I love cookies. Truly love them. And from the reaction I received on Instagram and Facebook when I posted this picture, clearly y'all love cookies too. On Thursday I'll share more cookie inspiration, but first, here are two amazing cookies I brought to a cookie party on Sunday. They're classically holiday (in the buttery goodness sense) and worked well as small bites for the sampling party. Many people asked for the recipes/sources, so here they are:
I'm all about food delegation, especially around the holidays, and I'm always looking for new inspiration. I asked a few of my favorite food blogger friends to share their go-to (culinary freak out inducing) holiday recipes, whether they're bringing a dish for potluck, making something for an open house, or want to serve a family favorite at home. I also included a couple of personal favorites. Happy cooking!
One item on my minimalist holiday manifesto was about creating opportunities for together time projects. The girls and I had such an awesome time working on clutter-free kid-crafted gifts last weekend that I'm fired up for more this weekend! Following an earlier post on 10 easy DIY food gifts, I wanted to share 15 more easy DIY food gifts, spanning sweet to savory. Click through the links for recipes, more photos, and further creative inspiration!
Hooray, it's Local Gems time! Today's Natick recommendations come from my friend Jodi Grundig, mom of two and editor of Mom's Favorite Stuff and Family Travel Magazine. Thanks for sharing these 10 local gems in Natick, Jodi! And be sure to check out the Arlington Center, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Coolidge Corner, Huron Village, Easton, Jamaica Plain, Lexington, Medford, Watertown, and Wellesley features!
My sweet Laurel is a maker and around the holidays, she's always asking me about projects ideas. The Minimalist Parenting community loved this post on 14 kid-crafted gifts, so I figured -- what with the weekend coming up -- it would be fun to share 10 more ideas. And given my deep passion for clutter-free gifts, I've rounded up a collection of ideas that are CLUTTER-FREE. YAY! These items would be adorable for family, friend, and teacher gifts.
Goodness, it's been too long since I've shared a Local Gems feature! Today's Coolidge Corner recommendations come from my friend Sheri Gurock, mom of 3, co-founder of the award-winning toy/gear store Magic Beans, food blogger at Unbageled, and longtime Coolidge Corner dweller. Thanks for sharing these 12 local gems, Sheri! And be sure to check out the Arlington Center, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Huron Village (Cambridge), Easton, Jamaica Plain, Lexington, Medford, Watertown, and Wellesley features!
Few things exemplify the wrestling with abundance concept Asha and I discuss in Minimalist Parenting like the holidays. Too many things to do, too many things to buy, too many crazy people to deal with...the list goes on. And I'm by no means immune. Thanksgiving break offered a very clear reminder of what fills me with happiness and also what causes immense stress. So I decided that I wanted to create a minimalist holiday manifesto, and invite you to do the same. Intention setting is powerful stuff!
I've found that the second time around as a parent, I've been way lazier about initiating creative projects. And sometimes I feel pretty bad about it because Violet clearly loves creative projects, especially sensory-related ones. So I'm thrilled about Asia Citro's 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids. Replete with doable projects, simple instructions, and great photos, this book is inspiring me to try a new activity with Vi each week.
We really adore books at Boston Mamas, and today, Rene shares 10 offbeat book recommendations for kids:
We aren't ones to diss the classics, and we adore children's books that are timeless, like the works of Dr. Suess, Sandra Boynton and Eric Carle. But, if you are looking to try something new at bedtime, we've discovered some amazing new reads that don't fit the typical picture book mold.
I'm thrilled to serve as a media partner for the St. Jude Give thanks. Walk. at Patriot Place. Though St. Jude is located in Memphis, TN, children nationwide benefit from their treatment and research. On November 22, St. Jude supporters in 65+ U.S. cities will participate in the walk to help St. Jude's childhood cancer work. Registration for this family-friend event is free -- so go register (then show your support with a donation or fundraising on your own)! Meanwhile, I wanted to share an incredible story with you.
It's been so fun to run this Eat Seasonal feature! I've garnered so much cooking inspiration, as have many of you! However, today's feature on cranberries (in season in Massachusetts September to November) will be the last for 2014; I'll resume the series next year when the spring produce starts popping again! Enjoy this 12-item roundup, largely focusing on off the beaten path recipes!
Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) shares 7 great chapter books for kids (especially boys). See also, Lindsey's roundup of great books for boys + this crowd sourced collection of recommendations for books for boys!
I spend a lot of time thinking about books for my daughter, 12, and my son, 9. They love to read and keeping up with their changing tastes and interests is both fun and, sometimes, difficult.
So remember last week when I shared about how to create a gorgeous gallery wall, including my favorite picks from Minted's art marketplace? Well, my friends at Minted have followed up with a generous giveaway for you awesome readers: $350 of Minted credit towards your holiday cards! Crazy amazing, right? Check out 10 of my favorite picks from the Minted holiday collection and then enter to win via the Rafflecopter widget at the end of the post.
Despite being a designer and a very visual person, hanging wall art has been a point of paralysis. My general assumptions of uniformity (e.g., frame type) and centered hanging have left me with walls that haven’t felt quite right. Over the last year while we’ve been redesigning our home, I’ve been studying and collecting nuggets of wisdom regarding gallery walls. I’m thrilled today to partner with Minted -- where I’ve recently procured some gorgeous art -- to share some tips and inspiration to cozy up your home via art.
My visit to the fashionABLE factory in Ethiopia two years ago changed my life, and I continue to be inspired by Barrett Ward's infectious enthusiasm and determination to help women elevate their lives. Barrett is truly amazing and it was fantastic to see him in Washington last week at the #AYASummit. Meanwhile, it's fashionABLE's 4th birthday this week so I thought it would be fun to share 5 of my favorite picks from their collection. Go shop! Everything is on sale this week and your dollars will make a difference!
Around this time of year, pears seem to sit in the shadows of their apple cousin. But this delicious fruit is in season from September to mid-November in Massachusetts and is amenable to all sorts of creative usage, aside from raw snack form. Today's Eat Seasonal feature offers 11 ways to incorporate your market or orchard pear bounty. Like my recent apple recipe roundup, I wanted to share recipes a bit further off the beaten path. Enjoy!