Think Outside the Big Box

Small Business Saturday is only two weeks away. For those of you who might not have heard of this relatively new phenomenon, Small Business Saturday falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and was first observed in 2010. Still going strong after five years, this shopping day was set aside to directly encourage consumers to shop at small, locally owned businesses, rather than big box and chain retailers as they do on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, Small Business Saturday is on 11/29.

The shopping day was originally created by American Express. Therefore, cardholders can claim up to 3, $10 credits to their American Express cards by registering their cards and shopping at participating small businesses on that day. Registration opens at midnight  11/15 (that's tonight - but in mountain time - so do the conversion for your time zone). Registration is limited, so make sure to register early if you're interested in this part of participation.

5 Different Ways to Register Your American Express Card Here

Check Your Zip Code Here for a List of Participating Businesses

Even if you don't want to register your card, if you haven't yet finished (or even started) your Christmas shopping. I would encourage you just go out into your neighborhood and SHOP LOCAL. Small business owners need our support, so let's do what we can to support them.

Make your list for gift ideas (and check it twice just like Santa would do), but be open to changing your mind if a local shop has a unique gift idea that you hadn't even though of. With your list in hand, head out the door for a full day of shopping. Here are some ideas for a fun day of errands AND shopping:

Take your dog to the local groomer. Give them your spouse's telephone number to call when he's ready. You have now shopped local, run an errand, and don't have the responsibility of picking your dog up from the groomer. ;-)

Visit the local thrift store to see what treasures they have. (I bet vintage decorations and ornaments this time of year!) You are shopping local and scoring some awesome vintage finds! These beauties need a home for the holidays too.

Visit all types of shops to see what sorts of treasures await. You might not buy something in every shop, or you might only pick up stocking stuffers, but it's nice to get to know your neighbors and you might also be surprised to find the perfect gift at a store that you would never have thought to shop at before.

Place card holders for the Perpetual Hostess on your list?

A Santa alarm clock for the Christmas Lover on your list?

Old fashioned ribbon candy for stocking stuffers?

And if you're REALLY thinking outside of the big box, don't forget that shopping small means supporting your local crafters. And sometimes those folks can be found online via Etsy as well as locally. So don't forget to seek them out too!

Before you head home, buy cupcakes from the local bakery. Bring them home to share them with your family because it's the nice thing to do after you've been gone all day. :-)

Happy shopping!

Fresh Strawberry Triple Layer Cake

I don't know about you, but THIS family is always in search of the perfect strawberry cake. It seems like one of the boys always requests a strawberry cake as his birthday cake. So, that gives me another reason to try new recipes. This one's a winner. It's a "made from scratch" cake, but don't let that deter you.

It's almost as easy as making a cake from a boxed mix. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed! You might find that you have a new talent for baking!

Fresh Strawberry Triple Layer Cake

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup strawberry puree* (instructions follows)

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

Strawberry Puree

Process fresh or frozen (and thawed) strawberries in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Approximately 3 cups strawberries will yield 1 1/2 cups of strawberry puree.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, vegetable oil, baking powder, salt, strawberry puree, vanilla, and eggs.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
4. Allow cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
5. Chill cakes for one hour before frosting.
6. Frost cakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows).
7. Store completed cake in refrigerator.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup strawberry puree

6-7 cups powdered sugar

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix well. Mix in strawberry puree.
2. Working in one cup batches, mix in powdered sugar.
3. If frosting is still a thinner consistency after adding all powdered sugar, refrigerate before using to frost cake. (Frosting will be thinner than most buttercream frostings because of the amount liquid added from strawberry puree.)

Notes:

If after reading this you still don't think you're "up" to making an entire strawberry cake from scratch, don't worry, we've got you covered.

Head over to check out our Triple Strawberry Cake recipe. It's a doctored recipe that starts with a boxed mix.

If THAT seems too daunting, try our Strawberry Cheescake Trifle recipe. It starts with a purchased Angel Food Cake. Can't get any easier than that!

Free Thanksgiving Printables

Thanksgiving will be here in less than 3 weeks! We'd better get cracking on preparations, people! To help you get started, I've gathered some free Thanksgiving printables to help with the event.

I also have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to FREE ThanksgivingPrintables, which I will be loading up with these finds today and with others in the coming weeks. So make sure to follow it for all the latest finds. Also check out and follow my Thanksgiving Pinterest board for awesome decorating ideas and inspiration.

First off, you can dress up any pies or cakes with this adorable Happy Thanksgiving mini bunting by Kara's Party Ideas. That's one schmancy pie:

And I love this fantastic idea of pie tags at Skip to My Lou to identify each type of pie because I don't know about you, but we eat A LOT of pie at Thanksgiving. It's an easy way for people to identify their own pies because at some point, the pies all start looking alike! ;-) Don't forget to check out these tried and true Harris Sisters pie recipes if you're looking for a few new ones this year.

Here's an entire printable party kit from TomKat Studio. It includes (among other things) a Give Thanks banner, food labels, leftover labels, menu, invitation, and many other goodies. 

Here's another set of leftover labels for the big day from I Heart Naptime. Send these cuties home with your guests (if for no other reason than to label their goodies), and they'll surely remember this year's Thanksgiving!

And here's one more set of leftover labels from Oh Happy Day:

This set of labels is beautifully designed and although it also includes a leftovers label, this set by WorldLabel might be more appropriate for delivering plates of food to those who might not have family visiting them on Thanksgiving day - a special way to share the day with maybe an elderly couple or brand new parents! We Harrises have been known to walk a plate of food over to neighbors on Thanksgiving day before - we hope you'll share in this tradition.

If you plan to decorate for Thanksgiving, then you can't go wrong with these free 8 x 10 chalkboard printables by Nest of Posies:

Thankful and Blessed:

Count Your Blessings:

Give Thanks Unto the Lord:

And here's another beautiful free decor printable from The Pleated Poppy.

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart:

And two more free chalkboard printables available in both 8 x 10 and 11 x 14 by Happy Go Lucky.

In All Things Give Thanks:

These "I am Thankful for" printables by Silverbox Creative are shown here linked together as a chain for a Thanksgiving decoration (great craft project to do with the kids). But they can also be used separately as napkin rings for your Thanksgiving table. Each one has a blank space to write in what you and your guests are thankful for!

Here's another "I am thankful" free printable in the form of a game from Sissy Print. Instructions for the game are included with the link:

If you're visiting others for Thanksgiving, consider bringing a gift to the host. This free printable mason jar label from The 36th Avenue is perfect for homemade goodies, such as Harris Sisters Crockpot Apple Butter:

As is this simple free printable Thank You tag from Five and One:

Or what about this free printable Thanksgiving bread wrap from Whipperberry, which would be perfect for Harris Sisters Super Moist Pumpkin Bread or Sweet Potato Pecan Bread:

And here's another free printable bread label from Lil Luna:

And I love this idea for hand-stamped wooden utensils plus a free printable Thanksgiving gift tag from The Idea Room (directions for stamping the wooden utensils are included in link):

Don't forget to get some memorable photos while everyone's together for the holiday! These free printable photo booth props from The Dating Divas will be a hit:

Here's a super fun way to kick off the festivities - it's a free printable Thanksgiving Trivia Game from The Mother Huddle. The game comes with its own trivia questions plus blank cards so that you can add your own trivia about your friends and family (or Thanksgivings past)! Sounds like fun!

Here's a free printable kids' activity placemat by Embellish:

Or, you can keep the kids busy with these fantastic free printable Thanksgiving Mad Libs from How Does She?:

But, never underestimate the power of a good, old-fashioned activity sheet! Here are some Thanksgiving themed ones from Reading with Kids:

Turkey Coloring Page:

Word Search and Maze:

And don't forget, if the activity pages and photos don't keep the kids busy, you can always ALWAYS have them help you make butter. ;-) Happy planning!

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