Blog Posts

Thanksgiving Crafts for Your Apartment

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we at Nantucket Gate Blog are sharing some of our favorite holiday crafts to help you get in the mood. Try making some of these crafts to help decorate your apartment in Tacoma, WA with the spirit of Thanksgiving. Here are some of our favorites this year: The Thankful Tree Create a makeshift tree using some sticks from your backyard, a large vase or jar, and wooden chalkboard tags. Write on each tag something new you are grateful for. Find the tutorial online from Simply Vintage Girl. Use this festive tree to share your gratitude, and have each new guest add a tag to the thankful tree when they visit. Book Page Pumpkin Transform an old book into a decorative pumpkin that you can display in your apartment. Thanks to Creations by Kara, follow the step-by-step instructions on her blog to make your own. Cinnamon-Scented Pinecones There is nothing like the scent of cinnamon to invite the holiday spirit into your living space. Using pinecones, cinnamon essential oil, a small spray bottle, and ground cinnamon, follow eHow’s tutorial to get your apartment smelling fantastic. Rosemary Sprig Place Cards How will you set your Thanksgiving day table? Try making these place cards from Spoon Fork Bacon to make sure everyone attending your holiday meal has a seat. You may even have some leftover rosemary from your stuffing ingredients! Turkey Day Paper Tubes If you’re looking for something to keep the children busy while you prepare the big feast, try this simple craft from Creative Me Inspired You! All you need is colored construction paper and toilet paper tubes. By the time you know it, you will have a whole village of Thanksgiving tube people. There you have it! All the tips you need to have your apartment all decked out with turkey day decor before your holiday feast. Thanks for reading, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

National Peanut Butter Lovers Month: Recipes YouÃÂ¢ÃÂÃÂll Go Nuts For!

When you think of November, you may think of Thanksgiving turkey, pumpkin pie, and gratitude, but do you typically think of peanut butter? In honor of National Peanut Butter Lovers Month, this week’s Nantucket Gate Blog is bringing you some of our favorite peanut butter recipes that will keep you coming back for more. Reese’s Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction A classic cookie with a surprise Reese’s center? These are the kinds of things peanut butter lovers dream of! To make them, you’ll need all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, one large egg, vanilla extract, creamy peanut butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and of course, Reese’s Miniature Peanut Butter Cups. Pennsylvania PB & C Bars by Peanut Butter Lovers If you prefer bars to cookies, then Peanut Butter Lovers has the recipe for you. With their peanut butter crust, chocolate topping, and chopped peanut sprinkle, these bars provide the perfect combination of chewy, crunchy, creamy, and chunky. To make these, you will need butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, chocolate frosting, and salted peanuts. Powerballs by Clean Eats and Treats Are you looking to satisfy your sweet tooth and eat something nutritional? These powerballs have a delicious peanut buttery taste, and they are packed with protein and healthy fats too. Eat a few post-workout, or pack a bag of them for a midday energy boost. For this recipe, you’ll need old-fashioned oats, peanut butter, honey, shredded coconut, mini chocolate chips, protein powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Enjoy! Peanut Butter Noodles by Allrecipes Since it’s hard to survive on snacks and treats alone, here is a simple meal that combines the sweet and savory, all while maintaining our favorite peanut butter goodness. If you like Thai food, this recipe is sure to tickle your taste buds. You will need chicken broth, ginger root, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, hot chili paste, garlic, noodles, green onions, and chopped peanuts. Do you have a peanut butter recipe that makes your mouth water? Share it with the rest of our Tacoma, WA apartment community by commenting below. Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful November!

DIY Halloween Costumes

Halloween is a great chance to dress up and have some fun. However, you don’t need to spend money on a pricey costume when you can easily make your own! We are sharing a few DIY costume ideas in this Nantucket Gate Blog post. For many of these, you can probably use items that you already have at your apartment. A Juice Box This costume is both adorable and simple to make. Use a cardboard box, wrapping paper, colored foam paper, and a plumbing tube for the straw and ta-da! Who wouldn’t want to be a giant juice box for Halloween? Zoltar The Fortune Teller Featured in the 1988 movie Big starring Tom Hanks, Zoltar is a fortune telling machine. With a cardboard box, some scissors, glue, tape, paint, a fake beard, and a cool hat you can become the future-seeing Zoltar. Make cards to hand out with written futures on them for added fun. Pirates! Yo ho ho — being a pirate is simple, especially for couples. Have fun and brush up on your pirate-speak , because it’s an important part of your character. Gumball Machine Costume This creative and adorable costume is fun and easy to make. What you will need: a red long-sleeve shirt, a red beanie hat, a red skirt, red tights, grey felt, thread and sewing needle, white felt, a large clear plastic bowl, a plastic plate, a small plastic bowl, hot glue, and gumballs. DIY Cookie Monster Costume The Joy of Fashion Blog shared this adorable DIY cookie monster costume that is a perfect option for anyone with a sweet tooth. With just a few supplies, lots of cookies, and some crafting skills, you’ve got a great homemade costume that is also incredibly stylish! Have you ever made your own Halloween costume? Let us know about your experience in the comments. Have a safe and fun-filled Halloween here in Tacoma, WA!

Seriously Spooky Books

Are you in the mood for Halloween? If not, we have the perfect thing to help you: books. Our Nantucket Gate Blog is highlighting a few seriously spooky books in today’s post for you to consider reading. Warning: these books just might keep you up at night. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie “First, there were ten—a curious assortment of strangers summoned as weekend guests to a private island off the coast of Devon. Their host, an eccentric millionaire unknown to all of them, is nowhere to be found. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal—and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. One by one they fall prey.” False Memory by Dean Koontz “It's a fear more paralyzing than falling. More terrifying than darkness. More horrifying than anything you can imagine. It's the one fear you cannot escape, no matter where you run... no matter where you hide. It's the fear of yourself. It's real. It can happen to you. And facing it can be deadly. Fear for your mind.” Salem’s Lot by Stephen King “Thousands of miles away from the small township of 'Salem's Lot, two terrified people, a man and a boy, still share the secrets of those clapboard houses and tree-lined streets. They must return to 'Salem's Lot for a final confrontation with the unspeakable evil that lives on in the town.” I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh “In a split second, Jenna Gray's world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.” What are the best spooky books that you’ve ever read? Share your recommendations with the rest of our Tacoma, Washington apartment community in the comments.

The Best Farmers Markets in Tacoma

When it comes to farmers markets, Tacoma has plenty to choose from. We’re here to highlight the best according to Yelp users . Proctor Farmers Market “I've lived in the area for years, but only just recently decided to walk on over to the farmer's market, and was not disappointed! What a fun neighborhood venue, every Saturday. So many freshly made foods to take and walk with, and a myriad of produce, artisan breads, cheeses, honeys! If you arrive early enough, you can get some fresh breakfast sandwiches or an empanada. I hear they have farm fresh free-range eggs and local raw milk, but didn't keep an eye out for it. Next time, I'll arrive with purpose instead of just a pass-through.” — Renee S. (Yelp Review) Broadway Farmers Market “The Broadway Farmer's Market is a lovely little Thursday oasis in downtown Tacoma. It's on the smaller size but they still have a good variety of stalls. There are booths dedicated to produce, soaps, baked goods, plants (indoor and outdoor), jewelry, crafts and flowers. There are also a couple of good stands that serve lunch items and coffee. Every vender I stopped at was friendly and helpful. It's not difficult to find parking (which is also cheap) and it's within walking distance of many other businesses, cafes and coffee shops so you could easily spend the whole day there. My only complaint is that I wish it was open more days out of the week or for longer hours.” — Danielle F. (Yelp review) 6th Avenue Farmers Market “This is a really nice, small, farmer's market. They can take cash, credit cards, food stamps, and senior vouchers. They have a nice variety of items: Seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers; ice pops, ice cream, and baked goodies; spice mixes, soaps, honey, and other pantry items; Beef, pork, smoked salmon, and seafood; and some live entertainment. Bring a big shopping bag, have dinner and catch a show.” — Catherine B. (Yelp review) Do you have a favorite Washington farmers market in the area? Share your insight with the rest of our Nantucket Gate apartment community by leaving a comment on this post. Thanks for reading!

Festive Fall Treats

Welcome back! Fall is a great time to enjoy the cooler weather and the array of colors that the changing season brings to Tacoma, Washington. It’s also a great excuse to indulge in some festive fall treats! Make one of these fall treats in your Nantucket Gate apartment to munch on or share with your friends. Halloween Popcorn Pumpkins from All Recipes These tasty popcorn balls are made to look like pumpkins with just a little bit of food coloring and a green licorice stem. To make them, you’ll need popped popcorn, candy corn, chopped salted peanuts, butter or margarine, miniature marshmallows, red and yellow food coloring, and green or black licorice. Mini Pretzel Pumpkins from Taste of Home With a little added flair, these white chocolate covered pretzels can be made to look like pumpkins! To make these, you’ll need the following ingredients: white chocolate, miniature pretzels, orange colored sugar or sprinkles, and sliced green gumdrops. Caramel Apple Hand Pies from Chelsea’s Messy Apron Enjoy these flakey hand apple pies with a rich and creamy caramel sauce! You will need Marzetti Old Fashioned Caramel Dip, two prepared pie crusts, Lucky Leaf apple pie filling, vanilla extract, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk. Apple Cider Caramel Cookies from Six Sisters’ Stuff Spiced apple cider gives these cookies plenty of flavor. To make them, you will need the following ingredients: unsalted butter, granulated sugar, salt, Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and a bag of Kraft Caramels. What are your favorite festive fall treats? Share your recipes with the rest of our apartment community in the comments below. We hope you have a great month and season. Thanks for reading. Visit our blog again soon!