DIY MAGNOLIA RUNNER TUTORIAL

Throwing a holiday party can get overwhelming when you are trying to do a million things at once! Lucky for us, Mintwood Home is sharing their adorable DIY Magnolia Runner tutorial with us to take the hassle out of decorating the table. With just a few materials and a little bit of time, you can easily create this runner that is sure to impress your guests. It’s fun to make and can be used for any dinner you have coming up this holiday season. Check out the beautiful table runner and instructions below:

• Floral wire (available at Michaels or any craftstore)
• Wire cutters or strong scissors
• Approximately 30-40 magnolia leaves, depending on how long your runner needs to be
• A few berries for color

1. Cut a piece of wire about 6” long
2. Arrange 3 leaves and use the wire you cut to tightly wrap the stems and hold them in place. Repeat this as many times as you need to have enough bunches for your table size, in our case we wrapped about 10
3. Arrange each bunch in a line down your table layering each piece over the other covering the stems so it looks like one long continuous piece.
4. Once your magnolia leaves are laid out across your table to your liking, add berries to any holes or places where the leaves aren’t laying flat. You can also do this as you go; however you prefer, just have fun with it!

ENTERTAIN // HOW TO DECORATE YOUR HOLIDAY MANTLE WITH SWEET ROOT VILLAGE

Decorating for the holidays doesn’t have to be hard! We are absolutely loving this cozy fireplace created by Lauren and Rachel of Sweet Root Village. With a beautiful green mantle, neutral wrapping paper, and a big cozy blanket, we could definitely curl up there all day long! They added beautiful touches of calligraphy from Laura Hooper Calligraphy to create a more glam feeling to the room. From the gift tags to the laser cut sign, we can’t wait to recreate this setup. Read on below for major inspiration:

The fireplace is one of the main feature elements in a home at Christmas time and it can shine even brighter than the tree if you do it up right! A big comfy chair with cozy blankets and pillows is the easiest way to make this the most loved and used space in the house. We accented our mantle with various heights of pillar candles and a long draping boxwood garland which was the perfect backdrop for this amazing laser cut sign. Heaps of gifts wrapped in gorgeous lettered paper received a rope wrap and Laura’s festive gift tags! We piled these high using baskets and blankets. This scene is now the perfect place to write your holiday cards or cozy up with a good book and a mug of piping hot cocoa. I can’t think of any place I’d rather be.

CREDITS

Design, Florals, and Photography by: Sweet Root Village

Wrapping Paper, Gift Tags, Hand-lettered Signs, Mugs, Coasters, Stir Sticks, Cards, Calligraphy by: Laura Hooper Calligraphy

ENTERTAIN // HOW TO DECORATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS STRESS-FREE WITH MANDY STICOS

With the holiday season in full swing, decorating can get overwhelming and stressful! We are so excited to have Mandy Sticos with us today to share her tips on simple holiday decor ideas. Whether you don’t want to have a huge tree in the middle of your living room or you are throwing together a dinner at the last minute, you will be the hostess with the mostess! Just to make you more excited, Mandy is sharing her delicious Italian Hot Chocolate recipe with us and it looks absolutely delicious. From garnishing your drinks to creating place settings, your friends and family will no doubt be impressed. Read on below for her tips and recipe:

Take the stress out of decorating for the holidays with these simple festive ideas for your home, without having strands of lights or even a tree! Create a simple wreath with thin wire and a strand of corner store greenery. Adorn all of your beverages with a thin slice of lemon, although this is very simple, it takes your table to a new level. Dress your tables with a fine linen table cloth and linen napkins, and leave a greeting at every place setting. To avoid any crazy messes during your dinner, place your candles in canisters to keep wax from getting on the table. Get creative with your herbs and add greenery to a dish, this only looks like it takes a lot of effort. When it comes to serving hot chocolate at the end of the meal, use teacups for a fun twist! Another small detail that we love is typing gift tags on a typewriter for a fun touch. You can also dress up simple gift wrapping with silk dupioni ribbon, and be sure to display your gifts on a faux throw or in a stocking!

ITALIAN HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE

Make: 2 cups of very thick, rich hot chocolate

• 2 cups of milk (whole milk preferred)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch
• 4 tablespoons of white sugar (if using semi-sweet chocolate, reduce to 2 tablespoons)
• 2/3 cup of chocolate chips
• Optional Toppings include whipped cream and marshmallows

1. Whisk together half of the milk and all of the cornstarch.
2. Bring the other half of the milk and all of the sugar to low boil on stove.
3. Add in the milk and cornstarch mixture while continuing to stir until smooth.
4. Remove from heat and drop in chocolate.
5. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Tip: Add additional milk to adjust thickness to taste. Recipe may call for trial and error depending on your personal sweet tooth and type of chocolate used. Have fun and top with marshmallows or whipped cream!

CREDITS

Concept & Styling by: Mandy Forlenza Sticos

Photography by: Maria Doka Photography

Vintage Props: Little Vintage Rentals

Candles: Aromasoy Candles

Linen: Lost in Linen

Ribbon: Midori Ribbon

‘With Love’ Greeting Card: Lion in the Sun