How to Decorate A Mirror for The Holiday

Mirrors have always fascinated me. In fact, there are three in our living room: one in the entry way and one in the family room. You can't go wrong with it because it creates an illusion of space in a room.
                     
I love decorating them during holidays since they're very elegant and there are many ways to make them festive.  

I was inspired by this user from Pinterest, so I came up with this idea. We converted our small dining room as an extension to our living room and I also put a mirror and a console table. I decorated it with paper garlands made from circles cut from festive Christmas papers.          

                                                                          
I put a lamp on the corner and tied it with a tassel.

                                                                   
To make it decorative and have a winter touch, there's a lantern filled with balls, a pair of hurricane glasses with candles on it. Some greenery decorated with snowflakes was placed as well. There are also a pair of Santa Christmas cards on both sides of the table.

                                                                                                 
I used a pattern for the circles, cut it with scissors, then sewed them into garlands with a sewing machine. It's an easy and inexpensive way to decorate your mirror.

                                                                             
The top is decorated with a bow and a Christmas ornament. Under the table I put  a vintage trunk and a throw on top of it..  

Since New Year's Eve is coming, I changed some of the objects. Instead of the candles I replaced them with two candy jars. In the middle, I put a basket of fruits. It's our tradition to put circular objects or fruits to represent luck and fortune throughout the year.

Christmas Traditions

We had a simple celebration at our house last Christmas Eve with our whole family. In the Philippines, it's one of the biggest holidays  in the country. It celebrates the longest Christmas season as early as September until January. The official observance is December 16th, the beginning  of Simbang Gabi.      

                               
As a tradition we ate dinner, and then attended the mass at midnight. For Filipinos, they call it the Noche Buena. Attending mass is important in showing our devotion to God. It was almost 2:00 when we got home and my girls were excited to open their presents.

                     
The parol is one of the iconic and beloved symbols of Christmas. It means "lantern" or "lamp". It represents the star of Bethlehem that guided the Magi, also known as the three kings. I hung some lanterns above the dinner table as a decoration.

                                                                                                                        
Another traditional Filipino Christmas tradition is Belen, derived from the Spanish name for Bethlehem. Belen depicts the infant Jesus in the manger, surrounded by the Virgin Mary, St Joseph, the shepherds, three kings, and some stable animals and angels. I put my nativity set on top of our piano.

                     
Here are some of my Christmas decorations:                                                                                    

A Christmas tree decorated with the collection of ornament balls, flowers, and an angel and star on the tree tip.

I decorated our mirror with paper garlands made with circles punched from festive Christmas papers. I will make a separate post on how to make them.

                                                                                     
On top of the sink I put recycled empty bottles and jars decorated with Christmas balls, candy canes, bows, and some evergreen.

                                                                                                                   
In the backyard, there were also wreaths and garlands with lights and some decorations.

I decorated the front door with a pair of topiary with bows and a pair of nutcrackers on both sides of the door. There's a wreath on it and lights surrounding it. I hope you learned some ideas on how to decorate your house during the holiday season.

Happy holidays!

Table Centerpiece

Christmas... is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart.

--Freya Stark

It’s only a week until Christmas and everyone’s busy preparing for their holiday dinner, so I thought that I’d like to share my idea on how to make your table festive and decorative. The chandelier is the focal point of the dinner table, so this is the perfect piece to decorate as a centerpiece.

I got this idea from Martha Stewart and I did this last year, but I didn’t get a chance to post it because of the holiday rush. It is very easy to make and it doesn’t cost a lot of money. Just buy Christmas balls and a fishing line, and you’re ready to start this project. I’m sure that this will amaze your guests and your dinner will be grand.

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas! J

Apple Cake

   "An apple a day keeps the doctor away " is an old proverb that most of us are familiar with, but what makes this fruit so special? As one of the most consumed fruits in the world, apples are praised as a miracle food. It's rich in important antioxidants and dietary fiber.

     Last Thanksgiving I prepared a very simple meal shared by the whole family. For dessert, I baked this cake, which was very easy to make. We got a lot of apples in the fridge, so I thought I would bake something instead of throwing it away.I found this recipe posted by one of my favorite bloggers, but I tweaked it a little bit by adding cinnamon instead of a lemon zest.

     The apples were arranged beautifully and the brown sugar was caramelized on top of the cake. My daughters ate it with vanilla ice cream while the cake was still warm.You can serve it with whipped cream or by itself while paired with coffee or tea. As for you guys, what is your favorite dessert?

Ingredients:

•  3 apples
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3 tbs. milk
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs. cinnamon

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Lightly grease a 9" springform cake tin.
3. Beat the butter, vanilla and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat the egg, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Fold into the batter, then add the milk. Mix until completely combined.
6. The batter will be thick. Spoon the batter into the tin and gently distribute with a fork.
7. Peel, core and slice the apples ( 12 wedges per apple ) and mix with 1/4 cup brown and cinnamon. Arrange the apple slices, close together and overlapping on top of the batter.
8. Bake for 50- 60 minutes or until cake test comes out clean. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Source: http://www.adorasbox.net/2010/12/italian-apple-cake.html

Autumn Recap

To every

THING

there is a

SEASON

and a

TIME

to every

PURPOSE

under heaven.

--Ecclesiastes 3:1

          Be thankful for the bounty of autumn colors. October is filled with the medley of warm color tones. There's orange like that of pumpkins, acorn squash and mums flowers. The temperature of the days change from cold to sunny, but warm. The combination of short daylight hours and chilly nights makes the physical changes of leaf color.

          I took some pictures of the trees while they had shades of brick red, golden mustard and orange. Looking back on all these pictures make me remember exactly why I love the fall season!

Lindor Truffles Lei with Money Butterflies

Our dear friend Madonna celebrated her 50th birthday with a simple celebration. It was a huge milestone for her, so I thought I'd give her a special present. It didn't need to be expensive, since it was the thought that counted. So, I made her a lei that was made up of Lindor truffles with money butterflies attached to it. According to Chinese tradition, giving money as a present represents luck and fortune.

The holiday season is coming, so this is a perfect gift for your kids and friends alike. Everyone will love this present because it's personalized and festive. You can give this to someone as a birthday present or a party favor for any occasion.

Materials:

• Gold and red Lindor chocolate, about 18 pieces
• Small, white ribbon
• Wide, red ribbon
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Money
• Floral wire

Procedure:

1. Connect the candies in alternate patterns, with two gold candies and one red candy in the middle. Use the tape to secure it, and tie it with a white ribbon. Leave about 2 inches on both ends for curling.
2. Repeat the procedure until you have used all the candies. Try wearing it on your neck and add more candies, if desired, to your lei. 
3. Put one candy in the middle of the lei to use as a pendant, secure it with tape and tie it like a bow with the ribbon and curl at the ends.
4. Tie a wide, red ribbon at the back part of the lei, so it would be easy to put around your neck when you wear it.
5. Fold the money into a butterfly shape, and attach it to the side of the lei. I actually made the butterfly design. You can add more of it, if desired. Secure it with a floral wire and tie it with a ribbon.
6. To create the butterfly, you need two paper bills for a part of the body and another one for the wings. Attach it as shown in the picture. 

Lei: 

Money Butterfly:

The total amount used for the lei, represents the 50th birthday. Two $20 bills, and two $5 bills were used.     

Pictures from the party:

My dear friend Madonna

The BFFS
friendship that grows stronger over the years

Fall Fashion

"Fashions fade, style is eternal" 

- Yves Saint Laurent  

It’s October and it’s getting cold. Fall is officially here, which means we need to transition our wardrobe
from summer to fall. It can be tricky but you can do it through different techniques. For example, you can still wear a dress but instead wear it with tights and boots.

Fall Must Haves:

            Knit Beanie: The beanie is one of those cozy trends; it’s also practical and affordable.

2          Over the Knee Boots: You can wear this with a shirt dress and pair it with legging or jeans.

            Turtle Necks: This will keep you toasty without adding bulk. For an ideal outfit, wear a basic cotton turtle neck under a heavy coat. Audrey Hepburn would approve!

4          Animal Print: Animal prints can be best paired with leather jackets and black boots.

6          Wedge Sneakers: Perfect with jeans or leggings

7            Leggings under shorts/rompers: Another great way to transition a wardrobe. Simply add a pair of leggings to go with your summer outfit.

8      Layering: Light layering is a must for this season, especially when it’s chilly in the morning.

9          Leather Jackets: This is another must have for this season! You can pair it with boots, dressy shoes, and almost anything. You can dress it up or down. 

            Faux Fur Vest: This can be used instead of having a jacket, if the temperature isn't too cold yet.