Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

In the winter my kids love hot chocolate and popcorn together as an after school snack.  It's how they unwind and I get a chance to find out what happened in school.

I cherish quality time with my children and I try to make ordinary days special.

I decided to ditch the instant kind we usually buy from the store for homemade peppermint white hot chocolate.

They love the surprise of an unexpected treat!  It's super rich, warm and creamy.  Crushed candy canes add in a flavorful holiday twist.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients

3 cups milk 
1 cup evaporated milk

 3 (1 ounce) squares, Premium White Chocolate, chopped

 5 peppermint candy canes, crushed
pinch of salt

Directions 

In a saucepan, combine milk and heat until hot, but not boiling. Stir in salt and white chocolate, then crushed peppermint candy canes until melted and smooth.  Pour mixture into mugs.  Recipe yields: 4, 1 cup servings.


*I'm sure everyone will be super busy next week so I'm going to sign off early for the holidays.  My daughter and I are flying out Christmas morning for a mother/daughter trip.  We'll be back just in time to ring in the New Year with my husband and son.  Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year!  Thank you for being so kind and supportive.  I'm very appreciative to be able to share with you! 


I am linking this post to:
The SITS Girls

Christmas Door Basket

I decided to keep my holiday decorations clean and simple.  I usually hang a seasonal wreath on my front door.  This year I wanted to do something different.

My inspiration came from a basket I was using in the laundry room to store clean rags and a quick trip to Home Depot.  As I was leaving the garden center I noticed a large bin filled with Christmas tree trimmings.  I asked and the store associate told me, "that's what they're there for" and to take as many as I wanted.  So I filled up my shopping cart and headed home with a project in mind!

I simply arranged the clippings in the basket along with a few pine cones and berries from a bush in our backyard.  I topped it off with a pretty bow.

It hangs perfectly with an over-the-door wreath hanger.

I love decorating with things you can find in your yard.

The basket is lined with plastic, so I filled it with a little water to keep the greenery looking fresh.

Such a nice way to welcome guests into our home.

Super simple and best of all it didn't cost me a penny!

I also wanted to share my Christmas entryway.

I created a different look for my bouquet with more berries and greenery.

To keep my roses looking beautiful, I just peeled away the wilted petals.

An evergreen scented candle smells like Christmas every time we walk in the door.

I love the cluster of tiny red berries with the white roses.

Such a simple way to add a holiday touch to your home. 



I am linking this post to:
The SITS Girls
Kelly's Korner

Mandarin Orange Butter

My ultimate comfort food is warm bread with softened butter.  It's so addicting.  I could eat it for days and not tire of it.

I like to experiment in my kitchen by making my own flavored butter.

Simple flavor combinations make bread extra special.

Orange butter is one of my favorites.

It smells amazing and the oils in the zest add a subtle citrus flavor.

You'll never want to go back to plain ole butter again after having orange butter slathered on your bread.

Ingredients

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Juice from 1/2 mandarin orange

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Using an electric mixer combine all ingredients.  Serve at room temperature on warm rolls, toast, muffins, corn bread etc.



I am linking this post to:
The Sunday Showcase
Between Naps On The Porch

Holiday Bar Cart Featuring Flowers From The Bouqs

We enjoy entertaining at home, small get togethers with our friends and family are always fun.

Today I'm sharing how I styled my bar cart for the upcoming holidays.

I like to keep things simple with a few bar cart essentials.

Glasses with cute straws and swizzle sticks from Etsy are a fun way to stir drinks.  A wine chiller keeps bottles cool.

My favorite candles and napkins hanging on the side will come in handy for the accidental spill.

 I have the Threshold cart from Target.  I also purchased these faux agate coasters and gave them a makeover with metallic gold craft paint.

Before-

During- first coat of paint

After!

To complete the look I added fresh flowers.

I was recently contacted by The Bouqs, an online flower source with awesome South American flowers picked from the side of an active volcano.
  

I was very excited when they asked if they could send me flowers to review.

The bouquets are beautiful and arrived fresh and carefully packaged.

A simple vase of fresh flowers makes such a big statement.

Cocktail recipe can be found here.

Metallic gold and silver add a bit of glam.

My bar cart is now ready for holiday entertaining!

*Thank you to The Bouqs for providing me with the beautiful bouquets.  All opinions expressed in this post are my own!

I am linking this post to:
The SITS Girls
Between Naps On The Porch

Felt Leaf Garland

I love creating with felt.  It's easy to work with and is available in so many gorgeous colors.  There are so many projects that can be made with felt.  In the past, I've shared a few pillow projects here on the blog.

Today I want to share with you a really simple felt project you can make for Christmas or any time of the year.  With so much inspiration, I decided to create my own felt leaf garland.

Here's what I did!  I started by purchasing felt online from Etsy.  Once my leaf template was selected, I traced and cut about 72 leaves.

Not all at once though!  I cut them over time.  Music helps!  A cutting machine would be quicker.

Then starting from the bottom I attached the leaves with hot glue to a long piece of scrap fabric.

Once it was complete, I thought it would be fun to hang it in an open doorway in my dining room.

I used a few push pins to keep it in place.

I added mini globe lights and ribbon bows to make it really festive.

I love the way the garland cascades down to the floor.

I'm tempted to leave it up all year!

I am linking this post to:
Kelly's Korner

Thrifty Decor Chick
The SITS Girls