Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we followed our usual tradition of waking up and going to my parents best friends for breakfast.

You see, I am not very handy with my Nikon camera and I have been without one since the first week of November!! TEAR!!

Anywho, while at the Hall's one of their sons, a videographer by profession, looked at my camera... and tada... I am a total dummy and he fixed it!!!

Yahoo!! 

Back to more posts and pictures on the ole' blog!!!

We went home to wrap a few final things, rest and get ready for the Eve service at church.

It was quite an event, we ended up being late, then both my children acted like hoodlums.

On a whim we stopped in Wendy's and grabbed some nuggets to "hold them over til dinner" it was as if we had fast food central in the candlelit service.

Needless to say, we spent most of the time in the lobby waiting on the service to end. 

We will try again next year. haha

Afterwards we headed to my parents for traditional dinner with all the fixins.

Since I was sans camera I was unable to share our christmas decor.

Mom's front door was my absolute favorite this year!!

Even Mom's bunny was outfitted for the occassion!

Yearly pictures in the "sleigh"

Was able to snap a quick one with Aunt Ainslie!

I was so busy running my mouth I forgot to go and take a few quick pictures of the table. oops, so here it is with a few of our plates....

And my favorite decor in moms new kitchen. the Boxwood joy wreaths! I want these!!!

I am getting caught up here! Bear with me as I catch up the end of 2012!

Channelling my inner Lilly

Source: pinkpreppypartygirl.blogspot.com via Jenny Beth on Pinterest

Today I am completing the decking of our halls so our house is all ready when we return from our thanksgiving travels. 

The overall theme this year is a lilly pulitzer-esque whimsical childrens christmas. 

Can't wait to share it and some upcoming crafts I have begun! 

Lots to be thankful for over here!

Christmas Home Tour

So in a scurry to finish a million and a half seeing projects I had almost completely forgotten about doing a quick walk through of our Christmas decor. Please prepare yourselves. It was slim pickin' this year. We have hit the 3 week countdown till baby and I just knew putting up as little as possible was ideal!




We don't have a mantle, so we improvise ;)

And a pop of color above the tv in the den.




Some fun little knick knacks I have collected over our past 4 years together.



And our tree!!






I think the top of this tree is my most favorite!!



Our willow house manger in the dining room. Hope to start adding to it soon and once we have the "stable" I may leave it out year round!

Our beautiful collection of Christmas cards from dear family and friends.

And my pinkaliscious holly platter! It sure does put a smile on my face ;)

Thursday we are hoping to make salt dough ornaments for the grandparents, and decorate the gingerbread house as a family!! I can't wait for that!!!

O Christmas Tree #2 + decking the halls

These are some phone pictures I snapped once we finished.

I apologize for the "graini-ness" but this house is just too fun to wait to share later!!

Here is the front door.

The console table

The tree!!

The tree and the mantle.

And the bannister of course!!

O Christmas Tree #1

This year the plan was to take it easy, not over do it. 

I thought I would hang my den tree and be done. Well, the christmas spirit got the better of me and so far I have put up about 4 trees. (not all in my home)

Here is tree #1

This is the entry tree at my parents house. 

Mom and I both LOVE LOVE LOVE pink and green. So of course this is the first thing you see when walking in the door of her house!

Notice, it is still kid friendly!!

And for the topper we selected 4 different types of "spriggy's (as i call them) to create a nice grand top!

Such a fun and inviting tree welcoming you into their home!!

Be back later to link this tree and several others up for the upcoming linky parties!!

Crafty Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone.

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I hate i haven't blogged all these items along the way.

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However, how would you like a jam packed craft filled post??

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Well here goes nothing...

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Saw my sweet friend Kellie's ribbon trees on her mantel and decided we needed something cute for baby girl's room.

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The dot ribbon was purchased from Hancocks.

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The Lilly Pulitzer ribbon was acquired years and years ago. 

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All the rest was taken from my mom's stash.

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If you decide to make one of these cuties all you need is a foam cylinder, more ribbon than you think.

(i used around 4 or 5 rolls)

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and a hot glue gun. 

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simply start at the bottom of the tree, establish your pattern and loop the ribbon.

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Then i went back and filled in the empty spots.

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The topper is a paper napkin bunched cut like confetti and hot glued on the top.

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The Noel sign was created by Candace (my sweet friend who helps me with Preppie Peonie)

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She surprised me with the coloring and I just knew it was meant for AC's room.

 

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In other news we have actually enjoyed the firepit a little. 

{Cant wait to show yall the post on the before and after...}

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{Did we notice a little someone has started dressing herself?}

 

And outside my home we kept it pretty simple.

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You see mom has a decorating obsession.

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With the exception of the ornaments in my front door garland, and my snowman.

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Everything else was stuff mom wasn't using.

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Did I ever mention she has wonderful taste?? 

Remember this tree I blogged about a couple weeks ago.

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Well it wasn't entirely finished with it and until today.

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The challenge i created for myself with this tree was every ornament {except the WS ones} needed to be homemade.

Well with everything homemade it was still missing something.

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That's where my beloved Bella Vita stepped in.

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I finished the tree off with some awesome gold sparklies and snowflake ornaments.

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this little guy came from BV too. 

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Thank you candace for such a sweet little happy.

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Used  House of Smith's napkin poof tutorial and her accordian tutorial.

and TADA... a finished shabby/vintage tree!!

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did i ever mention i just love this girl.

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{notice how joy is missing the "Y" on the tree?? yeah, thats what happens when a 2 yr old helps/dips it in water then you run out of time... besides.. the show must go on.}

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Now onto other news....

Remember when I posted on a Ballard Inspired Christmas?? 

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Well i followed through with my projects but not in blogging.

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Again, my apologies.

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I found a "bunch" of fresh grenery for 3.99 at Lowe's well that should finish up the sprucing around the house huh??

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First I was inspired by these beautiful letters..

** this is more a note to self... but when replicating something of such simplicity and beauty..

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Please have a copy of the thing you are replicating. 

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Otherwise you won't love it as much and it will surely go in the trash at the end of the season.

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first you free hand a letter.

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this is where if you are me you begin to mess up... 

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ie you forgot your pic so you begin free stylin...

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I didn't so much love the final outcome but, then again... you live and you learn.

sorry for the crooked door pic....

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did i mention i am soooo ready for us to be able to finish up the minor projects.

{sanding around door and fresh coat of paint, alas never finished...}

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focus JB... focus..

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anywho because i wasn't in love with this I subbed the letter out for my fave three wreath combo.

Remember my original Ballard Inspired Post??

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One thing I loved the most in this catalog were the magnolia leaf wreaths

Well this was easily replicated and looked pretty dang good in my opinion.

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And the best part is it cost me nothing.

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as you can see mine has significantly less magnolia leaves.

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Straight line winds will do that every time...

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These little guys were all that was left.

This top pillow inspired my pillow.

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One yard of duck cloth

3 different size juice glasses

a pencil

some brown paint

2 scraps of cute fabric

max 30 minutes time...

and look what you can have!!

 My "Alabama" twist on a cute Ballard pillow.

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In other news....

* we went to see santa 4 times. ALL of them ended badly!!! 

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However.

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we were all cheers at home. 

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Will be back tomm with a recap of how our day was spent!!!

The stockings were hung by the what?? no chimney?

Here are a few of the things we used to decorate around this house this holiday season.

adoreable sign Candace made for me.

Pottery barn stockings i found at the outlet for 1.99 a piece. 

Doorbusters are amazing after thanksgiving.

These are the treats we left for santa, however little elf Luke (our beagle) decided to taste the morsels to make sure they were fit to eat. 

Then there was nothing left for santa!!

Sorry, we will make it up next year.

Our christmas china that my uncle got for us. These are the salad plates and my parents got us the dinner plates. LOVE them.... also here is our key for santa to get in that a friend found for us!

And our tree very early christmas morning. 

I also must share as casey and i awoke to get ready with the video camera to go find AC in her bed we let Luke out as usual, however the crazy winds blew our gate open so we spent christmas morning chasing our beagle around the neighborhood.

Such nostalgia watching people around their christmas trees as I chase my crazy pup through their yards.