Game Day Decor

The big game is coming up in just a couple of weeks. Even though the Packers didn’t quite live up to expectations this year, the big game is always a fun game to celebrate. If you’re hosting a party, we’ve got you covered with some classy and fun decor to transform your home into a game day experience for your guests. 

Personalize

Mini chalkboards are so simple to personalize for whatever kind of party you are throwing. You can write cute football sayings, like “Go Team,”and “Ready, Set, Eat”. You can even label food items with chalkboards, or mini chalk labels on mason jars. For a bonus touch, use chalk in your team colors to write with! 

Keep it Neutral with a Touch of Color

One of the simplest places to decorate for a party that will have a high impact on your theme is the table. Here you can create a neutral tablescape and add in some touches of your team’s colors. Grab some brown craft paper, a Sharpie, and some football quotes and drawings and you’ve got a really unique table runner. Next fill a galvanized bucket with faux greenery, or even succulents . You can add flags in team colors, or little mini footballs. A neutral vase filled with flowers in your team colors is another easy and effective way to support your team.

Decorate the Drink Table

Whatever kind of drinks you are serving at your party, you can always spruce up the serving area with a few unique touches. Serve beer, soda, wine or water from a galvanized bucket filled with ice. Nearby, a towel in your team colors for wiping bottles or cans is a cute touch. Drinks can be served in mason jars with paper straws in team colors for added interest. If you have a football themed bottle opener that is a bonus! 

Snack Time

A good football party has all the snacks. Using serving platters that you already own, you can get creative arranging appetizers in the shape of a football, or goal posts. Another easy way to add team colors is to use cocktail picks with colored cellophane frill or flags. Don’t forget the colored napkins!

Whether it’s your favorite team in the game or you’re just in it for the commercials, the Big Game is such a fun reason to gather with friends. This year, keep your party simple, but festive by using neutral decor that you already own, and adding a touch of color and football!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Everyone loves a good salsa at a gathering of friends or family. This Black Bean and Corn Salsa is fresh, easy, and kid friendly. Bonus, the flavors only get better as they rest together, so make it ahead of time and you can relax on party day!

Prep: 10 mins | Rest Time: 30 mins (at least) | Total Time: 40 mins | Servings: Eight

Ingredients

2 cups corn, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cilantro finely chopped

¼ red onion finely chopped

¼ cup red bell pepper finely diced

2 tsp lime juice

2 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

Turn it Into Salsa

Mix all ingredients together gently and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tips and Tricks

You can leave this salsa to chill overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor. The more finely you chop your ingredients, the more flavor they will have. You can add or remove any ingredients to better fit your taste. Try adding avocado, tomatoes, green chile salsa, or even jalapenos to give it a bite. 

Enjoy this easy, fresh app at your game day party, and save the recipe to share with your friends, they’re going to want it!

Decluttering Your Living Space

If you’re following our series on declutter, you’re familiar with having a system to get rid of items that you no longer need or want in the form of garbage, recycle, or donate. It’s helpful to keep this same mindset in your living spaces as well as looking at how you can store items that you use daily in a more efficient way.

For most families, the living space is really well lived in, and can be so difficult to keep clutter free. There is simply some clutter that is just necessary. If this is true for you, but also drives you crazy don’t worry, there are options! Here are four of the best.

Ottomans

Whether you’re storing toys, cozy blankets, extra pillows, or anything you might use frequently in your living space, ottomans are a brilliant way to keep out the clutter. Finding an ottoman that matches your furniture and does double duty as storage can do wonders for your living room.

Sofa Tables

One sneaky way to add extra storage in your living space is to add a sofa table that has space to hold baskets. Decluttering the toys has never been quicker and more simple than tossing them in a basket. Out of sight, out of mind! 

Cabinets and Consoles

Image By: Fourhands

Another way to keep everyday items available for easy access and keep your living space clutter free is by adding a cabinet or a console with doors to store items like magazines, books, or games. As a bonus, this creates another surface to decorate!

Baskets

Remote controls and chargers are two major culprits of clutter. A great way to store these items is to simply have a basket. This serves as a functional and stylish way to store items that can become eye sores when laying around. There are many products out there marketed as “charging stations” that can be very convenient for keeping all cords, phones, and devices in one place. If this doesn’t fit the aesthetic of your home, try finding a basket or a bin to place your station inside of. This can also be a great opportunity to get rid of old cords that are broken or don’t even have a use for any of your devices anymore. 

Bonus Tip

Another instant glow up for your living room is probably the easiest of them all. Take a look at your pillows and throws. Anything looking dingy and worn can be stored away “just in case” or tossed. If your favorite throws are just too cozy to give up but aren’t exactly aesthetically pleasing anymore, find a proper place to store them out of sight like an ottoman with a lid that opens, or a blanket ladder. Check on your pillows also. Have you been collecting and collecting and now there are so many pillows that you can barely sit on your sofa? Now is the time to decide, toss, donate, or store away for another day.

Clutter in our living spaces can make the mind feel cluttered too. These tips are sure to clear up some space in your home and help you feel more at ease in your favorite family living space.

Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe

The weather has been mild here in Wisconsin recently, but it looks like a cool down is on the way. This creamy, hot, comfort chicken soup is the perfect way to warm up on the coldest January days!

Prep: 15 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Total Time: 45 mins | Servings: Four

Ingredients

1 stick of finely chopped celery

2 medium to large peeled and chopped carrots

½ medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

3 tbsp flour

4 cups chicken broth

¼ tbsp Italian seasoning

¾ cup uncooked white jasmine rice

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 lb uncooked chicken breasts, cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix it Up

Combine all veggies in a large pot. Add olive oil and saute for about 5 minutes making sure to stir occasionally. Add in garlic and cook for just about 30 seconds, until garlic begins to brown. Next stir in the flour for about one minute. After that, slowly add the chicken broth and continue to stir until the flour has dissolved. Next add the Italian seasoning, rice, and heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally. Lastly, add in the chicken and cook for about 10 minutes. Make sure both the chicken and rice are cooked. 

This will make a very creamy soup, as the rice soaks in the broth quickly. For a less creamy version, add more broth. If you don’t plan to eat this soup right away, make sure to cook the rice separately and add to the soup mixture right before you eat. 

Enjoy this comfort food on a chilly day with friends or family!

Sustainable Interior Design in 2023

One of the most trending concepts in interior design for 2023 is the use of sustainable materials within the architecture, design, and furnishing of your home. When it comes to sustainability, there are a few different categories of home design and decor to look at.

Furniture

Wood, preferably durable wood such as walnut, oak, or teak are great options for furniture because they last much longer than less durable woods. Concern about the cutting of trees is real, but if your furniture lasts for generations, you’re definitely doing your part. Try to steer clear of overly trendy furniture, and opt for more classy, durable pieces that can be updated with throws and pillows to keep up with trends. Other materials that are sustainable for furniture include wicker, cork, cotton, wool, and bamboo. 

Fabrics and Upholstery

Carpets, rugs, window treatments, even down to your kitchen towels; there are so many opportunities within the home to choose more sustainable materials. When replacing rugs, try to look for something made from wool. Wool is great for the environment because it is biodegradable, and it also resists dust and has antibacterial properties. 

You can look for towels and curtains made from recycled materials, or natural fabrics such as cotton, hemp, cashmere, and wool. With so many choices, you definitely don’t have to sacrifice style for sustainability!

Home Decor

It can be really fun to update your home with new decor. The next time you do it, try to find something sustainable! Plants are a really easy option for this, as they are bright, airy, and some can even have air purifying properties! If you don’t have a green thumb, there are a lot of options that are low maintenance such as succulents, indoor herb gardens, and ferns.

If you are thinking about major updates to your living spaces, or just small, simple changes in 2023, sustainability is where it’s at!

Winter Cosmopolitan Mocktail

At the start of each year, many people like to do dry January. Whether it be for health reasons, trying to kick bad habits, or simply wanting to start the year in a fresh, clear state of mind, dry January is here for many. This easy, low sugar Cosmopolitan mocktail recipe is a fun way to support friends or family that aren’t drinking alcohol during this season, or any season of life!

Prep: 5 mins | Total Time: 5 mins | Servings: 1

Ingredients

3 oz Cranberry Juice

1 oz Lime Juice

2 oz Soda Water

1 oz Orange Juice 

Mix it Up

Pour cranberry and lime juice into a cocktail shaker, add soda water and ice. Once shaken, pour into a martini glass and add a splash of orange juice. 

For a fun twist add lime and sugar to the rim of your glass!  Cut a slice of lime and use it to moisten the rim of your glass. Then, zest the lime wedge and add it to a small bowl or plate (large enough to dip the rim of your martini glass into). Add sugar to the bowl and gently mix together. Dip the rim of your glass into the mixture, and you’ll have a festive looking, sweet tasting mocktail to enjoy!

Decluttering the Kitchen

The kitchen is a space that is cherished by so many. Often, it is the gathering place, the meeting place, a place for serious and friendly conversations alike. And of course, it’s the space where we prepare and enjoy family meals. This space is so essential to our homes that it often gets filled with clutter unintentionally. 

This week, as we begin decluttering our homes, let’s focus on this essential space so that we can enjoy more family time cooking, eating, and laughing in a kitchen that brings joy and peace, rather than clutter and chaos.

If you have bins for trash, recycling, put away, keep, and donate, now is the time to get them out! There is a lot of opportunity in the kitchen not only for organizing, but also getting rid of things we haven’t used in ages, and putting things we use, but rarely, into places that make more sense.

One of the best places to begin is the dreaded tupperware drawer. This will help you feel accomplished. Toss out any containers that don’t have lids, and any lids that don’t have containers. Often containers will be labeled on the bottom to help you determine whether they can be recycled. This is also a great time to decide whether your tupperware is being stored efficiently. There are many great products out there for organizing lids and containers so they are easily accessible.

Two other simple areas that will have a big impact on your kitchen space are silverware, and drinkware. Take a look to see if there are items that you haven’t used in some time, and decide whether or not they are in good enough shape to donate, or if they simply need to be tossed out. Water bottles and coffee mugs are some of the most space consuming items in the kitchen, but most of us have our “go to” mugs and bottles and we rarely use the others. You can also take a quick look in your silverware drawer and toss or donate any items that don’t match your set. Sometimes silverware accumulates over time from guests and parties we host. If you can, return it, otherwise, toss or donate! This same concept can be applied to dishes, pans, and serving platters. 

Next, take a look in your kitchen cabinets. Do you have an effective way of storing dishes, pots and pans, serving platters, and small appliances? It isn’t enjoyable to cook in a kitchen where you have to climb on a ladder to get out the crock pot, or remove heavy dishes to get to that perfect serving platter. Take a step back and think of what you use most, and give those items the best places for storage with easiest access. While you’re looking, is there anything you have duplicates of, or only use once or twice a year? Small kitchen appliances like waffle makers, toaster ovens or other novelty gadgets could be stored in a pantry or closet to save space in the kitchen. 

If you have any energy left after all of that, it can be life changing to clean off your counter spaces. Not only is it easier to cook and clean with clear counters, it just feels so incredible to look at a shiny countertop with no clutter. This is easier said than done, especially if your family uses the kitchen for things like homework, office space, or a place for frequently used items such as school folders, mail, car keys, charging stations, etc. After you’ve decluttered other items in your kitchen, maybe you’ve found an extra drawer that could be used for things like mail and school items that are used on a daily basis. You could also look into a storage system for charging phones and hanging car keys. Anything you can remove from the counters in the kitchen will make your space feel more luxurious. Don’t forget about the fridge! Keep the doors clear and only hang magnets and other items neatly on the sides. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Decluttering is something people put off because it isn’t just a matter of cleaning up, there are important decisions to be made. Decluttering your whole kitchen in one day is a big job, but it can be done if you have the ability to take the entire day. If not, maybe just choose one project each day for a week. You’ll feel so accomplished and your home will take on a whole new energy! It’s time to take back your kitchen!

Decluttering your Home, Room by Room

It’s January, that time of year when positive energy is flowing from the excitement of a new year and new beginnings. We often find ourselves making promises and resolutions this time of year. Starting off strong can be easy to do, but maintaining progress on our goals can prove challenging. 

In this series on Decluttering Your Home, Room by Room, we will take a look at why decluttering is so important both mentally and physically. Using checklists, we will split up the home into sections and work, starting small to make a big impact. 

Before you get started, it might be helpful to ask yourself what your goals are for decluttering. Is this a deep dive into each room to get rid of old, unwanted things, or is this just taking a look around and picking up? Are you looking to donate unused items, store them away for later use, or just reorganize? Deciding whether or not this is a home transformation, or a home cleanup will help you to create a plan and stay focused.

Another important thing to think about before you get started is the “why” of it all.  Why do you want to do this? Common reasons people want to declutter are: 

Stress - Too many things around the home can cause a feeling of overwhelm and stress. Many people want to simplify their homes to feel more at ease.

Ease of Everyday Tasks - Cleaning up is easier if there aren’t piles to move.

Ease of Finding What you Need - This one is simple, when everything has a place, things are easier to find.

Happiness - Don’t we all want a space where we can spend less time frantically picking up, organizing, and shoving things into corners when guests come over? A space where we can unwind at the end of a long day without the guilt of a lingering mess? If an organized space makes you happy, then taking time spent decluttering is time well spent.

Before you begin decluttering, you might want to make sure you have bags and bins ready to sort your items. A bin for garbage and recycling, a bin for things you want to put away in a different area of your home, a bin for things you want to keep where they are, and a bin for things to donate. You should also have cleaning supplies on hand. 

As we dive into January, let’s ease into a decluttering mindset, starting with our goals, and prepping our homes for the actions we will begin to take each week. Set your intentions for your home declutter, and realize materials you may want to have handy as you begin. Click on our printable checklist to get started.

Winter Chopped Salad

Salads aren’t just for summer! Try this sweet seasonal recipe for healthy greens and nutritious produce, perfect for a winter gathering or a side at dinner time.

Prep: 15 mins | Total Time: 15 mins | Servings: Six

Salad Ingredients

4 oz. chopped kale

4 oz. chopped cabbage

½ C candied pecans (walnuts or hazelnuts will also work)

½ C pomegranate arils

½ red onion, diced

½ C blue cheese, crumbled

Add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together.

Vinaigrette Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp maple syrup

Salt and pepper to taste

In a separate bowl combine all ingredients and whisk together. Pour over salad, gently toss, and serve!

Decorating For Winter

You spent precious time decorating your home for the Christmas season. You adore the cozy feel you’ve achieved and the decor of your home holds your favorite recent memories. But Christmas is over, so now what? Don’t run to put away ALL of your Christmas decorations just yet! We’ve got three sneaky ideas for how to maintain a winter vibe in your home while letting a few of your favorites stick around a little longer.

Cozy and Comfortable

If you have Christmas throws and blankets out in your home now, take a closer look. Are they Christmas themed, or just cozy for winter? Winter materials like velvet, faux fur and hide, and cable knit are comfy textures to keep out all winter long. As long as they don’t have Christmas sayings or designs, there is no reason to hide them away so quickly. Keep cozy items that are more neutral and add an accent pillow or blanket to celebrate winter.

Outside In

If you have Christmas wreaths or greenery out in your home, they can stay too. Wreaths aren’t just for holidays, they can give off the vibe of an entire season. Replace ornaments, Christmas bows, or other themed accents with more seasonal items such as pine cones or berries. A simple vase with faux greenery is also a winter themed piece that can add a nice feel to your home throughout the chilly season.

Winter Glow

Traditional Christmas lights probably aren’t something you want to keep up in your home once the holidays are over, but there are plenty of options for lighting that can enhance the cozy feel and still help you feel reminiscent of the holiday season. Fairy lights in jars or clear vases are charming and cozy. Fairly lights also warm up garland or sprigs placed in decorative bowls.