It's my favorite day of the blog week! Time to share another Fresh Holiday Tradition with you.

This week I'm super duper pleased to share with you a homespun piece of Thanksgiving decor that you can easily transition into a Christmas garland when the time is right.

My husband and I have hosted our parents for Thanksgiving here at Pars Caeli since we were married in 2002. As a nervous newlywed, I decided to start a tradition with our guests. Mailed to them about a week before Thanksgiving were paper stars on which they were asked to write people/experiences from which they were grateful. Every person received three stars that they were to sign and date.

11 years into this tradition, I have an album of stars from all of our family members - featuring the words we thought our infants might use for their favorite objects to the wisdom of my husband's grandmother on the blessings of family and good health. Reading my father's words for "his soulmate" and my little girl at 4 writing that she was grateful for her friends...well, it gets me a little emotional every year.

We put up our tree the evening before Thanksgiving as food prep is also at its peak.

We hang only white lights and these white stars on the tree for a few days surrounding Thanksgiving, and the beauty and simplicity of the words and light is really gorgeous.

As we add our ornaments for Christmas, we keep the white stars on the tree to remind us of the real gifts we've received.

This year I'm putting some of our favorite gifts on a star garland that will hang for Thanksgiving as well as offer a foundational layer on our Christmas tree.

Have you ever made Baking Soda/Cornstarch clay? If not, you really need to carve out some time to do so. The bright white color is brilliant.

I followed this recipe from Full of Great Ideas:

• 2 cups of baking soda
• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 1.25 cups of cold water

1. Combine and mix the ingredients in a pot.

2. Continue to mix as you turn on medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture pulls away from the side of the pot and becomes more of a ball. This took about 10 minutes for me.

3. Take out the clay and put it in a bowl. Cover the clay with a wet, cool paper towel and allow it to cool off before working with the material.

4. Once cooled, the clay will feel like stiff mashed potatoes (in my humble opinion). Roll out your desired amount to about 1/4" thickness and begin cutting with the star shape.

5. I added one gift to each star and kept the descriptions simple (eg: humor, home, my teacher). Also since I wanted to make a garland of these, I added two holes on either side of the star for stringing. Simply use a pencil, eraser end, for these. Using stamps purchased from the dollar bins at Michael's, I stamped in our gratitude, playing with the depth for each letter.

6. Set your oven to 220 F. Place all your stars on a cookie sheet. Set the timer for 45 minutes. Inspect. As the clay bakes, it will turn even whiter. When it's thoroughly white on one side, remove from the oven and turn over on the other side to bake for another 45 minutes. Be careful not to turn up the heat to speed up this process as you run the risk of burning and changing the coloration.

7. Let the stars cool. Once cool, string ribbon through the holes and find the perfect location to show off your Thanksgiving gratitude. And right after the Macy's Day Parade, take it over to your Christmas tree!

We're looking forward to another fun project next week! Until then, let us know how your holiday prep is going!!

xoxo, MJ

Check out the other posts in this series…

1. 5 Minute Gratitude Journal on Lulu the Baker
2. Pumpkin Pancakes on Classic Play

Welcome back to this favorite series of mine, friends!! Today I'm bringing you a true talent and an incredibly put-together lady, Mrs. Erin Hiemstra of Apartment 34. 

Erin is a digital communications expert, fashion and décor enthusiast, and a stylist who has transformed her passions into her career. She went full-time last year to pursue her dreams of working with creative clients such as Rue Magazine, Trophy Cupcakes, Mark and Graham and Chloe Rose Boutique among others (yeah, she's that awesome).

Back in the day (AKA fall 2012), Erin was kind enough to recognize Pars Caeli as one of her Noteworthy Newbies, and I'm delighted to have the chance to have her over here with us to peek into her blogging journey.

Enjoy the images and Erin's adventure!

Apartment 34 was originally meant to chronicle the renovation of my first condo in Seattle, a renovation that has never taken place! Six years later I now live in San Francisco and the blog as blossomed into a full lifestyle site and I couldn't be happier.

Just look at my early posts. Horrible image quality, atrocious writing. My whole first year could be considered a mistake but it was my authentic voice at the time.

There are so many reasons I've kept up my blog for so long. First is getting to constantly talk about topics I love and have real passion for - styling, design, fashion, food, travel. I really do find all these things so critical to a well lived life. And then there is the amazing community of bloggers I consider myself lucky to be a part of. I've made true and long lasting friendships with people from all around the world through this crazy blogging experiment. And finally I blog for my readers. I feel an obligation to them - to deliver something fun, interesting and new everyday.

I look for inspiration absolutely everywhere - my files, bookmarks and pins go on for days. Something I hear about from a friend. Everything is a potential blog post!

I'm always drawn to someone with a beautiful well-designed aesthetic, gorgeous imagery, interesting fresh ideas and/or a compelling story. I'm a speed blog reader so there are few that get me to pause and dive in deep but I love it when they do.

I wouldn't even know what to do with myself. My brain is now so trained to always be scouting for the blog. I would have more time to read novels, watch movies and sleep though. 

I turned Apartment 34 into to my full time job last year, but the blog is only one component of my business.

I use my first career in PR & marketing to offer influencer marketing consulting services to lifestyle brands. In a nutshell, I know help brands I love work with the bloggers I love in creative and mutually beneficial ways. It's the ultimate win-win! I also moonlight as a stylist from time to time. I love helping a brand create a visual look or work with a magazine to style a really compelling shoot. I don't call it my profession though - it's more my little side project!

Oh, my, goodness. Erin has style just oozing from her veins. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us, Erin, and for setting a great example for what full-time blogging/consulting work can look like. It's a delight to have you over!!

If you're having trouble with the comments here, please feel welcome to send me an email at parscaeli@gmail.com or tweet me a note to @parscaeli

How is it Friday already? We are painting, painting, painting in our house with all three children's bedrooms getting fresh coats. The nursery will now transform into the "nook" where all three kiddos can go to read and draw and just hang. The wall murals that I painted when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter are now covered over with a fresh coat of Palladian Blue. No lying, I was more than a bit melancholy about the transition.

But good things await so let's get on with the living!

Spend some time today crafting and consider yourself particularly talented. It's not too late to craft something awesome for our DIY date. Remember what this month's project is? For you extra special, busy people, I'm extending the deadline to Saturday. Just send over a photo and explanation of your work to my email (parscaeli@gmail.com). If you're a blogger, all posts should go live on Monday am, and I'll link right to them!

While you're creating, grab yourself a handful of Hershey's kisses and Hershey's chocolate bars and offer a big shout out to Milton Hershey who died on October 13, 1945. But keep some extra chocolate on hand for Sunday because the world is celebrating National Dessert Day, and you do not want to be caught without the best course of every meal.

Here's a Tri- for you to Try this weekend, friends:

                             

1. STRIKE A POSE, MUMMY

Mini mummies? Oh, yes. Click over and see what Jen has set up with these posable creatures. So cute and so fun. Jen always has the best ideas. Check out some other mini Halloween decorations that will make you wish you had eaten Alice's candy and fallen down the rabbit hole to this tiny goodness. And while you're over at Classic Play, please take a gander at Caroline's adorable Halloween Straw Toppers.

2. BE THE COOL MOM

Mariah from Playful Learning has three great tips for how to host a great playdate. I loved her practical, generous, and child-centered approach to a day of fun with friends. Click over to read and see her great set up, her menu for fun and healthy, and a little something extra she keeps in her back pocket.

3. CATCH ON TO THE PUMPKIN TREND

Not only are pumpkins all over the patches these days, but every food blogger and crafting Pinterest lover has been sharing amazing ideas with pumpkins. I'm getting in on the action on Monday with a something special I have planned with Miss Gina, and I hope you'll tune in.

In the meantime, we have to make this delectable and savory Pumpkin Fettucine. Camille (via contributor Jess Simpson) brings another great dish straight to our kitchens with this combination of pumpkin puree and sage. Best part: very few ingredients and super simple instructions (and did you see that intro photo? yummmm).

I have a lot of crafting and tailgating ahead of me for the weekend, friends! I must be off. See you here on Monday to show off some great DIY projects, many of which involve amazing free prints for you!!

XOXO, MJ

                                                          

The first ever Pars Caeli button. Made especially for the redesign of LaidOffMom.com coming in a few days. You'll want to check it there because some of my favorite new bloggers also have their beautiful badges appearing on Louise's lovely site.

                              

We finished up a trend-setting, wonderful first week of school here. I survived! Oh, and my kiddos are all loving their new teachers, school supplies (very important), and classmates.

This weekend holds some fun celebrations at Church and a whole lot of togetherness with good people, and I'm looking forward to it! What are you up to this weekend?

Let's watch a good movie tonight (any ideas?) and thank Thomas Edison for patenting the motion picture camera on this day in 1891. On Saturday find a way to connect with someone you've hurt or left out and give them a big bear hug. You'll be in full celebration of Kiss and Make Up Day, August 25. Sunday is all about the special canines in our lives as National Dog Day is marked. Spend some special time with your dog or take some time to visit a rescue center for those dogs in need of a home.

Need some other ideas?

1. MAKE AN INSPIRATION BOARD:

Sincerely, Kinsey made this cool, rustic board to post photos, clippings, memories, and even some succulents. I have just the place where I'd love to hang one of these. Rotating display areas are so fun!

2. CRAFT A TOY FROM A TRAY:

Danyelle always amazes me with these great kiddo projects that come from handy objects that she transforms into gloriously designed goodies. She converted a serving tray into a marble maze, and it looks like the kind of present you'd be proud to give your own or someone else's eager child.

3. DO UP YOUR DO:

I am on a hair kick right now. Typically I cut my hair as the weather turns colder and let it grow in the summer (weirdo). So Camille posted a handy tutorial on volume and curls, and I had to favorite it. Camille has such style that I find myself clicking through a lot of her posts. Give yourself permission to do the same this weekend!

Let's have a bright weekend, friends!

XOXO, MJ