15 on the Fifteenth (home for the holidays)

With the weather getting cooler, I feel like I spend increasingly more time at home. There's this instinct to make things cozy, the urge to consume warm beverages, and wear slippers around the house. The holidays are just around the corner and many people will be traveling miles and miles to be home for them. In the meantime, it seems there are so many things to do to make our houses feel like home, recipes to make that conjure up thoughts of home and events to celebrate this JOYful and THANKful season we are entering.

Here are 15 delightful events, activities, thoughts, images that say home to us this month:

15. It's getting cold AND you might get an invite to a Christmas sweater party. You better check out uglysweaterstore.com just to be prepared! Let these Chicago sisters do the shopping for you...Plus you've been wanting a big ol' sweater to wear with your leggings that you held on to from 1992.

14. Here's a word to ruminate: Advent. It comes from a Latin word meaning arrival or to come. Oh the anticipation of all that is to come...interested? Read more on advent here.

13. How about a little holiday spirit? Sip some midwest winter brews like Three Floyd's Pride & Joy, Goose Island Harvest Ale or New Holland's Cabin Fever

12. Fill up your tea kettle and grab a good book. These mugs from Stilleto Girls' shop (based in sweet home Chicago) are adorable and need to be filled with something warm.

11. This place is a little piece of home to me. Order some coffee to fill those mugs!

10. Now you need a book to curl up in bed with. Every girl I know loves this book. (Confession: I've started reading it twice, and STILL haven't finished it.)

9. I LOVE felt garland. It's so pretty & happy and you can use it to adorn any archway

doorway...anywhere. Check out this garland from tinamagee.etsy.com

8. Oh this would look great on your front door! I have one hanging and I added a little red birdy to it.

7. Oooh I like what Edie's got going on at home: The 12 days of Christmas

6. Real tree vs fake tree, that is the question! What do you say??

5. Bake! One of our favorites...Harvest Moon Caramel Corn

24-32 cups popped popcorn

1 cup margarine

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 t salt

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t baking soda

Place popcorn in a large roaster pan that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray; set aside. Combine margarine, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and baking soda; stir well and pour over popcorn. Mix well; bake at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring occasionally. Let cool; break up and store in an airtight container.

4. Or bake one of the other million goodies that make the holidays sooo delicious (like peanut butter balls, peppermint bark, white chocolate stars)

3. Holiday Open House Downtown Holland - Stroll the decorated (and heated!) streets filled with carolers, roasting chestnuts and one of a kind shops, boutiques and galleries all offering holiday treats & free gift wrapping. Details here.

2. Let those tunes ring through the house! Is the Mariah Carey album getting a little old?? It never does, but if you'd like to add a variation to your holiday playlist, check out this pandora station.

1. Tag Sale -- Zeeland, MI -- if you're a local you have a great opportunity to head over to Room 4 Change this Thursday, November 18 for the holiday tag sale to find sooo many cute creations for the home. Check out the website for details!

Fifteen on the 15th

It's October (can you believe it?) and we love seeing porches decorated with pumpkins & purple mums.

So we bring to you a pumpkin inspired collection of fifteen lovely things, ideas & activities on the 15th.

Fifteen:

Fluffy (no-sew) pumpkins from Whimsy Girl. This idea comes from her 2008 archives, but I had to try this myself & it was so simple and cute! If you have kids (or aren't so crafty) this is great for them to feel REALLY special/helpful.

Fourteen:

MyraMelinda's

Pumpkin Buttons

Thirteen:
Nothing says good morning like pumpkin pancakes....yummm! Time to stock up on the canned pumpkin!

Twelve:

From the famous Amy at Living Locurto...check out these fun, free, new printables for Fall

Eleven:

Pumpkins? No, but we love this look for Fall. Thank you, apartment therapy!

Ten:

Live in Michigan?? Check out Dinges' Family Fall Harvest! Seriously, fun for all ages. A yard full of pumpkins, u-pick azaleas & concord grapes, pony rides, hot cider, caramel apples...yum.

Nine:
"A little something lovely" from the darling Ashley at Merry May Handmade

Eight:Does Fall have you down? I think 99% of the blogs I read just LOVE Fall. If you are one

of the few who have a hard time with the fact that Summer is officially over, and a long winter is ahead, well, here's an idea: Dance party in the kitchen. Turn up this tune. Pumpkin Soup is a good representation of Kate Nash's quirky and often unexpected lyrics & sound.

Kate Nash
Angiel | Myspace Video
Seven: If you're in the kitchen dancing to Pumpkin Soup, and you get hungry for some actual pumpkin soup, well, here's a recipe. Also, if you live in Chicago and like soup, The Hideout has "Soup & Bread" all winter in support of the food banks...check it out.

Six:

Did we already mention the pumpkin pancakes? Sorry, I can't get them off my mind!

Five:
Can't find pumpkin? Is there a shortage? Appare

ntly there is in Missouri. Check out Emma's Sweet Potato Cupcakes. (Emma is ElsieCake's sister from Red Velvet Art....if you don't know what I'm talking about, go here NOW).

Four:

Great weather for a scarflette from KNME

Three: Do you like bunting? I like bunting! All different kinds of styles, colors, & sizes.

Two: "It's possible for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage" ...ahhh the magic! Endless possibilities.


One: This is where we look to you, reader ;) What's your favorite pumpkin inspired activity, item, recipe? Go ahead, we're listening!

thanks for joining us for the VERY FIRST Fifteen on the 15th!

Meet & Greet

It's true, we are three sisters behind one shop: re{knew}.

Growing up, people would often confuse us on the house phone saying we sounded alike.

As the youngest sister, I am used to hearing the comment "you have to be (insert one of my older sisters' names here)" upon meeting their classmates, teachers, etc.

Yes, we are sisters, and there are some striking resemblances.

However, those who know us well, know that each of us are our own (and quite unique) person.

If you've taken a look at the shop, you will see that our products (and there is so much more to come!) have a different look and feel to them.

You will find anything from fresh crisp lines to kitschy eclectic pieces.

That's the beauty of having three brains & personalities behind one shop.

{lindsey - candace - nicole}

Stay tuned to get to know us in the next couple weeks!

This weekend is one we've been looking forward to for months.

Why?

Well, you see, there is this fabulous event called the Renegade Craft Fair, and this weekend it is taking place in Chicago. In MY neighborhood.

I just returned from an afternoon of walking and stopping and ooh-ing and ahhh-ing at each booth. Such wonderful hand-crafted goods!

Plus there was delicious cold-brewed Intelligentsia coffee & a beautiful friend to point out all the beautiful things to.

Didn't make it to the craft fair this weekend?

Division Street is home to the fabulous Renegade Handmade store. Or the fair might be coming to your city next!

Cheers,

Lindsey

You know how they say it's the simple things in life?

Well, I think people are starting to notice the beauty (and versatility) in this simple household item.

The re-use and re-purposing of The Mason Jar seems to be a trend that is catching on.

We've been using them around our apartment in so many ways:

in the bathroom -- holding qtips, cotton balls, make-up brushes, toothbrushes

in the kitchen -- i believe it was Toby Keith who likes to "drink beer from a mason jar"...we drink everything from our mason jars (or spaghetti jars).

Since they can take the heat, they are even great for hot beverages (like a large batch of tea).

for storage -- we are collectors over here...great for buttons, thread & other little knick knacks

as decoration -- perfect for candle holders & vases

For more uses & fun reading, check out The Pioneer Woman and re-nest.com

showin' some love!

what an exciting few weeks!

let me count the ways...

1. we are stoked to have been included in a couple etsy treasury lists

2. not just our first sale, but a second sale as well??? thank you to the east coast for showin' us some love!

3. it is a beautiful sight to see so many user icons pop up wh

en you click on "who hearts this shop"

for all of this, we want to thank all of you.

take a minute to check out these lovely shops that have been so kind to us!

<<<<<<

you have to leave your house to get a worldly exotic find?

we'd buy this darling bag from marbled.etsy.com handmade in Turkey

$30

we would love a brown paper package tied up in string from New Jersey's Harborette Shop

<<<<<<<

Or there is the talented Joanna Boyes shooting fabulous images in the UK. This is one of our favorites <<<<<

We guarantee this valley girl will be celebrating her first sale any day now. maybe it could be you! these vintage designs are darling <<<<

love,

nicole, candace & lindsey

a little excitement

we are s l o w l y getting this etsy shop up and running and our shop inventory is, well, coming along.

in the midst of reaching goals, i logged in tonight to do some work and found a nice little surprise in our etsy conversation inbox.

turns out, we were included in a "Fresh Finds from New Shops" Treasury list. how COOL?

thank you thank you thank you to Harborette Shop for including us in this list as we are anticipating getting this shop up and running!