nyc haute holiday windows
The boys over at Fred Flare put together an amazing slide show of all the holiday windows around the city. 
The amount of detail that goes into these temporary works of art is incredible. I have to say Barneys is my fav.
christmas – detroit style
Our church created and played this RUN DMC inspired Christmas music video before the message…. not quite your typical religious fare, but oh-so-funny to say the least. Merry Christmas!
a fireplace like no other
Meet Rick Pruckler of Whistle Frog Designs in Ferndale, Michigan. He transformed our plain brick fireplace into a striking work of art.
Rick’s obsession with clay began at the age of eight when he took a weekend ceramics class at a local recreation and arts center in Waterloo, Iowa. As the years passed, his creative drive and natural talent eventually led to a full scholarship to study ceramics at the University of Northern Iowa, and then to Ann Arbor where he received a Master’s Degree in Ceramics from the University of Michigan. 
After graduation, Rick went to work for the historic Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. Beginning as a tile presser, he worked his way through nearly every department to eventually attain positions as designer for tile and installation, head of vessel production, and senior glaze researcher. While at Pewabic, Rick also developed the designs and glaze selection for his own style of tile and started Whistling Frog Tile Company. In 1996, Rick left Pewabic and devoted himself full-time to his business.
His mission is to maintain the human touch, good design and craftsmanship that is characteristic of the Arts and Crafts Period.
In addition to doing custom work, Rick also creates beautiful gift tiles he sells at art shows around Michigan.
Steve and I love Rick’s sense of design and color. The tile work around the fireplace has made our whole living room look amazing. (Samson was even inspired to play Santa)
seed a dream this christmas
Even though I’m in the gift-giving business, I still believe volunteering or donating to a charity is often far more rewarding than loads of presents under the tree.
What better gift to give someone who has everything than a donation via them to someone who has nothing? Trickle Up empowers people living on less than a dollar a day to take the first steps out of poverty, providing them with resources to build micro enterprises for a better quality of life.
Learn how you can seed a dream for $100 and receive this inspiring necklace designed by Ten Thousand Things.
homemade gifts for gram & gramps
Making handmade gifts for my aunts, uncles and grandparents was always a tradition I looked forward to as a child. Who knew I’d eventually make a living doing just that? God is good! Here are a few fun crafts that I think would make lovely presents from your kiddos…
3/4 cup applesauce
1 cup 2 tablespoons
Supplies needed:
cookie cutters
drinking straw
colorful ribbon
1. Preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Mix applesauce and cinnamon with hands in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap; cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole in top of ornament with drinking straw. Place ornaments on baking sheet.
3. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack.. (Or, to dry ornaments at room temperature, carefully place them on wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry, turning occasionally.)
4. Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. May be decorated with opaque paint markers found in arts and crafts stores, if desired.
This outdoor sun catcher is an easy craft that is absolutely beautiful and quite unique. The next cold day you hear your children complain they are bored, bundle them up and send them outside on a quest.
Ask them to collect pine branches, greenery, holly berries or anything else with a bit of color. Now select a dish that can be placed in the freezer with water in it. Try pie plates, bread pans or cake pans. You can even make more than one, each with a different shape.
Fill your container with one to two inches of water. Have your children arrange the items in the water. You can also use sliced orange or lemon rounds, as well as cranberries for striking color.
Cut some yarn, string or rope for a handle, placing each end in the water. If you use yarn, use at least three to four strands – this ice sun catcher is heavy!
Finally, place your creation in the freezer and try to forget it for several hours. Once your ice is completely frozen, run some water over the outside of the container to free the ice from the mold.
Hang your ice sun catcher from a nearby tree. If you made several, you will have a remarkable winter wonderland just outside your door! For a little extra fun, sneak one in to a neighboring backyard. Imagine the delight of your neighbors as they discover this beautiful piece of natural art hanging outside the kitchen window!
peanut in it’s shell
small bowl
hot glue
white tempera paint
paintbrush
scissors
black marker
black and orange felt
colored yarn
small safety pin
Paint the peanut white and let dry. Use the black marker to make the eyes and buttons. Cut a hat from the black felt. Cut a carrot nose from the orange felt. Glue the pieces onto the peanut snowman. Cut a 6 inch piece of red yarn. Tie the yarn around the peanut snowman to make a scarf. Secure the scarf with glue. Trim the ends. Slip the back of a safety pin through the yarn scarf at the back of the snowman.
catching fireflies staff party
After a very long day of wrapping hundreds of gifts, the majority of our staff from the Berkley & Rochester locations gathered at our home for some libations, food and fun. (that would be our slightly dramatic Berkley manager, Danielle laying on the couch)
We played our annual steal or surprise gift game where some of the hot items of the night were Piston tickets, $100 c.f. gift card and a day of hooky with pay.
…Dena giving some stealing strategy tips to Sara
…Cheryl showing off her $50 bill
Later on, Sara and Steve played a few games of pool in Steve’s brand spankin’ new man cave (as I affectionately call it). The hip guys over at Oakland Home Service did an amazing job transforming our 1950’s basement – just in time for our first party!
Meanwhile, Courtney keep Santa Samson entertained throughout the evening by giving him lots of hugs & kisses.
All in all, it was a delightful night and very nice break before the last week of merry madness.
scrumptious caramel bars
While the stores were buzzing this past Saturday, I was home getting ready to host our annual staff Christmas party. One of the treats I made were these tasty little morsels.
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
38 caramels, unwrapped
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small mixing bowl, combine butter, flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and baking soda; mix well. Put 3/4 of butter-oatmeal mixture in an ungreased 9×13 pan, pressing evenly over the bottom of pan. Bake for 10 minutes. In a saucepan or mircrowave, combine the caramels, butter, and milk and heat, stirring, until the caramels are melted. Pour caramel mixture over the baked crust and sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Top with remaining butter-oatmeal mixture. Bake for 15 minutes more. Cool and cut into bars.
oh-so-sweet starbucks commercials
Even though I’m not a coffee drinker, these heartfelt t.v. spots for Starbucks warmed my heart. (it doesn’t hurt that the sweet sound of Badly Drawn Boy’s song, I love N.Y.E. is playing in the background)
okay… maybe I could go for a steaming chai latte:)
*let it snow*let it snow*let it snow*
Somehow snowflakes always make the Christmas season more festive.
Here are some nifty ways you can ‘let it snow’ around your home this holiday.
This snazzy site let’s you create a virtual snowflake you can email to your friends.
You can also save your design as a jpeg and use it for whatever you want. This could be lots of fun for all you Adobe Photoshop fans. And if you don’t like your particular design, you can choose to download one of the other 16,000,000 flakes available!
All you need are 6 sheets of paper, scotch tape, a stapler and a pair of scissors to make this stylish 3-D flake.
Just watch this video & you too can be like Edward Scissorhands.
These sparkly fellows are fun to make with the kiddies… plus you can also combo a science lesson with this cool craft.
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groovy football moves
We had lots of fun last year with the ever-amusing website, Elf Yourself. Don’t our store managers look charming?
Well, I found another entertaining website that’ll be sure to give your football lovin’ man a hearty laugh.
My husband, Steve joined a fantasy football league for the first time this year and has become quite a fanatic and rather competitive to say the least.
He cracked up when I put together this victory dance of him; he couldn’t wait to send it to the team he beat this weekend.
It’s simple to use, so surprise your man with his very own football moves!
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