Trimmings for your Tree

Not much of a post today. After being a bit of a Christmas dud when it came to pre-shopping for gifts this year I have set my mind to have all my gifts purchased and wrapped by the end of the week. So here are a few Christmasy pretties for you to ogle!

Group A from: Anthropologie

Group B from: Urban Oufitters

Group C From: Seltzer Studios

Group D From: Crate and Barrel

A small little industial row

Here is the thing I love tiny little items. Who owns a set of mini pewter chairs? That would be me. How about a collection of itty bitty marble elephants, yep this girl. So I of course instantly fell in love with these mini factory sculptures from PearsonMaron.

If I didn't already have a soft spot for miniatures, I think I would have fallen in love with the whimsical idea of these tiny factories manufacturing love, luck and innovation.

Ideas do keep us moving a long don't they.

Cuteness is blooming here!

(I was going to make a joke about being able to say "I make love for a living", but that doesn't seem like the kinda thing you would find on my blog does it.)

As if I didn't already have slight balloon obsession, this would put me over the edge!

I have just the place for these little guys. Maybe I should do some little Christmas shopping for me!

(Did you notice all the exclamation marks? See what major cuteness does to me!!!)

What I did was almost nothing!

Yes it is true, I was not much of a getting things done gal this past week. Somehow the post holiday/1st of the month thing took over my life. Oh well, better luck next time!

So here we go . . .

For real deep clean the bathroom, no really I'm going to do it

Return all my way past due Library stuff

Start wrapping gifts

Dust

Sweep

Maybe shovel some snow (ugggg)

Christmas shopping

Do all my bill paying for the month so that I don't have to worry about it over Christmas

Okay awesome!

You guys, you guys exciting news! I think I have finally (FINALLY!!!) settled on colors for my living room. Ez over at Creature Comforts posted this inspiration the other day and I was smitten. I have gone back and looked it over again and again and think it is the one for me. Even with the red, okay yes I will add in some washed out pink (I don't think I could have a living room that didn't have at least a little pink in it). Soon I'll post about the couch that I am for real, like really real, going to get this winter.

The original image can be found here.

Oh Come Our Dayspring from On High

Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel!

Well that time of year has come Advent is upon us. I awoke this morning to snow and a bitter cold, but it is just in time for our thoughts and hearts to turn to a new season. A season of hope and joy, of answered promise and salvation! I am really looking forward to church tonight, I love attending church at night, even though my church is a newish building (the section our sanctuary is in is less than 10 years).

Anyway real quick on my lunch break I wanted to share a few advent calendars with you. I had great plans to make my own little project to count down the days, but it never happened. Maybe if you have a little free time and fast fingers you could whip up one of these for yourself. (Love the little birds, so cute!)

Yea! Happy Christmas All!

Magnetic Advent Boxes

Little Birdy Advent Count Down

Embroidered Felt Pockets from Purlbee

Somethings are just to good not to share!

I could not help but fall in love in with this house featured over at Apartment Therapy. These are a few of my favorite shots but make sure you check out the rest of the photos right here.

Love the tree with the bird houses in the little girls room.

Oh yes bunting! And french doors.

Cutest craft room ever!

The use of color is just amazing.

I'd love a mirror like that, so loverly!

What I did was . . .

EVERYTHING! For once I am happy to say that I actually did everything on last weeks to do list. Of course it was kinda a softball list. I will share more about the blanket stitches at the end of the week.

This week I need to a lot more, though much of it is to dull to even put on this list:

• Mail a few packages off
• Final Fall clean up
• Light candles
• Loads and Loads of laundry
• Another few hundred blanket stitches
• Deep clean the bathroom
• Sewing for a gift
• Some Christmas Shopping
• Scrub the oven and stove
• Clean out fridge

A little sneak peek of the Christmasy things popping up around the little mouse house.

Give Thanks!

I sure am thankful for today. There is nothing like spending the day with dozens (and dozens) of your nearest and dearest.

Your Best Party Frock (or Fashion Show Fashion Show Fashion Show at Lunch - The Christmas Edition!)

I adore party dresses. Like really really love them. I have half a closet of party dresses, some I'm sad to say have only had one outing and yet I can't help but want a new one for Christmas. This little green number follows my party dress standards, cap sleeves or sleeveless, natural waist and full A line skirt. I'm not crazy about the black bow, but I think that could be taken off without much pain!

If you remember back to my very first "Fashion Show at Lunch" Post about the women of Mad Men you might be in agreement that this red beauty looks like it could have walked right out of Joan Harris nee Holloway's closet!

The same could be said for this black dress. I am so glad that this part of 60's fashion has come back with such a vengeance.

If you are really bold and have a really awesome New Years Eve party (read not forgetting to watch the ball drop over at your parents house because you are watching Psych on DVD) to attend this might just be the dress for you. Maybe it is all my years spent around a dance studio, but in my heart of hearts I love me some glittery sequins!

Back to a mid century look, this dress could be dressed up for a party with big chunky gold jewelry or with a cardigan some tights and ballet flats be great for church. Yes this is how I justify things, do not try to get me to stop now.

I'm going to go ahead and address these together, they really are the same dress with just slightly different looks. Great if you have a fancier company Christmas party or if like me you have any kind of association banquets coming up.

A little bit of a 1970's look eh? I bet my mother would love this dress, she has such a soft spot for the style of her youth!

If jewel tones and sparkle aren't really your thing you might like the minty green color here. Bonus this dress can totally be saved for a summer wedding or garden party (don't you go to lots of garden parties?) and it will have been long enough that no one will remember it is your dress from Christmas, or they will remember and think you are thrifty!

Okay full disclosure, I would never where this dress. But if you go for strapless, ruffly, big bow, shiny-shiny frocks this might be the one for you!

Well I hope you all have lots of reasons to dress up this season.

Let me know if you buy any of these dresses OR if you have found another holiday party dress you think I'd love to gush over! And I'll let you know if I end up getting the green dress.

All dresses are from the lovely shop: Modcloth.

What I am going to do is this . . .

To do 11/22/10-11/28/10:
Be Thankful!
Make Paper Snowflakes
Sleep In
Complete 100's of Little Blanket Stitches
Sing Songs of Praise
Spend Time with my Lovely (Loud) Family
Hang Christmas Lights
Mop the Kitchen Floor
Watch a Movie (or two)
Sew

I love holidays! Don't you?

Paper Garden

About a month ago pictures of this beautiful wedding were floating around the Internet. And I like everyone else fell in love with the giant paper flowers they used for the garden theme. Well thanks to the ladies over at 100 Layer Cake you can now make some massive fauna for yourself!

You can get the instructions right here. I wish I had a bridal shower or little girls birthday party to plan, I would make a few dozen of these and one of those giant tea cups and we would all be like Alice.

I have been such a slacker this past week, but I promise to be back full force next week with; Christmassy projects, to do lists and so much that I am Thankful for!

Stocking

I so want to start Christmas decorating, maybe it is because I have this little house this year that I know will look so cute with snow on her roof and glittery colored lights and windows filled with paper snow flakes inviting friends to come in and spending a cozy evening. Alas due to a self imposed "no Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving" rule I am just plotting.


A few weeks ago my cousin Lydia posted about their family stockings. Which of course sent me off thinking of my own beloved stocking. Sometime in the 70's my mom's aunt started making stockings for her nieces and nephews, my mom's (second from the left) is one of the first ones she made and defiantly has a Victorian era through 1970's glasses look to it. Year after year she made more and more stockings, as those nieces and nephews grew married and started families of there own she just kept on sewing. I have no idea how many stocking she has made in the past 35 years or so, but I know it has been a lot. As far as I know each one is different (well I think that the set of twins that is out there in my family have the same design) and lovingly chosen for the recipient.


The year that my brother and sister in-law were engaged my mom and I thought that we would try and make things easier and make her stocking ourselves (fourth from the left). Let me tell you, it is going to be a long time before I take on another one. So for now we will wait as they come flying in from Vegas. Anyway most of what makes them so special is knowing that my Aunt Nadine has made them all. These stocking are made from kits, that you can get from most major craft stores around Christmas time (well that would be starting in like September), but I find that the best selection is online.

Winding around

Now that the days are getting shorter (am I the only one who is having a hard time adjusting?) and the nights are getting colder I have embarked on a new for me crochet project. This is just the start and I will need to make dozens more, but I hope to come out of the long winter with a new African Flower afghan.

Give a little bit . . .

Well as it turns out I am going to save the Stocking post for another day so we can talk about Operation Christmas Child. Each year in early November I put together a shoebox or two (or four) as part of the mission of Operation Christmas Child. I fill my boxes with gifts both practical (tooth brush and tooth paste, soap and a fancy washcloth, pens and note books) and fun (this year I found fun wood bead necklace kits and am kinda bummed I didn't pick one up for myself) toss in a little candy and a card with a Christmas greeting. It is so much fun and such and easy thing to do for an afternoon that can make a big statement to a child. See I look at it this way, I get to kick off my holiday season with a focus on giving, but more importantly a child some place far or near knows, on Christmas day, that they are valued and loved by someone they will never meet.

You still have time if you would like to join in on all the shoebox fun and really it is very fun! Collection starts this weekend, you can find out more about the program by following the link above and look up your local drop off places.

Gifted

Now that is is November I feel free to start talking about Christmas, if it isn't on you horizon yet it is time to start thinking about it. I am very behind this year. Most years by this time I am in the home stretch when it come to gift giving, but some how here we are November 3rd and I still have over half my shopping to do (can you hear the little gift giving part of me very quietly screaming from where you are?). While I am lamenting my lacks-a-daiseyness it has accrued to me that there is an up side, I can actually get some tips from all those great gift giving guides that Blogs and Magazines start doing at this time of year.

To get things started I encourage you to check out Gifted Magazine online for some ideas and some good diy Christmas decorations. The gift guides that have been pulled together remind me so much of the great guides that Bluepint would put out each year. I really love the books and calendar section (I have actually been cooking up a calendar round up of my own for a little closer to the new year).

Check it out and let me know if you are going to use anything (gift idea, dyi project, one of the super cute party dresses!) from the mag for your Holiday Celebration. And check back here every Wednesday for little bits of Christmas/Holiday readiness. On tap for next week Stockings! Man I love Christmas!

2/7 - Fail!

Lets not even talk about how poorly I did at accomplishing things last week. Uggg lets just move on to this weeks list:

• For real rake leaves and clean up the front yard
• Get Christmas gift stuff organized (more on the later this week)
• Finish closet mini makeover
• Be helpful
• Finish part of last weeks little birthday project
• Clean out food cupboard

1st place

It all started with this cute number from Anthro. Now there isn't much of a chance that I am going to be wearing that dress anytime soon, but it did get me thinking about ways to incorporate prize ribbons into my wardrobe and decor.

Coming soon mail from me with cute ribbon labels.

Cute ribbon headband.

I think this vintage horse ribbon from the 60's would look great hanging on the wall in my craftroom.

Or you could rock this screen printed version.

I love this sweet necklace.
Or you can just pick up some of your own here.
I think that a prize ribbon would be cool attached to a purse or even on a wedding bouquet.

All pictures are linking to the source (as long as I did the linking correctly!)

What I did and didn't do

Oh dear we have only just started and I am already late. A friend of mine passed away this weekend and I spent most of my extra time on Monday with family and friends in celebration of her life. But now I'm ready to look at what I did and didn't get done.

finish my ripple scarf - check you can see the finished project above!
make caramel apples - yes also accomplished
stop smelling like a dentists office (why does that smell just stick with you?) - kinda
spend a lot of time laughing with these girls! -check and check we had a great weekend together
do some Christmas shopping - fail, all I did was buy stuff for myself
clean up my front yard - again fail this week it must get done
make my house look a little less like I haven't done anything in a week - okay on this one
paint my toe nails - check
get started on a new book - started one at Karin's can't remember what it is now though

Okay now for this week:

• Rejoice



• Fix my porch light



• buy a new fridge



• Again start a new book



• make some progress on a special Birthday related project



• finally organize the craft room/office



• rake the leaves