HOW TO DECORATE SMALL SPACES WITH RIBBON

December 9, 2021

Sharing super easy ways to decorate a small space, apartment or small space with ribbon for Christmas

This is the time of year when budgets stretch with the Christmas spirit. Pinterest provides us with an endless stream of decor envy. Some decor enthusiasts are in the far left lane for Christmas decor. If I win the lottery I would venture into the left lane too. If you follow my crafts on my Youtube channel you know Everyday Edits is a one-woman operation. These super easy ideas on how to decorate with ribbon are for those of us that grab a wreath from Kroger is the extent of the decor. Here are a few decor ideas for small spaces and budgets. All you need is a roll of ribbon. I am a a new fan of wired ribbon too!

how to decorate small spaces with ribbon

Who do you know in your life who wants (needs) a little help with Christmas decor? Maybe a parent living in a downsized home or assisted living or a child living in her/his first apartment? Or a son or daughter in graduate school who could use a little Christmas cheer for their small space?

I shared these ideas when my daughter moved into her first place (a condo in downtown Denver). It’s tiny. And that got me thinking about one of my favorite decor staples for seasonal decor in small spaces.

WHY RIBBON IS A DECOR STAPLE FOR SMALL SPACES

One of the issues with small living spaces is the lack of storage. Currently, our garage holds our kids’ ski gear.

All types of ribbon can be stored in a bathroom vanity or in the pantry behind the salsa.
Ribbon is affordable. One roll can decorate multiple items and make your space feel like Christmas in minutes.
It can be reused or repurposed every year.
Everyone has ribbon they want to unload. Check out ebay.
Don’t overthink it. Just try it.

This doesn’t have to be the year you decorate an 8-foot tree with a wired ribbon. Baby steps.

how to decorate with ribbon for the holidays and seasons

IDEAS TO USE RIBBON IN DECOR

Here are a few quick ideas on ways to use ribbon in decor. Now if you have a grandparent or parent who lives in a small space you can make these ahead and drop them off at their home. It will bring a smile.

These ideas work with wired and unwired ribbons.

Grab 3 salad plates and wrap ribbon around them. Place them on your counter or table and boom!

how to decorate small spaces and budgets and with ribbon

Use a bucket, recycled plastic container or paper bag and wrap a ribbon around it (you may need to cover it with something first like this easy idea). Add greenery, branches or flowers for a instant Christmas porch or entry planter display.

how to decorate with ribbon for small spaces

Look at the stuff on your bookshelves or kitchen counters? Can you round up a few books or albums and wrap a wired ribbon around them?
Grab a few branches (get them at your parents house if you don’t have a yard) . Or ask an arborist for a few branches (read my story here).

The secret to decorating with ribbon for Christmas or any holiday is to start with one roll of ribbon and a pair of scissors. That’s it! Put on a little music and find three items to wrap with ribbon.

I would love it if you shared this with your nieces, sons, daughters who may need a little Christmas cheer this time of year. Maybe send them a roll of wired ribbon and ask for pics!

HOW TO DECORATE AN APARTMENT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

December 7, 2021

These holiday decorating ideas were in collaboration with my daughter. I asked her if I could help her figure out how to decorate her new space for the holidays. I told her I was writing a post on ideas on how to decorate an apartment for the holidays.

Once she reminded me her place is a condo she was on board.

She agreed but with two conditions: her condo must stay in an uncluttered state and it could not look like her childhood home (ie: our current home).

Basically, she did not want an industrial meets farmhouse look in her brand new, downtown Denver space.

Unfortunately, the tryptophan from the Thanksgiving turkey kicked in and I crashed on my daughter’s sofa while her brothers assembled/rearranged her furniture.

how to decorate and apartment for the holidays

We were not in her condo a minute before her brothers complained about the lack of food or beverages in her fridge; not a pretzel or a tortilla chip (or salsa) on site.

Neither of her brothers wanted to walk the 23 feet across the street to Whole Foods.

Thankfully, my tryptophan-induced nap was short and I was back on track to add a little Christmas to her 857 sq. foot home.

HOW TO DECORATE AN APARTMENT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Just remember the struggle is real for these busy, young professionals. The adulting part of managing cash flow, car payments and insurance deductibles can be overwhelming during their first year of employment.

KITCHEN OR BATHROOM

The holiday decor staples for a kitchen or bath are the same. You only need to add two items. But they must be BRAND NEW; seasonal soap and hand towels. The keyword here is brand new. It is amazing what a brand new polar bear hand towel and decorative foam soap can do to space and to one’s morale when the sun sets before the end of the workday.

ADD A PLAID THROW (ANYWHERE)

A holiday throw is a cozy addition to a couch. And, it is a great way to tuck yourself in with a bowl of popcorn during the workweek. When my daughter picked the identical throw that I bought for our house I smiled.

CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS DECOR

I snuck a few Christmas decor pieces from our daughter’s Christmas decoration tub from her childhood home.

My grandmother gave me a similar ceramic tree when I was little. Traditions are always an easy and meaningful way to add one’s past to the current decor.

ADD JINGLE BELLS

I love jingle bells. I always think of Clarence from It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s like Clarence is greeting her with a “Welcome home.” every time she comes through her front door.

I took these bells from my office. Super easy!

ADD BOUGHS OF GREENS

Fresh evergreens are perfect. They don’t take up much room and they can be tucked into the smallest shelves or windowsills. And, they smell like Christmas. Just toss them on the kitchen counter add a few ornaments and call it a day.

Two minutes to go!

HOLLY BERRIES

It’s never to early to teach your Millenial the power of red during the holiday season. I grabbed a few batches of faux berries that had accumulated at the bottom of a storage tub.

I grabbed this upcycled jar and married the two.

Simple.

CANDY CANES

The easiest and tiniest holiday decor staple is a mason jar filled with candy canes. I thought about creating a mini hot cocoa station like this one.

I was concerned it might violate one of the two conditions she had put forth earlier that day.

So I stuck to candy canes.

I borrow these suggestions when I have a listing during the holidays. Or, a decor challenged seller!

Check out my Instagram for Everyday Edits you can make wherever you dwell.

Have you helped your young adult settle into their new space? Share how you did it!

GIFT WRAP PAPER MADE IN USA MONDAYS

December 6, 2021

I love the first Monday of the month! The first Monday is fresh and ready to go! It is not like the 3rd Monday where our to-do list is now three pages (screens) long. The first Monday is also the Made in USA Mondays at Everyday Edits! If you are new to Everyday Edits you can check out previous videos of Made in the USA brand features here and here. My videos are low-budget productions, but I have so much fun and slowly I am talking louder and staring at the right end of the camera lens.

GIFT WRAP FIND FOR MADE IN USA MONDAY

With the holidays season in full gear, I decided to feature Christmas and holiday gift wrap paper made in the United States. The details and my video are below.

If you read to the end of this post I will share a little fact about me and my family and our connection to USA-based manufacturing brands. With that little teaser let’s get to the fun stuff like wrapping paper.

GIFT WRAP PAPER

While standing in the longer than usual lines at Homegoods this season you may recognize the gift wrap in the photo. The wrapping paper was conveniently located in the checkout “corral” of shoppers with full carts.

And whoever decided to move the gift wrap inside the “corral” to the checkout counter should get a bonus. Because who does not need one more roll of wrapping paper?

WHERE TO FIND IT

While sorting through the rolls of gift wrap I noticed the familiar Made in USA logo (the American flag). There were lots of patterns and colors to choose from and I had time to choose.

I knew gift wrap was the perfect USA brand feature for the month of December. With a little research via the label let’s give a shout out to Sleigh Hill Trading Co. by Sullivan Paper in Springfield, MA.

FEATURES

The best part of this paper, besides the unlimited patterns, is the weight of the paper. It is heavy, but not so heavy I had to wrestle the gift box against the holiday paper with a 5-pound bag of sugar ( I tend to wrap gifts in the kitchen).

And, in addition to the heavier weight, the opposite side includes cut/guide lines. My gift wrap always looks like I cut it with my eyes closed.

In addition to the gift wrap feature for this month’s USA-made brand find, I found 3M Scotch tape. I found rolls of the 3M Scotch tape at another Homegoods brand store. I have a tape dispenser so I break the plastic guide and attach the tape roll to my dispenser.

This is why I love to feature USA brands because I can support a wide range of price points and products with very little effort. You can check out my video here (would love if you subscribed).

Thank you for stopping by today! I would love it if you followed me on my Youtube Channel (I want to get to 50 subscribers this month). You can subscribe here.

If you would prefer my once-a-week newsletter called The Weekend Edit you can sign up here.

Oh and that little-known fact: Our family owns a small medical device manufacturing company in Colorado. If you know what a fistula or occluding clamp is you likely have seen one of our disposable clamps. I appreciate the costs, decisions and commitment to keep manufacturing in the United States.

If you have a favorite brand made in the USA please share in the comments and I would love to share it. I either purchase or own most of what I share, but I am happy to include it as the popularity of my My Made in USA Mondays series grows!

Please pin or share! laura

Made in USA finds, gift wrap paper, shop Made in USA, wrapping paper made in USA, gift wrap Made in USA

THE WEEKEND EDIT FLIP FLOP WEATHER

December 4, 2021

Happy Weekend!

Denver walked into December with flip-flops. It has been 224 days since we had measurable snow. But you know what? I am rocking my pom-pom hat with my flip-flops! Oh, and I did get that mani-pedi before Thanksgiving. I loved the first-world problem responses! Keep reading for the Weekend Edit question.

In breaking news, our blowup Santa had a cardiac episode when he stopped inflating due to a worn power cord. I texted the kids the news. Oh, I am over Costco pies. Done. One of my first ever blog posts was about the 12000 calories I consumed with a Costco pecan pie. Which got me thinking what is your favorite item to buy at Costco or Sam’s or other big box stores?

WEEKEND THOUGHTS

This season my favorite find at Costco was the Dog Advent calendar. We bought one for Chloe and Elliott (our Bernese Mountain dogs). They sold out faster than the Advent wine calendars. We found the dog calendars in the early half of November. I hope they are back next year!

QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR BIG BOX MUST-HAVE ITEM?

ELLIOTT ON THE LEFT, CHLOE ON THE RIGHT. If you ever watched Ferris Bueller Chloe is the bitter angry sister, Jeannie.

Stay tuned for more videos! I am stepping up my youtube channel and video content. If anything, it will be cheap entertainment. I have a blooper reel in production.

I bought this for myself and I love it. I opened it yesterday afternoon and it is a game-changer if you work from your phone and computer or like to multi-task while on the phone.

It is an affiliate link so I may make 27 cents if you purchase via this link. . #ad

In other news, (no pun intended) I just subscribed to this daily read and I love it. They also have a Podcast.

Okay here we go for the Weekeend Edit.

DID YOU SEE THESE POPULAR POSTS ON EVERYDAY EDITS?

THIS COFFEE TABLE PROJECT ONLY REQUIRES A POWER DRILL

READ THE DETAILS HERE

GRINCH INSPIRED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

RECIPE HERE

THIS DIY DOOR SWAG

VIDEO HERE

(It’s worth watching since I was looking at the wrong side of the camera. Please subscribe. Want to get 50)!

WHAT I FOUND/BOUGHT ON AMAZON

SHOP

Thank you for stopping by today! I would love it if you subscribed to my YouTube Channel my craft tutorials and my Made in USA products and brand finds! It’s something I am passionate about (in addition to my Realtor life and blogging and family and holidays and seasons). Have a great weekend!

BEFORE AND AFTER HUTCH MAKEOVER

December 3, 2021

My husband has a theory about me and painted furniture. His observation is based on whenever I paint a piece of furniture it ends up on Facebook Market Place. Well, this girl loves a challenge and this before and after hutch makeover may be the first piece of furniture that stays in my cozy office with navy walls.

Are you ready to see the before and after photos?

BEFORE AND AFTER HUTCH MAKEOVER

PAINTED HUTCH BEFORE

The hutch was most recently located in the living room.

I had more fun decorating the top of the hutch then the three shelves behind glass sliding doors. .

But the hutch had sturdy bones and I loved the drawers at the top of the hutch.

Those drawers store all of these cards.

When we remodeled the main level we hired movers to move our furniture off the main level. My husband had visions of no pulled muscles where as I saw an opportunity.

This was my moment to ask the movers to move my hutch to my home office. It would be so much easier to paint the hutch if it was in the room I spent the most of the day.

My office islocated on the main level next to the powder bath. So everyone passes by my office. I wanted it to look pretty and functional.

THE DETAILS

I removed the sliding doors from the inside of the hutch. The doors attached to the track with four mini screws inside the cabinet and behind the glass doors. I positioned myself inside the hutch, with my face pressed against the glass, while while my husband removed the glass doors off the track.

There were no photo opps of this claustrophobic moment.

It was a pretty funny sight (or is it site)?

I chose my favorite white paint color for the interior and exterior.

I was a little nervous about the creamy white paint.

Was it too bright for my home office. Would the paint drips distract me?

I imagined my hutch filled with matching baskets and blue accessories.

And, then…

the insane real estate market kicked into gear. Showings, offers and contracts were a Master Class in patience and good manners.

Sadly, my home office was ignored with files stacked up and sticky notes on my desk.

But this hutch was determined to be my forever hutch and she just waited patiently.

When the season slowed down I decided I wanted my hutch done before the holidays and the next spring busy season.

I scraped paint and fingerprints off the glass doors.

I reinstalled the hutch’s hardware and shopped for a few baskets to hold my craft staples and office supplies.

A few years ago I bought too many storage boxes from Homegoods so I sorted through cards and thank-you notes so I would remember to use my huge collection of birthday cards.

And then it was time to take a pause and tell myself the office is good enough, the hutch has a job and who cares if the sliding doors rumble across their tracks. And then it was time to decorate my hutch.

PAINTED HUTCH AFTER

I admit I was nervous about the utility side of my hutch? Does it look like a china hutch? Is it too big in my office? It did motivate me to remove an old Wayfair table and stor through a decade of files.

But when I finished the hutch and took a step back I felt like my office was complete. I had a desk, a window view of our backyard, a new chair from World Market and my fav o rite rug.

GRINCH COOKIES

December 1, 2021

Funny story of how these Grinch inspired cookies came to be with an aggressive oven temp and misguided oven rack

These Grinch-inspired cookies are a product of 24 burned cookies. But taking a queue from the Grinch himself my sister turned these shortbread wreath cookies into a Grinch theme in the shape of a wreath. Who remembers if the Grinch stole the wreath off the front door?

Do you remember the last thing Mr. Grinch took from the house? Leave it in the comments (no peeking on Google).

THE HISTORY OF THE GRINCH

While these cookies bake for a very short eight minutes on a middle rack you can read the history of this family classic.

Grinch inspired shortbread wreath cookies

GRINCH COOKIES

My sister made these cookies that were inspired by Michael over at his blog here.. His shortbread recipe and wreath cookies looked like the Christmas edition of the British Baking Series.

My sister’s cookies were accidentally placed on the lower rack (for the turkey the day before). Let’s just say these Grinch cookies looked like they had been hauled up the chimney by the Grinch himself.

So when the Christmas wreath’s food coloring resemble the colors of the Grinch you turn them into Grinch cookies.

COOKIE DETAILS

Just like Michael said these cookies are tempermental. It’s a bit of a workout to mix the butter with a pastry blender. Followed by rolling out the dough, pinching and a bit of trimming to get the wreath-shaped cookies.

I used my brand new Made in USA cookie sheets I shared on my Youtube Channel.

Grinch inspired wreath cookies with icing and cinnamon red hots

But even with the burnt bottoms and slightly runny icing they looked so cute and were so yummy. The shortbread gives them some weight and substance. I was full with one, but they they were so good I ate two-ish. The royal icing is a nice break from the butter and cream cheese frostings.

GRINCH COOKIE RECIPE

My sister made this recipe and she is definitely the baker in the family!

GRINCH INSPIRED WREATH COOKIES

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 green food coloring

GLAZE

2 cups powdered sugar
1.5 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
red cinnamon candies + green sprinkles

Instructions

1. IN LARGE BOWL WHISK FLOUR SUGAR AND SALT
2. USING A PASTRY BLENDER CUT BUTTER INTO THE ABOVE FLOUR MIXTURE
3. iT SHOULD RESEMBLE FINE CRUMBS SO KEEP BLENDING
4. ADD THE EGGS, ALMOND EXTRACT+ GREEN FOOD COLORING.
5. MIX WITH WOODEN SPOON AND THEN MIX W/HANDS UNTIL DOUGH IS EVENLY COVERED.
6. COVER AND CHILL FOR 1 HOUR
7. PREHEAT OVEN TO 350
8. DIVIDE DOUGH INTO 24 1.5" BALLS.
9. ON LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE ROLL EACH DOUGH BALL INTO A 7" ROPE.
10. SHAPE ROPE INTO CIRCLE + PINCH TO SEAL THE ENDS
11. PLACE THE CIRCLE SHAPES 2 " APART ON UNGREASED COOKIE SHEET.
12 SNIP THE EDGES OF THE EACH CIRLCE TO CREATE TEXTURE FOR THE WREATH APPEARANCE
13. BAKE FOR 8 MINUTES ON CENTER RACK UNTIL EDGES JUST BARELY TURN BROWN. .
REMOVE AND COOL ON BAKING RACK
CREATE THE GLAZE WITH THE ABOVE INGREDIENTS. ADJUST CONSISTENCY WITH MILK.
DRIZZLE GLAZE OVER COOKIES WITH SPOON OR PASTRY BAG. DECORATE WITH RED CINNAMON CANDIES. SPRINKLE WITH GREEN SPRINKLES.

I would love a pin!

5 HOME OFFICE ESSENTIALS ON AMAZON

November 29, 2021

Is this your 37th Amazon email today. I am sorry! I hate to contribute to inbox overload (wait for the but). BUT, real quick I have 5 home office essentials on Amazon to share with you. The red microwave popcorn maker was the most popular steal at a recent gift exchange.

HOME OFFICE ESSENTIALS

I had an ethics Zoom class for my Realtor license continuing education requirements last week. I had my iPhone on a cookbook stand sandwiched between Stanley Tucci and Patricia Heaton’s cookbooks.

Sidenote: I just realized both of these actors are married to Brits.

On a break, with Stanley and Patricia, I searched for a mobile phone holder and this one popped up. It is on the way!

I also ordered this one for video tutorials to improve my videos on my Youtube channel. Please subscribe as I need 100 to be considered legit. Do we still say legit?

This question could end up on a Progressive commercial.

Next up I talked about this earlier this month. It is on the way and should be here any day now. For someone who drinks hot beverages all-day I hope this works!

I have so many office supplies in my office and decided these plastic bins would be helpful when I am searching for an ink cartridge.

I just thought of another hack for this list.

Sidenote: A frequent reader (my dad) asked why I refer to things as a hack. I suggested he replace the word hack with tip. You already know his follow-up question.

Okay, I should have chewed up less than three minutes so I would love if you followed me on Pinterest right here.

sharing 5 Amazon favorites for the home office

THE WEEKEND EDIT + A FULL INBOX

November 27, 2021

Happy Weekend! I am popping into your inbox for a hot minute. If your inbox looks like mine you woke up to 27 emails from Bath & Body Works and insert “your favorite retailer.” How was your Thanksgiving? Did you make a mental note of what you will change for next year? I think I am ready to ditch the Costco pies. We had a full house here and used every bedroom and couch for family. I made a quick trip to Pottery Barn to buy a set of these. It turns out I am a bit of a sheet snob. Say that 5 times fast!

In other news, it is hot here in Denver! On Friday, we drove to Oakland Ranch in Sedalia to pick a pre-cut Douglas Fir tree. Oakland Ranch is celebrating 150 years of a family-owned tree farm. With the tree attached to the top of our car, we head to a greasy breakfast. We left with full stomachs and more pies. There is something about Thanksgiving weekend that makes five pies in the fridge a totally acceptable staple.

Finally, thank you for all of your funny first-world problems! I may have to ask that question more often! It’s a great reminder! I love your emails and texts and comments. Thank you! This week is what is the #1 retailer that lands in your inbox every 12 hours this time of year. Mine are Bath & Body Works & JCrew Factory Outlet.

THE WEEKEND EDIT

WEEKEND THOUGHTS

It’s here! Read her favorites.

If you are in the market for faux garland for 2022. Shop these guys’ Etsy shop.

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SHOP MY FAVORITES

JCrew Factory is a great price point for stocking stuffers and accessories.

SHOP

Thank you for stopping by today! I would love it if you followed me or my boards on Pinterest.

What are your plans for the weekend?

5 Favorite HomeGoods Finds

November 27, 2021

Do you remember when we would I used to keep a small book that included paper slips and I tore them off of a perforated edge to submit payment. I had to MANUALLY record my purchases with a ballpoint pen. It was like a beta version of Venmo. #wink The one thing in common on all my weekend entries was TJMaxx and/or HomeGoods. So one could argue I started this list of 5 favorite HomeGoods finds years ago.

And yet today? There are people I know who have never shopped at HomeGoods. Or, even worse they shopped once and never returned.

I know, right.

Like how is that even possible?

Like what happened in their twenties that they never discovered the therapeutic qualities of a HomeGoods field trip with a list of favorites to go in search of on a rainy Saturday afternoon?

Sidenote: I picked up my son’s habit of like saying like. #extendedspringbreak2020

That just means more finds for us!

Rain, snow, sleet, hail, or heat one can always find refuge at HomeGoods.

5 Favorite Finds at HomeGoods

We all have our favorite sections and aisles, right? Where do you steer your shopping cart when you run into a HomeGoods? Do you grab the smaller cart or do you go big?

On any given visit I have a route and a memorized list of favorites. I never forget my list of favorites, but on any given day I will call one of my boys, Elliott.

Elliott is our Bernese Mountain dog.

1. Coffee Finds

Coffee is first on my list of favorite finds. I love flavored coffees with the same description you might find on candles. My sister cannot believe I buy my coffee from HomeGoods.

The coffee brands are almost always Made in the USA and packaged regionally.

Sometimes the brand’s name or label is the only reason I buy a bag of coffee.

The same strategy applies to my wine purchases.

2. Candles at HomeGoods

A close second on my favorite 5 lists is candles. I love the hunt for a great smelling candle in a cute jar. How cute is this lantern-shaped candle?

Recently, I shared an easy way to up-cycle my favorite glass candle jars.

Oh, and HomeGoods has a huge selection of Made in the USA, soy and paraffin-free candles too!

favorite- homegoods-finds-everyday-edits

3. Book Finds

Next up on the list of my favorite finds are hardcover books!

A friend of mine is a home stager & color consultant and she is always on the hunt for hardcover books for her coffee tables.

I found a copy of Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines recently, for 1/2 the price. Coffee table books are a lovely reminder to put the phone down, take a break from social media and read the pages.

4. Food Finds at HomeGoods

Another unexpected find at HomeGoods is bottled or packaged pantry staples. Again, no one thinks to buy their jams at HomeGoods, but there are popular brands and a few new ones on every trip. HomeGoods has a fun selection of olive oils and tea too. Their prices are almost always a better value than at the grocery store.

A friend turned me on to Sarabeth’s Preserves. I love the jar of this most recent find! I just need five more Blackberry Patch jars for a set of mason jar glasses!

5. Stationery Aisle

My final pick for my favorite finds at HomeGoods is in the stationery aisle.

I love the gift wrap paper and gift bags.

When my sister (aka Auntie Tricia) visits from Knoxville we will spend 20 minutes flipping through notepads and spiral notebooks.

There are so many seasonal fun wrapping paper prints. I shared this easy repurpose project with their wrapping paper here.

HomeGoods offers the cutest packs of gift card size gift bags. I always grab a set during the holidays and graduation season.

Recently, I snagged a few greeting cards. I love Hallmark, but some of their cards are over $5.00/each.

I could give a Starbucks gift card for that amount.

So I tend to pick up one or two cards. And, another seasonal favorite in the gift wrap section are the cute cocktail and holiday napkins.

Tip: Do not pass on those funny, seasonal napkins that are well stocked in September.

That hesitation will result in plain orange napkins, instead of the snarky, sassy napkins, when you host your first annual Wine & Witches party.

PINE GARLAND IN THE HOME OFFICE

November 23, 2021

I work from home because I am naturally a homebody and I am not much for office chit-chat. Ask my colleagues. The homebody side of me balances my Realtor life where I show and sell other people’s homes. I am very task-oriented because, like most of us, we juggle lots of projects for work or home. So this year I decided to add a little pine garland in my home office. It is where I spend the bulk of the day so why not add a little Christmas with garland and lights?

PINE NEEDLE PINTEREST CHALLENGE

This month’s Pinterest Challenge, coordinated by our friend Cindy who blogs over at County Road 407, was all about garland. If you are stopping by from Niky’s blog welcome to Everyday Edits. My name is Laura. I would LOVE it if you signed up for my weekly recap called the Weekend Edit over here.

This challenge was the perfect reason to decorate my office with pine garland. For this month it was up for interpretation without our usual inspirational photo. Which made it a little more like showing up at a party and not sure if you were going to be over or underdressed.

Do you know what I mean? We were free to fall on this challenge. I can’t wait to see how the other ladies use garland.

Do you know how many types of garland exist? I knew the style I liked I just did not know the proper name. Apparently, I am a long needle pine girl.

And I found the most amazing long needle pine garland at this Etsy shop. These guys are great! I got a handwritten thank you note when I placed a second order a few days after I received my first order.

So to kick off the holidays I decorated my newly painted dining room hutch that had a relocation to my home office. I added a birdhouse from a challenge last year and a little red berry sphere for a pop of color against the Hale Navy walls.

Some of you may recognize the branches from last month’s Pinterest Challenge to my office. I am in love with these branches from my yard!

Thank you so much for joining us in this month’s Pinterest Challenge. Before you go please pin your favorite images!

Would love a pin!

CROCKPOT BREAKFAST CASSEROLEhttps://everydayedits.co/?p=21332

November 22, 2021

Growing up we loved when mom announced breakfast would be dinner. It was like Christmas came early when we switched up the menu! I carried on the tradition with my three kids. There is something so yummy and cozy about pancakes and syrup after the sun sets. My mom went all out with pancakes, bacon , hashbrowns and scrambled eggs. It was the 80’s and before the term nonfat was attached to every possible packaged food item at Kroger.

But today I want to share my favorite breakfast (besides pancakes). This is more than just a breakfast recipe it is a family tradition. I bought a case of eggs at Costco in preparation for the Thanksgiving weekend.

I make this for breakfast the weekend of Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. It has all the fixins except syrup. It’s an egg and cheese and frozen hashbrown recipe that I can prep the night before the holiday.

I just pour it into a crockpot and it is ready to gove the morning of Thanksgiving or Christmas morning.

INGREDIENTS

The best part ofthis tailgate breakfast casserole recipe is the flexibility with the ingredients and the crockpot. Crockpots are the best time management appliance in the kitchen!

For this breakfast casserole, I added bacon and salsa to give it a little Colorado kick. Hashbrowns, cheddar cheese, and chopped bacon round out the ingredients in the casserole. I describe this recipe as a breakfast burrito in a crockpot.

CROCKPOT SETTINGS

The only tricky part of this recipe is the settings on your crockpot. Despite, the the multiple heat settings, my crockpot tends towards the high heat setting. It’s like an appliance with hotflashes.

Tip: Make sure to generously spray a cooking spray to keep the scorching and cleanup to a minimum.

The first time you make this breakfast casserole just keep an eye on it until you get an idea of how quickly your crockpot heats up the egg, hash browns and cheddar mixture.

Just layer the ingredients starting with the hash browns followed by the eggs.

Then, add as many layers as you want to include.

Finish the layers with a cup of milk. The frozen hashbrowns love the milk!

Fold the ingredients occasionally to keep them from cooking unevenly.

My crockpot usually heats this casserole in about 90 minutes or so.

I serve this breakfast casserole in the crockpot, buffet style. I add a stack of these crockopot bowls. I include sides of bacon, salsa, cheese and fresh green onions. A stack of tortillas turns this into a breakfast burrito.

In Colorado, we love our breakfast burritos. I am looking at you Santiagos!

Enjoy this reakfast casserole on a long weekend, Thanksgiving weekend or Christmas morning. It also reheats and tastes just as good the morning after!

Oh, and if you want something sweet here is my favorite make ahead pecan rolls.

CROCKPOT BREAKFAST

an easy, make-ahead breakfast for guests, long weekends, Christmas morning, tailgates

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

SKILLET

Ingredients

1 DOZEN EGGS
3/4 BAG FROZEN HASH BROWNS
2 CUPS CHEDDAR CHEESE
1 CUP MILK
1/2 CUP SCALLION CHIPPED
1 CUP SALSA
1 DASH SALT & PEPPER
1 CUP BACON, CHOPPED ADJUST TO LIKING

Instructions

CROCKPOT BREAKFAST
APPLY COOKING SPRAY
LAYER INGREDIENTS WITH EGGS, HASHBROWNS, BACON, CHEESE, MILK, SALSA ETC.
LAYER INTO CROCKPOT AND ADJUST SETTINGS.

If you want something sweet to pair with this egg dish try these make-ahead pecan rolls.

THE WEEKEND EDIT MY 1ST WORLD PROBLEM

November 20, 2021

Happy Weekend

Hi Everyone! It’s the weekend before Thanksgiving and I am making lists and menus. But do you know what is my biggest first-world problem right this minute? When to schedule my mani/Pedi. Do not judge me. We all have our vices and mine is a fresh mani/Pedi before big holidays, after my tennis season and the weeks in between.

The struggle is real as I need to get lights up on the deck and front porch. I do not want to chip a fresh manicure from a wayward light strand. What is your first-world problem dilemma this weekend? This is a judgment-free zone. Share in the comments or via email! I read them all!

THE WEEKEND EDIT

WEEKEND THOUGHTS

I We are watching The Morning Show on Apple and love it.
I tried to watch this Christmas movie on Netflix and stopped after four minutes.
But, I really enjoyed this Christmas movie on Netflix.
I love this podcast. Heather (the host) most recently played the best friend in Love Hard. She went to Ole-Miss, was a DG and is a comic and actress. She is a little snarky and sweet & I love to walk while I listen to her podcast. I started with episode 1 from 2019. The name of the Podcast is ABSOLUTELY NOT. She has a bit of a potty mouth so no kids or grandkids if you like to listen through your car stereo.
In other news my friend Cici found me a turkey at Costco! Woohoo! I wonder if she would bake it for me?
Sidenote: Do you bake a turkey or cook a turkey? I want to sound like I know how to cook.
Do you have a millenial in your life? My blog friend Katie’s daughter created a millenial gift guide. I forwarded it to my daughter to prompt her for her Christmas list.
Totally off topic, but what is your horoscope? Any Virgos reading this? My dad and sister are also virgos. All we do is make lists.
I just ordered this from Amazon for my coffee or tea. I’ll let you know how it works. I have alot of cords around my desk so that’s my only concern.
Don’t forget tell me your sign (if you are into horoscope)s and your first world problem this weekend)!
Let’sgo!