WIWW: Denim & Maxi

Denim jackets and maxi skirts look so cute paired together! I've seen lots of those on Pinterest and finally found a denim jacket I liked that I could try out this look.

skirt: Orange County swap meet
jacket & belt: Kohls
tank: Styles For Less

-marie

Linked to: Rae Gun Ramblings, The Pleated Poppy, Two Thirty-Five Designs, Rolled Up Pretty & Transatlantic Blonde

10 Homemade Christmas Gifts

We thought we'd share some of our favorite gift ideas from our blog.  Perfect in time for Christmas!

Yummy Homemade Caramels  

Buff made me a couple batches for Christmas last year and I did NOT want to share them!  They are so creamy and so yummy.

DIY Leather Watches

A super easy an inexpensive project for someone who loves fashion.

 

 Peace, Joy & Soap

These are the perfect gifts for neighbors or teachers.  So easy to put together and inexpensive.  I always have a few extra on hand for gift emergencies.  :)

Raspberry Jalapeno Jelly

This jelly is delicious and different from your tradition jalapeno jelly.

Paper Piecing Frames

Another gift that is easy and inexpensive and totally cute!

Gift Card Holders

You can never go wrong with a gift card! This is a simple tutorial to dress those gift cards up a bit.

Personalized Stationary

This is a great gift for teachers! 

Perpetual Birthday Calendar

This is great for that person who already has everything!  A cute and fun way to remember birthdays and special events each year.

 Vanilla Lime Sugar Scrub

I LOVE this sugar scrub!  Dress it up in a cute jar and it would be a perfect gift.

 Dollar Store Mugs

Chelsea and I just spent the weekend making a couple dozen of these to give out.  Personalize them with names and add some homemade treats or packets of hot chocolate. 

Good Books: 8-9 year old girls

My daughter, Cailyn, has always enjoyed reading but over the summer she really found a passion for it and devoured book after book after book.  So I thought I'd share a few of her favorites. Books are ALWAYS a great present for Christmas.  :)

The great thing about this list is that they are all part of a series so there are many, many books to read!

1. The Princess Tales , by Gail Carson Levine

2. Bailey School Kids, by Debbie Dadey

3. Ruby Lu , by Lenore Look

4. Ivy and Bean , by Annie Barrows

5. Dork Diaries , by Rachel Renee Russell

6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid , by Jeff Kinney

7. Janitors , by Tyler Whitesides

8. Dear Dumb Diary , by Jim Benton

Bonus Series (Read Alouds)

I've also been reading the Fablehaven series with her and we are on book 4.  I absolutely *adore* this series!  I'm not sure it would be one she could read on her own, but it is a fabulous read-aloud book and I am more than happy to read it with her. :)

When we're done with this series we will probably read Percy Jackson together, followed by Gregor the Overlander.  I love having a child that loves reading as much as I do!!!

-marie

Things We Love Thursdays: Rold Gold Peppermint Snowflakes

My friend introduced me to these delectable little treats. I picked them up from Costco, but I'm not sure where else you can get them. They are snowflake shaped pretzels dipped in peppermint white chocolate. They are soooo yummy! They satisfy my craving for a salty/sweet treat.

Do you have a favorite treat you can only get during the holidays?

-marie

Christmas Bucket List

It's no secret that I love doing fun things to celebrate the holidays.  I've seen a ton of cute advent calendar ideas on Pinterest, but THIS one stuck out to me.  I like the idea of doing activities during the month of December but without being tied down to doing one every single day and without being tied down to what specifically we'd do each day.  A bucket list gives us the flexibility I need but also provides us with lots of opportunities for FUN!

The kids and I came up with a list of things we want to do this Christmas season.  Most of them require little effort on my part and are low-budget.  I'm hoping this will be a fun family tradition.  I printed and laminated the list so we can cross things off as we go and can reuse it again next year.

You can download my version HERE or if you're computer savvy you can get a blank version and add in your own list. 

What are some of your favorite things to do as a family during the Christmas season?

-marie

What I Read: November

I only managed to read 4 books last month but I LOVED all of them so it's okay. :)

These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a good book!!! It was easy to read and easy to get sucked into and I couldn't put it down. It was heart breaking and thought provoking and made me want to reevaluate my life. It made me more grateful for the things I take for granted every day and made me think about what is truly important in my life. I fell in love with Sarah and loved watching her through the trials and joys in her life. I adored Jack and couldn't help but smile whenever she talked about him. Beautiful, beautiful story!!!



Finale (Hush, Hush #4) by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a great ending to the series. I loved that there was plenty of romance, action, and twists. My only complaint was that the ending seemed a bit rushed and the epilogue was a bit cheesy. Other than that I really enjoyed the book and the series over all. Can't wait to see what Becca Fitzpatrick writes next!




Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven #3) by Brandon Mull
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great book in the series.  I am thoroughly enjoying reading these with my daughter.  Brandon Mull is such a fantastic writer and I love that he's not afraid to use "big" words.  My daughter and I have had many discussions on vocab words from this book.  ;)




Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3) by Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was the perfect end to the series. There was so much that happened and it was such a fun ride. Evie is one of my favorite characters ever. She is so fun and witty and I love her voice and all the emotions she feels. And the supporting characters are just as great, too. Such a fun series and I am truly sad to see it end. Time for a re-read. :)

-marie