Thursday, December 31, 2015

Winding down the year ~ Christmas 2015

Hello, dear friends!


I trust you all enjoyed a very Merry Christmas and are about to enjoy a Happy New Year as well. I always love the winding down of the year, that magical week between Christmas and New Year. This year we are not celebrating Christmas at New Year so it feels a bit odd around here the last few days with Christmas being over "early." However, it seems like the perfect time to reflect on our first Christmas with Kate and third Christmas with Olivia. We did not have Christmas at home this year, we stayed in a lake house with all of my siblings and my Dad. It was a wonderful time! Anyway, I still wanted to capture what Christmas looks like in our home. 


Decorating the tree ~

Olivia had the time of her life getting to help with the tree this year



Helping daddy pull out all the decorations


We had so much fun admiring and exclaiming as we unwrapped each beautiful ornament ~ There is something very magical about seeing it all through the eyes of a two-year-old. Her delight and excitement was amazingly fun!


Kate pretty much just supervised for the evening ~ That's why she looks so serious in this picture. I swear she is the smiliest baby but she gets very serious as soon as a camera comes out


All ready for our special Christmas service at church ~

We had a Christmas Spectacular at our church this year and the girls got all dressed up!



Olivia is 2 1/2 now and Kate is 5 months (she looks a lot bigger)!

If you follow me on Instagram you can see photos of Olivia dressed up as a Christmas angel for her Sunday School program the week before. She did so well for a 2 year old!

The living room ~ 







This window collage was my big fall project. I may do a tutorial. I was inspired by Brenda over at Cozy Little House. Here's a link to her window.


I moved all the photos we have of our grandparents to one place and replaced their framed pictures around the house with the girls' photos.




I did a little woodland theme with two reindeer, a bird and squirrel Christmas ornaments that my Dad bought me last year. 
I always love pulling out my Santa sleigh every year. We never believed in Santa growing up but my Mom always decorated with Santa items and I intend to do the same!


I just keep the same presents wrapped in the sleigh and pack it away like this every year

The dining room ~



This year was the year I finally found a ceramic Christmas tree on an online garage sale site. I have had great luck with Facebook garage sale sites lately!  



My Dad gave me his old winter village this year. I had so much fun creating it!





My Christmas tree lot with all the extra trees he gave me. Love it!




I think the church is my favorite piece!

~*~

I like to decorate in as many places as possible around our home


Our Christmas cards graced the pantry this year 


Even the kitchen counters got a few decorations ~ A friend gave me this chateau. She gave me several more pieces I may use next year.


The Christmas measuring cups are also a gift from my Dad

Well, that's our home all gussied up for the holidays!


From our home to yours, may you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Love,


Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Fall Home Tour 2015

Hello, lovely friends!



 As you all well know, fall is my very favorite season to decorate. I love everything about fall! The colors, the change in the weather, sweaters, a warm mug of tea, leaves changing colors, the smell of bonfires, rainy weather, the list could go on and on...

The living room ~


The colors in my living room compliment all of my fall decor. I wish I could leave these decorations up all year! 


Even though I still like to decorate after having children it looks a lot different now, with most of my decor up where little hands can't get to it and toys usually strewn around the living room.


My simple grapevine wreath with raffia bow is one of my favorites that I've ever thrown together


I bought the little pumpkins in the candle holder at The Farmgirl Flea event that I went to a month or so ago. A link to their Facebook page for their spring event can be found here. Almost everything is else is from my fall stash.


I pull out the leaf, pumpkin, and berry runner every year. I only wish that I had bought more when Michael's clearanced them all out years ago.




My big lanterns were a purchase with my birthday money. I always buy something fallish for my birthday! It works out well having a late August birthday.


My chippy "new" stool from the flea market. A great find for $5!


I don't have a lot of room on my couch these days for my throw pillows so placing them in a basket until I can use them again works perfectly for this season of my life right now.


One last look at my freshly swept hearth. We sadly never use our fireplace. Maybe when the girls are older...I sweep it out once a year, usually in October so it gets pretty dusty and cobwebby this time of year. I could probably leave it, it kind of fits in with the season (ha-ha). 


Miss Olivia posing in front of the fireplace one Sunday morning before church.


My old piano ~ One day it will be painted white and I will get the keys fixed and get it tuned. Until then, it is what it is.



I bring out the same pieces year after year and just try to put them in new places.



I rarely take photos of this side of the living room. We really need a sturdy TV stand that's not an old wash stand. As beautiful as the piece is, it's too rickety and all the cords from the tv and blu-ray player are so unsightly. I would love a small but sturdy dresser or a repurposed pallet TV stand. A girl must always have her dreams...

The Dining room & buffet


I made the leaf swag last year for my mantel. You can see my 2014 fall home tour here and my tutorial here.




My Grandma just gave me this bowl a few months ago. I'm so glad I found a use for it, filled with acorns and pinecones scented like cinnamon. The house smells lovely this time of year!



I plan on putting chicken wire behind this window piece. I want to hang photos or old postcards on the wire with mini clothes pins.




I hope you enjoyed my little home tour. I love making my home as cozy as I can. My style isn't for everyone but I do love it for my family and me.

~*~

Speaking of family ~Here are a few photos of our family from this fall!

Decorating our front stoop & going for a nature walk around our neighborhood.


We went to a corn maze, hayride, and had cider and donuts with our church family ~ What a fun day!


Carving her pumpkin was very exciting for this little girl!


Our little Tigger & Pooh Bear flower ~ Dressing up and Trick or Treating was such fun now that Livy is getting older and knows about the joys of  getting candy!


Have a happy and wonderful Thanksgiving dear friends!