October Magic of the Month – Halloween!

We don’t care for the sinister, gory part of Halloween. But we can definitely have fun with ghosts and witches (as long as they’re not too scary), monsters, spiders and the more “light hearted” side of the holiday. We want to share some of our favorite ideas with you. SPIDERS! Both of these cakes are awesome, […]

September Magic of the Month – Autumn Drinks

Without question, Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love everything about it…falling temperatures and falling leaves; pumpkins, mums, apple cider – all of it! I’m one of those rare people who prefers cold temperatures over the heat. While I certainly enjoy the benefits of summer – longer days and more time outside, […]

August Magic of the Month – Summer Entertaining!

It’s so hard to believe that summer is already winding down – but it’s true! In an effort to hold on as long as possible, we invited some friends over for dinner the other night. The table was decorated with red and white checked napkins, jars filled with wildflowers and some fun ants to keep […]

Gender Reveal Party

My daughter, Laura, is pregnant with her first child – and my first grandchild! Because the latest baby trend seems to be gender reveal parties, we thought we’d join in the fun. Last month, my other daughter, Emily, Dawn and I put together a fun party for the gender announcement. As our guests arrived, they […]

July Magic of the Month – Six Summer Fixin’s

This month, we thought we’d share some side dish recipes, all of which can be enjoyed at a barbecue, picnic or simply dinner on the porch on a warm, summer night. DAWN’S SUMMER SALAD 1 box twisted pasta, cooked and drained 1 English cucumber, sliced lengthwise and thinly sliced in half moon shapes 2 tomatoes, […]

The Den in Summer

For as long as I can remember, summers at the den meant catching fireflies, making grape jelly from a grapevine  that was planted by the original owner/builder over 50 years ago, late night bonfires, thunderstorms and getting to stay up late because daytime lasted longer. These are just some of my childhood memories, and I […]

She Said “Yes” Dessert Buffet

    Shortbread Cookies with Strawberry Butter We used store-bought shortbread cookies and spruced them up with a delicious strawberry butter.  The garnish was a sliced strawberry cut into the shape of a heart. Perfect!  The strawberry butter is easy and makes the cookies extra impressive! First, you’ll need approximately 7 strawberries.  Slice them and […]

She Said “Yes”!

When Joe, our long-time family friend, announced plans to propose to his girlfriend, we went into immediate party planning mode. Joe had a very specific idea in mind for the proposal. Every significant event in their relationship up to this point had been associated with fire. Their first kiss, their first pronouncement of love, and so […]

Independence Day!!

We want to share some of our favorite Fourth of July pins.  We hope this gives you some great ideas for your own celebrations. We are planning a big party for the fourth and will be sure to post pictures! FOURTH OF JULY!! We love these ideas for centerpieces.  Fire crackers, painted Ball jars and […]

June Magic of the Month – Seven BBQ Rubs

June’s Magic of the Month is just in time for summer.  As we entertain our family and friends, grilling is often the top choice for cooking.  And nothing kicks up the flavor like a rub!  A rub is an easy way to add incredible taste by simply mixing a variety of seasonings and spices and […]