{Make} - Holiday Cocktails

Candy Cane Martini

Makes one cocktail

1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish

2 ounces strawberry vodka

4 dashes white creme de menthe

2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice

ice cubes

1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

Reindeer Martini

2 parts vodka
1 part Frangelico
1 part Malibu
splash of cream

Shake over ice and strain to serve straight up in a martini glass, garnished with a cherry and two cinnamon sticks for antlers.

Kentucky Eggnog

- 

1 liter Maker's Mark bourbon
-1 quart milk
1 quart heavy cream
 2 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
Garnish: nutmeg

Separate eggs and beat yolks until creamy. Whip sugar into yolks. Beat whites until they stand in peaks, adding 1/2 cup additional sugar, if desired. Beat yolks and bourbon together. Add whites, beat cream. And add cream and milk to mixture. Add nutmeg to taste and garnish each cup with nutmeg. 

{Inspire} - Cookies & Cocktails

{Images Via Pink Party Girl}

I recently had the pleasure of working with the wonderful Miss Cindi from Pink Party Girl and designing a custom invitation for her fabulous Cookies & Cocktails party. With a frosty snowflake theme in red, silver and white the whole party had a glam vibe with just a touch of bling, the perfect sophisticated setting for their new "cookie thing". Head on over to the Pink Party Girl blog for more details and photos.

{Celebrate} - How To Host A Cookie Exchange

Holiday cookies seem to be a timeless tradition that hold a special place in everyone's heart, but with today's busy schedules it's hard to find the time to whip up a variety of holiday treats. Why not simplify your holiday baking this year with a cookie exchange? It's the ultimate multi-purpose holiday party...you can get together with your friends, have a few cocktails, share holiday spirit and most importantly walk away with a delightful assortment of goodies for the upcoming holiday season. 

{Image Via Grace Printables}

1) Start by sending out invitations well in advance so each guest has a chance to bake her offering. Ask each guest to bring a certain quantity of cookies as well as copies of her recipe and containers or plates to take her goodies home.

2) Decide what type of cookie to bake and try to coordinate ahead of time to avoid duplicates by having guests RSVP with their cookie flavor.

3) At the exchange it helps to know which cookie is which so put folding cards in front of each variety with the cookie's name on them and who it's from.

4) Have a large table clear for displaying and sampling the cookies.

5) Eat & enjoy! Every guest will leave with a variety of delicious holiday cookies and not have to lift a finger for the rest of the holiday season...well almost.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here are a some fantastic items to add to your holiday list from a new shops awaiting their first sale.

Sugar Plum Satin Rosette $23.95 by Gorgeous and Company // Patchwork Embroidered Owl Cushion $19 by Homeware UK // Swinging Girl Earrings $28 by Zakworld // The Penny Farthing $96 by Clocks And Locks

{Bake} - Holly Cupcakes

{Image Via Martha Stewart}

So I may have be slightly partial to these cupcakes because they celebrate my namesake, but also because they are so deliciously simple to make and offer a cheerful addition to any holiday dessert table. The full tutorial for these sweet little treats can be found here.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here are a some fantastic items to add to your holiday list from a new shops awaiting their first sale.

Happy Needle Felted Snowman $15 by Just Felt Like It// Facebook Twitter Me Ponytail Set $4.50 by Quebee// Illustrated Colorful Tree Print $17 by Kuko The Brave//  Brown Mirage Mohawk Beanie $20 by Happy Hippo Boutique

{Bake} - Candy Cane Cupcakes

{Image Via Cupcakes Take The Cake}

Chocolate and mint is my favorite holiday combination. (Peanut butter and chocolate is the all time favorite.) The rich smell that always fills the house whenever I'm baking a tasty treat with this flavor combination makes my mouth water. So of course I was drooling the minute I stumbled across this delectable cupcake recipe and wasn't disappointed when I tested it out either. Thanks to  Cupcakes Take The Cake and JavaCupcake for this ultimate holiday treat!

A dark chocolate mint cupcake topped with peppermint buttercream & candy canes

Makes approx 2 1/2-3 dozen cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (not packed)

½ cup canola oil

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

6 oz baking chocolate 100% cacao

3.5 oz bar of Lindt Intense Mint Dark chocolate bar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

½ cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line pan cupcake liners.
2. With an electric mixer and a paddle attachment, mix together the sugars, oil, and vanilla.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.  Beat until smooth.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.  Add the melted chocolate in a slow stream to the egg/sugar mixture.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until well incorporated.
5. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda & powder and the salt.
6. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in thirds.  Between each addition, add ½ cup of milk. MIX ONLY UNTIL INCORPORATED. Scrape the sides of the bowl
7. Add the boiling water and fold together by hand.
8. Fill cupcake lines ½ full.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes.  Rotate pan 180 degrees, lower temperature of oven to 325 degrees and bake an additional 4-6 minutes.
10. Cupcakes will be done with a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting
4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1. In an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended.
2. Add the vanilla extract and blend.
3. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Slowly add the cream.
5. Beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy for 4 minutes.

Garnish
1 box candy canes
Star tip & piping bag full of frosting

1. Unwrap the candy canes and set aside half.
2. Break half of the candy canes into ¾-1 inch pieces
3. Put the second half into a zip loc bag.  Place on a flat, hard surface and pound with the flat side of a large wooden spoon until there are no more big chunks left.  You should have a fine powder with a few small pieces left for dusting the tops of your cupcake.
4. Pipe frosting onto cupcake.
5. To garnish, sprinkle candy cane dusting onto piped frosting.  Place a candy cane piece on top.

{Bake} - Cookie Monster Cupcakes

{Image Via Sugarscape}

C is for cupcake! How absolutely adorable are these? I have always loved Cookie Monster and when I stumbled across these cute cupcakes I couldn't wait to share them. Perfect for a birthday or baby shower you can whip up your own batch of delicious little monsters with Emma from Sugarscape's video tutorial here.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here is a collection of fabulous finds from great shops awaiting their first sale.

Fine Silver Circle Earrings $25 by Venustas Jewellery // Green Phonecover $12 by Annitas // Key To My Heart Trio $40 by Mamalusha // Pink Pettiskirt $35 by Rilala

{Freebie} - Grateful Mod

{Image Via Hostess With The Mostess}

Want to make your Thanksgiving dinner memorable this year? In support of Operation Give Back, Hostess With The Mostess is offering this modern collection of hip printables to coordinate your holiday festivities. Available for download here, all that is asked is that you consider making an online donation (large or small) to Operation Give Back or incorporating a charity element into the event that you host.

{Make} - DIY Giving Tree

{Image Via Jumpstart}

Thanksgiving can be a hectic time with family arriving, kids under foot and meal preparation. Despite how busy it may be, it's important to take time to appreciate and give thanks all the blessings that your family experiences in their daily lives. Creating a giving tree is a great holiday project to get everyone thinking about what they are grateful for, keeping little hands busy and can be a unique addition to your holiday centerpiece.

For instructions on creating a giving tree from paper, you can find a complete tutorial on the Jumpstart blog here. I think that using funky patterned scrapbook paper would be a great way to jazz this project up more.

{Image Via The Gracious Girl}

An alternative to a paper giving tree is one made with real branches. You can find a tutorial on how to create one with real branches here, on The Gracious Girl blog.

{Meet} - Dressing On The Side

{Images Via Dressing On The Side}

Be silly. Be playful. Be yourself. Dressing on the Side makes it easy for you to be whatever you want. As you may know we LOVE cupcakes around here, so I was so excited when I stumbled across Dressing on the Side's shop full of delicious designs.Unique and original, they limit the quantity of each design sold so you'll never see yourself coming and going.We've selected a few of our favorites, but seriously how can you choose just one? A quick browse through their shop is sure to lengthen your wish list.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here is a collection of fabulous finds from great shops awaiting their first sale.

Bird In Tree Pillow $20 by Toastie Studio // Red Fox Cowl $40 by Swan Slough // Family Custom Holiday Greeting Card $1.20 by Gotta Love Them // Snowflake Winter Brooch Pin $6 by Attach

{Bake} - Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

{Image Via Duncan Hines}

These cupcakes bridge the holidays and make a terrific dessert centerpiece for gatherings from Halloween to Thanksgiving. The patch is made from both standard and mini cupcakes baked in white and orange liners. Cupcakes are topped with a bonnet of orange frosting. The icing is rolled in orange sugar and the ribs are shaped by pressing a bamboo skewer into the frosting. The patch is finished off with licorice for stems and tendrils. Then pick your favorite and start eating!

Ingredients

12 Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Spice cupcakes baked in orange paper liners

24 mini Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Spice cupcakes baked in white paper liners

2 pieces of green licorice twists

1 can plus 1 cup of Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle Classic Vanilla Frosting

Orange food coloring

1 cup orange decorating sugar

Green licorice laces

Baking Instructions 

1) Cut the licorice twists into 3/4 inch pieces to make the pumpkin stems. Tint the vanilla frosting orange with the food coloring. Tint 1/2 cup of the orange frosting a darker shade of orange with more food coloring. Spoon the darker orange frosting into a ziplock bag; set aside.

2) Place orange decorating sugar into a  shallow bowl. Spread the orange frosting on top of the cupcakes mounding slightly in the center. Starting on the edge roll the cupcake tops in the sugar to cover completely.

3) Use a wooden skewer to mark the ridges in the tops of the cupcakes. Starting in the center or slightly off center, lightly press the skewer over the cupcake tops to create 5 or 6 indentations. Snip a very small corner (1/16 inch) from the bag with the darker orange frosting and pipe lines of frosting in the indentations on top of the cupcakes. Insert the cut green twists for the stems and add the green laces, trimmed into shorter pieces to make the tendrils.

{Freebie} - Thanksgiving Printables From Anna And Blue Paperie

{Images Via Anna And Blue Paperie}

Enjoy these elegant Thanksgiving printables from the fabulous Stefanie at Anna and Blue Paperie. The full collection is available for download here, and includes everything you need to create a fantastic festive holiday. Be sure to check out Stefanie's other work as well in her shop where you can find her complete line of posh printables.

{Meet} - Marci Girl Designs

{Images via Marci Girl Designs}

Handbags are like shoes, they are always the right size no matter how many times you skip the gym and you can never have too many. So of course I completely fell in love with the line of fresh and funky handbags at Marci Girl Designs! With many of her bags being one of a kind, it's hard to find a reason why you don't need a new little "something, something."


A stay at home Mom to a handsome little fella, Marci whips these charming creations up in her century old home in the heart of Cajun country.  Marci, "You go girl!" because I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

{Meet} - Fang Dangles

{Images Via Fang Dangles}

Everyone is familiar with the girly pink frilly tooth fairy pillows that are so common in shops and online, which is why I was so thrilled to discover Fang Dangles! These ferocious looking little fleece creatures are created by Stefanie, a Mom with many talents and are guaranteed to make the tooth fairy's job a little easier. Just drop the tooth into the Fang Dangle's mouth and wait for the tooth fairy to arrive.


Gathering inspiration from her kids Stefanie has created a such a wonderful collection of monsters, you'll have a  hard time deciding on just one!

{Shop} - Tooth Fairy Letter Kit

{Image Via Grace Printables}

This wonderful and whimsical printable tooth fairy letter kit insures that any child's experience with the tooth fairy will not soon be forgotten. With a collection of 12 different letters including "Lost Your First Tooth" and "Tooth Fairy Forgot To Come" there is a sure to be one for any occasion. Each letter is personalized with the lucky little child's name and written on the official letterhead from the Office Of The Tooth Fairy. All you need to add is a little fairy dust, and maybe a dollar or two depending on the tooth fairy's going rate in your neighborhood. 

{Make} - DIY Tooth Fairy Pillow

{Image Via Instructables}

{Image Via Mmmcrafts}

{Image Via Kotori}

Losing a tooth is an exciting and special event in any little one's life. Why not add to the excitement with a fabulous tooth fairy pillow? (And make the tooth fairy's job a little easier at the same time!) Here we have a collection of the best tooth fairy pillow tutorials around. Just simply click on the link below the image to visit each tutorial.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here is a collection of fabulous finds from great shops awaiting their first sale.

Crossword Save The Date $3 by Borrowed & Blue // Floating Butterfly Cupcake Toppers $18 by Dashing Delights // Cherry Red Gloss Vintage Style Frame $9.99 by Frame It By Jill // Chuck Belt Buckle $50 by By Bek

{Bake} - Turkey Cupcakes

{Image Via Martha Stewart}

Gobble, gobble, gobble is all you're going to here when these little cupcake cuties are served up! (And it won't be the turkeys either.) Of course you know we can't get enough cupcakes around here so in honor of the fast approaching turkey day, here are some nifty little turkey cupcakes from (who else of course), but Martha Stewart.