Cathe Holden’s Inspired Barn | Creative Lifestyle

I’m so excited to share with you TWO wonderful holiday books from Country Living/Hearst Books. The first is by the fabulous Serena Thompson. I not only met Serena recently, but had the great privilege of walking the Alameda Flea Market with her and good pal Heather Bullard. It was a day I’ll never forget. Serena is a very kind soul, wife, mother of 4 boys, Contributing Editor to Country Living and runs the ever famous Farm Chicks Antique Show in Spokane, Washington. And if you think her blog is breathtaking, wait until you get a load of her holiday book, The Farm Chicks Christmas: Merry Ideas for the Holidays, now available in paperback!I adore how Serena savors the simple things in life. She shares sweet family traditions and lots and lots of inspiration for creating cherished memories in your home and with your family. This is a book I wish I’d had when starting our family.

Her holiday displays have me drooling. You will soon find me nestled up on the couch with my laptop shopping Etsy and Ebay for vintage treasures like the ones she shares in her delightful photographs. Serena has lots of delicious holiday treats she shares with full recipes for each (and cute blank recipe cards to share your favorites with others) and includes Ways to Ward Off the Chill, a compilation of delicious drinks perfect to pour from the Thermos. My favorite- Warm Lemonade with peppermint stick candy as flavor stir sticks.Serena even takes you along to visit her friends and admire their Christmas decorations!The Farm Chicks Christmas: Merry Ideas for the Holidays will inspire you to make handmade crafts, re-think holiday decorating, wrap beautiful packages, and create delicious food gifts. There’s even Farm Chick Style adhesive labels in the back to use on your treats! Of all the things included, this wonderland of a book left me wishing for something I rarely do- snow. The Farm Chicks Christmas is the perfect Christmas gift for your best girlfriend, your sister or mother, and of course, yourself.

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This second book is far FAR more than a book. It’s a DIYer’s dream- Country Living Deck the Halls: Christmas Notecards, Labels, Ornaments, and Other Festive & Fun Projects by Katy McColl, former Executive Editor of O at Home and Country Living. With this delightfully illustrated book, you’ll be inspired to make, bake, decorate, craft, cut, perf, paint, gift, wrap, pack, ship, and then… do it all again! Deck the Halls is a very chunky, all-inclusive package that includes projects with punch-out templates and patterns…recipes, recipe cards and stickers…

pages of punch-out ornamental birds to tuck into your Christmas tree and other paper ornaments to hang… Name tags, stickers, disguises, diy coupons, adhesive gift tags, place cards, and napkin rings…even gift boxes to construct!It’s more fun than you can have in any given day- another perfect gift for friends and family, and yes, YOU!