It is that magical time of the year when the holidays are rolling around; it is time to get cozy and warm. This year I am trying to make things extra special since many of our family traditions are looking a little different this holiday season. 


Why not start a fun new tradition that both kids and adults will love? There is nothing better than cozying up with a hot cup of cocoa with all of the fun toppings and fixings, especially on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.


This is a fun and easy d.i.y. project that will cost around $20 or less to make depending on what materials you have at home.


You will need:

1. A set of mason jars. (I bought mine from Target for less than $9 for the 12 pack of 8 oz. jars.)
2. Baby It's Cold Outside FREE PRINTABLE
3. Hot Chocolate and Coffee Bar Jar labels printable
4. Scissors
5. Ribbon
6. Hot Glue
7. Yummy Ingredients (hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, caramel sauce, crushed peppermint, chocolate chips, cinnamon sticks, etc.)
8. Optional: I also bought some To-Go coffee cups with lids and sleeves to make it a little more fun and festive. ​

Directions:
First, you need to download the jar labels and print them out on cardstock paper. Once printed, slowly cut out each of the circles with some scissors.​

When I created my jars, I placed four dots of hot glue, evenly spaced out around the jar. Place one dab of hot glue on the front of the jar, one on the back, and one on each side. 

Afterward, I took the ribbon and wrapped it around the jar. I had the two ends of the ribbon meet in the front. Having the two ends of the ribbon come together on the FRONT OF THE JAR is important, stick with me. Haha... get it...? Stick...? Glue...? Okay enough of the cheezy jokes. 

Next, I dragged the hot glue across the back of the label in the middle in a straight line, going from left to right horizontally. I then placed it on the front of the jar to cover the ends of the ribbon. In doing so, I had a nice, seamless ribbon wrapping my jar. 

Once you have done this to all the jars, it is time to fill your jars up with the different coffee condiments and treats.

I bought one of these wood platters to place it on to make it a little more festive and rustic.

​
I hope you and your family have fun with your d.i.y cocoa and coffee bar!

CHEERS!

Download your FREE Hot Chocolate Bar Printable

​Owning a home has always been a goal of ours. We were determined to purchase a home that was affordable but also had character and charm. My goal was to transform this old gal (whom I affectionately have nicknamed Elizabeth) into something I was proud of by incorporating in style, with vintage flair without breaking the bank.

Like most homeowners, we have pets that we love like our own children. Marty (our Golden Retriever) was struggling to go up and down the stairs. It would take us forever to coax Marty to come up and go down. Finally, I had enough and decided since we had a little one on the way, we needed to install carpet on the stairs. 

I went to the home improvement store with a budget; I didn't want to spend more than $700. That already sounded outrageous to me as it was. I wanted to find a carpet that was bound on both sides to leave some of the hardwood exposed. When they totaled everything I was shocked to hear it was going to be OVER $1000! (PUKE EMOJI!!!) This wasn't even the fancy stuff with the lovely patterns. It was just your average solid carpet!

Right then and there, I decided there was no way I was going to spend that kind of money on a carpet. There had to be a way for me to bring down the cost.


I WAS SO RIGHT!


I measured the stairs and realized that I needed about 11 feet of carpet for each section of the stairs. That's when I started scouring Target's website. I knew I wanted something gray but also had somewhat of a pattern to it or variation of color. This tip was my takeaway from the pricey big box store. Since it is a high traffic area and sometimes my husband is notorious for not always removing his shoes, I needed something with a speckle or variation to the carpet.

Luckily I was able to find a runner on Target for $74 each, plus a matching 3-foot diameter rug for the landing. The overall cost took us to a total of $191! That was over $800 in savings! WOOHOO!

Here is how we installed the rug, and if we could do this, so can you!

3. Once all of the tape is laid down on each step, you can begin to install the carpet. Start from the top and have it go all the way up the backboard. Staple it as close as you can to the top. You will see a little bit of the staple. To hide this, gently comb the carpet with your hand to disguise the staple. It should cover easily.  

4. Next, pull the carpet tight and pull it down to the first step making sure it aligns with the tape. Take the plastic putty knife and push it into the corner of the step to make sure you have a tight fit. It might be overkill, but we didn't want to take any chances. We placed a staple in both the backboard and the step to make sure the carpet would stay in place.

5. After that, pull the carpet tight and bring it under the lip of the step. Staple under the lip of the step.