My Life With Style

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YOUR GUIDE TO INSPIRED LIVING

HOLIDAY 2012

Letter From the Editor Happy Holidays!

2012 has been a year of firsts at My Life with Style. We’ve changed, grown, and evolved since we published our first issue in May of this year.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Severns Avery Design and Layout Hallie Davis Special Projects Manager Robert Sawyer How to contact us: My Life with Style Community Lifestyle Publishing 787 Kendall Court Lakewood, CO 80214 (303) 725-2301 Info@mylifewithstyle.com www.mylifewithstyle.com Cover photo courtesy of RAZ Imports Copyright ©2012 Community Lifestyle Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Unauthorized commercial use of this publication is strictly prohibited.

Our mission is to inspire you and provide you with beautiful, creative, ideas for your home and life. We are thrilled that our circulation continues to grow and affirms that there is an interest in and market for what we are creating.

My Life with Style would not be the stunningly beautiful digital publication it is without the art direction and graphic design of Hallie Davis. Each month she works tirelessly to create a publication that surpasses the previous issue. Robert Sawyer, our New York connection, prods, cajoles, and challenges us to stay true to our mission while improving and evolving.

We are grateful to the designers, photographers, and companies that generously contribute photos for us to use.

Our contributing writers have provided wonderful content throughout the year and have enriched our publication with their perspectives. Thank you one and all!

Kathryn Severns Avery

2013 promises additional changes as we continue to refine our focus and bring you additional products and services. Watch for more DIY decorating projects and original content you won’t find anywhere else.

All of us at My Life with Style wish you a happy and healthy holiday season and may 2013 be your best year yet!

Sincerely,

Kathryn Severns Avery

What’s Inside . . .

Fabulous Finds

4

Easy & Elegant Holiday Touches

5

Cake Ball Tree

6

A Christmas to Remember

8

Forest Fantasy

9

Resolution Art

14

Make Your Own Fortune Cookies 16 Non-Resolutions

18

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Easy&Elegant E N T E R TA I N I N G I D E A S

This easy and elegant party tray idea comes from the Cabot Creamery Cooperative in Montpelier, VT. This “tree� is made by layering a variety cheese chunks with tomatoes, and herbs.

Photo courtesy of Cabot Creamery

Champagne flutes are ready to party with the addition of tulle and ribbon tied to the stem.

Dress up your dining room chairs with a satin ribbon sash.

A bell, pinecone, and greenery add to the festive mood.

Cake BallTree Cake balls are fun, easy, and delicious!

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE TUTORIAL on how to make this beautiful and tasty holiday tree.

Photos Courtesy of Miss CandiQuik

You Will Need: • 2 packages (16 oz) Vanilla CANDIQUIK® Candy Coating • 1 box cake mix (plus ingredients for cake mix) • 1/2 of a (16 oz) container frosting

• Lollipop sticks, toothpicks • Styrofoam block (to set cake pops in while drying) • Styrofoam cone (can be found at your local craft store (ex: Michaels))

• Optional: Assorted food colorings (oil or powder based only) • Pastry bag + extra coating for piping on designs (note: a plastic bag w/ one corner sniped off works fine too!)

Make cake according to package directions.

Add icing and stir.

Use a scoop for

portion control.

Roll into balls.

Shave a Styrofoam tree to create the correct shape.

13” tall

9” tall

Edible glitter adds extra sparkle!

A Christmas to Remember

By Kathryn Severns Avery

We all have holiday memories that are indelibly

etched in our psyches. My most memorable Christmas happened 11 years ago.

My then 13-year-old nephew, John, had been diagnosed with an aggressive, malignant, brain tumor in August.

As I joined my sister’s family in Massachusetts for the holidays, we realized every moment was precious because it was most likely our last Christmas with John.

But, amazingly, our time together was joyous and filled with laughter; not at all morose as one might expect.

I can still hear the crunch of the freshly falling snow underfoot as my sister, John, and I walked to a nearby park and took pictures of us hugging and mugging for the camera. John, with a jaunty red Santa hat hiding the scars of his two craniotomies, still looked happy and healthy. We walked home arm-in-arm singing carols at the top of our lungs.

There were other poignant moments like when my sister and I were in Home Depot looking for a toolkit for John.

She was torn, debating with herself about whether it was too extravagant to spend $240 on a complete set.

I asked her “How would you feel if you didn’t buy it for John and it was his last Christmas?” We both started to cry, unaware that a little girl in the tool department with her Dad was watching us intently.

“Daddy, why are those two ladies crying? Is Santa not coming to their house?” the little girl asked. My sister and I burst out laughing and wiped away our tears. My sister bought the toolkit and it was one of John’s favorite gifts that Christmas.

Perhaps the most memorable moment was when the family cat, affectionately dubbed “Fat Cat,” decided to climb the tree in the middle of the night and brought it crashing down on top of me as I slept beneath it. The tree entirely covered my body leaving only my two feet sticking out from underneath like the Wicked Witch of the East.

“Stop laughing and get this thing off of me!” I recall yelling more than once. I found pine needles in my hair for days.

Every day that holiday season had special moments because we consciously sought to create them.

John died the following August. But our last Christmas together is a bright spot in my memory filled with more smiles and laughter than tears.

My wish for you is that you spend this holiday season creating memorable moments that you’ll treasure for a lifetime. Those memories are the best gifts of all.

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Seasons

Greetings

Decorating Christmas trees has evolved since the custom was introduced by Prince Albert in the Victorian era. Decorations are bolder and brighter now that themed trees dominate the holiday landscape.

Inside are some truly stunning examples.

More than a dozen different ornaments are featured on this classic Christmas tree to the left. How many can you find?

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Good Enough to Eat Gingerbread men and women, gingerbread houses, and seasonal gingerbread ornaments make this tree look good enough to eat! Sprays of red and green glitter balls, coordinating striped wired ribbon, and glittered curly sprays add a touch of whimsy.

Build a Snowman!

The weather outside may be frightful, but these snowmen are delightful. Snow flocked branches and flowers made of bows create a memorable tree topper.

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Let it Snow!

Bundled branches, brown poinsettias, holly sprays and snow covered cabins perched on glittering snow banks create a spectacular winter wonderland.

Santa’s Little Helpers

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

You won’t mind being in the dog house this holiday season when it’s adorned with a tree dedicated to our four-legged friends. Dog ornaments, Dog bone snowflakes, and giant fire hydrants, make this perfect for Fido and Fifi.

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Gilded, flocked and natural pinecones, fluffy owls, acorns and snow covered branches create a forest fantasy. Loops of gold wired ribbon create a gorgeous garland that gives this rustic tree a luxurious look.

Heaven and Nature Sing

Glamour Winter

This elegant floral fantasy tree features hydrangeas, ivy, and pots of flowers. A tree like this reminds us that Spring is on the way.

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Photo Courtesy of RAZ Imports

Countdown to Classy Top Hats, high heels,clocks, jeweled purses, and champagne bottle ornaments make this tree the perfect focal point for an elegant New Year’s Eve celebration.

Corkscrew ribbons, gold and silver balls, sprays of flocked branches, and fleur-de-lis bows take this tree over the top.

Never take my blessings for granted

resolution Laugh art more of Kiss my husband dai How often do we make a list of New Year’s resolutions, only to put them away and forget them? This project takes your resolutions and turns them into a work of art you’ll want to look at every day.

t

never miss an opportunity to travel •Materials Needed: Computer Photo Transfer Paper 14” x 14” piece of fabric (Cotton or cotton blend) 12 inch x 12 inch canvas Pencil Scissors Iron Staple gun

Kind

listen to my inner voice

Pract gradi

4. Cut a piece of cotton or cotton blend fabric 14 inches square.

Position your trimmed photo paper on the fabric, carefully matching words that are on separate sheets of paper.

Give a helping hand to a friend in need 9. Use a staple gun to secure the fabric to the canvas frame.

Think b I speak may ha eat my

1. Use your computer to create a 12” x 12” graphic of your New Year’s resolutions. Many photo transfer paper companies offer a website to help you do this. Words must be backwards for finished project to read correctly.

Play with the Cats

Be

Dance with abandon

Be genuine

CALL MY PARENTS

10. Wrap and staple on the opposite side of the canvas all sides of the fabric.

Watch

sun

do something sponta

8. Starting with one side, wrap the fabric to the back of the canvas.

11. To create tight corners, pinch a pleat in the fabric as shown.

Laugh m Kiss my husban

Backwards print

t

before for I ave to words

never miss an opportunity to travel

2. Use an ink jet printer to print the graphic on the photo transfer paper following the manufacturer’s instructions. You may need to split your graphic into two parts as shown here.

5. Iron the paper onto the fabric following the manufacturer’s instructions. Take care not to scorch your fabric!

nset

3. Use a pencil and ruler to mark where to trim away excess margins on the graphic.

Cut along the trim line with scissors.

The two pieces should fit together seamlessly.

Play with the Cats

tice Be itude Kind

h the

t

listen to my inner voice 6. Carefully remove the photo paper backing.

aneous

13. Use a staple to secure the pleat to the frame. Once all sides have been completed, use scissors to trim excess fabric.

t

7. Position the transferred image on the front of the 12’ x 12” canvas.

Give a helping hand to a friend in need

12. Fold the pleat onto the canvas back.

Dance with abandon

Be genuine

ften ily

CALL MY PARENTS

t

do something s

Make Your Own Fortune Cookies

Ensure you’ll have good luck in the new year by making your own fortune cookies.

MarthaStewart.com and AllRecipes.com have great Fortune Cookie recipes.

Don’t be discouraged if your first attempts don’t turn out well. You’ll get the hang of it.

Be sure to follow all the hints and tips provided on the websites.

The cookies are delicious and well worth the effort.

Print messages on thin strips of colored paper to tuck inside the cookies. Make your messages memorable -- just like 2013!

Use an offset icing spatula to spread the batter in a thin layer. The thinner you spread the batter the crisper the cookie will be.

NEW

YEAR’S NON

RESOLUTIONS

3

Movie Marathon

Why not? It won’t kill you and your kids will talk about it for years to come. In fact, there’s probably a study out there somewhere that proves eating dessert first keeps you from over eating.

2

1

Serve dessert for breakfast

Take a Rain Forest Shower

5 things to do in 2013 just because you want to.

If the stress of a difficult day has you down, try a Rainforest Shower. No special equipment is needed. Put a “If you’re not bleeding and the house isn’t burning down, DO NOT DISTURB” sign on the bathroom door. Then sit on the floor of your shower or bathtub and let the water from the shower head cascade over you and dissolve your stress. Playing soothing music in the background is an added treat.

Pop some popcorn, put on your jammies and spend the evening curled up watching the movies you meant to see when they were playing in theaters. This activity can be done with or without the kids and spouses.

4

Paper Plate Night

Take a break from the dishes by using paper plates and plastic utensils.

If you feel guilty about adding to the local landfill, recycle the utensils.

5

Experience Puppy Love

Who doesn’t just adore a puppy? Their unbridled affection and adorable antics are perfect pick-me-ups when you’re feeling down. Animal shelters always have attentioncraving puppies and lovable older dogs as well. Just be aware that you may end up with a new family member after your canine encounter.

Want more?

Photo Courtesy of Bruce Buck Design by Lauren Ostrow Interior Design, Inc.

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