Skip to Content

Here’s a woodsy pair of friends to adorn your holiday gifts. I made these free gift tags from vintage owl and deer Christmas tree ornaments that I found at a local antique store. Last year I gave these ornaments to my friend Heather to add to her collection. I shot a couple photos on my …

Read More about Free printable gift tags from vintage Christmas ornaments

As a crafter like me you are probably doing one or more of the following things right about now: (1) making handmade holiday gifts for friends and family, (2) looking to buy creative and budget-friendly gifts, or (3) making your own list to give to your family. Well, the MerrimentDesign.com Crafty Holiday Guide is here …

Read More about Crafty Holiday Gift Guide Ideas for Christmas and Hanukkah

Hearts is the theme of two easy Valentine’s Day gifts perfect for spoiling the sweet toddler and tween girls in your life. First is a teeny pouch bracelet perfect for storing candies or tiny love notes. You can make it with either heart-shaped velcro and button closures …and you can hand sew it too rather …

Read More about DIY Valentine’s Day Felt Heart Pocket Bracelet and Kid’s Mini-Purse

Years ago I bought a vintage kissing couple pendant at a Manhattan summertime flea market. I wore the sweet thing ad nauseum, which you can see here in this summer cider and berry smoothie post that includes this photo of me fawning over Stephanie and Dale at the Green City Market. See also: ‘Make Valentines …

Read More about Vintage Kissing Couple Printable Template

While I’ve never been much of a Valentine’s Day girl, I’ve always been a big fan of coconut and chocolate. I made these special treats by modifying a recipe from an Australian cookbook. Ingredients (for four Valentine’s Day treats): 1 cup coconut 1 egg white (buy pasteurized eggs if you can) 5/8 cup cream (just …

Read More about Toasted Coconut Chocolate Valentine Dessert with Cacoa Nibs

Here’s one of my favorite it’s-a-rainy-day-and-I-am-low-on-groceries recipe: Green pea soup with toasted baguette slices. It’s a healthy, low fat, non-dairy recipe from Ellie Krieger, one of my favorite Food Network chefs. 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups) 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon (I subbed …

Read More about Rainy Day Green Pea Soup

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, Shane and I took a cooking class at Sur La Table. While the classes there aren’t as hands-on as our beloved, defunct Calphalon Culinary Center Cooking Classes, the personable instructor was full of ad libbed tips and Shane got a spiffy Le Creuset 6.75-qt. Enameled Oval Dutch Oven soup pot. Our …

Read More about Hearty Soups for Cold Winter Days