As a December baby born mid-blizzard, I have a particular, and possibly innate appreciation for warm, cuddly baby blankets. Care Bears were on trend when I arrived on the scene, so they gleefully adorned my swaddler of choice, but if I was a mom today, (or a very discerning infant), I’d be thrilled to go about town with a blanket by Yuko Uemura of PataPri. At $60 each, the blankets feature adorable patterns (Hedgehogs! Houses!) printed on gauze fabric with water-based inks. Don’t have a baby to dress? Check out the line of hand towels in an expanded array of patterns, and enjoy free shipping through the end of November. – Sarah C.

I’ve been making this relish for years. With a mix of spices, raisins and orange, it adds the perfect punch to the tart cranberries. Still, every year or so, I give a new recipe a try. I’ve tried spicy versions with jalapeños, chunky ones with apples, a pared-down version with just a splash of verjus — yet it’s this recipe I keep coming back to. That said, I can always be convinced to try another one. Got a can’t-beat cranberry relish I can try? Check out the recipe after the jump and post your own in comments. — Sarah L. Click for Cranberry Relish!

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Here at Shelterrific, we’ve learned that a great way to spur charitable contributions is to appeal to the cravings of the almighty sweet tooth. We’ve found two tasty options in Baking for Good and The Sweet Potato Project, and here’s a third to outfit that holiday spread: This year, Give Pie. An initiative of United States Charity Fundraising, Give Pie allows you to give back to the community in two ways: by signing up to sell pies, on your own or with a team, or by buying a pie yourself. The organization hopes to sell more than 10,000 pies in each location to aid a variety of local charities, including this year’s featured beneficiary, SkillsUSA. Visit GivePie.com to get involved or stop by United States Charity Fundraising to learn about local opportunities for giving back to your community this holiday season. – Sarah C.

A few months ago I had the unfortunate luck of being the victim of a break-in, and it was heartbreaking. After taking care of the police and renter’s insurance report (aside – renter’s insurance is cheap, and well worth it!), I started to investigate how I could minimize the chances of this happening to me again, or at the very least, make it more difficult for someone to help themselves to my things. I know many of us will be traveling this upcoming season, so we should safeguard our homes while we’re away. The following is what I learned thieves look for:

• Are you home? It might seem obvious, but I didn’t consider making it look like I was home, even when I was gone for a very short time. Buy timers! Timers are inexpensive and can be found at your local hardware or drug stores. Put them on your radio, lights, and tv, and set them to go off once during the day and evening.

• Evidence of new valuables. If you get a fancy new TV or electronics, don’t leave the packaging visible in your garbage. Break down the box and put inside a dumpster away from home. Would-be thieves watch for these things in your alleys and garbage.

• Obvious hiding places. Under mattresses, jewelry boxes, and desks are all easy targets. The officer who investigated my case said thieves hardly ever look in books, so consider putting smaller valuables in hollowed-out books like these. Hide larger valuables, like laptops, in your food pantry or kitchen.

• Is anyone watching? Get to know your neighbors and let them know you will be gone. It’s important for communities to recognize strangers, and be curious if they see someone who is unfamiliar hanging around your home.

Lastly, keep a running list of valuables – include serial/model numbers, value, or any other specific information about them – and e-mail it to yourself. This will help lessen your legwork if you ever do have to report missing items or those damaged from fires or storms.

Anyone else have recommendations on how to keep our homes safe and secure this holiday season –Rebecca F.

During the summer I often have several vases of cut flowers and foliage around the house cheering me up. But now that fall is here – and winter is fast approaching – I lean more towards warm candles and seasonal decorations. So, the vases get thoroughly cleaned and packed up until spring. But how do I clean those narrow-neck vases I love so much? I’ve got a trick!

To help get rid of those stubborn hard water lines and stuck on debris, use popcorn kernels! If you have hard water lines in a vase, add 2-3 tablespoons un-popped popcorn kernels and the same amount of white vinegar, cover and shake vigorously! The vinegar will dissolve the mineral deposits, and the popcorn will help scrape them off. If you have dirt or filmy deposits in the bottom, you can also do the same with very hot water, a drop of dish soap, and popcorn. To avoid water spots when drying, rinse the vase out with rubbing alcohol and leave upside down to dry. Voilà – sparkly clean vases ready for next year! Bonus – the popcorn can be dried and used over and over again. –Rebecca F.

photo by Jen Firlik

First, Katie D. stoked the fires in the hearts of design-loving television aficionados with her minimalist television poster roundup. Then we took the trend to Stephen King posters, and now Moxie Creative’s got our number with their Dress The Part series of graphic posters inspired by men’s style. Available for ten classic movies, the designs capture the essence of each film, from the brawn of Superman to the goofball antics of Dumb & Dumber. Me? I’ll take Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, hands down. Snag yours for a cool $30 at MoxieCreative.com. –Sarah C.

Katie D. shared a steampunk laptop back in April, encased in a Victorian jewelry box. Here’s another take on it from Esty seller usbtypewriter. Each antique typewriter is modified to work as a USB keyboard for Macs, PCs and yes, iPads. My favorite is the bright green one, pictured, but there are other styles available or you can choose to have one of yours modified. Feeling handy? You’ll also find DIY kits in the seller’s store. — Sarah L.

Ever since I saw an interior designer I know place a tin pig cookie cutter on top of a bulletin board as a whimsical wall decoration, I have looked for opportunities to steal the idea. (Thanks for the additional Flickr inspiration Interiors by Ivy, Purple house on pearl, Harthill south and Inspired by everything!) So, with cookie-making season upon us, I am looking for cutters that can double as décor, such as this Crate & Barrel autumn-themed set, this adorable vintage gingerbread couple and this sweet 3” sheep for $1. It’s not just a frugal idea, it’s also a yummy one! –Ginny F.

I usually fall on to the liquid side of the great soap debate, but the other night, I smelled a soap so heavenly that I had to take it home with me. And I’ve been in sudsy shower heaven ever since. The soap, made by Pirouette Essentials, is made with only natural and sustainable plant oils (such as RSPO certified sustainable palm oil) and is cruelty free — and beautifully packaged to boot. These bars, handmade in Seattle, come in a wide range of intoxicating aromas like the milk and honey shown above, black pepper citrus, Indian spiced chai tea, and lavender earl grey. I bought my bar of Blue Hawaii (coconut & lime) at the West Seattle olfactory wonderland that is knows perfume, but you can find all of the scents (along with some great sampler packs) at the online shop or if you’re in the Pacific Northwest, at these stores (like the CakeSpy Shop). –Megan B.

photo courtesy of Twilight Artist Collective.

1) Making donuts at home has some appeal. Forget calories! This donut factory spells Saturday morning fun. Sarah L. says: “That looks like it would be a blast to do with kids on a lazy winter morning, especially after a sleepover. Can’t be any worse than waffles drowned in syrup.”

2) You have opinions when it comes to choosing cranberry sauce varieties. But, if you’re lucky, you don’t have to choose. Mary H. says: “Honestly, I like them both. The jellied kind is delicious and reminds of my childhood. But a few years ago I starting making my own with fresh cranberries and ginger…so good! So for me, Thanksgiving dinner with both is the way to go!” Do you prefer jellied? Or whole berry?

3) Bento box Tupperware is an inspired idea. Sarah C. shared the Box Appetit and you like the concept. Charlene says: “Ahh! I want one!! It’s just too bad that I now work from home and have no excuse to get one… I did buy a cute little “bento” lunch box from a Japanese department store recently and still have not used it. Oops.”

4) Glancely makes Etsy searches easy. Mary T. found the site that allows you to view offerings based on keywords at a glance. Mary-Grace says: “LOVE this! This is going to save me so much time … or maybe I’ll just spend even more time browsing because it’s so simple”.

5) Refinishing doorknob hardware is easier than you think. Cassie D. refinished the doorknobs in her home to better fit with the design aesthetic and we like her alternative to brass. Julie says: “Ugh to shiny shiny brass – the after is sooooo much better. Way to go”. Get her technique in six easy steps.