winter Archives - Simply Happenstance

Cable Knit Scarf Pattern

February 26, 2015

:: Cable Knit Scarf Pattern ::

We haven’t had much of a winter here in California, though we do pray for rain. Our family went out of our way to find local snow over the President’s weekend, so of course… I had to make a scarf for the occasion! This Cable Knit Scarf Pattern is my favorite knitting pattern for handmade scarves. It’s fairly easy, and it’s a wonderful craft to give to a special someone. It can be perfectly styled with that favorite pair of boots that rarely make it out of your closest! The perfect excuse to make and wear this scarf before the spring warms us up! [Read more…]

DIY // Natural Christmas Garland

December 11, 2014

DIY // Natural Christmas Garland

I love all things gold and sparkly {just take a look at my pinecone garland from last year!}… but I also love natural things, as well! I guess it depends on what I’m in the mood for… and the purpose of the piece. In this case, it was my sweet mama who planned this outdoorsy garland to make with her grandchildren over Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, but she did leave the supplies with me to complete the simple DIY with my kids. {Thanks, Mom!} I’m crazy about how it turned out… and the kids and I had so much fun putting it together for the birds in our backyard to enjoy!

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Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

October 28, 2014

:: Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons ::

It’s no secret that Miss Blue and I love watching the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. Every one of Ina’s recipes is so tasty and worthy of creating in your own home. I recently sat down with my sweet girl and watched an episode featuring this soup. It wasn’t the tomato soup that had me eager to try it out — but the grilled cheese croutons! How could anyone resist those?!

I am an avid recipe review reader. I love to read all about peoples’ likes and dislikes when it comes to a recipe I’m about to make. I definitely changed this one up a bit, adapting some of the herbs, adding a bit of sugar, and by puréeing the soup to make it even creamier. I think that you’ll love the result! [Read more…]

DIY Snowflakes

December 11, 2013

:: DIY Snowflakes ::

I have a super easy, and fun, three-dimensional snowflake tutorial to share with you today! My oldest son, Ryan, came home with one of these pretties last year. I immediately made him show me how to make them! The supplies are undoubtedly things you have around the house, and the steps are simple… especially once you’ve made the first section. This would be a lovely craft to do with the kids over winter break! They make darling seasonal decorations around your home… and can be made on a smaller scale to embellish gifts! So let’s get to it…

Supplies you will need:

6 sheets of paper {plain white, colored, patterned… whatever you prefer}
scissors
tape
stapler

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DIY Pinecone Garland

November 22, 2013

Since moving to the mountains a few months ago… I’ve completely fallen in love with pinecones! Of course, where we live… there’s an abundance! I knew for the holidays I wanted to make a pinecone garland because it looks natural, and fits perfectly in our new mountain setting. I figured the garland would last through Thanksgiving and Christmas, serving as winter decor, as well! To make it a bit more festive… I added some gold paint and sparkles… because I am just a tad obsessed with gold {in case you didn’t already know that – wink, wink}… and all things sparkly!

So, for this lovely DIY… you will need only a few supplies which can be purchased at a hardware store {such as Home Depot}, or craft store {such as Michael’s}. You will need: spray paint {I used gold metallic}, glitter {I used Martha Stewart’s Yellow Gold}, eye hook screws {the size depends on the size of your pinecones}, and jute twine, string, or ribbon.

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