Merry Christmas!

image via here

Wishing you a very happy holiday!

Christmas Eve 2009 in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Just In the Nick of Time

Delivering pound cakes to teachers today. They are wrapped in plastic wrap for safety then in Dollar Store cup towels and tied up with a bell. Aren't they cute?

Hope you all have a glorious weekend. We have company coming. :)

Happy Thursday

Good Morning! What does your day hold today? For me it's cleaning, baking, wrapping, lunch with a friend, grocery shopping, and probably more cooking. Wow! I will be loving every minute of it!

I have to share this...you know that universal dream where you have to be some place but no matter how hard you try you can't get there? I had that feeling yesterday. Actually mine was about cooking and gifting...I made pound cakes for my son's teachers...they stuck to the pan and fell apart. Made candy for teachers...it didn't set up. So I'm at it again today with new loaf pans! Yes I threw the others away! Wish me luck. :)

PS. Pound cake crumbs taste wonderful and are calorie free. I'm sure of it!

Gifts You Don't Have to Spend Money On

image via here

Gift Suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

-Oren Arnold

Gift Ideas Under $15

Clockwise from top left: Hand Painted Peacock Bookmark $14.95; Red Lacquer Frames $8.95-12.95; Pink Petito Mini Notepads-set of 8 $12.00; Abuelita Hot Chocolate Tabs (seriously the best!!) usually less than $5.00 at your local grocery store (find it in the Mexican food aisle/section); Monogrammed Mugs $6.00 each; Keel's Simple Diary $15.00

Doors of Welcome

Good Morning! Today I'm joining in with Karen's Doors of Welcome party. This is the point where I admit that I was taking these pictures just before 6 am therefore...they are sketchy because...it's 19 degrees outside. Never fear the coffee is made and the tree lights are on. :)

Would you like a cookie for breakfast?

Keepin' it Simple

image via house and home

image via layers of meaning

You don't need a lot of fussy detail to add that holiday feel to your home. As the spaces above exemplify, one or two simple pieces can do the trick.

Holiday Curb Appeal

I'm loving this front door makeover from Country Living magazine. To see the before picture, and get info on the materials and products they used, go here.

It's Cookie Time Y'all!

Watching Paula Deen's Cookie Swap...


While I bake my own sugar cookies. It's a great day!

Gift Ideas Under $50: For Anyone

Top left to right: West Elm Fringe Cozy Throw $39.00; Christmas Lights Cookies-Gift Box $23.00
Bottom left to right: PicPads 2-pack $34.95 for color & $24.95 for b&w; Grobal Self-Watering Planter $25.00

Playing with Pretzels

Pretzel rods, chocolate chips melted, almond bark melted, and sprinkles. Yummy!

Gift Ideas Under $50: For Her

Clockwise from top center: Kate Spade Perry Street Clock $40.00; Crocodile Leather Small Tie Flip Pad $28.00; Z Gallerie Clarity Frame $24.95; Kate Spade Tickled Pink Candle $48.00; Charbonnel Cappuccino Truffles 10.95 € (about $ 16.14); Tiffany & Co. 2010 Pocket Diary $50.00

Gift Ideas Under $100: For Her

Top (from left): Single Ball Earrings $95.00; Coco Mademoiselle Parfum $95.00; Stretch Silk Satin Kimono with Lace $87.00
Bottom (from left): Adele Marie Pearl 7 Row Necklace 50€ (about $74.00); Large Medallion Jewelry Box $79.00

Stay tuned for tomorrow's 'Gift Ideas Under $50 For Her'.

Holiday Music

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is listen to Christmas music.

image via here

On my playlist right now:

Jewel-Joy: A Holiday Collection
Diana Krall -Christmas Songs
Frank Sinatra -A Jolly Christmas
Jack Johnson-This Warm December
Zee Avi-No Christmas for Me
Norah Jones-A Very Special Acoustic Christmas
Josh Groban-Noel
Joe-Home is the Essence of Christmas
Sarah McLachlan- Wintersong
Sting-If On a Winter Night
Christina Aguilera-My Kind of Christmas
Dido-Christmas Day

Do you have any favorite songs or albums you'd recommend?

I'm Not Stressing

The Christmas holidays can be a little stressful...mostly because I am a perfectionist about some things. I always wish this weren't true but it is. I was just thinking of some ways that I could reduce our stress levels.

Here's what I've come up with:

-Snuggle with my husband in front of the Christmas tree.

-Watch Christmas Vacation again.

-Enjoy soft music and maybe go see Manheim Steamroller.

-Try not to eat too much but just the right amount of really good food.

-Make lists...check them twice....try not to lose them.

-Ring the Salvation Army bells with my Sunday School class.

-Hug my boys more than they want to be hugged.

-Enjoy the lights and decorations in our home and driving around.

-Call people and send cards.

Hmm...there's a few but I bet you can come up with more. What are your ideas to destress

Tree Ice Sculpture

Speaking of alternatives to the traditional tree, check out this spectacular ice sculpture!
Hope you're having a great weekend!

Alternatives to the Traditional X-mas Tree

Instead of the traditional Christmas tree, how about...

multiple modern tinsel wrapped cones in varying heights,

image via livingetc

post-it notes arranged on a mirror in the shape of a tree (my personal favorite because its so easy and cheap!),

image via livingetc

a sparse white tree that allows the colors of the ornaments to pop, like this one..

image via purlbee

or a fuller one like this one.

image via B&Q

A small stand-up cut-out tree made out of luminous paper,

image via livingetc

or a tree in a traditional size and shape but non-traditional color,

image via canadian house and home

or how about using just part of the "tree" and instead opting for artfully arranged tall white branches with golden leaves.

image via livingetc

Christmas Cloche Party

Welcome Friends. Today I'm joining Marty for the Christmas Cloche Party. I've been a busy bee decorating and cleaning here at home. I know you have too. It's just so much fun when the music is playing and a yummy candle is burning. Do you know what I mean? Nesting at it's best.

This is actually an apothecary jar on my dining room table. Filled it with snow and some ornaments. The plates on the tray are plates that my son's made at a pottery class when they were little. :)

Love this little sheep under glass. He's in the snow too. That pretty little plate was a gift from my friend Cynthia last Christmas.

And now a cloche...this is Santa holding a baby. Hubby gave me that Santa the first year after Spencer was born. It's very special to me.

Thanks for coming by and leaving sweet comments. Be sure to visit more participants by clicking over to Marty's blog.

Merry Christmas!

Displaying Holiday Cards

Whether you get a few or lots of cute and colorful holiday cards this time of year, why not display them to enjoy for more than just a short moment? Below are a few ideas on how to display them:

image via dec/jan 09 issue of domino


image via plumo


image via livingetc.

image via pottery barn


image via plumo