A Photo Guestbook Your Holiday Visitors Can Help Create… In the Moment!

This post is brought to you by Canon. Discover more about PIXMA Printing Solutions here.

Wireless Canon Pixma Photo Guestbook

When our oldest daughter turned two, we decided that we were going to spend the holidays in our own home going forward. My husband and I had experienced the joy and comfort of at-home holidays growing up and felt this was an important gift to give our own children. I had also recently spent a Christmas snowed in at an airport hotel in Cincinnati, but that’s a story for another day. As you can imagine, our relatives, who mostly live out-of-state, were disappointed but they didn’t pout and they didn’t cry, instead they rallied and bought plane tickets, hooray! Although we want to be together in our own home for the holidays, it just isn’t the same without a crowd of grandparents and cousins so we are lucky that our families are willing to travel. We basically have an open door of comings and goings from Mid-November to Mid-January and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

With three kids under five, I’ve also appreciated the help during this busy time of year. Now that they are a little older, I’m determined to start treating my visitors like guests rather than staff and help to make their stay a little more comfortable and relaxing. Visions of water pitchers and fresh cut flowers dance through my head. I’ve also created this simple Photo Guest Book inspired by the new Canon PIXMA MG7120 cloud-enabled, wireless printer.

Wireless Canon Pixma Photo Guestbook

I’ve had wireless printers before but the brilliantly simple set-up and no-fail ease of access with the cloud-enabled PIXMA MG7120 have blown me away. A guest can literally walk into our house, take a snapshot with their phone, hit print, and have a gorgeous photo in hand in minutes. While they are at it, they can print out their boarding pass, Aunt Sophie’s famous Snickerdoodle recipe, and the lyrics to Good King Wenceslas. No more promises of emailing that perfect shot of your whole family together (for once,) they can print it right then in the moment! With the cloud capabilities of the PIXMA MG7120, guests can even print photos to your printer once they have given their goodbye hugs and hit the road. It scans and copies too, and can print directly from social media networks. Did I mention that it also comes in four colors? Red, White, Brown and Black, so it’s pretty enough to leave on display.

Wireless Canon Pixma Photo Guestbook

I simply picked up a pretty EK Success Scrapbook at Target. I used my new Martha Stewart Crafts Scoring Board with Paper Trimmer to easily (and so safely!) trim brown craft paper to the size of the book and replace the plastic sleeves.

Martha Stewart paper cutter

I created a simple template for artwork, instructions and note cards, which I also printed on the PIXMA MG7120.

guestbook template

Then I created a simple station next to the printer in everyone’s favorite new Nate Berkus tray, with fine tip markers, a Studio Calico roller stamp and a festive assortment of washi tape.

Photo guest book Canon Pixma MG7120

Inspired to treat your visitors to a wonderful holiday stay? For more ways to make your house guests feel comfortable, and welcome in your home this season, visit our Holiday Houseguest Pinterest Board.

Thank you to Canon for sponsoring this post and for introducing us to this amazing printer. We loved it so much that once we tried it out, we promptly bought a second one for Jaime’s house in California!

This post is brought to you by Canon. Discover more about PIXMA Printing Solutions here.

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Juicy Juice + Monsters University Movie Night + Apple Pie Slush/Shake Recipe

This post is sponsored by Juicy Juice. Thanks for the fun inspiration!
Monsters University Gift PAckThere’s a chill in the air and the holiday season is upon us. It’s the perfect time to snuggle together for a family movie night. Clare, Quinn and Gordon are finally close enough in age that they can all watch a full-length movie like Monsters University together. The girls have always been silent movie viewers so it’s hilarious to hear Gordon scream and laugh over the scene on the screen. Perhaps we should stick to AT-HOME movies for a bit longer.
Monsters University Movie Night

Monsters University Gift PAckRead on for our simple Apple Pie Slush Recipe. There’s a shake version too!
Monsters University Gift PAck

Monsters University Gift PAck

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Tinsel Ornament DIY: The Easiest Ornament You’ll Ever Make

tinsel ornament diy

Here’s a super simple and fun tinsel ornament DIY that is perfect for this year – all sparkle, shine, and gold! I made this in a slight different way, with a vertical column of tinsel inside the glass ball for a more modern look.

diy tinsel ornaments

All you need is glass ornaments, tinsel, pipe cleaner, and hot glue, all of which I snagged at Michaels,

when I was working on our Winter Woodland tree for the 2013 Dream Tree Challenge.

Find out how to make my simple tinsel ornaments after the jump… (more…)

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Baked Apples Throw Down: Microwave Vs Oven

Did you know that baked apples are one of the easiest desserts you can make? It takes less than a minute to prep the apples and thirty minutes to bake in the oven. That’s thirty long minutes of drooling. Then I remembered the Lazy Late Night treats like, coffee cake in a cup, French toast, blueberry cobbler, and I thought I should give the baked apple a try. I was hesitant because of the rubber effect so I decided to have a throw down: microwave vs oven.

Check out the Baked Apples Throw Down: Microwave Vs Oven after the jump…

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Handmade Hanukkah


Prepare for Thanksgivukkah with an assortment of handmade Hanukkah gifts and treats…

1) Make a Fleece Pom Pom Garland to hang on the mantel.

2) Test out your needle felting skills with this beginner project – Needle Felted Rattle Ball.

3) Use edible markers to make a batch of Hanukkah Cookies.

4) Hanukkah Cupcakes make a tasty treat too.

5) Sew Pom Pom Hats to keep their heads warm.

6) Crochet Yarmulke and Headband.

7) Use Jacinda’s tutorial to make a Crinkle Tag Toy for the baby.

8) And DIY Ribbon Wands for the kids.

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DIY Sharpie Ornaments


One of the projects we did for the Winter Woodland Tree for the Michael’s 2013 Dream Tree Challenge was Sharpie ornaments. They are one of those incredibly rewarding projects that take no time at all and leave room for error. Jaime and I made quite a few of them, and the only problem we faced was running out of white ornaments to decorate. Just in case you missed it, you should check out Jaime’s $3, 3-Minute Garland she made for the tree too.

Learn how to make DIY Sharpie Ornaments after the jump…

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Thanksgiving Nail Art Tutorial


Ally from Nail in the Coffee is back today with a perfectly festive holiday nail tutorial, just in time for Thanksgiving. Learn how to make these adorable Abstract Pilgrim Buckle Nails with her simple tutorial. I’m dying to try out her Watercolor Nails next, and her 24 Karat Gold Manicure for Christmas. Her gradient nails are pretty darn cute too.

If you’ve missed Ally’s Pretty Prudent nail tutorials, check out her Spring into Summer nails, Nautical Nails, Firework Fingertip Nails, and Candy Corn Nail Tutorial (which you could change up with different colors).

Check out the tutorial for her Thanksgiving nails after the jump…

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Winter Woodland: Our Michael’s 2013 Dream Tree Challenge

michaels dream tree challenge 4

Jacinda and I LOVE the yearly Michael’s Dream Tree Challenge. What could be better than being sent a tree and a Michaels gift card and just being asked to have some fun decorating it?

michaels dream tree challenge 6

Last year I was in Dallas in November, so Jacinda and I were able to work together to make a million tiny DIY tissue fringe ornaments for our 2012 Michaels’ Dream Tree: The Pine-ata! And Jacinda even made an amazing no-sew tree skirt to match.
Michaels Dream Tree Challenge

This year, sadly, Jacinda and I used our precious time together for a writing retreat to Palm Springs, so Collen and I were left to fend for ourselves in the land of a million ornament-options and DIY possibilities that is a Michaels store. So I dropped Scarlet at Grumpa and Grammy’s house and collected my supplies. I stocked up on beautiful wooden ornaments, feathers, suede cord, pom poms, golden tinsel, pipe cleaners, glass ornaments and more to make my Winter Woodland tree.
Michael's Dream Tree Challenge 2013 2

Next week we will show you how we made our tinsel ornaments (inspired by these $6 beauties from West Elm),
diy tinsel ornaments

as well as our DIY black and white ornaments (so fun!),
diy sharpie ornament

but today let me share with you how I made this, the easiest of garlands.
Michael's Dream Tree Challenge 2013 3

This pom pom garland costs less then $3 and takes less then 3 minutes to make! Even your kids can do it (assuming they are old enough to handle needles)! Watch and learn, it will only take a minute:

Want to see all of of gorgeous trees from some amazing bloggers? Here’s the Michaels Facebook Album of all of the Dream Trees. Here is a Pinterest board of all of the trees as well! Tune in next week for more ornament tutorials. So, what are you making for your tree this year?

Michaels supplied this easy to assemble pre-lit 6′ tree and a gift card to cover decorations.

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