DIY Archives - now & gen

How to Start Your Own Garden

Nowandgen Author — Wed, 06 May 2020 14:00:14 +0000

Four years ago, I was a girl on a quest to create a garden I could eat from. It started with a chicken coop, then we added three garden beds. Fast forward to today, and we now have eight garden beds, a vertical garden from Lettuce Grow, and too many (are there ever too many?) potted plants, including lemon trees, a peach tree, and blackberry bushes. Our garden keeps growing and growing. Currently, I am scheming to buy a DIY greenhouse, so I can grow all the things I love to eat year-round. Here’s hoping! I didn’t start out knowing how to garden. In fact, it was the exact opposite. I’ve killed more plants than I’ve actually harvested, I’m sure. But working with an awesome gardener named Stevie Schultz of Resolution Gardens, as well as trial and error and lots of patience, has got me to where I am today. Since Stevie has taught me so much, I asked her to share her expert tips on how to start your own garden. Keep scrolling for her awesome insider info. And then let me know in the comments: Do you have a garden? If yes, what are you planting and growing […]

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DIY Wrapping Paper

Heather Catania — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 22:40:31 +0000

There are always a million things to do during the holidays. No matter how prepped I think I am, it feels as though an entire year of to-dos get crammed into these two weeks. That’s why I love finding activities that can check off a few boxes at the same time. This year, the kids and I decided to channel our inner Van Gogh and make DIY wrapping paper. I got my gift wrapping done and spent quality time with the kids, and they got to make a big mess and release some creative energy. It was a win-win for everybody! The wrapping paper we made is far from Pinterest-perfect, but I love that it gives an added personal touch and detail to our gift giving. O and the boys had so much fun designing their own presents, and it’s an added bonus for the grandparents who love to receive these special works of art from the kids. Want to give it a try? Don’t worry, this super easy DIY is basically impossible to screw up. Here’s how we did it: What You’ll Need roll of recycled Kraft paper paints (we used Tempera paints and paint sticks) paintbrushes small bowls […]

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Gluten Free Christmas Cookies

Heather Catania — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 17:16:26 +0000

There’s nothing the kids and I love more than turning on some holiday tunes and getting silly while making and decorating Christmas cookies. But that’s gotten a bit trickier to do since I’ve gone gluten free. So, I asked my friend and cookie connoisseur Lindsey Johnson (check out her Instagram @ladyinthewildwest) for ideas. She was sweet enough to share this holiday cookie recipe that is both gorgeous and gluten free! The “painted” ornaments are made with a delicious blend of chocolate and peppermint. And while these gluten free Christmas cookies look amazingly artistic, I promise you that they are easier to make than you would think! Keep reading for Lindsay’s fantastic ornament cookies recipe. And tell me in the comments: What’s your favorite holiday cookie to make (eat!)? Ornament Cookies By Lindsey Johnson One of our favorite cookies for the holiday season, these chocolate peppermint sugar cookies are simple to make, won’t spread in the oven, and taste just like brownies. They’re delicious on their own, but for a festive family craft project, we’ve dipped them in colorful vanilla candy coating and added gold luster dust to make them look like beautiful ornaments. Such a cute holiday gift! That is, if […]

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Creating a Tablecloth of Gratitude

Heather Catania — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 23:22:54 +0000

No matter how planned the day is, Thanksgiving always feels so frantic. This year, I wanted to create a personal touch that could be a conversation starter and sweet contribution to our Thanksgiving and allow our family some time to reflect on the year. Since I love home decor and tablescapes centered around fall and family, I had the idea to make a gratitude tablecloth. It’s easy to lose sight of our memories and what we are thankful for, so it was wonderful to all gather together to artistically illustrate our favorite moments from the year. I also love that the gratitude tablecloth is not too precious. I want it to live under our plates and trays and for every wine ring and gravy stain to add to the decor and the memories. It’s messy, just like we are! I have to admit, it didn’t come out exactly as I was envisioning—it’s not quite as bright and full as I thought it would be, though I realize that will take time and memories. But it did its job to get the kids thinking about all the wonderful things they have in their lives, from family and friends to toys and […]

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Fall Recipe: Pickled Apples and Pears

Heather Catania — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 16:33:13 +0000

I've been trying to limit our food waste. So, when we recently had an abundance of apples and pears that I didn’t know what to do with, I reached out to my chef friend Brock Lane for ideas. His suggestion: PICKLE them. Say what? I'd never thought to pickle fruit, but I did it and I have to say, the results were delicious and gorgeous.

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Frosted Pretzels Recipe

Heather Catania — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 15:00:23 +0000

A quick, fun, easy dessert or snack recipe that you and your kiddos will love.

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DIY: Feathered Halloween Masks

Heather Catania — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:25:03 +0000

Confession: I’m a huge stan of Martha Stewart. I used to hoard all her magazines growing up and could spend hours flipping through the pages. She has this inner toughness mixed with femininity that I admire. Not to mention all those amazing crafts! I’ve always found crafting fun and relaxing, especially when the items you make, like these Halloween masks, are pretty and usable. My friend Virginia Davidson saw these DIY feathered Halloween masks on Creative Bug and suggested them to me as an activity to do with the kids. They were a huge hit and a fun way for me to channel my inner Martha. When doing this craft with kids, you will need to be careful of burning little fingers (yours included) with hot glue. But the gorgeous end result is well worth it. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to make your own DIY feathered Halloween masks. And let me know how you feel about crafting with your kids (crazy fun or crazy stressful?) in the comments! What You’ll Need store bought white or black masks hot glue gun scissors craft felt in a variety of colors loose feathers Step 1 Pick three or four felt colors. (For an owl, […]

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How to Make Beeswax Reusable Food Wraps

Heather Catania — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 16:04:48 +0000

You guys know I’m having a love affair with our bees. We’re still feasting on the delicious honey we harvested a few months ago, and I’m creating care packages with honey and beeswax items for my friends and family for the holidays (shhh!). One of my favorite items we’ve DIYed is beeswax reusable food wraps. They’re the perfect green alternative to plastic, and so easy to make! We use the wraps to cover sandwiches and leftovers and we even made some snack bags. Here’s a step-by-step guide to make your own beeswax reusable food wraps. Try it out and let me know what you think! What You’ll Need beeswax pellets (You can find at Michael’s or Amazon) cotton fabric (I got mine at Joann) scissors paintbrush parchment paper baking pan hanger Step 1 Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking pan with parchment paper. Cut cotton fabric to the size you like. (I used a 7 inch x 14 inch piece for snack bags and 14 inch x 14 inch for sandwich wraps.) Sprinkle beeswax pellets evenly over fabric, making sure to get pellets as close to the edges as you can. Step 2 Place the baking sheet in the oven […]

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Easy Homemade Granola Bars With Sprinkles’ Candace Nelson

Nowandgen Author — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:56:28 +0000

Thanks to marathon training, I feel like I’m hungry ALL. THE. TIME. I’m having difficulty fueling my body and staying full. Not a bad problem to have, but I want to be mindful of what I’m putting in my body. Thankfully, my friend and founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes, Candace Nelson, has come to the rescue with her gluten-free granola bars. Her signature snack always satisfies my sweet tooth while packing a healthy punch of protein and antioxidants. The recipe combines seeds, rolled oats, maple syrup and mini chocolate chips for a delicious, high-energy bar. (Note: It calls for almond butter, but you can sub it out for sunflower butter to make the bars nut-free, should you or your kids have nut allergies). It’s a simple “mix and bake” type recipe that’s so easy even my little ones can help. Candace also shares a cool tip on how to dress ‘em up, so they taste and look better than any store bought bar. Check out the video to see how they’re made, then try it yourself with the recipe below! Crunchy Chocolatey Granola Bars 2 cups rolled oats (not quick cook) ½ cup sunflower seeds ½ cup pumpkin seeds 1/3 cup […]

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Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments

Heather Catania — Sat, 22 Dec 2018 18:52:00 +0000

Salt dough ornaments are one of those crafts that look easy and fun to make…and they actually ARE. They also keep my kids occupied for hours, which feels like a major parenting win during the chaos of Christmas. In between sports and school they plop down at the table and pick up a brush and paint the ornaments. I’ve been letting my OCD guard down and leaving the drop cloth on the kitchen table with all the supplies and just let them pick up where they left off with their creativity. My inner clean freak is losing it a little, but I know that I will be so happy we did all of these next year when I am hanging them on the tree and lamenting about another year passing by. They really do provide such nostalgia and let me know what the kids were into that particular year. (Dinosaurs were a common thread for Shep this year while Odette seems to be having a Jackson Pollock moment.) I can’t remember where I found the original recipe, but it’s morphed over the years and this is the version I’ve found to work best. Here’s what you’ll need to make the […]

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