Holidays Archives

Vegan Peppermint Bark (3 ingredients!)

I made up this recipe for vegan peppermint bark last year when I wanted a quick and easy holiday treat that was free from everything my family couldn't eat. I got exactly what I wanted too. This recipe is super quick, only three ingredients and tastes downright yummy! Vegan Peppermint Bark: Ingredients The only three ingredients you'll need for this recipe are dark chocolate, crushed up candy canes and peppermint extract. That's it! My favorite brand of chocolate is Enjoy Life. The candy canes should say "suitable for vegetarians/vegans" on it since one of the ingredients is natural flavors (which…

Post published:December 13, 2021
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Post category:Recipes
Post author:Melissa

Best Shops for Stationery Addicts

As I am a big lover of stationery and all things papery I thought it would be fun to put together a guide on the best shops for stationery addicts! This is by no means an all encompassing list, I am always finding new sites that I fall in love with and want to buy more. These are the sites and Etsy shops you are guaranteed to find stationery you or the stationery addict in your life will be obsessed with. Gifts for Stationery Addicts: Websites 1. Nico Neco Zakkaya This shop is filled with the most stunning authentic Japanese…

Post published:December 6, 2021
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Post category:Crafts
Post author:Melissa

Gifts for Book Lovers: The Ultimate List 2023

It's time for the Christmas shopping, so here's the ultimate list of gifts for books lovers in your life. That is, gifts that are not books themselves! I know I could always use a little more bookish gear in my life. I'm trying to support more small businesses on this list, but there's also some Amazon and big box stores too, depending on your time constraints and preferences. Enjoy this giant list! 1. Printable Bookmarks $1.80 - $6.00 Cute and functional bookmarks to track your reading or just look pretty! Buy one set and you can print some for each…

Post published:November 22, 2021
Post comments:6 Comments
Post category:Books
Post author:Melissa

Gifts for CookBook Lovers 2023

Here's a one stop list of great gifts for cookbook lovers! Perfect for holiday gift shopping for all the foodies in your life. Like the bookish holiday shopping guide, I have a range of small businesses, and some amazon purchases on here. Choose who you want to support and find the perfect gift for your loved one. 1. Cookbook Earrings $3.20 Help them display their love for cookbooks on their ears! 2. Bookish Tea Towel $8.00 The tea towel says it all. 3. Cookbook Wall Hanging $8.50 This rustic wall hanging can add some flare to any cookbook lover's kitchen.…

Post published:November 1, 2021
Post comments:5 Comments
Post category:Books
Post author:Melissa

Aromatherapy Stress Balls DIY Stress Relief

Aromatherapy stress balls are something I think every person should have right now! It's nice to squeeze in your hand like a traditional stress ball with the added benefits of calming essential oils to smell as well. It's super easy to make too. You can even make it with your kids as a fun craft! I've made a few stress balls by now and used different essential oil blends each time. You can really have fun and experiment with this stress relieving activity. What Are Essential Oils? Essential oils are essences extracted from plant matter. They can be used for…

Post published:August 23, 2021
Post comments:8 Comments
Post category:Body&Mind Crafts
Post author:Melissa

How to Make Book Page Paper Roses

Book Page Paper Roses are so fun and so easy to make! They also make for great home decor that will never die from lack of watering (guilty!). And to top it all off, they are gorgeous! Once you know the basic steps, you can use any sort of paper you want. You don't have to stick to just book pages. You could try music sheets, maps, scrapbook paper, etc. The options are endless! Check out my step by step instructions here with pictures and I have a Youtube video embedded below for all you visual learners out there like…

Post published:June 30, 2021
Post comments:16 Comments
Post category:Crafts
Post author:Melissa

Photography & Books

The Best Christmas Books I’ve Read So Far

If you still want to stay in the Christmasy mood like I do, I suggest reading some Christmasy books while listening to Christmas music. I hate that the radios stop playing Christmas music the minute the holiday ends. I would leave my Christmas tree around year up if I could! Hopefully these books will bring a little extra Christmas cheer into your life. Here's the best holiday books I've read so far. Previous Next Best Christmas Books One Day in December, by Josie Silver  5/5 Find on Goodreads Buy on Amazon Laurie experiences love at first sight when her…

Post published:December 31, 2020
Post comments:9 Comments
Post category:Books
Post author:Melissa

Foodie Gifts to Give this Christmas

This Christmas my husband and I are on a budget. We're saving for a house (woo hoo!), so we're trying to keep a tight ship. We were trying to think of budget friendly Christmas gifts and of course, the first thing that pops into my head is foodie gifts! Who doesn't love some yummy homemade goodies around the holidays? Maybe the Grinch, but I think I can turn even him to the sugar filled dark side. So without further ado, here's some tips and ideas for making homemade foodie gifts for your loved ones for Christmas this year. Foodie Gifts:…

Post published:December 17, 2020
Post comments:8 Comments
Post category:Recipes
Post author:Melissa

Holiday Sugar Cookies — Vegan & Gluten Free!

Vegan Holiday Sugar Cookies anyone?! If you are subscribed to my newsletter, I recently told you I just found out that I'm allergic to eggs and sensitive to gluten. What I mean is, I should not eat eggs at all anymore, but eating some gluten every once in a while is fine. So from now on all my bakes will be dairy and egg free, and I'll be coming out with gluten free bakes as well! My traditional sugar cookie recipe was full of ingredients I now cannot have, so I made up a new one. My new holiday sugar…

Post published:December 10, 2020
Post comments:6 Comments
Post category:Recipes
Post author:Melissa

Vegan+Gluten Free Stuffed Mushrooms

These stuffed mushrooms have become a family favorite. I came up with this recipe for my mom who is gluten free and on a very specific diet. They are the perfect appetizer or side dish for a warm hearty meal in the fall or winter. This would be a great dish to add to your Thanksgiving day feast too! The stuffing base is super simple with the main ingredients being the mushroom stems, almond flour and a variety of Italian spices. I am a huge mushroom fan. I love basically any and all mushrooms. When I go to the store…

Post published:November 19, 2020
Post comments:6 Comments
Post category:Recipes
Post author:Melissa