Traditions are significant and an important part of the holidays. They help us connect with our families, create cherished memories, and make the holidays more meaningful. I have special memories of my own family’s holiday traditions from when I was a child. When my husband and I started our own family, we wanted to make new traditions of our own.

Each Christmas season, we add to the family holiday scrapbook which we have kept since our child was born. We have also bought her an ornament each year for the tree. Last year, we started a new tradition of buying holiday pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve.

Image: istockphoto

Starting your own family tradition is easy and fun. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Personal Ornament – Purchase a special ornament for each member of the family symbolizing his or her interests or accomplishments the year before. Many malls have Christmas stores open during the holiday season with a range of ornaments catering to almost any interest.

Holiday Pajamas – Each year either buy new or wear a favorite pair of special holiday-themed pajamas on the eve of your holiday. Sitting around in cozy Christmas PJs with a warm cider in our hands is one of our favorite things to do after our daughter has gone to bed on Christmas Eve.

Cookie Swap – Exchanging cookies and other treats is a great way to incorporate the giving spirit of the holiday season. Have your friends come over for a desert swap, bringing their own batches of cookies to share. Set up a special table with a festive tablecloth and some great holiday plates. Noritake has great holiday tableware, like the Aria Christmas and Palace Christmas patterns that will make your cookies look as good as they taste.

Holiday Volunteering – If you are looking for a way to bring meaning to the holiday season, helping out others is a good way. There are many opportunities to help those in need. Visit an nursing home to sing carols or just talk to the residents there, or bring toys to patients in a children’s hospital, or help serve food in a soup kitchen.

Holiday Movie or Story Night - Choose a favorite movie, wear your holiday pajamas, and watch it together. Don’t forget to make some hot cocoa and cookies. If movies aren’t your thing, have a family member read his or her favorite holiday story.

Festive Music – Whatever your holiday celebrations entail, be sure to include some favorites music during your holiday activities. Pandora.com has some holiday stations that play a variety of holiday music, from Christmas pop tunes to classical masterpieces.

Yearly Scrapbook – There are many ways to preserve memories for upcoming years. Save photos in one particular holiday book, or use a pamphlet stitch to bind holiday cards together into a booklet. Family members could write their favorite moments from the holiday that year or save their favorite recipes. Next year, pull out the scrapbook and reminisce about past holiday moments together.

Use one of these suggestions or come up with new holiday traditions of your own to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season. Togetherness and spending quality time with loved ones always creates special memories that will be appreciated for years to come.

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Make Holidays Meaningful with Family Traditions

Looking for an interesting and new way to spend time with your friends during the holiday season? Try something new this year and invite your friends over for a Holiday Craft Party. Not only is this a way to spend a relaxing evening, but you can complete presents for those on your holiday gift list.

First, you will need to decide on what project you and your guests will be making. You might want to consider something that is simple enough to finish in one evening, or if you are feeling adventurous you can teach your guests a new skill, like knitting or rubber stamping. It is a good idea to make the project ahead of time, or at least to have a photo of what you’ll be making so guests can see an example. If you need ideas for your activity, many holiday magazines have numerous ideas for holiday crafts as well as online sites like JoAnn’s Crafts or Martha Stewart.

Image: istockphoto

Project Ideas

Cookies - Ask guests to bring their cookie cutters, decorations or recipes, and let the baking begin. Sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are traditional holiday favorites, but be creative and try something new or use your year-round specialty.

Ornaments - A big assortment of supplies, available at any craft store, can be used to make a variety of ornaments, from clear glass balls to undecorated wooden shapes or even flexible foam. Creating recycled ornaments from old Christmas cards, tin cans, even cardboard boxes is a good way to save money and decorate for the holidays.

Greeting Cards – If you schedule your party early enough in the season, you can make holiday cards to send out for that year. Create cards around a theme, like snowmen, stars, snowflakes or trees.

Shrink Plastic - Shrink Plastic, commonly known as Shrinky Dinks, starts off as thin pieces of plastic that when baked shrinks down to 35% of the original size. Wine charms, earrings, or pendant projects are good choices for this material. They can be colored with colored pencils or stamped on with rubber stamps. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions on the package.

Mystery Craft – Give your guests a bag filled with supplies like papers, ribbons, buttons, beads, yarn, bottle caps, and anything else that looks intriguing and have access to glue, scissors, and hole punches. Tell them just to make whatever they want with the supplies in their bag. When they are done, have everyone show off their new creation.

The Finishing Touches

Enhance your festive atmosphere with holiday music and decorations. Be sure to include some treats to snack on before or after craft time or ask guests to bring their favorite potluck dish. For tempting recipe ideas for foods to serve for your crafty celebration, check out the Food Network or Martha Stewart website. Set your table with colorful dishes like Noritake Colorwave, which comes in a variety of colors that easily mix and match with any holiday palette. Most importantly, relax, have fun and engage in the creative spirit of the holidays while enjoying the company of your friends.

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Hosting a Holiday Crafting Party

Keeping up with the latest in home improvement trends and tips has never been easier. You can be a fan of your favorite home improvement shows on Facebook and follow some great sites on Twitter. But, you can also use the following applications to get great home improvement advice delivered right to your phone. Whether it’s keeping up with the news in home improvement or nifty calculators to help you with your project, it’s all available for your phone. You can go to the home improvement store with all your information at your fingertips. Check out these great apps.

Image: sxc.hu

Home Improvement Headline News – This application searches the best home improvement sites for new and insightful information on home improvement and then delivers it to your phone. You can keep up to date easily on new information, whether you’re building a home, remodeling one or just trying to keep your home in tip top condition.

Home Sizer – If you’re headed to the home improvement store or you’re out house hunting, use this application to quickly calculate square footage. It’s very handy for getting the feel of a house size, or determining how much paint or flooring to purchase.

Loan Shark – This app calculates monthly mortgage payments and will also help you track the progress of your loan once you’ve applied. It’s a great app to take with you when house hunting, to help you find a mortgage lender and to ensure your loan officer is on schedule for getting your loan completed in time for closing.

HM Controls – This app allows you to save money by only using electronics in your home when you need them. It sends commands and receives information from the wireless devices – lighting modules, appliance modules, door/window sensors, thermostats or motion detectors – placed throughout your home. You can manage it right from your phone.

ColorSnap – This app from Sherwin-Williams lets you match any paint color without having to head to the store. It also will send you a matching color palette.

Landscapedia – This app is great for designing your yard and garden. The application gives you access to information on more than 35,000 plants right from your phone. You can also see the landscape designs of others to get inspiration. When your garden is done, send in your design to inspire others.

As with any relatively new technology, apps for phones are constantly evolving and improving. We’ll see many more over the next few months and years. And, considering how popular home improvement and renovation has become, I’m certain that we’ll see our fair share of apps related to all things about the home.

Using your phone to keep up with the latest information about home improvement is fun and convenient. Even better are the apps that make it easier to determine what and how much to purchase when you’re visiting the home improvement store. We can all look forward to more of these in the future, making our lives even easier on the go.

Mary E. Ward writes about how to get an online construction degree.

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Home Improvement Apps for Your Phone

There’s a chill in the air, and Halloween is just around the corner. This fall holiday has increasingly become one of the most popular American celebrations. It’s come a long way from just trick-or-treating. Adults love the spooky atmosphere, as well as the chance to dress up and pretend to be someone else for an evening. Throwing a creepy party for your friends takes some effort, but you might just find yourself hosting it annually after the first one.

Image: sxc.hu

Setting the scene is one of the most important things to do for your Halloween party. Decide if you want it to be goofy, spooky, or downright creepy. I prefer spooky, so I have furry bats, ghosts, and witches hanging from the ceiling. Homemade Jack-o-lanterns (or store bought ones) play a part in the much needed mood lighting, as well as the flicker light bulbs that mimic real flames. Candles are always great mood lighting, and now you can even use flame-less candles in luminaries, a great way to show the path to the bathroom.

Make sure you don’t neglect the bathroom when you are decorating. Everyone will end up in there at some time during the night. It’s the perfect place to change out your light bulbs for black lights and have a cackling motion sensor to give your guests a little scare.

Inside or out, strings of lights are becoming a common sight for Halloween. In addition to the usual colors, look for some peeper lights to put on the trees or shrubs by your house. The pairs of eyes flash independently. They turn your front yard into a haunted forest. Add some fake tombstones, lit carved pumpkins, and a few luminaries to lead your guests into your lair. You can add a surprise pirate that has a motion senor that lowers it to talk up close with your guests.

Each year, add a few pieces to your collection, and before you know it you’ll have more than enough to make your own little haunted house. Don’t forget to check the sales after Halloween. Items are usually marked down by half off or more. I pack them up with the decorations I used that year. When I open up the storage box the next year, I’ve left myself the perfect Halloween surprise!

If you don’t have any decorations yet and are on a tight budget, get some construction paper, brown paper lunch bags and some scissors. You can cut out bats, pumpkins, and ravens to tape on your walls and doors from black construction paper, and make luminaries out of the paper bags. Even Martha Stewart is doing groupings of plain, black silhouettes in her Halloween collection this year.

Another one of my favorite bargain decorations is to make scary face luminaries. Use aluminum foil and tear off a piece long enough to go around a small bowl or salad plate. Place it on your face and lightly press the foil to get the landscape of your eyes, nose and mouth. Once you take it off, mold the foil so that the features are more pronounced. Cut holes where the mouth and pupils would be. Tape this around a bowl or plate and light a candle to create scary monster luminaries.

Now that you have the perfect atmosphere, you need to think about a drink that fits your theme. Food2.com has some great cocktail recipes to get you started. Candy Corn Cordial, Split Your Melon Open, Bobbing for Apples or Thyme Martini are all worth considering. If you are looking for a non-alcoholic drink for your guests, think about trying out Martha Stewart’s Shrunken Heads in Cider without the rum. It does double duty as a perfect table decoration and a tasty drink.

Set up your Halloween snacks on dark plates to add to the mood. My two favorite styles are made by Noritake, Black Pepper and Stone Charcoal. The black plates and serving platter are great to show off your green guacamole dip and they even make Cheetos look like a fancy treat. You can search on Food Network or Martha Stewart’s site for tons of Halloween recipes to surprise your friends with. Just make sure that they are still appetizing as well as creepy or you’ll find yourself with tons of leftover food!

Dress up and put on some scary music to make sure you’re in the Halloween mood. After all it’s your party, so make sure to enjoy it.

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Set the Scene for Halloween

I have done many projects for table centerpieces for the holidays and now I would like to show you how to make a runner for either your table or your buffet. I use this runner for my coffee table and for my buffet.

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• One yard of outerwear fleece (I used autumn themed material)
• A package of pony beads ( a corresponding color or clear)
• A rotary cutter (you can use scissors for this, but the cutter is quicker and easier)

Remove all selvage from your material. You will want to cut your fabric 16 to 18 inches in width by the length which is one yard. Lay the fabric out on a cutting surface. You should use a cutting mat for this step. Measure 8 inches from each end and make a small cut into the fabric. Cut the fabric to form a pointed end. It should look like this:

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

I placed a ruler from the small cut in the fabric (8 inches from the end) to the center of the material at the end of the fabric and used a rotary cutter to make the point.

Cut a 2 inch square from the point. Along each side you will need to cut 2 inches into the material 1/2 inch wide to make the fringe.

If you happen to have a loop turner you can use it to thread the beads onto the fringe strips. If you do not have a loop turner you can use a thin crochet needle to push the fringe strips through the pony beads.

Continue to make the fringe on all four sides and attach the pony beads to the fringe. That is it. You have just made a beautiful and festive runner for you table.

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

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Fringe Table Runner

I have a large family four sons and one daughter and it seems like I have spent most of my time, when they were growing up, at football games, baseball games or other sporting events. They were all engrossed in all types of sports when they were younger and they are the same now as grown ups. I was so happy to find something to make for the boys, grandsons included. This project started out as a plain, ordinary pillow until I changed the cover into a sports themed head rest.

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• Fleece – 2 yard of a coordinating sports print or 1 yard of print and 1 yard of a solid
• A 14 inch pillow form
• Scissors or a rotary cutter with mat
• A ruler

If you are careful with cutting you may be able to make two pillows from this amount of material.

To begin, take the two pieces of fleece and cut both into a 36 inch square. Cut a 5 inch square out of each corner of both pieces of fleece. Make fringe around the entire pillow, all four sides, by cutting 5 inches into the fleece at 1 inch intervals.

Place the fleece squares wrong side together with the pillow between the squares. Knot the fringe pieces together using one strand from the top fleece and one strand from the bottom fleece. Knot all of the fringe on all four sides and you have your pillow completed.

You can make this pillow with a variety of different prints for many different outcomes. If you are new at crafting you may want to buy the most inexpensive prints or solids. No matter which pattern you choose, I am sure you will be delighted with the finished product.

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

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No Sew Fleece Sports Pillow

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love to decorate. I decorate my home, the window in my home and I mean all of the window in my home, and I love autumn. The only time of year I like more than autumn is Christmas. Anyway, I have a very simple project for you that when completed looks absolutely beautiful. You can use this anywhere in your home to brighten up any space.

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need:

• A 20 inch carvable artificial pumpkin (you can use a real pumpkin if you would like)
• Craft foam
• An assortment of fall sprays (flowers or small ornaments)
• 2 Fall floral picks
• A hot glue gun and glue stick
• A pair of wire cutters
• A sharp knife (I use an xacto knife)

Now you are ready to get started. First, cut a hole around the stem of the pumpkin about 5 inches in diameter. You can cut the hole in the very top of the pumpkin or you can cut the hole closer to the face of the pumpkin, that’s what I did in with mine. When you cut it closer to the face (front) of the pumpkin, it is a lot easier to get the full effect of the flowers. Fill the inside of the pumpkin with craft foam. Make the foam fit tightly so that the items don’t shift when you lift or move your pumpkin. There is a styrofoam glue that you can use to glue the styrofoam to the pumpkin, but I don’t think it is necessary to do that unless you will be moving it around once you have it all put together.

Place two fall sprays, one on each side of the opening, bend them downward over the sides of the opening. Place the largest spray in the center and work around it to fill in the spaces with picks and sprays. Fix your arrangement any way that pleases you.

That is all there is to it. You now have a beautiful fall floral arrangement that you can use any way that you choose. You can also use it for a centerpiece for your dining table. Enjoy!

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

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How to Create a Fall Floral Arrangement

Halloween is almost here and, in my opinion, the start of the holiday season. I usually start planning, and making, my seasonal projects by late summer, but this summer seemed to just fly by and I am just now getting started. It looks like I am going to have a very busy autumn working with my crafts.

Anyway, I have a real treat for you with this holiday decoration. It is simple to make and looks great when it is finished. You are going to love making this little orange cutie.

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need.

• A glass bowl (I used a 3 1/2 in fish bowl from the craft store)
• Orange and black Paint (acrylic enamel or glass paint)
• A sea sponge (you can use a regular sponge, but the effect when the candle is lit is not as nice)
• A vigil or votive candle ( I used a 2-3 inch vigil candle)
• A paint brush

Wash and dry the glass bowl thoroughly. Begin by painting your bowl, the entire surface, with the orange glass/acrylic paint. Let it dry completely according to the manufacture’s instructions. When it is dry you can work on the face.

I don’t know about you, but I am not an artist. Even when I draw stick people the result is terrible.So, to make this project look decent, I took a piece of paper, used a lot of patience, and practiced making the eyes and the nose. I kept at it until I had just the right look. If you prefer your pumpkin light to be more traditional then paint triangle eyes and nose on the bowl. You can make your pumpkin look any way you choose. Be creative.

You can also make this project using a small drinking glass or a canning jar and fill with tea lights. When all of the paint is dry, insert your candle and enjoy!

On last word of caution. Remember to never leave a burning candle unattended and please keep them out of the reach of young children.

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

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Pumpkin Vigil Lights

Today I have a craft for you that is very yummy. You can make these for yourself or give them as a hostess gift when visiting this autumn. They make great gifts. I gave them last year for Christmas using a variety of recipes. I chose two recipes today, one for White Hot Chocolate and one for Chocolate Chip Cookies. Can you tell I’m a chocoholic?

Image: istockphoto

For these recipes you will need a quart jar. If your jar is airtight add the ingredients directly otherwise place them into an airtight Ziploc bag and attach the lid. Add a tag with directions to the neck of the jar. Wrap the jar up with some cellophane, clear or colored, and add some curling ribbons and a bow to finish off this gift.

White Hot Chocolate

• 1 tsp. vanilla powder
• 1 tsp. dried orange peel
• 1/2 cup grated white chocolate or white chocolate chips

Combine and blend the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Tag Instructions:

White Hot Chocolate (Serves 2)

• 1 and 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup White Hot Chocolate Mix

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until bubbles form around the outside. Add the White Hot Chocolate Mix and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Continue to whisk until the mixture is hot.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Combine the flour, baking soda, white sugar, and the chocolate chips. Place 1/2 of the mixture in a clean quart sized glass jar, and pack firmly. Place the brown sugar on top, again packing firmly. Place the remaining flour mixture on top. Cover with a lid.

Tag Instructions:

Empty contents of jar into a large bowl. In separate bowl combine 3/4 cup of butter, 1 1/2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until creamy. Add to dry mixture. Drop by tablespoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

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Goodies in a Jar

If you are looking for a cute, different night light for any room in your home, then you need to read this post. I have made these lights for Christmas, Mother’s Day and to give as a gift for a new baby.

Here is what you will need for your Glass Block Light:

• A glass block (I got mine at Home Depot) I used an 8” x 8”
• A strand of 50 mini twinkle lights – white or multi colored
• A small hand drill
• Safety glasses
• A dust mask – for drilling the hole
• Ribbon and a bow
• Graphics – stickers or whole page labels if you use a graphics program
• A can of Envirotex Spray sealer

Image: Kathy Zengolewicz

First you will need to drill a hole 1/2” to 5/8”. After your hole is drilled you will need to clean out the block. I just run water through it and then let it dry completely. If you don’t have a hand drill with bits and you don’t want to invest in buying them, look on the web and you’ll find a few places where you can buy the glass blocks with the holes already drilled.

The 5/8″ holes create a snug, secure fit for lights. The holes can be put either on the face of the block for upright projects like in the picture or the side of the block for flat lights.

When your block is completely dry you can get started on your light. If you are using stickers to decorate the light, you can put them on now. If you are using a graphics software like Photoshop or PaintShop Pro to make your own images, make sure to print them on a full sheet label. If you need to cut the label down after it prints that’s okay. It will still look great.

After you secure the sticker or label to the front (I cover the front and the back) of your block use Envirotex Spray sealer or something similar so that your graphic doesn’t smear or run should it get splashed with water or another liquid.

Start working your mini lights into the 5/8” hole until all of the lights are inside the block. Always test your mini strand to make sure they work before inserting them into the glass block.

Complete your block light with a ribbon. Secure the ribbon around the sides of the block, attach the bow to the top of the block and you are done. You have a beautiful and functional novelty light to brighten your home.

Enjoy!

Kathy Zengolewicz is an author, ghostwriter, editor and proofreader. To learn more about Kathy and her services, visit her website at kathyzengolewicz.com.

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How to Make a Glass Block Light