CasaSugar

Su Casa: A Christmas Mantel Shelf

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:30:45 -0800

Since we're not all fortunate enough to live in our dream houses, we have to be innovative with what we've got. Su Casa member JenLovesGreen certainly subscribes to this train of thought. As much as she would love to keep cozy by a warm fireplace in her own living room, her current digs are lacking in that department. So, she's made the best of things this holiday season by bringing in an alternative: a shelf. "Although my substitute mantel doesn't frame a cozy fireplace," she says, "it does allow me to decorate for the holidays." She's festively dressed her faux mantel with an arrangement of elegant white pillar candles, cranberry garland, and two Christmas stockings to boot. I think this is a great alternative for all CasaSugar readers who want to hang stockings, but don't have a fireplace mantel - it's a brilliant solution. I can almost see those logs burning; can't you?
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Cranberry Decorating Part III: Cranberry Candle Wraps

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 06:31:57 -0800

If you didn't go for my cranberry candle cups but still want to deck your home this holiday season with some fruity accents, this easy project is for you. You can perk up any place that needs some color with these flexible cranberry garlands, which can be wound around candles, candlestick bases, or even chandeliers.

Supplies:

Fine gauge craft wire (.003 mm)
1 12-oz. bag fresh cranberries
Pinecones or acorns, if desired

To learn how to make these versatile wraps, read more

Here's how:

Cut wire to desired length.
Pierce the wire into the center of a cranberry.
Continue threading berries, bending wire into various shapes as you go.
If desired, alternate cranberries with other items like wooden beads, acorns, or pine cones, making a small hole with a thumbtack or a power drill with a tiny bit.
Bend the end of the wire into a loop, and wrap completed garland around a candle, candlestick, etc.

**Note: After a day or two, the berries will get soft, so you'll want to take them down. But, you can prolong the life of your cranberry wrap by spraying shellac on to the berries after they are strung. Also, don't put the garland onto anything white; it could stain.

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Cranberry Decorating Part II: Cranberry Candle Cups

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:32:04 -0800

If my cranberry place card post has you craving more cranberries in your décor this Thanksgiving, have no fear! I'm back with elegant cranberry cups to light up your table setting. Hopefully, you can make room for these stylish votives somewhere between those delectable mashed potatoes and your yummy roasted turkey!

Supplies:

4-6 clear martini glasses or wine goblets
1 12-oz. bag fresh cranberries
4-6 votive candles (tea lights)
Greenery or flowers, if desired

To learn how to make this fruitful luminary, read more

Here's how:

Fill glasses 2/3 full with fresh cranberries.
Nestle a votive candle on top of the cranberries.
If desired, garnish with a few blossoms or sprigs of greenery.

**Note: Be careful to keep lit flames from directly touching the cranberries; the heat of the flame could cause the berries to burst.

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Cranberry Decorating Part I: Place Cards

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:30:46 -0800

Ocean Spray has always been my go-to for Thanksgiving cranberry sauce; I've been known to eat an entire can of it as is. I've never thought to get decorating advice from the cranberry brand, though. I stumbled upon some festive cranberry DIY decorating projects on their site, and was so impressed, I've decided to share the series of them. They're fairly simple, and the deep color of the fruit is perfect for the holidays!

To learn how to make these beautiful place cards, read more

Supplies:

3 x 5-inch cards or card stock cut to size (as many as # of seats)
Glue gun
1 bag of fresh cranberries
Small dried leaves
Small twigs
Acorns
Fine point marker

Here's how:

Fold each 3 x 5-inch card in half crosswise to make a tent.
Write a guest’s name on each card in your best handwriting.
Using the glue gun, secure a few fresh cranberries to the corner of each card.
Secure a variation of leaves, twigs, and acorns to the cards so that each is different.
Let dry, and arrange at each setting!

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Just a Minute: Edible Garlands

LilSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:00:08 -0800

If you're a last minute tree trimmer like me, then you have probably entered the race to finish things by Christmas. If you don't feel like digging the ornament boxes out of storage and need to occupy the kids, head to the kitchen and make some edible garlands. Pop some popcorn and grab a couple of bags of cranberries and start stringing! The kids will love sampling the treats and your tree will be decorated in no time. Got a real lil one that isn't interested in the task, hand them a box of wrapped candy canes to hook on the tree. Need instruction? To see how to make an edible garland read more

Old Fashioned Popcorn and Cranberry Garland
From Craftmodo

You will need:

Cranberries, fresh
Popcorn - air-popped is best, or microwave popcorn that is natural and not salted or buttered. The popcorn you string should be a day old, fresh popcorn breaks too easily. Make extra as the kids will inevitably consume it as they work.
Heavy duty sewing thread. Waxed dental floss is another choice for the string, it won’t break and can make it easier to slid the cranberries on
Sewing needle. If you don’t want the kids to use a needle, try a toothpick. Securing the string to the toothpick is trickier but can be done
You will need long lengths of thread. Tie a knot at one end and thread the other end through the needle. Each child can work on one length of garland and they can be tied together when they are finished, just leave a couple of inches extra thread at the top when you tie off.
Push the needle through the cranberry and then slide it down the length of the thread to the knotted end. Next do the same with a piece of popcorn. Continue alternating cranberries and popcorn until you have finished the garland length. Tie them all together and hang the garland on the tree.

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Before and After: Upholstering an Antique Chair

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:00:57 -0700

Andrea, who writes the delightful blog Some Twittery, recently reupholstered an old chair. She writes, "The chair above has been sitting in the kitchen for about five months, patiently waiting for its moment to sparkle. I found it at an antique store. It had already been painted cream but was re-upholstered in a material not quite like oilcloth but a step up from contact paper. Underneath this was the original fabric, avocado green, cranberry, and gold stripes, with the paper label dating the chair itself from 1924. Old pieces of mattress were used for padding and the wood for the back was mint green with tire tread marks across it."

Here's what she started with.

To see the finished product, read more.

Using a simple, subdued cream linen, Andrea created a chair that looks absolutely serene. It would be a versatile piece in any number of rooms or decorating schemes.

Check out more of Andrea's gardening, home decorating, and craft adventures on her blog.
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Will There Be a Centerpiece on Your Thanksgiving Table?

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:00:11 -0800

As much as I love a festive centerpiece, at my house, the Thanksgiving table is usually overflowing with dishes and a sizable turkey of course, leaving little room for decoration. So, tall taper candlesticks are a good ole standby with minimal footprint, which I like to liven up with cranberry garlands. How about you?
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YumSugar Preview: Come Party With Me - Holiday Cocktail

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 11:22:40 -0800

The holidays are just around the corner and we're happy to announce that YumSugar.com will be here just in time. Starting this Friday, YumSugar.com will be your go to place for delicious recipes, entertaining tips and festive cocktails. See below for a sneak peek:

This week why not plan a cocktail party for you and your friends? The perfect event where ready made meets homemade, a quick, easy holiday themed get together can be thrown any night of the week. For all of the details (invite ideas, serving suggestions, decorations schemes, musical playlists, divine drinks) on how to host this party, see below.

Invites: Make simple invites by cutting out the shape of an ornament (or use this template) on metallic card stock or colored wrapping paper. Write out the super important details of your party-date, time, location, formality-on the back. Slide into an envelope and send. Too busy to send out formal invites? Decided you want to throw this party in three hours? Have no fear: write a text-invitation and send it to all of your friends.

Menu: Don't worry even if you aren't a kitchen goddess, you can still host a fabulous cocktail party by using mostly store bought items. Make one simple yet super tasty tiny bite or decadent dip and assemble the rest of your menu. Assemble a cheese platter: purchase one each of your favorite types of hard, semi soft, and soft cheese. Plate with crackers, baguette toasts, grapes, and bread sticks. Lay out slices of salami, prosciutto, and honeyed turkey on another plate. Fill bowls with mixed nuts, olives, and pretzels. For a sweet treat purchase Christmas themed cookies from your local bakery. Or fill silver bowls with red and green M&Ms, Hershey kisses, and candy canes.

For Decorations, Music and Drinks, read more

Decorations: Decorations are a no brainer! If you are anything like me your house will be merrily decorated for the Christmas holidays. With that said here's your decorating checklist: Plug in the Christmas tree lights. Check. Light some candles. Check. Make a fire in the fireplace. Check. Decorations? Done.

Music: Seriously girlies this party could not get any easier because everything is already done for you. Put your most played Christmas Cds (my picks: Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, the Beach Boys, and The Carpenters) on random and hit play.

Drinks: For a pro-hostess tip from the party master, don't offer an open bar. You will not enjoy your party. Instead make a big bowl of egg nog or cranberry Christmas punch. Offer beer, wine, and champagne for those who prefer something other than hard alcohol. For a nonalcoholic option serve a chilled apple cider and sparkling water flavored with orange and vanilla bean.

YumSugar is coming soon. Sign up to receive an email notification as soon as we launch!

Su Casa: A Very Beachy Christmas

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:32:54 -0800

TeamSugar member AnneD sent in these photos of her decked-out holiday home. She writes, "I live near the ocean, so my house has a nautical theme. I would love to hear any tips or advice anyone has for decorating!" (She also notes that even though you can't see it in the gallery picture, her banana tree is sporting a Red Sox ornament.)

I especially love AnneD's cool integration of ocean life with holiday decorating, and this starfish/cranberry combination is particularly inspired.

Do you want to post holiday photos, or other photos of your home? To join the Su Casa group, just follow this link and click "subscribe" beneath the photo on the left-hand side of the page. Once you're subscribed, click Share in the upper left-hand menu of any TeamSugar page and choose what type of post you want to create. If you have just one photo and some text, create a blog; if you have a gallery you want to share, select photos.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: Homemade Goodies

partysugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:18:30 -0800

Over the past couple of weeks, we've bombarded you with tons of outstanding gift ideas. From cupcakes to wine, we've got you covered. But what about gifts that highlight your prowess in the kitchen? Beautifully-packaged homemade goods - cookies, candies, jams, spice mixes, crackers, etc. - make excellent gifts.

Give baked goods to teachers, babysitters, hair stylists, or anyone who helps make your life easier. Package in clear baggies, festive boxes, or decorative tins tied with gorgeous ribbon. To help you get started, I've searched the Internet and complied a list of fabulous recipes that will make delectable gifts. To check it out all you have to do is read more.

Cookies:

Candy:

Savory:

Alcohol:

Did I forget your favorite homemade gift? Please share your ideas with us below!
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