These dough ornaments are incredibly simple to make and can be a great gift. 

Ingredients:
-4 cups of flour
-1 cup of salt
-1 1/2 cups of warm water

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
In a bowl mix the dough and salt and gradually stir in the warm water. Once it reaches a dough like consistency roll out on a floured surface. Use your favorite holiday cookie cutters to cut out into festive shapes. At the top of the shape be sure to poke a hole with with a toothpick. 
Bake the shapes for 1 hour. 
Once the shapes are cool, paint and decorate to your liking. You can even varnish to make it last longer. You can also purchase self adhesive  magnets to make it into a magnet instead. 

Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship hosted by Bobby Deen features 10  bakers putting their skills to the test by facing Holiday themed challenges. Judges Lorraine Pascale, Nancy Fuller and Duff Goldman taste and critique the contender's decadent Holiday creations and one lucky winner will receive a $50,000 cash grand prize.

The show is in full swing airing Sundays at 9pm on Food Network. I had the pleasure of interviewing contestant Melody Larsen of Mesa, Arizona and owner of  Sassy’s Café and Bakery.

What was your initial reaction when you received the news that you were cast for  the show? “I was freaking out …. I was so excited that they chose me it was just that now I have to go and actually be there. Can I pull it off? Can I handle the pressure? All of  the things that go through your mind of what you feel you are capable of doing. I was freaking out , I was excited.”

Was there anything prior to or while competing on the show that you feared? “I think it was just the unknown…. not knowing what to expect, not knowing who I was going to meet. The whole experience and not knowing anything about it….. It was just honestly the question of the unknown.”
 
Was there a particular judge that you found to be your favorite? “I love all of them! I think that they are amazing! I have watched Duff from the beginning  when Ace of Cakes first started……I have watched a lot of the food network but it was really his show that got me watching more and more. Who doesn’t love Nancy? She is just the all-around loved grandma. She was so endearing during the judging.”
"The way that you see them on the TV is really in real life who they are.  Duff is funny and that is how he is in reality.”

Was there a particular moment on the show that was your favorite? “The wonderful thing about the Food Network is everything that you do is inspired by something…. is like a walk down memory lane because I was able to do things like the pies for my grandmother and feeling like she was literally in the kitchen baking beside me. I felt like if I look over I would see her standing there. And that is why I got emotional on the actual episodes because I felt like she was there beside me and that she was so proud of me.”
Melody stated that the experience made her realize even more why this is her profession.

Do you have a favorite or signature Holiday dessert? “The pie you always remember your grandmother making and that is what she made every time you went to go see her. There are so many things how do you just choose one…… The pie episode is one of my favorites because I miss my grandma and I was just grateful because she is one of the reasons that I am where I am at……So that tribute to her  is just because I owe so much to her.”
 
Do have a Holiday Tradition? “It has to go around pies. With my grandmother being my inspiration because it is also a family tradition that everyone gets their own pie at Thanksgiving. We let them choose what their pie is and I make it for everybody and last year I made 28 pies. And that doesn’t count the special orders for my bakery.”

If you could have a celebrity try one of your pies who would it be? “I have so much respect for so many Food Network stars. I love so many of them and  I have been a fan of so many of them but I would have to say Guy. I love the way he describes food I would love to stand next to him and have him describe my pie.”
I asked her what particular pie and she said her famous Carmel Apple Pie.  “I know he would love it.”

I agree Melody! Hey Guy Fieri next time you are in Mesa, Arizona stop by Sassy’s Café and Bakery and try her pies. You won’t be disappointed.
 
Be sure to tune into Food Network on Sundays at 9pm for the Holiday Baking Championship.
Follow Melody on twitter @Melody_Larsen  
​#TeamMelody

To learn more about the show visit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/holiday-baking-championship.html_

 

I love mini pumpkins! They are cute and you can make them into great candle holders for Thanksgiving. 

Simply cut out the stem and make a big enough hole to fit a tealight candle. 

Wow your guests this Thanksgiving with this pumpkin centerpiece! 

All you need is:
-glass mason jar
-medium pumpkin
-moss
-decorative leaves,flowers etc.

Remove the stem of the pumpkin and cut a big enough hole that can fit the mason jar. Scoop out the "guts"  inside the pumpkin and then place the mason jar inside. Fill the mason jar with some decorative moss and also fill any gaps you see with the moss as well. Then get creative and stick some festive leaves and flowers in the mason jar. 

Cranberries are so pretty and festive. This easy cranberry candle is perfect for Thanksgiving and even Christmas! 

You will need: 
-cranberries
-small glass bowl
-water
​-tealight candles

I bought a small glass bowl from the dollar tree and simply filled it up with cranberries that I bought from Shoprite. Next I poured in the water. Be careful not to pour too much. Lastly I put in the tealight candle in the center. See, I told you it was easy!

Check out my top 3 tips and advice for stocking stuffers! Thank you Kristen Castillo for including me in your article.