Are you looking for simple cost-conscious decorating idea’s for the Holidays?

Here are two fun frugal ideas to decorate your home for Christmas. Dress up a plant or tiny tree with a little pot and decorative wrap from CathysWraps. Add a coordinating tag and you have a super-easy hostess gift. Mix and match in REVERSIBLE Water Resistant Sleeves! This Red Kalanchoe and Ivy Topiary came from a local nursery and were simply re-potted into a Pot from CathysWraps. Choose from the Red & White Polka Dot Pattern or our original Floral Print and fold the sleeves together. Add a coordinating gift tag and nestle in the pot for a simple stylish Homemade Hostess Gift or Holiday Party Centerpieces. Order your CathysWraps from our Etsy Store HERE. Colors: Red, Green, Black & White, Soft Pink and Hydrangea Blue.

How to Be Entertaining on a budget.

Simple and Easy Holiday Decorations you Won’t Find at Micheal’s Stores, from CathysWraps LLC.

What You’ll NEED:
A 4 inch potted plant from your local nursery or grocery store.
One CathysWraps pot, one Decorative Sleeve and one gift tag. Available HERE at my Etsy Store.
The moss is optional.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Re-pot a 4 inch holiday plant or mini tree into CathysWraps Pot, just drop it in. Fold CathysWraps Decorative Sleeve together, add a gift tag and nestle in your 4 inch holiday plant. If you prefer fresh flowers, make a little Mussie Tussie Bouquet, tie off with a string or a rubber band, trim stems short and add water. Note: Our wraps are water resistant but it’s best to keep them dry.

What do you all think, would you give these as hostess gifts?

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1. Jennifer Sbranti, http://hostesswiththemostess.com/
Hostess with the Mostess®, (HWTM) is an innovative online resource for hip, modern, and unique entertaining ideas. They provide party themes that are clever, contemporary and out of the ordinary – then help you recreate them yourself with detailed how-to’s, where-to-buy’s, tips, and advice. Celebrations with a modern twist!

2. Gigi Lee Chang, http://plumorganics.com/
Plum Organics was born to give parents more choices and provide babies with more nutritious baby food. They use baby-approved recipes and organic ingredients.

3. Lisa Bacon, http://yummywebstudio.com/
Lisa originally started her web and graphic design company in 2004. She is a mom, wife, graphic designer, amateur photographer, and more!

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These ladies are professional journalists and new moms who know what it’s like to need answers in a hurry.

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Double Dutch Magazine was created by Jennifer, who gained her sales and marketing experience at Buzz, Good Housekeeping, Ebony, and Essence magazines.

6. Kendra & Amy, http://smartmomjewelry.com/
The two started Smart Mom in 2002 as a way to promote pretty and practical ideas for real Moms.

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Grace is the Brooklyn-based writer who runs Design Sponge, which is a daily website dedicated to home and product design.

8. Lesley Spencer Pyle, http://hiremymom.com/
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Founder Shannon Davis sees Beyondmotherhood.com as a launching pad for women who want more than the title “mom”.

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SafetyTat, a child safety product was born of necessity one weekend at an amusement park.

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14. Heather Flett & Whitney Moss, http://rookiemoms.com/
The Rookiemoms.com website was inspired by Heather & Whitney’s need to have at least one fun activity per day for their baby’s first year.

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Ecofabulous is your trusted friend, personal shopper, and inside source for living the well lived ‘eco’ life.

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Dr. Berebichez is a highly motivated, multi-talented young woman with a strong interest in the world of science and media communications.

17. Darcy Pollack & Anna Barber, http://scribblepress.com/
Scribble Press was created by Darcy and Anna as a place for kids and families to write, illustrate and publish their own books.

18. Kate Rolston, http://realsavvymoms.com/
The goal of RealSavvyMoms.com is to ease the learning curve for pregnant women and new moms by offering support, education and information.

19. Jeannie Lorin, http://beautysociety.com/
Beauty Society began as a quest to bring glamour and success to all women. Jeannie has been at the heartbeat of change occurring in the skincare industry.

20. Lynn Broadwell, http://herecomestheguide.com/
Since 1990, Here Comes The Guide has truly been the California bride’s best friend, providing an easy way to find wedding locations and professionals.

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Dede saw a need, and met the call! CLUTCH has been an industry leader in forging the movement into the digital age for its African American female demographic.

22. Roberta Lachman Jacobs, http://doingbusinesswhilefemale.com/
In launching thinkBIG, Roberta hoped to make what she and others have learned accessible to a wide audience.

23. Yana Berlin, http://fabulously40.com/
Founded in 2006, Fabulously40.com provides information, resources and community to help women unleash their hidden creativity, and more!

24. Cinnamon McCann, http://financialfashionhouse.com/
Financial Fashion House® provides the unique experience where women of all walks of life can obtain financial information specific to their needs.

25. Stacie Francombe, http://getmarried.com/
Stacie is the founder and CEO of Get Married, the only multi-channeled wedding resource with platforms online and on television (Lifetime Television) every weekday.

26. Stephanie Vozza, http://theorganizedparent.com/
The idea for The Organized Parent came from a peanut butter sandwich! Being organized is a daily choice, and this website is a resource to help you do that.

27. Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, http://ecostiletto.com/
Is your carbon footprint the size of an Ugg boot when it could be a Manolo? Well then, you’re in the right place when visiting EcoStiletto.com.

28. Barbara Hennelly, http://kidaroundmag.com/
Kidaround Magazine is a local lifestyle magazine for today’s modern moms, revolutionizing the local parenting publishing landscape.

29. Lisbeth McNabb, http://w2wlink.com/
W2WLink is a community dedicated to professional women helping other women get to where they are going — faster.

30. Tonjia Coverdale, http://divasnbabes.com/
Divas N Babes is the home of the haute mama and cool babe! The company is committed to mommy/baby empowerment.

31. Wendy Tuey, http://proudbody.com/
Wendy developed the #1 pregnancy belly cast kit company nationwide and a trusted name in the industry.

32. Robin Gorman Newman, http://motherhoodlater.com/
Robin knows firsthand the challenges of being a 35+ mom. At age 42 she became a mom, and it’s changed her life in ways she couldn’t have imagined.

33. Karen Taylor Bass, http://taylormademediapr.com/
Karen, PR Expert/Media Strategist for TaylorMade Media LLC (TMM), an award-winning public relations consulting agency re-branded in 2004.

34. Ree Drummond, http://thepioneerwoman.com/
Ree is a thirty-something ranch wife, mother of four, moderately-agoraphobic middle child who grew up on a golf course in the city.

35. Tsh Oxenreider, http://simplemom.net/
Tsh says Simplemom.net is a cross between a mommy blog and a productivity blog. Her blog is a catalog of the resources, tips, and lessons she’s learning to keep things simple.

36. Christine Manlapeg, http://brandtexture.com/
BrandTexture.com has a goal to create enriching and enduring brand relationships with women while providing their clients with insights, ideas and more!

37. Clare Schexnyder, http://ohbabyfitness.com/
At Oh Baby! Fitness, their focus is to give new and expectant moms a place to find support, make friends, get fit and bond with their babies.

38. Angie Smith, http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/ (Bring The Rain)
Angie shares the love, life, and loss of her daughter, Audrey Caroline. Their faithfulness and strong spiritual foundation impacts readers daily.

39. Patti Handy, http://kidscashcoach.com/
As a (CTA) Certified Life Coach, Patti uses her unique combination of life and work experiences to help clients take control of their money matters.

40. Suzanne Istvan, http://kidscashcoach.com/
Green Mommy Guide is to show moms the many options that are out there that are kinder to the environment and to their babies.

41. Barbara Theodosiou, http://mommymentors.com/
Mommy Mentors was founded in 2004 as a resource for all women — young and old, single, married or divorced, mother or not — to find support, and more!

42. Megan Thomas, http://peekaboopicks.com/
Peekaboo Picks is a free online magazine featuring fabulous finds for hip moms. Started in early 2007, the magazine has become a fast favorite.

43. Joan Ahlers & Cheryl Tallman, http://freshbaby.com/
Since its inception in October 2002, Fresh Baby has leveraged the ever-increasing consumer interest in natural living and healthy eating.

44. Cathy Skraba, http://cathyswraps.com/
Cathy is the designer behind this Seattle based company. Their collection ranges from vases for weddings and special events — to personalized gifts and party favors.

45. Marilyn Logan, http://marilynlogan.com/
Marilyn, also known as, “The Money Lady”, is a national radio and television personality, business owner, author and motivational speaker.

46. Shawn Kiraly Corry, http://blueskyebaby.com/
Blue Skye Baby provides many of the resources related to planning for the arrival of baby and beyond.

47. Robin Lucas, http://chicpeeks.com/
Chic Peeks Cleavage Covers are accessories created to wear with your low-cut fashions.

48. Leslie B Denman, http://gllopinc.org/ / http://thepurposediva.com/
Leslie also known as “The Purpose Diva” is a Certified Life Purpose Coach® and founder of Girls Living Life On Purpose, Inc.

49. Lisa Kanouse, http://saurette.net/
After 18 years in the fashion industry Lisa launched her own brand of children’s apparel line, Saurette, a collection of sophisticated children’s clothing.

50. Kristi Thomas, http://lunchology.com/
Since Lunchology launched onto grocery store shelves in March 2004, the business that began its manufacturing in the Thomas home has quickly gained momentum.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
1. TheMompreneur.com
2. FranHarris.com
3. MomPack.com
4. TheBigMamaBlog.com
5. YourPersonalPoster.com
6. MightyGirl.net
7. MommyTooMag.com
8. PinkChicken.com
9. Girlfriendology.com
10. Owltastic.com
11. EmpoweringMoments.com
12. MomFaves.com
13. PolkaDotPatch.com
14. Bellapink.Typepad.com (Tara Frey)
15. SimplyVirtual.com
16. GuruMommy.com
17. CrazyAuntPurl.com
18. ThatCoolBroad.com
19. Czelablue.com
20. Lousecalls.com

This sweet little Fall Centerpiece was super easy and inexpensive to make. I found the Black Pansies on sale at Fred Meyer for .99 cents and pumpkins for .28 cents a pound. Just cut, scoop and plant.

Before the pansy turns into a pumpkin, plant it in the yard to enjoy next Spring.

You could also get a large Cinderella Pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, add a block of saturated floral foam and arrange fresh flowers and greens. We made these centerpieces for the Katie McKay benefit luncheon and they were amazing. The greens were gathered from our yards so the only expensive were the flowers and the pumpkins. The best deals for fall flowers and pumpkins were found at Trader Joe’s.

When I learned my niece Erin was getting married, I offered to help with her wedding flowers. As the wedding approached, I wondered what I’d gotten myself into, but it turned out just fine. We used my Vases with Doey’s Pew Clips to decorate the aisles allowing Erin to reuse the wedding flowers as reception centerpieces. Here’s how we did it.

Katy Breen, a local florist and owner of Katy’s Daisies helped us choose the flowers. I ordered the flowers from a local wholesale market, made fresh cuts to the stems and refrigerated them overnight. Katy felt it would be best if we arranged the flowers closer to the wedding date, so I  placed the flowers in buckets of water and drove 4 hours to her parents where they were refrigerated overnight. The day before the wedding, her aunties, mother and grandmother gathered to make the arrangements. Did I mention none of us has any formal floral training?

Each one is just a bit different and each was made with love.

The finished floral arrangements were refrigerated overnight and transferred to the church the next morning where I added the wraps and Pew Clips while my dear husband hung them on the church pews.

Post Ceremony, these little helpers and I transferred the wedding aisle flowers to the reception and repurposed the wedding aisle décor as reception table centerpieces, decorating the bar area, the powder rooms, the entry way and the cake tables.

It was a Beautiful Day and a very classy wedding. I’ll post the recipe soon explaining how to recreate this ‘just picked’ look for your wedding flowers or special event.

What You’ll Need

3 to 5 gerbera daisies and leafs
Moss
A 3 inch block of Wet Floral Foam
Floral tape
A pencil
CathysWraps pot and decorative sleeve.  http://www.cathyswraps.com

Step 1. Trim a block of wet floral foam. Float in the water and LET IT SINK to the bottom.

Step 2. Trim stems and make a 1 inch slit in the stem to help the flower absorb water. The stems are soft so make holes in the foam first with the pencil and then gently poke the flowers into the holes. Water slightly.

Celebrate Easter with fresh flowers in a sweet little basket!

Whether you want to create unique wedding flowers, to stretch your wedding budget, or to create a personal style for your special day, you’ll love cathyswraps vases.

Dangle your flowers from the wedding aisle, the chairs or the windows, then use them again as centerpieces at the reception and again as party favors.

Imagine the possibilities of creating personalized centerpieces for anniversary parties, baby showers, corporate events, birthday celebrations and weddings that double as the party favor.

Flowers-from wedding aisle, to reception, to party favor.

cathyswraps are perfect for creating flower arrangements that are wedding aisle decorations one minute, reception table centerpieces the next and finally party favors for guests to take home. At cathyswraps, stylish vases enable flowers to be versatile and thus cost effective.

cathyswraps vases adapt to hang from church pews, chairs, shepherds hooks windows, mirrors and woodwork. So, whether your event is a formal wedding or a casual beach ceremony, an elaborate corporate function or a bar mitzvah, a sweet sixteen party, graduation or special anniversary, let your flowers be fun, practical, and versatile in chic little personalized vases.

All cathyswraps sleeves are reversible and designed to mix and match with coordinating tags.

I’d like to give special thanks to my photographer Steve Schimmelman, Sun Photography and to my florist Katy Breen, Katy’s Daisies; to my generous neighbors Linda, Lisa and Sidney who let us pick these flowers from their beautiful gardens and to my friend Karen who helped pull it all together.

A sweet flower bouquet

INGREDIENTS
• 1 roll of cookie dough
• Royal icing (see below)
• Food-coloring gels
• White lollipop sticks, 3/16 inch thick and 12 inches long, cut into varied lengths. (I used wooden skewers here because I placed them into wet floral foam).
• Toothpicks
• Small spatula
• Scissors
• Cookie cutters
• Pastry bags and plastic couplers
• Pastry tips #2 and #3
• CathysWraps flower pot
• wet or dry floral foam

DIRECTIONS
Prepare the cookie dough. Roll the dough slightly thicker than 1/4 inch, depending on the size of your lollipop stick. The dough should be about twice as thick as the stick. So for a 3 ⁄16 inch-thick stick roll the dough 3 ⁄8 inch thick. Use the round cutters to cut out cookies and then insert the sticks into the edges of the cookies, halfway into the circles. If it pokes out just pat some dough over it.

Bake according to the recipe, checking for doneness, possibly baking 1 to 2 minutes longer due to the extra thickness. I suggest test-baking one cookie before baking the entire batch to make sure the dough is thick enough and the stick doesn’t poke through the cookie. Let the cookies cool completely. While the cookies are cooling, make the royal icing.

Divide the icing, and dye each portion in the colors you will use. Prepare stiff and loose icing in each color. Put the stiff icings in pastry bags fitted with #2 tips and the loose icings in bags fitted with #3 tips. Pipe an outline of your design on a cookie using stiff icing. Flood with the loose icing and let it melt into the outline. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect.

Decorate one cookie at a time and have all your colors ready and close at hand.

Royal Icing

The amount of sugar you use will determine the thickness of your royal icing. For stiffer icing, add more sugar. For looser icing (for flooding your designs), add a few drops of water to thin the icing.

INGREDIENTS
• 1/3 cup (3 ounces) pasteurized egg whites
• 4 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (16 ounces) sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
2. Set the mixer to medium-low speed and gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup (4 ounces) at a time. Scrape thoroughly between additions.
3. Add the lemon juice and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the icing is no longer shiny, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Use immediately or place the icing in an airtight container. You can keep royal icing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When the cookies are ready, make a bouquet.

To make a cookie bouquet, arrange your cookies in dry floral foam or styrofoam in CathysWraps whimsical little pot and top off with peppermint candies to hide the foam. To embellish a fresh flower arrangement use wooden skewers.

What do you think, will you be gathering the kids together this season to start baking and crafting?

How sweet is this for a baby shower centerpiece.

This affordable party centerpiece uses simple hydrangea blooms, seeded eucalyptus and Japanese anemone from the garden gathered in a whimsical pink cathyswraps vase. Here the gift tag was personalized with a photo of baby and big sisters doll was borrowed with a small bribe of cake.

When economic times get tough, use your imagination and borrowed treasures!

Enjoy!

Please enjoy these inexpensive flower arrangements and decorating ideas.

I couldn’t have done it without the help of friends. Thank you to my generous neighbors who’s flowers we picked, to my florist, Katy Breen, who designed these whimsical flower arrangements, to photographer Steve Schimmelman, who took fabulous photos and to my friend, Karen, for setting such a stylish table.

And a special thank you to Design*Sponge for featuring cathyswraps™ early on in their flowers finale feature.