Hello Friends. Are you recuperating from your holiday celebrations yet or are you like me and still lounging around, watching movies and drinking coffee? I love this week between Christmas and New Year's because I can do just that. No deadlines, no stress just lots of time with family. I always like to go through my posts from the past year at this time and see just what everyone liked and maybe didn't like so much. So here are the Best of 2015 posts that you - the readers - loved.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Friday, December 25, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Christmas at Our House
Hello Friends,
Today I am finishing up the last minute touches and little things that have to be done before the big day. Yes, only two days until Christmas and the culmination of many days of work to make this holiday the best ever. Let me take you on a little journey of what our family has done this year.
We've glued and painted and crafted to our hearts content.
Decking our halls with beautiful color and decor inside and
We've decorated our tree with our grands while laughing and reminiscing over memories that special ornaments give each of us.
We've wrapped all those gifts in beautiful papers and embellished each one in a way to make the receiver feel special.
We've hung our stockings by the chimney with great care.
In hopes that St. Nick would find them and fill them to the brim.
We've baked our cookies and made memories with those we love.
All of these things we have done to celebrate this season of wonder. But let us not forget the true meaning of this day that brings us true joy.
Wishing you and your family a wondrous and blessed Christmas.
Merry Christmas
Friday, December 18, 2015
Christmas Tour of Family Room - Busy Girls Home Tour
Hi everyone,
Today I have a special treat for you.
I love how it came together with recycled items from thrift stores and garage sales just by adding natural greens, lights and a few ornaments.
I kept it simple in here by using what I already had and just embellishing it with "faux" greens and berries, colorful wrapping papers, and Christmas ornaments. I used red, gold and black to pop off our normally neutral decor for a very vintage and yet sophisticated result.
Like most of you, the family room is where we spend most of our time. It's a cozy room we love to relax in and spend time together. And since we have an open concept; it along with the kitchen is the hub of our household where most of the activity occurs. I chose to put our most favorite Christmas things in here.
It has a wonderful fireplace that my chair sits right next to where I crochet and read when I can. And it's wonderfully warm here when the temps dip here in the South.
I added a few of our little white Christmas trees I made a few years back. I love these little trees and how they can be used in so many ways year round. They have definitely been work horses in our decor. Our stockings are hung on either side of the firebox. I made them from drop cloth fabric and added gold glittery initials I made.
I placed a vintage wire basket on the hearth and filled it with "faux" wrapped packages that I embellished with ribbons and Christmas ornaments. I love the pops of color these give to this area.
On our ottoman coffee table I have a wood tray that holds the nativity. This nativity is 40+ years old. I bought it when my boys were little. It's molded plastic and unbreakable and the boys (and every one of my grand children) have loved playing with it over the years. I placed it on a cake plate with "faux" snow (Epsom salt and glitter) and some cute little dollar store bottle brush trees.
The other side has a Christmas swag I made from pine boughs, gold glittery twigs and red berries from the dollar store and a gold filament burlap bow I made. I also added a candle in a glass star dish. Very simple arrangement but very pretty.
Papa has a nutcracker collection that he and all our grands simply adore. It has to come out (all 30+ pieces) every Christmas and be displayed. They each have their favorites and it is practically a ritual to unwrap them and place them in just the right place. It all began when my oldest grand son fell in love with the one and only nutcracker I had 23 years ago. Each year Papa adds one to the collection and so it has grown. I have them displayed on a pair of ladder shelves. This year our "Mimi" made him a clay one in her art class. You can see it below in the pic with the box of pine cones and ornaments.
Above this I hung our blackboard with the candy stripe vintage jello mold wreath I
made this year. It really pops against the black of the blackboard.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
My what a busy week it has been here. It seems it is speeding by so quickly as we wind down the long stretch to the final days of preparation for the big finale. "Sissy" made it home and our oldest grand son is coming later. I do love this time of year.
Today I have a special treat for you.
I am joining my fellow hosts of
Share It One More Time
in the
We have put together a little blog hop of our homes and an amazing giveaway just for you. So be sure to follow to the end to see the other Busy Girls Tours and to enter our great give aways.
Last week I shared our front porch all decked out for Christmas in the "Home For Christmas Blog Hop".
I love how it came together with recycled items from thrift stores and garage sales just by adding natural greens, lights and a few ornaments.
I kept it simple in here by using what I already had and just embellishing it with "faux" greens and berries, colorful wrapping papers, and Christmas ornaments. I used red, gold and black to pop off our normally neutral decor for a very vintage and yet sophisticated result.
Today I am sharing our family room with you in our "Busy Girls Christmas Home Tour".
Like most of you, the family room is where we spend most of our time. It's a cozy room we love to relax in and spend time together. And since we have an open concept; it along with the kitchen is the hub of our household where most of the activity occurs. I chose to put our most favorite Christmas things in here.
It has a wonderful fireplace that my chair sits right next to where I crochet and read when I can. And it's wonderfully warm here when the temps dip here in the South.
I kept the decor in here quite simple also. Merely using what I already had and adding to it with the "faux" greenery, ornaments and colorful wrapping paper. I love doing this because it can be changed up each year while costing very little.
I made the sign above the fireplace using an old picture frame and just added some Christmas music wrapping paper with the words "O Holy Night". These were cut out of glittery gold wrapping paper I had left over from last year. Then I added a gold Christmas ornament star. I outlined all of it with a black Sharpie to accent it.
I placed a "faux" pine garland on the mantel and strung some lights through it. Then added some glittery gold feathers, gold pine cones and spaced some glittery red birds throughout.
I added a few of our little white Christmas trees I made a few years back. I love these little trees and how they can be used in so many ways year round. They have definitely been work horses in our decor. Our stockings are hung on either side of the firebox. I made them from drop cloth fabric and added gold glittery initials I made.
I placed a vintage wire basket on the hearth and filled it with "faux" wrapped packages that I embellished with ribbons and Christmas ornaments. I love the pops of color these give to this area.
On our ottoman coffee table I have a wood tray that holds the nativity. This nativity is 40+ years old. I bought it when my boys were little. It's molded plastic and unbreakable and the boys (and every one of my grand children) have loved playing with it over the years. I placed it on a cake plate with "faux" snow (Epsom salt and glitter) and some cute little dollar store bottle brush trees.
The other side has a Christmas swag I made from pine boughs, gold glittery twigs and red berries from the dollar store and a gold filament burlap bow I made. I also added a candle in a glass star dish. Very simple arrangement but very pretty.
Papa has a nutcracker collection that he and all our grands simply adore. It has to come out (all 30+ pieces) every Christmas and be displayed. They each have their favorites and it is practically a ritual to unwrap them and place them in just the right place. It all began when my oldest grand son fell in love with the one and only nutcracker I had 23 years ago. Each year Papa adds one to the collection and so it has grown. I have them displayed on a pair of ladder shelves. This year our "Mimi" made him a clay one in her art class. You can see it below in the pic with the box of pine cones and ornaments.
All of them do not fit on the shelves so I placed the larger ones on the ledge dividing the kitchen from this room. I spaced them out along a "faux" pine garland strung with lights. Then added a few red and gold ornaments.
Above this I hung our blackboard with the candy stripe vintage jello mold wreath I
made this year. It really pops against the black of the blackboard.
So that is it for the tour of our family room. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did sharing it with you.
Be sure to visit the other ladies tours - I know you will be inspired by their beautiful homes.
Before you leave for their tours don't forget to enter the give away here today.
Our first give away is a wonderful 3 Milk Bottle Tote compliments of Tammy from Farmhouse Decor Shop. You can see it at
The second giveaway is compliments of Barb from The Everyday Home Blog Collection and can be seen at
Be sure to visit both shops as both have wonderful items I am sure you will love.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Christmas Home Tour 2015 - Part 1
Hello Friends.
So happy you all are able to be here today as
I join with some of my friends in the Holiday Homes Blog Hop.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
DIY Multipurpose Gift Wrap -Junk Revision
Hi everyone. Today I am going to share a really simple but very pretty little project. A DIY multipurpose gift wrap that can be reused after the gift is opened. I love being able to stretch my dollars with projects like this.
I am joining the ladies of the Junk Revision Challenge.
This month's theme is "Gift Wrap Using Unexpected Repurposed Item". So I chose an empty cashew can for my item. Doesn't look too promising as far as gift wrap goes - does it.
I like using unusual items to wrap gifts with and if they can be used after the gift is opened that's even better. I made this one so it could be used for storage afterwards. So lets get on with the steps to transform this into something usable.
You will need:
black chalkboard paint and brush
glue gun and glue sticks
trims and embellishments of your choice
First step is to paint the can with the black chalkboard paint or a color of your choice. It took 3 coats for mine to completely cover all the advertising.
This is how it looks after the three coats. All ready for the embellishments. The next step is simply gluing your embellishments on in the place you want them.
I chose this silver sequin trim I had to glue to the bottom rim of the can and the rim of the lid.
I used these window clings from the dollar store for the top of the can - I actually went ahead and glued it in place to assure it staying.
I then glued on this beaded trim which I have had for ages. I put it just under the lip of where the lid would meet the can so that it looks like it's hanging from the lid.
Here it is all finished - I love the silver against the black - it just looks so glam.
I love how it turned out much prettier than I had imagined but I think what I love most is that the recipient receives a second gift. One that can be used in many different ways.
Be sure to follow the links below and check out what the other ladies have come up with. You won't look at gift wrapping the same again.
Until next time enjoy creating something you love.
An InLinkz Link-up
I will be linking to the parties that are listed on the Where I Party page. Please be sure to visit these parties and check out all the great inspiration and creativeness found at each.
I will be linking to the parties that are listed on the Where I Party page. Please be sure to visit these parties and check out all the great inspiration and creativeness found at each.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Christmas on the Porch and The Home for Christmas Blog Hop
Good morning everyone. This past week I have been busy getting our Christmas decor put up and I am telling you - next year I am starting sooner. I wanted to wait till after Thanksgiving to start but trying to get it all up in one week has been quite the challenge. I am almost done now and am looking forward to putting the empty containers away.
Today I have a treat for you I am joining a fantastic group of bloggers in the
Home for Christmas Blog Hop
hosted by
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
DIY Ornament Wreath
I have been busily getting out all the Christmas decorations as I am sure many of you have also been doing. Such a busy time of year for us all. I feel like I am behind and today is only December 1st. Next year I am going to start getting my plans together earlier than this year (but I say that every year). One can always hope.
Today I thought I would share with you a pretty little ornament wreath I made from Dollar Store items. This wreath cost me under $10 to make. I saw one similar to it - not quite as full - at a local craft store for $30. So if you're into DIY'ing like I am I'm sure you can make this simple little ornament wreath in an afternoon.
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