xavitos: November 2013

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Foodies & Crafties Soirée – Blog Hop & Link Party #4

Welcome to Foodies & Crafties Soirée - Blog Hop & Link Party #4

each Thursday at 6PM EDT - Today starting already in the morning, so you have more time to link up.

#foodiescraftiessoiree

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all of you celebrating today!!!

About the Party

Each Thursday, there will be a blog hop and a link party going live at 6PM EDT. Each week you will have an opportunity to link your different social media, for example:

week1: pinterest | week2: google+ | week3: facebook, etc.

Once all the social media are done, we will start over. There will be one featured blogger selected each week from the blog hop and a few projects/recipes from the link party. You will have a great chance to meet new friends, gain more exposure for your blog and more new followers!

The party is hosted for you by:

Gosia from Kiddie Foodies (host)

Gosia loves sailing, travelling, gardening, sewing and all kinds of DIY, creative things. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes for kids presented in a funny way to encourage them to discover veggies and fruits in a pleasant and tasteful way. Even picky eaters will love it! You can also find there different activities for kids, crafts and free printable coloring pages.
Follow her on: Pinterest | Google+ (Gosia) | Google+ (Kiddie Foodies) | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram

Kallee from Creative Southern Home (co-host)

Kallee lives in East Tennessee with her husband and 4 great kids. She loves to read, play the piano, cook, craft and create. On her blog she enjoys sharing recipes she has tried, household tips, decorating, DIY, fun things to do with the kids, and the always fun reviews and giveaways.
Follow her on: Pinterest | Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram

Miranda from Mr. and Mrs. Winslett (co-host)

Miranda is a stationary designer who creates and sells her own line of stationary goods at PaperLark Studio. Outside of her design studio, Miranda is an avid crafter and scrapbooker who shares her latest projects at Mr. and Mrs. Winsletta. She's married to her high school sweetheart and lives with two of the most spoiled fur babies on earth.
Follow her on: Pinterest | Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram

Deauna from Honesty's Protégée (co-host)

Deauna is a wife to The Hero, mom to The Kid and The Girl, marketing admin by day, chef/DIYer by night. Her blog is all about her cooking, DIYing and life experiences.
Follow her on: Pinterest | Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Sarah from Betty Cupcakes (co-host)

Sarah is a Texas transplant blending her Southern homecooking with the flavors of Massachusetts and the Irish-Italian family she is married into. Read about her culinary adventures on her blog.
Follow her on: Pinterest | Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Features from last week's Foodies and Crafties Soirée #3

The featured Bloggers from last week's Facebook Blog Hop are Cara and her Mom Rhonda from Craft Dictator. Congratulations Ladies!!! We did a random draw, so everyone had the same chances. Please show them some love and like Craft Dictator on Facebook!

Foodies and Crafties Soiree Facebook blog hop featured blogger Craft Dictator

My feature pick for the week are these adorable hand towels from One Creative Mommy. It makes me wish I had a Silhouette or an embroidery machine even more!

DIY Hand Towels--So simple, and perfect for neighbor or hostess gifts. {From Dolen Diaries on OneCreativeMommy.com}

You may also visit Gosia, Kallee, Deauna and Sarah to see their favorites.

Party Buttons

If you party with us, please place the 'Foodies and Crafties Soirée blog hop & link party' button on your blog:

If you were featured by the host or co-host you are welcome to grab the 'Foodies and Crafties Soirée I was featured at' button:

Button Foodies And Crafties Soiree Featured

To place the button on your blog, just copy-paste the text from the highlighted areas below the buttons.

If you want to be immediately notified when the party goes live, be sure to subscribe by email:

Party co-hosting:

If you are interested in co-hosting the Foodies & Crafties Soirée, please fill this form - it is short and it will help to plan everything.

Let's Party!

Don't forget to come back next week to check the featured projects from the party and meet the featured blogger - or perhaps it will be you?:)

Twitter Blog Hop:

Link your Twitter account for today's blog hop.
All participants must follow the host and co-hosts on the social media from the blog hop, so please follow us on Twitter. Leave us a comment with #foodiescraftiessoiree hashtag and we will follow you back!
Please follow at least 2 more bloggers and have fun meeting new friends!
Each week there will be one featured blogger selected that all participants of the next party will be asked to follow on her/his social media.

Link party:

Please show off your own creations, as much family & kids friendly as possible. You must link directly to the specific post. No link parties, No Etsy/shops, No giveaways.
Visit at least 2 bloggers and let them know they are making awesome stuff, by leaving a comment on their post or by sharing their creation on your social media. When you share, don't forget to use a #foodiescraftiessoiree hashtag, so they know you have found them on this party.
Each week the favorite posts from the party will be featured by the host and co-hosts on their blogs and shared on their social media. They will be also pinned to the Foodies and Crafties Soiree Pinterest board, so don't forget to Follow it!

Please be aware that by sharing your posts at Foodies & Crafties Soirée, you are giving permission for featuring your projects to the host and co-hosts. Therefore your projects can be shared on social media and in round up posts with a link backs to your post. All credits go to you!

By joining and providing your email you are subscribing to updates about this link up. You may opt out at any time.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Foodies & Crafties Soirée – Blog Hop & Link Party #3

Welcome to Foodies & Crafties Soirée - Blog Hop & Link Party#3

each Thursday at 6PM EDT

#foodiescraftiessoiree

About the Party

Each Thursday, there will be a blog hop and a link party going live at 6PM EDT. Each week you will have an opportunity to link your different social media, for example:

week1: pinterest | week2: google+ | week3: facebook, etc.

The party is hosted for you by:

Gosia from Kiddie Foodies (host)

Kallee from Creative Southern Home (co-host)

Miranda from Mr. and Mrs. Winslett (co-host)

Deauna from Honesty's Protégée (co-host)

Sarah from Betty Cupcakes (co-host)

Features from last week's Foodies and Crafties Soirée #2

The featured Blogger from last week's Google+ Blog Hop is Alli Ward from Diapers-n-Heels. Contratulations Alli!!! We did a random draw, so everyone had the same chances. Please show Alli some love and follow her on Google+!

Foodies and Crafties Soiree GooglePlus blog hop featured blogger Alli Ward Diapers-n-Heels

My pick from last week was Staging Secrets Exposed by Redesigned by M.

This article has all the inside tips and secrets to stage an interior photo shoot, whether it be an entire room or a small vignette. Must read!!

Seriously, some of these tips are genius. My favorite? Covering a pillow with a scarf for a quick photo shoot. LOVE IT!

You may also visit Gosia, Kallee, Deauna and Sarah to see their favorites.

Party Buttons

If you party with us, please place the 'Foodies and Crafties Soirée blog hop & link party' button on your blog:

If you were featured by the host or co-host you are welcome to grab the 'Foodies and Crafties Soirée I was featured at' button:

To place the button on your blog, just copy-paste the text from the highlighted areas below the buttons.

If you want to be immediately notified when the party goes live, be sure to subscribe by email:

Party co-hosting:

If you are interested in co-hosting the Foodies & Crafties Soirée, please fill this form - it is short and it will help to plan everything.

Let's Party!

Don't forget to come back next week to check the featured projects from the party and meet the featured blogger - or perhaps it will be you?:)

Facebook Blog Hop:

Link your Facebook page for today's blog hop.
All participants must follow the host and co-hosts on the social media from the blog hop, so please follow us on Facebook. Leave us a comment with #foodiescraftiessoiree hashtag and we will follow you back!
Please follow at least 2 more bloggers and have fun meeting new friends!
Each week there will be one featured blogger selected that all participants of the next party will be asked to follow on her/his social media.

Link party:

Please show off your own creations, as much family & kids friendly as possible. You must link directly to the specific post. No link parties, No Etsy/shops, No giveaways.
Visit at least 2 bloggers and let them know they are making awesome stuff, by leaving a comment on their post or by sharing their creation on your social media. When you share, don't forget to use a #foodiescraftiessoiree hashtag, so they know you have found them on this party.
Each week the favorite posts from the party will be featured by the host and co-hosts on their blogs and shared on their social media. They will be also pinned to the Foodies and Crafties Soiree Pinterest board, so don't forget to Follow it!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Last Minute Fall Wreath: Burlap Monogram Wreath

I've been sorely slacking in creating a wreath for the front door since my Halloween wreath has been retired until next year. My poor green door has been bare since the first of November.

Truth be told, I wanted a wreath that was a) inexpensive and b) quick. Why? Well, in a mere 37 days it'll be Christmas. Can you believe that? And we all know, that as soon as I wake up on the day after Thanksgiving, I'll be crafting and hanging up my Christmas wreath.

Using some leftover burlap, a stencil, black paint and an embroidery hoop, I created my burlap monogram wreath to clothe our - as we say in the South - necked (pronounced neck-id) door.

Total cost? The 67 cents I paid for the embroidery hoop. How long did it take? From start to finish, about 10 minutes. Mission accomplished.

What You'll Need:
burlap

embroidery hoop

stencil

paint

foam brush

scissors

hot glue gun

ribbon/jute/twine

Step One. I know every stenciler and embroiderer in the world is about to scream in terror, but I put my burlap in my embroidery hoop first thing. Why? I wanted to make sure my "W" was in the center of my hoop. It didn't hurt my stenciling at all, but do what you wish!

Step Two. Stencil on your letter using the paint and your foam brush and cut away your excess fabric.

Step Three. Measure your ribbon/jute/twine to see what length your wreath needs to hang from the door and hot glue that sucker on the back.

Done.

Told you I was looking for quick, but I'm happy with how it turned out. It'll definitely do.

Time to hunt for Christmas wreath ideas!

Miranda

Monday: C.R.A.F.T., Craft-O-Maniac, Making the World Cuter, Keeping It Simple Crafts, Rain on a Tin Roof, The Dedicated House, Alderberry Hill, Mad in Crafts, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, The Gunny Sack, Home Stories A to Z, Home Coming

Tuesday: Kammy's Korner, Sugar Bee Crafts, Chef in Training, Not Just a Housewife, Him and Her, A Stroll Thru Life, Mad Cap Frenzy, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Coastal Charm

Wednesday: We Like to Learn as We Go, Polkadots on Parade, No Minimalist Here, From My Front Porch to Yours, Yellow Bliss Road, Sew Much Ado, Seven Alive, Simply Designing

Thursday: 52 Mantels, Live Laugh Rowe, A Glimpse Inside, Stone Gable, The Girl Creative, Bloom Designs, Blissful and Domestic, Crafts a la Mode, From My Front Porch to Yours

Friday: The Dedicated House, Blissful and Domestic, Craft Dictator, DIY Vintage Chic, Shaken Together, 504 Main, Craftionary, The Grant Life, Thirty Handmade Days, Redoux Interiors, Simply Sweet Home, Just Us Four, Romantic Home, The Jenny Evolution

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Foodies and Crafties Soirée #2

Welcome to Foodies & Crafties Soirée - Blog Hop & Link Party#2

each Thursday at 6PM EDT

#foodiescraftiessoiree

About the Party

Each Thursday, there will be a blog hop and a link party going live at 6PM EDT. Each week you will have an opportunity to link your different social media, for example:

week1: pinterest | week2: google+ | week3: facebook, etc.

The party is hosted for you by:

Gosia from Kiddie Foodies (host)

Kallee from Creative Southern Home (co-host)

Miranda from Mr. and Mrs. Winslett (co-host)

Deauna from Honesty's Protégée (co-host)

Sarah from Betty Cupcakes (co-host)

Features from last week's Foodies and Crafties Soirée #1

The featured Blogger from last week's Pinterest Blog Hop is Tina from Mamas Like Me. Congratulations Tina!!! We did a random draw, so everyone had the same chances. Please show Tina some love and follow her on Pinterest!

Foodies and Crafties Soiree Pinterest blog hop featured blogger Tina Pearson Mamas Like Me

My stomach won out for my feature pick from last week's link up. I cannot wait to try this recipe for Cinnamon Twist Sticks from That's My Home. Thanks for sharing!

Party Buttons

If you party with us, please place the 'Foodies and Crafties Soirée blog hop & link party' button on your blog:

If you were featured by the host or co-host you are welcome to grab the 'Foodies and Crafties Soirée I was featured at button:

If you want to be immediately notified when the party goes live, be sure to subscribe by email:

Party co-hosting:

If you are interested in co-hosting the Foodies & Crafties Soirée, please fill this form - it is short and it will help to plan everything.

Let's Party!

Don't forget to come back next week to check the featured projects from the party and meet the featured blogger - or perhaps it will be you?:)

Google+ Blog Hop:

Link your Google+ account for today's blog hop, if you have a personal profile and a Google+ page, you can link both.
All participants must follow the host and co-hosts on the social media from the blog hop, so please follow us on Google+. Leave us a comment with #foodiescraftiessoiree hashtag and we will follow you back! It is a great way to grow your Google+ circles!
Please follow at least 2 more bloggers and have fun meeting new friends!
Each week there will be one featured blogger selected that all participants of the next party will be asked to follow on her/his social media.

Link party:

Please show off your own creations, as much family & kids friendly as possible. You must link directly to the specific post. No link parties, No Etsy/shops, No giveaways.
Visit at least 2 bloggers and let them know they are making awesome stuff, by leaving a comment on their post or by sharing their creation on your social media. When you share, don't forget to use a #foodiescraftiessoiree hashtag, so they know you have found them on this party.
Each week the favorite posts from the party will be featured by the host and co-hosts on their blogs and shared on their social media. They will be also pinned to the Foodies and Crafties Soiree Pinterest board, so don't forget to Follow it!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Kickin' Chicken Marinade

Photo courtesy of SweetLittleBluebird.com

Today, I thought I'd share one of the Winslett family's new favorite recipes - Kickin' Chicken Marinade from Sweet Little Bluebird.

In our house, we love anything buffalo chicken. Remember that Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Sliders recipe I shared a while back? [You can find it here.] Naturally when I ran across this recipe on Pinterest, I just had to try it out and it did not disappoint.

My favorite thing about this recipe besides how easy it is? It's low fat and no butter. Seriously!

The original recipe from Sweet Little Bluebird says to marinade the chicken for four hours. I let it sit over night and it tasted even better!

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Miranda

You'll Need:

2 lbs of chicken strips

1 cup of hot sauce

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of lime juice

2 cloves of garlic

Ziploc gallon bag

Step One. Open gallon bag, dump in all above ingredients and leave in the fridge for at least four hours.

Step Two. Open gallon bag again, throw the chicken in a skillet or on the grill and feast!

[[See! I told you it was easy!]]

Tuesday: Kammy's Korner, Sugar Bee Crafts, Chef in Training, Not Just a Housewife, Him and Her, A Stroll Thru Life, Mad Cap Frenzy, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Coastal Charm

Wednesday: We Like to Learn as We Go, Polkadots on Parade, No Minimalist Here, From My Front Porch to Yours, Yellow Bliss Road, Sew Much Ado, Seven Alive, Simply Designing

Thursday: 52 Mantels, Live Laugh Rowe, A Glimpse Inside, Stone Gable, The Girl Creative, Bloom Designs, Blissful and Domestic, Crafts a la Mode, From My Front Porch to Yours

Monday, November 11, 2013

Curator of 60 (FREE) Holiday Fonts

Being a creator of invitations, announcements and anything stationary, I like to consider myself a curator and lover of fonts - especially free fonts.

That said, I thought I'd share my arsenal of free holiday font collections. I have a handful of blogger that I follow who are always pairing fonts wonderfully so be sure to check them out: Lia Griffith, Ella Claire and Yellow Bliss Road.