Simple Centerpieces for the Holidays

Mixed Bag for Fall

Easy Add-Ins for Stuffing
Even if your stuffing comes from a box, it doesn't have to taste like it. Try adding these quick, fresh combinations when you stir everything together.
by Kate Merker
Amounts are for four cups of cooked stuffing.
Fruit and Nut
3/4 cup dried fruit (such as apricots, cherries, golden raisins, and cranberries)
1/4 cup toasted chopped nuts (such as almonds and pecans)

Sausage and Herb
2 links crumbled cooked sausage
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as sage, thyme, and parsley)

Chestnut and Onion
1 cup jarred chestnuts, crumbled
1 small red or yellow onion, diced and sautéed in butter for 7 minutes

Champagne Flutes as Candle Stands
If you find yourself with a mismatched collection―or without bubbly―flip thick-walled Champagne flutes upside down to create a beautiful grouping of candle stands for a shelf or a mantel. Use heavy wineglasses for table centerpieces, as the wider mouths will provide more stability to withstand bumping.

Remove Hair Product Buildup With Baking Soda
Original purpose: Leavening breads.Aha! use: Removing product buildup from hair. If daily use of mousse or gel is weighing down your locks, add a pinch or two of baking soda to your shampoo once a week.Reward: Getting squeaky-clean strands is a piece of cake.

Along the Stairs
Light a path by lining stairs with votives in glass holders, which are decorated with leaves and branches of berries attached with humble kitchen string.

Puffy Eyes

I keep a couple of spoons in the freezer. After a sleepless night, I place the cold spoons on my puffy eyes to correct the problem before I apply makeup.

4 Delicious Treats to Make With Pumpkin Puree

Use canned pumpkin in creative new ways. Try this pumpkin pancake recipe, milk shake recipe, and more.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Serves 4

Prepare 1 cup dry pancake mix according to the package directions. Whisk in 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Milk Shake
Makes 1 milk shake

Blend until smooth 1 cup vanilla ice cream, 1/4 cup milk, 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree, 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Pumpkin Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups Beat together 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree until soft peaks form.

Pumpkin Pie-tini

1 oz. milk2 tablespoons pumpkin puree

1 ½ oz. Three-O Vanilla vodka

1 ½ oz. crème de cacao

1. Using a small amount of honey, rim martini glass with graham cracker crumbs.

2. Shake milk and pumpkin puree over ice to combine. Pour in remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into the martini glass.

Home Tour

Sarah Richardson has launched her third series on HGTV entitled Sarah's House. With two hit series (Room Service and Design Inc.) and over 150 episodes tackling the demands and design challenges of clients, Sarah finally gives viewers an intimate look at her personal style as she navigates a top-to-bottom renovation and empowers viewers to do the same. Sarah's House is a fast-paced rollercoaster ride about the reality of renovating when timelines are tight, dollars are limited, and high-style is the mandate! I have fallen in love with her style and am wanting to incorrupt it into my house in some way.

Team Edward

So, I know I’m a little late to the whole Twilight infatuation but I don’t really get it! Is it worth buying the books and getting hooked? The movie was good but I wouldn’t say great!
Now I am in love with the whole Harry Potter phenomenon…..It’s like my sliced bread!!
Let me know if it’s worth the $46.99 @ Costco

Fun Pumpkin Ideas

Hungry Caterpillar
Caterpillar How-Tos1. Arrange Jack Be Little pumpkins in a curved line (best to place them on a soft surface like grass or moss). 2. Use a melon baller to create the eye sockets, and then stick a straight pin through a cranberry and into the center. 3. Use a fruit and vegetable corer to etch mouth shape. 4. Dig two small holes into the head with a pointed object to insert the chenille stem antennae.
Great Ants
Black chenille-stem legs and cranberry eyes bring acorn-squash insects to life. Ant How-Tos1. Connect three acorn squash together with a bamboo skewer. 2. Use a melon baller to create the eye sockets, and then stick a straight pin through a cranberry and into the center. 3. Dig two small holes in the top of the "head" with a pointed object and insert chenille stems for antennae. Twist six chenille stems together and hot-glue to the bottom of middle squash.
Good to Glow
Set a bewitching table with one or more scalloped pumpkin votives in a variety of sizes and designs.
Here's how: Use a grease pencil to draw a scalloped edge around the top of small to medium-size pumpkins. Vary the width of the scallops as shown. With the saw, cut along the lines, remove the top and smooth the edges. Hollow out the pumpkin. Mark holes with a grease pencil, varying the pattern. Drill holes using different size bits (1/8 inch for small, up to 1 inch for larger).
Illuminating Idea
Light the way for trick-or-treating by placing a row of pumpkin lanterns down the stairs.
Here's how: Using a grease pencil, draw abstract leaf like shapes (wider in the middle and narrower at the top and bottom) along the grooves in the pumpkin. Space them about an inch apart and cut out each with craft saw.

I go bananas over Rachel Zoe

I am in LOVE with her vintage style!!