Books and Bakes Book  - The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox Bake  - Classic Cut Out Sugar Cookies About the Book Book  - The Holiday Swap  by Maggie Knox This is the type of book that throws you right into the plot and you feel like you're in a Hallmark Holiday RomCom. "All they want for Christmas is a different life" is the tagline on the book. Twin sisters Cass and Charlie swap places. One is a popular co-host on a cooking show in LA living a glam life, while the other helps run the family business in their small mountain town. Temporarily trading lives is more complicated than they thought. Unexpected new love interests complicate things for the women, but in a very PG way, no worries there! I've watched movies like Parent Trap, but I don't think I've ever read a twin swap story before. I liked the Dual POV and the fact that the characters were so different. Cass is more laid back and has chosen to stay in their small town and take over the family bakery, while her twin Charlie is more outgoing and assertive. During the swap they both start to question things from their own lives - Is she outgrowing her small town? Is fast paced reality show life in the city all it's cracked up to be? Will the twin swap be a recipe for disaster!? You'll have to read the book to find out! The Holiday Swap was a light read, one that you pretty much can guess the next move. Like I said, it gives Hallmark Holiday RomCom vibes, but in a comforting, festive way. Lots of baking and I actually enjoyed the small town vibes. An easy read for the busy holiday season. About the Bake Bake  - Classic Cut Out Sugar Cookies If you're looking for a sugar cookie recipe to use with your cookie cutters this holiday season, this is the recipe you need. It's simple and classic and always tastes amazing. These cookies are easy to roll out and hold their shape when you bake them. You can make them as simple or as a festive as you want by adding frosting and sprinkles or host your own cookie decorating contest (drawing inspiration from the reality baking show in the book of course). Our family makes these classic cut out sugar cookies every holiday season to decorate as a family. I think they pair nicely with this book recommendation. For more books, check out our Cozy Winter Books and past Books and Bakes posts.

We have quite a collection of board and card games in our playroom and we've tried them all. Here are some of our favorites and what we consider the best family board games. Check them out for your family next family game night, gifting to friends for birthdays, or for the holidays for gifts that celebrate quality time together as a family! We edited this post to include some new additions for 2024 ! Best Family Games Let's jump right in and review 10 of our favorite family game night games! Disney Villainous - Great for Disney fans who love a good villain. For me, Disney villains are my favorite characters to see while visiting the Disney Parks, so I knew I wanted this game, if not just for The Evil Queen alone. Each player gets to be a Disney villain and has their own agenda that they have to accomplish to win the game. Which villain will reign victorious? Giving this as a gift? Check out our Gifts for Disney Lovers for more fun ideas! Ages:  10+ Time:  45 mins+ Mysterium - This is a fun cooperative mystery game with a ghost! The ghost gives each person "visions" to help solve clues of who, where, and with what? This is a unique and fun mystery game for families with Clue vibes but more creative! Ages: 10+ (our 8-year-old loved it) Time: 45 mins+ Saboteur - A simple stategy card game. You are miners trying to get to the gold by digging tunnels but the saboteur is trying to thwart your efforts! You must conquer busted lanterns, cave-ins, and broken pickaxes to get the hidden gold before you are sabotaged! Ages:  8+ Time:  30 mins+ Taco vs Burrito - This is a quick-to-learn wacky game kids love! You build your taco or burrito with interesting ingredients that have points. Your taco might have chocolate-covered shrimp or ice cream. But, beware, people can steal your ingredients or you might get a tummyache! Bonus, this game was created by a kid named Alex! We love supporting creative kids! Ages:  6+ Time:  15 mins+ What do you Meme Family Edition - Who can come up with the silliest caption?! One person picks a meme and then other players have to pick from their hand of cards what caption they feel like goes best with the meme. This game causes a lot of giggles! Ages: 8+ Time: 30 mins+ Disney Codenames - Our favorite codenames game is the Disney edition! It's fun for both kids and adults alike. Give one-word clues to group together Disney characters, locations, and/or items. We love playing a few quick rounds of this during dinner with our kids. Cheshire Cat Tails are fun to munch on while playing this game! Ages:  8+ (I think 5 year olds could play this too!) Time:  15 mins+ Sabobatage - Create your own boba shop and make 5 drinks before your opponents. Build drinks by layering tea, flavors, and toppings. But beware of the food inspector! This is a quick and fun game for families that love boba! Ages:  7+ Time:  20 mins+ Hogwarts Battle - A cooperative deck-building card game. You get to play as a popular Hogwarts character to defend the wizarding world for the dark arts. There are different levels you can play so the game gets more challenging. Learn spells, gain allies, and unlock magical items to prepare to battle different villans. Make our butterbeer milkshake to enjoy during this game! Ages:  11+ Time:  75 mins + Catan Junior - a pirate-themed game of adventure. It's a kid version of the Catan board game, where you collect resources from each island (wood, goats, swords) to build ships and expand your pirate lair territory! Ages: 5+ Time: 30 mins+ Mantis - There are only two rules to this card game, steal or score. Collect matching sets of rainbow-colored mantis cards to win. Easy enough for kids to play and fun enough that the adults have a good time too! Ages: 6+ Time: 15 mins+ New additions for 2024 Wednesday  - You're allergic to color in this fun Wednesday-inspired game. The goal is to collect as many black and white cards as possible while eliminating your colorful cards. Ages:  8+ Time:  15 mins+ Abduction - Little ducks in a UFO, we knew we needed it. This was a hit gift last Christmas. With this game, you try to create patterns to earn points, but watch out your ducks might get abducted! Ages:  10+ Time:  20 mins+ Mysterium Park - Like the Mysterium game, this game as a ghostly twist to it. Race against time to use your psychic abilities to help the ghost solve the mystery. Ages:  10+ Time:  30 mins+ Doomlings - Can your doomlings survive the end of the world? Full of mischief and chaos as you try to collect doomlings before the great catastrophe ends it all. Ages:  8+ Time:  20 mins+ The Real Truth - Move around the board, completing missions and capturing creatures, all while you gather a following of conspiracy theorists like yourself. Ages:  13+ Time:  60 mins+ Gnomes at Night - Work together to move your gnomes to collect treasure. This game takes a lot of communication and cooperation. Great for teaching littles. Ages:  6+ Time:  15 mins+

It's The Tortured Poet's Department release week and we're anxiously awaiting Taylor's newest album over here. We've curated this TTPD-inspired gift guide for the Swifites in your life! From typewriters and books to poetry-inspired gifts that your inner tortured poet will enjoy. TTPD Inspired Gift Guide Vintage Style Typewriter - Let's bring back typed, purposeful, letters. This vintage typewriter would make a great gift and I honestly love the mint green color but they have it in other colors as well. Edgar Allen Poet Magnetic Poetry Kit - This is so playful and fun! Feather Quill and Ink Set - I'm getting this to write all my birthday/holiday cards with from now on. Custom Library Stamp Embosser - This is stunning! I want a custom one for my home library. TTPD Sweatshirt - Stay cozy while you rep your TTPD sweatshirt Emily Dickinson Poetry Book - This is a beautiful book of poems by Emily. Candlestick Holders - These "mismatched" candlestick holders make a stunning centerpiece. Journal - for pouring out your heart and soul The Lines Puzzle - Just like the one Taylor displayed at the Spotify library installation. Ceramic Face Flower Vase - It just feels like TTPD Poet Sign - Show everyone a poet lives here with this cute sign. Typewriter Vase - This would make a cute piece on a bookshelf or side table TTPD shirt - We love the style of this tee, black and white feels fitting Writing Dice - These dice are great for writer's block or a fun writing exercise to get the creative juices flowing. Peace Hand - Taylor signified "two" a few times, throwing up this hand symbol at the Grammy's when she announced her new album. This would look cute on a bookshelf or to hold rings and jewlery. Typewriter Prop - The prop is the exact one that Taylor uses to promote her new lyrics Fountain Pen - Write with "pitch black ink" with this fountain pen.

You're probably here at Craft and Crave for 2 reasons -- you're crafty or you like to cook . We love crafty people and have lots of crafty friends and family. We've rounded up a fun gift guide for crafters, art lovers, and DIY enthusiasts. Gift Guide - Gifts for Crafters mini zen artist board - this board only uses water, once the water dries the drawing disappears. Fun for doodling and getting zen. candle making kit - this soy candle making kit is great for people who like to diy things for their home or as gifts themselves. cut out and collage book - this beautifully illustrated book is full of things to cut out for crafts or scrapbooks. diy book nook - crafty and like to read? How cute is the DIY book nook for your bookshelf? cricut maker 4 bundle - the hardcore crafter will enjoy this cricut bundle set to get them started. Wobbles Kit - If you know someone who wants to learn crochet, this kit is great for beginners. There are lots of animals to choose from too. big magic book - from the best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love this book inspires creative living beyond our own fear that holds us back. yarn bowl - crocheters and knitters would love a bowl to help keep their yarn tidy while they are creating. clay earring kit - for the crafty fashionista who wants to create her own style! XP Pen drawing tablet - the ultimate drawing tablet! For the creatives who like to create digital art! watercolor travel kit - this kit is great for those who like to paint. Perfect for on the go. mini sticker printer - this tiny printer makes the best little stickers for scrapbooking or designers. art dice - stumped on what craft y0u should do next, these art dice help get the juices flowing. Perfect for a stocking stuffer too. flower press - this is a cool flower pressing kit to create art inspired by nature. Great for those crafters who like to make cards and/or garden. fine point markers - for those that like to doodle and get excited for new markers/pens/notebooks painter's cup - so we don't mix it up with our coffee and drink paint water stained glass kit - these butterflies are so pretty and look like a good starting point for a beginner art therapy cards - use these cards to explore your emotions and your artistic side! We recently updated our Gift Guides page if you're looking for more gift ideas! You can see all the gift guides we've created. Also, now that the weather is getting cooler, maybe you want to try your hand at our no-sew blanket ! It's the perfect fall/winter craft.

Valentine's Day is such a fun holiday for me. It's a time to just show the people you love, that you love them! These Valentine Watercolor Lover-inspired Cookies are a beautiful and sweet way to show adoration for your Valentine, Galentine, or besties! Ready to decorate your cookies? Jump to Hardening Icing or Watercolor Cookies technique . Start with your favorite sugar cookie. I used a package mix and followed the directions to make cut-out cookies. I rolled them out and cut them out using a heart-shaped cookie cutter for Valentine’s Day. No judgment here if you find store-bought sugar cookies easier. The fun part of these cookies is the pretty watercolor icing. I mean, just look at that gorgeous ombre design! Ok, let's start on how to make them. The hardening cookie icing creates a smooth, hard base for you to watercolor on. I used to think this was a hard trick to master, but after trying my hand at this simple frosting, I realized how easy it is! Hardening Cookie Icing - 1 batch 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon light corn syrup You will also need: plastic baggie or piping bag toothpick bowls and spoons scissors if you are using a plastic baggie In a medium bowl, mix together the 3 ingredients until smooth. I make 2 batches of this icing for my cookies. The first batch has a little bit less milk, more like the consistency of toothpaste. I put it in a plastic baggie (or piping bag if you want to be fancy) and cut the tip off. I use that batch to create the outline of my cookie. For the second batch, I made it just a bit more fluid, so that it “floods” the outline of the cookie and creates a nice smooth frosting. Just add a tiny bit more milk until you like the consistency of it. Repeat the same step of adding it to a baggie with the tip cut off. Squeeze it onto your cookie. Use the toothpick to pop any bubbles and help spread the icing so that it covers the cookie. NOTE: I let my cookies sit for about an hour to harden before I painted them to make sure it was fully hardened. Now, for the fun part! Let’s “watercolor” paint our cookies. Once your icing is hard, create your watercolors using food coloring and clear vanilla extract. I used both liquid and gel food coloring and both worked fine. Lover Watercolor Cookies Food coloring (gel or drops) Clear vanilla extract food safe paintbrush clean paint pallette gold sprinkles (optional) In a small dish or new paint palette mix together a few drops of food coloring with your clear vanilla extract. I created a variety of shades using red and pink with different ratios of vanilla extract. Then, paint your cookies with a clean, new paintbrush. Do not use a craft paintbrush for this. Have fun playing around with different designs. I found I liked giving my cookie a wash of clear vanilla extract before adding my colors. This allowed the colors to bleed together differently, giving it an even more watercolor look. I created unique ombre designs with my cookies but you can do whatever looks pleasing to you. Play around with different amounts of food coloring and vanilla extract to create pretty patterns. I even added some gold sprinkles to a few cookies for some texture and glam. Be sure to check out our other Valentine's Day posts. This page will be updated as we continue to add more fun ideas!

I read something recently that said reading should be a hobby and not a competition. I loved that sentiment. I used to be the type who would set a goal of "reading 25 books" this year, and then I was disappointed when I only got through 10. I think remembering to just read for fun, as a hobby, is a good reminder. So let's snuggle up in a cozy blanket and a nice cup of tea and read some of these cozy winter books. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey Alaskan homesteaders from the 1920s Jack and Mabel (love their names by the way) are childless and drifting apart. This is a classic retelling of the fairytale The Snow Maiden. Jack and Mabel built a snow child to help deal with their grief of losing a child. Then, they start seeing a child in the woods. Is this their snow child coming to life or is it just a coincidence? It's emotional and powerful and talks about loneliness and loss while focusing on beautiful bonds of love. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy Franny is a wanderer who decides to take an epic adventure to Greenland and follow the last flock of tern through their last migration. But Franny has some dark secrets. As these secrets begin to unfold, a secret love affair, a crime, it's coming to light that Franny might be chasing more than just birds. Hygge and Kisses by Clara Christensen Curl up with some hot cocoa and a warm blanket and hop into this Denmark story. Embrace the Danish hygge life with this romantic novel. As Kristen's life begins to unravel her friend convinces her to take a hygge holiday and learn to enjoy the little things in life again. This book is a cozy, light romance read. Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson A Scandinavian murder mystery set in an Icelandic fishing village. A young detective is determined to under cover the secrets that the village people would rather keep hidden deep like the snow that surrounds the town. The main character faces many challenges both internal and external as he takes on a new job and a death that may or may not have been accidental. Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane Recommended for fans of Little Fires Everywhere this book is about two families' stories that span across several decades. We start with 2 kids who bond together two neighboring families through their friendship, but the families go their separate ways and what seemed destined to be is no more. Thirty years later, their bonds and loyalty will be tested. The author explores real and raw issues such as mental health, parental abandonment, and alcoholism. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon A historical fiction inspired by the midwife Martha in the 1790s, who after delivering a baby, was tasked with examining a body found frozen in the river. Martha discovers he was murdered and documents it in her diary. However, a physician undermines her and decides his death was accidental. Months prior the dead man was accused of attacking and raping a woman and now Martha's diary will be used as evidence in a trial and Martha must decide where her loyalties lie. A unique story about a woman who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American History. Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen The main character takes over her family's match-making business in this Lunar New Year celebration story! When a guy creates a dating app, she declares war as they battle it out to see who can make the best matches. While she knows not to fall for the handsome guy who believes traditions should be broken, will he steal her heart like he did her business? The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston Morgana has not spoken since she was a young girl. Her silence is a mystery, as is her magic. To remove Morgana from the town whispers, her mother arranges her to be married to a man she does not know. With this story, you are transported back to 19th-century Wales where in the wild nature, Morgana's powers begin to bloom. As a string of misfortunes begins to happen around them, can Morgana learn to harness her power to save those that she loves. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn This is the story that inspired the Netflix series Dash and Lily. If you haven't seen the series, Lily leaves a notebook with clues in it, Dash finds it, and the two pass the notebook back and forth in different locations across New York without ever meeting, all while their bond is growing. But will Dash and Lily connect as well when they meet in person, as the notebook versions of themselves? Wintering by Katherine May "The power of rest and retreat in difficult times". Nature rests to become transformation after winter and this book reminds us that we should too. A bit like a memoir, where the author shares different stories and anecdotes from her life. It may give you a fresh perspective on some tough times. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden Set in Russia, this book is like a medieval fairytale where the weather is almost like a character as well. The wise Russians fear Frost, the blue-eyed water demon, and honor the spirits of the forest to keep their homes safe. Vasya's new "evil stepmother" does not allow honoring the spirits and now misfortune has befallen the village. Vasya, the main character has to try to tap into concealed gifts to save her village and family. ** This is part of a Winternight Trilogy The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman A delightful group of seniors in a retirement home form a "murder club" to solve murders "for fun". The quirky characters quickly find themselves in the middle of their first case. With lots of personality, British humor, and twists and turns! This story has a lot of different character perspectives and makes for a good audio listen. Good for people who are fans of Only Murders in the Building. ** Bonus points - It was made into a Netflix series that was released August 2025, for those who like to read before they watch.

My husband is into craft beer and I thought it would be fun to wrap up different craft beers as a 12 Days of Beer Advent Calendar . If you’re looking for an advent calendar printable, we’ve got you covered. I painted these watercolor wreaths and I’ve turned them into advent tags that can be used for so many different types of advent calendars. I personally think a book advent calendar would be super fun! Today I'll be sharing how I turned these watercolor advent wreath printables into a beer advent countdown! DIY Advent Calendar – Beer-y Christmas! I’ve been a busy little elf. I’ve been working in secret to create this craft beer advent calendar for a special little elf (my husband). Supplies: Wooden Craft Crate gold spray paint (optional) Holiday Tissue Paper 12 craft beers Ribbon to decorate your crate with Watercolor Advent Tags Watercolor Advent Printables To create my beer advent calendar, first, I hit up my favorite shop for wine, beer, and spirits – Total Wine. I scoured their craft beer section and picked up 24 different craft beers. Winter ales, IPA’s, stouts and more! You can do as many or as little as you want to create your advent box. This would even work for unique sodas, mini wine bottles, books, or little trinkets. I wrapped each bottle with red tissue paper and tied a numbered advent wreath tag that I cut out around the neck. This wooden crate (spray-painted gold”) made a perfect container for my craft beer advent calendar! Tie a big festive ribbon into a bow around your crate and you’ve got a fun adult gift that keeps on giving throughout the holiday season! These printables could be used for a variety of different Holiday Advent Calendars. Maybe you want to use them for books, activities to do with the kids, little trinkets or treats, the possibilities are endless! What kind of DIY advent calendar will you make with these printables!? Watercolor Advent Tags For more Holiday Shopping, check out our Gift Guide Page.

If you didn't know, our family lived in Germany for several years. Every year we would go to the Hitscherhof Pumpkin Festival at a local farm. They had the BEST German roasted pumpkin soup, also known as kurissuppe. This recipe is my take on the original recipe given to me by a friend who also lived in Germany. This roasted pumpkin soup is something the Germans did well, and it was always something I looked forward to each fall as the weather got cooler. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin wine and pumpkin bratwurst! This is a great comfort meal on a chilly Autumn night. I may not live in Germany anymore, but that pumpkin soup will live on in our household every Fall. This is also a great soup to freeze. German Roasted Pumpkin Soup Ingredients: 2 pie pumpkins, roasted – (see 1st step for roasting tips) or about 3.5 cups pumpkin 1 large onion, diced 2 garlic clove diced 2 tbsp butter 6 cups chicken stock, plus more if you need to thin your soup out 1 cup dry Riesling 1 lemon, juiced salt to taste pepper to taste a pinch of sugar tabasco to taste (I add a few good splashes) 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup creme fraiche (I have used sour cream before when I can't find it) Toppings: green pumpkin seeds , chives, toasted pumpkin seed oil , more heavy cream for garnish Tools needed - Sharp heavy knives , Dutch Oven , immersion blender , Directions: 1. If you’re using canned pumpkin, you can skip this step but just know it won’t be quite as good as the roasted pumpkin, you've been warned . To roast your pumpkin, cut your pie pumpkin into 4 wedges, scoop out the seeds and strings. Brush with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast in a 425 degree oven for 40 minutes or until fork tender. After cooling for a few minutes, scrap/peel the pumpkin from the rind. (You can also freeze your roasted pumpkin meat for later recipes) I used the pulp of 2 roasted pie pumpkins for this recipe which ends up being about 3.5 cups of pumpkin. 2. Sauté the onion in butter in a large Dutch oven until translucent and add in minced garlic until fragrant. Add stock and wine. Heat until well warmed but not simmering yet. 4. Add the roasted pumpkin and puree with an immersion blender . 5. Cover and simmer on medium/low for 10 minutes. (add more stock if your soup seems too thick). 6. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper sugar, tabasco (I like a few dashes, this really makes this soup), cream and creme fraiche (or sour cream). 7. Ladle into soup bowls and top with a drizzle of cream, pumpkin seed oil , chives and green pumpkin seeds. Serve with crusty bread and a big glass of wine and beer and enjoy the flavors of Fall!

How is it almost the end of the year? December is right around the corner and we're starting to get things ready for the holiday season. An advent calendar is a fun way to count down to the Christmas holiday and we found some of the best ones for kids and adults! Here are some fun advent calendars your family will enjoy. Check out our collection of Advent Calendars For Little Kids advent calendars for little kids, older kids, teens, and adults! Shop By Section: Advent Calendars For Little Kids Advent Calendars For Older Kids Advent Calendars For Teens/Young Adults Advent Calendars For Adults Fill Your Own Advent Calendar Advent Calendars For Little Kids Bluey Suprise Advent Calendar - If your kids love Bluey, they will love this Bluey advent calendar. 24 different Bluey figurines, accessories and stickers to open each day. The characters even have adorable Christmas jumpers on! Train Advent Calendar - Each day you get to open one of 12 different wooden train pieces. Each train is magnetic and connects together to build a long train. Kiwi Crate Christmas Village - This special advent crate allows you to build a festive Christmas village. For 24 days, you'll open a special envelope with the supplies to build a new feature of your village. You can also get Santa's Train and Winter Wonderland advent crates. Lego Friends Advent Calendar - 24 mini surprises including 2 Lego friends and 8 Lego pets. Build a festive playground where they can play throughout the month of December. Fidget Toy Advent Calendar - The holildays can be stressful and this fidget advent calender has 24 fun fidgets to open and play with! Advent Calendars For Older Kids Hidden Game Advent Calendar - 24 mysterious letters from all over the world, one to open each day as you solve the puzzle and play the game. Diamond Painting Advent Ornaments - If your kids enjoy diamond painting they will have fun creating these mini diamond keychains that double as ornaments for an advent calendar. Magic Advent Calendar - Add a little magic to your every day. This magic inspired advent calendar from National Geographic has 15 different magic tricks and 9 science magic experiments to open and do! This one is sure to impress the friends! Family Game Advent - 24 fun games to play daily with the whole family! Recommended ages 6+ Advent Calendars For Teens/Young Adults Beauty Advent Calendar - With all the holiday events and celebrations this beauty advent will be a fun gift this holiday season. This advent contains 20 different beauty-related products for hair, face, eyes, lips, and more! Brain Teaser Advent Calendar - Challenge your mind with these 24 metal or wooden puzzles. Great for those out-of-the-box thinkers. Christmas Tree Building Toy Advent Calendar - Build your own mini Christmas tree with LED lights and tiny decorations. Each day has something new to create your tree and by Christmas Eve you'll have your own mini tree built. Taylor Swift Car Vent Clips Advent Box - This cute vent clip looks like a tiny record player. There are 24 different records that double as scent incense diffusers to "play" in your car. ******* This is no longer available, but you can still get the car air freshener mini turn table , just not in an advent box. Be sure to check out our other Swiftie gifts ! There is a Taylor Swift Charm Bracelet Advent that is adorable for Swifties! Advent Calendars For Adults Hot Sauce Advent Calendar - Spice things up this year with this hot sauce advent calendar. 24 days of 20 different hot sauces to unwrap! Wooden Advent Tree - This classic wooden tree will make a beautiful decoration for years to come. Open a new ornament each day to decorate your tiny tree. Perfect for small spaces, offices, or bedrooms! 12 Days of Socks - For the person in your life who likes to wear those silly holiday socks! This "12 days of socks" calendar will be fun to open leading up to the holiday season. Puzzle Advent Calendar - A 1000-piece Christmas scene puzzle comes in 24 different boxes to open and put together. Sounds like a cozy activity for the winter. Fill Your Own Advent Calendar Christmas Village Advent Calendar with Drawers - This reusable advent calendar is beautifully crafted with a village on top and drawers to fill with your own treats, goodies, or activities. Christmas Tree Pocket Advent - This Christmas Tree hanging has little pockets with ornaments that you decorate the tree with. You could also add a little chocolate to each pocket (or random pockets) as a fun surprise. Wooden Tree with Drawers - This feels so classic. Like something you could pass down for generations to come. This wooden tree with drawers could be used for so many Christmas styles. Fill it with your favorite goodies and enjoy all December long. For more Holiday Shopping, check out our Gift Guide Page !

These Autumn lanterns are pretty and easy to make. They make a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table or fall decor! DIY Autumn Leaf Lanterns Supplies: Leaves - real or fake glass mason jars mod podge paintbrushes small candles - tea lights or battery operated ribbon or raffia rubber bands  - to help hold stubborn leaves to the mason jars newspaper or something to cover your work space Instructions: First, you need to gather some pretty colorful fall leaves or purchase some faux fall leaves. If you're using real leaves, make sure they are dried well and not damp from being outside on the ground. Lay them between pieces of newspaper and stack heavy books on top of them for a few days to press them flat and help dry them out. Once the leaves are dried a few days later, you can start the work on your lanterns. Gather up your supplies and cover your work space with newspaper or something to keep it clean. Coat your jar with a layer of mod podge. Place your leaves on top and coat with another layer of mod podge. I broke off the hard stem of my leaves before using them on the jars. Layer leaves around on the glass, overlapping slightly in a pretty pattern. You may need to use some rubber bands to hold the leaves in place as they dry. Let your jars dry overnight. If needed to back over stubborn edges that want to pop up with mod podge  and help hold them down tight to the jar using rubber bands. I let my jars dry about 24 hours. Place candles inside and light them for a pretty autumn lantern. Raffia or ribbon would make a nice touch to finish them off. Happy Autumn!

Fall weather has finally arrived here, which means it's soup season! One soup I've been loving to make for my family is this Marry Me Sausage Gnocchi Soup. It's a take on the marry me chicken that was viral on social media. This one is comfort in a bowl on a crisp fall or winter evening. Marry Me Sausage Gnocchi Soup Ingredients 1 lb. Italian sausage (or pork sausage, add Italian seasoning) 2 tbsp butter oil from sundried tomatoes 2 celery sticks, diced 1/2 onion, diced 1 carrot, diced Italian seasoning red pepper flakes 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, diced 3 tbsp tomato paste 6 garlic cloves, minced 2 chicken bullion cubes 4 cups water 1 cup heavy cream 1 lb. gnocchi 4 oz cream cheese, softened, cubed 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded (plus extra for toppings) 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped fresh or dried basil for topping Tools: Dutch Oven Pairs well with: Focaccia Directions: 1. Over medium heat, cook the sausage in your Dutch Oven until browned. While this is cooking, I prep my onion, celery, and carrot by dicing them up. 2. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage and set aside. It's okay if a couple bits stay in the pan 3. Add 2 tbsp butter and some oil from the sundried tomatoes into the Dutch oven. 4. Once the butter is melted, add in the diced onion, celery and carrot. Cook down for about 10 minutes until softened. While this is cooking I'm dicing my garlic and sun dried tomatoes to go in next. 5. Season with a little salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. You can add in a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes to your taste. 6. Once it's softened, add in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant and then add in the diced sundried tomatoes. 7. Add in the 2 bullion cubes, 4 cups of water, and 1 cup of heavy cream and bring to a light boil. 8. Add in the gnocchi and simmer until the gnocchi float. 9. Then you can add in the softened cream cheese and continue to simmer and stir until the cream cheese in incorporated and then stir in the parmesan cheese. 10. Roughly chop your spinach and stir that in and let it wilt down. Serve in bowls and top with more parmesan and either some chopped fresh basil or a sprinkle of dried basil. Dig in and enjoy! For more like this, check out our Soups and Stews page

With spooky season in full swing, we have been watching our favorite family Halloween movies such as Hocus Pocus and Beetlejuice (both the original and the new one). We love making a good fun drink or food to pair with our movie nights and so the Beetlejuice Mocktail was created! With black rimming sugar, gummy worms crawling out of the glass, and eyeballs floating in your drink this Beetlejuice Mocktail is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Beetlejuice Halloween Mocktail Ingredients: Melon Ramune soda (1 Ramune makes 1 drink) Ginger ale - mini cans are fine as it's just used to top it off Black rimming sugar (see recipe below) Gummy worms Blueberries (to make eyeball ice cubes) Bamboo knot cocktail picks (optional) Black Rimming Sugar recipe 1/4 cup white sugar 1/8 tsp black food coloring 1/8 tsp vanilla extract Other tools - Skeleton hand glasses and small ice ball tra y to make the eyeball ice (if you dare)! Directions: Prep your eyeball ice cubes the day before by putting blueberries in your small ice ball tray and freezing overnight. Make your rimming sugar, mix together the sugar, black food coloring and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Use the back of a spoon to really smoosh the food coloring in the sugar. 3. Dip your glass rims in a small amount of ginger ale and dip in the rimming sugar. You could also use a bit of honey or rim with lime to rim the sugar. 4. Fill your glasses with the eyeball ice cubes. 5. Pour in the Melon Ramune soda (1 Ramune makes 1 drink) 6. Top with ginger ale. 7. Drap your gummy worms on the sides of the glass and/or skewer some gummy worms on the bamboo cocktail sticks and balance on the top of the glasses. 8. Serve and enjoy with your Beetlejuice Movie night or Halloween party! For even more fun Halloween ideas, check out our Halloween Foods roundup and our Halloween page with all our Halloween themed posts, crafts, recipes, and more!