The "Family" tree..

...well, my friends - Christmas is here!  So I thought I'd show you where Santa Claus is gonna leave his presents this year.  I put our "family" ornament tree in the sun room this time. 

 

 

This tree is filled with ornaments that Casen has made over the years as well as the ornaments that have been passed down and collected over time.

 

 

Just to give it a bold pop of color - I used some embroidery hoops filled with some left over red fabric...

 

 

I really don't have "tree toppers" - I just always put a bunch of ribbon and stuff up there.  But I think I'm gonna be on the look out for a pretty star next year.  This tree needs a star I think.

 

 

Today, I caught my son in there - shaking presents and these were his words... ;-)

 

 

Sweet Ms. Evelyn gave me this book and I was so excited I squealed.  It's Miss Mustard Seed's new book - and I'm loving hanging out by the tree and drooling over all the beautiful pages.  But mainly, I love the spiritual and inspirational parts of the book even more than the GORGEOUS pictures.

 

 

I've also been busy wrapping a few more gifts - almost done!

 

 

 

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  I'm so very grateful for my family and I simply can not get the families that have been so affected by tragedy lately off my mind.  I pray for peace this Christmas - for every heart.

 

  From our family to yours...

 

 

 

God Bless and Merry Christmas

 

Our mantle...

...nothing fancy - it just kind of matches the tree in the den.

 

 

I kept up my old window frame with my natural wood wreath I bought at Home Goods...

 

 

 Of course, I used burlap ribbon, some rustic snowflakes, balls, greenery...

 

 

 ...a pretty textured ribbon..

 

 

 ...some more peacock feathers and a few shiney things...

 

 

 At night by the fireplace - it is just now getting cool enough to use it.  I'm excited about having a first snowfall in our new home - maybe this year - fingers crossed.

 

 

Rounding out this room is my "PEACE" wreath.  I love this word - I so wish we could have it everywhere - in our world and in every heart.

 

 

And lastly,  a bit of Joy to the World by the door.

 

 

The Christmas countdown is ON!  Have fun wrapping up all the final details!  Eat lots of Christmas cookies - talk to you soon!

 

 

Watching a movie by the tree...

Truthfully - I'm not a big TV watcher - unless it is HGTV of course.  But Sunday afternoon - I actually got to "kinda" watch "Did you hear about the Morgans?" on Southern Fried Flicks on CMT.  The reason I say "kinda" is because I was cooking a big supper for my family that night so I was in and out of this room between stirring and mixing and such. 

 

Anyway, I thought I'd show where we watch TV.  This is part of our family room - not a big space but a cozy one with the fireplace.  I'll share pics of that later.  And I must say it is still a work in progress.  I'm trying to settle on things to hang on the walls and eventually I think we might have a  TV cabinet/bookshelves made BUT until then - here we are.

 

The tree I have in this room is mainly decorated in greens, blues and natural elements.

 

 

I've never been a "neutral" wall color person (no offense) - so I'm really having to adjust to this wall color.  We've been here a year - and I must say - it has not grown on me yet.  Maybe when I get everything put together.

 

 

You'll find silver crosses on the tree...

 

 

Some aqua ornaments, green balls, bird nests, money plant...

 

 

...burlap ribbon, peacock feathers, silver fern leaves...

 

 

...old doilies, rattan spheres, a little glitter...

 

 

 ...just a lil' bit of this and that.

 

 

I love Christmas trees.

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 

A Christmas Porch...

Hi friends - I'm sure everyone is having loads of fun decorating for Christmas - hope it is turning out just as you had planned.  I wanted to share some pictures of my "previous" Christmas porch - this was two years ago at our old home.  These pictures are just to remind you not to forget your "outside" room.  We enjoyed our screened in porch a great deal - even when it was a bit chilly outside.  Needless to say - it was pretty much the main entrance of our home - so that is why I always tried a bit harder to keep it decorated.  Now, I'll have to say - my style has changed a lot in the last two years - I have a much more "simple" look now than before - but I still loved it - and it was a great way to say "Welcome to our home".

 

Here we go...

lots of aqua, red and silver...

 

..."icey" snowflakes from the Dollar Tree...

 

...a lil' tree in a box decorated with fresh greens and some "left over" ornaments...

 

...another tree tucked in a rustic sleigh...

 

...watering cans all lined up - each of these a gift from my sweet papaw...

 

 

 ...burlap tied over the benches made from an old bed - handcrafted by my other precious grandfather...  Be sure to nestle in fresh greens along with some pretty ribbon...

 

...my window basket filled with greens, ornaments, ribbon and a homemade "winter" banner...

 

...those Christmas pillows were made by my grannie Cleo many years ago - I can never seem to part with them...

 

 ...Don't forget to use old soil from your plantings this year as a base to hold fresh greenery, ribbon and pinecones...

Have fun decorating your porch - remember - it's the first and sometimes only impression someone will get of your home.  Make sure it always says "Welcome friends".

 

Merry Christmas!

From my front porch looking in...

I went outside to unplug the lights on the porch - and I stopped to look in my kitchen window.  It made me happy.  It looked bright and cheerful and I had just cleaned up after baking some for Thanksgiving.  But it is not the "things" inside the window that make me happy - it is the "love" inside that makes me smile.  It was a calm, peaceful night at home and I just love that. 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving friends

- if we step back and look "in" - we have so much to be thankful for.

 

This Saturday...

 
Hi friends - Happy November - now that it is over half gone - so sorry I've not checked in.  I've been decorating a bit and I'll share soon.  But first things first - this Saturday our local homemakers are having their Christmas Bazaar and I'll be there.

 

I love our Green County Extension Agent - Miss Audrey, I love our great town and all the talented people in it plus I just love people so I'm really looking forward to being there...

 

Saturday November 17th

9:00 - 3:00 cst

Green County Extension Office 

 

 

Hope to see you there!

 

 

All Treats and no Tricks...

Hope you have a Happy Halloween........

 

 

 

Dried Wedding Flowers...

Another beautiful fall day here in Kentucky - BUT my thoughts are very much on the people facing the devastating weather on the Eastern Coast. 

 

A while back I was asked to make some dried floral arrangements for a wedding.  I have made many wedding bouquets over the years but never a "dried" one believe it or not.  This beautiful bride knew exactly what she wanted and armed with pictures from Pinterest - here is what we came up with.

 

Simple and rustic for her "harvest-style" wedding...

 

 

The boutonnieres were simply made up of preserved leaves, wheat, some centers from purple cone flower, caspia, a needle-like burgundy dyed greenery, a touch of burlap and all tied up with twine.

 

 

 

A few corsages for the MOTB, MIL and others were a lil' larger with some preserved lime-light hydrangea and golden yarrow mixed in.

 

 

 

And lastly for the beautiful bride, Jade, and her attendants - small handheld bunches of all the flowers tied with burlap and twine.

 

 

 A few pearl pins just for the bride - still she wanted nothing fancy...

 

 

 

Her attendants were the same just a bit smaller.

 

 

 

I wouldn't hesitate to use dried flowers again - they really did turn out pretty I think - especially for this time of year. 

 

 

Best wishes Jade and Andrew - hope you have a lifetime of happiness.