Dried Fruit Ornaments

So, have we mentioned how talented & crafty our mom is yet?! She really is the inspiration to so many of the things we do. Last year she made the most beautiful old-timey ornaments from dried fruit. Of course I had to give it a try and share! You can literally use any fruit & embellish them anyway you want. We live in a small apartment & our tree is really little, so I chose oranges, limes, & lemons since they're smaller fruits.

Really this is so super easy! Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, slice the fruit to the thickness you want them. A 1/4 inch is perfect, but being a lefty I'm slightly uncoordinated & as you can see mine are all sorts of sizes:) Then place the fruit slices directly on the oven rack & cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning over half way through. If they begin to brown, they are definitely done.

After I pulled them out of the oven I sprinkled both sides with glitter. This is awesome because they're just barely sticky enough to hold the glitter well. Then I spread them on a cooling rack to let them finish drying out for the rest of the day.

When I was finishing these up I didn't realize I had completely ran out of glue & sadly I had no modge podge, but I DID have brads! Yep, I used brads to attach the ribbon:) Then my favorite part....we hung them on the tree. They add such a beautifully nostalgic touch. I love this time of year & am looking forward to all the many ideas & projects coming up. 

Happy Holidays!!!

Senior Photographs: Brown Edition

I gotta tell you, I was super scared to shoot this session. The winter really messes with my self confidence when it comes to photography. Snow is a hard thing to work with, and I don't get a lot of sun, and people get cold. BUT, this session just "changed my whole outlook on life!" (The Grinch)

 Sara was such an easy subject. She is the most gorgeous thing ever. But here's the thing, most people want a certain outfit for their senior pictures that doesn't include winter accessories. Dress for the weather, just stay classy about it, like this. :) She has a super cute coat and a pretty scarf to go with it! When you're posing them, lasso that weather and use it to your advantage. I think it's insanely adorable how she's holding her scarf around her face in the first picture.

 Pockets are another way. I LOVE pockets. Coat pockets, pockets on the front of your pants/back of your pants, use 'em.

 The sun is a great prop when it decides to peek out of the clouds. Adds a little pop of color and can also make hair look amazing with that little gold outline it gives.

 Jamie spotted these logs on our drive. It was an AMAZING idea. Again, pockets.

 She decided to put on her hood. Was that a great idea? Or was that a great idea? Weather savvy AND beautimus savvy. :)

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

I completely love words, language, accents, writing, and stories-- short, long, true, fiction, it doesn’t matter. Can you tell? I am an English major :) Blogging is amazing because it gives me a chance to write more, but my sisters were wondering why I wasn’t sharing the hundreds of books I’ve read. So today I’m sharing one of my favorites (thanks to my brother). “The Five People You Meet In Heaven” by Mitch Albom. 

The story begins with and ending as Eddie, a maintenance man, passes away in an accident at the pier side carnival he's worked for nearly his entire life. He goes on to the after life to meet five people who significantly affected him. Some of them he knows and some come to him as a surprise, but that's all I'm willing to give up. So if you haven't read it, you should! It's beautifully written and SO uplifting.

(Not much of a reader? Well the movie is done amazingly as well!)

I’m sure no one would be shocked that I’ve been pondering all the things I’m thankful for lately. Something I would do good to remember all year round. Mostly I’m thankful for the many wonderful people in my life, I've gained something from each and everyone of them. I'm also thankful for my family and being able to do this all with my gorgeous and talented sisters. I love all the many of you (our readers) and your talents and blogs. I read all your stories and often find myself wishing they weren't so short, but what is great is that they're all so different and written by the best authors they possibly could be:)

Everyone have a Happy and relaxing Thanksgiving!

  

New York In December

Click here to watch the Letter 4 sisters on the Martha Stewart Show!

We are so grateful we had this INCREDIBLE experience of being able to chat with Martha Stewart and Vic Gundotra (Vice President of Google Engineering)
They are both such incredibly talented people and we are so privileged to have met them!

Thank you to Martha for having us on your show, and to the whole Martha Stewart team (we've been having so much fun working with you all! ;) )

THANK YOU TO VIC GUNDOTRA AND GOOGLE FOR FLYING US OUT TO NEW YORK TO BE ON THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW IN DECEMBER!!!!!!!!


That's right! If you watched the video you know that not only did we get to have this amazing experience, we have been invited to come on the Martha Stewart show again this December! It's pretty much a dream come true that we get to make a craft with Martha. And we cannot thank google and the Martha team enough for having us!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Bread Made Cornucopia

Years ago I remember our fabulous Aunt Sandy bringing the most amazing cornucopia made of bread to Thanksgiving dinner. Well, I was so impressed with it that still every year I think "Oh, I'd love to make one of those." But being the lazy person I am, it just seemed to involved & I didn't want to get myself into a project I was only going to get frustrated with. This year I decided was the year. Only there had to be an easier way, Right?! So, one day while I was thinking on how I could make this easier, I opened the freezer to get what I needed for dinner & ended up looking straight at the package of Rhodes rolls. It's then I think I heard the "Hallelujah Chorus"ha ha. I've used those for millions of other things why not this?! It's possible I'm the last person to think of using rolls, but it turned out so great I have to share!! 

All you need: Rhodes Dinner Rolls & aluminum foil

First I set out about 20 rolls to thaw. Then I made about 20 to 25 aluminum foil balls & set aside about a 20 inch sheet of foil.

This part, I thought, was kind of tricky. Basically you take the flat piece of foil & shape it into sort of a funnel, fill it with the foils balls, and use a sheet of foil to cover the front to keep the foil balls from falling out. Then just work with it a bit to get it the exact shape you want.

While I was working with the tin foil, the kiddos were more than willing to roll the Rhodes rolls dough into long strands, & they did an awesome job!

While my two favorite helpers continued to roll out the dough, I took three strand of dough and braided them together for the top. Then I warpped the strips of dough around the foil until it was about to the end. To finish I wrapped the braid around the front. (A twist would be fun too). 

Next I covered and let the dough raise for about an hour & a half. 

I followed the baking instructions on the package of rolls. So, bake at 350 degrees for about 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. You'll want to watch it closely. I even rotated mine half way through. When it's done, coat with butter, let cool, and remove the foil. 

I love this part because you can fill it with whatever you want & you'll have a beautifully edible center piece for Thanksgiving Dinner :D 

The cornucopia is a symbol of abundance, and I have to say my life is a cornucopia. I'm not without my struggles, but it's beautiful & filled with more blessings than I could ever count. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

  

Veterans Day

Even though this month has really just begun, there has already been an outpour of appreciation and thanksgiving for the blessings in ones life. It's wonderful to see everyone get into the spirit of the holidays, especially today. What better month could there be to honor our Veterans. I am so grateful to those who have & are serving & to their families & the sacrifices they've made for my freedom. 

My sisters & I grew up a small town in southeast Idaho. Even though the community is small they put on an awesome program in honor of our Veterans. Every year since I can remember the elementary students have been a huge part of it. It's amazing to see these young children expressing their thanks the best way they know how... SINGING THEIR HEARTS OUT! 

As a kid I remember how much fun it was, but as an adult it melts my heart to see their enthusiasm & respect each year & it makes it so great to see my daughter as part of it all.

Again, I give a heart felt THANK YOU to all the men & women who have served in the armed forces, especially to two of our own who have returned from the middle east within this past year. 

Damion Gomez United State Army

Andrew Danielsen United States Navy

I admire & appreciate you both, for your willingness to serve & your bravery. 

Love

Senior Photographs: Schmitzer Edition

So, once in a great while, I get the chance to take some senior photos of classmates! Presenting just a glimpse of my work on a good friend of mine, Austin.

This picture explains how funny I am. Or how awkward I am...hm.. anywhoo, he's a stud, right?

Have an excellent Thursday! And don't forget about The Letter 4's appearance on The Martha Stewart Show in the morning! 10:00 Eastern time/8:00 Mountain time on the Hallmark channel!

Homemade Facial Scrub

I LOVE this time of year. The way the colors change.... the smell of fall.... it's absolutely enchanting! The cold air is so refreshing and who doesn't love the sight of the first snow. Mother Nature is truly a wonder and I can't help but be amazed at the beauty of our earth.  One of the things I am thankful for is growing up on a farm. It taught me to appreciate not only the beauty, but all that our planet provides us with as well. There is so much yummy goodness for our bodies inside and out!

A while ago Janae mentioned how great homemade facial scrubs or masks would be. Her just mentioning that jogged my memory and I told her, "oh my gosh, I used to make those!" Everyone has such different skin types and there are endless combinations of ingredients. So, after going through lots of different recipes and health books, I came up with something pretty basic.

Here's what I used and why:
-White Sugar and Pure Dark Brown Sugar for exfoliators.
-Oatmeal, which also is a good exfoliant and helps your skin glow.
-Cinnamon which is a natural antiseptic
-Honey is also a natural antiseptic as well as an anti-inflammatory.
-Almond Oil smoothes and softens skin.
-Pure Vanilla is used for its aromatherapy properties.
-Water to get the desired consistency.

I a small bowl combined 1 1/2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1/2 a table spoon of white sugar,
1 tablespoon of oatmeal (I didn't want the flakes in mine to be so big so I crushed them up a bit)
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of pure organic honey
1/2 tablespoon of almond oil (I made my own, I couldn't find pure almond oil in our small town)
1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla


After mixing the ingredients, I added 1/4 to 1 tablespoons of water. I like mine a little runny so I added a full tablespoon.

Now just pour in a jar or container with a lid you can seal tightly. Since it has honey it, it can crystalize if not sealed properly. Then massage into skin 2 to 3 times a week, letting it sit for about 2 minutes. Make sure to try a little on a small patch of skin before using.

I love Jades delicious recipes, she has definitely had a hand in putting my family and I on a healthier path. Being conscious about what we are putting in our bodies has inspired me to be more thoughtful about what we're putting on them also. I realized I don't have to go buy expensive facial scrubs, there are so many good natural things we can find in our own households already:)

Love,