When it comes to gift giving, if your anything like me, you like to plan in advance and give something meaningful but also practical. I happened to come across stenciling as I was looking for gifts that bring sentimental value without breaking the bank, and I was immediately inspired! This DIY is very inexpensive to create and it has unlimited possibilities. You could stencil anything from shower curtains to pillows with your last name to a sports team logo. Let your imagination run wild! I chose to use coordinates as my design on a pillow and kitchen towels this go around. Everyone has a current location that brings a significant meaning to mind. Such as the chapel you exchanged your vows at, the hospital where you welcomed your beautiful baby girl, the hometown you were raised in ... [Read More]
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Practice makes perfect
I have mentioned this a few times before in posts and Insta stories, but I am a firm believer in the statement 'Practice makes perfect.' Especially when it comes to baking! My Noni always taught me that baking is not only an art but a precise science. You have to follow recipes to a T or you will end up with a mess and wonder what you did wrong. Which makes me wonder if this is one of the many contributions to why I am so OCD! Anyways, I began messing around with royal icing back in 2014 and I will honestly say I am still far from where I want to be. I give major props to all the amazingly talented ( and patient ) cookie decorators out there! Starting out, no joke, it would take me all day to decorate 2 dozen cookies because I am such a perfectionist and I could not figure out the ... [Read More]
I Love You a Brunch
I have been SO excited to create this Valentine’s Day table for so many reasons. The main one being the fact that I LOVE brunch. Seriously, my girlfriends and I could eat a huge brunch every day and just snack for the remainder of the day. Even though more than half of us hate the actual word 'brunch'! Kind of like how some people hate the word 'moist'. Yes, that is so strange, but if you have a word fetish you know exactly what I am talking about! Anywho, the second reason I am squealing about this tablescape is, of course, all of the shades of pink and detail, detail, detail. Who says you have to have a humungo spread to make it seem detailed? I feel like most of the tables you find on Pinterest and in magazines are crazy over the top and full of things that are just not ... [Read More]
Edible Confetti
Hi there friends! Long time no post! I apologize for the silence on the blog the past few weeks. I took some much needed time away from social media to enjoy the holiday season with family and friends. But I am already gearing up for Valentine's Day and the months to come! Valentine's Day is such a fun holiday - for all ages! I saw this idea years ago on Pinterest and I cannot seem to find the link anywhere, but I could easily see myself making this edible confetti for my co-workers, Zac or my future children's class parties. It is such a fun twist on regular AirHeads! All you need to transform the gummy candies into fun heart confetti is a regular hole puncher, a small heart cookie cutter (or whatever size your heart desires), red and white AirHeads, wax paper, clear treat ... [Read More]
Christmas Pancakes & Pajamas
This past weekend I had the opportunity to help coordinate and decorate for the sweetest friend of mine. Her little one was having a 'Christmas Pancakes & Pajama Party', and oh my goodness it was the CUTEST thing ever! Having the little ones come in their PJs to play and tank up on sugar at an early pancake brunch is such a great idea. Rather than them having a sugar high two hours before bed time, they go-go-go and crash all before noon! Genius. We decided on incorporating plaid rather than the classic Christmas reds, but of course we could not pass up those adorable reindeer cups and napkins from Meri Meri, also tossing in a few bells here and there. Because I cannot wait another second - Y'ALL these cupcakes! I was squealing in the kitchen after decorating these guys and ... [Read More]
Christmas & Cranberries
Christmas and cranberries are such an iconic duo. These small vibrant red berries tend to steal the show on Pinterest, Food Network and magazine covers during the holiday season. I can easily understand the appeal we have towards them after experimenting with them in the kitchen. I was itching to do a little holiday baking and I came across a bag of cranberries that I bought to decorate with in the fridge. As my wheels began to turn thinking about the endless recipes, crafts, etc. I kept coming back to a recipe I have wanted to try for a while now - Sugared Cranberries. They always look effortlessly beautiful topping a cake, threaded as garland or even in a bowl, but I was always intimidated to try them, when it turns out they are actually very simple to make! I have linked the ... [Read More]
Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies
Holiday baking is definitely the number one thing that puts me in to the Christmas spirit. It brings back so many wonderful memories of me standing on my Noni’s green stool, laughing at the boy’s candy cane colored blobs because they handled the dough too long. This year my Mom and I decided to use the “royal icing” technique instead of the old-fashioned butter cream. Now I will say they are FAR from perfect, but they were SO yummy and soft. It was so much fun! As we baked we listened to Michael Bublé’s Pandora station, giggled and created new memories together. We are determined to find the perfect recipe, so each year we try something different. However, the recipe we used this go-around was the closest to perfect we have come across thus far! We snagged the recipe from a blog post ... [Read More]
Fresh Christmas Wreath DIY
I always love seeing fresh evergreen Christmas wreaths with big red bows on front doors during the holidays. They are such a classic Christmas staple and nothing puts me in the holiday spirit more than their scent. When I began searching for my own I was surprised at how pricey they are! Ranging from $40 to $100 for a wreath that is only going to last about 3 months seemed ridiculous to me. So when Joanna Gaines published her article on fresh greens with a tutorial on how to create your own fresh wreath - I was all in! Less than $5, YES you read that right, to make your own fresh Christmas wreath! Having a backyard full of free greens meant I only need to purchase two things, an "18 wire wreath and floral wire. There are really only 3 simple steps to this process. Gather your ... [Read More]
Christmas Decorating Tips
Did you gobble 'till you wobble yesterday? I know I did! With it being two of my favorite days combined into one this year, (Thanksgiving & my birthday) I stuffed my face extra yesterday. Which I have zero regrets about by the way! Anyways, with it being the day after Thanksgiving that can only mean one thing - Christmas decorations are going UP! So put on those stretchy pants, throw your hair in a pony and get your work out in by carrying those tubs down from the attic. Growing up, this was always a day I looked forward to. My Mom always had the tubs labeled and I could not wait to crack open the box labeled "Ashton's Room". Unwrapping the delicate pink ornaments and arranging them on my own little 3 foot tall tree definitely sparked my love for decorating for the ... [Read More]
French Apple Tart
Since middle school my best friend Emily and I have been addicted to Food Network and especially Ina Garten. However, as we got older we began to realize how insane her ingredients were! ( If you are familiar with her show you know what I am talking about - use only the BEST chocolate, this specific cut of meat you can only find in Argentina, blah blah. ) There is no way you could find any of them within a 150 mile radius of our small town and even if you did we could not afford them! So you could imagine the eye roll I gave when I came across this gorgeous apple tart by Ina while flipping through Food Network's magazine. Once I began reading I was seriously in shock at how simple this recipe was! I remember thinking 'Is this real life? There is no way it could be that easy.' So naturally ... [Read More]
Christmas in the Pines
I just could not wait for another day to pass by and not start dragging out Christmas decor! It is not up JUST yet, but I can assure you it will not be long! The weather here has been wonderful and it is definitely putting me in the holiday spirit. Speaking of holiday spirit, though this tablescape is minimal in decorations, it is simple and speaks a Piney Woods Christmas theme, which gives me that warm holiday feeling. I prefer a table that comes across as natural and uncomplicated. When there are too many additives in a centerpiece you often get lost looking at that rather than the guest sitting across from you. Another big no - no is setting your table with large chunky pieces. This prevents intimate conversation because your guest are distracted and 9 times out of 10 they can't see ... [Read More]
8 Tips & Tricks for a Less Stressful Holiday Season
I have condensed my guide to a less stressful holiday season to eight short tips and tricks that I guarantee will change the way you enjoy the Holidays! I say “less stressful” instead of stress free, because let’s get real… You will have at least one serious melt down by the end of it! ( P.S. These images are from past holiday baking and FAR from perfect, but you bet they were knock your socks off delicious. ) Buy your large gift items no later than one month in advance. I have set a goal for myself to have everything bought and wrapped before December 1st. Now, I know that is setting the bar a tad high, but it has pushed me to get on top of it! Who says you have to wait until the week of Christmas to give your mailman his spicy Chex mix? Give out your gift baskets, baked ... [Read More]
Ultimate S’mores Tray
It is the day after Halloween, I know parents and kids are both exhausted from the sugar high and you're more than likely on the verge of just throwing out all the candy you have accumulated over the past few days, but don't do it! I have come up with a super fun tradition you can easily do with your kiddos the night of, after or whenever you have a chance. I present to you the ultimate s'mores tray! Which is simply all of the yummy chocolate candies, cookies, whatever you would like from your trick-or-treating loot arranged on a tray with marshmallows. We had our Halloween party a few nights ago and I just threw it all in the freezer and broke it out last night to have s'more Halloween fun. (Get it?) I am obsessed with cheese boards. Seriously, I could nibble on one every ... [Read More]
Fall Potpourri
There is nothing better than the smell of Fall and the holiday season creeping in. It brings back warm memories, crisp nights with the windows open and sitting fireside with friends. We tend to always have potpourri strictly the week of Christmas and let it simmer on the stove. But once I came across different Fall recipes I decided to start a tradition of my own! The beauty about potpourri is that there is no strict measurements or ingredients. You simply fill a pot with whatever herbs or fruit you have on hand and top it off with water! Let it simmer on your stove top and when the water starts to get low just add water. You can keep it burning for however long you wish! Below is the mixture of everything I added in my Fall potpourri. I hope this inspires you to try mixing up ... [Read More]
Morgue – A – Rita
This spooky drink will no doubt be the hit of your Halloween party! Being from Texas, where you have no choice but to love Mexican food, I am always down for a good margarita! And fitting one into a Halloween theme? Double win! This Morgue-A-Rita is a creepy twist on a regular margarita, but it will sure put you in the Halloween spirit. XO, Ashton ... [Read More]
