L i t t l e B i t s O f C h r i s t m a s

I had such a lovely Christmas this year!

Also, I technically had my 1 year blogiversary on the 25th!

L i t t l e B i t s O f L i f e L a t e l y

F o o d i e : G r e e n B e a n C a s s e r o l e

This year, for Thanksgiving, I made the classic green bean casserole from scratch! That is, I didn't toss in a can of soup and call it done - I made my own creamy mushroom sauce (Here's the recipe). It was delicious! Might just have to make it again for Christmas dinner. 

F o o d i e : C h r i s t m a s C o o k i e L i s t

Looking forward to heading home for Christmas and baking up some holiday cookies! 

Here is what's on my baking list this year:

1  2  3  4  5

T u e s d a y T u n e s : C h r i s t m a s E d i t i o n

"Christmas in the Room" - Sufjan Stevens

Enjoy!

L i t t l e B i t s O f L i f e L a t e l y

F o o d i e : P u m p k i n W h o o p i e P i e s

These. Are. Amazing.

Seriously. 

Try them.

(Recipe) 

T u e s d a y T u n e s : C h r i s t m a s E d i t i o n

Sarah Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson - "Winter Song"

I'm finding it a bit difficult to get into the Christmas spirit this week, especially since it was 70 degrees yesterday and  it is raining today - in December - in Indiana! Really hoping to see a white Christmas....I mean, isn't that the whole point of dealing with Indiana weather? That you actually get a white Christmas? Fingers Crossed!

C r a f t B r e a k : F e l t K e y c h a i n

Made this felt keychain to send to my Oma in Germany as part of her Christmas gift! 

Inspired by this post.

C h r i s t m a s C o u n t d o w n !

Happy December 1st! Let the Christmas countdown begin!

L i t t l e B i t s O f L i f e L a t e l y

F o o d i e : R o a s t e d A c o r n S q u a s h

Roasted acorn squash is a delicious and simple-to-make fall veggie treat. 

To Prepare: Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Spray or brush the inside of the squash with olive oil and score with a knife. Place cut side down on a foil covered baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 35 min or until cooked through and soft. Cooking the squash cut side down allows for some lovely caramelization around the edges. Before serving the squash give it a light sprinkle of salt and add a spoonful of brown sugar and some butter.  The sugar and butter will melt into lovely goodness that goes perfectly with the flavor of the squash. 

Enjoy!

T u e s d a y T u n e s : E l l i e G o l d i n g

Ellie Golding - "Hanging On"

Enjoy!

A W a l k I n T h e P a r k

From early fall when lovely parents visited. Took a nice walk through the 100 Acres park at the IMA. Who knew there was so much beautiful nature in Indianapolis!

C r a f t B r e a k : F e l t F l o w e r P i l l o w s

Adding felt flowers to plain pillows is a great way to incorporate a fun handmade touch to your decor. I made these particular pillows as a wedding gift for one of my friends. 

Here is a great tutorial for a no-sew version of this pillow.  I basically followed the same steps, however, I secured my petals with some stitches as well as glue. For the center piece, I cut a long strip of felt about an inch and a half wide and made snips down the long side. Then, I rolled the strip up and added some glue along the way to hold the whole thing together. When it is complete, add it to the petal base with some fabric glue.

I was quite happy with the way these turned out!

Give 'em a try sometime!

L i t t l e B i t s O f L i f e L a t e l y

T u e s d a y T u n e s : M u m f o r d & S o n s

Another great song off the new album by Mumford & Sons.

Enjoy!

G e r m a n y P a r t 9 : T h e L a s t B i t s

C r a f t B r e a k : S e r v i n g T r a y

I made this serving tray as a gift for one of my friends. It was inspired by this post (instructions) and here is where you can find the image in the center, along with some other options. I like the idea of altering a photo frame and using it as a tray, plus its easily customizable and adds a touch of whimsy!

F o o d i e : S a l t e d C a r a m e l S a u c e

This was my first attempt at making caramel and it turned out great! Just follow this recipe. 

The sauce is the perfect companion for apples and all kinds of delicious fall treats. 

A must try!

T u e s d a y T u n e s : P h i l P h i l l i p s

Phil Phillips - "Home"

Enjoy!

L i t t l e B i t s O f L i f e L a t e l y

G e r m a n y P a r t 8 : O t h e r S n i p p e t s

T u e s d a y T u n e s : M u m f o r d & S o n s

"The Boxer"

Great song off the new Mumford & Sons album.

Enjoy!

C r a f t B r e a k : F e l t H e a r t s & V a s e D e c o

Made this little apartment accessory on a recent craft night with a friend. I used a recycled frappuccino bottle and hot glued on some faux moss ribbon and added a bow. To make the hearts I cut two matching hearts out of felt and glued the edges (you could also stitch the hearts together) leaving a half inch opening at the point.  When the glue was dry, I addled a little stuffing and inserted a bamboo skewer. I followed this with some more glue to close up the point.  Use a little cube of floral foam to hold the skewers in place once they are in the bottle. 

This is an easily customizable project in which you can match colors to your decor and use all different kinds of techniques to decorate the bottle. 

Get creative and have fun with it!

M o n s t e r U n d e r T h e B e d

There's a monster under my bed....

G e r m a n y P a r t 7 : T h e F o o d

Yummm....