Lance and Locks of Love

 My dear husband has been growing out his hair for just about two years. This summer he looked into the specifics of what he needed to do to donate his hair to Locks of Love.

What is Locks of Love?

"Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers."

 It was the last two months that he had reached the specific length and he was ready to donate. I couldn't have been more proud of him for donating his lovely hair and he melted my heart by finding out the information on his own. Honestly, I shed a few tears to see those blond locks go away.

Isn't he handsome? He is the love of my life. 

If you are interested in more information about this cause, whether it be donate hair or money donation, go to www.locksoflove.org. We just filled out the Hair Donation Form and will be mailing off his hair just in time for Christmas.

It is heartwarming to know that his lovely hair will be a gift to a precious child. Lance is such a generous and loving man and I am so proud to call him my husband.

      ~ Amanda

Winter Rustic Pepsi Crate & Pine Centerpiece

Don't you just love the smell of fresh pine? Being born and raised in North Idaho, the smell of pine is something that is year round when you live next to the woods. Not so much pine here at the beach in sunny California. What better way to bring that "Idaho Christmas" smell into the home by creating a Winter Rustic Pepsi Crate & Pine Centerpiece for the living room. 

What you need:

Living in Idaho you wouldn't need to buy pine cones or pine. 

• Old Pepsi Crate or something similar
• Four large mason jars
• Scented Pine cones 
• Pine assortment
• Epsom Salt
• Votive Candles in glass
• Holly Berry sprigs from Michael's

Begin by taking the pine assortment and cutting small pieces to fit in each divided square of the crate. Try to evenly arrange the different assortment in each. 

 "My favorite tree memory from when I was little was when my mom was on a ladder decorating the tree, both her and the tree fell over in the living room... which scared my Grandmother in the kitchen and made her fall over. Grandma Meja was so mad because she dropped her sandwich and the dog ate it. "

 Then take the four mason jars and place in the center of each divided area of the crate. Move the pine around the jar so that it looks nice. 

Epsom Salt in the jar looks like snow. 

Using Epsom Salt, I poured the whole bag evenly into each mason jar. *Epsom salt was only $4.00 for this large bag which kept cost down and had a SNOW like effect. You could also use sand or beads. 

 Then using the scented pine cones, arrange as many as you want into each divided area of the crate. It depends on the size of the pine cone as to how many you can fit. *You could also use pine cones that are already frosted, or your can frost your own pine cones with glitter.  

With the cinnamon scented pine cones and the pine, it already smells delicious. 

 Finally, arrange the holly berries around the jars and in the pine to your liking. Put the four votive candles in each jar and gently press into the Epsom salt so that they are not moving around. *excluding the holly berries can make this a great "after Christmas decor.

Don't want to use real flames, go with LED flameless candles. 

Looking so romantic. 

Ta da! You have probably only spent 20 minutes and/or $20.00 at the max on this gorgeous centerpiece. Best part is that it smells so much like a beautiful Christmas tree. Make the pine really last long by misting it with water every so often.                     ~Amanda

Our Thanksgiving 2011, Centerpiece Tutorial

You can make this centerpiece, instructions below. 

Hannah Nachant, the photographer

 Happy Thanksgiving!

Greg and Hannah. 

Gobble, gobble

This year we were invited to join our friends Hannah and Gregory to there Thanksgiving.*Lucky us!

Another beautiful Hannah photo

Greg deep fried two turkey's with all the fixings to match, including the wine. It was a delicious meal with great conversation and friends.

Great family photograph taken by Hannah. 

 The Pumpkin Thanksgiving Tutorial

Going over to someones house as a guest, I certainly didn't want to go empty handed. We were bringing an extra table, so what better than a centerpiece.  

What you will need:

• Four small pumpkins
• One medium pumpkin
• 14" grapevine wreath
• 6" Fall Floral plant to fit into medium pumpkin
• Plastic floral flowers/leaves
• Floral wire
• sharpie marker
• Drill with 1/2 drill bit

First take all four small pumpkins and cut a circle around the top of each so that you can remove the tops. 

Scoop out all the seeds and goop of the pumpkins so that they are nice and clean. 

Make marks for wire.

Drill into each X. 

Mark the bottom of all four pumpkins with two X's. This is where the wire is going to go through the pumpkin to attach to the grapevine wreath.  Drill a hole through each X. 


Cut the floral wire about 16" long to go through the pumpkin and attach to the grapevine wreath. See photo below. 

Then using some fall floral and leaves just push into the grapevine wreath into place. 

 Then take the medium size pumpkin, cut off the top and clean out. Place the small 6" plant on the inside of the pumpkin. 

Place the pumpkin and plant in the center of the wreath. Then I recommend the battery operated tea lights to place in the small four pumpkins. 

Voila, Fall Thanksgiving centerpiece. 

Vegetable Tian

 Bringing the centerpiece I also made a Vegetable Tian, a recipe that I found www.fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com. This was an excellent easy and fast vegetable dish that smelled so good when in the oven and is much better tasting than the boring "green bean casserole". 


Overall, it was a memorable Thanksgiving with the food and friends. Can't thank Greg and Hannah enough for the wonderful hospitality. 

~Amanda

As Hannah would say, I matched the decor. 

 Eat, Drink, and be Merry.