July

Hi guys!  Sorry, long time no post, but sometimes quality trumps quantity, right?  That being said, my secret goal for June was to post something every. single. day, but alas, I fell off the wagon.  I forgot to do a post one day and since my goal was shot, I figured why continue?  So, I'm going to let you guys in on my goal(s) for July, so that I have someone to be accountable to.  Here goes:

1) 3 posts per week (Posting every day just isn't realistic for me. I would end up writing about what I ate for lunch and my new toe nail design - currently patriotic, fyi - and I'm sure you guys have better things to do than read about ramen noodles.)

2) Open an Etsy shop.  Right now I'm in the throes of production, working on handmade items so I can hopefully before the end of the year open an Etsy shop.  Stay tuned.  I really hope to get it going by the end of July.

3) Launch a new blog design!  Eee, so excited about this one.  I'm almost finished with it but I want to launch it simultaneously with my Etsy shop, so you'll have to wait just a wee bit longer.

Okay, that's it for now.  I'm off to figure out how to make homemade ice cream for the 4th.  I've never done it before so I'm crossing my fingers that it turns out edible!

Have a great holiday!

Independence Day Decor

I used my Tuesday off this week to pull out all of my July 4th decor.

First, I wove some patriotic ribbon through my awesome wicker wreath forms.

Cute, right?  And soo easy!  I just love these wreaths!  I have a flag out front too that I didn't take a picture of, of course.

I got these pillar holders on clearance at Target (I think) last year.

This basket was a yard sale find last year.  It still had the 50 cent price tag on it.

I threw some flags in this little pitcher (bought a four-pack at HobLob for $1!).

I got these little votive holders at HobLob two years ago, I think.  On clearance, of course.

Okay, this isn't really patriotic, but I bought this mini table runner at Target on clearance for $5, so I just had to include it!  Isn't it cute?!

My brother's moving to Nashville tomorrow, so I'm off bright and early in the morning to help him get moved in and settled.  He's starting a 9-month program at SAE next week, which he's pretty excited about.  We had dinner Tuesday night and I had the thought that he may not ever live in North Carolina again, which made him kind of sad.  SAE has a job placement program, so hopefully they will be able to get him a job after he gets his certification, and I seriously doubt it will be in NC, but I guess you just never know!  He's never lived on his own before, so it will be interesting to see if he can figure out how to do laundry and other domestic things.  I think it will be good for him though.  I'm just proud of him for following his dreams! 

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Winter Tablescape

My dining room table had been empty and lonely since the Christmas decor came down on New Year's.  Well, last week I decided it could be bare no more!  I made a trip to Hancock Fabrics and got some burlap and a couple other wintry-looking fabrics, and voila!

I gathered a bunch of glass vases I had lying around the house (the one on the far left was used in my reception centerpieces, Steven bought the taper holders in college when he was trying to woo me with candlelight, the candlesticks in the back were on sale at Hobby Lobby a year or two ago, and the other three are all from flower arrangements I've received over the years).

I unraveled the edges of the burlap to create a fringe.  Sooo easy and such fun for the kitties.

I think the combination of jute, blues, tans, and glass screams *winter*.  Or else it screams beachy.  I can't decide, but either way I like it and it's staying until I decide to do something for Valentine's Day.  Which, by the way, I'm thinking about skipping this year.  I usually at least do a tablescape for V-Day, but I'm so burned out on it already (no offense to you bloggy friends who love V-Day and have been posting a V-Day craft a day since before Christmas, but I'm just over.it.).  Is that Grinchy of me?

I was just doing some random Googling when I came across this article about "White Day" which is celebrated in Japan on March 14th.  Basically, it's just like Valentine's Day is for us Westerners.  The thing is, the Japanese (and other Asian cultures) celebrate V-Day on February 14th, but it's like a Sadie Hawkins holiday, where the women give gifts to the men to show their love and affection instead of the other way around.  But then when White Day rolls around a month later, the tradition is that the men should spend three times as much on their significant other than their ladies did on them for V-Day.  Interesting, eh?  Just a random bit of useless trivia for your Tuesday. :)

Belated Post: Our 2010 Christmas Card

I make our Christmas cards every year.  Yes, I'm crazy.  This year it took me a whole week every night after work and a day or two during naptime.  Here they are...

The circle flap is supposed to be taken off and hung on the tree as an ornament, but no one got it. Sad.

I try to come up with something new and original every year, and I'm really proud of this year's.

I think our photo turned out really well, too.  I just set up my camera on a barstool and set the timer.  I think it's really cute.  Just ignore the fact that my husband isn't wearing his wedding band.  We are still married, he's just forgetful.

My Favorite Ornaments

I've been wanting to do a post on my favorite ornaments so I could play along with Flamingo Toes' Our Favorite Ornaments Party, but my ornaments and I were three states apart. Now that we're all reunited, here they are!

Of course, who doesn't have a s'mores ornament?  We bought this one (obviously) for our first Christmas together.

I bought these ice skates for our "rustic" tree and I love how it looks like they were just haphazardly thrown over the branch.

I love anything Disney, so this Mickey and Minnie ornament makes me happy.  We got it at Disney World last year and it resides on our rustic tree as well.

We bought this ice cream cone ornament at the Southern Christmas Show either last year or the year before (I can't remember). The bottom is an actual mini ice cream cone and the top is a ball ornament. Clever, huh?

My aunt bought me this little owl in New York last month, and I just love him.

  

I bought a set of 4 of these at Target three years ago and they make me smile each time I take them out of the box.

Christmas is only 3 days away... can you believe it?

Christmas Decor 2010

So even though we're only going to be at our house for a week before Christmas, I just had to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving decking the halls.  After all, when we move back home on the 19th, I'm going to be a little preoccupied unpacking so thinking about decorating for Christmas at the same time would be a little overwhelming!

Of course we had to get a real tree, since we didn't get to have one last year.  I love it but it was so hard to decorate because the branches are so dense!  I guess it's better too full than not full enough.  I should have taken some close-up pics of our ornaments, but maybe I will when we get back home.  And I love the new throw I got at Target for $10 to hide the cat scratches on the arm of our lovely leather couch.

Garland on the chandelier: Hobby Lobby - $4.  I think I'll get another strand for next year so I can extend it down the arms as well.  I usually have lovely gold-flecked candle holders on the table as well, but of course those are in Ohio. 

I love these snack plates Steven got from a co-worker last year.  The table runner and napkins I got at Bed Bath & Beyond a couple years ago after Christmas for 75% off.

I love our china.  It doesn't get used nearly enough, but it so pretty just sitting on the table (Waterford Kilbarry Platinum, in case you're interested).  I got the snowflake napkin rings last year at Belk after Christmas.  I think they were only a dollar or two each.  I was going to set out our stemware, but was too afraid of the cats jumping up there and knocking them off.

I made the ribbon card holder a couple years ago.  So easy!  Take some ribbon, make a bow, hot glue it to another piece of ribbon, make a loop on the back for hanging, mod podge or hot glue some wrapping paper onto clothes pins and you're done!  I also added some beaded curlicues as decoration.

I also have all of the Hallmark jingle pals sitting on the stairs (They come out with a new one each year and I have all 6.  I love them.), and Steven's Appalachian Santas on the console table in the foyer.  Somehow I missed getting a picture of those.

I am in a very festive mood.  All I want to do is wear my Santa earrings, my jingle bell necklace, my Christmas socks and undies, drink hot chocolate, and watch Christmas movies.  But I have to work on our Christmas cards, do a ton more shopping, not to mention lots of presents to make... oy.  Why didn't I do all this in October and November so I could enjoy Christmas without the stress?  But the stress is part of what makes Christmas fun, I think.

Hope you all have a very festive and enjoyable holiday season.