Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Early Christmas Gift


I've been keeping a secret and I can finally reveal it. I'm having a baby! 
Our third little one is due this July so that means I am in the middle of the joys of morning/afternoon/evening sickness. That would explain why I have been MIA lately and will be for the next month. 
I know I could of picked a better holiday to skip than Christmas but I will just have to make it up to you next Christmas. 

So from my family to yours I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas Entryways


As I have said before, the entryway to your home sets the tone for what is behind that front door. 
Make it pretty!
All of these ideas are from a fabulous website My Home Ideas which I gather many a great idea from. These are just a few of my favorite Christmas entryways but they have many more beautiful ones. 
Enjoy!


I am a big fan of wreaths on the windows. This year I simplified things and only put wreaths on the inside of my bedroom windows. I did not want to put any wreaths on the front of the house this year but still wanted to use them. I will enjoy them as will the cows in the pasture behind my house.


I LOVE monograms. I don't know if it's a southern thing or just a Lisa thing but it is a statement of "This is who I am and I am proud of it" kind of thing. Make sense?
I am now on the hunt for wooden letters like these that I can paint and put my own spin on for my front door. 

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Christmas is Coming

Martha Stewart

My husband told me that as a child he would tell his parents he wanted a certain toy and the response was always "Christmas is Coming". Well Christmas is coming...rapidly!
 I LOVE Christmas. I am the one who wants to put up the tree in October and I am the first to know which radio station has FINALLY started to play Christmas carols. I love Christmas.

Over the next month I will be sharing some of my Christmas traditions and some new one's I have discovered. These posts may be far between due to the cookie baking, present shopping and just enjoying the season but I will try to post enough eye candy between now and Christmas for us to enjoy.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving


With only a few days until Thanksgiving I am sure you are busy getting last minute groceries bought and table linens ironed. I have been doing the same.
With the menu written down and everything organized for a smooth Thanksgiving meal I thought I was ahead of the game! Until I realized I did not have a centerpiece idea or place card  idea.
I had never heard of the word pomander before but I had seen them all over Colonial Williamsburg and loved them. This is super easy to make and smells even better. Simply buy some oranges and whole cloves and push the cloves into the orange in any pattern you desire.


This was the inspiration for my place cards. I already have the materials needed. Just draw the letter onto the orange with a pen, poke holes along the lines with a push pin and then insert the clove. This is a great gift for your guests as well.

Whether you are on the road traveling or busy in the kitchen, I hope you have a low stress, warm and loving Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Thanksgiving - Ways to say "Thank You"


You all know how I love the idea of message trees. This is a wonderful idea for Thanksgiving. Have each person write what they are thankful for on a tag and tie it to a tree branch. At the end of the meal take the tags down and read them aloud to your guests.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to give thanks to the one's you love. I started to think of ways to let those friends and family, I do not see very often, know how thankful I am of them and the answer was so simple. Write a thank you note!


My mother always had us writing thank you notes for gifts we had received at a very young age and it has carried over to my adulthood. Write a thank you note, not necessarily for a gift but for the relationships you treasure.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving is upon us and I, like many of you, have SO much to be thankful for this year. I have the honor of hosting the Thanksgiving meal at our home this year and I have found numerous ideas to share with you on how to make it a stress-free and beautiful day.
Country Living if full of great ideas for decorating your Thanksgiving table. The "Giving Thanks" candles above are simplistic yet classic. All you need are pillar candles, felt and glue. 

This rustic approach to the harvest table is very warm and welcoming. This would be perfect for an intimate Thanksgiving meal.


Place cards are always nice. Especially when you have a large group of people coming to dinner. This is a place card that can double as a take home gift as well.



Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Fall Decorating - Vases of Plenty


One of my tried and true "emergency" decorating fall backs are vase fillers. If I need a centerpiece or a space filled with some color I empty a vase and fill it with whatever I have around the house. The possibilities are endless. Have some coffee beans and a candle? Apples? Lemons? Crayons? Just go shopping in your home. 
These vase fillers, by Pottery Barn, help create a beautiful harvest display.


If your lawn is covered in leaves and the squirrels have not taken all of the acorns that have fallen then grab a basket and gather some free vase fillers! If you do not have access to these things in your yard you can purchase them most anywhere.
These displays would be at home in your dining room or kitchen counter. Wherever you want to be reminded of the season.

*Disclaimer*
Do NOT use acorns from your backyard. After my mother read my blog post she relayed a story of a Thanksgiving meal she had where acorns were in vases and set in the middle of the table. As the warmth of the room warmed the acorns, the worms that were living inside of the nut decided to venture out. This is NOT a dinner guest you want crashing your party.