We are making things happen today! The final four of the 12 Bloggers of Christmas (an annual tradition on Pars Caeli) didn't make it into the roll. I've saved these last ladies as ones to watch for 2015, and I'm highlighting some of their goals and new adventures for the new year. If you're not already following them, check out their sites for beautiful and inspirational posts.

Ali has been all over the weeknight party girl scene with her television appearances and great videos. She is on a roll, and I can't wait to see what kind of magic she can create for every traditional holiday as well as some new ones I know that she'll create in order to live life to the fullest. I know I'll be cheering her on!

I am revamping the website with a new look, new ideas, new STAFF! It’s very exciting and will be so fun to roll out.

I love making a big batch of punch for parties – and this one is a winner.  You can serve a huge crowd for not a ton of cash, and it’s always so festive to serve anything in a punch bowl.

There are so many!  Melissa, Lulu the Baker, just had a new baby which is so fun at the holidays. Amy Christie, This Heart of Mine, is pregnant with her third child and could use a little extra love. Jenny Batt, Hank and Hunt, is my best blog gal and so freaking creative.  

We are making things happen today! The final four of the 12 Bloggers of Christmas (an annual tradition on Pars Caeli) didn't make it into the roll. I've saved these last ladies as ones to watch for 2015, and I'm highlighting some of their goals and new adventures for the new year. If you're not already following them, check out their sites for beautiful and inspirational posts.

I'm so happy to have this space to appreciate all that Kim of Design Life Kids has accomplished. Earlier this year, the love of her life died, leaving she and her two beautiful daughters. Kim is a strong and creative woman, and I've been so inspired by her passion. I have no doubt that 2014 was an absolute challenge for Kim, but she's persevered and created this fresh new breathing space for her daughters and herself. She's also opened an incredible fashion, accessories, and houseward store by the same name, Design + Life + Kids. Kim's aesthetic is cool, modern, and monochromatic.

DESIGN + LIFE + KIDS has turned into shop DLK, and it's been really fun, crazy and great! It's the perfect distraction for the craziness we've been enduring this year. Next year I'm bringing on a few really beautiful luxury kid brands like Motoreta and Tutu du Monde... that I can't wait to share.

Milkshake Tee. Wall Calendar. Balancing Blocks. XO Blanket

My blogger love goes out to Legal Miss Sunshine, Andrea Ament. She has an impeccable eye for design and travel. Her photos always capture the soft and subtle beauty of anything and everything around her. Her blog and obsession with all things pink is definitely one to follow.

Thanks so much, Kim! I'm ecstatic to see the DLK shop taking off in 2015. If you have a baby, a child, or a hip adult in your life who needs an awesome present, click on over to DLK and become known for your great taste!

xoxo, MJ

We are making things happen today! The final four of the 12 Bloggers of Christmas (an annual tradition on Pars Caeli) didn't make it into the roll. I've saved these last ladies as ones to watch for 2015, and I'm highlighting some of their goals and new adventures for the new year. If you're not already following them, check out their sites for beautiful and inspirational posts.

I'm super excited to have Rachel of The Crafted Life to start it off! I will meet her in just a few days (for reals) at Alt, and I'm so lucky that she'll be an Alt Rep with me. Rachel has great projects and roundups on her site that inspire you to get a move on and make your space more fabulous.

For the upcoming year, I'd really like to expand my store. Right now, I sell goods on Etsy, but would love to take it a step further and host it myself in connection with my blog. Stay tuned for more!

I loved Rachel's post on her goals for this year! It's a great combo of business and personal, and I'm excited to see how the year unfolds for her. I foresee big, big goodness in her future. Also, make sure you stop over to download her awesome (free!) girlboss printables. Say what? Yes. Go check them out.

Gold-foiled Votives

This was one of those projects that I didn't really think too much about before doing, but that still came out nice (and you have to love that!). I still have them in my home and use them for votives in the fall and winter and flower vases for spring and summer.  

Would love to send extra love to Carrie of Dream Green DIY. Her photography is always on point and no matter the subject, her work is consistently beautiful. I seriously can't get enough of her blog!

I ordered these fabulous photo holders from Rachel's shop, and I love how they add a dash of modern to any shelf.Keep your eye on her friends!

xoxo, MJ

Hiya friends,

My magical two-week break has come to an end, and I'm delighted to report that it was filled with togetherness, laughter, crafting and creating, rest, and ample movie watching (have you seen the new Annie?). I sunk into my home and blissfully forgot what day it was or what had to be done by when, and I enjoyed my husband and my children and my extended family and good friends. This was just the kind of recharge that I needed after a busy, awesome year on Pars Caeli and elsewhere.

I opened up this space to give myself the freedom to create and the accountability to make projects, big and small, happen and offer others help as much as I could along the way. 2015 marks the third birthday of Pars Caeli, and we hit a few significant growth marks this year:

Attended and assisted with a major blog conference: 2014 took me and three of my pals to Salt Lake City, Utah, and to a design conference known as Alt Summit. My role was as an Alt Rep, and I was able to connect with numerous, wonderful creative people and speakers. One of my goals in going to Alt was to begin to monetize Pars Caeli. I have a wonderful full-time job, and I want this space to support that and my family. So ...

Connected with brands and networks that I admire and wanted to partner alongside: I joined Pollinate Media, which enabled me to get my creative juices flowing for specific brands like: Office Depot, Wet Ones and Elmer's Glue, Wet-Nap, and All You magazine. I became a Wayfair Homemaker, and I've guest posted for them as well as hosted a Housewarming Party here. I've worked with the wonderful folks at Minted to show Valentines, business cards, and Christmas greetings that are great art pieces.

(Thanks for bearing with me on this list... it's going to get exciting soon!)

Collaborated with makers I admire and respect: like my ladies of the Endless Summer Projects series and the party for Ali and the NYE Bash. Sheri, Joy, and I cooked up a six-part series for kids in the kitchen entitled Mini Cooks. Created for the Cricut Design Space Star challenge and collaborated with a new and awesome group of artists over a serious of four challenges.

Contributed to sites that have inspired me: I'm so grateful to Jen and Steph for letting me join their teams. With Jen, I've focused on that you can do to create special moments with your children. And our homemade daffodil wreath was one of her top posts from 2014! It warms my heart.

With Steph over on Modern Parents, Messy Kids, I've created a collection of printables for boredom busting, summer reading, organization, and more! I've grown while putting my graphic design muscles out there to help parents and kids alike.

And the biggest one for me:

I started my own business. It's been a super secret goal of mine for a very long time. The title entrepreneur is exhilarating, and I'm owning it! Pars Caeli, LLC, opened officially at the end of October with a giant employee roll of one. I kind of still can't believe it, but I'm so grateful, a wonderful blessing of 2014 for me.

All of these check marks have been very good for me as a mother, wife, professional, and human. In 2014, I was able to shush my inner critic, that mean girl who has often kept me from jumping on the trampoline of possibility. I crafted a lot of ideas and put my tenacity to the test. I showed my children that they can be recognized for their creations, their thoughts, and, moreover, they can lead and they can influence. We have conversations now that start something like, "When I grow up, I'm going to start a business that ..." I'm not signing any of them up for business school yet, but I love that their minds are moving in new directions.

Unlike some of my favorite people on the interwebs (whose angst I understand and whose energy will be missed), I'm not tired of social media or of blogs. Indeed, I've grown deeper in love. Friends, we have so much potential for collaboration and sincere learning through these communication tools, and I am here, and invested.

And I thank you for joining in the party.

So, what's up, what's up for 2015?

It's boiling down to my one little word for the year: GOODNESS. I'm working this year first to foster my own goodness. To take care of myself with sleep and nutrition. To see, like really see, the avenues where I can assist others in powerful ways. To find new possibilities for this mouthpiece, Pars Caeli, to echo the goodness all around us. And to remind you and re-remind me when we go wayward that we are richly blessed. I even want to find NEW ways to help you have watershed moments of goodness - through shared story and new knowledge - and times when you see in new ways the incredible power you have to make goodness happen wherever you are.

And what does that mean in a business sense?

1. REIMAGINE THE LOOK OF THIS SPACE: I've made updates to Pars Caeli through the years, but I'd like to pare down to the essentials and bring forth what you really want to see. Simplify and clarify, which means some behind-the-scenes work on my part to get this blog design to the sweet spot of beauty and ease of use.

2. ASK YOU MORE: I'm hiding my eyes on this one, but I've never done a reader survey! I know. I know. I want to know what you think. What keeps you coming back? What should we multiply in 2015 and leave behind for 2014? Keep your eyes open for the happiest, simplest survey you ever did see.

3. COLLABORATE: Blogging would mean so much less to me if I had to do it all alone. I love working with other artists and makers to brainstorm and to learn the process. I want 2015 to include more and on new topics. I want to continue to embrace the right brand partners to bring you bigger and better projects - and even a few giveaways, because, you know you deserve it.

4. CONNECT: Keep it real with you. I tried five posts a week, and I've gone down to one. Three a week is just right for my full-time work and parenting schedule. I want Pars Caeli to add to my life and not detract so let's agree to be all-in three times a week (or for an hour on Saturday or Sunday like so many of you fabulous people do!). I also want to continue to share my life and reflections in ways that are fair to the privacy of my loved ones and to be open and honest with all of you. It's getting trickier as my children get older, but we can do it. Pinky promise.

5.PRODUCE: I have an AMAZING something happening with the good people at The Land of Nod that will be coming your way in the spring. And it's a real live product. EEK! And I have a few other products in the works that I can't wait to share with you. In 2015, I want to add a SHOP menu to Pars Caeli. This is another super secret dream of mine that I've had since I was a preschooler pretending with my stuffed animals (what, you didn't do that?), and this is the year we put it to use.

I'm holding it at five because I get overwhelmed easily. :)

Have you set goals for this year? I'll admit that this is my first time sharing big goals, and it's more than a little scary. I mean, what if they don't really happen? Or if I fail? I'm going to hold on tight, and try to be good to myself if one of these goals leads me in a direction that does not make sense for the rest of my life - family, health, work. And, you know, let's all hug and forgive if we bump and fall along the way.

xoxo, MJ

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Writing down big girl goals did not come so easily to me so I thank these brilliants who helped me in formal and informal ways in the prioritization process.

Inspired by: Kelly of Studio DIY, Amy of Mom Advice and her M Challenge, Brittany's list on The House that Lars Built, Melanie Biehle's word, Kate's tactical list of four, Amy's insight at the beginning of 2015 on This Heart of Mine.

P.S. In case you're still up for more, here are our top 4 posts of 2014:

#1: 6 Fun Water Balloon Games: Endless Summer Projects

#2: The Under $10 Fix to School Paper Clutter and Chaos

#3: Paper Christmas Trees

#4: A Family Objective

Welcome back, friends! I hope you had an awesome Hanukkah or Christmas celebration. My house is still recovering from the messes of presents, big meals, and guests, but I'm a happy camper for all of the good times celebrated! You can catch all of our adventures on Instagram using the hashtag #parscaeli_christmas. The days of Christmas will continue tomorrow with a few more surprises and special moments, but today, I have a New Year's treat for you! I'm teaming up with Wayfair to host a Housewarming Party with some great ideas for your New Year's Eve celebrations! 

Here are my top six picks from our Wayfair bloggers as well as one of my own! Tell me what are your plans for the holiday?

1. RASPBERRY CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL from Conni Jespersen. Conni has mixed together some fabulous flavors for the perfect NYE bubbly to enjoy with friends. I think raspberries are the perfect mix!

2. NEW YEAR'S EVEN CLOCK CAKE on 'A Casarella. Elena made these charming cupcakes for one fabulous birthday party/NYE theme. I love that everyone can enjoy a bit of the spirit of counting down to the new year. Or, you could enjoy one for each hour all by yourself!

3. NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY CROWNS on DomestiKated Life. Kate made these fun glitter crowns by cutting out just the right expressions for NYE! Her mix of colors is spot on, and these are easy enough for your guests to even create their own.

4. NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION BRACELETS on Tried and True. Vanessa has crafted something I never imagined in these focus word bracelets. Using the same idea as shrinky dinks, you can make your own bracelets to wear or hang on your mirror to remember and to choose to focus on all of the right things for the new year.

5. NEW YEAR'S EVEN PARTY HORNS on DomestiKated Life. Back again with Kate for some fun party horns. Add your own expression to these horns for a truly unique engagement.

6. DIY ROARING '20s NYE PARTY by Andrea for Cricut Design Space Star. I love the 20's flair that Andrea created in her banner. Aren't metallics perfect for the sparkle of New Year's Eve? Check out all of the accessories she created that would coordinate perfectly for your party.

+1. NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS PRINTABLE by MJ of Pars Caeli

We are busy talking about our favorite moments of 2014 in our home. Every year we make a family sheet of the bests of the ending year. It's a fun way to remember the big and small events that might have been forgotten and record it for year to come. We're also planning for 2015 and thinking about what we want to stop and what we want to start. Sometimes our lives can be just that simple if we take the time to reflect. I created this great printable for Modern Parents Messy Kids that you can print free and use with your family to talk about memories and goals.

A big thank you to all of our fabulous bloggers!! I'm hosting a family NYE party at our house, and I'm grateful for all of these fabulous ideas. What do you have planned for these last days of 2014?

xoxo, MJ

I'm losing track of the days. I think I skipped a few, maybe added one. Nevertheless, welcome to the 12 Bloggers of Christmas, an annual tradition on Pars Caeli where we shine a pretty spotlight on twelve bloggers during the Christmas season. Catch up real quick on all the beauties by scrolling down. Join me every day to see if (you or) your favorites are featured!

I'm chatting with Sara Moore today. Sara has an effortless style (which I'm sure takes a ton of hard work to pull off), and she writes about parenting in an honest and supportive way. She's a fabulous designer, and if you read ahead, you'll see we'll be able to get right to her goods come 2015. So happy to have her in this space!

My all-time favorite family tradition is decorating Christmas cookies with my family. I've been doing it since I was a little girl and I look forward to it every year. We're all gathered around the table, laughing, eating the "broken" ones and really enjoying each others company. The logistics have gotten harder with introducing the little grandchildren to decorating and the traveling we have to do but we always make sure to fit it in! And one of my new favorite traditions my husband and I do with the kids is to look at Christmas lights. Our kids are still little enough to be in awe of every single light so it's a lot of fun!

I'm adding e-commerce to the website so you'll be able to shop directly from saramoore.com. It's been a long time in the making, so I'm really excited to say 2015 is the year! I'm also contributing to a couple of other blogs in the coming year, and I'm very excited to explore new things and grow a community of wonderful people!

My blog is so new that it wasn't around last Christmas and with a brand new baby, I don't have much more planned for the blog this year. BUT I will link to  two Christmas posts that I love. Speaking of traditions, this one from Jenny Collier on Every Day Cheer would be a great one to start while your kids are young - a Christmas book advent. Every night the kids get to unwrap a Christmas book and enjoy it as a family by the tree. And this one from A Cup of Jo sums up a few of her and her readers holiday traditions.

Elisabeth of Bella is just a doll! She has a great sense of style, is as sweet as a summer peach and her Instagram feed is so dreamy. She's pregnant with her first (a boy!) and she's just been killin' it in the maternity fashion department. She always looks amazing and has such a great attitude about the pregnancy journey. Which isn't a surprise since she touts that she firmly believes in choosing happiness - you can see that clearly through everything she does!

Love Elisabeth, too!! So happy to celebrate her as well. If you want to read some interesting stories from busy mommas, be sure to check out Sara's Struggle with the Juggle series. It's one of my favorites from real life, inspiring, and talented ladies.

Just a few more left!! Hope your Christmas Eve Eve is the best it can be.

xoxo, MJ

Continuing ourannual tradition to pour on the love to twelve bloggers during the Christmas season, we're spotlighting Ellen Foord, maker at Minnow + Co as well as on DIY Network's Made and Remade. Ellen is a mover and a shaker. She has an electricity and an energy that is undeniable, and I've been blessed to have some of her goodness rub off into my life this year! Keep your eye on her... many great things to come in 2015!

Don't forget to stop back every day to see if (you or) your favorites are featured!

OK, this is a tough one, because as a family with a small child, we’re just starting to establish some of our own very own traditions. My favorite as a child was that we always got to open one gift on Christmas Eve AND we always got special Christmas pajamas. Those are two traditions we’re continuing in our family! My other favorite holiday tradition has to be the Garrity family holiday dip. It’s something I’ve never had ANYWHERE else, so to me, it is the thing that evokes "home + family + holidays". I wait for it eagerly every year. It sounds a little crazy from the outside - cream cheese, green olives, blue cheese, a little Worcestershire, and a little half and half - but it’s heaven on a cracker. For anyone who likes blue cheese stuffed olives in a martini, this dip is right up your alley. Mmmmmm….

Wellllll…. There’s actually a huge shift right around the corner for me. When I launched Minnow + Co. a few years ago, I thought life was going to chug on down one path, but it sort of zigged over in a very exciting and fulfilling alternate direction, contributing full time for DIY Network’s Made + Remade.  Because of that, I really haven’t had any time to maintain any sort of presence on my own website, instead focusing on producing content for DIY Network and a growing range of clients - which has been thrilling. My new online presence will be more representative of the work that I do and the things I’m passionate about exploring now and in the future. Keep your eyes peeled in January!

This was one of those projects that started out as a hazy, vague seed of an idea and then suddenly came together in a hot second. I wanted to put together a DIY paper poinsettia wreath and was planning on making it one way, but then a total klutz moment where I knocked over a box of rarely used supplies threw some crepe paper at my head and bam! The whole project magically came together in my head in about 20 seconds. AND - it was my first attempt at paper flowers, so I was kind of giddy with how it turned out.

You know, outside of you, MJ, and our shared pals Emily Jeffords and Paige, Sheri Silver (Donuts, Dresses and Dirt, Babble) is one of the most generous, lovely and humble bloggers I’ve met in the few years I’ve been doing this. Even with all that she juggles, she still goes out of her way to shine a spotlight on the talents of her friends in her “blove” feature, and I love that. Kind of the same way I love you, MJ, for including little old me in this very impressive roundup of bloggers. Seriously, what am I doing here? I’m a total bull in a beautiful china shop of sophisticated bloggers.

Girlfriend, you've more than earned your stripes amongst this crowd! I'm amazed with all of the projects you've created this year, and I know that so many more are on the horizon! So, so happy that our real lives have met up this year, and I'm ready for more!

xoxo, MJ

It's the sixth day of Blogger Christmas, and my true love introduces you to Jen of Classic Play. I'm excited to have her back again in this annual tradition on Pars Caeli where we shout it out from the rooftops just how awesome twelve bloggers are. We'll be adding to the list all the way through Christmas!

So grab your tea and smile at your screen as you see just how relatable and lovely these creators are. Let's spread the love around in big heaps. As a new twist to the tradition, each blogger will be throwing out some love to one of their favorite makers/creators/writers!

Join me every day to see if (you or) your favorites are featured!

Jen and I have known each other for a few years as teacher/student, wise one/contributor, and peer collaborators. She is as cool as they come and as friendly and approachable as can be. That's a tough combo to pull off, and she's able to do it well because she's genuine and so so smart. Classic Play is one of my favorite spots on the web for kids, tweens, teens, moms, and human beings. Put it in your Feedly or Bloglovin roll for 2015.

Hands down, chopping down the tree. It’s a relatively new tradition, about 3 years at this point and I love it. We go to the same tree farm every year. We spend an hour walking around, eventually circling back to the first tree we found. Of course ;) My favorite thing is how the kids try to mark a spot in the stump in the ground so they can find it the following year.  It’s a silly little thing, but it makes me smile.

Such a great question! And one I’m going to skillfully evade because I like surprises.

Hmmm… I’d have to say painted wrapping paper. It was so easy and the kids and I had a blast. Sometimes, it really is the simple things.

I have a bunch of bloggers I’m super fans of… I love what Deborah of My Life at Playtime is doing. I love the parisian flair of Fleurishing, the glimpse of Italian life at Jillian of Italy. Sheri Silver is another favorite! As are Art Bar and Molly Moo. I love Petit a Petit & Family and The Sewing Rabbit even though I don’t sew—I just love those women and their moxie.

And then there are all the new bloggers I’ve met on Instagram. Seriously, so many people to send love to. I know I’m forgetting a bunch. Ahhh! This is stressing me out thinking about who I’m forgetting! I’ll probably wake up in the middle of the night now with a list. haha!

Look how good she is... so much love for so many! Merry Christmas, Jen, to you and the whole family. I'm excited to see those surprises you have up your sleeve for all of us.

xoxo, MJ

On the fifth day of Blogger Christmas, my true love gave to me: Sarah Hearts! Welcome to the annual tradition on Pars Caeli where we cherish twelve bloggers right up to Christmas. Sit back and enjoy their stories, favorite Christmas traditions, and holiday projects, too. Let's spread the love around in big heaps. As a new twist to the tradition, each blogger will be throwing out some love to one of their favorite makers/creators/writers!

Join me every day to see if (you or) your favorites are featured!

Today meet Sarah who crafts, cooks, designs, and invites all of us to join along. Her Meet & Make evenings through West Elm always look divine. Sarah Hearts is filled with desktop wallpapers and free printables that you'll want to check out as well.

My favorite holiday tradition is baking tons and tons of Christmas cookies for friends. I love surprising them with an assortment of freshly baked treats!

So much! I’ll be starting the new year with a creative assistant so I’m so excited to have more hands on deck and to be able to share more great DIY projects. Look for a few new mini series in 2015 as well as big plans for Meet + Make, the local creative workshops that I host at West Elm.

One my favorite Christmas posts is my printable wine bottle tags. They are an easy way to dress up a bottle of wine and make an instant (and festive) host/hostess gift.

Amy from Homey Oh My! is just killing it! She puts out fresh, creative projects every week and just when you think she couldn’t possibly make anything more creative—she does! Love her!

Thanks so much, Sarah, for introducing me to another great blogger and site! I'm always on the hunt for talent to follow and to learn from. And thanks for all of your inspiration!

Join me tomorrow to celebrate the coolest mom on the interwebs!

xoxo, MJ

Four swans a swimming! On the fourth day of Blogger Christmas, we move to Frock Files and visit with the creator of the masterful photography and recipes, Joy. During this annual tradition on Pars Caeli, I'll be celebrating twelve incredible bloggers and sharing some of their beautiful projects. I know you'll enjoy their stories and their favorite Christmas traditions. And-this year-we're spreading the love around in big heaps by throwing out some love to more of our favorite makers and writers! Keep coming back every day to see if (you or) your favorites are mentioned!

Joy and I have collaborated on quite a few fun series like Turn It and Pennies for Love. I've been so blessed by her support, creative sensibility, and advice.

On New Year's Day, my family gathers together first thing in the morning to celebrate with a traditional meal of mochi soup, which consists of gooey mochi rolled in roasted soybean flour called kinako (it tastes like peanut butter!) and dropped into a mild broth. I'm a fan of having all kinds of mochi for New Year's, as evidenced by the very first post I published in 2014.

What's up on your blog/website/brand for the new year? I have something big brewing with Melissa of Lulu the Baker. Suffice it to say that it will involve our favorite city, a lot of love, time, effort, and celebration.

Last New Year's Eve, I posted a roundup of moments from 2013. I love that I'll be able to look back on that post and remember what that year held for us. http://frockfiles.com/2013/12/31/this-was-2013/

Kim of DLK has demonstrated such grace, heart, and strength this year. She's showing me what it means to move forward with determination and that's a lesson I'll carry with me always.

I'd echo that sentiment completely, Joy. Big hugs to Kim! I think I have to make some mochi with the kids over break - look at those photos!

Join me again tomorrow night for a peek into the traditions of another designer who's had a spectacular 2014.

xoxo, MJ

On the third day of Blogger Christmas, my true love sent to me all of Lulu's sweet and savory goodies! Welcome to the annual tradition on Pars Caeli where we celebrate twelve incredible bloggers and show off snippets of their creations. Unflappable in their tenacity, determination, and imagination, these artists return again and again with posts that amaze all around.

Grab your coffee and get your Pin It button ready. Melissa of Lulu the Baker has dozens and dozens of incredible recipes for every occasion. She also has a plethora of holiday projects. I've been so lucky to collaborate with her on a number of projects, and I'm so excited for some of the big happenings for her in 2015 - not to mention the new baby she delivered and new house she built in 2014!

I love making cookies for Santa. I feel like at this point in my life, I should pick something more mature than that, but I just love Christmas cookies. My family always makes the same 4 or 5 kinds of cookies, and it just wouldn't be Christmas without them!

I have some big projects I want to blog about in 2015, mostly stuff around the new house (the basement! the garden! the mudroom! my office!). And I've been working and working and working on a book proposal, and even though I've said this in past years, 2015 is the year I'm gonna make it happen! I've actually made lots of progress on it, and I'm right on the brink of making big things happen--hooray!

Chewy Gingerbread Cookies with Double Chocolate Chunks--I took everyone in my family's favorite Christmas cookie, the Molasses Crinkle, and added two kinds of chocolate chunks. And wow!! It's almost sacrilegious to say this, but they're even better than before!

There are so very many bloggers that I admire. Everybody is so hardworking and generous and just lovely. Right now, I'm particularly enamored of Melanie Blodgett from You Are My Fave because she decided to take time away from blogging.

I think every blogger considers stepping away from blogging when life gets overwhelming, but it is so hard to actually do it! We all worry about losing readers and losing opportunities and back-sliding, and we think that if we take a break, even if it's for a great reason like moving or having a baby or to maintain your sanity, that we'll miss out. So I'm always crazy impressed when a successful blogger takes a big, legitimate break. And Melanie is just so talented, you can't help but love her!

Congratulations Melissa! Can't wait to follow along with all of the house updates over on Better Homes and Gardens, too.

Tomorrow's blogger is my mochi hero. Can you guess?

xoxo, MJ

It is now an annual tradition on Pars Caeli to celebrate twelve incredible bloggers and show off just some of their creations. Unflappable in their tenacity, determination, and imagination, these artists return again and again with posts that amaze all around. Sit back and enjoy as we talk about Christmas traditions and projects and send out love to another creative!

Today I'm delighted to shine a light over to Amy of This Heart of Mine. Amy has top notch photography to highlight the most delightful recipes and crafts. She's behind so many of the amazing DIYs you've seen on Design Mom, and I want her to shout from the rooftops all the great projects she makes because... she's just that good.

I love to sit in the dark with just the tree illuminated, listening to my favorite Christmas songs (quietly) and drinking something warm. It's so peaceful. Also, I love to bake and give the baked goodies to friends.

I liked this car tree ornament because I waited almost a whole year to post it. It was right after Christmas the year before when I noticed the perfect car in my son's collection and snagged it for use the following Christmas. I love it because it's so old-school, feel-good-Christmas looking.

To MJ. MJ is so kind and thoughtful and excited about whatever the project. She works hard and manages to be super supportive of others. Working with her is pleasure and a treat. Plus, her Illustrator skills are enviable. So thankful for her and her friendship.

Awh. Thanks, Amy. I promise I didn't pay her to say that one. Amy is making ornaments and bread and all kinds of amazing this holiday season. Pop on over to see all that This Heart of Mine creates.

xoxo, MJ

P.S. Tomorrow's special guest makes the season, and every day, a tasty treat!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! During what is now an annual tradition on Pars Caeli, I'll be celebrating twelve incredible bloggers and sharing some of their beautiful projects. I know well how much dedication and old-fashioned hard work goes into the creation, the photography, and the promotion for it all to sync into a fabulous post. These creators come back, week after week, with high quality, fresh material that is too good not to be celebrated. I know you'll enjoy their stories and their favorite Christmas traditions, And - this year - we're spreading the love around in big heaps by throwing out some love to more of our favorite makers and writers! Keep coming back every day to see if (you or) your favorites are mentioned!

First up, even better than a partridge in a pear tree, Melissa of The Sweet Escape! I've seen her work all over the web, and this year I had the pleasure of teaming up with her. I'm delighted to share her creativity with you!

If you asked me 20 years ago, it would've been a very different answer but these days I really look forward to the traditional meatless feast that my aunt cooks up on Christmas eve. My family is Italian and it includes homemade cannelloni, seafood pasta and lots of other delicious dishes. I don't eat all day in anticipation and it's great to spend time with my growing extended family that I don't get to see that often.

Well, it would be impossible for me not to mention my latest huge holiday project, Merry magazine. I decided to bring together 15 of my blogger pals and pool a whole magazine worth of Christmas posts together in an online magazine.

It includes home decor, DIY projects, entertaining, gifting & style. My favourite project that I contributed was this marshmallow wreath that I did last year because it was such a simple idea but turned out so well, and it was featured on designer Sarah Richardson's website which was such a big deal for me as a new blogger.

If you're looking for a new blogger to follow, head over to Hello Lidy. Lidy and her husband will constantly inspire you by their clean, fresh and Scandinavian inspired home & decor DIY projects. They also have an inspiring adoption story to share. I'm pretty sure they've found a way to create more hours in the day with 3 children, a beautiful house and a constant flow of original creative content.

Merry Christmas to Lidy and to Melissa! So happy to have you here.

Come back tomorrow to see what maker always puts a full heart into all she does!

xoxo, MJ

It is the season. Frenzy has set in around here. Not full-on panic, but excitement, merriment, forgetfulness, and binge eating at weird hours of the day. Deep breaths. I am excited to say that we have whipped up a handmade tree that I am all sorts of in love with.

It's like Pars Caeli reincarnated in tree form. My oldest daughter and I went shopping for the supplies together and selected the palette which ended up looking a whole lot like this one here. It's the first time I've gone non-traditional, and the colors pop with the festivity of the season.

If you're looking to create a themed tree or something unique, try this easy method that is friendly to ages 3-133 as long as everyone is careful with the glass ornaments!

These are magical in their final form, even better than I had hoped. And I can't wait to show them all to you on the tree, but, first, I have a few more additions to show you to our that include a few super easy projects!

Check in tomorrow to see the best ever pink and orange ornaments for our fanciful tree.

Also, starting later this week, a return of one of my favorite times of year! The 12 Bloggers of Christmas will be sharing with you their favorite holiday traditions and projects/recipes that have kept them excited about the holidays in the midst of frenzy! I'm delighted to have their personalities here to share with you.

xoxo, MJ

This is a sponsored post by Minted, whose products I love and purchase for my home! All opinions are my own.

This year, it's going to be the best year ever. I'm a big fan of traditional cards and hand written letters and quality paper and beautiful photography. BUT, I have (long time) dreaded the whole process of creating, addressing, and sending our Christmas cards. I do believe that my husband even asked me not to send them out one year because I was a miserable grump for so long, trying to get it all together in a way that said something about who we are as a family. I'm not here to convince you of the importance of Christmas cards - to each her own - but I am here to tell you how to rock the process if you DO send them.

I want you, too, to love this process (because I want to receive your beautiful, handwritten card in the mail), and if we can make something that much more awesome, let's go ahead and do it.

1. HAVE SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND WANT TO SHARE

This might be in the form of a letter or a photo or something else. Many of us parents want to show off our kids or pets or both and so we opt for photo cards. First step to great photo cards? Great photos.

DIY family photo shoots can be awesome if everyone is well rested and in the mood. We opted for some time with our friend and amazing photographer, Brittani Renee. If you live in the Indiana or Michigan area, book your photos with her. She spent a few hours with us and gave us a load of great options for our cards (and presents, too!).

2. GET THAT CHRISTMAS CARD ADDRESS LIST TOGETHER

So, of course, it's a great idea to keep your address book or file constantly updated so that you know everyone's address, but (blah blah blah) some of us are not that on task all the time. If post Thanksgiving is the time that you need to put it all together, then so be it. I have a small drawer where I keep return addresses of new friends or those who might have moved. I pull out that stack in late November, and I update an Excel sheet that I've been using since we sent out our wedding invitations!

Use technology here to be your friend. Social apps can help find missing info and the White Pages app can help find details that you might be missing.

Bonus, some companies like Minted offer free (FREE!) addressing on all of your envelopes. I am a lover of handwriting, but I must say that going with Minted and seeing the way that they handled the printing of the envelopes (so good), I was convinced that this time saver was my new best friend.

3. TRY SOMETHING NEW

I created our cards for the first ten years of our family. It was a total labor of love that I designed and printed from our home. I loved it, but it also stole me away for hours and stressed me out and made Christmas cards seem to last forever. So, for now, for me, the right choice was to order something. But I also wanted something unique this year. Our photograph has bright pinks and blues in it so a traditional Christmas color scheme just wouldn't do.

This might be the year to switch it up for you! Maybe it's a bulleted list of activities of each family member for your card. Maybe it's a mini book of messages or a gift tag. Or a montage of photos rather than just one. You may just find that changing your card injects more fun into the process!

4. CREATE DESIGNS AND MESSAGES THAT ARE AWESOME

Totally biased on this one, but a great design goes so far! There are many wonderful options out there from Make-Your-Own kits to store bought packages of cards to designer collaborations. I wanted something on trend for our card so I scoured the foil pressed section at Minted. With their site you can select the photo or photos you want to use and see it in all the designs at once. Game change for me. This selection process could have taken me days, but instead was done in 15 minutes. Various color ways and foils are available for each design! And a fun add-on they have is that you can watch the foil shine through a .gif of your card. I may have been mesmerized by this for more than a few moments.

With the photos warm tones, I decided the new rose gold foil would be a great pick for our message of Rejoice. *Spoiler alert to friends who will receive our cards!

5. EMPLOY THE SMALLEST OF ELVES

To keep me motivated, I pull in our three children to help decorate the Christmas card envelopes. Now that they are already addressed, adding some charming Christmas stamps doesn't take too long for any of us. It's fun to sit around the kitchen table, listening to the Swinging Christmas music station on Pandora, and talking about all the families and friends who will receive our greetings.

I bought a full box of assorted Christmas stamps at a local craft store as well as a red and green stamp pad, and we (or they since I'm busy writing the messages) rotate around the table after a dozen or so envelopes so that every child has a chance to use every stamp (this has become an important point to them).

6. KEEP THESE CREATIONS ALL TOGETHER TO ENJOY

Christmas cards, especially those with personal messages and photos, are a unique, once-a-year communication with individuals important in our history and present lives. Since you're putting the time into your cards, why not make a frame of the last five years that you can display at Christmas? Or put a binder ring through all of them and bring them out every holiday to see all the years.

Consider making the Christmas cards you receive a part of your holiday decorating. Creative ways to do this abound! Check out my Christmas board to get inspired to create one of your own.

Minted is running a holiday discount on cards when you use the promo code: Joy15. You get 15% off your order until Dec. 8, 2014.

How do you send your holiday greetings?

xoxo, MJ

This post is sponsored by Red Stamp. I was compensated for my participation in this post, and these opinions are all mine.

If Thanksgiving is for family, and Christmas is for children, then we adults get New Year's Eve, right? NYE has been one of my favorite holidays since I was old enough to keep my eyes open until midnight and watch the ball drop. The celebration of a year accomplished teamed up with the hope of all that is to come - pop open the champagne!

Even better yet, pour on the Lemon Sorbet Champagne Float. My weeknight party girls, headed up by the best hostess, Alexandra Hedin, are linking up with Red Stamp (did you know they have a brilliant new line of party goods?) to throw a party with crowns, flags, balloons, and a great cocktail.

Meet the party team: Ali of Alexandra Hedin, Amy of This Heart of Mine, Melissa of Lulu the Baker, and Jen of Classic Play, along with me!

The laughs we would have if this crew could get together more than just virtually! We have babies and businesses to toast. And foibles and mishaps to bid bon voyage.

I host a New Year's Eve party in our home for a few families. And, though the games and food are aimed at the younger set, I love the idea of making a signature drink to show a little love to the grown ups! And I think the Fizz flags from Red Stamp are the perfect touch of whimsy.

Ali will be sharing this cute recipe card tomorrow, and you can also find them on Red Stamp's blog!

And now through December 10, we're offering our readers 20% off at RedStamp.com when you use promo code CHEERSTO2015!

That means we don't have to be left in the dust from Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals we thought had past! Get some really cute additions for your New Year's bash - or anything you want to celebrate!

Cheers to you, friends. And here's to a spectacular 2015.

xoxo, MJ

Whether you're an early shopper, almost done with your Christmas lists, or a timely purchaser (see how positively I spun that for folks like myself?) waiting until the big sales hit the shelves, now is the perfect time to get your creative wrapping ideas together.

A present wrapped with extra attention and fine details speaks to the recipient and says that they are different and special. Such a lovely gesture, right?

How about making a bow that is completely personalized with photographs of the giver or the receiver or even special places visited together? Photo bows are easy, and they can make you look like a super thoughtful crafting whiz in no time.

I created these bows for grandparent presents! For the first, I created a montage of photos of my son from this last year. The finished bow is colorful and a scrapbook unto itself.

For the second, I used all of the same family photograph. This finished bow lent itself to a more sophisticated color palette, and it allows you to coordinate bow to paper a little bit easier.

Typically I'm a fine ribbon kind of gal, but these bows inspired me to learn how to make a paper bow. I was a little shocked by how quickly they come together.

First, in a photo program, align strips of photographs. I printed all of mine on one sheet of paper so I made each strip .75 inches wide to fit on the page.

You'll need three long strips, three medium strips, two short strips, and one mini strip.

Cut these out. If you have a great stapler, grab that to create your bow. If not, strong craft glue or hot glue work really well to create a neat, compact look for your bow.

To form each row of the bow, simply create a loop that crosses on itself. You can find a great photo guide over on Milomade that explains this step clearly.

Make loops out of all of your strips except the min strip which will become a circle that goes on the top to cover staples or glue.

The largest three are set equidistant from one another on the bottom. Then the same star shape is created with the medium loops. The small strips will create a cross once attached. And finish off with the mini loop in the middle.

I can imagine these used on anniversary presents with special wedding photos on them. Or used to show an ultrasound photo to announce a new baby to relatives and friends!

Create a wrapping that means something to you and your loved one - make a photo bow!

xoxo, MJ

This post is a part of the Wayfair Homemakers network. I was compensated for this post, but the selections and opinions are my own.

1. Home Pillow 2. Map Pillow 3. Owl Pillow 4. Pink Spots Pillow

When we first moved into our house thirteen years ago, we purchased the most comfortable couches we could find for our living room. The full couch and loveseat are so overstuffed that they fill the room almost on their own. I selected the most neutral tone I could find so that the couches would work with whatever we wanted.

I love these couches. I also hate them. And I'm ready for something with more style and equal comfort.

Our living room is now our art room, and I have big ideas for built-ins, striped walls, and modern furnishings. Right now, though, I have none of those, nor the budget to to make them happen so I'm making incremental steps to transition the room from tired and traditional to something creative and unique.

Pillows are an easy way to transition a room from season to season and now they helping me build my vision for this space with brighter tones and a little humor and playfulness. My friends at Wayfair have a great deal for you, too, if you're ready to start planning your remodel or redesign. The three we have had added a new sense of energy and are setting up the palette for our Christmas tree this year, too. Can't wait to show you that one!

WAYFAIR IS HAVING A PILLOWS & POUFS SALE!

They almost never run coupon codes, but the Wayfair Homemakers get to share this exclusive code!  The code is good for 15% off and is good from now until November 24^th. The code is: WFPTP15

Let's spice up our homes, a little bit at a time.

Have a bright weekend, friends!

xoxo, MJ

For this month's project, I created these fun message Christmas trees that shout out the joy and revelry of the season! I've been using my drawing tablet a ton (for a new, very special project yet to be revealed), and I want to experiment with creating my own text. So using my tablet, I wrote out the text and made an image of it. I wanted the words to hang on the tree like an ornament or garland might.

Within Illustrator, I created an altered a three-dimensional tree (from the Cricut Design Space offering) to have more of a hook end to each branch. These little trees make great stands for mini garlands, uber tiny ornaments, or in this case, happy phrases that have you hanging on every word. :)

Silver and gold and white fit in every room, every decor. Using metallic and glittery paper in cardstock weight, you have trees that can stand on their own and make super additions to the mantle and the sofa table.

The Merry Christmas sign can be hung on the branches from the curves of the letters. They could also be used as table confetti around the trees or adapted to read "Merry, Merry."

I am a Cricut affiliate, and I did receive a machine to make these projects. And, it's been fun. Thanks to all who have thrown their support and help along the way. I hope that you'll enter our giveaway and make along with me using the Cricut Explore. If you're a crafter, it's incredibly handy to bring dreams to reality in a really easy, efficient way.

xoxo,

MJ

Thanksgiving awaits us in just 9 days. Our family is hosting as we typically do, and it's my absolute favorite time of year! Our festivities this year include, along with both sets of grandparents and my aunt, my nephew in college who is near. He'll bring along friends, too, who may not be able to travel home, and I'm excited to open our home to a new set of companions.

We may have to break out into two tables for the first time. My children might experience the kids' table for the first time ever. Did you enjoy any holiday meals from the kids' table? My maternal grandmother often hosted our Thanksgiving, and I have memories of many years (as the youngest grandchild) spent at the table that was adjacent to the main action - the kids' table. To be fair, the kids' table had a lot of antics to be enjoyed so it wasn't a disappointment to be sitting there.

What if it were a treat? Or if you're looking for ways to keep your children busy while the meal is prepared or football games are watched? I've discovered these five great projects from creators who know what they're doing that I wanted to share with you. Such great results!

FAN TURKEYS

Hand turkeys have had their time. Let's try fan turkeys! For this you'll need some construction paper, markers, and glue. I love that it's more detail-oriented but can amuse the young child, tween, and maybe even teen. Googly eyes are always a nice addition. Check out all of the instructions over on A Girl and a Gluegun.

THANKFUL HEARTS

I love this gesture of gratitude that Katie and her family did over on Lasso the Moon. On Thanksgiving day, they gave family and guests small plush hearts and thanked them (one on one) for little and big things they do for them. On one sheet they wrote down who received each heart and why.

Throughout Thanksgiving Day, our family will take on the task of giving away as many hearts as possible. To give them away, we need to notice something that a person does for us, without being asked, that shows they care about us. (This can include neighbors and others, but I think we’ll just be sticking with the members of our family this year.) We give them one of our hearts, thanking them for the thing they’ve done for us, recognizing the reason why they’ve done it.

And there you have a lesson in gratitude for all to enjoy.

FIRST THANKSGIVING NAPKIN RINGS

This one will delight even the youngest set. While the turkey is roasting, pull out those collected toilet paper tubes to convert them into one of a kind napkin rings. If you head over to Crafts by Amanda - warning she has a ton of amazing projects for kids and adults - you get all the details on how to make your pilgrims just right.

THANKSGIVING TREAT BOXES

And if napkin rings weren't sweet enough, how about these adorabel treat boxes? They'd be fun to craft in advance and use as placecards, or to leave ready to decorate for your young guests. Wouldn't these be a fabulous take home treat, along with tons of extra turkey, for kids traveling near and far? Learn all the details over at A Pumpkin and A Princess.

OMBRE PINECONES

This is the perfect project for the teens and tweens who may not be delighted that they are relagated to the kids' area. Raid your backyard or any craft store this time of year. Grab some paint brushes and set one example on the table to follow. The ombre effect is really pretty and metallic edging would be great, too. With a bit of sparkle, the kids can feel like the are getting ahead on their Christmas decorating. Oh, wait, kids probably aren't worried about that. :)

Wishing you and your kids a fabulous Thanksgiving. How do you keep your kids happy and entertained while hosting?

xoxo, MJ

P.S. Need some more ideas to make this Thanksgiving the best? Check here.