I'm a wife, stay-at-home mom, crafter, and blogger living in rural New England. As seen in Martha Stewart Living, Food Network Magazine, and more! | Tutorials, DIY, crafts, parenting tips, recipes, money saving tips, product reviews, local product features, New England living, intentional living, and more! |
I’ve been wanting to hang a few decorative signs on the outside of our house… a welcome sign by the door and this “gather” sign on our back deck. However, with vinyl siding I was very hesitant… I didn’t want to drill into it or make a mess of it. Which is why I was so happy when I came across this incredibly simple, no tools needed solution! | This is not a sponsored post, but an honest independent review of a product. This post contains affiliate links |
Vinyl Siding
After some searching on Amazon I came across these
"No-Hole Hooks" and it seemed to be the perfect solution! These are special stainless-steel hooks that are meant to "roll" under the lip of your vinyl siding and hang lightweight decor. Just what I needed!
I measured out the distance between the hangers on the back of my sign, placed the hooks at the correct distance, and hung the sign - ta-da! It couldn’t have been easier! I’m really happy with how easy it was.
It seems that as long as you have good condition (not sun brittle), quality siding and hang only light-weight items, this would be a great solution over drilling into your siding. I also love that if we decide to take down the decor, it leaves no holes behind! I’ve had these signs up for a few months now and I’ve been really happy with how these have worked and held up.
Similarly there is a no-drill product to hang items on bricks too! We do not have any brick surfaces at our home, so I personally haven't tried them myself but these Brick Hook Clips are well rated and meant to hang decor on brick surfaces, indoors or outdoors. Just make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding installation and weight limits.
Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, but an honest independent review of a product. Always follow manufacturer’s guidelines when using and use product at your own risk. Not liable for any damages or improper use.
A tradition I started two years ago was to donate a percentage of profits from Birch Landing Home at year-end to Charity. I’m so happy to say that this year we were able to help support The American Cancer Society in addition to our donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Thank you so much for all your support for my Etsy shop and blog this past year, I hope to continue to grow them and be able to give back more each year in return.
I love Christmas as much as anyone, but once the holidays are over I’m ready to pack it all up and start the New Year fresh with a clean house! Some of the most annoying decorations to pack up for me has been garland or string lights… they just get tangled so easily which makes unpacking them next Christmas equally as aggravating.
A simple solution? Cut out a piece of cardboard in a “spool shape” and wrap the garland or lights around it. This packs neatly away and keeps things from getting tangled. Trust me, you’ll thank me next Christmas ;)
Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Birch Landing Home!
We’ll be spending the next week with family and planning goals for the year ahead. Please let me know what kinds of blog posts you’d like to see from Birch Landing Home next year. Happy Holidays and see you in 2019!
We’re co-hosting one more GIVEAWAY before the holidays and it’s with our friends, Wolfeboro Candle Company!
Head on over to our Instagram for details and to enter! Winner will receive one of Wolfeboro Candle Company’s Wooden Wick Candles and one of our Hand-Etched Snowflake Ornaments.
So excited to have teamed up with Samantha of S.Lynch Knitwear for a great giveaway over on our Instagrams. Winner will receive a pair of her cozy Fair Isle Mittens and a set of our Hand-Etched Snowflake Ornaments. Head on over to my Instagram for details and to enter - just look for the post with these photos - good luck!
As a native New Englander, I definitely have a soft spot for nautical decor. After all, when we redid our older daughter’s room a few years ago, we gave it a Cape Cod theme! And you can’t get much more nautical than a painted buoy - it just adds that quintessential New England touch. That’s why I was so excited to find The Lost Buoy on Instagram and give our space some nautical flair. | This post contains an honest review of product provided by The Lost Buoy |
The Lost Buoy was started by Katie, who grew up in coastal Massachusetts and has many fond memories of beaches, lobster shacks, and exploring in her grandparents old Ford woody station wagon (really, does it get more New England than that?). Katie has turned all these memories and charm into a great line of coastal-inspired decor, clothing, paper goods, and even wedding accents.
Katie was kind enough to send me one of her iconic Striped Lobster Buoys to add some nautical flair to our home. These lightweight, hand-painted buoys are cute in every room but I think I settled on having it add some coastal charm to our door for the holiday - there’s just something about Christmas greens and red lobsters - you can’t go wrong!
The Lost Buoy offers lots of great designs on their Decorative Buoys too - from different New England places, to nautical elements, and even custom color buoys to show your school spirit. And the wedding buoys would be perfect for anyone having a beachside ceremony.
The Lost Buoy definitely has something for everyone who loves nautical or preppy style!
Want a chance to win one of these beautiful buoys for yourself? Head on over to my Instagram for a chance to win a Decorative Buoy of your choice to compliment your home. Just look for this post and follow the directions to enter. Good luck!
Christmas is right around the corner and boy has it sneaked up fast! It’s always hard coming up with gift ideas for family and friends… but these days we’re personally trying to cut back on the amount of “stuff” we buy and give, and focus more on homemade items and experiences for gifts. What better gift than something made with love and the opportunity to create lasting memories? Read on for my tips to make the Perfect Christmas Cookies and then be sure to enter the amazing Boston Family Entertainment Giveaway at the end of the post for a chance to win some spectacular tickets to Boston-area events! | This post is sponsored and contains affiliate links |
5 Tips for Perfect Christmas Cookies
Sift
Make sure to sift all your dry ingredients. Doing this breaks up any clumps of flour or baking soda, combines everything evenly, and helps make your cookies light and fluffy.
Parchment Paper
Always line your cookie sheet with parchment paper, this is key to getting the cookie bottoms that perfect light golden brown. If you're planning on doing several batches of cookies make sure to round the corners of the parchment with some scissors first, as the sharp corners of the paper can start to burn after a few times in the oven.
Cookie Scoop
A cookie scoop is probably one of the best little investments you'll make in the kitchen and I don't know how I ever lived without mine. Using a cookie scoop ensures you get uniform-sized cookies every time and makes the whole process of getting your cookies ready for the oven go so much faster.
Time
Always bake your cookies for the lower suggested time. Cookies that are just cooked all the way through make for the softest, chewiest cookies. If they aren't cooked in the middle yet you can always put them back in for another minute or two, but it's best to start with the lowest time.
Your Secret Weapon - the "Bread Trick"
Accidentally over-cook the cookies? Forget to cover them on the counter? Believe it or not, the magical solution for over-cooked or stale cookies is just a slice of sandwich bread and a big ziplock. Put all the cookies in a gallon ziplock bag, throw in a slice of bread, seal, and leave for a few hours - the cookies will get softer as the bread gets staler. Magic!
There is so much to see and do for families visiting Boston. We have an amazing Boston Family Entertainment Package that will mean loads of family fun for one lucky winner!Get those Perfect Christmas Cookies Ready!
Today's giveaway has been brought to you by the following sponsors:
This holiday season, consider experience such as tickets to a show, museum passes or a gift certificate for other fun family entertainment. Experience gifts are a great way to help families create lasting memories.
Ultimate Boston Family Entertainment Package
One lucky winner is going to receive the Ultimate Boston Entertainment Giveaway Package that includes:
(4) tickets to Bricktacular at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston (every weekend in Dec.)
(4) tickets to Blue Man Group (to be used after Jan. 1st)
(4) tickets to American Girl LIVE, a new musical featuring the iconic American Girl characters playing at the Boch Center, Feb. 22-24 (for Friday, Feb. 22 at 7:00 pm)
(4) tickets to Archery Games Boston (can be used anytime)
Dinner for 4 at South Street Diner (can be used anytime)
Boston Entertainment Giveaway
Official Rules and Conditions:One winner will receive the Ultimate Boston Entertainment Prize Package. No cash value. Open worldwide to adults 18+. One (1) winner will be chosen. Prize must be claimed within 48 hours of announcement or a new winner will be drawn. Prize will be delivered electronically. All entries will be verified. This giveaway is in no way associated with Amazon, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Rafflecopter, or any other entity unless otherwise specified. Giveaway ends 12/16/2018. Enter using the widget below.a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to check out all the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways!
