In Case You Missed It

In case you missed it.

Christmas door hanger gift

Whatever DeeDee Wants has been full of guest blogger during the Give Thanks event.

Bloggers include: Wild Olive, Eat Yourself Skinny, Leap Into Art, Yellow Mums,

Dinner or Dessert, Embellish, Little Lovelies, Simple Simon & Co, Sweetie Pie Style,

Teresa: Life and Style, Just Another Day in Paradise and Maybe Matilda. 

Santa beard on a stick

Cookie Exchange Party Kit Giveaway!

Just in time for the holiday season DownEast is giving away this darling cookie exchange kit!
It's the perfect kit to host your own cookie exchange or to give as a gift.

The kits can be found in Utah and Idaho downEast stores for the low price of $4.99 or online at the DownEast Basics website.

With this kit one will be able to:
* Invite up to 12 friends to a Cookie Exchange Party during the HToliday Season.
* As the Party Host, write ones own recipe to give to each of the other guests.
* Display ID Recipe Cards describing the cookies and name of who baked them in front of each plate of cookies.
* Package the Cookies in the Cellophane Bags, along with a Gift Tag and Ribbon to secure them. 
* Further decorate the bags with the stickers, or use them to give out to guests and to the cookie contest winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place cookies).

This giveaway is closed. 

The winner is April V!

To enter fill out the form below

Bonus entries
Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Like DownEast on Facebook

Giveaway ends at midnight on Sunday, December 4th
Winner will be notified by email
Winner will be chosen by Random.org
US residents only


DownEast has provided me with compensation for this post. ALL opinions are my own. 

Rhodes Bake N Serv Blogger Demo

A few weeks ago I went to the Rhodes Bake N Serv kitchen for a Bloggers demo. It is no secret that I am a big fan of Rhodes, I even blog for them.
I always love going to the Rhodes demos. The instructor Heidi is so knowledgeable and is a fun teacher plus she bakes delicious treats for everyone to eat. The Rhodes demos are really inexpensive, just a few dollars per person. If you live in Utah, I recommend going to a demo.

One of my favorite things from the demo was learning how to make the Baked Reuben Braid. I loved it so much I made one the next day (I will show you how to make one soon).

It was fun chatting with all the Bloggers too.

  Julie, Yvonne, Kelli

 Lisa, Ashlee

 Stephanie, Joanie, April

 Cute girl (I didn't get her name), Victoria, Cute girl (I didn't get her name) , Kathy

 Ryley, Emily, Jill

The Or So She Says girls

Plus a few more I didn't get pictures of.

Thanks for the fun night!

It's Just Another Stylin' Sunday

 I love all of Brody's little vintage suits. This one belongs to his cousin and is about 25 years old.

Don't mind the little water mark on the blazer.

Backyard Discovery Giveaway on Facebook

Have you heard about the amazing giveaway from Backyard Discovery? 

One grand prize winner will receive one Oxford Play Set and one Cedar Chateau Playhouse.

All you have to do to enter is simply like Backyard Discovery on Facebook. Easy right?

You can see all the swing sets and backyard set on www.swingsetsonline.com.

See official rules here.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! 
  
I will be spending the day with my family. 
We will have breakfast with Travis' parents and dinner with my parents.
I hope I will be able to squeeze a long nap in between. 

What are your plans today?

Give Thanks Giveaway: Earth Cookie Creations

Today's giveaway is from Earth Cookie Creations. They have a fun collection of party goods, Gifts, holiday goods and more. 
Owner, Jessica designs favor eco-friendly and USA made products. You can follow her blog, Blabberings of a Craft-A-Holic to keep up to date on all her creations.

 You can find fun Christmas items in the shop right now. 

I love these Christmas cards and count down to Christmas garland.

One lucky reader will will $10 to 

the Earth Cookie Creations shop!

This giveaway is closed.

The winner is Sarah Atnip!

To enter fill out the form below

Bonus entries
Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter


Giveaway ends at midnight on Tuesday, November 29th
Winner will be notified by email
Winner will be chosen by Random.org

Giveaway: Graphic Image Leather Phone Case

Have you heard about Graphic Image? I have been a big fan of Graphic Image for a while now. 
They carry top of the line leather notebooks, date books, accessories and more.
Graphic Image has generously offered to sponsor today's giveaway.

Graphic Image is giving away one  

Universal Leather Phone Case to one lucky reader!

Graphic image is also giving Whatever DeeDee Wants readers 20% off 

your entire purchase

Use coupon code: THANKS

Graphic Image website. Facebook. Twitter

This giveaway is closed.

The winner is Kelli.

To enter fill out the form below

Bonus entries
Follow this blog on Google Friend Connect
Like me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Like Graphic Image on Facebook
Follow Graphic Image on Twitter

Giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, November 28th

Winner will be notified by email
Winner will be chosen by Random.org

Give Thanks: Thanksgiving Table Settings

Keersten from Leap Into Art

Hi there! I am Keersten from Leap Into Art. I am an art teacher

and mommy to 3 crazy little girls. (Yes, we are swimming in pink at our house!) I share art projects to do with your kids and sometimes by yourself, along with our girlie adventures and some of my favorite recipes.

I think the holidays are a time when we are all feeling a little lean (at least in the wallet--I can only hope for the skinny jeans!) So, here are 3 ways to trim your table without shelling out much green. First of all, take a look around at what you have in your cupboards and start imagining a way to work with what you've already got. Serving trays and bowls are great, baskets and even cups and mugs can make a great foundation for a fun centerpiece. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Keep it simple-the food and the company should be the stars of this
  meal, your awesome table is the whipped cream on your pie.
• Let the conversation flow-tall centerpieces make it hard for people
  to see each other and lively debate is what will make the dinner fun.
  Keep it under 12", but lower than that is certainly better.
• Make it yours-don't be a slave to tradition or seasonal stereotypes.
  If you don't want pumpkins or fall leaves, then leave them off the
  table, these ideas will certainly translate to other objects. If you've
  always wanted your own cornucopia, then by all means, go for it!
• Keep it in proportion-don't forget to leave room on the table for
  the meal.
• Lessen the stress-I'd like to embroider this on a pillow and have
  someone repeatedly hit me with it during the prep for big events like
  Thanksgiving. It doesn't have to be perfect. No one expects it to be and
  only you will notice that it isn't the magazine picture that you see in
  your head. Your friends and family are there to be together. The meal
  you are working so hard on will be eaten and gone, the table will be
  cleared away; but what will last is the memory. So take a deep breath,
  laugh at the things that go wrong and try to enjoy yourself (because
  isn't that more fun for everyone anyway?) Okay, now the ideas:

refresh the traditional:

You can't go wrong keeping it classic. One of the best things about using a traditional scheme is how easy and inexpensive it can be to create something fun. Once you have found possible containers, head to the produce section and grab a few mini pumpkins and gourds. Take a nature walk with a grocery sack to get the rest of your frills. Autumn leaves, branches with berries, nuts and acorns can be found all over and will come together to give you the perfect palate to set off that big bird on the platter.

I love to break away from the expected table cloth; it's a great way to give instant interest. Cut a length of burlap in half or thirds to make a couple of table runners. (Thin enough to leave a strip of the table surface showing in the center.) You can pull a few threads out to fringe the edges. Line them with the outside edges of the table to make essentially a table long place mat. Then set out your bowl or basket and arrange the gourds inside, now fill it in with leaves.

You can tie napkins with some twine and lay them on the plates with an acorn "place card." (Just use a Sharpie with a good point to write the initial or first name of your guests on an acorn.)

get crafty:

After you have picked up some pumpkins and found something to display them on; you can get to work setting your own personal style on the table. Here I have spray painted the gourds with ivory then added chevrons to one of the pumpkins. To give it a distressed look, I used acrylic craft paint and kept the brush dry, adding only a little paint to the brush at a time. To make the chevrons, simply slant a line diagonally across each section of the pumpkin, up then down, up then down, etc. This technique would also work well with other colors of paint. You could do a variety of colored strips and polka dots to create a whimsical kid-inspired table.

I cut burlap into long strips and laid them across the table for each place setting. This looks great in several fabrics and is a unique way to create something more interesting (and less expensive-yay!) than a place mat. You could also lay wide strips of ribbon running both ways on the table to give it flare.

go glam:

Following the same technique as above, spray the pumpkins with a couple of layers of metallic spray paint. Keep the overall arrangement fairly simple, adding one or two colors of fall leaves or nestling the pumpkins in with votive candles. This arrangement will definitely be memorable!
You could also add some glitter if you like to take it over the top.
Spray leaves with the same shade of spray paint and write your guest's names with a sharpie to create a fun place card. It is best to use leaves that are still supple for this and do it no more than a few days
before the feast so they don't crumble when handled. Whatever you choose to do, enjoy! That is what the day is all about.

Give Thanks: Thanksgiving Toppers

Lauralee from Yellow Mums

Hi there!
I'm Lauralee.
I blog over at  YellowMums and I'm excited to be part of this awesome Give Thanks event!

Today I'm sharing some fun Thanksgiving Toppers. Click here to download the free printable. Great as cupcake toppers. . . but also great for lots of other things. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Dress up a canning jar with a LABEL for jams/jellies or a mini pie perhaps?

2. Make a CENTERPIECE. I did this one by taping the toppers to skewers and poking them into the top of a pumpkin. Then I stuck a bunch of  . . . rye grass maybe? (I found it in the weeds over by the dumpster on the corner ;) Poke holes with a skewer and stick them in and finish with a jute bow at the base.

3. Create a NAPKIN RING with a piece of string and a topper hole punched. Add some sort of plant filler to round it out--maybe use something fake (not like me ;)

4. Use as a TAG for favor bags, gifts, or presents.

enjoy!! And have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Christmas Door Hanger

Today I am going to show you a fun Christmas door hanger that would make a fun gift. You can leave one on your neighbor's front door or perhaps you could put one on the bedroom door of your family members.
I love that each door hanger you make can be personalized.

Lets get started.

Supplies: paper or cardstock, marker, scissors, hole punch, ribbon, Glue Lines Glue Dots®  

Step 1. Fold paper in half

Step 2. With the fold at the bottom write Merry Christmas on the paper with the marker 

(I printed mine on the computer)

Step 3. Using the hole punch, cut a hole in the two top corners

 Step 4. Open the paper and place Glue Lines Glue Dots®  along the inside of the side egdes, close and press firmly

Step 5. Thread the ribbon through the two holes and tie a knot on each side

 Fill with gifts and goodies

  Filling ideas: chapstick, candy, Christmas card, notebook, pens and pencils, small toys, a bag of nuts, Candy canes, photos, movie tickets, an ornament,  the possibilities are endless

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team. 

Santa Beard on a Stick

Today I am over at I Heart Nap Time for the Crazy Christmas Crafters. 

I am sharing an easy tutorial on how to make your own Santa beard on a stick.

I hope you will stop by.

I wrote this blog post while participating on the Glue Dots® Design Team. 

Give Thanks- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Kelly from Eat Yourself Skinny

Hello there lovely readers of Whatever Dee-Dee Wants!  I’m Kelly from Eat Yourself Skinny and I was so excited when Miss Dianna asked me to be a part of her Give Thanks Series!

Ok so I must tell you…I absolutely love Thanksgiving.  It’s a time to spend with friends and loved ones, a time to bundle up in cute scarves and boots and take pictures in the leaves, and a time to enjoy really, really delicious food!  Yeah you know what I mean, the usual turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, Grandma’s signature green bean casserole, etc.  But what about the fun desserts??

Friends I give you my delicious {lightened up version} of Pumpkin Sugar Cookies!  I had so much fun making these and was really surprised at how simple they were.  To make them “skinnier”, I used egg whites and substituted the sugar with Splenda Sugar Blend which lowered the calories tremendously.  Since there is already a lot of sugar used to make the icing, Splenda works perfect for your cookies!  Oh and speaking of icing…if you’ve ever heard of piping and flooding Royal Icing then you know how gorgeous cookies turn out when using that method.  And you also know how daunting the task can be if you’ve never tried it.  Yikes.

I’ll admit this was my very first attempt at making {and using} Royal Icing, but truth be told I LOVED it!!  I, of course, went to the Queen of cookie decorating herself, Bridget from Bake at 350, for help and found some amazing tutorials!  This made the process so much easier and I’m happy to share that knowledge now with all of you.

The end result?

Super cute pumpkin cookies fit for any special gathering or holiday party.  They also make great gifts!  I brought mine to work for all my co-workers and everyone loved them.

Now onto the recipe.

Here are your ingredients:

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light and Sugar Crafter   

Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup granulated sugar

10 Tbsp. light butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

Royal Icing

1 lb. powdered sugar

5 Tbsp. meringue powder

Scant 1/2 cup water

1 tsp. corn syrup (makes the icing shiny)

To make the cookies, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.  Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in 1 1/2 tsp. of vanilla and egg whites.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until combined.  Divide dough in half and shape each dough half into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Unwrap one dough ball and press dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy-duty plastic wrap.  Cover with additional plastic wrap.  Roll dough, still covered, to a 1/4 inch thickness {this is important because if your cookies are too thin they’ll be crunchy and not soft}.  Using your cookie cutter, cut dough into 18 cookies.  Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on pans for about 5 minutes and repeat the process with the remaining dough half.

To prepare the icing, please refer to Bridget’s wonderful tutorial on how to make Royal Icing and tips for decorating.  I can’t take the credit for her wonderful work!  Once your cookies are dry, mix a bit of meringue powder and water together and, using a paint brush, paint lines onto your pumpkin with the mixture and sprinkle with sprinkles.  You will be amazed at how easy the sprinkles stay on!  This technique is perfect for any cookie!

Don’t forget to buy cute little gift bags and ribbon to package these for your friends and family, trust me they will love them!

Thanks again Dianna for inviting me to your Give Thanks Series!  For more skinny recipes, or even just to say “HI”, feel free to stop by my blog any ‘ole time!

XOXO