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January 14, 2012

Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.

i-have-a-dream.jpgToday, Sheri offers ideas for celebrating and learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. at home (and if you're looking to get out of the house, there are several MLK activities included here):

Monday, January 16, is a holiday for our school-aged children. It's important for kids to understand why they have the day off and why we celebrate the birthday of one of America's most influential people. Kids can learn the history behind the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the event surrounding a man who changed history through a variety of activities that can be fun, inspiring, creative, and educational. Below is a sampling of ideas; if you have others, feel free to share in the comments!

Continue reading "Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr." »

January 13, 2012

12 Fun Long Weekend Picks

franklin-park-zoo.jpgHappy Friday! I hope you're looking forward to a lovely long weekend. Here are 12 picks that caught my eye. And stay tuned -- this weekend I'll post some ideas for fun, creative, and educational ways to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at home.

1. Dance, arts, crafts, and critters to celebrate Chinese New Year. (Dorchester)

2. A family friendly show at Club Passim. (Cambridge)

Continue reading "12 Fun Long Weekend Picks" »

December 19, 2011

Weekly Blueprint

edaville.jpgHello folks! I'm currently digging out after a few days away on a press trip (more to come on that front in the next week or two) and hope you had a spectacular weekend! Meanwhile, here are some handy/fun ideas to consider in this week's Weekly Blueprint:

Now through January 1: Christmas Festival of Lights at Edaville.

December 20: Hanukkah party at Inside Playground.

Continue reading "Weekly Blueprint" »

December 15, 2011

13 Fun Weekend Picks

urban-nutcracker.jpgHello everyone! I'm soon to depart for a press trip to explore a (potentially) family friendly travel destination (hopefully I'll have excellent things to share with you in the next week or so!) so I wanted to leave you with this roundup of 13 fun weekend picks to consider:

1. Urban Nutcracker at the Wheelock Family Theatre. (Boston)

2. The opening of the Charles Hotel skating rink. (Cambridge)

Continue reading "13 Fun Weekend Picks" »

December 7, 2011

Giveaway Goodness: Minted

minted-thumb.jpgEvery holiday season since becoming a designer, I feel guilty when the holiday cards start rolling in because I'm too busy with design work to tend to my own cards. One year I embraced this reality and sent out cards in March; otherwise, I don't get around to it. However, this year, thanks to a kind offer from the folks at Minted (where I have had some designs represented), I actually will send out holiday cards this month! Read on to check out my thoughts on Minted's holiday cards, as well as to learn how to win a $150 gift certificate to Minted!

Continue reading "Giveaway Goodness: Minted" »

December 4, 2011

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

rockettes.jpgIf the number of hours I used to spend polishing musical theatre dance numbers and color guard routines is an indication, I clearly have a thing for organized spectacle. And it arguably doesn't get more organized or spectacular than a blinged out kick line. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes recently debuted their new show in Boston and runs through December 28. And how cool is this? The kind folks at Citi Performing Arts Center offered me a 4-pack of Christmas Spectacular tickets to share with one of you awesome readers. Here's how to enter to win:

Continue reading "Radio City Christmas Spectacular" »

December 1, 2011

Cruising with Santa

santa-cruise.jpgI can hardly believe I'm writing this, but Happy December everyone! There's so much great stuff on tap home and work-wise this month; I hope you're finding the same! Meanwhile, if you're looking for a Santa adventure that extends beyond the local mall, the kind folks at Spirit of Boston offered me a 4-pack of Santa Lunch Cruise tickets to share with one of you lucky readers. Setting sail Saturday, December 10, enjoy lunch, entertainment, goodie bags, cookie decorating, and photos with Santa against the lovely backdrop of the Boston Harbor. Fun, no? Here's how to enter to win:

Continue reading "Cruising with Santa" »

October 31, 2011

Weekly Blueprint

landsend-boys.jpgPer my previous post, welcome to this new series, in which I'll share everything from events to bargain alerts to other ideas and tips that spring to mind as useful and/or fun for the week. After considerable mulling, I decided to call the series Weekly Blueprint, because I think the name conveys a creative presentation of ideas and plans that are, ultimately, posed for your consideration (vs. including the term "to do," which suggests that I think you must do whatever it is I'm suggesting!). Enjoy, and please do drop me a line if you have suggestions for a future Weekly Blueprint!

Continue reading "Weekly Blueprint" »

February 11, 2011

Rabbit & Other Winter Festivals

PEM-lunar-new-year.jpgHooray for rabbits! And you can celebrate them in fine fashion this weekend at the Year of the Hare Lion Dance Parade in Chinatown, 23rd Annual Lunar New Year Festival in Quincy, and Peabody Essex Museum Lunar New Year Festival in Salem. And for those looking for winter adventures a little further west, bundle up and check out the Amherst Winterfest.

Image credit: Peabody Essex Museum

December 18, 2010

Holiday Happiness & Raising Charitable Kids

life-style-episode-7.jpgSo fitting for the holiday season, this week's episode of Life.Style was a wonderfully reflective one. Definitely check out the episode if you didn't see it live on Thursday. I chatted about happiness during the holidays with Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project, and about raising charitable children with Carrie Lundell of This Mama Makes Stuff. Check out the episode for full commentary and inspiration, but for easy reference, below are the links I shared during the interviews.

Continue reading "Holiday Happiness & Raising Charitable Kids" »

December 11, 2010

Fabulous Photo Gifts, Art, & Gear

life-style-episode-6.jpgWow, I learned so much via my amazing guests on episode 6 of Life.Style; definitely check out the episode if you didn't see it live on Thursday! Kristen Chase of Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech shared a great round up of unique photo gift ideas, Casey Mullins of Moosh in Indy recommended resources for turning your photos into artful décor, and Tracey Clark of Shutter Sisters shared photography gear recommendations. Check out the segment to see full commentary and inspiration, but as promised, for easy reference below, I link up the leads shared by my guests. Enjoy!

Continue reading "Fabulous Photo Gifts, Art, & Gear" »

December 8, 2010

Pretty Paper Garlands & Ornaments

paper-garland-1.JPGLast week on Life.Style, as I discussed inspiration points for easy and inexpensive gift wrap, I shared a link with photos of lovely recycled paper garlands. I decided to craft these garlands the other night and it was so easy (3 steps!) and they came out beautifully; I love that you don't have to be too precise with the measurements and they still look so geometric and festive. My friend Christie asked for the how-to since a tutorial isn't available at the original inspiration link. Here's how to make them:

Continue reading "Pretty Paper Garlands & Ornaments" »

December 4, 2010

Easy Crafts, Beauty, & Gift Wrap

life-style-episode-5.jpgIf you didn't have a chance to watch episode 5 of Life.Style live on Thursday, I highly recommend you check it out! It was a fantastic eco and budget friendly episode, in which Marie LeBaron of Make and Takes shared ideas for turning trash into craft treasure as well as nature inspired projects, and Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant offered awesome how-to's on home beauty remedies using five ingredients or less. I also shared some terrific video submissions showcasing clever ideas for inexpensive gift wrapping, as well as a few of my own inspiration points. Check out the segment to see additional images, video, and inspiration, but as promised, for easy reference below I link up leads shared by me and my guests. Enjoy!

Continue reading "Easy Crafts, Beauty, & Gift Wrap" »

November 24, 2010

Fabulous Tips From Nate Berkus

nate-berkus.jpgLast week I had the pleasure of being in on a joint blogger interview with the talented (and adorable) Nate Berkus. I met Nate in NYC this past summer and he is gracious, down to earth, and truly inspiring in his passions. Nate is doing a series of "Nate's Crate" shows (through which he delivers surprises) that I want to check out, and it was fun to glean some of his wisdom last week -- we covered everything from simple holiday solutions to affordable décor ideas to paying it forward. I'm now super inspired as Jon and I march forward on some interior design plans (both because of the baby and because it's simply taken us a long time to get around to settling since moving into our home over two years ago). Here were some of my favorite tips/takeaways from the interview:

Continue reading "Fabulous Tips From Nate Berkus" »

February 20, 2010

Chinatown Delights

chinatown-parade.jpgLove a good parade? Tomorrow you can enjoy the Year of the Tiger festivities at the Chinatown Chinese New Year Lion Dance Festival. The party kicks off at 10am in Phillips Square and is open to the public. I also asked Evadne for ideas for tasty spots to warm up and snack during the festivities. She recommends: New Jumbo Seafood, Gourmet Dumpling House, and Eldo Cake House (for baked treats).

Continue reading "Chinatown Delights" »

January 15, 2010

Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Boston

old-sturbridge-village.jpgOn Monday, enjoy family friendly activities in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the: Boston Children’s Museum, Discovery Museums in Acton, Children’s Museum in Easton, and Old Sturbridge Village. Also, the Boston Children’s Chorus will perform a tribute concert at Jordan Hall, and the Museum of Fine Arts is offering free general admission.

December 29, 2009

Family Friendly New Year’s Eve

first-night-fireworks.jpgNew Year’s celebrations take on a different flavor with kids, and we’re fortunate to have a number of family friendly celebrations in the works in and around Boston. Consider these city celebrations -- First Night Boston, First Night Worcester, Beverly’s New Year, and New Year's Needham -- as well as the family New Year’s parties at the Children's Museum in Easton and Children's Museum of New Hampshire.

Image credit: Susan Cole Kelley/First Night Boston

December 22, 2009

Simplifying Gift Wrapping

solid-wrapping-paper.jpgToday, Heather shares a fabulous idea that simplifies gift wrapping and makes the holidays accessible for pre-readers:

“I love Christmas and all that comes with it: the music, decorating, baking, shopping, and -- my favorite part -- watching the excitement and anticipation of my four children. The one thing I do not love is gift wrapping, possibly because I come from a family where gift wrapping is considered an art form. The busier my life gets, the more stressful I find this task. Though I love the look of artfully wrapped gifts, my practical side always wonders if it is worth spending so much time on gift wrap that will be ripped off in a few seconds.

Continue reading "Simplifying Gift Wrapping" »

December 21, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Instant Holiday Mojo At Home

tealights.jpgI adore Gabrielle Blair; I first met her at the inaugural Disney mom bloggers mixer where we bonded over our shared passion for design, and I have since admired and enjoyed all of the artful ideas and stories she shares via her blog Design Mom, as well as the social media smartness that stems from her work as a co-founder of Kirtsy. Gabrielle projects such grace and generosity and kindness and creativity. And for the fifteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to share Gabrielle’s three super fast, surefire ways to create instant holiday mojo at home.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Instant Holiday Mojo At Home" »

December 18, 2009

Minimalist & Mindful Holidays

the-nutcracker.jpgFor the last several years my less is more mantra has never rang truer than during the holidays, and this mantra has proven particularly practical since becoming a parent. My Simplifying the Holidays guest bloggers have shared so many fantastic ideas; now here's what my family and I do during the holiday season to keep “random stuff creep” to a minimum and encourage creativity and mindfulness in giving within our family and community. Also excellent, many of these ideas can involve your kids -- this is great for bonding and saves you from spending precious alone time on errands and holiday preparation.

Continue reading "Minimalist & Mindful Holidays" »

Simplifying The Holidays: Nothing and Everything

the-gift-of-nothing.jpgStephanie Precourt projects remarkable light, positivity, and gratitude; qualities -- along with her lovely writing style and beautiful photography -- that make her blog Adventures in Babywearing so wonderful to visit (even for those of us who are beyond babywearing). I first met Stephanie at the inaugural Disney mom bloggers mixer, during which time she was pregnant with her daughter Ivy; since then, it’s been a joy to be connected with this kind and thoughtful friend. For the fourteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, enjoy Stephanie’s reflections on the nothing and everything of the holidays.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Nothing and Everything" »

December 17, 2009

Best Gingerbread People Ever

gingerbread-men.jpgThere was a lot of holiday cookie talk on Twitter yesterday, which reminded me that I wanted to share a fantastic recipe for gingerbread people (we're equal opportunity bakers around here). Derived from my trustworthy Baking Illustrated, what I love about these cookies is that they aren’t rock hard crunchy -- testing your dental strength and spraying crumbs all over your shirt with each bite. These cookies are a touch crispy around the edges but chewy throughout, and the sweetness level (not overly sweet) is just right. Laurel and I made these cookies for a holiday party last weekend and people went crazy over them.

Continue reading "Best Gingerbread People Ever" »

December 16, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Last Minute Holiday Shopping Tips

deshawn-marie-soaps.jpgMy respect, admiration, and affection for Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase of Cool Mom Picks is multidimensional. I met them for the first time in real life at BlogHer Chicago in July, but I have “e-known” them since the early CMP days, followed their hilarious personal blogs (Mom-101 and Motherhood Uncensored, respectively), and interfaced with Kristen through Parent Bloggers Network and also via Kristen motivating me to become one of the original wave of Shredheads. Liz and Kristen are such talented, generous, and funny women, and for the thirteenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to share their savvy shopping tips to help you survive the last minute holiday shopping crunch.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Last Minute Holiday Shopping Tips" »

December 14, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Working Mom Tips

snowman-light.jpgI feel as if I've known Kristin Brandt and Erin Kane of Manic Mommies forever; in reality, I’ve known Kristin since college (well, that kind of feels like forever ago…) and Erin since the Disney mom bloggers mixer. They both are smart, hilarious, and impressive in their juggling of work and home; whenever we meet up there's a lot of laughter and also serious parsing of all things social media and family life. For the twelfth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, I’m thrilled to welcome Kristin; read on to learn about the important lesson she learned from her mom, plus a series of holiday tips that have served Kristin well as a full-time working mom.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Working Mom Tips" »

December 11, 2009

More Crafty Awesomeness

made-in-lowell.jpgPursuant to last week’s local and indie awesomeness post, if you want to shop local and support artists and crafters this weekend, there will be plenty of crafty awesomeness to be had at the SoWa Holiday Market in the South End, CraftBoston at the Cyclorama, and the Cambridge Center for Adult Education Holly Fair in Harvard Square. Enjoy!

Image credit: Made in Lowell, showing at SoWa Holiday Market

December 9, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Easy & Fabulous Photography Tips

photographer.JPGI met Amie Adams of Mamma Loves… at the Brand About Town inaugural advisory board retreat in October, during which time I was struck not only by Amie's warmth, humor, and smarts, but by her photography skills. You could almost see the wheels turning when something would attract her eye and she’d pause briefly, capture the perfect image, then resume conversation. It seemed natural and effortless; clearly a part of her creative flow. So I’m thrilled that today, for the tenth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Amie shares easy and fabulous tips for capturing gorgeous photos this holiday season.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Easy & Fabulous Photography Tips" »

December 8, 2009

Here's to the Holidays

holly.JPGToday, parent educator Hetti Wohlgemuth of Alphabet Soup 4 Parents shares tips for bringing back your holiday mojo:

“Many of us have a love/hate relationship with the holidays. For example, I love spending time with my family, playing board games and cards fireside, finding a special gift for each of my girls, attending Christmas Eve services, winter walks, and more. Then there’s the stuff I hate: the excess, the stress, and sometimes my memories of Christmases past. Here are some classic holiday related struggles and how to cope with them.

Continue reading "Here's to the Holidays" »

December 7, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Wicked Easy Makeup

bobbi-brown-concealer.jpgOne of the great things about BlogHer Boston was that it gave me the opportunity to emerge out of my blogging cave and meet fabulous local bloggers in real life. And one of those bloggers was Roxanna of Miguelina. Roxanna is a lovely person; smart, kind, and funny, and mysteriously, she always manages to look perfectly assembled despite tweets that might otherwise suggest she’s unraveling (to her credit, she’s allowed some unraveling…she just delivered her third son in October). Perhaps that’s why she’s so adept at blogging beauty. I’m thrilled that today, for the ninth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Roxanna shares a wicked easy makeup routine so you can spend less time fussing in the bathroom and more time enjoying time with family and friends.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Wicked Easy Makeup" »

December 4, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Holiday Hacks

christmas-branch.jpgFrom our very first e-mail -- back when I was just starting out and she was very much established already -- Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks has always amazed me with her warmth and openness. Asha is funny and smart and clever and I just adore her; I only regret that neither of our scheduled in real life event meet ups this year have worked out. The good news is that Asha is so effective at translating her warmth and smarts online, which is what makes Parent Hacks so great (and gives me my Asha fix in absentia). I’m thrilled that today, for the eighth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Asha shares her favorite holiday hacks; a useful mantra plus tips for maintaining your merry and bright this holiday season.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Holiday Hacks" »

Local and Indie Awesomeness

murdock-design.jpgThough we tend to go minimal and handmade for the holidays (column on this topic forthcoming), when we do buy gifts, we shop local and/or indie as much as possible. And oh how the local and indie awesomeness abounds in Boston! Worth checking out this weekend: the Boston Bazaar Bizarre (Sunday, December 6) at the Cyclorama, Boston Handmade’s retail gallery featuring 30+ local artisans and crafters at Downtown Crossing (open now through December 24), and the Harvard Square Holiday Fair (open now through December 23).

Image credit: locally operated Murdock Design (showing at the Boston Bazaar Bizarre on Sunday).

December 3, 2009

Fabulous Photo Bookmarks

photo-bookmarks.jpgAs a designer, I can’t help but adore the amazing craftiness at Craft. So what an honor it is to be featured on their site today. In my guest post, I share the how-to for creating the fabulous photo bookmarks that I first fashioned for my family a few Christmases ago and now create for clients. How can you not love a gift that's pretty and inspires reading? Only problem? Now my family knows what my holiday token is this year.

December 2, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Easy Holiday Crafts

make-and-takes-fruity-garland.jpgMarie LeBaron is a blog friend who I have yet to meet in real life, but we share a passion for crafting and food and I so admire all of the crafty awesomeness she shares on her site, Make and Takes. And though Marie and my friendship is relatively new, her enthusiasm encouraged me to sign up with her and ten other bloggers for what no doubt will be a (somewhat insane) major bonding experience: a 200-mile relay run come spring (gulp). I’m thrilled that today, for the seventh installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Marie shares easy yet engaging holiday crafts to enjoy with your kids.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Easy Holiday Crafts" »

December 1, 2009

Giveaway Goodness: Sterling Pear

sterling-pear-holiday-decor-set.jpgNow that December is here I’m ready to embrace the holidays, and over the years I’ve found that Christmas décor is actually really easy. Once the tree is up, a pretty tree skirt and some festive stockings go a long way in creating the mood. And if you love having these elements (and more) coordinated just so, consider Sterling Pear’s holiday décor starter set. Great to gift or to start your own traditions with, this simple yet richly embroidered and trimmed set includes two stockings, a tree skirt, and a table runner. And as part of the Giveaway Goodness series, Sterling Pear kindly is offering one lucky reader their holiday décor starter set! Simply check out the rules below and enter to win by midnight, December 4.

Continue reading "Giveaway Goodness: Sterling Pear" »

November 30, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Easy Accessorizing

jcrew-silk-bouquet-sash.jpgI met Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant this past summer at the T.J. Maxx/Marshalls event; she’s one of these people who exudes a lot of wonderfully happy mojo, whether it’s in person, through her blog posts, or via Twitter and Facebook. As a blogger, I particularly love Allison’s keen eye for style and her desire to offer ideas for a range of budgets. I’m subsequently thrilled that today, for the sixth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Allison shares simple guidelines and great ideas for easy accessorizing.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Easy Accessorizing" »

November 25, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Mindful Gifts

BBQ-spice-rub.JPGI first connected with Michelle Stern of What's Cooking two years ago, when she approached me about contributing to Boston Mamas. Though Michelle is based on the West Coast, I adore her hands on approach to cooking with kids and we walk the same green path; the geographical disparity quickly became an afterthought. It was such a pleasure to finally meet Michelle this summer, when we happened to film our segments for The Juice back to back. Just as lovely in person as she is over e-mail, though Michelle is a regular contributor to this site, given that she is one of my favorite eco-foodies, I wanted to feature her in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series. Today, Michelle shares a few simple yet meaningful ideas for mindful holidays gifts.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Mindful Gifts" »

November 24, 2009

Simplifying The Holidays: Giving

power-of-giving.jpgI first met the lovely Isabel Kallman of Alpha Mom at the inaugural Pampers mom blogger meeting in Cincinnati and have since adored being in her company at every turn (most notably while interviewing Salma Hayek, talking all things blogging, and while wearing paper bags on our heads). Isabel is a smart entrepreneur, a kind friend, and always is thinking towards personal improvement, community building, and outreach to those in need. Fittingly, for the fourth in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series – Isabel shares easy ideas for reconnecting with the spirit of the holidays through giving.

Continue reading "Simplifying The Holidays: Giving" »

November 17, 2009

Simplifying the Holidays: Rocks in a Jar

holiday-gift.JPGI adore Melissa Massello, not only because she’s super creative and fun (plus, we share bonds over figure skating, fashion, shredding, and all things writerly), but because I’ve seen her jump from traditional employment to fulfilling her dream of launching the online magazine Shoestring Magazine, which focuses on tips for achieving the good life for less. As the first in my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, today Melissa shares a strategy for prioritizing and planning holiday gifting that can result in major bargains, meaningful finds, and less stress.

Continue reading "Simplifying the Holidays: Rocks in a Jar" »

November 5, 2009

Indie Artists & Gingerbread Houses

boston-christmas-festival.jpgThough I still can’t stomach the concept of holiday in terms of retail displays in early November, I’m willing to make exceptions for the performing arts and independent artisans. And from November 6 – 8 you can access the wares of 300 fine artists at the Boston Christmas Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center. Also, given my obsession with gingerbread last year (and, admittedly, cake competitions on cable), the gingerbread house competition (of which this Fenway Park replica was a winner) seems particularly intriguing. Tickets are $12 for adults (discount available); kids under 14 are admitted free.

September 23, 2009

Smolak Bargains With BuyWithMe

smolak-farms.jpgIt takes a village…to get an awesome deal. And to score bargains in Boston and beyond, check out BuyWithMe. The concept is simple: BuyWithMe offers big discounts on local offerings (e.g., the $20 for $40 Diva Bistro voucher I purchased last night…woo hoo!), but the deal only flies if a minimum number of people sign up. Extra cool: BuyWithMe gave me an editorial heads up on today’s family friendly bargain with Smolak Farms in North Andover (which, incidentally, Laurel just visited for a school field trip), and are offering two lucky winners Smolak Farms vouchers (great for apple and pumpkin picking and many other goodies). Read on for the details:

Continue reading "Smolak Bargains With BuyWithMe" »

January 7, 2009

DIY With Love

dolls.JPGToday, Sharon offers inspiration and local recommendations for DIY crafting:

“I have always loathed the holidays for their sheer commercialism, and this year I spent a lot of time reflecting on giving, and how to infuse meaning into the gifts for the little ones in my life. Through the journey, I discovered a new side of myself and some really excellent local craft stores.

Continue reading "DIY With Love" »

December 17, 2008

10 Holiday Survival Tips

holidays.JPGIn theory, the holidays are supposed to be a time to celebrate and relax with family and friends, but I’m hard pressed to think of anyone who hasn’t mentioned holiday-related stress in some form, whether it’s due to shopping, holiday cards, or the prospect of dealing with family. Today, I’m offering 10 tips for reducing stress this holiday season, per a blog blast in conjunction with the Parent Bloggers Network and FFDA, a non-profit organization that offers support and assistance for folks who are feeling overwhelmed, both at the holidays and all year long. Please feel free to comment in if you have other tips to share!

Continue reading "10 Holiday Survival Tips" »

December 11, 2008

Christmas Celtic Sojourn

celticsojourn.jpgWhether you're already a fan of Brian O'Donovan's weekly Celtic Sojourn program, or wish to introduce the family to the Celtic arts, come tomorrow you can enjoy WGBH’s 6th annual A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan. Playing at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston from Dec. 12 - 21 (with additional shows in Worcester, 12/11, and Providence, 12/18), O’Donovan will host renowned performers such as Irish super group Solas, singers Cara Dillon and Sean Keane, dancers Kieran Jordan and Kevin Doyle, and many others, all of whom will bring to life Christmas music, dance, songs, and stories in the Celtic tradition.

Want to win a 4-pack of tickets to the Dec. 20., 3pm show in Boston? Simply email contests@bostonmamas.com with “Celtic” in the subject by noon tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 12.

January 10, 2007

Magic Salt

magicsalt.gif

Given the size of my immediate family, it was a huge relief when, a few years back, someone finally suggested that we stop the practice of exchanging sibling Christmas gifts. We now only bother with gifts for the little people (i.e., the kids and our petite little mom…), and it cuts the holiday chaos down quite a bit.

That said, I’m a bit of a traditionalist, and I still like the concept and festivity of small homemade holiday gifts of the party favor size. This year Laurel did the heavy lifting by painting up a storm (the results of which were set in small frames), and recently I was reminded of one of my favorite holiday, hostess, or foodie friend gifts when my sister-in-law requested my Magic Salt recipe from a couple of Christmases back. Modified from Sally Schneider’s Tuscan Herb Salt recipe (in A New Way to Cook), I dubbed this salt magical because it truly makes everything taste fantastic. It provides particularly wonderful seasoning for simple sautéed vegetables, or for meats of any kind.

January 8, 2007

Christmas Treecycling

treecycling.gif

Boston is replete with college students, and as such, whenever we put used furniture on the curb for removal, we often wager bets on how long it will take for items to disappear. I used to live near Tufts University and one day when I was hauling an old rug out on trash night, a couple of students actually snapped up the item before it even hit the ground. I love this mode of recycling, which collectively saves on college student expenses, sanitation crew back strain, and landfills.

Yesterday evening, community recycling appeared to take on a new level when we put out our Christmas tree and it was gone within an hour. There were tons of trees out yesterday but perhaps ours got scooped quickly because it was completely bare and bone dry (i.e., ready to go from curb to fireplace), and we’re thrilled that the tree will fulfill another use.

Boston and Cambridge have formal notices about Christmas tree recycling (trees collected curbside during the first two weeks of January are composted); otherwise, check with your town’s Department of Public Works about tree recycling or yard waste collection dates, or completely strip your tree before you put it out in case firewood recyclers hit your neighborhood.

December 11, 2006

Don’t Try This At Home

beadedornament.gif

Sometimes Martha’s crafts are not for the faint of heart.

Over a decade ago, shortly after one of my sisters got married, I saw Martha’s feature on beaded ornaments and decided to make a set of six for my sister and her husband to celebrate their first married Christmas together. The ornaments looked so pretty and sparkly in the feature, and I had tons of beads and supplies. All I needed was some Styrofoam balls and a couple of hours, no?

No. Obviously, part of the problem was that my beads were not pre-strung so the stringing process added several hours to the project, but the other major setback was the glue and wrap. I had the right materials and followed the instructions, but the bead strings kept slipping and twisting and popping off; I spent more time cleaning glue off the bead strings and my hands than doing anything else.

Countless hours later, and too late for Christmas, all I had to show for my efforts was one ornament (shown) and a tattered Martha Stewart magazine in the corner. I kept the ornament since it didn’t seem right to give a gift that had so much cranky construction mojo behind it. And while we always have a good laugh at my expense when we unveil the ornament, from now on Laurel likely will be the artistic muscle behind future decorations; we’ve already got the makings for a fleet of fabulous (and easily storable!) glitter stars.

December 8, 2006

MFA for the Holidays

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Tomorrow’s weather isn’t predicted to be as deadly cold as today, but if you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit indoors, check out the Museum of Fine Art’s holiday programming (December 9-17). Tomorrow’s schedule alone includes live music and dance, family art-making activities, Christmas films, mini-Nutcracker plays, shopping, and a holiday tea.

Most events are free with museum admission (click here for details). Check your library for discount admissions passes; if you’re feeling ambitious you could even try to catch the Paris fashion exhibit while you’re there.

December 1, 2006

Starstruck

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My recycling efforts have merged with Laurel’s love of painting to create easy and pretty holiday décor: paper glitter stars.

When Laurel paints, we use small paper plates to hold the colors (she can’t be trusted with entire bottles…). She’s a one color-per-plate kind of girl and when we recently used glitter paints, I decided to save the plates since they were so sparkly and pretty. After the paper plates dried, I flattened them under a stack of books. Yesterday, I cut star shapes, punched a hole in the top, and strung the stars up to a curtain rod with curling ribbon (click image to enlarge). Cutting and hanging the stars took all of 10 minutes, and Laurel loves seeing her artwork up, and pointing out all the different colors.

More of Laurel’s paper stars likely will adorn our Christmas tree, saving us from the inevitable disastrous interaction of curious toddler + fragile ornaments.

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