Party Time Thursday: Celebrate!

Today isn’t as much about party time as it is about celebrating.  I’m guilty of this, so I know that a lot of you must be like me – you get so busy working on your holiday projects that you forget to really celebrate the season.  So I just want to remind myself you to enjoy it.  And it doesn’t matter what you celebrate; what matters is that you take the time to do so.  It’s important for your health.  Doctors should prescribe this treatment.

I am celebrating today because I finished all four of my holiday gift projects just in time!  And I could not be more pleased with how they all turned out.  But I can’t reveal them – some recipients may be reading now…

So merry whatever, happy everything, and a joyous celebration to all!

Cheers!

Betsey

Serve It Up Tuesday: Festive Christmas Cocktails

This Christmas, while you’re opening gifts and making a delicious feast, why not enjoy a festive Christmas cocktail while you’re at it?  Try one of these simple, yummy concoctions to warm up your holiday!

Pumpkin Pie Martini

Mmmm… as tasty as the real thing, and no having to fight anyone over the last piece.

Photo from www.hgtv.com

 

Ingredients:

½ oz. vanilla vodka

1 oz. pumpkin spice liqueur

½ oz. Kahlua

½ oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

½ oz. half and half

Crushed graham crackers

Cinnamon stick for garnish

Add all liquid ingredients in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake and strain into a large martini glass rimmed with crushed graham crackers. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.  Makes one individual serving.

White Sangria

Because we all know how much I love sangria.  Easy to make, even easier to drink.

Photo from www.hgtv.com

 

Ingredients:

1 bottle chilled dry white wine

1 bottle chilled champagne

3 oz. Damiana liqueur (substitute Triple Sec and a splash of vanilla extract if you don’t have this)

2 freshly sliced pears

2 freshly sliced apples

20 whole cloves

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a large pitcher, add the pears, apples, cloves and nutmeg.  Add the Damiana and stir.  Add the wine and stir.  Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors soak into the fruit.  When you’re ready to serve, pour in the champagne, stirring it slowly into the mixture.  Serve over ice, along with a few slices of the pears and apples.  Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Cocoa Raspberry Heaven

Oh, I like the sound of this already.

Photo from www.hgtv.com

 

Ingredients:

1 oz. plus 1 tsp. raspberry liqueur (Chambord is lovely)

1 oz. white crème de cacao

8 oz. hot cocoa

Whipped cream

Fresh raspberries for garnish

Pour raspberry liqueur and white crème de cacao in a mug.  Add hot cocoa and stir.  Top with a dollop of whipped cream.  Drizzle the teaspoon of raspberry liqueur on top of the whipped cream and top with fresh raspberries.  Makes one individual serving.

Caramel Apple Pie

Yes, please, I’ll have that.

Photo from www.hgtv.com

 

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. vodka or tequila (love the variety!)

1 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

1 ½ oz. apple cider

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Apple slice for garnish

Crushed graham crackers

Add all liquid ingredients in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake and strain into a glass rimmed with crushed graham crackers. Garnish with an apple slice.  Can also be served over ice.  Makes one individual serving.

I found these Christmas cocktail recipes on HGTV.com, and featured the ones that seemed to be the most simple and most tasty!  For these recipes, and several more, you can see the article by clicking here.

Cheers!

Betsey

Whatever Wednesday: Holiday Card Displays

The holiday cards are arriving in full force!  If you’re tired of the old “cover the entire fridge in cards” technique for displaying these sentiments, then you might try something different this year.  Here are three simple ways to display your favorites:

Just by embellishing a pretty ribbon, you’ll have a super simple way to show off those cards.  Click here to see how this was done at She’s Crafty.

Photo from www.choosecraftiness.blogspot.com

 

Try this festive way to display cards on your kitchen cabinets, which almost makes the cabinets look like gifts, too!  Click here to visit Tres French Hens to learn how.

Photo from www.tresfrenchhens.blogspot.com

And how could I have a holiday feature without a wreath?  Well, Martha Stewart’s got one!  I love how easy this wreath is to put together, and how functional it is this time of year.  Click here for Martha’s instructions.

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

 

How will you display your holiday cards this season?

Cheers!

Betsey

Make It Monday: Pretty Tulle Wreath

Happy (Make It) Monday!  Today’s project is a super simple, super pretty wreath (and we all know how much I love wreaths!) that you can easily make in time for Christmas day.

I first spotted this wreath over at Flamingo Toes, where she made a very cute black and pink version for Halloween.  What I love, love, LOVE most about this wreath is how versatile it is.  Inspired by a black tulle wreath for Halloween, I made a white tulle wreath for the winter holidays.  But I could see this made with pink tulle for Valentine’s Day, green tulle for St. Patty’s Day, red tulle for the 4^th of July, gold tulle for Thanksgiving… you could even make one in your wedding colors, add a monogram, and use it as part of your wedding décor!

So, let’s get to it!

I should start by saying that I know I mentioned that this project was super simple, but I should probably add that it is time consuming, so make it for someone you really like.  I made mine for my sis in law, so it was time well spent. 

First, start off with a basic foam wreath base.  Mine was green foam and I purchased it at the dollar store.  I then wrapped an inexpensive white ribbon around the foam just so I’d have a white base to start with, without actually having to break out the spray paint.  Hot glue and pin the white ribbon in a few spots as you wrap the wreath, just to make sure it stays put. 

Then, start cutting your tulle.  I had a roll of 6” wide tulle that I found in the bridal section of my craft store, and I think(?) I used about 75 feet of the 100 foot long roll – more or less.  Cut pieces into 13” lengths.  You’ll need a lot of these.  Like, a LOT.  So just start cutting, and then keep cutting, and when you think you have enough, cut some more.

Then, start tying!  Tie each piece of tulle onto the wreath with a basic knot, spreading out the ends of the tulle as you go.  Continue tying the tulle onto the wreath, pushing the pieces together to fully cover the wreath form.

Eventually, after much cutting and tying, you’ll have a beauty like this:

 

I have to admit, I love the wreath just like this – it has a simple elegance that I adore.  But I wanted to make it extra special for the holidays, so I added three shimmering snowflake ornaments to it.  All I did was hot glue a small safety pin to the back of each snowflake ornament, and then stuck the pin right into the tulle.  This way, they can repositioned, or removed altogether.  You could use this same trick to add other holiday ornaments, a ribbon, a feather boa like at Flamingo Toes, or whatever else you’d like!

I love it so much that I’m considering making one for my very own!  If you want to make your own, but need a little more instruction, just click here to see the great tutorial provided by Flamingo Toes.

Cheers!

Betsey

Party Time Thursday: Perfect Holiday Party Favors

With so many of us hosting holiday parties this year, I wanted to highlight some simple, festive party favor ideas.  Favors are a great way to thank your guests for coming, and to give them something to remember the occasion by, all while enhancing your party’s theme/décor.  And you know I love that!

 

Consider one of these if you’re having a cocktail party to celebrate the holiday season:

This snowflake wine bottle stopper available from Favor Affair is so sparkly!

Add one to a bottle of wine, and you’d have an excellent hostess gift, too.

Photo from www.favoraffair.com

I love the idea of filling the mini cocktail shaker from Beau-coup with 

holiday candies wrapped in a shimmering foil, and adding a matching bow.

Photo from www.beau-coup.com

For pretty place card holders that double as favors, try one of these for your holiday dinner:

The silver snowflake ornament from Favor Affair can be taken home

for guests to hang on the tree, or to display as a mini picture frame.  

Photo from www.favoraffair.com

 

Guests can use this Christmas tree place card holder from Favor Affair 

in their office as a photo or note holder during the holidays.

Photo from www.favoraffair.com

It would be so convenient to place a basket of favors near the door so each guest can grab one on their way out:

These snowflake coasters from Favors by Serendipity will be an elegant addition

to your guests’ holiday décor, and they’ll think of you each time they’re used.

Photo from www.favorsbyserendipity.com

 

Add a snowflake bookmark, like this one from Favor Affair, to a holiday keepsake book to make a treasured favor for your guests.

Photo from www.favoraffair.com

Or consider sending your guests home with a treat of their own:

These tiny snowflake favor boxes available at Favor Affair 

would be delightful filled with holiday goodies.

Photo from www.favoraffair.com

Adorable cupcake wrappers from Favors by Serendipity 

would make any cupcake look extraordinary.

Photo from www.favorsbyserendipity.com

 

And with so many decorative options available from Wilton, you can 

make holiday treats look fabulous - think edible glitter! 

Photo from www.wilton.com

Customize any of these with a pretty ribbon and a handmade gift tag, and you’ve got a perfect party favor!

Cheers!

Betsey

Serve It Up Tuesday: Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel!

Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of… chocolate?  And marshmallows?  Now that’s a game I can get into!

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

These little treats are so simple to make, and are so yummy!  Click here for the instructions from Martha Stewart, and be sure to read the comments on that page for kosher/vegetarian solutions.  Happy Hanukkah!

Cheers!

Betsey

Whatever Wednesday: A Love Affair with Wreaths

If you’ve been following b.bar for long, you’ve probably noticed my fondness for wreaths.  It’s a love affair, really.  I love them.  I.  LOVE.  Them.  I even launched b.bar with a line of hand decorated wreaths, which can be seen here at my etsy shop (wink, wink).

However, wreaths all over the world have been contacting me, asking me to spread the word that they aren’t just for doors anymore.  Sure, wreaths don’t mind being door décor, but they just want everyone to know that you can display them in so many other ways!  So, as the self-appointed Wreath Maven, I felt it was my duty to share with you some creative ways to display these wonderful wreaths.

On a shelf…

Photo from www.potterybarn.com

Above your mantel…

Photo from www.potterybarn.com

On a window…

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

Photo from www.ballarddesigns.com

As a centerpiece…

Photo from www.crateandbarrel.com

On your banister…

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

On a mirror…

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

Displayed in multiples…

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

And as a chandelier…

Photo from www.marthastewart.com

And if you’re wondering how to hang these lovelies, Martha Stewart’s site offers some great tips for hanging wreaths here!

Anyway, the point is, think outside of the traditional when displaying these fabulous wreaths around your home this holiday season.  And speaking of fabulous, the wreaths available at my shop are that and more.  OK, I promise, no more shameless plugs (today anyway).

Cheers!

Betsey

Make It Monday: Makeovers!

If you’re anything like me, you surely have at least a few items that always go back in the box when you unpack your holiday décor.  These are things that you’ve had forever, that look like they’ve seen better days, that don’t match what you have now, and they just seem better suited for decorating the inside of the holiday storage box than your home.

I’ve been accumulating a few of these things for a while now, and this year, in keeping with my “simplified holiday” theme first seen here, I decided it was time to give these things a makeover.  That’s right, it’s Makeover Day at b.bar!

First, I gathered up all the items in need of a new look.

 

Then I took to the garage for some spray paint magic.  I know I originally said I was keeping with a basic white palette, but my white spray paint was not covering at all the silver spray paint looked so pretty, that I decided silver was a nice accent to the white palette.

Just in case you’re new to the spray paint phenomenon, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. I never always clean the items thoroughly before painting.
2. Invest in a spray paint handle, available at most hardware shops.  It just snaps onto the can and will save your index finger from a great deal of pain, and will prevent paint from getting all over your hand.
3. Shake the spray paint can excessively before using.  And when you think you’ve shaken it enough, turn it upside down and shake it some more.  And while you’re painting, it won’t hurt to pause every few minutes to shake it again.
4. Spray in short, even strokes from side to side.  Remember that it’s better to do multiple thin coats then have drip marks from trying to do a coat that’s too heavy.
5. If the nozzle clogs, turn the can upside down and spray until the stream becomes clear.  This should clear the inside of the nozzle, then just wipe the front of the nozzle with a cloth.

After all that, you can sit back and celebrate all your hard work as you admire your “brand new” stuff!  Everything now has a fresh, cohesive, sparkling look, and I can't wait to display my new holiday décor.

 

What are you making over this season?

Cheers!

Betsey