Christmas 2018~Our Holiday Home~

~Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas~

We're all decked out and ready for Christmas here.  I love the holidays, and enjoy preparing our home for Christmas and gathering with our family to celebrate the joy and wonder of it all.  It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

Our Christmas tree is in our foyer.  I always enjoy decorating the tree each year, it's the star of the show...if you ask me!  

I added a touch of greenery, gold bows, and golden and glittery snowflakes to our stair rail, and a few other details to the step edges. 

This view in the foyer shows part of the tree and a nice view of our entryway.  A dressing of greenery for the door and a Christmas wreath complete the look.  I added Christmas decor over in the right corner too, a tied tray was a fun addition with some Christmas items and flowers.

A closer look at the tiered tray.  I found the beautiful Santa ornament a few years ago, its a favorite ornament that usually ends up somewhere other than the tree.  The tiered tray is another thing that I enjoy decorating, it's fun to change it up for the seasons and holidays!

Our family room is just beyond the foyer.  I've added some Christmas touches to the fireplace mantel.  It's always fun to come up with ideas for decorating the mantel.  

A wider view of the family room and fireplace.  I added some greenery to dress the windows, and a pillow with a Christmas tree on it was a perfect accessory!


We are ready and will be waiting for Santa.

 Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Decking the Halls 2018~ Holiday Decorating ~

I've been decking the halls a little and preparing for the holidays.  A bit of a slow start for me this year as I've been recovering.  

Shortly after our Thanksgiving holiday I became ill and was hospitalized for a few days with pneumonia.  I am taking things pretty slow while I get my strength back, which feels like a long time so far.  One day at a time, as they say.

I've achieved a few little areas with some simple and inexpensive decor and wanted to share some of them, and hopefully give some ideas.

“He’s making a list and checking it twice!”

I received this beautiful Santa ornament as a gift from a dear friend last night!  It’s so perfectly me, gold & glitter, and green too!  I do think Santa looks awesome in gold and green.

~ I love it very much!  I've placed him here with a simple centerpiece I created.  Some winter greenery and pine cones in a pretty iron and glass bowl on a pretty tray.

“There’s no place like home for the holidays!”  That is so true, and I was thinking that when I created this vignette using a couple of items I already had.  The little house/lantern I simply added some holly leaves to the top.  I wrapped the sweet little bird in pine greenery and placed it on a little slice of wood.  I purchased the "Merry Christmas" ornament sign recently and it seemed the perfect addition for this spot!

This tray was a throw together with some items I already had and a couple new items that I picked up at the Target dollar spot.  I love Target, and I always enjoy the dollar spot area on the way in to do my shopping.  They always have something for everyone and every occasion, or holiday.  

And, speaking of the dollar spot, how cute is this little green truck?  I got it there back in the fall and styled it with mini pumpkins for my fall decor.  I recently got the mini wreath in the front and the mini tree in the back, they were the perfect size for this little truck.  The little wooden "Merry Christmas" sign is actually a rubber stamp.  All of those items were from the target dollar spot.  The tray was a thrift store item, the snowman and golden retriever I've had for many years.

This is the area just inside our backdoor.  I got the felt Christmas tree from the dollar store, it was so light weight I simply hung it from a suction cup on the glass.  I kept my chalkboard art simple with a "Merry Christmas" greeting and a pine cone & berry trio with a bow up in the corner.

A closer view of my chalkboard.  This pretty chalkboard is one of my favorite items, it's fun to change it for different seasons, holidays, and any other time I'm feeling creative with a drawing or want to display a fun message.

I'll be sharing more holiday and Christmas decor later.  I hope you are taking some time to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas season!

Our Thanksgiving Table

I'm looking forward to having my loved ones gathered around this table as we give thanks and share our Thanksgiving meal together!

I enjoy bringing what I've envisioned to reality.  I am so pleased with the results of my Thanksgiving tablescape.

I look forward to setting a pretty table for special occasions, and this one is of course very special, one that is all about gathering and enjoying a meal together, and being thankful!

For our Thanksgiving table I used some items I already had and few new items.  In keeping with my desire to decorate on a budget, I try to practice some restraint in not over spending or buying a lot of new items if  I don't need too.

I had the pumpkins, candle holders and floral arrangement on hand, then I picked up some lamb's ear greenery, mesh ribbon, and the curly burlap & sparkle picks.  The sparkly apples were a recent find at the thrift store.

I had two different sets of round mats that were close in color, one set of eight and one set of six so I alternated them to have ample place settings for our family.  We had thirteen of us!

I had already planned on using my glass plates, and then I added paper doilies under each one to add another layer and to dress it up a little.  A simple cloth napkin and my pretty gold tableware finished off the look.  I later added the water glasses and wine glasses to each place setting.

So pleased that what I had envisioned was even more beautiful than I'd imagined!  Gotta love it when that happens.

It's a day of counting our blessings, and we have so much to be thankful for!  Enjoy your special day with family and friends.

I wish you a beautiful and blessed Thanksgiving!...

Fall Decorating~ Ladder decorating for "Fall" ~

It’s a bright and beautiful Fall day today!  I’m still over here enjoying my Fall decor, and pumpkins.  It takes a while for it to actually feel like fall around here too.  

I like to style this little ladder with seasonal decor, it’s fun to get creative with it and so simple too!  This is my fall theme.

I painted this old step ladder last year and have enjoyed using it in my decor.  I have fun changing it up seasonally and finding new ways to decorate it!  

It's easy to use in any room, and easy to store away if I chose not to use it.   I kept it simple with a few pumpkins, some greenery and flowers, and a few brass items to give it a little bling!  It sits in my breakfast area corner for now, and makes me smile when I see it!

~*~

Here’s to all those who are hosting Thanksgiving and are knee deep in planning and preparing, as I am!


I’m seeing some beautiful Christmas inspiration and lots of ideas are swirling around in my head!

-They’ll need to stay there til after Thanksgiving!  I’m a one holiday at at time kind of gal!

~ I hope all of your holiday planning is going well!...

Painted Pumpkin Centerpiece

My pretty painted pumpkin!

An orange pumpkin no more, thanks to some white chalkpaint!

I got my “craft” on with this beautiful makeover.

This large faux pumpkin is a resent thrift store find and it was only a dollar.  It looked new and was the traditional orange color, but I knew I could make it even better, or more my style.

I love what a little paint can do!

- I gave it just enough paint coverage to change the look from the original color and leave a subtle peachy color.  It was so easy!

It’s looking ready for Thanksgiving in my beautiful pedestal bowl and dressed with a vine of velvety lambs ear.


I’m staying focused on Thanksgiving for now, while enjoying lots of Christmas inspiration.

~ I hope you all have a beautiful day!

Our Fall Mantel Decor

Well, November is here and we are in full Fall mode.  I look forward to a few things in November!

The family gathering holiday...aka Thanksgiving is definitely one of them!  I look forward to hosting this year and having our family gathered together in our home, sharing all the special moments and creating memories.  We have so much that we are thankful for.

I changed up my mantel with some Fall elements and will enjoy it until after Thanksgiving!  I sure hope my real pumpkins will last 'til then! *fingers crossed*

I made a few simple changes and added some pumpkins, I love white pumpkins and have fallen for the green ones too!  I'm enjoying this neutral look!

I am getting excited and will be working on all the details for our Thanksgiving with family!

Enjoy November!...

Hello November

So much to be Thankful for as we head to our next holiday!

I’m very much looking forward to Thanksgiving and all that November has to offer our family!

I couldn't resist these sweet little white pumpkins on a recent day trip to North Georgia.  I picked up several of them to use in my decor for Fall and through Thanksgiving.  I'll be thinking about getting all my "ducks in a row" so to speak, or should I say..."all my pumpkins in a row!?" *wink*

::: Tip of the day :::

Since we aren't going to eat these pumpkins I have a tip for helping them last longer.  They may spoil quickly due to any dirt or mold they may be hiding, so I place them in the sink then soak them for about 10-15 minutes in a solution of water, bleach and dish soap.  I use about a gallon of water, 2 tablespoons of bleach and just a squirt of dish soap.  Rinse and dry them well and they should last a good while.  I've had pumpkins last well past Christmas!!!

We are hosting this Thanksgiving and so I'm very excited to be making plans for the holiday with our family.

~ May this November be full of many blessings for us all!

Happy Halloween!

Well here we are at the end of October already and it's Halloween!!!  

~ Be on the lookout for witches, goblins and ghosts tonight!  Maybe even a few super heroes and princesses too!

This cute little bench, “be scary” sign, and boo-tiful little ghost are thrift store finds!

I was so tickled at the thought of a little Halloween display using them, so I had to get ‘em!

A few added Target dollar spot items, fall flowers and mini pumpkins, and this is what I created!

~ Wishing everyone a boo-tiful, fun, and Happy Halloween!

My Fall Tablescape

~ My Fall Tablescape ~

I've said many times before that setting a pretty table is one of my favorite things to do, when it comes to decorating.  And, I enjoy finding inexpensive items to add to my tablescapes, which give me the ability to change up the decor easily and without spending a lot of cash to do so!

I found some cute little green leaf plates at Target dollar spot, then at Hobby Lobby I picked up some 12x12 craft/scrapbook paper sheets with a Fall image of trees & leaves to use as placemats, and to add more fall color.  These were the only new items I purchased, everything else I already had on hand!

I simply layered the craft paper with a white paper doily, then a glass plate, a cream cloth napkin, the green leaf plates, and topped each place setting with a mini white pumpkin.

I’m pleased with the results and think it looks even better than I’d imagined!  

Plus, it was inexpensive to create.  I love thrifty decor!

Happy Decorating!