Holiday

The Best Halloween Costumes for Dogs

October 11, 2023 by Everyday Alaska

I’m not one to dress my dog up in sweaters, raincoats, and tutus, but when it comes to Halloween costumes we’re all in! Ever since our pup was a rambunctious little (but actually giant!) lab, I’ve been getting Halloween costumes for him. Believe it or not, I put a lot of thought into these costumes (he’s my baby, after all). I wanted to share his costumes of the past years with you since I think they’re the best Halloween costumes for dogs. The costumes listed below come in a variety of sizes, so whether you have a small shih tzu, an extra large lab, or anything in between, there’s something for every pup!

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The Gregarious Giraffe

Trapper spent his first Halloween as a giraffe, and boy was he cute! He didn’t know what to think of the costume situation at first, but was he excited! You can order your fur baby this giraffe costume here.

A Perfect Pumpkin

For year two we went traditional with a pumpkin costume. I was a pumpkin for my first Halloween, so I thought he should be a pumpkin at least once. He was a wild little pumpkin, so all of my photos of him in costume are blurry, but you can check out a variety of pumpkin outfits here. I think this is one of the cutest ones.

A Proper Postal Worker

Year three has been my favorite costume so far, and I don’t think any other will ever top it. Trapper’s obsession with our USPS delivery driver (who gave him treats whenever he saw him outside) led me to find this costume for him. Our pup even posed like a proper gentleman for photos, so I think it was his favorite, too. You can find this cute pup postal worker costume here. They have UPS costumes, too!

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this lab from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.

One Tired Taco

Who doesn’t love tacos? I know hotdog dog costumes are popular, but why not switch it up a bit! I thought the taco costume idea was funny. Plus, as you can tell from this snoozing guy, it’s clearly pretty comfortable.

A Distracted Dinosaur

I thought this was such an adorable costume. It’s fun, colorful, and kept him cozy in the snow. He was much more distracted by his trick-or-treat candy corn, though, so there was no good photo opportunity of our big guy in his dino costume. P.S. This dinosaur costume is a great option for very large dogs as it goes to 4XL.

A Bucking Bronco

This year we’re going buck wild with a cowboy rider Halloween costume. Trapper will be the bronco (or bull?) and his rider will be in for quite the adventure this Halloween!

That’s a wrap of the best Halloween costumes for dogs! I hope you’ve found an idea that both you and your best bud will enjoy and get a good laugh out of. And don’t forget those dog treats for you pup’s trick-or-treating, too!

11 Arts and Crafts for Small Spaces

October 9, 2023 by Everyday Alaska

So, you’ve got a big love for arts and crafts but nowhere to do them at? Same here. We have a small home with very little space for me to spread out and do all of the crafting hobbies I enjoy. But don’t fret, this minor inconvenience has helped me to come up with a list of arts and craft ideas for small spaces. Many of these ideas even work with smaller budgets as well, and you can even use all these ideas to create items to sell so you can make money for more crafting supplies or maybe even a place with more crafting space!

Calligraphy

Get artsy with calligraphy! My mom and I had a great time learning faux calligraphy and doodling. It’s so inexpensive; you just need paper, calligraphy pens (this beginner set is great!) or basic makers, and a workbook or free YouTube tutorials. It’s a really relaxing hobby, and so handy for making cards and letter writing.

Card Making

Speaking of letters, why not make some cards? Go “old school” and create some beautiful snail mail. There are endless card creating ideas on Pinterest. You can really dive into it and get stamps, embossing tools, and more, buy card making kits, or just get some scissors, craft paper, and a glue stick and let your imagination take care of the rest! Once you’re finished making some cards check out the Veteran Pen Pal Project and The Angel Card Project on Facebook to find some recipients who would love to get your crafty cards in the mail.

Painting

Although it would be convenient, you don’t need an art studio to enjoy painting. Go online or to a local craft store and grab a canvas, brushes, and a few colors of paint. Head outside for inspiration, or check out Pinterest for ideas. Or, download the Procreate app on your phone or tablet to take your medium of choice with you wherever you go. Procreate is a user friendly, inexpensive app that lets you chose from an endless array of colors, digital brushes, pencils, and more to create a unique piece of artwork without even taking up any additional room in your home!

Macrame

This trend seems to go in and out of style, but after giving it a try I think I’ll always have some macrame cord in my craft kit. You can create some unique, useful, and beautiful items with just cord, beads, and hooks. It’s a budget friendly craft to try, and perfect for making gifts or items to sell such as keychains, plant hangers, bags, and ornaments.

Ornaments

Speaking of macrame ornaments, crafting ornaments of any kind is a fun and inexpensive craft for small spaces. You can do pressed flower clay ornaments, paint wooden ornaments (a great project for kids to do, too!), hand stitch fabric ornaments, and create beautiful embroidered ornaments.

Embroidery

My aunt got me an embroidery starter kit for Christmas last year and it’s such a great craft to do, especially if you need to contain your crafting space to a smaller area like I do. There are so many different things you can embellish and create with embroidery. From ornaments, as listed above, to embellishing jeans, pillows, curtains, blankets, and creating personalized bookmarks, embroidery gives you an endless amount of places to show off your creativity.

Bookmarks

DIY bookmarks: useful for yourself, handy as gifts, and perfect for craft sales! Create an embroidered bookmark like this one, pick and dry some flowers to laminate into a beautiful natural bookmark, or crochet a cute little marker as a quick and fun project.

Crocheting

The real OG of my crafting obsession: crocheting. All you need are some hooks, yarn, and a good tutorial or two to get started. I’d suggest starting with a simple single or double crochet scarf to get the hang of it and figure out basic stitches and patterns. After that, you can try make pot holders, shawls, sweaters, blankets, stuffed animals, and more. It’s a very relaxing hobby, and is an easy craft to do in a small space. Plus, you can make some useful gifts for recipients of all ages with crochet.

Get crafty with yarn. You can make some things with just one skein.

Window Art

This is the perfect combination of art and decorating. I love, love, love decorating for different holidays and seasons, but we don’t have much room to store large decorations. Solution? Decorating our windows with window markers! These window markers come in a variety of colors, are inexpensive, and wash off easily. It’s a simple way to spruce up your home for the holidays and get a little artsy, too. If drawing is not your talent you can still enjoy creating window art. Check out Pinterest for simple doodles and drawings to give you inspiration and go from there!

Wreaths

Speaking of decorating, why not create your own wreath? This is one of the more expensive and bigger crafting projects on the list, but it’s so fun to do. Just grab a wreath form of your liking (I usually use grapevine), some dried or fake florals, ribbon or other adornments, and go to town creating your custom wreath.

Grapevine wreath forms are very durable and budget friendly.

Blankets

There’s no sewing machine or needle and thread required for simple tie blankets. Grab two pieces of fleece of whatever size you choose, some good scissors, and you’re good to go! Check out the instructions for this simple project here.

I hope this list of arts and crafts for small spaces has give you inspiration to try a new project. It’s getting rather cold and dark here, so I needed a little inspiration myself to start up a new craft and stay busy during these cozy winter days. Happy crafting, friends!

The Best Christmas Movies to Watch During a Cozy Movie Night

November 4, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

I love Christmas and everything that comes with it. The music, decorating, time with family, gift shopping, Nativity plays, Christmas movies, and more. Here in Alaska, hibernation mode is in full swing during Christmas, and that means movie nights happen quite often. Below, you can find a list of the best Christmas movies to cozy up to during this wonderful season.

The Reason for the Season and Heartwarming Favorites

The Star

If you only get the chance to watch one Christmas movie this season, watch The Star. It’s an entertaining, fun, and captivating movie about the birth of Jesus and the events leading up to it as told by animals. I know the animal part may sound a little silly, but trust me, it’s a must-watch movie that’ll remind you of the reason for Christmas. You can even purchase it on Prime Video.

The Little Drummer Boy

If you’ve heard the Christmas song of The Little Drummer Boy, movie is about just that. This Christmas classic can often be found in box sets with some of the other more “retro” movies like Jack Frost listed below.

Annabelle’s Wish

Another animated Christmas movie with talking animals. Apparently that’s my favorite category, but this movie is really too cute. This story of a Christmas wish that brings a ton of joy to a little boy may just make you cry. Might as well order the Puffs up now!

Christmas Comedy

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

I had to start out the comedy section with my family’s favorite, Christmas Vacation. We have watched this every year since I can remember. It’s a relatable movie for many families, with lots of family chaos, decoration disasters, a house in shambles, and crazy family times that make for good memories. If you’re looking for a good laugh this season, Christmas Vacation is sure to give you more than one.

Four Christmases

While trying to avoid family dysfunction over the holidays, a couple steps right in to four very chaotic Christmases that put their relationship with each other and their families to the test. Much like Christmas Vacation, the relatable and over-the-top parts of this movie are what make it funny, and it will leave you with many good laughs.

Elf

Honestly, I really didn’t think I’d like this movie. I thought it would be more silly than actually funny, so I didn’t start watching it until a few years ago. It really is a silly movie, but it won me over because it is funny and feel-good, too. It has sort of a Rudolph vibe, with a “misfit” trying to find his place, and is a cute story about helping others and sharing in the joy of giving.

Christmas with the Kranks

A couple of modern day Scrooges try to skip Christmas, only to have it backfire in the most hilarious way and find themselves back in the midst of their full-blown holiday traditions.

Christmas Classics

Jack Frost

Jack Frost is a short and adorable movie about the love story of Jack Frost. This classic is a cute, wintery tale that I watch every year.

Rudolph the Red Nosed-Reindeer

You can’t help but sing the little Christmas jingle when you read the title to this adorable movie. With Yukon Cornelius and Misfit Toys on his side, there’s no telling what adventures Rudolph will have. It’s a cute, must-watch movie.

White Christmas

I’m not a fan of musicals, so I never really thought I’d be a fan of White Christmas. Boy, was I wrong. White Christmas is much more than a musical. It’s a story of friends helping friends, spreading the Christmas spirit, and singing some tunes while doing it. Plus, it’s set in my favorite decade to watch, and the costumes are fantastic.

The Year Without a Santa Claus

Why would Santa quit his jolly job? Find out in this popular Christmas classic where you’ll also meet the Heat and Snow Misers!

Tip: If you’d like to get many of these Rankin/Bass classics together, check out this set of eighteen Christmas movies. Also, Prime Video has many Christmas movies as well. Check them out here!

Now that you’ve got your movie list down, it’s time to grab some hot coco, popcorn, and a cozy blanket to settle in for the night! Looking for more great Christmas traditions? Check out my list here! Merry Christmas, folks!

Is the Instant Pot Really Worth It?

October 26, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

Small kitchen appliances. Is it possible to have too many? My head says no, but my shelf space says yes. Read ahead to find out if the Instant Pot is one of those appliances you should make room for on your shelf, or if you should save the money and the shelf space. If you want the final verdict, you can skip to the bottom, otherwise read on to get the whole scoop.

Cons

I figured we might as well start with the downsides and work our way to the pros in this Instant Pot review, so here we go!

The Learning Curve

My husband and I were lucky enough to receive an Instant Pot Duo Nova for Christmas a few years back. I was so excited, but also terrified. Pressure cooking dinner in our kitchen?! Umm, no thank you. I wasn’t too sure about using it for quite awhile, so there it sat. Then, after seeing many good recipes and the benefits of using this cooker, I decided to give it a try.

I throughly read the instructions (a first for me since I usually just wing it), watched how-to videos on YouTube, and built up the confidence to do my test run with it. I would love to say it went swimmingly, but it totally freaked me out. The sound of the pressure being released was much louder than I anticipated, and I thought it was going to blow up. Not fun. But, everything went as it should and I was ready to get cookin’!

After figuring out how to operate it, it was time to learn about cooking times. This was a learning curve, but now I feel like I’ve finally got it figured out. Cook time magnets and stickers really helped me figure out times, but there were a few instances in between where I expected to pull out fully cooked chicken and ended up having it raw in the middle. Time and repetition has helped me get a handle on cooking with the Instant Pot. Now I feel much more comfortable using it, and get more consistent results.

This cook time sticker is a helpful guide to on the Instant Pot.

Space

The downside of the Instant Pot is that it is large. If you have a smaller house like me, then you know space in the kitchen is valuable. This appliance has to be fairly big for what it does and the volume they can hold, but they really take up a hefty amount of counter and shelf space.

Pros

Now that we’ve covered the cons, lets move on to all the positives of the Instant Pot.

Variety

This is really a multifunctional kitchen tool. You can use it for slow cooking, steaming, rice cooking, and more. Plus, there are tons of recipes out there to use (just check Pinterest!), which really gives you a good variety of things to cook.

Stove Top Space

The Instant Pot really shines during holidays. When you’ve got all your burners filled up, you can set up the Instant Pot on your counter and cook a side or main dish there. I think it’s especially useful for cooking mashed potatoes when making a spread for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Multitasking

In a rush to make dinner for guests but you also have to clean up the kitchen before they get there? No problem! Get your Instant Pot meal started and let it do all the work cooking while you clean.

My most made Instant Pot meal. **Steel cut oats** and raisins, topped with nuts and banana after cooking.

Quick Meals

Instant Pot’s really do make quick work out of cooking. I primarily use mine for four different things: rice, chicken, potatoes, and steel cut oats. Using this handy appliance for steel cut oats every morning makes breakfast a breeze. No waiting for water to boil or making sure it doesn’t boil over, and it’s consistent. It’s just so simple.

The Final Review

So, now that you’ve read about the pros and cons, what do you think? After using my Instant Pot for a few years now, I’d say it’s worth getting. If you can swing the space to squeeze an Instant Pot between your waffle iron and toaster, it’s time to try the Instant Pot for yourself!

Tip: If you’re looking for a great deal on the Instant Pot, check out sales during and around major holidays, including Black Friday!

My Most-Loved Christmas Traditions

October 20, 2022 by Everyday Alaska

I love traditions. Seasonal traditions, holiday traditions, cultural traditions. All of them. So, that being said, you can correctly assume that there are many Christmas traditions I love, and I’ll be sharing those with you here!

Lefse

Does your family have a Christmas tradition that is traditional to your heritage? We do! Making lefse is one of them. Lefse is like a very thin Norwegian tortilla made with potatoes, and my family really enjoys it. Making something from your heritage with your family is a great way to start the Christmas season. Not sure what traditions are associated with your heritage? Check it out on Google, or adopt a fun tradition from a different culture as well!

DIY Your Own Wreath

Start a new Christmas tradition, save money, and have fun doing it! A few years ago I started making my own Christmas wreaths, and it’s so much fun! All I do is use a metal wreath frame, cut some branches from trees on our property, and weave branches through the wire frame. Then, I add a bow, lights, and any additional touches I’d like from the craft store. When Christmas is over, we have a campfire using the branches, and I save the frame, faux berries, lights, and bow for the next year. It’s super simple, takes up virtually no space between seasons, and is very cute and customizable.

Tip: If you don’t have branches near your home to cut, you can use Christmas garland to weave through the frame. You can check out some other great DIY crafts here!

Fontanini

Fontanini is a company that makes beautiful, heirloom quality Nativity sets. My grandma and mom got me started with a set when I was five, and I’ve been collecting pieces to the Nativity ever since. It’s 100% my favorite thing to set up during Christmas, and is a great reminder of the reason for the season.

Operation Christmas Child

Tis the season to bless and be blessed! Operation Christmas Child sends shoeboxes full of necessities, toys, and more to children around the world. We have been packing shoeboxes for a few years now, and it’s so fun to shop for these items, write letters to recipients, and see what countries they end up going to. Operation Christmas Child is really spreading joy to the world! Follow them on Instagram to see the impact your shoeboxes will make!

If you’re looking to donate locally, there are often many organizations looking for volunteers and donations at homeless shelters, food banks, churches, and more. Also, another great way to donate is to give gifts in someones name. For example, if you have a friend or relative that ”already has enough stuff” and you’ve been told they don’t want a gift, why not give a donation in their name? You can do this in your local area, or around the globe, and it makes for a great gift all around.

Tip: Want to verify that you’re money is going to a reputable charity? Check out Charity Navigator or Charity Watch to verify where your gifts are going before you donate.

Packing some Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Sledding

If you’re spending Christmas in a snowy state, now is the time for all those fun winter activities. One of my favorites is sledding, followed by cozying up inside with a toasty cup of hot chocolate.

Christmas Lights Tour

Another one of my favorites, the Christmas lights tour! Crank up the Christmas tunes and cruise your neighborhood for lights. You never know what you might see!

A camper display at the drive thru light show in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Christmas Movies

Grab the popcorn, blankets, and Christmas classics, it’s movie night! Watch some retro Rudolph and enjoy the fun of your childhood favorites.

Hallmark Ornaments

A fun Christmas collection to start is with Hallmark ornaments. You can collect series of them every year, or choose a little something different each season. They make great Christmas gifts as well.

Cookies

You can’t go through the Christmas season without whipping up a batch of yummy cookies. Ever since I can remember, my mom has been making sugar cookies for Christmas. We’d have my cousins and friends over to decorate, and it was so fun. Baking and decorating cookies with friends and family is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

Delivering Treats

Once you have those cookies done, it’s time to spread that joy around! Take time to visit your family, friends, neighbors, and others during this season, and bring them some tasty treats, too.

Tip: You can often find cookie tins at 70% off or more after Christmastime each year. That’s the prefect time to stock up for next year’s deliveries!

Fruitcake

Don’t knock it till you try it! And if you’ve tried it and didn’t like it, give another recipe a shot. I really don’t love some fruitcakes, but my grandma’s fruitcake recipe is a Christmas staple. Whether you’re making it, eating it, or both, you’ve at least got to try it once!

Christmas Plays

Visit Christmas plays, concerts, and more in your area. A church in our town does “Bethlehem Revisited” ever year, which accounts the events of the birth of Jesus. It’s pretty magical to see, and is great for little kiddos, those who may not know the story of Jesus’s birth, and a good reminder of the meaning of Christmas for all of us.

Bethlehem Revisited in Soldotna, Alaska. The Christmas tradition with real meaning. — A little bit of Bethlehem in Soldotna, Alaska.

Matching Pajamas

You can roll your eyes at this one, it’s fine. I just can’t get over how cute matching family pajamas are, especially when we get them for our dog as well. It’s just too adorable, and makes for a good gift to open on Christmas Eve.

Cut Down Your Own Christmas Tree

For about seven years now, we’ve been cutting down our own Christmas trees. Are they full, perfect, and beautiful? No. Do we have a fun and memorable time doing it? Yes! If you have property or an area near you where you can harvest your own tree, take advantage of it and start a new Christmas tradition.

Cutting down Christmas trees. One of my favorite new Christmas traditions. — It may not be the perfect tree, but it’s the perfect one for me!

Christmas Breakfast

A tradition I’m hoping to start doing is Christmas/Christmas Eve breakfast. Maybe lingonberry crepes? Maybe fruit soup? I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll let you all know what we end up doing this year!

Hopefully this post has helped you get in the Christmas spirit and added some meaningful and fun traditions to this beautiful season. Share your favorite Christmas traditions in the comments below, and let me know if you plan on starting any of the traditions you read about in this post! Merry Christmas, friends!

The Ultimate Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide

December 8, 2018 by Everyday Alaska

Picking out the perfect gifts for your friends and family can be difficult. Will they like it, will they use it, is it within your price range? And then there’s stocking stuffers. It’s always fun to find unique and helpful gifts to fill those stockings or to give as small gifts, but it’s usually hard to do that. In the gift guide below, you’ll find a stocking suffer or gift for everyone on your list!

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HotHands-Help your friends and family keep their hand and feet toasty warm with some HotHands.
Flashlight-Good for emergencies, winter walks, and more!
First Aid Kit–Keep your friends and family safe and prepared with this comprehensive first aid kit that they can keep at home, in the car, or while traveling.
Books–Give someone a break from the screen with a good book!
Gloves-This the season for colder weather, so gloves will always come in handy!
Hand Lotion–Dry winter weather can do a number on your hands, so giving a gift that keeps them nice and moisturized is both thoughtful and useful!
Hat-Keep their noggin nice and warm with a good hat.
Socks-You wear them everyday, so why not give them as a gift? Useful and fun!
Notebook–It may seem like an odd stocking stuffer, but you can use this notebook on outdoor adventures since it works in the rain!
Boxers-Boxers? Really? Yes, really. Underwear may seem like an odd stocking stuffer, but he will definitely thank you for these ones!
Jerky-Who doesn’t love a good snack?
Neck Gaiter-During winter walks, shoveling driveways, or going to the store, a neck gaiter will come in handy.
Fishing Tackle-A small and relatively inexpensive gift that will make long lasting memories when it’s used.
Lip Balm-Useful everyday, and you can get it in fun colors and flavors. Who wouldn’t want that?!
Windproof Lighter–Good for anything from emergency kits to camping trips.
Magazine Subscription–Whether in paper or on a Kindle, it’s always fun to learn new things, read stories, and see pictures of different places in a good, old fashioned magazine.
Tool Kit–There’s always little projects or things to fix around the house, and it’s handy to have a little tool kit to keep in your drawer for unexpected chores.
Movies-Eveyone likes a good movie or tv show, so why not give one as a gift? Whether it’s comedy, a documentary, or action, there’s a good DVD for everyone.
Headlamp–Useful for any outdoor activity, a headlamp is the perfect gift and fits easily in stockings!
Pocket Knife–Something everyone needs is a good pocket knife. And when will it come more in handy then during Christmas when they’re opening gifts!
Hallmark Ornaments-You can really find an ornament for anyone on your list from Hallmark. I love collecting them and giving them, as they are fun to collect and bring cheer every year!

Hopefully this stocking stuffer gift guide has given you some helpful ideas to help fill those Christmas stockings with goodies that will be used throughout the year!