Christmas 2011

I just love the Christmas season...For the past 13 or so years my family has come to my house for Christmas...No real reason other than my sister and I would watch our mom work herself to exhaustion to host us and all the grand kids. One year we told her we were moving Christmas to my house and we would let her know if we needed anything...and that is how it remains.

Here is the Christmas table this year. My dining room opens into my foyer so the boys bring in a table from the back porch and we just scoot everything toward the foyer. It is a little crowded but cozy...and it works...

Most everything on the table I had on hand. It did go buy Epsom salt for the mason jars to put my candles in and the 3 glitter trees. These added a nice touch . I do not have napkin rings...I would love to have a collection of antique silver ones...that will have to be another collection to start!!! I made these little cards to go around the napkins. I had the stamp and the Christmas scrapbook paper already, oh and the tulle ribbon... the stamp says:

May the Love

that was born

that Christmas Night

Light all your days

with Joy and Hope

I used red embossing powder for the stamp. They turned out really cute. Now the family will have to see them for the next 10 years or so :)

And this is my sweet Mom. My sister and I were 'makin it happen' in the kitchen and this is where we found her. I once asked her if she was upset that we made her come to my house now for Christmas instead of having it at her house. She told us that that decision was the best Christmas present ever!!! We can see why!!! 

Today was a day to totally relax...I was lost on Pinterest for about 3 hours this morning!!! So much fun!!!

Mandy



Your a mean one, Mr. Grinch

You know...there are some things that just happen that try to steal your Christmas Joy....

 After having the tree up and the house decorated for about a week....one day...we woke up to this...I know lights on a tree are minor, but, ooohhhh....

so, after fiddling with the light bulbs and seeing nothing happen I threw my hands in the air and said

@#$%^&*&^%$#

Enter the ever patient manly man husband of mine and within, oh, just a few seconds he says,

"Do you have one of these?"

 PRESTO!!!

The angels sang and Christmas joy was restored!!!

There is a ton to be said about patient, handy man husbands!!!

Here are a few of my favorite tree decorations...

On another note...

I made this recipe that Pinterest offered up and it was

WONDERFUL!!!

Lasagna Soup

You can find the recipe for it here.

That dollop on top is Ricotta and Parmesan mixed together, then sprinkled with some Mozzarella...it melts into the soup and makes it oh so creamy and deee-lish!!! Great for these cool nights we've been having in southeast Texas!!

Enjoy!

Mandy

Dress Form Giveaway

I love this dress form...and The Polka Dot Closet is giving one away..So many possibilities!!!

She covered this one with music..probably my favorite...

Go to The Polka Dot Closet to find out how to win one...

 

One section of lights on my tree go out then come back on...just at random times...grrrrr...

gotta get behind the tree to see what is going on...they are on right now so I am smiling :).

 

 

Mandy

 

Christmas Mantel

 I have just a couple more things to do to the house to be all decorated for Christmas....Here is the fireplace mantel...

 It really has not changed in several years...but you know when you find something that works, just stick with it...

 The little sleigh was something my MIL did for me several years ago....it has changed several times. I usually empty it when I store it, so each year I pull a little something different out of the hat for it.

 I loooovvveee our stockings...They are made from a mix of vintage and new fabrics. I wanted to do 'all' vintage fabric but found vintage brocades could be quite pricey...so I just mixed the fabrics and am quite pleased. Someone once said, at a Christmas party at our house, that our stockings were just way too old looking for us having kids and I should have something a little more child friendly...whatever...I love them...and they are staying...

 A little close up of the gold trees....ya know, sometimes, you just happen upon something that you just KNOW is going to be perfect. These were a PERFECT find at Big Lots! I know...right? I think they were maybe $7 each. Yes, they were already attached to those little urns...

The santa was a Hobby Lobby find a few years ago...I was looking for something with the right colors, I didn't care what it was, just needed to coordinate. A bonus...Christmas decor was 50% off...yeah!!! The greenery is two pieces of garland twisted together with lights and ribbon. I did not get a good close up, but laying on top of the greenery is a garland of pink velvet poinsettias. I live with 3 boys and they graciously allow me to decorate at Christmas (and all year long for that matter) with pink...love my boys!!! 

A little close up of the sleigh. I am such a pack rat. I think if you are a crafter you probably have the same sickness...I cannot stand to throw something away...just in case...some day....I will REALLY need it. Such is the case with these plates tucked down in the sleigh...they are broken right in two...but turned broken side down...perfect!!!

Linking up with From My Front Porch to Yours Mantel Party

Merry Christmas!!!

Mandy

Tis The Season

It has been way too long since my last post...I worked a week to help a co-worker that had surgery..then Thanksgiving week, then the Christmas frenzy started....oh well...on to more exciting things...I will share my Thanksgiving table. My family comes to my house for Thanksgiving...my mom and sister help with food, thank goodness...and it is the most delicious meal of the year for me. My mom and sister are awesome cooks....

 I made some velvet pumpkins...loved them....

 I just pulled in chairs from around the house...I also keep a table on the back porch that I pull in and butt it up against my dining room table.

 I bought the turkey plates last year at Home Goods and looooovvvee them...they are so cute...the "napkin ring" I made several years ago...my family might be getting tired of them...I think I found the idea in Country Living"?  Just scrapbook paper, a fall stamp, hole punch and ribbon...

Now....THANK YOU PINTEREST!!!! I made this gumbo the other night....it was deeelish!!! I got the recipe from Pinterest...I love it because it is a crock pot recipe...nothing better!!!! You can get the recipe here.

 Here is my other "find" from Pinterest...I just fell in looovvveee with this snowman...He is just the cutest!!! He turned into a little bit more of a project than I expected but I really like him!!!

 I found a hat form at Hobby Lobby and added some poster board to make it taller and wider. Then I added velvet to the whole thing.

The head took a little longer...my husband, lord love him, stripped the skin off an old basketball...I then taped a cool whip bowl to the bottom and decoupaged the whole thing about three times. I painted it twice...the eyes, nose and mouth are foam...

. 

I just love him...he looks soooo cute on the front porch...

Hope you are sliding into the Christmas spirit now that it is December....I am...the house is decorated...now, the shopping...I have not bought one cotton pickin thing...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mandy