she<br />
saw the first float, she screamed out to the rest of us, recognizing the<br />
characters on it. A woman standing nearby tapped my father on his shoulder<br />
and said that seeing Olivia’s<br />
excitement as the parade started<br />
made her feel like a kid again! James<br />
and Hailey waved so hard at all the<br />
Disney characters and princesses,<br />
I found myself waving just as hard.<br />
As the parade ended, we all couldn’t<br />
wait to get back to the rides and the<br />
meet and greets.<br />
Our first meet and greet was with<br />
Princess Rapunzel, Hailey’s absolute<br />
favorite princess of all time. Hailey<br />
was so excited she could barely contain<br />
herself. Star struck and jumping<br />
up and down, she was too tongue<br />
tied to answer any questions that<br />
Rapunzel asked!<br />
James could not wait to see Donald Duck, so we did a meet and greet.<br />
Donald was so happy to see that James was wearing his Donald hat, he<br />
took if off James’ head and walked over to<br />
Goofy to show him that Donald was number<br />
one in my little guy’s eyes. The kids got<br />
a great laugh watching Donald and Goofy<br />
teasing one another.<br />
Our last stop was the Dumbo ride. What a<br />
classic, rite of passage for any Disney visitor.<br />
Of course, the kids loved making the ride go<br />
up and down over and over and over again.<br />
On our second day at the Magic Kingdom,<br />
we went for the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Not knowing what<br />
to expect we were bubbling with anticipation. But before the Halloween<br />
party, I had arranged for my daughters to get a mermaid makeover to celebrate<br />
Olivia’s 7 th birthday. What an amazing job they did! First, the girls<br />
entered a pirate ship boutique where<br />
they put on mermaid costumes and had<br />
their nails painted, and hair and makeup<br />
done. Then, they were announced<br />
to the ship as the newest mermaids<br />
around! Next, we were all escorted<br />
through a secret passageway to the captain’s<br />
quarters ( luckily he was not in).<br />
The girls were told that the pirate captain<br />
had stolen the mermaids’ treasure<br />
and the girls had to find the hidden<br />
treasure. They searched and searched<br />
and when they finally found it, it held<br />
mermaid pearl necklaces that they were<br />
allowed to keep.
While the girls were busy having their makeovers, my father, husband and<br />
son went to Mickey’s Raceway and Tomorrowland. There they raced one<br />
another and had an amazing time in the<br />
People Mover as they took in everything that<br />
Tomorrowland had to offer.<br />
We all met back up in front of Aladdin’s Magic<br />
Carpet Ride and made our way to the front gates<br />
to finally start the Halloween festivities. The Disney<br />
staff was dressed in festive attire and led us<br />
through the Halloween trick or treating checkpoints<br />
throughout the park. After we finished,<br />
there was a dance party hosted by Monsters Inc.<br />
where the kids danced the night away with Sully and Mike Wazowski.<br />
Then we made our way to the castle for a special performance by the Sanderson<br />
Sisters from Hocus Pocus. There, all the Disney villains joined in to<br />
put a spell on us, and we danced in the crowd and sang along. After the<br />
performance ended, the main event was about to begin -- Mickey’s Halloween<br />
Parade. The grand marshal was the Headless Horseman, who gave us<br />
all chills as he quietly rode his horse through the streets. The crowd went<br />
silent and all you could hear was the clicking of his midnight black horse’s<br />
hooves hitting the cobblestone ground, his pumpkin head glowing. All of<br />
the the Halloween floats followed, ridden by our favorite characters.<br />
We left that night with our hearts full. As we went to our car we turned to<br />
watch the fireworks and knew without saying that this was a vacation that<br />
will stay with us forever. After all, our children are young for such a short<br />
time. To be able to give them a place where their imaginations could run<br />
free and where they could believe that anything was possible was worth<br />
more than anything else in this world.<br />
Vanessa Offerman is the Special Projects Graphic Designer for <strong>Your</strong> <strong>Handmade</strong> <strong>Home</strong><br />
magazine and the owner of Bash Boutique. She and her husband Chris live in New York<br />
with their three children.
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Warm<br />
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w a r m up with winter accessories<br />
Cozy<br />
and<br />
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winter wear and accessories<br />
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ra-pom-pom- pom-pom beanies<br />
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www.yourhandmadehomemagazine.com<br />
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9<br />
1. Buffalo Check Leggings - Stitched Stars and More<br />
2. Denim Crossbody Bag - Tumbletree Lane<br />
6. Scripture Necklace - The Crafty Shelf<br />
7. Sweater Weather Sweatshirt - Dee Marie Design Co<br />
11. Goldstone Butterfly Earrings - The Bird and the Beads<br />
12. Leather Wrap Bracelet - Serene Bayside Jewelry<br />
16. Agate Necklace - Pure Lisa Jewelry<br />
17. Druzy Bar Necklaces - Mack and Jane Jewelry<br />
3. Crochet Scarf - Shevelkin Designs<br />
4. Slouchy Beanie - I Need It Crochet<br />
8. Origami Rose Pendant - Gillis Flowers<br />
9. Amethyst Pendant - K8tie Sparkles<br />
13. Cable Knit Pom Pom Hat - Jula Custom Crochet<br />
14. Two-Tone Crochet Hat - Magic Crochet World<br />
18. Dichroic Glass Pendant - 4 the Love of Silver<br />
19. Swarovski Crystal Bracelet - Shop Dayle<br />
5. Monogram Bangle - Southern Ways Decals<br />
10. Upcycled Designer Purse - Bellesa by Bethany<br />
15. Floral Infinity Scarf - Breast Friends Connect
HEALTH & BEAUTY<br />
Hello Gorgeous!<br />
Yes, it’s the holidays, and a time for gift-giving; but sometimes you<br />
have to get just a little something for yourself!<br />
Check out these holiday must-haves.<br />
A Spa Gift Box makes the perfect gift! A Ball<br />
Heritage Collection Pint Jar filled with handmade<br />
lotion, two herbal bath teas, a bar of<br />
natural handmade soap, a handmade wash<br />
cloth and herbal drinking detox tea. Enjoy!<br />
Available from The Chocolate Chicken.<br />
Dry matcha green tea and charcoal<br />
mask powder is wonderful for improving<br />
your skin with a boost of vitamin<br />
goodness, and it’s fun to apply, which<br />
makes it the perfect gift or stocking<br />
stuffer this year. Grab a friend or two<br />
and give yourself a reason to just have<br />
some fun. From The Remedy of Life.<br />
This cute holiday bath bomb comes in a<br />
Christmas ornament container! You can<br />
hang it on your Christmas tree as decor<br />
or add it as stocking stuffer for your kids,<br />
budget friendly gifts to co-workers, and<br />
friends. From Naturalle Solutions .<br />
This bath bomb set is a combination of<br />
bath fizzy, bath melt, and milk bath in one!<br />
Packed with cocoa and shea butters, in addition<br />
to avocado oil, goat’s milk, and colloidal<br />
oatmeal, it’s a true skin-loving treat!<br />
Available from Skyline Soapworks.<br />
<strong>Handmade</strong> soap from Kay’s Creative Soaps is<br />
made with with goat’s milk and heavy cream<br />
for that luxurious feel your body loves.<br />
This Christmasy soap makes a beautiful gift!
Escape on a first-class trip to the island<br />
of your choice with this effervescent<br />
sea salt soak. When released<br />
into a warm bath, coconut milk and<br />
mango butter softens your skin, while<br />
the scents of mango, guava, pineapple<br />
and coconut relax and refresh. Exclusively<br />
from Places.<br />
Achy sore muscles are no fun! This microwavable<br />
heating pad from Lost My<br />
Marbles Sewing is just the thing to relieve<br />
your pain. Available in many colors<br />
and styles.
All Photos Courtesy of Pretend Farm Girl<br />
DESIGN & DECOR<br />
Items for all needs,<br />
styles and occasions!<br />
DIY Fireplace<br />
Makeover<br />
by Jennifer Brown
When my husband and I first looked at our house, we thought we’d just<br />
take down a dividing wall between the kitchen and living room. No big<br />
deal. Only you don’t just take down a wall. You move electrical and plumbing,<br />
replace flooring, etc. and in our case, you replace a fireplace as well.<br />
Oh, and while we were at it, we decided to put in all new kitchen cabinets.<br />
That’s all.<br />
The logical place to start was with the fireplace, since we were hoping to<br />
be reclaim some floor space in the process. The original fireplace was large<br />
and awkward and stuck out like a sore thumb in the room. It wasn’t centered,<br />
and there was a cubby next to it with some sort of inexplicable purpose<br />
(although our daughter decided to use it as her stage).<br />
The columns around the original fireplace housed the venting and gas. In<br />
order for the fireplace insert to be centered on the wall and the columns to<br />
be removed, the insert needed to be moved. We hired a professional to do<br />
this, as well as the portion relating to the gas for the fireplace. One of the<br />
contractors we spoke to recommended that we change out the insert for<br />
larger one to fit with the scale of the new surround and built-ins. Although<br />
we weren’t sure if we wanted to add to our expense this early in the renovation,<br />
we decided that this wasn’t something that we should skip on. We bit<br />
the bullet and installed the larger one and we are so glad that we did.<br />
The experts left and we then took over the project. If you look closely at the<br />
pictures, you can see the plywood sub-floor where the old surround was.<br />
We gained about 12 inches of floor space, meaning that the new fireplace<br />
could be centered between two symmetrical built-in bookcases.
I knew I wanted a chunky mantle made out of reclaimed wood, and hubby,<br />
of course, wanted the largest television he could fit above the mantle.<br />
So, we needed to engineer the framing of the mantle to make sure it would<br />
hold the weight of both.<br />
My husband used scrap blocks of wood to provide additional structure<br />
and threaded the electrical outlet through the new structure for the television.<br />
Since we knew we wanted TV components to sit within the bookshelves<br />
surrounding the new mantle, rather than on the mantle itself, my<br />
husband created a little tube<br />
within the new bookshelves<br />
to house the cable lines for<br />
the television.<br />
Even though we had measured<br />
where we wanted<br />
the television to be hung,<br />
we neglected to look at the<br />
mounting system we purchased<br />
until a bit later. We<br />
realized we would have to<br />
move the outlet and box to<br />
accommodate the mounting<br />
brackets. Oops! Luckily, it<br />
was only a minor setback,<br />
which we discovered before<br />
we had enclosed the shelving.<br />
My husband installed huge lag bolts to hold the mantle in place, and then<br />
carefully measured the rear of the mantle to drill the holes so they lined<br />
up with the bolts. The test fit was a success! (I’m so glad I was just the apprentice<br />
on this job – my husband is very good at the whole “measure<br />
twice, cut once” thing!)<br />
Then, finally, it was time to make the mantle pretty! I had researched the<br />
heck out of our preferred mantle surface, which was stone. I found a manufactured<br />
stone which was a favorite of pro contractors. It was lighter and<br />
less expensive than real stone but looked like the real thing. One of our<br />
local stores had a huge selection in stock, and also had beautiful displays<br />
set up so that I could see what I was really getting instead of relying on a<br />
Google image. Win, win!<br />
There were several different colors, styles and installation types of the<br />
stone, and we ultimately decided on the stacked stone “panel” version. This<br />
product gave us the look of stacked stone without the need for a professional<br />
stone mason to actually fit the stone together. There were different<br />
lengths of stone pieces and different configurations so we tried to randomly<br />
place the stones as much as possible to get that perfectly imperfect look.<br />
Before we started to set the stone, we installed cement board and taped<br />
and put mud on all the seams and screws. These are boring and tedious but<br />
important parts of the project that I might’ve rushed through. That’s why I<br />
couldn’t be trusted to do this project on my own!<br />
After using a spacer along the bottom of the fireplace which would allow<br />
the flooring to be installed underneath the stone, we finally began placing<br />
the stones. I was excited to get those first few rows up, and finally felt like<br />
we were making progress! After a lot of research, here’s the method we<br />
used and a few tips and tricks:<br />
* We laid out several of each type of stone on the floor (corners, short<br />
lengths, medium lengths, and long lengths) and then preassembled the<br />
rows two to three at a time. That way, we could make sure that we were<br />
staggering joints and using a variety of patterns of the stones. There was<br />
only one spot where we didn’t notice that several of the same size stones<br />
were stacked on top of each other. But we got lucky because the TV covers<br />
most of that area.
* We prepped two rows of stone at a time. We wet the cement board, spread<br />
the mortar and notched the entire length of the row. Then we would butter<br />
each stone as we placed them. Since we had all of our rows laid out on the<br />
floor, it made the process go very quickly.<br />
* We stopped after every few rows to make sure that the stones were adhering<br />
properly. To test for this, the stones should give quite a bit of resistance<br />
if you try to take them off. We also checked for leveling. We found out that<br />
paint sticks make great shims!<br />
* After placing four to five rows, we allowed them to cure for at least a day.<br />
At this pace, it took us approximately two weeks to finish. But, we were<br />
concerned about the weight of the stone and wanted to do it right. Plus, it<br />
worked out well for our part-time DIY schedule and allowed us to work on<br />
this project in little chunks at a time.<br />
* We used a grinder to make cuts in the stone and then used a wet but<br />
wrung out sponge to wet down the stone and remove the dust. My cuts got<br />
much better as I moved through the project. I learned to angle the cut into<br />
the back of the stone so that the front almost overlapped the neighboring<br />
stone. It contoured stone and made it look a bit<br />
more natural than a flat straight cut.<br />
As you can see in this picture, the front of the<br />
fireplace is finished. But truth be told, the sides<br />
still look like this today. When we install the<br />
built-in shelving, we will finish off the sides.<br />
We reinforced the area where the TV will be<br />
mounted with plywood. We painted it black to<br />
make it less noticeable. We had previously added<br />
2 x 4 supports behind the cement board for<br />
additional helping in holding the weight of the<br />
television.<br />
Along the very top row<br />
where the stones met the<br />
ceiling, we used a liberal<br />
amount of Liquid Nails<br />
to secure the stones. It<br />
would’ve been nearly impossible<br />
to trowel that area--and<br />
I’m sure a huge<br />
mess on the ceiling and the<br />
neighboring stones.<br />
We did run into two small<br />
issues when we went to fit<br />
the mantle on the stone.<br />
We hadn’t drilled holes<br />
in the mantle quite deep<br />
enough. But that was an<br />
easy enough fix. We also<br />
hadn’t accounted for the<br />
varying levels of the stone<br />
to keep the mantle from<br />
sitting flush against the<br />
stone. After a small and<br />
careful amount of chiseling, it was done!<br />
We love it! The mantle is everything! This was by far the better biggest<br />
project we’ve tackle together, and we came out alive! Now that we started<br />
this whole home reno thing, next up will be replacing all the flooring in the<br />
great room and kitchen, taking out a few walls, and completely gutting our<br />
kitchen. And we can’t wait!<br />
Jennifer Brown is a mom to three littles, lover of all things DIY and upcycled. She and her husband<br />
are renovating their home on an acre. You can follow her home renovating adventures at<br />
Pretend Farm Girl.
There’s always someone that you need a last-minute<br />
gift for -- a teacher, the neighbor who brings you<br />
cookies every year, or maybe you haven’t found just<br />
the right gift for someone already on your list.<br />
It’s okay -- we’re here to help.<br />
Love Grows Here vintage spoon for<br />
that gardening friend in your life.<br />
Available from Shop Lemon Tree.<br />
You know that photographer friend of<br />
yours? Bet she would love this camera<br />
lens bag from Lucky Elefant Designs.<br />
Last Minute<br />
Gifts<br />
A handmade macrame plant hanger<br />
adds color and life to any room!<br />
Available at Mainly Macrame.<br />
Marble coasters are such an elegant<br />
gift! From Luka Marble Designs.
Who doesn’t need a darling cactus pot? We<br />
thought we’d “plant” that idea in your head.<br />
From Sara Hoque Art.<br />
Make doing laundry a little more fun with<br />
this clever laundry room sign from TCB<br />
Designs Florida.<br />
Farmhouse friends unite! This is the Mom<br />
of all kitchen signs! Order yours today from<br />
Oak Ridge Prims.<br />
Samantha Fox Designs wins the glitz and<br />
glam award! Get these druzy tassel keyrings<br />
for everyone!<br />
Shelves made from shutters? What will Step<br />
Free Designs think up next? A perfect accent<br />
to your farmhouse decor!<br />
We just love this tote from Tilly & Type! Gift<br />
this canvas tote to any girl or woman on your<br />
list!<br />
Don’t forget your futty best friend! Willowberry<br />
Pet gives you and your dog goodies in<br />
this adorable gift set!<br />
Gift your pet this designer collar from Pet<br />
Afique. Adorned with a flower and metal<br />
hardware, she will be a puppy fashionista!<br />
This unique chrysocolla gemstone and<br />
silver mala necklace is hand-knotted<br />
with 108 beads on grey silk thread.<br />
from Mulka Arts.
Photo Courtesy of HGTV<br />
home for the holidays<br />
with Linda Phan
You know Linda Phan from starring on HGTV’s Property Brothers -<br />
Drew’s Honeymoon House, and you’ve probably seen her with fiance Drew<br />
Scott on Dancing with the Stars. But did you know she is also the Creative<br />
Director for Scott Brothers Entertainment, a skilled renovator and an avid<br />
crafter?<br />
With the holidays upon us, we thought it was the perfect time to interview<br />
her for her thoughts on decorating for the holiday season, her Honeymoon<br />
House craft room renovation, and creating a handmade home.<br />
What are your three top tips for decorating for the holidays?<br />
“Make [your Christmas decorating] personal and don’t be afraid to have<br />
fun with it! Not everything has to match. With this being our first holiday<br />
in our new home, Drew and I are going to be making a lot of our Christmas<br />
tree ornaments and we’re also asking friends and family to bring<br />
something to add to the tree when they<br />
visit, too!<br />
What are your holiday decoration pet peeves?<br />
Tangled lights!!! Agh! I spent many hours as a kid unraveling string lights!<br />
Thank goodness for pre-lit trees now. And unfinished tree business! I<br />
HAVE to decorate the entirety of the tree. Even though you don’t always<br />
see the back of the tree, I can’t leave any part of it bare – that’s just unfair to<br />
that part of the tree lol.<br />
Do you use any unexpected ideas or materials to decorate your homes<br />
for the holidays?<br />
I once filled a tree with Ferrero Rocher chocolates… needless to say, the<br />
decorations didn’t even last until Christmas. Other than that, I dig into my<br />
craft materials – so anything from pompoms to paint chips become fair<br />
game.<br />
Decorating isn’t just about the pretty<br />
visuals – you have to be ALL in! That<br />
includes Christmas music, cookies baking<br />
in the oven to fill the house with deliciousness,<br />
and of course, ugly Christmas<br />
sweaters on the ready.<br />
I know you don’t even want to think<br />
about the sad day when you have to<br />
take down all the decorations, but if<br />
you’re prepared with proper storage<br />
bins, it’ll make decorating for the following<br />
year that much easier. It’s so<br />
nice to have everything organized so<br />
nothing gets damaged or lost.”<br />
Photo Courtesy of Scott Brothers Entertainment<br />
Photo Courtesy of HGTV
Do you have any holiday family traditions that you would like to share<br />
with our readers?<br />
Drew and I have started the tradition of making our holiday cards a fun<br />
themed photoshoot! Last year, we pulled together a vintage Hawaiian<br />
postcard look. For this year’s I’m feeling the cosmic vibes – so whatever<br />
we choose will be out of this world!<br />
What is your funniest holiday family story?<br />
The time I used one of my sisters as a human ramp while snowboarding.<br />
I wasn’t an experienced boarder (and I’m sure I’ve only gotten worse<br />
over the years!) but for some reason felt ambitious and decided to tackle<br />
a black diamond hill. She went ahead of me and as I flew down the slope<br />
at full speed, I recognized her coat and hat, this figure stumbling and<br />
trying to get back on its feet. I then realized I was going way too fast and<br />
yelled ‘Get out of the way!!!! I. CAN’T. STOP!’ By the time she saw what<br />
was coming her way, it was too late – I pummeled into her, using her as<br />
my human ramp. Our gloves, hats, goggles flew everywhere and we were<br />
both seeing stars. We slid on our bums the rest of the way down…<br />
Photo Courtesy of HGTV<br />
Photo Courtesy of HGTV
Linda is an avid crafter. When the wallpaper came down in the home<br />
that she and Drew renovated on Property Brothers - Drew’s Honeymoon<br />
House, she took photos of the old wallpaper and turned the design into<br />
throw pillows. Also, rumor has it that she and Drew will be handcrafting<br />
many of the items for their May wedding in Italy, including their Save the<br />
Dates.<br />
Linda has a keen eye for design, as well. The room below was designated<br />
as her craft room, and boy did she hit it out of the park!<br />
Photo Courtesy of HGTV
When the wallpaper came down and Linda’s creativity was sparked, she<br />
filled the room with color and style! There are so many elements in this<br />
room that we adore! That lemon wallpaper (!!!), the black and white<br />
checked rug, and all the little details that make her space both personal and<br />
functional. We would love to spend a fun “crafternoon” with you, Linda!<br />
This talented couple no doubt has many more amazing projects ahead of<br />
them and we can’t wait to see the results of their creativity. We wish them<br />
both much love and happiness in their new home.<br />
Christy
DESIGN & DECOR<br />
Shop this Look<br />
Hearth and Hand with Magnolia is HUGE!<br />
We help you shop this look from Target<br />
Letters to Santa Mailbox $39.99 Plaid Holiday Stocking $12.99<br />
Galvanuzed Metal Tree Collar $34.99 Patterned Ornament Set $12.99<br />
Artificial Sage/Pine Garland $19.99<br />
Wish you Love, Joy and Peace<br />
20% off<br />
Gift glamour<br />
Gift elegance<br />
Gift marble
IN THE KITCHEN<br />
Kitchen Essentials<br />
6<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
1. These soft and thick Christmas kitchen<br />
towels from Fern Lake Cabin are festive<br />
and functional! These large high-quality<br />
towels will last for years!<br />
2. Spice up your holiday dishes with these<br />
tasty olive oil blends from Spice Expressions.<br />
Each one adds flavor and the goodness<br />
of olive oil to every meal!<br />
3. You don’t ever have to sit in the car<br />
with a hot casserole dish on your lap<br />
again! Get this darling casserole tote from<br />
Krause Kreation.<br />
4. Silver and white snowflakes dance<br />
across this festive red tea towel! Perfect<br />
for holiday decorating! Available from<br />
Donna’s Little Stitches.<br />
5. This Christmas-themed microwavable<br />
bowl holder keeps your food hot and<br />
your fingers cool! From Serendipity Sewn.<br />
6. A natural disinfectant will leave your<br />
home germ-free with a fresh, invigorating<br />
rosemary - lemon scent. Get yours<br />
at Charming Shoppes.
ARTISAN SPOTLIGHT<br />
Passion in<br />
the PNW<br />
Jessica McDaniel had always wanted her own business. “I’ve always had an<br />
entrepreneurial heart since I can remember. Trying many at-home businesses<br />
in the past didn’t work out for me, and they didn’t give me the ability<br />
to exercise my creativity,” she says. That’s when fate intervened.<br />
Jessica had always been sucker for beautifully scented candles, and she had<br />
built quite a collection of store bought candles. When she was about to<br />
order more, her fiancé said, “Why don’t we start a business making them?”<br />
Within a week they had ordered<br />
their first batch of supplies<br />
to start testing.<br />
Jessica knew that she wanted<br />
to set herself apart from other<br />
candle makers and create<br />
something more natural. She<br />
used organic products for<br />
her children and as a natural<br />
minded mama, wanted similar<br />
products for her candle<br />
customers . That’s when she<br />
decided to produce 100% soy<br />
based candles.<br />
SCENTS OF THE NORTHWEST<br />
And that’s also when she decided to<br />
create candles that evoke the scents<br />
of the Pacific Northwest where she<br />
was raised. So began her business,<br />
Scents of the Northwest.<br />
Jessica’s candles represent popular<br />
cities, landmarks, and events around<br />
the Pacific Northwest. She meticulously<br />
chooses phthalate-free scents<br />
that best represent the name of the<br />
particular candle. With scents like<br />
Frosty Crater Lake, Hillsboro Bakery<br />
and Washington Rain, Jessica’s<br />
candles bring back memories of<br />
family and friends. Jessica knows<br />
the importance of maintaining a<br />
high quality product.<br />
“I want my customers to get a great quality candle that’s as close to natural<br />
as possible when using fragrance. They’re going to get what they pay<br />
for and nothing less.” says Jessica. She listens closely to her customers and<br />
their requests for custom scents. If she doesn’t have them at the time, she’ll<br />
launch the new scent when the time is right.<br />
Scents of the Northwest is based out of Port Orchard, Washington. Customers<br />
can find these beautiful candles in local stores and markets across<br />
the Kitsap peninsula. Upcoming events for Scents of the Northwest include<br />
Winterfest in Gig Harbor, <strong>Home</strong>town Holiday Benefit in Port Orchard, and<br />
a few others right before Christmas. Be sure to check their Facebook and<br />
Instagram accounts for specifics of these and other upcoming events.
Indoors or out, large or small,<br />
we love Christmas trees! We<br />
scrolled through some gorgeous<br />
Instagram accounts and found<br />
these festive trees!<br />
Oh Christmas Tree<br />
Photo Courtesy of Cherry Nelson<br />
Cherrys Jubilee <strong>Home</strong>
Photo Courtesy of Casey Helton<br />
The Chippy Farmhouse<br />
Photo Courtesy of Tammy Groethe<br />
Our Burlap Bungalow
Photo Courtesy of Stacey Rosetti<br />
Farmhouse Chic 4 Sure
Photo Courtesy of Nan Lindesmith<br />
Nan Lindy
Photo Courtesy of Naella McLaughlin<br />
The Country Barn<br />
Photo courtesy of Jenny Caspers<br />
A Clean Prism Life
Photo Courtesy of Monique<br />
The Thankful Farmhouse
Bring the joy of Christmas to your home<br />
with this set from Artworks by Rufino..<br />
This will look gorgeous on your mantel!<br />
Hurry! This is one of a kind!<br />
Place this wreath from House Fancy Crafts<br />
on your door and your guests will receive a<br />
sweet welcome into your home. The wreath<br />
is adorned with evergreen boughs, berries,<br />
and a Merry Christmas sign.<br />
Holiday<br />
Cards Decor<br />
&<br />
This elegant Christmas shadow box from<br />
Created Just 4 U is sure to enhance your holiday<br />
decorating! It will look equally stunning<br />
whether hung on the wall, sitting on a shelf,<br />
mantel or side table. The rich red and gold<br />
metallic color scheme showcases the beautiful<br />
die cut frame and candle design.
This darling customized downloadable<br />
Christmas sign is perfect for your holiday<br />
photo shoot! Get yours today from<br />
Bash Paper Boutique!<br />
The cutest little Christmas cactus adds<br />
just the right touch to your holiday<br />
decorating! This original drawing from<br />
Lumisa Design has been printed on a<br />
pillow just for you!<br />
<strong>Your</strong> Christmas ornaments are Dunn! Add<br />
some farmhouse charm to your tree with these<br />
darling baubles from Sweet Creations by Lee.<br />
This farmhouse wood sign made by<br />
Northern Rustic Retreat is a perfect<br />
addition to your farmhouse Christmas<br />
decor. Display it in your living room to<br />
add a warm welcome for all who enter.<br />
Buffalo plaid is trending and this<br />
adorable sign from Sweet Baboo Fam<br />
adds a splash of Christmas red to your<br />
holiday decor. Comes in three sizes to<br />
fit every space.<br />
<strong>Your</strong> home will smell like Christmas with<br />
this festive candy cane candle from Sweet<br />
Sarah’s Candle Co. Makes a lovely hostess<br />
gift for that Christmas party coming up!
For many of us who have lost a<br />
loved one, the holidays are the hardest.<br />
Have that special place on the<br />
tree for that person you never want<br />
to forget. Available from Charming<br />
Chace<br />
This handpainted sign from Hey<br />
Sweetly Designed adds a colorful<br />
touch to any room! It is made from<br />
solid wood, so it will last for years of<br />
holiday decorating.<br />
These 10 vintage Christmas light reflectors/covers<br />
from the 1960’s are exactly<br />
what you need for your retro tree. From<br />
Bohemian Ginger Kitsch.<br />
Wrap those presents in style with<br />
these personalized Santa sacks<br />
from Georgia Yankee Designs!<br />
This unique farmhouse serving tray<br />
has a chalkboard insert for reminders<br />
or sweet messages. Available from<br />
Rustic Reflections.
If you and your family love to count<br />
down the days until Christmas, this<br />
sign from White Crayon Creations<br />
is a perfect addition to your holiday<br />
decor.<br />
This funny christmas poster from<br />
Emilie Gets Crafty is 100% handmade<br />
and has a unique red watercolor background.<br />
It’s the perfect gift for a wine<br />
enthusiast!<br />
This darling handpainted Christmas<br />
card from Button Farm Designs will<br />
definitely put a smile on the recipient’s<br />
face. That cute little mouse is<br />
everything!<br />
Adorn your wall or door with this<br />
lovely candle wreath from Majestic<br />
Silk Flowers. Created with a white<br />
glittered poinsettia and white pine<br />
cones, this beautiful wreath casts a<br />
warm glow to the holiday season.<br />
A Christmas Advent Calendar from<br />
La Design Boutique is the perfect<br />
way to get ready for Christmas and<br />
get in the spirit. And the best part<br />
is that it is a printable so you get it<br />
immediately!
This amazing full color print of a train<br />
in the snow would look gorgeous in any<br />
room! Exclusively from Ed Warick Fine<br />
Art.<br />
The theme of this beautiful seasonal<br />
wreath is centered around the stunning<br />
gold sleigh brooch that is loaded<br />
with gifts from Santa! Available from<br />
Unique Jewelry Decor.<br />
A set of 10 different DIY Christmas Tags<br />
from Santa Claus is genius! You fill out your<br />
child’s name, whether they were naughty or<br />
nice and where the presents were delivered!<br />
Get yours from Mary’s Design House.<br />
Have your “selfie” a merry little<br />
Christmas with customized printable<br />
Christmas cards from Kreative<br />
Kreations.<br />
This sweet and simple little Hanukkah card<br />
is the perfect way to wish your friends and<br />
family the blessings of the holiday. Available<br />
from The Paper Pickle.<br />
Don’t forget that New Years is just around the<br />
corner! Get these gorgeous invitations from<br />
La Design Boutique.
Christmas<br />
Desserts<br />
Christmas baking is an age old tradition.<br />
We thought we would share some amazing<br />
Christmas desserts to wow your guests!<br />
Christmas Berry Pavlova<br />
Cake Recipe<br />
1. 4 eggs whites (at room temperature)<br />
2. Pinch of salt<br />
3. 1 cup castor sugar (baking sugar)<br />
4. 2 tsp of cornflour (sifted)<br />
5. 1 tsp white wine vinegar<br />
Raspberry Coulis<br />
1. 1 cup fresh raspberries<br />
2. Juice 1/2 lemon<br />
3. 1/4 cup castor sugar<br />
4. 1/2 tsp of brandy (optional)<br />
Topping<br />
1. 1 1/4 cups fresh cream – whipped<br />
2. 1 pomegranate<br />
3. Raspberries, cherries and strawberries to decorate<br />
4. Bunch of holly or fresh mint<br />
1. Preheat oven to 250°. Line a tray with baking paper. Use a round baking tin to draw one large<br />
circle (8 1/2”) then draw another circle inside it approximately 5” wide.<br />
2. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, a little at time until meringue is<br />
stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over sifted cornflour, vinegar and fold in lightly.<br />
You should be able to up end the bowl at this stage with no fear of anything coming out.<br />
3. Grab a dessert spoon and scoop a dollop of meringue. Place this dollop between the outside<br />
and inside line. Repeat until a ring of meringue is complete. Create a second layer of meringue<br />
on top of the first until second ring is complete. Flatten the top by smoothing the meringue.<br />
4. Place meringue in oven for 2 hours at 250°. When time is complete, turn off the oven and<br />
leave meringue in the oven until completely cool. This is very important as there will be less risk<br />
of the meringue cracking and collapsing.<br />
5. When cool, spread with whipped cream, drizzle on raspberry coulis then decorate with cherries,<br />
pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries and holly or mint.<br />
Submitted by Jodi Latham<br />
Raspberry Coulis<br />
1. Blend fresh raspberries, lemon juice and sugar together until sugar has completely dissolved.<br />
Set aside until required.<br />
(Adapted from Stephanie Alexanders master pavlova and coulis recipes)
Black Forest Cake<br />
Cake<br />
1 Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Cake Mix<br />
1 4oz pkg INSTANT chocolate pudding mix<br />
4 eggs<br />
1/2 cup oil<br />
1 1/4 cup water<br />
Add pudding mix to cake mix and stir together.<br />
Add rest of the ingredients.<br />
Mix as you would a regular cake. Pour into two 8“<br />
round cake pans. Bake as directed on cake package.<br />
This recipe for cake will produce a denser,<br />
and moister cake than regular cake mixes. It can<br />
be used anytime you make cakes.<br />
After cake is baked and cooled sprinkle with<br />
maraschino cherry juice if desired. Wrap in saran<br />
wrap, or foil, and freeze. Freezing helps add<br />
moisture to the cake. Freeze at least overnight or<br />
longer. Bring cake out at least an hour before you<br />
want to decorate it. Important: leave wrapping on<br />
the cake layers until it thaws. This will ensure that<br />
the moisture created when thawing will collect on<br />
the outside of the wrapper and not on the top of<br />
the cake layers, making them soggy.<br />
Submitted by Karen Smith<br />
Filling:<br />
1 jar Hersheys, Mrs. Richardsons, or other name<br />
brand hot chocolate fudge ice cream sauce.<br />
Spread jar of chocolate sauce over the first layer.<br />
Warm jar slightly in microwave to make it easier to<br />
spread. You should not need the entire jar. Top with<br />
second layer of cake.<br />
Topping ;<br />
1 can of Cherry Pie Filling<br />
Starting from center spoon cherries onto cake.<br />
Continue filling up top layer to 1/2 inch of edge.<br />
Put in as many cherries as you can fit in without<br />
them running off the cake. Try to use less of the gel<br />
and more of the cherries.<br />
Whipped Cream Icing:<br />
2- 1/2 pints heavy whipping cream<br />
powdered sugar (to taste)<br />
Whip heavy cream to soft peaks, add powdered<br />
sugar a spoon at a time until whipped cream is<br />
sweetened to your liking. Usually 1 to 2 tablespoons.<br />
Continue to beat until it is at a spreadable<br />
consistency.<br />
Frost sides of cake. Using a large star tip pipe rosettes<br />
around top of cake and base. Refrigerate<br />
until time to serve. Whipped cream sweetened with<br />
powdered sugar will remain stable for several days.
Blackberry Champagne<br />
French Macarons<br />
Submitted by Shelby Farage<br />
This is the simplest most versatile recipe<br />
for one of the most complicated desserts<br />
3 large egg whites<br />
2 cups powdered sugar<br />
1 cup dry almond flour<br />
1/4 cup granulated sugar<br />
and about 1/2 tsp cream of tartar<br />
Take eggs out of the fridge a few hours prior to baking.<br />
They must be at room temperature. Separate the whites<br />
from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with a hand mixer on<br />
low until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and food coloring<br />
(optional). Do not use liquid food coloring. Only use<br />
gel food coloring. Continue beating the eggs, gradually<br />
increasing the speed, adding the granulated sugar 1/3 at<br />
a time. Beat until stiff peaks form. Sift together the powdered<br />
sugar and almond flour until well combined. Make<br />
sure there aren’t any lumps. Slowly add dry ingredients<br />
to the egg whites and fold together. Keep mixing until batter becomes like thick cake batter. The goal is to<br />
remove air from the mixture. It should ribbon off of the spatula. Let them rest before you put them in the<br />
oven. Wait until they form a skin and you can lightly touch the tops without disrupting the cookie. Preheat<br />
oven to 375° but decrease heat to 325° immediately after putting macarons in oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes.<br />
Fill with any jam or frosting.
FAMILY<br />
Littles<br />
fashion illustrations, custom prints<br />
& original art<br />
Lifestyle
A darling headband that’s warm and cozy<br />
for cold winter days. Cute and stylish for<br />
Christmas also. From Janey Laughs.<br />
Eeeks! This personalized little<br />
monster is made just for you!<br />
From Renee’s Embroidery.<br />
Could this be any cuter?? This personalized<br />
newborn Santa set from<br />
Cute N Cuddly Outfits is the ultimate<br />
Christmas card outfit!<br />
It’s sleepover season! Send your littles<br />
to Grandma and Grandpa’s in style<br />
with this bag from Stitch Crafty 4 U!<br />
Wrap your baby or toddler’s feet feet in<br />
warm, soft, plush fleece lined with cozy cotton<br />
knit jersey. Multiple snap settings allow<br />
for a custom fit and flexibility for growing<br />
feet. The stay-on design keeps the booties<br />
on little feet. From Berry Bug Shop.<br />
No Christmas baby shower is complete<br />
without a gift from Tosh Creations!<br />
This bouquet is made with<br />
adorable, quality baby clothes, each<br />
clothing item can be unrolled for<br />
baby to wear.<br />
‘Tis the season to sparkle! Dress<br />
up your little in this adorable baby<br />
bodysuit that gets all the heart eyes!<br />
From Madeline and Me.<br />
Christmas is a time for family fun!<br />
Why not keep your board game<br />
pieces organized in this dice bag<br />
from Geek Crafts Boutique.
Need to find that<br />
special gift for your<br />
mom, wife, sister,<br />
or friend?<br />
luxefibres.etsy.com<br />
Hand knit luxurious scarves<br />
that are sure to be treasured<br />
The Perfect<br />
Christmas<br />
because we all deserve a little luxury….<br />
A story by Allison Yeager
It was Christmas Eve, and the snow fell heavily outside, coating everything<br />
with a thick blanket of powdery, frozen fluff. The big, beautiful snowflakes<br />
were creating a scene straight out of a Thomas Kinkade painting, I swear. A<br />
fire burned within the fireplace, crackling fiercely, as if fighting to stave off<br />
the entirety of winter by itself. The smell of our Christmas dinner wafted<br />
through the house, though the smell of freshly baked cookies was slowly<br />
taking over.<br />
I snuggled on the couch next to my husband, Michael, smiling to myself<br />
as our girls, Macy and Teagan, raced about, laughing and shrieking, more<br />
than ready for Santa to come visit. We listened to them eagerly chattering<br />
about what they thought they would wake up to the next morning, and argued<br />
about who would get the most gifts, or the best gifts, or who could<br />
open all the presents the fastest.<br />
In an attempt to avoid too much drama or a major meltdown before the<br />
night was over, we somehow managed to wrangle the girls into the living<br />
room. We played a variety of board games, watched one of the classic<br />
Christmas movies – you know the one, where no Christmas is complete<br />
until it’s been seen at least once during the season. We played some charades<br />
and watched the NORAD Santa Tracker to help wile away the hours.<br />
Finally, as the night wore on, I managed to convince<br />
the kids that it was time for bed.<br />
“You know Santa won’t come if you're still up, right?”<br />
They put out the cookies and milk with the utmost<br />
care. I shook my head in amusement as they wondered<br />
aloud if the reindeer ever joined in the feasting, and<br />
how it was possible for Santa to eat that many cookies<br />
in one night. My husband responded with some terrible<br />
dad joke, and I just rolled my eyes as he raced them<br />
up the stairs.<br />
Once the kids were all tucked in, and I no longer heard the giggles and the<br />
pitter-patter of tiny feet running up and down the hall, I went to check on<br />
them. Once I was sure – absolutely positive – that they were asleep, it was<br />
time for Michael and I to work our magic.<br />
Doing my best to be careful and quiet at the same time, I visited all of<br />
my fantastic gift-hiding spots as Michael cleared a place for us to wrap<br />
presents. I pulled out hidden gifts from above the closet, in the attic, in<br />
the dresser, under the bed, and found a few things hidden in some boxes<br />
marked “old books.”<br />
I resisted the urge to cry out as one of the boxes I had so carefully stashed<br />
high up in the closet came crashing down on my head. Maybe I should<br />
have gotten a step-ladder to help me reach it, or asked for help, but it was a<br />
little late for that!<br />
I’m pretty sure the entire neighborhood heard the crash, but I stood there,<br />
with my face in a frozen wince (as if that was going to prevent anyone from<br />
having heard the package fall in the first place), and waited for the dreaded<br />
sound of waking little ones. Finally, when no sound or movement was<br />
heard, I breathed a sigh of relief.<br />
Carrying the various gifts I’d pulled out, the small calamities continued.<br />
I stepped on a LEGO that was left haphazardly on the floor and hopped<br />
around on one foot, biting back a cry of pain. Then, as if that was not<br />
enough, I stumbled into the table I had forgotten was right behind me.<br />
Michael just sat there and laughed hysterically as I jumped around like a<br />
crazy person, trying so hard to stay quiet to avoid waking up the kids.<br />
Oh, the lengths I would go to make Christmas morning perfect for the kids<br />
--full of magic, just like I remember my Christmas mornings.
We wrapped every present carefully, perfectly, making sure each one<br />
looked like a present wrapped personally by Santa. After all, wouldn’t<br />
the kids expect Santa to be an expert present wrapper? Every edge of<br />
the wrapped boxes was sharp and crisp, every bow placed just so, every<br />
“From: Santa” tag looking anything but like my own handwriting. We<br />
made sure to use wrapping paper that looked different than any of the<br />
paper we used for the already wrapped presents tucked under the tree--<br />
special paper that was hidden deep in my favorite gift-hiding locations,<br />
far away from prying eyes.<br />
Michael and I managed to carry all the wrapped gifts to the tree without<br />
further incident, having told that LEGO exactly what I thought about it<br />
(in no uncertain terms, and definitely not for the kids’ ears!). I moved the<br />
offending toy out of my way before carrying boxes this time, and neatly<br />
stacked the gifts under the tree and in front of the gifts the kids had already<br />
seen and been speculating about for the last several weeks. I spent<br />
a few extra moments to make sure the presents were all situated perfectly<br />
under the tree. It just wouldn’t do for anything to be out of place, for anything<br />
to ruin the magic that was only a few short hours away.<br />
The kids came running in at, oh, 4, 5, 6am, laughing and yelling and jumping<br />
on our bed as they entered, and it was impossible to be mad at them. I<br />
gave them big ol’ bear hugs, holding them close and laughing at their joy<br />
and excitement. I remembered to treasure that moment, brief and fleeting<br />
though it was. They would never be this small again, and I needed to bask<br />
in their innocence and youthful energy.<br />
We headed downstairs to our Christmas tree, and Michael and I watched<br />
with delight as the kids read out the names written on the gifts and sorted<br />
them into piles. Once the presents were passed out to their correct recipients,<br />
the wrapping paper flew into the air, torn in the rush to see what was<br />
treasures lay inside. As I sat there quietly, watching the girls and sipping on<br />
a steaming cup of hot cocoa, I realized that it was all worth it -- scrimping<br />
and saving; cooking the kids’ favorite dinner even though I hate it and it<br />
takes forever to cook; playing a board game the night before that I absolutely<br />
cannot stand; fighting the Black Friday crowds and finding the very<br />
last of that popular, hard to find toy they wanted; and yes, even stepping on<br />
the LEGO and nursing of my bruised and swollen foot.<br />
I crawled into bed beside Michael and grinned in happy exhaustion. Macy<br />
and Teagan had been bouncing off the walls for days in anticipation, but<br />
what they didn’t realize is how excited I was about tomorrow morning…<br />
or was it today? It was so very hard to sleep with the suspense, and I ended<br />
up staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, instead of getting any rest.
It felt like it was only yesterday that I was just like my kids-- excited and enthralled<br />
by the magic of the day. . And really, I still am – just for a different<br />
reason. Now, my excitement and joy comes from doing for them. Everything<br />
we did for this holiday was done with the sole intent of making them<br />
happy, and seeing them happy is the best feeling in the world. We spent the<br />
last few months planning and organizing to give them a wonderful Christmas<br />
like those our parents once gave us. We worked so hard to make sure<br />
they got their heart’s desire. And, even though they don’t know how much<br />
effort we put into this, we saw the happiness and joy on their faces. And<br />
that, in turn, gave us joy.<br />
And you know what? It was perfect.<br />
Allison Yeager is a storyteller, travel writer, and professional photographer. You can follow her<br />
adventures on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @bitofadventure, or on the web at<br />
www.bitofadventure.com.
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