...because home doesn't happen overnight.

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

When you start contemplating any renovation, you will hear and read that you should expect the renovation to take longer than your guesstimate. We’re finding that to be true. We had hoped to be in the Underdog {with not every to-do marked off our checklist but just living there} by the end of October/beginning of November. Obviously, that hasn’t happened. Our next ETA was somewhere right around Christmas which looked pretty doable on paper.

However, HH was sent out of state on a trip for work two weeks ago that set us back. And just last week we learned that he’ll be traveling for work for another two weeks in the month of December. All of this was unexpected and makes our Christmas move impossible since the last projects on the list require HH’s DIY skills.

You know what that means? Yep. We’re planning on spending Christmas in our cozy lil’ apartment. So when Apartment Guide asked me to participate in their Holiday Home Organization Blogger Challenge I felt the timing was right. Why not?! My creativity has been so pent up over the last few months waiting and waiting to decorate the Underdog that I need a good crafty release.

Apartment Guide is not only a source for finding and researching apartments, but did you know they also offer useful advice for apartment dwelling? Holiday decor that meets apartment complex restrictions, storage options for surprise gifts and an inviting atmosphere for holiday guests are all covered by Apartment Guide.

{our holiday mantel last year}

I’ve been asked to come up with a few holiday decor and organizational ideas/projects that can be implemented within an apartment setting. So far I have plans for a space-saving Christmas tree, a wrapping station and temporary seasonal decor. I’ll be sharing all my projects with you here on H*T, so stay tuned!

{my holiday gift wrap last year}

Until then, Apartment Guide is graciously offering up a $100 American Express gift card to one lucky H*T reader! Use it to prep your place for the holidays, to help out with holiday shopping or for something totally unrelated to the holidays. It’s up to you. Here are all the details on how to enter:

  • PRIZE:  $100 American Express gift card which has a U.S. restriction for in-store purchases but works online anywhere. Should there be an international winner, the gift card may be awarded in the form of an e-gift card depending on the winner’s location.
  • RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old. One entry per email address.
  • HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “GUIDE ME!”
  • DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, November 24th at 9:00 p.m. EST. One winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on Friday, November 25th.
  • WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  Share your favorite holiday-related DIY project. Recipes, gift wrap, decor, handmade gifts and snow angels all count! OR like Apartment Guide on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

FYI – Apartment Guide is owned by Consumer Source, Inc. Apartment Guide partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its “Holiday Home Organization” Blogger Challenge.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used for the “Holiday Home Organization” Blogger Challenge. Apartment Guide and Consumer Source believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

images:  1) Apartment Guide  2&3) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

487 Comments

20.November.2011

Guide Me!

My favorite way to wrap gifts is to buy tote bags and make a simple decoration on the outside – so its reusable. Last year I took paper doilies and used temporary sticky spray to spray it to the canvas tote bag and stamped paint on with a foam stamper, took the paper doilie off and was left with a pretty design in the corner and added the receiver’s initials. Quick, Easy and Green.

20.November.2011

Guide me! Love making all those desserts and appetizers I save the recipes for all year, because I get the chance to share them with family and visitors (rather than eating them all myself.)

20.November.2011

Guide me, please!

20.November.2011

Guide Me!

My favorite holiday DIY project is to bake cookies to give away as gifts. It’s a great way to spread some holiday cheer without spending a ton of money.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Most years there’s so much fuss and clutter, we don’t even manage to decorate. Kind of put s a wet blanket on the whole holiday cheer vibe.

20.November.2011

Guide me!! This year I am making a Thanksgiving table cloth. Each year every member of the family will write what they are thankful for, and we will use it each year to remember.

20.November.2011

Guide me! We use plain brown kraft paper for all our presents and the kids help by decorating them. Cheap, mostly handmade, personal, and gets the kids involved! Win!

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
My holiday prep leaves a lot to be desired. I have high hopes for stepping it up in the next few years though :-)

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite holiday DIY is my present exchange with my 2 best friends! We implemented a DIY Christmas last year to save us all money, and we’re doing it again this year because it was so fun! Can’t wait!

20.November.2011

Guide Me!!!!

I love to mix it up and make different throw pillow covers for Christmas.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love having a festive mantle with a garland and lights on it. I also put pillar candles at each end with berry sprigs around them. Maybe it’s because we didn’t always have a tree growing up so the fireplace was often our Christmas centerpiece :)

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love baking for my children’s teachers…caramel popcorn, three or four types of cookies, candied pecans, spiced nuts, and cranberry tea bread are among my favorites.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I like making little penguins out of olives, cream cheese and carrots. It’s very simple, and they’re so darn cute. My 5-year old enjoys cutting the sugar cookies with snowman and christmas tree shapes and applying lots of sprinkles!

20.November.2011

Guide Me! My favorite DIY gift is remodeling. Last Christmas my husband, father and brothers all worked together to completely remodel the laundry room as a gift to my mother. It really pleased my mom and allowed us to spend a lot of time together.

20.November.2011

Guide ME!!!! I definitely decorate like I did when I was a kid and would like to modernize.

20.November.2011

Guide Me!
I just started making new stockings for the family. Such a fun project. Oh and I can’t wait to make my first batch of bourbon balls ;)

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I am really excited to make some Borax snowflakes this year!

20.November.2011

Guide me! I love diying reusable wrapping for holiday gifts!!

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love to do all the holiday baking!

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
We haven’t ever really decorated our apartment aside from paper garlands, which I love. I like to decorate anything with paper. This year I would love to come up with a crafty tree of sorts out of recycled objects if I find the time. Every year we have English plum pudding and custard and after always have a laugh popping English crackers. We made them for our wedding so maybe I will make my own for Christmas. It would be nice to keep the traditions going and have a nicely decorated apartment for our first married Christmas together. All proper like!

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love to decorate the house and trim the tree!

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I’m moving into a new place Dec. 1st so I’m looking forward to your posts!

20.November.2011

Guide me!

I love the handmade gifts and lots of baking.

20.November.2011

Guide Me!

I make spritz cookies every year in green and red.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I have never really decorated any of my apartments for the holidays. Sometimes just a couple stockings. Excited to see your ideas.

20.November.2011

Guide Me!

I love decorating the house; instantly festive and cheerful, it’s amazing how much a wreath and peppermint candle can do! …..can’t wait to start decorating and baking for Christmas!

20.November.2011

My daughter just got a job in a town 3 hours away and is moving to her first, new apartment!
So, GUIDE ME to help her make the best of her new place and the upcoming holidays!
Our best tip for Christmas… years ago, as my children got passed the “peeking” stage, my mother made drawstring bags. Each child chose a favorite holiday fabric and she created simple bags in a variety of sizes, from huge to smaller. We use them as the “wrapping paper” for the gifts, and tie them securely! Now each child knows which presents are theirs, and there is no wasted paper, tape or extra time spent wrapping. They love the gifts just as much, without the extra costs involved.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Next week I will start on our secret family recipe Christmas cookies :-)

20.November.2011

Guide Me! I still live in a condo and so my holiday decorating abilities are limited, but I am looking forward to making ornament wreaths as presents again.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME. I love making our family secret chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies.

20.November.2011

Guide Me!!
I have really gotten into making holiday banners to go under my mantle for each season. I will be making my THANKFUL banne,r for our guests coming this Thursday, tomorrow.

20.November.2011

Guide me!

I love to be simple in gift wrapping. I usually stick to brown paper and makit special by the ribbon I choose. I usually stick to one color theme every year. Or for a special birthday coordinate the ribbon to the gift or who is receiving the gift.

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I just made salt dough ornaments for the first time with my 3 year old and it was so fun! I’m pretty sure we’ll be doing it again.

20.November.2011

Guide me!

My new DIY obsession is homemade gifts from pinterest!

20.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I’m a fan of decorating, wrapping gifts, sending our holiday cards – I love it all. I don’t love baking for the holidays, however. It’s better for everyone that I don’t bake!

20.November.2011

Guide me!

I am obsessed with Christmas cookies, especially because I just bought my husband a pro600 KA mixer. It’s definitely something I look forward to wiping up this holiday season!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Something I’ve been doing this year is wrapping my gifts in brown craft paper and then wrapping bakers twine around to embellish. It’s turned out to be so cute and cheap!

21.November.2011

guide me!
for the holidays i like to buy fresh garlands and wreaths and i can’t wait to start!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love holiday baking, shopping and decorating!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I’m collecting great DIY gift wrapping ideas on Pinterest (click on my name to see them). I love Pinterest and it’s been so helpful to me during the holidays.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I love baking delicious desserts that make my apartment smell yummy!

21.November.2011

guide me.

i also enjoy gift wrapping. simple is best. brown paper and colorful yarn.

Guide ME!
I love to wrap with big bows and ornaments on each package to keep their trees full, and making homemade candies for nice small gifts.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love the simplicity of dollar store ornaments in class containers. So easy to group colors and mix and match!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My husband loves to put Christmas lights in every room of the house. The kids’ bath time become more appealing and they happily go to bed with unusual night lights.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Favorite baking projects are cranberry/orange nut bread, scratch gingerbread houses, and cookies galore. Favorite simple decorating idea is I cut various evergreen branches from trees in our yard, lots of red twig dogwood, and add in some white flowers from the grocery store. So simple, yet so elegant.

Thanks for the chance to win!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I love to make my own Christmas cards for family members. It makes me so happy to put something with a personal touch on their gift!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love decorating the tree with my family.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love making paper snowflakes as a family. We make them every year and then hang them on the front window of our house. It makes the house look beautiful from the outside. Paper snowflakes are easy and inexpensive to make!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love decorating the tree with family. This will be our first year doing it as a family of 3, my son was too young last year.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love baking – so little classy decorated kraft brown boxes or pillow boxes full of chocolate-covered caramels, cookies, etc are given out. Plus some homemade vanilla extract & limoncello. And I’ve been amping up my homemade decorating skills- some new ornaments & paper stars found on Pinterest, a wreath, etc. All in all – REALLY fun!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I’m with the brown paper wrappers. Love the simplicity of it and the blank canvas. I dress it up year to year with different ribbons, raffia, hand-lettering or stamps.

21.November.2011

Guide me! As crazy as it sounds, paper snowflakes to hang up in our windows. We don’t get much snow where we live and a white Christmas is a once in a decade happening. So we add a little “snow” to our windows instead. =)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I struggle balancing my love for decorating with my temporary station of being a renter, so I look forward to your thoughts. Favorite holiday DIY lately – my no-sew bulap tree skirt with ruffle!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! Anything about the holidays this year will for sure be more fun and relaxing then the last 3 years. The is nothing more of a damper then another final or another 30 page paper hanging over your head! I cant wait to go see Santa and then go pick out our tree, turn the Christmas music on and decorate!

21.November.2011

Guide Me, puh-leassssee!

I’ve just started looking for inspiration to cozy up our 400 sq ft studio for all the holiday fun. somehow we always end up hosting all hangouts with our close group of friends (10-12 people!). the holiday hang outs will continue and im bursting with ideas for this years decorating. i love covering all our lamp shades with tinsel. its not as campy as it sounds and its gorgeous and very winter wonderland-y!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! Please :)

My favorite DIY holiday item is gift wrap!! I am a gift wrap-a-holic and I think every present, no matter how big or small should have a fabulous wrap job!!!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!

Can’t wait to see what you post! We are newly weds and this will our first Christmas together in a small apartment. Any advice will be much appreciated!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! My DIY is to always make biscotti to have on hand for late night munchies as I wrap. Here in Australia it’s a bit hard to get excited by the hot cuppa that would usually go with it when it’s 35.c at 10 pm!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I make my mom’s traditional Christmas morning breakfast, that I grew up with, for my own family now! Her Christmas casserole recipe and cinnamon rolls! I love this!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

My favorite easy Christmas DIY projects always include felt. So easy to work with (just cut, glue, maybe a little sewing) and they give a great warmth to whatever project they are used for. Easiest way to create ornaments to decorate a tree! You could also easily create little nativity scenes or even faux garlands.

21.November.2011

Guide me! We moved in to our house a few months ago but haven’t really done a lot in terms of decor. Aesthetics took the backseat for more important matters( heater, furnace, basement beams etc.). But this is our son’s first Christmas and I am determined to make it a little bit festive. He probably won’t even remember any of it (because he’s 9 months old!) but I want him to enjoy seeing beautiful Christmas colors. I want him to touch, feel and smell Christmas! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Each year we make dozens and dozens of cookies as a family. We package up most of them and take them to the elderly and shut-in members of our church. Those that are left we chow down on until only crumbs remain! :)
Can’t wait to see what projects you have to share this week!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
Having kids has changed our Christmases soooo much for the better. Now my tree is up earlier and decorated with lovely homemade decorations that they bring home from school. Priceless!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
I love the wrapping. I love making personal to each person.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I LOVE LOVE LOVE decorating outside for the holidays. I’ve been wanting to do more personal gifts for the holidays, so next year I’m gonna be a canning machine and give gift packages of yummy canned foods for the fam!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love pulling out the old ornaments and making new ones for the tree. Can’t wait to get started!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I always loving making handmade ornaments, gift tags, and cards!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
A few years ago I discovered knitting patterns for tiny mittens, sweaters and stockings that could be used as ornaments. When they really came into their own was last year in grad school, with a stressful exam season approaching, new friends I wanted to give gifts to, no money, and time on the train I had been spending trying to relax. The solution to all four problems!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! We’re in the middle of an 80+ year old underdog reno ourselves. We’ve found some unexpected surprises to say the least.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Each year, my boyfriend and I make homemade ornaments for the tree. We just moved in together so this year will be special because it’s the first time we can decorate for Christmas together! :)

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

I can’t wait to start decorating. I’m so happy that this year I’m not having my family over for Christmas! Whew, it is at my sister’s this year. When I have the fam here I overdo it and stress myself out. This year will be simple, simple, simple but festive.

21.November.2011

Guide me !

I love to pick a different color for Xmas each year and work it around the house, on the Xmas tree, the table, etc… This year, I chose white+silver+light blue. But I don’t get new things every year, I manage to DIY stuff and recycle from one year to another.
Take care !

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love holiday kitchen projects, but this year I am looking forward to making some personalized ornaments!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!! I am tackling a DIY advent calendar and card display this year…can’t wait to get started after thanksgiving!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love decorating the house, in every corner, in every room! Although I love getting beautifully gift wrapped presents…I don’t like wrapping, fortunately I have an older daughter that does!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love beautiful wrapping!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I think it’s pretty interesting to see all the different companies that are actively targeting bloggers these days! Also, we are considering selling our fixer-upper home and renting an apartment until we can build back up our savings account and get back on the career track. : )

21.November.2011

Guide me!!

This year I’m going natural; live and dried flowers (I just bought a house that has a large bittersweet vine growing up the side!), salt dough ornaments…limited colors – reds, whites, neutrals (burlap tree skirt?).

21.November.2011

guide me!
we too are here in our apartment for christmas as our new home nears completion. however, I just don’t think we will have the space for a tree so I will be decorating the high bar with some garland and our favorite ornaments this year. and for something special we decided to get a hotel suite for our last christmas before the new house since we know after this year we will never want to be away from home on christmas. we will make do but I will work hard to make it special! thx for the inspo…love checking in to see how your house is going, seems like our houses are in the same phases as we just completed drywall and installation of mechanicals, this week we get cabinets!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
What a wonderful giveaway this time of year – who couldn’t use $100? Thank you for hosting :)
My kids and I always bake something fun for our neighbors as a thank you for putting up with our wandering dog all year. This year we’re making bone-shaped sugar cookies. Last year we made little coffee cakes and cinnamon honey butter. Christmastime=baking around here!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!! I am so excited for Christmas this year. Most especially for decoration the tree and making cookies.

21.November.2011

Guide me!
I’m a German living in the U.S. and my favorite Christmas project is baking German-style cookies

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! As for Christmas DIY… does baking count? Our house is always filled with sweets!

21.November.2011

Guide me! For Thanksgiving, we always end up renting tables to accomodate everyone, so for cheap table decorations I use a mixture of candles, acorns, pine cones, and fall leaves down the center of the table.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I often make jar recipes, where you fill a mason jar with dry ingredients and then attach a recipe on how to make what’s inside. They are always a big hit.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love baking around Christmas time.

21.November.2011

Guide me!!!!!!

Wrapping gifts in craft paper and decorating with scrapbook paper.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

i just made some gift tags sewing felt on paper…they turned out super cute!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
I love to make fruitcake using a family recipe and my great aunts baking pan.

21.November.2011

Guide me!
I always love baking for the holidays and I think I’m going to attempt to DIY some ornaments this year!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My mom, sister and I get together every year to bake tons of cookies, toffee, caramels, chocolate dipped everything and other goodies to give as gifts for Christmas.

21.November.2011

Guide me! We are going to DIY some ornaments this year.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I’ve been making ornaments this year and made a new holiday banner – all out of things I already had at home. Fun!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite holiday diy is making holiday gift tags out of last years xmas cards etremely easy to and and of course free!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Every year we make an ornament with a picture of our son to send to our friends and family.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

We just moved into a rental house near the beach. This year we are using the beach as inspiration, so we are going with turquoise, blues, and metallics. We are using our seashells as decorations.

21.November.2011

Guide me! This year I was planning some DIY gifts but time is going alot faster than I planned! So going to the store for gifts may end up happening!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I’m with Bettina & Alana – my holiday DIY consists of baking. Just made a Ginger Pound Cake last night to take across 2 states for Thanksgiving dinner – seems like it will travel well & still allow me to contribute something made from scratch.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is making Christmas candy with my mom and sister. Last year was my first year on my own out of college and I decided to do it all by myself since my family was far away. 8 hours later, I was realizing how much 3 people can get done in comparison to one! Still, my mom was thrilled when I brought my own candy to add to hers on Christmas Day.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love making holiday cookies and treats to give to friends and family!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Planning on making two wreaths for my front door with pool noodles, fabric and garland…..should be interesting! Now at stay at home mom so Christmas decor has to be on a budget this year!

GUIDE ME! I’m looking forward to setting up a DIY photo booth at our Christmas party!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My favorite DIY this year, is creating candle holders with fake cranberries, pillar vases, and white candles! So cozy :)

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I’ve already started my Christmas DIY, so far I’ve made a wreath, but I am most excited to get out all the decorations I bought after Christmas last year on clearance!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I decorate much of the house. My fav is that we have 3 very different Christmas trees. Those are always fun to do.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My budget for xmas this year is pretty tight, so I’ve been creating diy projects that I found off Pinterest, like homemade vanilla, soy candles, and a brown sugar body scrub!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I just do the cleaning up on Jan 1st.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love making handmade presents every year for my family. And baking. I always do a ton of baking around Christmas time. I’m hoping this year to make some burlap Christmas tree ornaments that I saw on pinterest not too long ago.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME

I am DIY’ing a canvas wrapped in a paper map this year, and I’ll be paiting the words
“joy to the world” on it to hang above our fireplace.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

We do a big Christmas breakfast and Christmas dinner – complete with table settings, decorations, mulled wine, sangria. Each of my girls helps with a recipe and all the decorating. I can’t wait!

We just moved out of our apartment last weekend, so finding all the decorations may be challenging! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I want to make an Advent “calender” of sorts but as a draped banner over our bookshelf/mantle. I want to use prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in his birth story. Hopefully, this will be a project for this Thanksgiving weekend!

21.November.2011

Guide me…..please! I made homemade marshmallows for christmas last year and we LOVED them! look it up on Pinterest or just google, you will NOT be sorry!

21.November.2011

Guide me!! I’m ready for baking! I’m planning on doing lots of homemade goodies for Christmas gifts.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Definitely the holiday baking and loads of gift wrap!

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!”

I love the make holiday goodies! Cookies, Candies, Cakes, etc.

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!”

I love to make a Christmas scene on my mantle!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

When we were all young my grandmother used to make us personalized stockings to hang every year. now that she’s past, I have taken that role and made the stockings as my siblings married or had children. This year we added a sister-in-law!

21.November.2011

Guide me! It has become a tradition for us each year to make buck-eyes and send them to our family and friends. It’s a lot of work but oh so yummy!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

We get about 4 families together and do our ‘Santa cookies’ together. The kids have a blast making the cookies and the parents stay sane with other parents around!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

A couple years ago, I spiced up our store-bought stockings with glitter glue.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I’m making my own stockings this year. It’s fun, and they definitely look homemade!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love making holiday desserts like pies and cookies!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME – I would love some kid friendly crafts that my little people can do. I dont want to spend much $ on decorations this year, I would like the kids to get really involved and have fun making homemade decorations.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

My favorite decoration last year was free! I took small fallen branches from the yard, placed them in a vase, and hung ornaments we already had on them. The shape reminded me of antlers.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I make a pan of hello dollies for my sister and I to share while we laugh together and visit on holiday break.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Dana, how are your boys dealing with the delay of the Underdog? Is it more difficult in the apartment now that the weather is colder?

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I want to buy some fabric for mistreatments!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

How did the holidays get here so fast?!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!! As is the case for most people, I love baking & decorating cookies :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Every year I try to come up with new food gifts (while continuing with a few tried and true traditions, like peanut brittle) and this year is no exception. I slow roasted (and then froze) roma tomatoes and plan on gifting them with homemade ricotta and crackers. I also preserved lemons and plan to divy them into jars, along with some suggested uses/recipes. Fingers crossed it all gets finished in time!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I LOVE making the mantle every Christmas. Hanging the stockings, burlap, wreaths, etc. :)

21.November.2011

Guide me! We spend our Thanksgiving weekend cutting greens to make our own wreaths and garlands for the holidays. It can be messy work, but I get faster at it each year and it smells absolutely wonderful – which puts me in a great mood when I’m done!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME :) I absolutely love wrapping Christmas presents and adorning them with beautiful bows & ribbon.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
This Christmas I’m planning on making alot of decorations for our NEW home! Maybe DIY a wreath, garland, and some glitter dipped fruit! And DIY some delicious baked goods! ;)

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
I am a poor recent college grad, and my roommates and I love make paper chains and paper snowflakes to add a little holiday cheer to our sad apartment. But this year thanks to pinterest we have some good ideas to make our homemade decor awesome!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!! I have never found a tree skirt that I truly liked, so this week I am attempting to make my own with some beautiful fabric that was just purchased!!

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!”
I always make cookies for the family using traditional recipes my grandma baked. And, I try to do both a Thanksgiving and Christmas centerpiece either for my home or as a hostess gift. My first ‘career’ was as a floral designer, so it really helps me keep my skills up and feels more personal than a bottle of wine.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Lately my favorite project has been making a gingerbread house with my son each year! It’s so much fun to watch him strategically place each little candy.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite holiday DIY project is making wreaths out of the pages of a book. I just learned how to do it over the summer and made quite a few, and now I have to make at least three more for gifts!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Baking is probably my favorite Christmas DIY, but I also like getting creative with gift wrapping.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I can’t wait to decorate the house with lights!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I like to make my own Christmas wreath for the front door every year.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite (and easy) holiday decor is hanging ornaments (usually traditional glass balls) from the chandelier above the dining table. Fishing wire or twine does the trick, and it helps bring some holidy cheer into the dining room.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

This brings back memories of pre-house living and using the AG to find my next apartment! As for DIY: I normally get crafty with cookies and bars around the holidays.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I like to bake as presents with homemade tags, but this year I am being ambitious with homemade candles!

GUIDE ME! I bake. A lot.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I just made some glitter ornaments that were so easy and look very pretty on our tree!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Thanks for this opportunity! I’m looking forward to my first Christmas as a wife and in our home!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
A Christmas tradition in my family is all of the cookies I make the whole month of December. My husband starts with his requests early Fall each year. Last year I hosted my very first Cookie exchange and it was a blast! Definitley looking forward to carrying on this tradition as well as starting new ones in the years to come!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!
I’m excited about crafting a fun gift for my niece and nephew

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I still go home to spend Christmas with family so my boyfriend and I don’t do much to decorate our place, other than put up a tree and hang any cards we receive. BUT, this year I am going to be trying to create my own brown paper bag wrapping paper. I have seen it around and absolutely love the way it looks!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! This year I’m not doing quite as many santas and snowmen. More about the greenery and lights!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I need guided to the right size tree for a small space. We have such a small living room so that is our Christmas challenge each year. Can not wait to see what you come up with!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Best part of Christmas for me is putting up the tree and spreading all the decorations around the house.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! We have a tradition each year to make homemade ornaments. Lots of little hands grace our tree each year and show how much our children are growing.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! My favorite DIY for Christmas is usually the gift wrapping. I love making each gift look a little bit unique..this year I’m going with cut out snowflakes on each package. Can’t wait!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

My DIY stuff is baking!

21.November.2011

Guide me!! I always do DIY gifts for my parents, usually something with pictures. I love surprising them with something special, thanks!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Baking lots of goodies is my favorite thing to do during the holidays!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Gotta love decorating the Christmas Tree!!

21.November.2011

Guide me!!!!
excited to make homemade cinnamon glazed almonds for everyone as part of our homemade Christmas gifts this year…

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! we’re re-doing our kitchen and our cabinets are scheduled to arrive the day after thanksgiving. decorating will be a challenge since we’ll be in a construction zone. I usually put up 2 trees but I’m not sure what the plan will be this year, cabinets may be stored in the formal living room where I usually do one of the trees.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Every other year or so my family gives DIYed gifts. This year is one of those years! I always look forward to coming up with something creative to make for everyone.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Will be crafting some bunting for a small Christmas tree soon! We always get a baby fraser fir tree… they are the perfect size and don’t shed :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Easy . . . DIY Vanilla extract. Take a bottle of vodka, stick in as many vanilla beans as you can manage and put it in a closet for a couple weeks. Put it in bottles and give it away . . . people love it and you’ve done hardly anything.

21.November.2011

Guide me!!! My favorite DIY is making scarves and hats for everyone… Also we have a Christmas cookie baking day. That’s always fun!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! my favorite hiding-the-presents story comes from when we were kids and my parents hid the presents in the locked garage. one morning we came downstairs and the garage door opener was on the kitchen counter. imagine our luck! we ran outside in our pajamas in the freezing cold only to discover our parents had taken the batteries out of the opener! classic!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My favorite has to be Christmas Baking! Depending on what we’re doing each year we decide what new treat to make. ( in addition to our traditional favorites)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!

One of my favorite things to increase the holiday feel in my apartment is to wrap everything that is hung on the wall — photos, art, etc. It only takes enough wrapping paper to cover the front of the picture and just tape it to the back! It’s also a great way to reinforce a holiday color scheme. One year I did all light blue, silver, and white…by having everything on my walls coordinate with the tree and the gifts under it, I didn’t need to do a lot of additional decor swapping! And, since I save wrapping paper that hasn’t been through the ringer, I feel like I’m not wasting, just re-using something that would’ve been thrown away anyway!

21.November.2011

Guide Me. Love your blog!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite DIY Christmas project is ornaments. I use pictures (both old and new) backed with colored card stock and hung with ribbon. So fun and personal! I LOVE them!!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
I love decorating the Christmas tree with my husband and children; I have decorations from when my husband and I were children, from my grandmas, from art projects that my children made, etc. So many happy memories!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Every month I make a custom desktop for my work computer using pics of my kids I took that month. At the end of the year I take these monthly desktops and convert them into a calendar that I print out and give to family members for Christmas. It is the #1 anticipated gift among the grandparents.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I’m excited to try my hand at a DIY wreath and garland this year :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My mom gave me some ornaments that we had when I was a kid and I love mixing them with some more modern ones.

21.November.2011

Guide me please!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My holiday DIY includes homemade sweets for co-workers, neighbors, friends, and family.

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME”

I love to decorate with silver & gold for Christmas and lots of white lights!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love wrapping gifts with craft paper, twine, stamps and homemade gift tags!

GUIDE ME!

I love to DIY some Christmas ornaments each year. I make at least one as does the fiancee.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! We made our dining room table that our family will be eating around this Xmas.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!

I make all my gifts by hand. It’s turned out to be quite the adventure. But I like knowing that the people I love are getting something that took a little thought and time. And committment. Don’t do a handmade Christmas if you’re a procrastinator! I’ve made that mistake before…

21.November.2011

Guide me!
I love to make one new handmade ornament for our tree each year. The kids love it, and it’s fun to get them out each year and admire our past handiwork.

21.November.2011

Guide me!! I would love to decorate more for Christmas – we just got into our own “underdog” and it needs some serious help!

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!” This year I am excited to start traditions with my 1.5yr son.

21.November.2011

Guide me! This year I tackled a DIY tree shirt. It’s still in progress and my sewing skills are so-so, but it feels good to be creative!

21.November.2011

Guide Me….This year I saw a wonderful monogramed tree skirt in the Ballard Designs catalog that I didn’t want to pay quite so much for. I found a similar felt tree skirt at target for $15 and I plan on having it monogramed where I work for free as we offer embroidery…..I saved over half on a DIY project!!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! My husband and I do a TON of baking over the holidays and give our goodies away the whole month of December.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! I am making tote bags and cookies for gifts this year!

I am very interested in Apartment Guide as I am selling my home with the intention of moving to an apartment in an urban area. I can use all the help I can get!

Thank you!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
This is our first year in a house, so I’m looking forward to doing a lot more Christmas related stuff! Every year I make an ornament to put on our tree. I love our tree full of crafted ornaments!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
My daughter will be 20 months old this Christmas and I’m so looking forward to decorating our Christmas tree with her since last year she was too young to take part in it. Love your blog!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I’m so excited to do a cookie cutter ornament craft this year. Once Thanksgiving is over I’m going to go Christmas crazy!

“GUIDE ME!”

My favorite holiday DIY is made-from-scratch chocolate chip cookies (Toll House recipe). It’s so much fun to make them en masse for family and friends, and even more fun to sneak a few bites of cookie dough along the way!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I too live in a rental apartment, so space is a challenge. I find strings of white lights really make the space feel warm! And trying new holiday cookie recipes :)

21.November.2011

Guide me!!

I love making treats at the holidays and at least someone gets one handmade present from me – a quilt, pillow, or other small, useful handmade item. Also, this year for neighbor/friend gifts I’m going very EASY: just getting some liters (or smaller) of Sprite & tying a card around it that says “Hope your Christmas is merry and sprite” – at least I thougt it was super cute when I got one last year ;)

I would love to win this card – of course Christmas shopping would beneift from it – but I would also use most, if not all, to donate to my Christmas Angel through Reece’s Rainbow. ( http://reecesrainbow.org/4133/lawrence-2h ) I have not raised much money for this sweet orphan with Down syndrome, but this would surely help – so I’m crossing my fingers!!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This is our first year with a full size tree so I’ve been busy making ornaments in silver, gold, and red!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
This year I plan to put a felt Christmas tree on our kitchen wall and make several felt ornaments, a star, garland, etc. Since felt sitcks to felt, my daughter can decorate and re-decorate the felt tree a MILLION times!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Craft paper gift wrap, oh goodness. Just love it, especially with coordinating ribbons and bows!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite Christmas DIY is gift wrapping. I love using fun ribbons, stamps, stickers and creating coordinating gifts! joy!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love wrapping gifts! I make the bows myselft, I wait until my girls go to sleep, play a Christmas movie (Every year is Elf, This Christmas, and The Holiday) and enjoy my alone time wrapping gifts!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
I love making Christmas cookies will the whole family

21.November.2011

Guide me! My favorite project is definitely Christmas related baking! I hope to get to do some this year, but we’ll see…

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My favorite is decorating the christmas tree. I like to figure out some way to make it look very different each year.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love holiday decor, this year I am hoping to try some of the (far too many) DIY projects I have been “pinning” over at Pinterest.

21.November.2011

Guide me!!
I love to make homemade ornaments! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I’d love some simple ideas for holiday crafts that the kids will enjoy doing.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I definitely do lots of baking around the holidays…..and in the days of “purchase everything” I consider homemade goods to by DIY! :-)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! I just love holiday decorating – i always try to incorporate something new every year – this year, we have a new dining table, so i’m going to get to try out some new centerpiece ideas, along with painting a decorative holiday saying on a plain white tablecloth – something i saw done on another blog… cant wait! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love to decorate and bake cookies! Love spending time with my family!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I would love to win!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My husband and I always make a unique assortment of baked goods and candies for all of our work associaties and each year one of our favorite parts is coming up with a new/unique way of packaging them. We haven’t decided what we’re doing this year yet. That’s one of the things we’ll talk about on our six-hour drive home for Thanksgiving.

21.November.2011

Guide me! This year I want to make an Advent gift calender for my two year old.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love eating all the sweets!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
We have an enclosed front porch on our cottage style home – mostly made up of windows. So I have fun decorating the windows at Christmas. Last year I arranged snowflakes on the windows and candle lights on the sills. Looked so festive!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My favorite holiday project is anything knit or crocheted- i love making handmade gifts for friends and family! oh and making christmas cards too!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Love to decorate for Christmas! We put up our decoration this past weekend. That extra twinkle of light is so perfect! :-)

Nicole

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love Christmas and I love to switch up my decorating style and gift wrap from year to year!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love holiday aromas and get excited to use my winter scents in my scentsy warmers during the holidays. Some of my favorite smells are Winterberry, Autumn Sunset & Poinsettia Pine.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! home made xmas cookies!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This year I made a faux berry wreath using vines and fake berries I found at Michael’s and a pretty red ribbon I already had. I’m super excited to hang it up on our door on Friday. Of course we live in the back corner of the top floor of our apartment building, so we’ll probably be the only ones that see it, but it will make me happy every day!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I like to DIY an ornament for each member of the family every year (including the dogs)!

21.November.2011

Guide me! My favorite part is wrapping the gifts with my daughter. I wrap and she decorates. We have a wonderful, happy and creative time!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love making Christmas ornaments each year!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

On my list this year is to make a Christmas wreath. Something glittery!!

21.November.2011

guide me!!

I have cookies that I only make around Christmas. They are super labor intensive but also so deliciously yummy. I dye the filling red and green which makes them “holiday” like. Can’t wait to make them!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Last year my husband and I celebrate our first Christmas as husband and wife – since our house is not big, we made sure to decorate our space using wedding gift vases as ornament holders and DIYing our wreath with ribbon – this year we’ll make another!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I made a ‘merry Christmas’ banner for our holiday photo cards!

21.November.2011

Guide me! Gift wrap is definitely my favourite DIY project for the holidays – so many options!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love making a new dish every year and adding it to our amazing feast on thanksgiving.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I’m getting married on Saturday and would love to have an amazing first Christmas as a family!!! Although I love to decorate for the holidays and make the house feel warm and cozy, with all the renovating going on I am sticking to DIY gift wrap that the kids can help stamp, and baking…my favorite…this season. There is a great recipe for red velvet cookies I keep seeing I pinterest that has made my list this year!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love making decorations with my kids. My son is now old enough to make his own paper snowflakes.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I’ve challenged myself to spend zero dollars on holiday decor this year and I’m having so much fun being creative with what we already have. My new trick this year is contact paper (white and frosted) for snowflakes and stars on windows and mirrors.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! I love the baking! Yum :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love to do custom illustrations for friends and family of a special event that happened in the past year. Fun and thoughtful!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love baking for the holidays. Puffed Caramel Corn is one of the kids favorite sweet treats.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite DIY part of Christmas is making sure everyone’s gift is wrapped differently!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Every year I make chocolate covered pretzels for my family members…it is so easy and my little 3 year old can get in on the action too and feel like he is contributing during Christmas and putting smiles on my familys’ faces!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Lately I have been making dark chocolate peppermint bark for gifts. It’s easy and pretty inexpensive, and everyone is always super impressed.

21.November.2011

Guide me! It’s all about the baking in our house!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My new favorite holiday tradition is getting a LIVING xmas tree. They come to deliver it in it’s bit pot o’ dirt, we decorate & enjoy it, then they come to retrieve to grow some more on the farm. I think it’s a fabulous idea and I absolutely love doing my little part in saving a tree during Christmas time.

21.November.2011

Guide Me. Looking forward to Holiday projects.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! This year I decided to tackle making Christmas stockings. They took 5 months, but they turned out well and I can’t wait to hang them!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I’d love some extra cash to help buy Christmas gifts this year. Thanks for the opportunity!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

This year I’ve been working on DIYing tile coasters as gifts for co-workers. It’s been fun personalizing each set to match the recipient!

21.November.2011

Guide me! Some years, my decorating is minimal – other years, I’ll even tie red ribbons around the statues! I’m not sure what this year will bring yet.

21.November.2011

guide me!

i like to make tiny quilts as gifts–not nearly as overwhelming as a large quilting project. Here’s a link to a picture of a snowman quilt I made:

http://buckcanuck.blogspot.com/2010/12/snowman-door-quilt.html

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I’m not too crafty at the holidays but I AM organized! I’m all about lists, schedules, and planning so that we always have an amazing Christmas! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
My favorite wrapping paper trick is to use old maps – from our own home or the dump.

So enjoying your blog and watching the beautification of the house.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!

I love making my sugar cookies during the holidays!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!

One of my favorite things to do is give home made gifts. So the day after Christmas I hit up Hallmark and other specialty shops and buy plates, cookie jars and platters. I store them til the next year and then my boys and I bake and give our goodies to their teachers, neighbors and family friends on the previous years good deals!

My favorite score was a Santa Cookie Jar from Hallmark for $5. I bought all they had!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! This year I am trying my hand at diy-ing some gifts, like scrabble tile coasters for my best friend.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love the holidays. I’m trying to find more crafts/decor to make, but my current passion is baking/making sweets. I love to make homemade chocolates & chocolate covered pretzels for my friends & family, and I also make an award winning cheesecake that gets requested at every holiday function. Thanks for the great site!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

We I live in an apartment too, with no fireplace, so I use Command hooks for hanging stockings that I made for each family member out of felt with their initials on them!

21.November.2011

Guide me! My Christmas DIY this year will be creating a toy kitchen for my little one…

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I’ve just purchased some holiday craft punches to make/replace some festive luminaries we decorate the living room with. I’m also quite skilled in the gift tag making department… old gift cards, punches, craft paper, stamps… the possibilities!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love making gift wrap and tags at Christmas!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite holiday DIY are all the holiday arts and crafts I do with Lil Miss. She’s still a toddler so even a simple art project is a new, cool experience to her. We’re making one of those handprint Christmas trees this week.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I hit up the holiday decoration sections at places like Pottery Barn and Target on 12/26 and 12/27 and stock up on clearance items for next year. I usually forget what I bought so each year when I unpack my decorations there’s also a surprise for me.

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

I make my grandma’s favorite cookies for her every year!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I always love personalized gifts for the grandparents like photo calendars or framed silhouettes of the kids. We’re in an apartment so I’m excited to hear all your ideas for decorating!

21.November.2011

Guide me! Hot chocolate cones as little gifts. I can’t wait to see your creativity shine through!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love collecting pinecones in my yard and painting/glittering them, gluing a ribbon to the top and hanging them around the house.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I am so excited to read your ideas!

21.November.2011

Guide me! One of my fav things to do for holiday decor is also a favorite tradition. I wrap up 25 holiday books (some old, some new – I recycle a few each year) and display them in a big basket. Then the kids take turns choosing one each night to read before bed.

21.November.2011

Guide Me : )
DIY holidays…the kids and I love to add to our holiday collection be creating new ornaments. It fun to look back on each ornament from years past…they become they favorites on the tree.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love to bake different pies and candies every year for the holidays!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I am looking forward to making “Gingerbread Man” cookies that my 6 year old found the recipe for and is dying to make.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Ornaments are my favorite holiday-inspired DIY. Seeing a tree decorated with ornaments that the whole family has made over the years warms my heart.

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

I’m DIYing the teacher gifts for my daughter’s teacher! Going to try my hand at a scrapbook covered clipboard! Looks easy enough, but we’ll see…

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I just moved into a new place and since I won’t have a mantel to display holiday cards this year I am going to DIY some place for cards. Recently saw a really cute idea using some holiday ribbon, an embroidery hoop, and clothes pins to display holiday cards in a sort of “wreath”…hoping it turns out!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

For Christmas DIY I have done cards, tree ornaments and ALWAYS do a LOT of baking!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Does DIY cocktails count? Because I make myself a drink before undertaking ANY holiday endeavor ;)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Last year I made cute little x-mas magnets out of small wood blocks and scrapbooking embellishments! I have been slacking this year I need to find something cheap and easy!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! i luuuuve wrapping gifts at Christmas and making hand-made gift tags.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love baking for Christmas!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! If baking doesn’t count, DIY isn’t really my forte. But I always get a ton of inspiration from your blog! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!

I love making some homemade gifts to add a personal touch to store-bought gifts.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This weekend I did some Christmas DIY: a “Merry” flag banner made out of burlap, dark green, light green and red felt & twine. I made it for under $7!

21.November.2011

Guide me! Every year, I try to make at least one homemade gift for someone. It’s often food, but this year, I’m trying to cross-stitch a couple pieces. Looking at the calendar, I realize I’m seriously running out of time! I also love spending the entire holiday in the kitchen, baking up delicious DIY treats with my family.

21.November.2011

Guide me! My favorite holiday trick is to use the old magazines that i have been holding on to for god knows what as wrapping paper. I even try to get fancy and make pom poms, bows and ribbon from them. Its a fun, and green way to wrap.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love baking and wrapping my goodies in pretty little packages to give away.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I’m trying to go with as little waste as possible for holiday packaging this year. Been stocking up on lots of fun reusable bags!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Last year, I sewed soft blocks and taggie blankies for all the little ones on my list. So easy and so cute!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

Canning our family recipe of Green Sauce for gifts.

21.November.2011

Guide me! Thanks for the chance! I am just about to diy some sturdy placemats. Yay for ModPodge :)

21.November.2011

Guide me! My favorite DIY Christmas/holiday project would be all the baking!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! In recent years I have gathered foliage and made wreaths. I always include fragrant herbs.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I am so excited for Christmas this year. I can’t wait to see how much fun my little boy has (19 months old).

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I have just as much fun (if not more) finding different & creative ways to wrap a gift. The gift itself doesn’t have to break the bank, but if you put a little time & effort into the wrapping, you are set!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love to make a thanksgiving “tree” each year. We gather sticks,twigs and branches that have fallen on the ground and then put paper leaves on the branches. On the leaves we each write things we are thankful for. Our tree gets bigger and better every year!

21.November.2011

Guide me, please! :)

I absolutely adore your blog and watching your progress with the underdog! Next xmas will be even more special with your new addition and a new home.

21.November.2011

Guide me!
This year I made matching pjs for the family for Christmas morning. Flannel pants with coordinating monogrammed t-shirts. We’ll see how it goes over, I’m excited about it though!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

favorite holiday craft this year was spelling out give thanks in felt wrapped around candles for thanksgiving.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love to make wreaths for every season but especially Christmas! And I always try to find a fun new way to spruce up my mantle.

21.November.2011

Guide me please! This year going to incorporate past decorations with more new decorations…change up colors and decorations :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love making my own wrapping paper and decorating each wrapped gift.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

This year I’m DIY’ing some rice heatpacks for my siblings and their families as Christmas gifts. It’s a really good project for beginner sewers, and all my siblings lately have been telling me about needing heat packs, so this gift idea worked out perfectly! Thank you Dana for the great giveaway and all the work you do on this amazing blog!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I am trying to figure out how to balance holiday decor while packing to move to a different apartment soon after the holidays are over.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love coming up with different themes for gift wrap!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

homemade gift wrap and cards!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
I plan on making a holiday bunting this year- better get going on that! Ha!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I try to DIY something new every year, whether it’s a decoration, an ornament, Christmas gifts, whatever. This year I’m making a wreath for above our mantle and some ornaments as a gift.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I always do a ton of baking for the holidays. This year we may be doing a little more DIY than normal since I’m home and have time…looking forward to seeing your suggestions.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I’m looking forward to holiday baking with my little ones.

21.November.2011

Guide me! I am obsessed with gift wrap. I love the plain jane postal paper with really beautiful ribbon, so simple and modern!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! burlap stockings – can’t wait to try them!

21.November.2011

Guide me. Is there a creative way to shovel snow?

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Every year we make sugar cookies in different shapes and frost them. I can hardly wait, they are soooo good.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! One of the best parts of Christmas for us is eating the delicious German “pretzel cookies” that one of my sisters has perfected to a tee. The recipe is secret, as in, not written down, but eating them always keeps us close to our great aunt Puppy, who would be 144 years old this coming Ground Hog’s day! Oh how we loved Puppy! Happy Holidays and seriously GUIDE ME!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I like to wrap the grandparent’s presents in white paper my son has decorated with a red and green crayons.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Until this year, we’ve always spent the holidays with our families- so no decorating/prepping needed. This year, our families are coming to us (December grandchild!), and I’m looking forward to the Charlie Brown tree, the garland on the bannister, and all the baking. Also the baby :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Last year I made a wreath for the door, but this year I’m really looking forward to decorating our freshly painted (white) mantel!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! the food, oh the food!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! I love putting together an awesome tablescape for my Dining Room table every year. :)

21.November.2011

Guide Me! We just moved into our first home with a mantel this year, so I’m looking forward to crafting and decorating my first Christmas mantel.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This will be my first year to really decorate the house, it’s a must-do now that we have a little one!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! Love that garland hanging on your mantle

21.November.2011

Guide me! My favorite DIY project is a simple one. I was in a gift shop last year that had blue glass ornaments in a crystal bowl and they wanted to charge $40. I said, I can do that! Got a glass bowl and blue ornaments at thrift stores and got the same lock for under $10.

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

Thanks to Pinterest I have been having so much fun DIYing a lot of things for the holidays… banners, cone trees, wreaths, gift wrap and bows, ornaments, and handprint crafts with my kids.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I made wraps for my sis and sis-in-law this year…they came out better than expected!!!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Honestly I just love shopping for Christmas! I can’t cook and am not creative so I read blogs to gather ideas….

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Making Cards! <3

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!” I love putting together a fun Advent celebration.

Guide me!

So I don’t have a really good holiday suggestion, which is kind of sad. Holidays are usually the tail end (or this year mixed into) the end of wedding season for Hubster and me. That means we’re just looking forward to some R&R. We always take time to have our own night together to celebrate, which means good wine and good food rather than lots of gifts. So maybe, that’s my suggestion. Remember to take time for YOU! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! I am a renter also. I wish all the decor magazines and blogs would incorporate more ‘renter’ friendly ideas….but alas I enjoy reading all of it!! Thanks for the opportunity to win! :) Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I haven’t found a perfect wreath yet, so I’m gonna roll up the sleeves and make one myself!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! Last year I made a coffee filter wreath that ended up hanging up all year! I love it. I am making one for my Grandma right now because she loved it too!

21.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!”. Love your website/blog!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This year the DIY that I am looking forward to the most is making a some sort of garland to hang in our doorway.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I have been waiting not too patiently for weeks to put my tree up…and finally will this weekend!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

My hubby and I have been living in apartments for four years now, after spending a few years in a much bigger house. At first it was very disappointing to not be able to use all our amazing decor, but now we find it fun and creative to use different items each year. Every holiday season changes depending on the size of our apartment, but we always work in the staples: Christmas tree, stockings and lighted garland!

21.November.2011

Guide ME!

Making and sipping cider with the fam would be my favorite holiday tradition/recipe!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! I love decorating the tree!

21.November.2011

We have really decided to focus on giving back to others this year and each person in our group of neighbors was tasked with identifying potential recipients and ways to give to others. Once we select the “winners” we will work as a team to DIY the holiday for others. Guide me!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! You had me $100…

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love DIY’ing Christmas cards for my family and friends.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I will be making christmas wreaths for The Salvation Army!

21.November.2011

dana,
guide me!!!
so excited for you, pregnancy, the underdog, etc. adorable family, great renovation. thanks for all your continuous inspiration.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My holiday DIY involves gift wrap. I teach 2nd grade and I have the students paint their own gift bags for the handmade Christmas tree ornament they make for their family. I use white bags and have the kids use sponges (cut out in the shapes of trees, holly and berries, stars, and candy canes) to sponge paint their bags. Each bag is unique, looks great and the kids have fun!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! we love making homemade candy garland! how festive!

21.November.2011

Gudie Me!!

I love to wrap presents! I love to use just basic brown paper and add a really fancy bow! Making the big, beautiful, bows are my favorite part!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
Last year I created a simple and classic centerpiece using various glass vases filled with ornaments.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love to personalize the gifts I wrap! The brown paper bags and plain brown paper to wrap with are my favorite to personalize!!!!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!!!
this year I’m making my own Christmas wreath and I’m having so much fun! It’s totally put me in the mood to be more creative!

21.November.2011

guide me!

I love holiday baking

21.November.2011

Guide me! I already have our Christmas Eve dinner planned. And I think this year we are going to do a large vase of branches with string lights from RH in place of a Christmas tree.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME.
My favourite christmas decoration thing is to put lots of lights in the windows.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Since I was a kid, I’ve always received and given holiday presents wrapped in Sunday comics sections from the past year. The bright, fun pages give gifts (and my wallet!) a cheery feel. I store the papers in an underbed storage box, so I know exactly where to find them after my last minute shopping rampage each December 24th :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I just made my own ornament wreath for our front door for about 12 bucks! :) Might make one for my mom.

21.November.2011

Guide Me.

Like many of the readers above me, I like baking as a go to gift.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I am in the process of making a Christmas tree skirt. When we lived in Peoria we didn’t usually have a tree due to the fact that we were always gone for 10 days during the holidays, but that has changed now that we live close to family. We traditionally set up all of our decorations the day after Thanksgiving rather than do the shopping thing and I also like to bake some Norwegian cookies like my grandmother always did. We never buy cookies, and ours may not be perfect but they are works of kid art!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

This year I’m making present tags with my Cricut. I’m going to cut out the recipients name and then attach it with ribbon.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My husband and our two kids lived in an apartment for two years while we finished graduate/medical school. Although we were cramped we had lots of good Christmas’s there. We always hung Christmas lights on our balcony. It made the kids sooooo happy!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love making cheap DIY Christmas decor and of course Christmas candy! I stole my mother-in-laws delicious recipe for homemade Thin Mints!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME for the holidays!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Last year we made monogrammed kitchen towels for our neighbors and attached our favorite cookie recipe with all the ingredients.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love crafting, and I’m goin to try to make some cute trees this year for the mantle

21.November.2011

Guide me! I’m trying to keep things simple this year by using as many natural things (read: free!) that I can like cedar branches and pinecones.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

This year, my husband and I are going to make ornaments together. This is our first married Christmas, and I think it will be agood tradition to start.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I like to make tree ornaments, nothing overly crafty, just using clear ornaments and pieces of torn brightly colored tissue papers to fill them.

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I am looking forward to decorating our tree and mantle!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Hmmm….I love making advent calendars or having a count down w the kids as the days lead up to Xmas.

Also, reading a new book (borrowed from good ‘ole library) every night in Dec. (either Xmas or snowy theme) counting up to the “Night before Xmas” on Xmas eve…

21.November.2011

Guide Me! This year I’m making a tree skirt and stockings:)

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

Thanks!

21.November.2011

Guide me! I love to make cute containers for holiday goodies for the neighbors. My plan this year is to re-purpose baby formula cans!

21.November.2011

Guide me! Definitely baking the traditional Christmas cookies with the kiddos!

21.November.2011

Guide Me! I love to bake tons of different kinds of cookies and treats and then delivering them to friends and neighbors. I pick up Christmas plates and servingware at thrift shops and yard sales through the year to package the treats in to giveaway.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I find myself trying new recipes come holiday season. I made The Pioneer Woman’s creamy mashed potatoes today. One unexpected ingredient was cream cheese. I alterred the spices to suit the contents of my pantry though!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!
I’m looking forward to reading all your tips. Here we’re all about the paper chains.

21.November.2011

Guide me!

I hate decorating but I love this blog. Sorry – no tips from this guy.

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

I LOVE wrapping presents! Pretty wrapping makes such a big difference in gifts, and I spend probably way too much time wrapping each and every present so that it’s just right!

21.November.2011

Guide me
I love decorating the tree, while drinking hot chocolate and listening to christmas music. I also always drape ribbon on my tree. Every year I choose different ribbon and it completely changes the look.

21.November.2011

Guide me Santa!!!! Hohoho!! Merry Christmas!! I would love, love, love to purchase new holiday items for my white drab apartment!! Red, green, glitter oh my!!! And dont forget the platter of cookies and milk! :)

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!
I have been veeeeeeeeeery slowly working on making a patchwork quilted tree skirt…it has taken me a few years (I don’t have a permanent place to sew, so dragging everything out each time prevents me from making much progress).

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

my husband is in school, so this year is all about the DIY christmas. so far, i’ve made a fun paper sphere garland and am hoping to make paper cone trees from magazines, too. work with what you’ve got, right? :)

21.November.2011

Guide ME!

I like making almond bark pretzels with holiday sprinkles on them. A good project for any age (and I have a 2, 11, and 14 yr old to make projects work with!) I also like making ornaments with handprints made into snowmen…Turn out pretty cute!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

This year we just bought our first home and are looking forward to decorating it and starting new traditions with our daughter <3

21.November.2011

Guide me, pretty please.

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My favorite thing for this year is an activity advent calendar for my three girls!

21.November.2011

Guide Me!!!! Just want to get all the Christmas cards out in a timely fashion!!

21.November.2011

Guide me!

Quick question? How will apartment living cause you to differ in Christmas shopping and gift buying for your kids? Are you pickier on what you will buy your kid’s this year? Is there a certain number of gifts you’ll buy your kids? Just thinking that living in a smaller space you’ll be choosier on what you purchase due to limited space. Could you do a post on gift buying for kid’s? Will you buy toys or books or both?

~ Ali

21.November.2011

Guide Me! We love to bake cookies at Christmas. We also tried ginger bread houses last year with our 4 & 2 year old! :)

21.November.2011

Guide Me!

This might sound silly, but I always make my own applesauce for the holidays. It feels DIY, since the rest of the year I just reach for a jar. Nothing like homemade applesauce on latkes!

I’ll DIY our holiday cards for sure. I’ll probably revamp my wrapping paper/area since we just moved and the setup is basically nonexistent at the moment, and my supplies were really picked over previously. I have access to a Container Store now, can’t wait to hit up their excellent wrap selection!

21.November.2011

What a fun giveaway! I can’t wait to see what projects you come up with!!!

Guide Me! My favorite holiday projects are handmade ornaments. I usually begin with chipboard or plain glass ball ornaments and then decorate them with ribbon, embossing, glitter, etc. It’s always fun to give ornaments!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

This is only my 2nd Christmas since marrying my husband, and the first Christmas in our house in the city, so I’m looking forward to dressing it up for the Holidays!

21.November.2011

Guide me!
My favorite holiday DIY project would be the different homemade gifts that I make each year for my old college friends! This is actually only the second year that we’ve done it, but I look forward to it and think about it all year long!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!

Our favorite DIY is going to cut down our own Christmas tree. We make a day of it and although it never looks as if it is out of a magazine, and we often have to get creative to get the ornaments to stay on and not cause the whole thing to tip over, it is a memory each year that I never forget!! Happy holidays to you and your growing family!!!!

21.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Most of my Christmas items are upcycled; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The Christmas tree is an old banister rail that was sanded down and painted and has artificial limbs stuck in it at random angles (from a tree my neighbor was discarding!). I love it! It’s like my own Charlie Brown Christmas. And my gifts are wrapped in brown-paper sacs from those grocery store trips when I forgot my reusable bags…guilt subsided.

My husband thinks I’m crazy, I say it’s my way to save money for spending on real Christmas presents :)

21.November.2011

Guide ME! It’s a family tradition for my own Handy Hubby and 2 boys (6 & 9) to build and decorate a festive gingerbread house. My DIY project with the boys is to create little gift tags recycled from Christmas cards and, of course, baking cookies! Thank you for the great give-away!

22.November.2011

Guide me!
I love shopping wrapping and decorating. Oh and family and food. Wait. I just love Christmas!!!!

22.November.2011

Guide me!

I love making chocolate covered pretzels with festive sprinkles for gifts/party favors!

22.November.2011

Guide me!! I love love love wrapping presents. Living in an apartment forces me to limit my wrapping supplies, but I just love how pretty the presents looks piled under the tree.

22.November.2011

Guide Me! A Christmas DIY is that I use our white and silver wedding decorations every year for Christmas decorations (we got married in Dec) and then just add my color for that year. This year is gold. :)

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

We don’t do a lot of decorating because we are to busy playing in the snow! But every year my man and our doggie cut us a tree from his familes’ property and brings it into town. The fresh pine smell is awesome!

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

My favorite holiday DIY – painting white tips on pine cones and just a smudge of glitter then scattering them all about the house.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love baking old favorites.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This year for my Christmas DIY, I made my own wreath and hung it in over a mirror in our family room!

22.November.2011

Oooo… guide me! Guide me!

I love wrapping presents in simple brown paper then adding a touch of sparkle or flare. I also cannot resist baking during the holidays, it just seems so right.

Happy holidays!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love everything about Christmas! I bake family favourites and am always looking for new recipes to add. I also love reinventing holiday decor and am in the process of recovering ugly old ball ornaments with soft plush yarn to make dozens of “snowballs.” Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway :)

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

Every year I try to come up with new DIY projects to do! Last year, I made an advent calender. This year, I’m hoping to try some of the things I’ve seen on Pinterest-and I’m hoping to try your garland for our windowsills!

22.November.2011

Guide Me! We move a lot, so we keep a “mini,” bendable silver tree (2 feet tall, from Crate & Barrel) with its mini-ornaments and lights packed together in one box, easily accessible in the front of our storage unit. This way, we can always have a tree every year, wherever we are, no matter the size of the space. We call it our “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree,” and it’s hilarious to see the presents stacked up, beneath and around it, sometimes bigger than the tree itself. We put on the carols, sip cocoa, uncoil the sparkling lights and savor every moment. The beauty is in the joy of the ritual and the togetherness and connection it brings. 2 feet vs. 10? In this case, size doesn’t matter. :)

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love memory books. I want to put together books for the year in review. And make a picture collage of the ones I love on the wall.

22.November.2011

Guide me!

I love decorating the house, keeping it warm and cozy with wonderful smells of baking, and now trying to start teaching my 15 month old about this wonderful holiday.

Love your blog, your progress, and your dedication-you are an inspiration!

22.November.2011

Guide Me! I’m working on a homemade tree skirt, first project that may require a needle and thread! Yikes!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

We have alreay started decorating! Hopefully this year I can convince my husband we need a REAL tree. $100 would really help convince him! :)

22.November.2011

Guide Me! :)

For me it’s all about the food – preparing the lists, gathering the ingredients and spending long, late nights in the kitchen bathed in the warm glow of the Christmas lights.

22.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!”

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

My favorite projects have to be baking and wrapping presents. I also love trimming the tree. Simple holiday traditions are the best.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
My favorite Christmas DIY is decorating Christmas cookies with my parents, husband, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. We make a whole evening of it.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love making my own gift tags.

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

So far this year I haven’t even been thinking about Christmas. We have our house listed for sale and it takes a lot of energy to keep it tidy with 3 children running around..My favorite part of Christmas is decorating the tree!!

22.November.2011

Guide me! I love making a garland to decorate the front entry.

22.November.2011

Guide Me into some great DIY gift ideas for all those teachers in our lives!!!

22.November.2011

Guide me! I love lighting pillar candles in front of the mirror propped on our entryway bookcase (it works like a mantel) and arranging some pine boughs amongst the candles. Great Christmas lift the minute a guest walks in the door.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love making handmade tags

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Baking and gift wrapping!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!

My favorite Christmas DIY is baking! I usually bake something yummy up–banana bread, cookies, and PW’s cinnamon rolls have been big hits in the past–and give them to friends and neighbors. I also love DIYing gifts and decor–this year I’ve started attempting to sew, so that’s opened a whole new world up! FUN!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME to the perfect holiday gifts with a wonderful AMEX gift card! My favorite holiday DIY is a hybrid-DIY-my hubby and I must purchase one gift for each other from the Dollar Store. We’ve gotten some hilarious gifts over the years for each other and I have used some of his gifts in DIY projects.

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

I have lived in an apartment for 5 years and I love decorating it for Christmas. We have a small (but full) 3 foot tree, stockings, candles and a door wreath. I love the challenge of finding new places to put my holiday things and every year I love it.

There is something so cozy about an apartment at Christmas time, my whole world is immersed in the holidays and it is grand!

As for my DIY, this year I am making a sugar and lemon body scrub for all the women on my gift list (which is about 10). It’s the perfect little gift and so easy to make!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! This year I made a cute advent calendar with a long peice of wood, paint, and clothes pins. Turned out way cute! I just need to hang it.

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

Today we are making homemade gift wrap with the kiddos. We will cut up and reuse (how green our we?) Trader Joes paper bags and stamp them with our handmade potato stamps. We made cirlces and starts with potatos and will stamp with red, green and white paint. Should be fun!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
This year I’m excited to be making my own ornaments for my first tree.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!

I like baking little treats for all who make our lives a little easier–bus drivers, teachers, mail carrier…

22.November.2011

Guide me!

I’ve always just used the cheap, cheesy, Christmas-themed paper (Santa has his own hidden stash, however). But last year, I wrapped all gifts that were for grown ups in nicer paper and put effort into adding bows and ribbons, etc., and I really liked the way it all looked under the tree. So I think I’m going that route again this year.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I like to wrap the pictures hanging on the wall in the living room with matching paper. They look like cute little packages hanging on the wall!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! For Christmas DIY, I like to make homemade caramels and fudge as neighbor presents.

22.November.2011

Guide Me! Looking to decorate our “For Sale” home without making it look cluttered, should potential buyers want to come see it!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My stepmom and I always get together for a marathon Christmas cookie bake :)

22.November.2011

Such a bummer you won’t be in the Underdog for Christmas…but I’m sure it will be a wonderful Christmas regardless.

Great giveaway…GUIDE ME! I’m in a transitional state too, so I don’t know how much I’ll get to decorate for Christmas…maybe a DIY Christmas tree topiary of some sort.

GUIDE ME! I haven’t started holiday decorating but I’m looking forward to making ornaments for the tree with my 2-year-old son. :)

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love the homemade cookies and desserts.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I love baking cookies to give as gifts.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

DIY festive holiday garland with Christmas lights & ribbon mounted by adhesive hooks. Adds a touch of festive sparkle. Leave no traces decorating at it’s finest!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!

Decorating the christmas tree

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

The kids and I give homemade sugar-scrubs for holiday gifts to teachers and friends. Fun and easy!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Just made some salt dough ornaments that i found off of pinterest for the first time. quite a success!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! This is our first Christmas in our new house, but we won’t even be around to enjoy it because we’re eloping in Hawaii instead! We’ll decorate next year. :)

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Our fave holiday DIY right now is making paint marbled glass ornaments with the kids.

22.November.2011

Guide me!! Awesome giveaway! I love decorating for Christmas! A beautiful, bright tree, decorating the mantel, entry table and dining table with garland, candles, lights, ornaments, etc. So much fun! I also get creative with the holiday cards we mail, and enjoy baking sweet treats to share with family and friends.

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME. I love decorating the house for Christmas!!

22.November.2011

Guide Me!! Love baking Christmas cookies with my sisters and giving to friends and family for the holidays.

22.November.2011

Guide me! Because we live where it does not snow, we love getting together with our extended family where it does. We do this each year during the week between Christmas & New Year’s. It makes building a snowman, making snow angels, having snowball fights, and sledding down the neighborhood’s “big hills” with our two little boys VERY special and extra fun. :)

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!
I am a sucker for pulling those Christmas decorations out early, and will jazz up our apartment space while watching Christmas movies! I’m looking forward to working on some DIY projects I found for our budget this year!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!! My roommates and I tried to mix nature with things we had around the house. We had a bunch of tea candles, tall candles and glass containers for them. We walked around the area picking up acorns to put into each glass container then a candle in the middle. It was a quick fix and really added something to our townhome.

22.November.2011

Guide me!
My favorites are the snacks and goodies to share with everyone..cute fun AND yummy!

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

I like to create gifts, and I’m also going to make some homemade garland this year fashioned after some I saw at Anthropolgie! :)

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love making handmade gifts and baking cookies!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!! I love all the homemade goodies around the holiday’s… and I’m looking forward to wrapping my gifts – this year I’ve decided to use tags, a silver pen, and yarn!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
The kids make a paper chain out of christmas paper to hang around the living room every year.

22.November.2011

Guide me!

Our favorite DIY is homemade hot cocoa to enjoy and give as gifts.

22.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!” Thanks!

22.November.2011

Guide Me!

Im sure snow angels will be our favorite this year.. we just moved from Texas to Michigan so were just waiting on the snow now!

22.November.2011

GUIDE ME- I use wide ribbon hung from doors to staple all our Christmas cards to the ribbons. This way, all our cards are displayed. A cheap, convenient, and reuseable way to display holiday cheer!

22.November.2011

“GUIDE ME!” – My favorite holiday “craft” is decorating the house for Christmas.

23.November.2011

Guide Me! My favorite DIY during the holidays is making ornaments with my three kids! Holiday cookies are a close second.

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME! Halloween is my favorite time of year to decorate the house, so this year my 4 yo helped me make an advent calendar to count down the days!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME! My favorite holiday DIY project would have to be fall-themed garland. So fun and so easy!

23.November.2011

Guide Me!

I love hanging up Christmas decorations and decorating the tree!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!
The first year my husband and I got married we made our own stockings. We each picked out the fabric and designs then had our names embroidered. I cherish them and will continue it when we start a family.

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME! por favor! (:

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME! With three family gatherings at my house this year….GUIDE ME!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

One fun holiday DIY is buying clear glass ornaments and filling them with shimmering (or not) paints in colors of your choice! You can get cute marbled textures and that hand made touch.

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

I like spending an afternoon wrapping up presents and having fun with bows and glittery ribbon!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME….

Putting up the lights is my least favorite DIY holiday project.

23.November.2011

Guide Me!

This is my first year with a real live xmas tree… I have 2 year old and have to do it for him! I’m excited to cut it down and decorate it with my family!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!!!! My favorite holiday related projects are baking pumpkin cookies from scratch and this year I am going to try and hand-make almost all my Christmas gifts…

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
Hmm, popcorn garlands! I also love buying the Christmas tree the day (or 2 days) before Christmas and decorating it Christmas eve, no idea how this came about but we do it every year!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

Putting up the tree. Sadly, that is DIY for me!! I LOVE lit Christmas trees, though; mine’s been up for 2 1/2 weeks!

23.November.2011

guide me! please! as for my favorite holiday diy project….mantel decorating! so many looks….so few mantels!

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

This year I’m planning to make the Globe Garlands (from Poppytalk) in holiday festive paper – or maybe from stiffened fabric.

23.November.2011

Guide me! We try to make a few of our gifts (especially for our moms!) and this year will be some art pieces.

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
We love getting our tree from our best friend’s parents’ tree farm!

23.November.2011

Guide Me. This year my decorating has to accommodate a very active 2-year old grand-daughter. Just picked up a bunch of battery candles so that’s one less worry. ;-p

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I like driving around the neighborhood and looking at lights. I’m not a DIYer, but I appreciate others’ efforts.

23.November.2011

GUIDE ME! I love making DIY ornaments… my mom still has ones I made when I was kid!

23.November.2011

Guide Me!

I love finding new ways to decorate our home for the holidays using decorations we already have… sometimes the wreaths are hung on the fence, sometimes on the doors, sometimes on the windows… Ornaments have been hung off the tree, chandelier, placed in jars throughout the house, etc.

23.November.2011

Guide me! I love decorating the tree with the family. This year I want to make a felt poinsettia wreath. Thanks for hosting this!

23.November.2011

Guide me! I love DIY decorating and renovating and you are an inspiration! Thank you!

23.November.2011

Guide me! My favorite DIY holiday craft would have to be ornaments. Super fun, easy, and great for the younger crowd!

23.November.2011

Guide Me! I love decorating the house for the holidays. Putting the tree up is my favorite part.

24.November.2011

Guide me! I’m going to try my hand at rolled buttercream frosting to decorate sugar cookie cut-outs. A co-worker made some last year and they were the prettiest and most delicious cookies. I asked for a heavy duty stand mixer for Mother’s Day last year just so I could make some this year.

24.November.2011

GUIDE ME!

We just love hosting a Christmas party at our house, it is so much fun!

24.November.2011

Guide me! Love your blog. Good luck with all your projects :)

24.November.2011

Guide Me!

Love your website! Very talented! Just had our third baby as well! Many congrats to you! I hope you have a girl since you already have two boys. I had two girls and then had a boy. Was totally trying for a third girl since the first two were so much fun AND I had everything but God had other plans. Since you already have to get everything, a girl would be fun. Although I know another boy would be great and well-received as well!

24.November.2011

GUIDE ME!
I love to make a new (fresh) wreath every year.

24.November.2011

Guide Me!
After years of working retail, I love being able to enjoy every part of the holidays – the crafts, the sparkles and lights, the family time, the gifts, the food. I try to remember that its about fun and love and I don’t hesitate to ditch something if it becomes un-fun.