A Little Loveliness

Conversation Heart Table

2012-02-08T13:34:00.002-06:00

What do you get when you take a trip to the grocery store, find fresh flowers and add four bags of conversation hearts?

Something to talk about!

You can't get much more Valentine-themed than conversation hearts. These chalky little candies are a holiday classic, but my children don't care much for their flavor. So this year I decided to use them to sweeten our table instead of our tummies.

I started by accenting pillar candles with pink, green and yellow conversation hearts. I found these larger, scalloped-edge hearts at Wal-Mart. I placed the candle on a candlestick so I could turn it easily and quickly sorted a bag of conversation hearts by color. Then I started at the bottom of the candle and hot glued a row of hearts. For this candle I used an upside down pink heart for every other candy, and for the other I used an upside-down yellow heart for every other candy. Just a dab of hot glue secured each candy to the candle, and after the holiday I think I can gently remove the hearts and reuse the candles. I worked my way up the candle row by row, then tied a pink ribbon around the finished conversation heart candle.

Then I made a conversation-heart centerpiece by placing a smaller vase within a larger one and filling the space between the vases with conversation hearts. I used two bags of large conversation hearts from Wal-Mart for my two candles and vase, and I filled in extra room in the vase with a bag of smaller conversation hearts from Winn-Dixie. Once the space between the vases was filled, I poured warm water into the smaller vase and added fresh-cut flowers and greenery.

Leftover candies fill teacups and spill onto the table.

Here is a birds eye view of our table of soft pinks, white and greens.

Let's just hope our dinner conversation is as sweet as the table!

And here is something else worth talking about:

Congratulations to Heather L., who won the Valentine package giveaway from my sister's new Etsy shop, The Polka Dot Party. Heather hosts adorable parties for her five children, so I can't wait to see how she puts to use Jennifer's cupcake toppers, liners and bottle wrappers.

Jennifer is offering a sweet deal to all readers of A Little Loveliness -- 20 percent off your entire order with the code "LOVELY" -- through the end of February.

Easy Shabby Heart Valentine Tees

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

The last day of January, the girls and I started combing through their closets to pull out any Valentine-themed clothing. We set aside all the pink and red dresses, skirts and pants we could find for this most romantic month. The next morning when the children got dressed for school, I overheard 5-year-old Emma telling 10-year-old brother Christian, "Remember, Mommy says that it's February, so we should start wearing all our Valentine clothes." Christian looked at her in shock and said sternly, "I do not wear Valentine's clothes!"

Although I am not likely to get my 7th- and 4th-grade boys into any hearts this season, it has been a lot of fun putting a little love into some tees for the girls to wear for Valentine's Day. Over the weekend I appliqued several t-shirts for Mary Ashley and Emma, like the red tees pictured above.

And do you want to know a secret?

This was such a budget-friendly way to create a holiday outfit. I found the long-sleeve tees on clearance at Target and used this free embroidery design from Planet Applique for the heart patch. The original design features concentric hearts, but I varied the design by only using the outer heart and adding a monogram to the center. Then I experimented with a technique for creating a shabby fringe. I layered three squares of fabric for my design and completed the embroidery before cutting the fabric around the heart. I left about 3/8" of fabric all around the heart, then used small scissors to cut slits in this fabric border. This creates a ruffled effect, which I imagine will look even better after the shirts are washed and the fabric edges begin to fray a bit.

Paired with skirts we already had, the girls have cute new Valentine outfits for less than $5 each -- a great deal for those of us who are not afraid to wear our hearts on our sleeve (or tees) this month. I have a few more cute designs to share, so hope to post those soon.

If you haven't entered the giveaway for a Valentine party package from my sister's new Etsy shop, be sure to visit this post. We will announce The Polka Dot Party winner tomorrow!

The Polka Dot Party Giveaway

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

Here is some news to celebrate: My sister, Jennifer, is following her passion for designing party printables to open an Etsy shop! I am so proud to introduce ...

The Polka Dot Party

Jennifer and I share a love of hosting parties, and you should hear us on the phone comparing notes on upcoming themes and ideas. It's enough to make our husbands dizzy! Now Jennifer is sharing her creative talents with friends like you. I know you will enjoy collaborating with my sweet sister to take your celebrations over the top.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Jennifer has designed the adorable Valentine's Day collection pictured in this post -- with cupcake toppers and wrappers, lollipop boxes and water bottle labels that can be personalized to the occasion. Whether you are sending them to school, sharing them with co-workers or setting your family table, wouldn't these printables add the perfect finishing touch to your Valentine treats?

Jennifer will be adding more collections to her shop in the coming days, so be sure to stop in regularly to see what's new. And you can see more of Jennifer's themes on Facebook. Find The Polka Dot Party page here.

Jennifer is offering a grand-opening, shop-wide discount on all her party printables for the month of February. But just for readers of A Little Loveliness, she has a special Valentine giveaway.

Jennifer is offering one special reader a custom Valentine set like the one pictured, which includes a dozen coordinating Valentine cupcake toppers, cupcake wrappers, lollipop boxes and water bottle labels. You have two opportunities to register; please leave separate comments below for each entry you choose:

(1) Visit the shop and add The Polka Dot Party to your Etsy favorites.
(2) Like The Polka Dot Party on Facebook.

(Due to time restraints, this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.)

We will announce the giveaway winner next Tuesday, February 7, to allow plenty of time to share the love this Valentine's Day!

February Blooms

2012-02-02T16:28:00.001-06:00

"Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration." ~ D.H. Lawrence

Ahhh, February. The sweetest month for a romantic heart. And this year we have an extra day of loveliness! I have so many creative projects planned during the next few weeks, I hardly know where to start. With a birthday party to host and a Valentine tea party to attend, I will have lots of charming entertaining details to share. I also have several romantic crafts and recipes planned, so look for those ideas as the month unfolds. One of the gifts this month has already brought to our yard is a profusion of camellias. The photo above captures a perfect bloom. I will be sprinkling upcoming posts with more images of these lovely flowers.

Stop in tomorrow for a giveaway perfect to top your February with sweetness!

Fleece Scarf Tutorial

2012-01-31T23:22:00.000-06:00

We did figure eights to celebrate daughter Mary Ashley's 8th birthday. Before heading to a local ice skating rink, the girls gathered at our house to sip hot cocoa and open presents. I found some winter hat and mitten ornaments in our color pink and aqua color scheme on clearance at Wal-Mart after Christmas, so I picked up a dozen of those and dropped them into an apothecary jar so each guest could choose one. Then I filled another apothecary jar with gloves in pink, white and aqua. And finally, each figure skater received a fleece scarf with rosette detail.

I found the aqua polka dot and pink fleece fabrics at Jo-Ann's Fabrics. (I believe this is the polka dot I chose, although the online photo looks a little more pale blue than aqua.) Fleece was an easy option for this project because it does not fray. To make our scarves, I simply used my rotary cutter to cut strips of fabric. Party guests ranged from ages 6 to 8, so it worked for me to cut 5-inch wide strips from one selvage edge to the other. Mary Ashley did not want fringe on the ends of the scarf, so I finished the edges by cutting scallops. You could do this by tracing a pattern to get exact scallops, but I just cut mine freehand. A pretty rosette added a sweet accent of pink to each scarf.

Making rosettes is so easy, and each one comes together in minutes.

(1) Cut strips of fabric. Mine were about 1 1/2" x 10". Shorter strips will result in smaller buds, and longer strips allow for bigger roses.

(2) Cut a rounded edge on each end of one long side. This will be the top edge, so choose the most even side. Use sturdy thread to hand-sew a running stitch along the bottom edge of the strip. (I actually forgot to photograph this step, so I added dotted lines to demonstrate.)

(3) When you reach the end of the strip, gently gather the fabric. Roll the end nearest the needle into a little rosebud, and tack it into place with a few stitches. Then wrap the rest of the ruffled strip around the rosebud, and stitch it into place.

I think the longest step of this project was trying to decide where I wanted to added the rose accent to the scarf. The rosettes are so pretty, they would look lovely clustered in a grouping of three near the bottom of the scarf, covering the entire scarf, or stitched onto the edges to make a ruffled floral border. I ultimately decided it would be best to let the girls decide. So I stitched each rosette onto the center of a strip of pink fleece. This would allow the girls to position the rosette as desired, or leave it off if they preferred not to wear it. From the angle of the photo above, you can see a little of the fabric strip. Attaching the rosette to a ribbon of fabric turned out to be the best option for adaptability, and it allowed for cute presentation at the party.

Here are the scarves rolled, wrapped and ready for an afternoon on the ice. Our scarves and mittens kept the little girls warm, and the ornaments will serve as a lasting memento of the day.

"Brew me a cup for a winter's night.
For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;
Spice it with love and stir it with care,
And I'll toast our bright eyes,
my sweetheart fair."

~ Minna Thomas Antrim

Frost Bites: Ice Skating Party Menu

2012-01-30T11:40:00.001-06:00

For Mary Ashley's recent ice skating birthday party, guests gathered at our house before heading to a local ice skating rink. Our figure skaters warmed up with steaming mugs of hot cocoa and sweet treats at our mid-afternoon party.

Ice Skating Party Menu

Birthday Cake
Iced Sugar Cookies
Hot Chocolate
Strawberry Cocoa
Marshmallows & Sprinkles
Bottled Waters

Ice skate and mitten cookies from favorite Etsy baker Lisa from Batches were the perfect complement to a cup of hot cocoa. Aren't these precious?

I appreciate the detailed approach Lisa takes with each cookie. Notice the silver shimmer of the silver figure skate blades and the frosty sparkle of the white icing frame. You can see -- and taste -- this baker's passion in every cookie.

Guests topped their mugs with marshmallows and sugar sprinkles. I will keep this apothecary jar full of these white and strawberry marshmallows through Valentine's Day.

I dipped the rims of our Irish coffee mugs in melted Wilton Candy Melts to carry out our color scheme of pink and aqua. Wilton sugar sprinkles added a frosty finishing touch to the mugs. This has to be done as soon as a glass is dipped because the candy melts harden very quickly. (A few of the rims missed getting sprinkled because I thought I could do several before added the sugar.) After the party, the candy melt rims dissolve quickly under hot water.

My friend Stacey came about 30 minutes before the party to help with last-minute details. I asked her to prepare the strawberry cocoa while I put together the hot chocolate. I like to make flavored hot chocolates, but kept this version simple for our little skaters

Ice Skater's Hot Chocolate

Perfect before or after hitting the ice for an afternoon of skating.

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 pinch salt
2/3 cup boiling water
6 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup half-and-half
Sweetened whipped cream or marshmallows, optional

Combine cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a heavy saucepan. Add the boiling water, and stir over medium heat until the sugar melts and you achieve a thick liquid. Stir in milk and heat until very hot, but not boiling. Stir in vanilla and half-and-half, and remove from heat. Divide the hot chocolate between 8 to 10 mugs. Top each serving with whipped cream or marshmallows.

I discovered strawberry cocoa on Pinterest. Pretty and pink, this would be a sweet treat for Valentine's Day. Find the recipe here.

The icing on the cake was this birthday cake. I made a three-layer cake using smaller cake pans hoping to cover it with a cloche for a snow globe effect, but with the ruffles of icing and fresh flowers and greenery, it still came out too big. It turned out pretty, though, and several guests didn't realize it was a cake until it was time to light the candles.

I wonder if Mary Ashley wished for figure eights on her 8th birthday?

After cocoa, cookies and cake, we headed to the ice skating rink. A couple of buckets of bottled waters kept our skaters hydrated during their afternoon on the ice.

Still to come, favors perfect for a cold winter's day.

Ice Skating Winter Wonderland

2012-01-26T16:00:00.000-06:00

Saturday we welcomed a few of Mary Ashley's friends for an ice skating party. The girls gathered here before heading to a local ice skating rink.

This fresh evergreen wreath greeted guests at the front door. I made this the day before the party, simply tucking sprigs into a wire wreath form I found at Hobby Lobby.

See yesterday's post for details of our pretty hot chocolate bar.

Our pink and aqua color scheme was reflected in these napkin bundles. I found the pink yarn at Jo-Ann's Fabrics and used it liberally throughout our decor. I loved the cozy softness it added to our wintertime celebration. Here you see the yarn tied around the napkins and a pink tin bucket. (Aqua napkins and bucket, Target; pink napkins, Caspari.)

Figure skating printables carried out our theme. The straw tags read, "Let's lace up our skates and do figure 8s * We Celebrate That Sweet Mary Ashley Is 8." (Aqua bucket, Target; figure skate embellishment, Jolee's; scrapbook papers, Michaels; straws, The Sugar Diva.)

I began the week trying to make a floor-length ruffled tablecloth but had to abandon the project due to sewing machine problems. So the hunt was on for a white tablecloth. I looked several places and could not be more pleased with the queen size white coverlet I found at a spur-of-the-moment stop at Tuesday Morning. This matelasse coverlet's allover diamond pattern is broken up by floral medallions, and it is edged with white fringe. It is so beautiful! I used it on the table, and now I am trying it out on our bed. I will have to show pictures of that soon. (Pink plates, Caspari.)

Here is a broader view of the dining room before I added the cake to the table. My photographs do not fully convey the beauty of the coverlet or the softness of the room, but you get a little taste here.

Here is our group of eight ready to celebrate! (Left to right, Emma, Lynleigh, Mary Ashley, Emma Cate, Kimber, Carlie, Emma and Lizzy).

I'll be back next week with details of our menu, along with a recipe perfect for warming up a winter day.

Then speaking of warming things up, we'll wrap up our ice skating party with fun favors perfect for a day on the ice.

Congratulations to JoAnne Kennedy, winner of the cupcake cookbook and wrapper giveaway. JoAnne is a longtime friend of A Little Loveliness, so I was thrilled to see that she won. JoAnne is a very talented cake decorator (visit her cake site here), so I can't wait to see what lovely creations she has in store!

Ice Skating Birthday Party

2012-01-25T21:28:00.000-06:00

"Winter came down to our home one night

Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,

And we, we were children once again."

~ Bill Morgan, Jr.

We did figure eights for Mary Ashley's birthday this year with an ice skating party last weekend.

See yesterday's post for more details about our cozy mitten invitations. These set the tone for our afternoon of wintertime fun. A soft palette of pink, aqua and white gave our party a sweet, wintry feel.

I wish our climate allowed for ice skating at a picturesque frozen pond, but the only ice skating option for us near Montgomery, Ala., is an indoor rink at a local mall. We invited a few of Mary Ashley's girlfriends to join us for an afternoon of skating, but hosted them at our house for refreshments first.

Here is a shot of our buffet set up in the dining room for a hot chocolate bar.

The right side of the buffet held cookies from favorite Etsy baker Lisa of Batches. These were a perfect complement to our hot chocolate.

Mitten and ice skate cookies glided off this white porcelain ruffled platter to energize guests for an afternoon on the ice.

This cheery bouquet added a touch of softness to the buffet.

I asked Mary Ashley if I could borrow her doll-sized ice skates for our party. With a cuff of fleece tucked into the skates, these added a wintry touch to a wire dress form.

Sheer aqua ribbon and a fleece scarf also dressed up the form.

Here is the dress form positioned on the corner of the buffet.

This vignette was my favorite. I found the frame in a sweet little gift shop in Florida. I plan to use it in Emma's room, but it was perfect for our party. I took the photo of Mary Ashley when we planned our Christmas card photo session and played with it in Picnik. (And by the way, when I started uploading party photos I learned that Picnik will be closing April 19, but premium services are free until then.)

I invited the girls to fix up their mugs of cocoa with marshmallows and sugar sprinkles. Don't these look like ice chips with my ice skate printables tucked in the bowl? I made these with polka dotted scrapbook papers from Michaels and Jolee's Figure Skate Embellishments.

White hydrangeas look almost like snowballs slipped into this bouquet of pink roses. Sprigs of evergreen tucked here and there added a warm winter fragrance to the room.

Here is another view of the buffet all set for the little ice skaters. Eyelet lanterns available here in pink and blue.

I have much more to share of our party decor, menu and favors, so come back soon!

"The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination." ~ Terri Guillemets

Ice Skating Party Invitation

2012-01-24T15:04:00.000-06:00

Hey Friend,

Let's Lace Up Our Skates,

Do Figure Eights

And All Celebrate

Mary Ashley Is 8!

You Are Invited to An

Ice Skating Party For

Mary Ashley Lester

Saturday, January 21, 2012

RSVP to Melissa for Details

555-5555

Mitten invitations encouraged 8-year-old Mary Ashley's little girlfriends to join us for an ice skating birthday party. To make these, I found a mitten graphic I liked, re-sized it and removed extra details. Copying the altered graphic and flipping it horizontally allowed me to have a pair of mittens to work with. I personalized the left mittens with the guests' names and a greeting. Then the right mitten contained more details. My plan for the afternoon was a little complicated, so I wanted to talk with each guest's parents to coordinate details. I actually think not including all the party information on the invitation encourages guests to RSVP. To complete the front of the invitation, I hot glued mini-ball fringe across the cuffs. Then I connected the mitten pairs by hot gluing grosgrain ribbon to the back. Finally, I used polka dotted polar fleece to cover the backside of the mittens. When I printed my invitations, I printed an extra copy to use as a pattern. I traced the fleece with a blue marking pen and cut it out. Then I secured the fleece to the invitation with a light coating of spray adhesive and allowed the invitations to hang overnight to make sure they were dry before we distributed them. If you would like to make this invitation, click on the mittens below to copy the graphic I used.

If you make mitten invitations, I would love to see photos. If you would like to share, upload photos to the A Little Loveliness page on Facebook. I will be gliding through this week sharing lots of ice skating party ideas, so pour a cup of hot chocolate and stop in again soon!

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home." ~ Edith Sitwell

Cupcake Giveaway

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

Last year after Mary Ashley's cupcake party I offered a cupcake-themed giveaway, but the prize was never claimed. So I am offering up this copy of Perfect Cupcakes, Cookies and Muffins and box of cupcake liners again today. Please leave a comment below to get your name in the teacup. And if you follow my blog via Google, Facebook, Networked Blogs or RSS feed, leave extra comments to let me know. I plan to announce the winner sometime next week.

Now let me go finish my party projects so I can clean house. This place is a mess!

Birthday Time: Baking Memories

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

It seems like it was just yesterday I was making aprons for Mary Ashley's cupcake baking 7th birthday celebration, and now I am busy preparing for her 8th birthday party. We will celebrate her big day with girlfriends this weekend, so look for details of our celebration next week. And in the meantime, you can reminisce with me about baking memories here.

To get us in the party spirit, I will be back tomorrow with a little giveaway!

Photo by Allison Hilyer Photography. Used with permission.

Wrestling Up Some Grub: Wrestlers Breakfast

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Twelve-year-old Carson joined his middle-school wrestling team in the fall, and this boy has found his passion! Carson is quick and muscular, but he is not especially tall, so wrestling is a good sport for him because competitors are paired based on weight. One of my pleasures as a mother is helping the children discover their talents, so earlier this week we celebrated Carson's hard work with a wrestling-themed breakfast. I can't say that our menu would be appropriate before a tournament, so we didn't risk it. We enjoyed this brunch on our last lazy day of Christmas vacation.

Wrestling Up Some Grub Brunch

Flapjacks Pinned with Strawberries
Eggs Over Easy
Sausage Links
Twisted Raspberry Punch

I saw mini-pancakes skewered with blueberries on Pinterest and loved the idea for our wrestling brunch. Raspberries or strawberries seemed appropriate fruits for a wrestler's breakfast. I planned to make the pancakes from scratch, but opted for the time savings when I discovered mini-pancakes in my grocer's freezer. I also found frozen turkey sausage, and none of the children noticed the difference. Serving eggs over-easy was an obvious choice for a wrestling theme, but my children only eat them scrambled. So I scrambled eggs and served them in foil cupcake liners to keep them from mingling with the pancake syrup. Other wrestling menu ideas include any dishes that are wrapped, rolled or twisted.

Served with a twisty straw, this frothy, tart beverage packed a punch for brunch.

Twisted Raspberry Punch
This punch was a little tart for my tastes, but the children loved it.

6 cups chilled lemon-lime soda
1/2 can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
Country Time powdered pink lemonade
Raspberry sherbet
Vanilla ice cream

Combine soda, limeade and powdered lemonade in a pitcher and chill. To serve, use a melon baller to scoop raspberry sherbet and vanilla ice cream into six tea glasses. Pour soda mixture over ice cream and sherbet, and serve.

Wrestling is a sport I knew nothing about before this year, but I am getting quite an education through Carson's efforts. When we went to the middle school's first meet, I stifled a giggle watching another team warm up as I bit my tongue to keep from calling out, "Boys, settle down or take it outside!" I told friends that I enjoyed that tournament except for all the roughhousing. It really is an intense sport and one that requires vigorous training and focus. Carson told me yesterday that a wrestler from another school was seriously injured during a tournament over the holiday break, so I am not without worry that Carson could be injured or injure someone else. But I also understand that done correctly, wrestling can be a great character-shaping and strength-building endeavor. I am proud of Carson for working so hard, and I hope Monday's breakfast let him know that win or lose, he is always a champ to us.

I must admit, I feel a bit out of my element with all the boys' sporting endeavors, but wrestling is totally new to me. If you have any advice you can share as the mom, sister or supporter of a high school or collegiate wrestler, please offer that in the comments below.

And on a very different note, congratulations to Claire K., who won a copy of the Jan./Feb. 2012 issue of TeaTime Magazine. Claire, please e-mail me your address so I can get your magazine to you.

Blessing the Teacher

2012-01-04T09:42:00.000-06:00

One of the bittersweet moments of December was bidding farewell to one of our favorite elementary school teachers. As the gifted education teacher, Mrs. Wilson poured herself into her students -- appreciating them for their unique gifts and personalities; challenging them to stretch their minds; and encouraging them to reach their full potential in the classroom and beyond. Christian was one of Mrs. Wilson's fourth-grade students, and their last class was quite emotional for teacher and students alike. Another mother and I planned a farewell celebration during their last meeting. We prepared cupcakes, cheese straws and punch for Mrs. Wilson and took a picture of her with the class to fit a signed picture frame.

It seems to me the best gift a teacher could receive at the end of her career would be to know that she made a difference in the lives of her students. I asked the children seated at their desks, "If Mrs. Wilson has helped you stretch your mind, if she has taught you new things, if she has made your life at Wetumpka Elementary School better, will you please stand up?" All the children rose. One by one we went around the classroom, letting each child speak to Mrs. Wilson before taking his or her seat. I printed a dozen quotes about teachers, and each student read one and then shared thoughts on Mrs. Wilson.

The quotes the children read follow, but the real treasure came from the hearts of the children. The first boy I approached bowed his head bashfully when I asked him to read a quote, so I didn't want to pressure him to speak. I read his quote and asked him if he had anything he wanted to share. He looked at the floor for a moment, then said quietly, "Mrs. Wilson is the nicest teacher I've ever had." It was difficult to maintain composure as one by one these 9- and 10-year-olds shared their hearts with Mrs. Wilson. One little girl paused after reading her quote, then said, "I never knew I was important until I took that test in second grade and met you." And another revealed, "I didn't think I was smart until you showed me how big my brain could be." It was truly a privilege to witness this experience between a beloved teacher and her students, and I hope it showed Mrs. Wilson that the time she has given children these many years has been a worthy investment.

Teachers are grossly underpaid for their investment of time and energy, but they make the world vastly richer for their efforts. Thank you, teachers!

Thoughts on Teachers

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." ~ Henry Brooks Adams

"A good teacher is like a candle -- it consumes itself to light the way for others." ~ Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it." ~ Margaret Fuller

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." ~ Carl Jung

"What a teacher writes on the blackboard of life can never be erased." ~ Author Unknown

"The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind." ~ Kahlil Gibran

"Often, when I am reading a good book, I stop and thank my teacher. That is, I used to, until she got an unlisted number." ~ Author Unknown

"A truly special teacher is very wise, and sees tomorrow in every child's eyes." ~ Author Unknown

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." ~ Mark Van Doren

"Teachers who inspire realize there will always be rocks in the road ahead of us. They will be stumbling blocks or stepping stones; it all depends on how we use them." ~ Author Unknown

"Teaching is leaving a vestige of one self in the development of another. And surely the student is a bank where you can deposit your most precious treasures." ~ Eugene P. Bertin

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." ~ William Arthur Ward

What are your ideas for blessing teachers? And if you are a teacher, I would love to know what tokens of appreciation have meant the most to you.

Welcome 2012

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

A happy New Year! Grant that I

May bring no tear to any eye

When this New Year in time shall end

Let it be said I've played the friend,

Have lived and loved and labored here,

And made of it a happy year.

~Edgar Guest

Wishing You Well in 2012,

Chocolate Bread Pudding

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

Days before many of us will part with sweets for the new year, let me slip this one last delicious recipe in for the holidays. My sister-in-law Shannon made chocolate bread pudding recently, and it was love at first bite. I knew immediately this would be the perfect rich, gooey dessert to enjoy after the girls' Christmas recital. Friends joined us for dinner after the show, and I let the bread pudding bake during dinner. Served warm from the oven with vanilla bean ice cream, it was heavenly! The recipe follows, along with a few photos of the evening's best sweets: my little ballerinas Mary Ashley and Emma.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Enjoy this delicious dessert a la mode while it is still warm from the oven.

6 cups cubed French bread, crusts removed
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups whole milk
1 cup cream
2 packages chocolate chips
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cream
1 cup confectioners sugar

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl, and drizzle with melted margarine. Toss to coat. Mix together the sugar and cocoa powder, sprinkle evenly over the bread cubes, and toss again. Reserve 1 cup chocolate chips for glaze, and toss the rest of the first bag with the bread mixture. Spread bread cubes evenly into an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk just to the boiling point and remove from heat. Add the second package of chocolate chips, and whisk until smooth.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Slowly whisk in chocolate mixture. Pour over bread cubes in baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes, or until the pudding is set but the center moves slightly when the dish is shaken.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze. Place reserved cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup cream in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave, stirring frequently, until the chips are melted. Whisk in the confectioners sugar until the mixture is smooth. Drizzle over warm pudding, and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Emma took center stage with her class for the first song of the night. This is the first year the girls have been in separate ballet classes, so they were excited to watch each other's performances. Emma was a little bashful when she first went onstage, but she warmed up and her cute personality came through.

Mary Ashley (second from the right, sitting) moved up to an older class this year, and her performance brought tears to my eyes. She floated gracefully across the stage, and friends said she needed wings because she looked like a little fairy. She is a natural ballerina!

Here are our little ballerinas, ready to head home for some chocolate bread pudding!

Wishing You and Yours a Happy and Blessed New Year!

A TeaTime Surprise

2011-12-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

I was delighted to visit Smith-Byrd House in Prattville, Ala., for a little friend's tea party recently and discover a sweet surprise in the gift shop: the latest issue of TeaTime, which includes my article "The Valentine Tea." TeaTime is one of my favorite publications, so it is a dream come true to be included in the magazine. You can find my essay in "The Tea Diaries" on page 60 of the Jan./Feb. 2012 issue. I picked up an extra copy at Smith-Byrd, so I would love to share one with you. Please leave a comment below, and I will draw a name out of the teacup for a copy of this inspiring issue.

Congratulations to my sweet friend Becky Welch, who won my Book Club Christmas giveaway of a book and handmade velvet bookmark. Becky has started her own book club in Henderson, Tenn., so I hope she will enjoy tucking her bookmark into their latest selection.

A Birthday Teapot Cake

2011-12-27T01:00:00.000-06:00

When our little friend Emma Brown decided to have a birthday tea at Smith-Byrd House in Prattville, I immediately volunteered to make her cake. I hope this chocolate cake with buttercream icing was 8-year-old Emma's cup of tea.

The teapot is a Wilton ball cake, baked in two half-sphere pans and secured with icing. The handle and spout are cut from cardboard and inserted into the cake. Covered with icing piped on with a star tip, you would never know! I guess my favorite technique right now for covering a cake is piping swirls of icing on with a large star tip because the varying circles work together to look like roses. Pink rose buds piped on with an angled tip -- accented with green leaves and stems piped on with a V-shaped tip and small round tip, respectively -- complete the design. And this little teapot is ready to be tipped over and poured out for a sweet little girl's birthday.

And speaking of birthdays, today is my 39th! eek!

This birthday moves me swiftly toward that big birthday that many women fear. But I love what Christian Dior has to say on the matter: "Women are most fascinating between the ages of 35 and 40 after they have won a few races and know how to pace themselves. Since few women ever pass 40, maximum fascination can continue indefinitely."

So let's raise our teacups to obtaining maximum fascination! Tomorrow, a teatime surprise.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T01:11:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas from the Lester family!

This year I decided to plan a frosty photo shoot for our Christmas cards with sweaters, scarves, hats and mittens. A couple of mugs of hot chocolate -- actually just whipped cream -- served as a great prop for the group photos. The photos at the end of the shoot were really the cherry on top. Can you see the difference between sisters and brothers in these pictures? My sweet girls above.

And my boys. They love each other, too. To death, I am afraid.

Carson really wanted to put the whipped cream in Christian's face, and even though Christian agreed I initially said no. But then I reconsidered, repositioned them and snapped away as they laughed hysterically at Christian's whipped cream beard. These photos turned out to be my favorites from the afternoon!

Sweet Sisters.

Oh, Brothers!

The whipped cream in our hot chocolate: Christian, 10; Mary Ashley, 7; Emma, 5; and Carson, 12.

I hope your cup of blessings overflows this holiday season!

Merry Christmas,

Jingle Bell Rock Kids Christmas Party

2011-12-22T03:30:00.000-06:00

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun

Last Friday we had our annual Christmas party the day the children got out of school. Two years ago we invited our favorite pair of sisters, Emma and Lizzie, to join us for a Gingerbread House Decorating Party. Then last year we added our favorite pair of brothers, Garrison and Gavin, to the mix for a canvas-painting Christmas P-art-y. (Find more details about those parties here, here and here.) The children are so full of excitement on the last day of school, and it has helped us to channel their energy into a holiday party. Since the last two parties have been "artsy-crafty," I thought we would switch things up a bit with a Jingle Bell Rock. Let me explain.

The first year Joe and I were married, my sweet 8-year-old cousin Kristi spent a weekend with us during the holidays. We decorated a gingerbread house together, sipped hot chocolate and enjoyed the holiday lights of Nashville. As newlyweds, Joe and I lived on a shoestring and didn't have much money for holiday spending. One of the only Christmas-themed items we got that year was a CD of Christmas music we won from a church party gift exchange. It wasn't really a great CD, but it was the only Christmas one we had, so we listened to it often. One of the most fun impromptu moments of our weekend with Kristi was getting up to dance together to the song "Jingle Bell Rock." The three of us whirled and twirled around our little apartment, laughing and acting silly together. This was such a joyful holiday moment that a family tradition was born. To this day, whenever the song "Jingle Bell Rock" comes on -- whether we are eating dinner, cleaning house or doing homework -- we run from all areas of the house to our family room to dance together. Especially when we are busy cooking or readying the house for company, taking a few minutes to laugh and act silly together can be just what we need to put the jingle back in our step. And you would be surprised how often "Jingle Bell Rock" comes on during the holidays!

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock,

Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time

The children love this holiday tradition. Ten-year-old Christian is usually the first one to notice when "Jingle Bell Rock" comes on the radio, and he has us on our feet within a few beats. So we decided it would be fun to pass on our silly holiday tradition at the kids Christmas party this year with a music-themed Jingle Bell Rock.

Rockin' Activities

Holiday Hit List. Before the party, I asked all eight children to tell me their favorite Christmas song but keep it a secret from each other. I compiled their holiday hits onto a CD to play during dinner, and with each new song we went around the table to guess whose favorite it was. This was a great equal-opportunity activity because each child aged 5 to 12 picked a song and each one got to guess their friends' choices. I put a handful of chocolate Jingles at each place, and 9-year-old Gavin had the idea that if you guessed a song's fan correctly, you could eat a candy. Then the next round he suggested that you could eat one if someone said your name during the guessing, and by the third song he had covered all the bases so everyone could eat a piece of chocolate no matter what. The song-guessing game went over even better than I expected, and from now on we will always associate the chosen songs with our special friends.
Elf-is Has Entered the Building. Days before the party I found an elf karaoke microphone at Wal-Mart, and I kept it hidden until party time. The microphone had three settings: Christmas song karaoke, your voice and elf voice. We didn't use the mic for an organized group activity, but the children enjoyed passing this around all night.
The 12 Breakfasts of Christmas. Longtime readers of A Little Loveliness may know about this fun tradition son Carson started a few years ago. Carson commented that it would be funny to sing about a Pop-Tart in a pear tree, so we started singing, "On the first day of breakfast my mother made for me a Pop-Tart in a pear tree." The game progresses around the table with each person choosing a breakfast. For us, day one is always a Pop-Tart in a pear tree and day five is always five strips of bacon (because we are southern and because it is increasingly funnier with each round to sing "five strips of BAAAA-CON" with gusto). This is another equal-opportunity activity, and it is a lot of fun to remember each breakfast as the song progresses. We sang this song during dessert and had a great time with it.

Other Jingle Bell Rock activities could include making instruments from household items or playing music-themed video games on the Wii. I originally planned to do both, but the kids seemed to enjoy their free play so much that I decided to let them just enjoy their time.

Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air

For this party I re-purposed some of the decor I used for Christian's Elf #6 surprise breakfast, but changing up the color scheme gave it a completely different feel. Our elf breakfast was mostly red and white, with some splashes of lime green. But a four-pack of pale blue wrapping paper added a breath of fresh air to our rockin' table.

What a bright time
It's the right time
To rock the night away

Plastic tumblers, Winn-Dixie; striped straws, The Sugar Diva; peppermint plates and wrapping paper, Wal-Mart; snowflake napkins, plastic silverware and drum ornaments, Hobby Lobby.

Jingle Bell Rock Menu

Bugles with Jazzy Dip
Classic Drumsticks
Fruit Horns
Black Eyed Peas Medley
Jam Session Biscuits
Rockin' Sundaes
Cherry Limeade Pop

Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go riding in a one-horse sleigh

Taking note of an idea on Pinterest to fill waffle cones with fruit, I decorated sugar cones to look like horns and filled them with fruit salad. I found our recipe for Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Drumsticks here. The kids gave it rave reviews, so I will definitely make this dish again. I jazzed up traditional black eye peas with some limas, green peas and extra spices. To be honest, the kids didn't really give these a try, but come on -- Black Eyed Peas Medley -- it was worth a shot. Frozen mini-biscuits served hot with jam on the side were worthy of a jam session, and a variety of toppings were great fun for our rockin' sundaes. I offered three flavors of ice cream for our sundae bar: classic vanilla, holiday hit peppermint and rock-n-roll rocky road.

Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock

Purchasing a four-pack of wrapping paper made cutting coordinating bottle labels a snap. I chose bottles of Cherry-Limeade for the color, but placed a tumbler alongside in case the soda wasn't a hit with some of the kids.

Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet

That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock!

Each year I want to send the kids home with an ornament commemorating our Christmas party. This year I found a rocking selection at Hobby Lobby. We also sent each family home with a CD of the kids' holiday hits, and, of course, the last track is "Jingle Bell Rock." We also sent each family home with a little bag of Jingles candy, not pictured, with coordinating elf tag and message: "Thank You for Jingle Bell Rocking with Us! Carson, Christian, Mary Ashley & Emma."

I hope you will consider acting a little bit silly next time you hear "Jingle Bell Rock." It might just put a jingle in your step this holiday season!

And guess what? Seventeen years later, my little cousin Kristi is all grown up and engaged to be married. I was so excited to attend a Christmas shower for her recently, and I'm sure you can guess what I gave her: a CD with "Jingle Bell Rock" so she can continue our holiday tradition with her own family!

Elf Breakfast

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

One of the highlights of last week's flurry of holiday activities was son Christian's fourth-grade Christmas musical. Christian auditioned for a speaking role and was elated to be cast as Elf #6. He practiced his lines faithfully and reminded us at least once a day that showtime was coming soon. So I decided to surprise the children with an elf-themed breakfast on the day of the big performance.

I readied partyware through the week and set the table after the children went to bed. With such an early morning surprise, I wanted to be as far along with the breakfast as possible.

Peppermint plates and mugs from Wal-Mart were perfect for our festive breakfast -- and a great lunchtime option now that the kids are out of school.

Echoing our red-and-white color scheme, candy cane arrangements added a refreshing touch to the table. To make these I hot glued plastic foam into footed bowls and slipped wrapped candy canes into the foam. I then covered the foam with moss and a trio of ornament picks from Michaels.

Christian's show was called The Reindeer Whisperer, so I was delighted to find a Word graphic for my printables with an elf putting a scarf on a reindeer.

Little pennants on our drinking straws urged Christian to break a candy cane. Seven-year-old Mary Ashley was quite concerned about this message until I explained that it was a holiday take on the actors' phrase "Break a leg."

Reindeer Whisperer Breakfast Menu

Reindeer Yogurt Parfaits

Elf #6 Fruit Skewers

Breakfast Casserole Muffins

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Milk and Orange Juice

Breakfast Casserole Muffins

Mother and daughter Margie Austin and Julie Knapp have brought these to church on occasion, and Christian has raved about them, so I knew they would be a breakfast of choice for him.

1 pound hot sausage, browned and drained
6 eggs
1 cup biscuit mix
2 cups half & half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups grated cheese

Spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray. Place drained sausage evenly in the cups. Mix eggs, biscuit mix, half & half, salt and pepper together. Pour evenly over the sausage. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

A little gift at each child's place served to commemorate the occasion.

I found these paddle-ball elf favors at Wal-Mart for less than $1 apiece. The kids hardly wanted to eat once they opened these!

This little guy was a find at Caffco Floral Outlet in Montgomery. I quite enjoy having him around!

There was little time to enjoy our breakfast before school, so we enjoyed dinner and a show that evening as we shared leftovers while watching a recording of Christian's performance. There is no doubt about it: Elf #6 is #1 with us!

I still have more holiday happenings to share, so stop in again soon!

Bookclub Christmas Giveaway

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

Handmade velvet bookmarks were a perfect favor for our recent Book Club Christmas tea party, and I wanted to share one with my dear readers. Pictured above are three of my favorites. Would you like to tuck one of these into a favorite book this winter?

I am sure you will need something good to read during those long winter nights, so I will be surprising the winner with a book as well.

To enter, please leave me a comment below, and tell me which bookmark you prefer of the three pictured above. I hope you can choose a favorite more easily than I! I will announce the winner soon.

Have a blessed day!

Book Club Christmas Menu

2011-12-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

I had great intentions to post all the photos from our recent Book Club Christmas last week, but it just did not happen! So today I am back with details of our menu. We kept things light for our mid-afternoon tea party, which seemed to suit everyone fine.

Book Club Christmas Menu

Lemon Cake with Raspberry Jam, Lemon Curd and Buttercream Icing

Fresh Strawberries and Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Cheddar-Pecan Wafers

Cup of Loveliness Signature Roseberry Tea

Ice Water with Lemon

This three-layer cake received rave reviews. I baked three layers of lemon cake in square pans and stacked them with alternating layers of raspberry jam, buttercream icing and lemon curd. The combination was heavenly! In fact, one guest said she dreamed about eating that cake afterward and told her husband the next morning that he must commission me to make her birthday cake this year. In all fairness, my friend has been on a very strict diet, so it was probably just the sugar talking. But it was nice to hear such a rave review, in any event. I decorated the cake to look like a gift, covering the whole cake with varying sizes of circles piped on with a star tip. Wide green wired ribbon and fresh flowers added the final touches for our cake. I should have added the ribbon after refrigerating the cake for a while so the icing would set, but I was too impatient to complete the design. I kept the flowers in water until shortly before party time, then tucked them into the cake. And who could resist a sweet pink and green gift?

Cheddar-Pecan Wafers

These dainty wafers my friend Missy Jones made for the party provided a nice balance to the sweets on the tea table.

1 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound sharp or extra sharp cheddar
1 cup pecans, toasted
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 ½ cups all purpose flour

In the bowl of a large food processor, chop pecans until nearly mealy. Remove to a bowl. Cream butter, cheddar, salt and cayenne. Add pecans and flour (add flour in two parts) and mix on “dough” setting. When all ingredients are well incorporated, divide mixture in fourths. Place each quarter of dough on wax paper and form into a log about 1 ½" thick. Place in fridge for about two hours, or until solid. Cut into scant ½" slices and place on parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven about 15 minutes, or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Let cool 2 minutes on tray and then remove to cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Store in airtight container up to 3 days. The recipe makes a lot (four logs). If you want to save some, over-wrap the wax paper with plastic wrap and freeze up to one month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before slicing to bake.

My friend Sharon Lyle came early to help me with last-minute party details, and she put together this pitcher of water with alternating layers of lemon slices and ice cubes -- a refreshing option for ladies who preferred a cold beverage to hot tea.

Tomorrow, a little giveaway sure to delight my bookloving friends! And assuming no computer problems slow my progress, I have lots of Christmas party ideas to share this week.

A Book Club Christmas

2011-12-14T12:27:00.000-06:00

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." ~Charles W. Eliot

Sunday afternoon I hosted our congregation's ladies book club for a Christmas tea. Our usual practice is to meet quarterly to discuss a book, but since our winter meeting time fell in December this year, we decided to do things a little differently. The holidays are such a busy time, we knew it would be impossible to find a meeting time to accommodate most of our group, so instead we planned a Sunday afternoon Christian fiction book swap. And we will plan our next regular meeting to discuss the book Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz in late winter. (You still have time to order your copy!)

Bright colors and vivid patterns dominate my holiday decorating with the children, so I was so happy for an opportunity to plan a rosy pink celebration for my women friends. In truth, I am a pink girl all year long, so I felt right at home in my soft pink wonderland. The Word graphic above was perfect for incorporating into my invitation. The favor idea that inspired the party theme lent itself to a vintage feel, so I looked for elements that would bring a romantic, Old World feel to our celebration.

This was our sign-up sheet inviting ladies of the congregation to join us for A Book Club Christmas. Styled like a book, complete with ribbon bookmark with little beads at the end, this design is a classic.

In our large congregation, it is customary for hostesses to print directions to their homes, so I printed party details, directions and my phone number on bookmarks finished with pink ribbon. Tucked into a favorite novel after the party, a bookmark invitation can remind guests of our time together. Here is a peek into our dining room before guests arrived Sunday ... .

It's beginning to look a lot like pink Christmas!

For some reason, pink roses can be a bit difficult to find during the holidays, but after stops at several shops, I found these lovely pale pink roses and soft green hydrangeas at Winn-Dixie in Montgomery. This beautiful bouquet was the perfect complement to my Christmas gift from Joe ... .

Isn't this china breathtaking? I simply adore it. I discovered this pattern, Norwich by Royal Embassy, at a local antique mall and could not get it out of my mind. The 48-piece service for six was reasonably priced, but I was hesitant to ask Joe if I could purchase it because I know that I do not really need it -- except in the way that I always need new china. (It is a sickness that runs in my family, affecting three generations of us ladies starting with my grandmother.) But anyway, when I did work up the courage to bring up the china and said it could be my whole Christmas, Joe said yes! Several of Sunday's party guests also enjoy collecting china patterns, so I was able to pass along their compliments on his fine gift giving.

"Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house." ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Wrapped in dust jackets of scrapbook paper and wrapping paper and adorned with soft pink ribbons and a glittery ornament, books added volumes of interest to the tablescape.

And glittered ornament picks from Michaels added sparkle to the table and garland that draped the mirror.

A soft vignette on the table.

This trio of trees added height to the narrow table that sits behind the dining room table. I found the white footed pots, topiary forms and moss at Caffco Floral Outlet in Montgomery. I hot glued the moss to the plastic foam, then added ribbon and bead embellishments with floral pins. The white paper flowers came from Michaels; I also used those to accent nearby pillar candles. I plan to keep these topiaries and change out decorations to fit future party themes.

Since we met mid-afternoon Sunday, I kept the menu simple with a couple of choices and a show-stopping cake decorated to look like a present. I will share more details about this cake and the rest of the menu in my next post.

Roses and ornaments added festive touches to the serving dishes we used for our tea party.

We slipped into the sitting room to share refreshments and swap books. Then I invited each guest to choose a custom bookmark. Yesterday's post tells a little more about how to make this fun craft.

Each bookmark was a little work of art, and it was interesting to see which one each lady chose. Here are a few of the remaining styles. Many of the bookmarks featured Swarovski crystal beads, and many were finished with a little silver charm, like the pink and lavender bookmarks on the end. Several of the bookmarks were finished with one large charm, like the cherub bookmark on cream ribbon. I searched Word for vintage graphics, sized them to fit the charms, printed them on photo paper, placed them in the frame and covered them with a jewelry solution that gives the charms a clear sheen. The lavender bookmark with tiny oval frame is one of my favorites. It is actually a still from Bright Star, a movie about the poet John Keats and the love of his life, Fanny Brawne. I hope each bookmark chosen Sunday finds its place among treasured books.

We had a small group Sunday, but the intimate setting was enjoyable for visiting with dear friends. Left to right, Nia, Tina, Nancy, Missy, Margie, Haley, Sharon and Lynn. I enjoyed slowing down to share a cup of tea with these sweet ladies and hope they were blessed by our afternoon together.

Still to come, details of our Book Club Christmas menu and a little gift for you.

(Find more details of our menu here and our velvet bookmark favors here.)

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." ~ Charles W. Eliot

Beautiful Velvet Bookmarks

2011-12-12T10:53:00.004-06:00

(Photo by Andrea Singarella; used with permission.)

Yesterday I hosted my ladies book club for a Christmas party and book exchange. It was the loveliest pink afternoon, and I can't wait to share all the details with you! The beautiful velvet bookmarks pictured above inspired my theme and color palette for the whole event. Aren't these beautiful? I swooned over this idea on Pinterest, followed it to Country Living, and from there discovered jewelry designer Andrea Singarella.

Andrea's shopette is filled with beautiful beaded treasures that offer a fresh take on vintage. Her inspiration comes from her love for romantic pieces from the past. She explains, "In an undeniably feminine style, I'm partial to pastel gemstones, beautiful religious relics, pearls with patina, old rhinestone baubles, vintage hearts and carved roses." Yes, please! Andrea's design work has been featured in Country Living, Somerset Life, Artful Blogging, Blogging for Bliss and Where Women Create.

Making these bookmarks might just be my favorite craft right now because they are easy to make, and each one is a little work of art. To make a bookmark, cut a 9-inch length of velvet ribbon and finish each end with a ribbon clamp the same width as your ribbon. I ordered silver clamps here. Clamps with a little loop at the end allow you to string beads to the bookmark. You could bead both ends, but I wanted charms on one end only, so I used a straight-edged clamp on the other end of the bookmark. I will share more details of my bookmark designs this week. Find Andrea's tips and sources here.

Last week I took you down a dark alley for Christian's bowling surprise party, but this week is much more my style. So I hope you will stop by each day for a cup of tea and the next chapter in our Book Club Christmas.

Bowling Party Ideas

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

As promised, I am back today with lots of ideas for planning a fun bowling party. This year we bowled son Christian over with a surprise party in honor of his 10th birthday. This was a perfect choice for the big 1-0 because you use 10 pins in bowling. And Christian enjoys bowling on occasion, so I knew he would jump at the opportunity. So, here are my ideas for making someone you love feel like a King Pin for the night.

Usually I make invitations from scratch, but I couldn't see re-inventing the wheel -- or the bowling ball, in this case -- once I found these dimensional invitations from Party City. The color palette and vintage feel were just what I wanted, so I mailed these to out-of-town family.

I love recycling Starbucks frappuccino bottles for parties, but for this occasion I wanted bottles shaped more like bowling pins. Orange Crush soda bottles were right down my alley for this project!

Thin strips of ribbon and rick-rack glued around the neck alluded to the bowling pin; personalized labels proclaimed "Christian Lanes"; and extra-long, aqua-and-white straws were perfect for sipping. Christian knew he was having Gavin and brother, Garrison, spend the night, so I set up our dining room for Saturday morning's bowling breakfast.

I used a plastic funnel I purchased in the automotive section of Wal-Mart to fill the bottles at breakfast time. Filled to the brim with milk, don't they look like bowling pins?

They were especially striking set up on a bowling-alley style platter, a square laminate flooring sample from my in-law's floor-covering store.

I saw this idea online ages ago, although I can't remember where I found it. The idea I saw was to use vinyl lettering to personalize a scrap of laminate flooring, but I used scrapbook paper and a printed label to cover the product labels on this piece that I will return.

Party printables tied the theme together using the Christian Lanes logo and a color scheme of aqua blue, red, black and white.

Along with cupcake picks, I made food labels and tags, not pictured.

Our lane reservation at the bowling alley included pizza and soft drinks, but I took a fresh garden salad, pizza dip and chips, and sweets. Pictured above, my first attempt at cake pops. I intended to make bowling pin cake pops, but they didn't turn out well for me. So I stuck with bowling balls. To get the swirled effect in the coating, I melted two colors of Wilton candy melts and swirled them just a bit with a toothpick before dipping. I found helpful tips, recipes and a video tutorial on making cake pops with Bakerella on the Martha Stewart site here. This was probably my one-time cake pop experience, but it was a great fit for our party.

I used yellow cake for the cake pops, so Oreo truffles provided another sweet option for the chocolate lovers in the group. I found the truffle recipe on A Girl in Her Kitchen, a blog of recipes and crafts by one of our former adopted college students at Faulkner. Find Elizabeth's recipe here. For both the truffles and the cake pops, three round sprinkles placed atop the wet candy coating completed our bowling balls.

The day of the party, I got a little nervous that our little sweets would not stretch to feed the crowd, so I purchased cupcakes from the Wal-Mart bakery. I displayed 10 on our laminate tray at the birthday party.

Paper goods were easy for the crowd at the bowling alley Friday night, and round glass plates set a pretty table for breakfast at home Saturday morning. Square plates, aqua napkins and red polka dot napkins, Target; bowling dessert plates, Party City; 10 1/2-inch long, aqua striped straws, The Sugar Diva. At home I used black and white polka dotted gift wrap from Hobby Lobby to make a runner for our breakfast table. You can see glimpses of the runner in other photos in this post.

"Even if you don't knock a lot of pins down, be sure to strike a pretty pose." -- Clyde Higa

I used a free offer from Vistaprint to design this bowling-themed tee for Christian to wear to the party. Thankfully, he didn't question my suggestion that he shower and change before going to Gavin's house.

I also designed this banner on Vistaprint, uploading a graphic from Word to cover the banner and adding the message, "Happy Birthday, Christian! We're Bowling You Over with Birthday Wishes." Along with bunting made from scrapbook paper and helium balloons, this banner made a festive statement.

After his surprise party a few years ago, son Carson said the evening was such a blur that he was really glad to have a signed piece of artwork so he could remember who was there. Carson's guitar picture hangs in the boys' room, and now Christian's bowling pin graphic will hang with it. We teased our friend Garrison, who laughed when he realized he misspelled "friend" on his greeting, telling him that he will only see it every time he spends the night with us for the rest of his life. But that's what freinds are for!

For Carson's music-themed surprise party we gave out CDs with his "Top 10 at 10." This was such fun for him that we have made it a birthday tradition for all the kids. They love choosing songs that we listen to in the car during their birthday week, and this makes a fun party favor as well. For Christian's "Striking Gold" CD cover, I used photos I found in Word. The bowling-pin cover graphic I also used for the banner and framed artwork. I don't know if guests noticed this little detail inside the CD case, but check out the size on the bowling shoes: 10!

For the party I clustered the CDs in a round glass bowl, accented with three round stickers. After the party, I replaced the CDs with food for our breakfast table. I have seen little favor bowling sets at discount stores in the past, but they were nowhere to be found near party time. So I improvised with this easy favor .. .

Bowling ornaments made a nice favor for each family in attendance. To make these, I simply hot glued three sticker beads on each glittered ornament. This little touch will remind guests of our special night without hitting the bowling theme too hard.

Black and white cupcake boxes with clear lids were perfect for showcasing each family's ornament. Glittered ornaments, Wal-Mart; cupcake boxes and bead stickers, Michaels; tissue paper, Hobby Lobby.

Well, there you have it! If bowling is right down your alley, be sure to pin these ideas for celebrating a King Pin in your life. You can strike these easy ideas off your to-do list with time to spare to bowl 3oo. (OK, I will stop bowling you over with my puns lest you throw me in a gutter.) But seriously, if you are looking for a party theme that will appeal to a variety of ages, invite loved ones to meet you in a dark alley sometime soon. Chances are, they'll have a ball.

"What is the quietest place in the world? A bowling alley because you can hear a pin drop." -- Unknown

Bowled Over Birthday

2011-12-08T13:30:00.000-06:00

Well, we pulled it off ... again!

When son Carson turned 10, we rocked his world with a rock 'n' roll themed surprise birthday party (details here). It is really difficult to surprise my children at their birthdays because it seems they start talking about next year's celebrations before we have recovered from this year's parties. And since we did a surprise party for Carson when he became a "tenager," I was doubtful we could surprise Christian -- especially as sensitive as kids can be about remembering their siblings' milestones. ("Mom, what will we do for my surprise party when I am 10?")

Christian celebrated his 10th birthday Monday, and last weekend was the perfect time to commemorate this banner birthday. Joe was out of town all week, so I had stressed to Christian that we would have to keep this year's festivities low-key. We invited his best friend from church to spend the night, and as an afterthought I said we could go bowling. Christian was so good-natured about our simple plan, it made me even more eager to bless him with a special celebration.

Gavin's parents helped me by picking up Christian Friday afternoon to play for a while before delivering Christian to Ace Bowling Center in Montgomery, Ala.

Surprise!! Happy birthday, Christian!!

This year I was able to let Carson in on the secret, which was such help. I asked Christian who we should invite to the party, and he suggested that Christian would most enjoy spending time with his family. So we issued whispered invitations to our extended family and two buddies from school.

My brother, Nathan, joined us for the party. It is always a delight to spend time with him and his precious family. And I love that he brings his camera! He captured all of the images in this post.

Here is our king pin in action. He said he was stunned to find the crowd of loved ones when he arrived.

Christian is such a good-hearted boy, and it brought me such joy to see him surrounded by people who love him.

Christian said he was surprised to see his two classmates at the bowling alley, but he realized this was a party for him when he saw his cousin Hollis in the group. Born just 19 days apart, I call Christian and Hollis twin cousins.

Cousin Reese was quite a bowler.

Zach is a new buddy from school. I loved watching the boys interact!

I admit, I am not much of a bowler myself, so when the boys ran over to exclaim that Trent got a turkey, I thought, "Awww, that's too bad." Little did I know, he had just gotten three strikes in a row.

I love Christian's best friend, Gavin. He is so expressive. But this next photo has to be my favorite of the night.

We all should be so blessed to have friends who rejoice in our victories! It was pure joy to watch these boys celebrate each other's successes.

Brother Carson assumed this position each time he bowled. He said it gave him a great vantage point for watching the trajectory of the ball.

This was our little niece Kadence's first bowling expedition. She is cute on top of cute!

I guess she had a ball; mom, Shana, said she woke up the next day asking if they could go bowling again.

And speaking of a ball of cute, we all enjoyed snuggle time with sweet Bailey.

Clockwise from top left, Zach; Pop; D-Dad and his new wife, Vicki; Christian and Trent; Kadence; and Pop.

Christian was not expecting Joe home, so he was so excited to discover him at the party. I told the girls about the surprise party after Christian was picked up that afternoon, but they somehow missed the news that Joe would be home. So when I wondered aloud if he would beat us to the bowling alley, they both started screaming. Having Daddy home is always worth celebrating!

If you live in the Montgomery area, I recommend Ace Bowling Center. It is a clean, spacious non-smoking facility. And we were able to reserve a couple of lanes that had comfortable leather sofas -- a great option for us knowing that some in the group would not want to bowl.

I am so thankful that God gave us our sweet Christian 10 years ago, and I hope our surprise party gave him just a little sense of the joy he has brought us during his first decade of life.

We love you, Christian!

Thanks to Nathan, I have so many photographs to treasure from Christian's surprise party! As party hostess, I often end a party with no pictures of the guests because I was so busy during the party. So I feel really blessed to have all of Nathan's great photos.

Stop in tomorrow, and I will bowl you over with my favorite party ideas!

A Little Favor

2011-12-02T00:00:00.000-06:00

Frame ornaments from Hobby Lobby make sweet place cards and favors all in one. The girls put these together for me Thanksgiving Day so we could give them to our guests. They simply traced the paper insert onto pretty scrapbook paper, cut out the ovals and wrote guests' names. These look pretty set as place markers, hung on a tree or clustered on a platter. Simple and sweet!

This weekend promises to be full of surprises, so look for fun details next week!

Turkey-Cranberry Panini

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

One of the benefits of hosting Thanksgiving is enjoying turkey sandwiches afterward. This year I wanted to reinvent the turkey sandwich, and this cafe-worthy Turkey-Cranberry Panini was just what I had in mind. Try this for a delicious way to enjoy leftovers after Thanksgiving or Christmas. Pair it with sweet potato chips or a cup of Pumpkin Soup for a new twist on traditional holiday favorites.

Turkey-Cranberry Panini

2 slices whole-grain sandwich bread
Leftover holiday turkey
1 teaspoon country Dijon mustard
1 wedge of Brie cheese
1 tablespoon cranberry salsa
Handful of mixed baby greens

Spread mustard on one slice of sandwich bread, and top with turkey. Slice wedge of Brie into strips, and place on top of turkey. Spoon a tablespoon of cranberry salsa on top of turkey, straining liquid from the spoon before adding to the salsa. Place the sandwich is a buttered panini press of mini grill, and toast for about 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat, and cut sandwich diagonally. Add fresh greens to the panini, and serve.

Cranberry Salsa

I found this delicious holiday recipe here and served the salsa over cream cheese with Wheat Thins on the side. I did not spoon all of the salsa over the cream cheese, so used the leftovers for paninis.

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Dash salt
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese

Chop cranberries in a food processor or blender. Chop green onion, cilantro and pepper into small pieces. The seeds are the hot part of the pepper, so leave them out for a milder salsa. Combine all ingredients except cream cheese in a bowl and cover. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight. To serve, spread cream cheese onto a plate and spoon salsa over. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips alongside. Save leftover salsa mixture for turkey-cranberry paninis.

Tomorrow, an easy holiday favor to commemorate your time together.

Thanksgiving Recipes

2011-11-30T08:56:00.000-06:00

"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" ~ Erma Bombeck

Thanksgiving Menu

Cranberry Salsa with Wheat Crackers

Mixed Green Salad with Mandarin Oranges, Dried Cherries, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Candied Walnuts and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Orange-Sage Turkey with Stuffing

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Cobbler

Cranberry-Apple Bake

Deviled Eggs

Green Beans

Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce

Rolls

Fudge Pie

Orange Cupcakes

Orange-Chocolate Tea Cake Sandwiches

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

This year we enjoyed traditional favorites like orange-sage turkey, sweet potato casserole, cranberry apple bake and fudge pie. Find those recipes here. I tried a new appetizer recipe that I discovered on Pinterest. Served over cream cheese with Wheat Thins on the side, cranberry salsa was a delicious balance of flavors: tart, sweet, spicy, citrusy and creamy. Find that recipe here.

New additions to this year's menu included orange cupcakes and orange-chocolate tea cake sandwiches my sister made; and sweet potato cobbler and chocolate chip cookie pie my father's new wife brought.

Sweet Potato Cobbler

2 large cans crescent rolls
Frozen sweet potato patties, thawed and cut in half
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon (or more) cinnamon

Separate crescent rolls, place half potato inside and roll up. Place in a buttered casserole dish. Heat until sugar dissolves: sugar, water, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Orange Cupcakes

1 box premium white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) box orange Jello-O
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter, softened
3 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients, and fill cupcake liners 3/4 cup full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes, and frost with icing of choice.

Orange-Chocolate Tea Cake Sandwiches

1 pound (4 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon orange flower water or orange liqueur
20 ounces (about 4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt
4 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the orange zest and orange water, and beat well. Sift together the flour, baking powder and a small pinch of salt. Gradually work the flour into the butter and sugar mixture. Cover the dough and chill.

Jennifer found the dough sticky enough that she froze it overnight. She suggests dividing the dough into small portions and covering with parchment paper. Flatten the dough with your hands to the thickness you would roll a pie crust, about 1/8 inch.

After dough is frozen, cut into 1 1/2-inch rounds or symmetrical shapes such as stars or hearts. Transfer them to a cookie sheet, over parchment paper, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Bake the cookies at 375 degrees until they are lightly browned around the edges, about 8 to 9 minutes. Cool them on a wire rack and set aside.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, spread over cookies, and sandwich them together.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

1 unbaked pie shell
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
Small pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels (plus additional chips for drizzle)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat the eggs on high until foamy. Beat in the flour and then both sugars. Beat in the butter. (The batter will have some specks of butter.) Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon into the pie crust and bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For the topping, melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Add about a 1/2 teaspoon oil. Stir and pour into a zipper bag. Cut of a tiny corner and drizzle over the pie.

If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

(Note: You may use a frozen pie crust, thawed according to package directions, or make a homemade no-roll pie crust with 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons cold milk.)

We enjoyed a great meal together this year, but the real feast was the time together. Coming up tomorrow, an easy recipe that makes use of some of the Thanksgiving Day leftovers.

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day." ~ Robert Caspar Lintner

Many of the photos in this post were taken by Nathan Prichard; used with permission.

Thankful Family

2011-11-29T07:39:00.000-06:00

Baby Jonathan is on the lookout for his cousins.

Left to right, Mary Ashley, Christian, Emma, Bailey, Kadence, Carson, Jonathan, Caitlin and David.

I told my sister, Jennifer, that she looks so pretty in this picture that I wanted to caption this photo that it was me putting the finishing touches on our Thanksgiving table. But alas, I must admit it is my sweet sister.

I love our kitchen filled with family and bustling with activity!

Joe and Jennifer's husband, Dave, pause for a moment before dinner is served.

The girls table. These four have many years ahead of them to sit together. And when my side of the family gathers for Thanksgiving again in two years, perhaps little Bailey will be big enough to take a seat with the girls.

Jennifer has never cared much for green beans, but she overheard Christian telling his cousin David that if they don't like green beans, it's because they've never had his mom's. I sat by Baby Jonathan, and he seemed enthusiastic about eating them, so I thought I had won him over. Green beans disappeared quickly off his tray, but after dinner I found a line of green beans tossed against the wall.

On second thought, I'm not sure if those were Jennifer's or Jonathan's.

Shana, Jennifer and Bailey share a moment.

Kadence is on the move.

Nathan and his girls: wife, Shana, and daughters, Bailey and Kadence.

Photos by Nathan Prichard; used after wrestling him to the ground for his camera. Just kidding.

"For hearts that are kindly, with virtue and peace, and not seeking blindly a hoard to increase; for those who are grieving o'er life's sordid plan; for souls still believing in heaven and man; for homes that are lowly with love at the board; for things that are holy, I thank thee, O Lord!" ~ Walt Mason

Thanksgiving Table

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

"So once in every year we throng

Upon a day apart,

To praise the Lord with feast and song

In thankfulness of heart."

~ Arthur Guiterman

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. I wanted to use the Spode goblets I inherited from my mother this holiday, so set the table with my Spode Blue Room transferware plates.

My sister made adorable cupcake picks for the occasion, and these made sweet place cards for our table. I will share her delicious orange cupcake recipe later this week.

I found these pinecone candle holders last year after the holidays and anticipate using them through the winter.

A vase filled with pumpkins, gourds and fresh greenery made a fuss-free centerpiece.

Here you see a sampling of Jennifer's cupcake picks. She used a slightly different turkey for each family group. Aren't these adorable? I appreciate her attention to detail!

This year's Thanksgiving table was vibrant and full of color.

I wanted to monogram the pumpkins at each place, but simply ran out of time. Maybe next year ... .

A framed copy of Psalm 136:1 adorned our sideboard, along with pumpkins and fresh greenery. The frame was a gift from the ladies of the Buford, Ga., Church of Christ -- a sweet memento of our ladies day this fall. To make the green arrangement, I tucked wet floral foam into a small blue and white pot. Then I slipped fresh greenery into the foam and covered the foam with moss. This was an easy, no-cost arrangement, and it added fall color to that side of the dining room.

Here is a view of the table from my seat.

When we gathered with my family two years ago, my nieces Caitlin and Kadence were babies. So this year we were eager for them to sit at the girls table with Mary Ashley and Emma.

I set each girl's place with a little bowl of mandarin oranges, and as you can see, they were eaten before we got any pictures of the table. Every hostess loves to see the bowls licked clean!

I have more photos and recipes to share, so I hope you will stop by for extra helpings of turkey and dressing this week!

Photos by Nathan Prichard; Used with Permission.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T02:13:00.000-06:00

(Click to download image.)

Framed and displayed on the buffet, Psalm 136:1 stands ready to greet loved ones who will gather for this year's Thanksgiving dinner at our house. We have been busy all week cooking, cleaning and making preparations for today's celebration. I will be back with photos, recipes and reflections in the days to come, but for now wanted to send you warm wishes from our family to yours.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Lesters!

Pickin' and Grinnin'

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

A Little Scuffle

Nine-year-old Christian and 7-year-old Mary Ashley were bickering on the way to church Wednesday night when suddenly Mary Ashley gasped. "Mommy," she cried, "Christian just slapped me!"

"I just did it softly," he retorted.

"No, you didn't," she insisted. "You did it hardly!"

Crowning Glory

Looking over the form that fourth-grader Christian brought home recently for a class field trip to see The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever brought back fond memories for me. I remember my own fourth-grade teacher getting choked up as she read the book to us in class.

"Oh, you will enjoy going to see this," I said with nostalgia as I filled out the permission slip.

"I doubt it," Christian said with surprise. "I don't like beauty pageants."

Fall Is in the Air

"It feels like fall," Joe said with satisfaction as he and 7-year-old Mary Ashley stepped out into the cool evening air.

"We have a candle in our classroom that smells like fall," she replied.

"Oh, really? What does fall smell like?" Joe asked.

"Smells good, Daddy."

"A laugh is a smile that bursts." ~ Mary H. Waldrip

Pretty as a Picture Frame

2011-11-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

For a while I have wanted to make a picture frame to display my favorite photo of Mary Ashley and Emma -- a beautiful black and white shot captured by my friend Allison Hilyer last year when the girls were flower girls for our friends Neil and Haley Scott. I can't help but smile each time I look at this photo, so I am so glad to finally have it in a special frame. To make this one, I painted a wooden craft store frame white, then covered it with a favorite scrapbook paper. (Paper and frame, Hobby Lobby; ribbon, Elaine's in Montgomery, Ala.) Directions follow for making your own.

Decoupaged Frame

1. Paint a wooden frame, and allow it to dry.

2. Measure the frame, and cut a rectangle of scrapbook paper to fit. If the paper has a pattern repeat, as the one pictured above, keep this in mind when you decide where to cut. For a decorative edge to the paper, use shaped scissors or carefully tear the paper.

3. Make sure the paper fits the frame, then turn it face down on a cutting mat. Place your frame face down on top of the paper, and use a pencil to lightly trace the opening of the frame onto the paper. Use a sharp craft knife to cut out the opening. See if this fits the frame, and carefully make any more cuts as needed to ensure a perfect fit.

4. Coat the frame with a thin coat of Mod Podge with a sponge brush, and press the paper into place. Smooth out any bubbles that form by pushing the air out to the edges of the frame. Go over the top of the scrapbook paper with another thin coat of Mod Podge, and allow it to dry.

5. Repeat with another thin coat of Mod Podge. When this coat dries, you can move on to the next step, or re-coat if necessary.

6. Hot glue a fluffy bow to the top of the frame. (Be sure to finish the edges of the ribbon with a no-fray solution or clear fingernail polish if you choose a ribbon that frays.) If desired, finish the knot with a pretty bauble pinned or glued to the center.

7. Place a pretty photo inside, and your frame will be picture perfect!

Speaking of picture perfect, congratulations to the winners of the giveaway for 25 photo cards from Shutterfly: Kim Lessig, Angela Maddux and Taryn Brodie!

Inspiration for Emma's Room

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

What is it about expecting company that inspires home renovation and redecorating projects?

Daughter Emma's room has been in need of a makeover since we removed the crib. We decorated the nursery before Mary Ashley was born, painting the walls a baby soft pink and filling the room with family heirlooms and feminine fabrics. But now that we are taking the room from baby to big girl, the space needs to reflect 5-year-old Emma's fun personality. Although Emma is a girlie-girl, she favors brighter colors and bolder patterns to the chintzes and toiles I chose for the nursery. Here's a peek at what I have planned so far.

The walls in Emma's room are still soft pink, much like Pottery Barn's Pink Cadillac. I plan to leave the walls pink, but bring in accents with colors like PB's Stem and Sweet Taffy. (Find the PB Kids Benjamin Moore paint palette here.) And I have a fun wall treatment planned to bring in Emma's favorite bright pink. Photos and monograms will help personalize the space.

The inspiration for Emma's new room design came from the Premier Prints fabric pictured above, Suzani Maggie in Candy Pink (find it on Fabric.com here). I plan to use this for curtains, along with polka dot sheers from PB Kids. I love the ornament hardware from PB Kids, too.

For the bedding, we plan to trade out Emma's twin bed for a full-size. I am partial to matelasse coverlets because they look nice and suit our mild Alabama weather year-round. I am hoping this rose-colored coverlet from LinenSource will be a good match for the Premier Prints fabrics I have chosen for the bed linens I plan to make. With the holidays upon us, I am not sure how quickly I can bring the room together. But I will be sure to fill you in on all the details when Emma'a big girl room is complete! If you have any go-to resources for design, please share them in the comments below.

Be sure to enter last week's giveaway here. Three readers will win 25 free photo cards from Shutterfly!

"Creativity represents a miraculous coming together of the uninhibited energy of the child with its apparent opposite and enemy, the sense of order imposed on the disciplined adult intelligence." ~ Norman Podhoretz

Shutterfly Christmas Card Preview & Giveaway

2011-11-10T20:30:00.000-06:00

"Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given -- when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes." ~ Joan Winmill Brown

Can you believe that it is already time to order Christmas cards? It seems we were just walking to the mailbox, hoping to find holiday greetings from friends and family. And now it is nearly time to send out Christmas cards again.

Enter online photo processor Shutterfly, and the most difficult part of this holiday task is choosing which Christmas card to send. With oodles of designs to choose from, you are sure to find one that suits your family perfectly. Here are a few of my favorites.

I love the freshness of a square card, and this one is adorable. Of course, those giggling little girls are cute as they can be.

Early on, I had my eye on the card above. What a great option for showcasing pictures of four children. And I am always drawn to holiday items that bear my middle name, Noel. Ultimately I decided on another card, but I will definitely bookmark this design for next year.

Again, Noel. This design looks so nice with an artsy black and white photo. (Find a great selection of folded, flat stationery and flat photo cards here.)

And, of course, the southern girl in me always falls for a monogram. So this blue design, aptly named Sweet Monogram, was also a contender for this year's card.

Another adorable monogrammed option in red, white and lime green -- one of my favorite holiday color schemes.

Another red and white design, perfect to showcase a single photo.

Sweet & simple is key in this design.

I like that Shutterfly offers a wide selection of colors in their Christmas cards. Having used a red and white card last year, this year I found myself drawn to several blue designs.

Wouldn't this elegant card be great for an engaged or newly married couple?

And who could resist getting warm wishes and sandy kisses in this beach-themed option.

Which card did I choose for this year's card? Well, that is still a secret, but thanks to quick turnaround and a generous offer from Shutterfly, I already have them in hand. Now my biggest challenge is trying to figure out the address list stored on my computer.

Now it's your turn to pick a favorite holiday card! But before you make your final selection, please take a moment to enter my giveaway for holiday cards. Shutterfly is giving away 25 holiday cards to three readers of A Little Loveliness.

Simply leave a comment below to enter, and I will announce the winners next week!

Cupcake Fancy

2011-11-08T08:36:00.001-06:00

This cupcake was a birthday surprise last week for our little friend Ann Welch.

Earlier this year AW's talented mommy, Montgomery area photographer Allison Hilyer, beautifully captured the fun of Mary Ashley's cupcake baking birthday party. So I wanted to return the favor by making a cake or cupcakes for Ann Welch.

These strawberry cupcakes were topped with swirls of buttercream icing piped on with a large star tip. Then with a smaller star tip, I added swirls of turquoise icing. To make the rose toppers, I rolled pink Wilton fondant out thin, cut it into strips and rolled it. For the final icing details, I used a v-shaped tip to pipe three leaves around each rose and used a small round tip to add the zigzag of icing around the rim. Green Wilton candy pearls tucked into the turquoise icing add the final touch.

Happy Birthday, Ann Welch!

Still to come this week, a holiday giveaway.

Friday Roses

2011-11-04T10:42:00.001-05:00

These vibrant roses have graced my kitchen table for a week now. With fiery hues of yellow and orange, this bouquet has added a lovely touch of fall color to our home. I am getting ready to head out to Buford, Ga., for my last ladies day of the fall, but wanted to take a moment to congratulate the winner of last week's giveaway of a signed copy of TeaTime Magazine's latest book, Scones and Tea. The winner, chosen at random, is:

Donna S.

Congratulations, Donna! I know you will treasure this beautiful book. Please e-mail me your address, and I will get your book in the mail.

I will be back next week with sweet treats and another giveaway. Have a great weekend!

I will be speaking tomorrow at the Buford Church of Christ's ladies day. Please join us if you can!

Welcome November

2011-11-03T08:26:00.001-05:00

November is here, which means Thanksgiving is only weeks away. Soon sweet treats like these turkey cupcakes will be waddling off the platter into grateful little tummies.

We will be lighting candles to welcome loved ones who gather around our holiday table ...

And dishing up delicious Turkey-Day fare, like this rich, velvety pumpkin soup.

We'll make pilgrim hat cookies for the children ...

And they will make us proud in Thanksgiving programs. And throughout it all, we will strive to be thankful.

Today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a signed copy of the beautiful new TeaTime Magazine book Scones and Tea. Visit this post to enter. I will announce the winner tomorrow!

"Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life ... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seed time and harvest, the ripe product of the year -- and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God." ~ Ray Stannard Baker

Wizard of Oz Party

2011-11-01T13:30:00.000-05:00

As much fun as it was to visit the merry land of Oz last week, I wanted to remind the children that there is no place like home. So I surprised them yesterday after school with a little Wizard of Oz party.

We had a blast dressing up as favorite characters from The Wizard of Oz for festivities at church last week. Left to right, Mary Ashley as Dorothy; Carson as the Tin Man; Emma as the Cowardly Lion; and Christian as the Scarecrow. (Costumes here.)

I even joined in the fun, dressing as Glinda the Good Witch of the North. It was worth it to dress up just to see 5-year-old Emma look up at me with such admiration. Several little girls approached me at trunk or treat wanting to have their picture made. As a nearly 40-year-old mom of four, getting the "princess treatment" was quite a surprise. But it was such fun, I might start wearing glitter all the time. (I wonder if sequins could get me out of doing laundry?) Costume purchased here (crown misplaced, but it didn't look like the picture anyway); wand made by hot gluing a snowflake ornament to a painted wooden dowel. Visit yesterday's post for more dress-up photos.

Time to Make Some Party Magic ...

I wanted to serve a party snack to represent each child's character, so these ruby red slipper cookies were an easy choice for Dorothy. To make these, melt red Wilton Candy Melts on the stovetop in a double boiler. Dip Nutter Butters in the melted candy, place the cookies on a freezer-safe plate covered with parchment paper, and sprinkle the wet cookies with red sparkling sugar. Put the cookies in the freezer to harden the coating, then add white icing accents. (Find more shoe cookie ideas here.)

Scarecrow Crunch looks even more festive served in a scarecrow hat: a copper foil cupcake liner embellished with twine. A few dabs of hot glue will help the twine stay in place. For our party I used one cupcake liner, but later when I assembled treat bags for our adopted college students, I found that using two liners worked much better. Scarecrow crunch provides a tasty combination of salty and sweet; find the recipe here.

And for our Cowardly Lion, who's afraid of a cupcake? I made these simple cupcakes by piping a dome of icing into the center with a star tip. Then I piped the mane around the circumference with a V-shaped tip. Wilton candies added the facial details. I purchased a bottle of Wilton bronze icing paste for this project, but it added more of a peach tint to the icing than bronze, so I would recommend using orange instead.

And in honor of the Tin Man, I wrapped bottles of soda with sparkly scrapbook paper. Canned drinks would have been an appropriate choice, but I knew my children would be more excited to have bottled drinks.

Colorful gingham details like name tags, napkins and fabric pulled our afternoon snack table together. Years ago I covered the underside of the glass plates with red checked fabric, but I don't remember what product I used for that project. Mary Ashley's Dorothy basket and stuffed Toto made an easy centerpiece, and pictures from last week's event further personalized the look.

My blue and white tablecloth was too big for our childsize table, so I used ribbon to draw up the corners. This created pretty gathers and added another pop of color.

Here is a view of the table set for a surprise celebration.

Years ago I found miniature lidded baskets on clearance at a craft store. I bought four, knowing someday they would come in handy. With a fabric liner cut from scraps of blue gingham, they were perfect for giving each child a surprise related to his or her Wizard of Oz character.

The children were so enthusiastic about dressing up together -- even almost teenager, seventh-grader Carson -- so I wanted to reward their cooperative spirits with a celebratory treat. Clockwise from top left: Instead of a medal of courage, Cowardly Lion Emma was honored a bracelet and necklace. In lieu of a diploma, Scarecrow Christian earned a certificate entitling him to a book valued at $5 or less from Books-a-Million. Dorothy Mary Ashley discovered a pair of ruby slippers for her doll from Jo-Ann's Fabrics. And Tin Man Carson found something dear to his heart: a $5 gift card to Game Stop. Dress-up photos printed for each child also serve as mementos of our trip to Oz.

Cowardly Lion Emma sees the snacks and says, "Let me at 'em!"

Visiting Oz with these four reminds me what fun it is to go down the yellow brick road, over the rainbow and back home again. As long as we're together, I know we're right where we belong.

I'm linking this post to "Get Your Craft On" at Today's Creative Blog.

"Family is the one thing we long for when trouble strikes. It is our true means of escape from life's restlessness ... the place where the Wizard of Oz syndrome ends and lasting peace and contentment begins ... where we finally learn, as did Dorothy, that life's greatest treasures are closer than we think." -- Michael O'Donnell, Home from Oz

We're Off to See the Wizard ...

2011-10-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

I had strangest dream about our congregation's Trunk or Treat last week ...

Dorothy: It really was no miracle. What happened was just this...

Dorothy: [singing] The wind began to switch / The house, to pitch / And suddenly the hinges started to unhitch / Just then the Witch / To satisfy an itch / Went flying on her broomstick, thumbing for a hitch!

Munchkin: And, oh, what happened then was rich!

Munchkins: [singing] The house began to pitch / The kitchen took a slich / It landed on the Wicked Witch in the middle of a ditch / Which was not a happy situation for the Wicked Witch!

Glinda, the Good Witch of the North: Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?

Dorothy: I'm not a witch at all. I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas.

Glinda, the Good Witch of the North: Oh. Well, is that the witch?

Dorothy: Who, Toto? Toto's my dog!

Dorothy: Now which way do we go?

Scarecrow: Pardon me, this way is a very nice way.

Dorothy: Who said that?

[Toto barks at scarecrow]

Dorothy: Don't be silly, Toto. Scarecrows don't talk.

Scarecrow: [points other way] It's pleasant down that way, too.

Dorothy: That's funny. Wasn't he pointing the other way?

Scarecrow: [points both ways] Of course, some people do go both ways.

Dorothy: Did you say something?

Tin Woodsman: [indiscernible sounds from the Tin Man, who is rusted]

Dorothy: He said oil can!

Scarecrow: Oil can what?

Dorothy: Oil can.

Scarecrow: I'm not afraid of her! I'll see you get safely to the Wizard now, whether I get a brain or not. Stuff a mattress with me. Ha!

Tin Woodsman: I'll see you reach the Wizard, whether I get a heart or not. Beehive, bah! Let her try and make a beehive out of me!

[snaps]

Dorothy: Oh, you're the best friends anybody ever had. And it's funny, but I feel as if I'd known you all the time, but I couldn't have, could I?

Scarecrow: I don't see how. You weren't around when I was stuffed and sewn together, were you?

Tin Woodsman: And I was standing over there, rusting for the longest time.

Dorothy: Still, I wish I could remember, but I guess it doesn't matter anyway. We know each other now, don't we?

Scarecrow: That's right.

Tin Woodsman: We do.

Scarecrow: To Oz?

Tin Woodsman: To Oz.

Cowardly Lion: Put 'em up, put 'em up! Which one of you first? I'll fight you both together if you want. I'll fight you with one paw tied behind my back. I'll fight you standing on one foot. I'll fight you with my eyes closed... ohh, pullin' an axe on me, eh? Sneaking up on me, eh? Why, I'll... Ruff!

Cowardly Lion: [singing] I'd be brave as a blizzard...

Tin Woodsman: [singing] I'd be gentle as a lizard...

Scarecrow: [singing] I'd be clever as a gizzard...

Dorothy: [singing] If the Wizard is a wizard who will serve.

Scarecrow: [singing] Then I'm sure to get a brain...

Tin Woodsman: [singing] A heart...

Dorothy: [singing] A home...

Cowardly Lion: [singing] The nerve!

Cowardly Lion: [singing] I'm afraid there's no denyin' / I'm just a dandy-lion / A fate I don't deserve / I'm sure I could show my prowess / Be a lion, not a mouse / If I only had the nerve.

Dorothy: Your Majesty, if you were king, you wouldn't be afraid of anything?

Cowardly Lion: Not nobody! Not nohow!

Tin Woodsman: Not even a rhinoceros?

Cowardly Lion: Imposerous!

Dorothy: How about a hippopotamus?

Cowardly Lion: Why, I'd thrash him from top to bottomus!

Dorothy: Supposing you met an elephant?

Cowardly Lion: I'd wrap him up in cellophane!

Scarecrow: What if it were a brontosaurus?

Cowardly Lion: I'd show him who was king of the forest!

Tin Woodsman: What have you learned, Dorothy?

Dorothy: Well, I -- I think that it -- it wasn't enough to just want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em -- and it's that -- if I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?

Dorothy: Oh, but anyway, Toto, we're home. Home! And this is my room, and you're all here. And I'm not gonna leave here ever, ever again, because I love you all, and - oh, Auntie Em - there's no place like home!

"A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others." -- The Wizard of Oz