Trimming the Tree

I have been trying to get the pic of me and my lil guy to rotate so I can post here and it just isn't budging BUT he was there and he did hang his ornaments! Last year I started a "new" tradition...that we will go to Macy's and pick an ornament for the tree (while we are there seeing the windows and the big tree). Last year they EACH picked an ornament (which was ok, they were 40% off) so they got to hang those. When the sad day comes that they are grown ups and living on their own, I will send all their ornaments with them....

Here is my ornament we made last year (one of the advent calendar projects) we did our initials out of cardboard and glittered them. Cheap and fun!

My lil sweetie hanging her glitter ornament she made.....

Trimming a tree is serious business....see, my face says so!

Here is a lil snippet of my white (LOVE) tree.....I will showcase more for the Nester;s holiday home tour!

While sitting down enjoying the calm of the evening and the lights of my tree I noticed the branches were reflecting in this robins egg blue vintage shiny brite...

last year I saw this idea on another blog....grouping ornaments together....LOVED it! Makes such an impact and helps fill in those bare spots....

Happy tree trimming!

Advent Calendar

A few years ago my girl Tia and I made these advent calendars (after seeing them all over blog land we knew we wanted to try our hand at it with our own twist)...

We covered different size match boxes / small containers in scrapbook paper, added the numbers (and magnets to the back to stick to the spray painted cookie sheet). Each year I add different lil trinkets....these are this years....

Chocolate santas, golden coins, snowmen pencils, sponge grow an animal (which is the day prior to the zoo for zoo lights) and gloves (these have a lil slip of paper that says "see mom"). Thank you Target Dollar Spot! I ♥You!

Lest you think I only give "gifts" I also give family time....I write out lil slips of paper of fun things to do during the month of December....
Such as: Go Downtown and see the Macy's lights, Make Ornaments, Movie and Popcorn (at home).....
Ice Cream at Culvers, trip to see Santa, Ice Cream Sundaes (at home), breakfast at Starbucks.....These are just a few examples of what we do BUT the possibilities are endless! If you make one, lemme know, I'd love to see it and get ideas!

Christmas Pinterst / Blog Projects

We all peruse blogland and Pinterest and find these fab projects we put on our to-do list...Here are a few of mine!

Canvas with scrap paper tree...what a great (inexpensive) way to incorporate color into your holiday decor......

These have been all over blogland too! Anthro is selling them, lots of you girls have made fab versions....they remind me of Martha Stewarts water globes from back in late 90's....BUT these are much easier because they are sans water! Imagine all the fun you could have with colored trees!!
Saw this in Hammers and High Heels blog...it was at the Bachman's show house in Minnesota - FAB, no? Ever since I saw it a few weeks ago I have been picking up silver trays to add to my collection! I am just trying to figure out where to get plate hangers big enough.

SO simple and chic - LOVE the photos inside! While thrifting a few weeks ago I found a bag of holiday cookie cutters and remembered this project.....
I'd love to see what projects y'all have in the rosters! As I get each done, I will post my version! Happy Holly-days!

WIWW November

Hi Y'all! It's been awhile since I have linked up....I just never feel my ensembles are worthy of posting (I had this conversation with myself this morning as I got dressed....it went a lil something like this....today I am going to wear jeans and a sweater...hhhmmmm, not worthy of posting...wish I was wearing something fashion forward, wish I had some new cute heels....wish I liked wearing heels) and at the end of the conversation with myself I decided I am doing ok....I am getting dressed, not schlumping around so it's worth it, right?!?!

Here was last Tuesday's outfit (we'll call it the the day before the madness - LOL!!)

Sweater - Limited via the thrift

Leopard Skirt - Thrifted

Brown Tights - Old

Grey Boots - Target Last winter

Thanksgiving Day....really LOVED the dress, got lots of compliments BUT just didn't photog well...and you can't tell in the pic either BUT I am wearing plum colored tights (that have a pattern - I didn't know that until I put them on). I asked my daughter is I should wear brown tights or purple and she says "purple"...then later she says "I can't believe you are wearing purple tights!!" My girl doesn't take chances, or enjoy the frou-frou.....

Anyway, onto the outfit details....

Brown "velvet" dress - Thrift

Plum Tights - Marshall's

Brown Suede Heeled Mary Janes - OLD Target 2004

Vintage Pearls - Great Aunt's

And here is Saturday's outfit....sadly I didn't get a WIWW pic SO a group shot will have to do!!

Peace Hat - Family Dollar

Red Plaid Shirt - Black Friday STEAL at Target

Black Tank - Target 2009

Vintage Pearls - Great Aunt

What you CAN'T SEE

Black Jeggings - Seven via Marshall's

Leopard Rain Boots - Aldi

Check out Lindsey's blog http://thepleatedpoppy.com/2011/11/what-i-wore-wednesday-46/ for more WIWW

SALTINE TOFFEE

My girlies and I had a cookie / gift exchange this past weekend. After preparing a Thanksgiving meal for 16 I wanted an EASY cookie recipe (and something different that I haven't done before). So I turned to the Food Network magazine and found a simple Saltine Toffee cookie recipe. I tweaked it a lil to avoid an allergic reaction to nuts (I will list both recipes below). Here is how they came out.....

While out Black Friday shopping (did y'all go?) I picked up these simple glass vintage looking mason jars at Dollar Tree (I knew I wanted something cute and classic that would display the cookies).....
I added lime green (my signature color) ribbon to the jars (there are cute lil brown pinstripes and the words Let it snow printed on the ribbon)....

TA-DA!! Here they are with the toffee!! LOVE the way they came out....just as I pictured in my head (don't you LOVE when that happens?!?!)

Here we are (SORRY GIRLS.....DON'T hate me ☺ ). Jenny and I are wearing almost identical plaid shirts (I SWEAR we didn't plan it that way!!). I got mine at Target Black Friday for $10.00 and I got my daughter a matching one - won't we be so cute - and THAT will be intentional!

SALTINE TOFFEE

*32 Saltine Crackers *1 stick of butter

* 1/4 cup brown sugar *1/4 cup granulated sugar

*1 cup chocolate chips *Chopped Peanut Brittle (my substitute)

OR *Chopped Pecans (original recipe)

Lay saltines on foil lined baking sheet. Pre-heat oven to 375. Boil butter and sugars until melted. Spoon sugar mixture over crackers (I used a small ladle and did each individual cracker so they didn't stick together). Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chocolate chips (again I did each individual cracker) and bake again for 1 minute. Remove from oven and spread chocolate evenly over each cracker. Sprinkle topping of choice (peanut brittle or pecans) and chill. (I found putting them in the fridge for a few hours worked best). ENJOY!!

GATHER

While perusing blogland I stumbled on Carla's blog http://hammersandhighheels.blogspot.com/2011/10/revisiting-our-fireplace-diy-projects.html and found this image....

I INSTANTLY loved it and knew I wanted to adapt it and create it for my home.....and here is MY version......

When sans mantle (or mantel) one must get a lil creative! I hung my banner from eye screws screwed into the sides of the book shelves (please don't look at the lack of decorating there....still haven't reorganized after the birthday party this past weekend).

I used vintage dictionary book pages (the same I used in the project last week) and simply printed directly on them. Cut 2 slits in the top using an exacto knife and threaded onto jute twine (I LOVE jute twine and use it for many projects)
Here's a close-up of the FAB iron turkey that friends and family covet every Thanksgiving. Purchased Tom many years ago at an auction in Minnesota.....
Have a GREAT day!

Acorns

While blog surfing the other day I found this image.......

Aren't they the most FAB things you have ever seen? Rustic and flashy all in one! L O V E!! Ironically enough I happened to have the supplies on hand......
Well kind of....I thin she used a string of sequins.....I went the old fashioned way (remember those ornaments from the 70's? My mom had a ton!) and pinned each sequin in....

Just in cases you didn't believe I actually did it.....nah, that's not why I took the pic! This lil project prompted a family craft night.....everyone wanted to join in! Which was perfect because I had spent the day LOOKING for a project for all of us and came up with nothing....then BAM! While blog surfing, I hit the jackpot!!
TA-DA!! Here are mine on display.......

Aren't they great?!?!? Fall-y and FAB!! Perfect rustic elegance and they look so good with this display!
Here is my version of the original one I saw.....silver sequins and jute twine top.....
....and OF COURSE I had to add my pearls!! This was a strand of small seed pearls (that I got over the summer at an estate sale knowing I'd always find a use later)...I simply glued the pre-strung (thank you previous owner) stand all around the styro egg and topped with jute twine!

The original base of silver sequins with a mustard yellow yarn top......