Merry Christmas

Well, as you can tell from the lack of posts yesterday, I am happy to be enjoying time with my little family.  I have a few treats to make, a yummy dinner to prepare for and there is lots of snuggling to be had, so I'll be ditching the regular daily post until after New Year's.  I may hop in from time to time until then though!  I hope to have my new site up sometime in the beginning of January...I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product!  I hope you'll be willing to make the jump over to the new site with me!

I feel so grateful this year for all that we have.  So happy to be spending our first Christmas with Rilo Jane!  Thanks for spending time here on this blog.  I really love this space that I have to call my own.  Merry Christmas and see you next year!


Our Christmas card from this year (if you're on the East coast and still haven't received it, don't peek!):

All Wrapped Up

I finally finished up all my wrapping!  Here is the final product...brown paper and doilies from the dollar store, twine from Savers, tags and peacock ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  Everything else I already had on hand.  Total cost for all of my wrapping supplies this year...under $10!

And here they will stay for just a few more days!

Isn't it the most perfect brown paper?  Thanks Dollar Store!

Trader Joe's Wrapping Paper

For many more reasons than I can probably even count, I wish there was a Trader Joe's somewhere in this state.  Most recently it's because I would love to utilize their bags to use as wrapping paper, just like I spotted over at Mer Mag. 

I picked up the best brown paper with a great floral pattern at the Dollar Store.  I just ran out and am crossing my fingers they still have it.  I am thinking about by several rolls...I want to use it for everything and anything all year long!

DIY Stocking Holders

This year Adam and I were on the hunt for stocking holders!  However, we were striking out left and right every where we looked.  Nothing screamed "us".  Plus, most were in sets and were rather pricey.  Our family is not near complete, so what happens if we buy a set, and next year we have another addition to our family?!  We would just have to cross our fingers the set was still around, or splurge on another set.  Anyway, all these factors led us to the decision to just make quick temporary ones.

We stopped by Hobby Lobby and grabbed 3 little wooden boxes and then browsed their knob section.  We decided on white monogrammed knobs.  Using silver spray paint we had left over from the summer, we sprayed each box.  Then we (and when I say "we" in all of this, I really mean Adam...just thought I should give him the credit he deserves) drilled a small hole in each box and screwed in the knobs.  Ta da!  Simple and extremely inexpensive stocking holders.

They hold the stockings up really well, but for a fun touch and some added weight, I threw in some Hershey Kisses!

And an inside view.

I think they are the perfect solution for this year!  I only wish I had finished up new stockings to hang on them.  Oh well, next year I guess!  

Hope you finish up all your last minute Christmas details so you can enjoy the next week!  Or maybe that's just my own wishful thinking...Happy weekend!

Felt Animal Headbands

Wouldn't these make the sweestest gift for those little animal lovers you know?  Stacy from Hart + Sew made these felt animal headbands for her little girl. 

I like to make a few handmade gifts each year.  Adam and I have a fun gift idea up our sleeves, if we can hurry and finish them for our nieces and nephews.  Are you making anything handmade this year?  We also have 2 Christmas related projects we should have finished to share next week!  Have a great weekend!

Sheena's Advent Calendar

Sheena whipped up a tutorial for an adorable envelope Advent calendar.  Who needs to buy one when there are so many easy DIY ones around?!  I already made my calendar, but I kind of want to make some envelopes just because they're so darn cute!

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Full tutorial here.

Advent Calendar

I have almost finished up making this advent calendar I saw in a Country Living magazine last year.  It cost a whopping $3.  The matchboxes I found are a little on the small side, so I'm going to be on the look out for a bigger size.  I'm also looking for a small numbered stamp set to put numbers on each box.  Has anyone seen a small stamp set that might work? 

I am borrowing Jordan's idea to fill the calendar with slips of paper with activities for the month.  She has activities like drink hot chocolate, go ice skating, drive around see the lights.  To see her full list, click here.

We're spending a day and a half in Vegas.  Nicole and I are hitting up all the Savers in the area for some fun thrift shopping!

Felt Balls

Well, it looks like I need to order a big lot of felted balls because everywhere I look, I'm in love with a new project involving them!

This wreath from Pickles is darling.  I think I'm all wreathed out though...I currently have 5 around the house.  Yikes!

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And here's a felt garland from Jordan of Oh Happy Day.

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I love that these are not necessarily only holiday related too.  The bright colors can work for all year-round!

Oh, Christmas Tree

As I mentioned yesterday, we spent Saturday hunting and chopping down our Christmas tree.  We purchased a special permit to go up a mountain to find the perfect tree.  We LOVED the experience!  It's so fun to hike around in the snow with so many different types of trees to choose from.  Once we finally found "the one", we chopped it down and pulled it back to the car.  I can't wait until Rilo has a say in the perfect tree!

Here it is!  This was our pick.

Okay, so Adam may have cheated a little and used his gas powered pruner.

Don't worry, the sparse spot is hidden in the corner.

And Nicole, Dane and Dash found their perfect tree too!

And a few cute ones of their family.

Thanks to Nicole for taking some pictures of us on my camera!

Are you a real or artificial tree kind of person?  We always had a real tree growing up and I don't know if I can switch to a fake one.  I know it's easier, but I love the whole process of getting a real tree!

Yarn Wrapped Christmas Wreath

How was your Thanksgiving?  We ended up eating 2 Thanksgiving dinners...and we've been enjoying the leftovers ever since!  Saturday morning we chopped down our Christmas tree and finished up our decorating yesterday.  I also finished up some projects I've been working on, including this wreath.

A few weeks ago, Nicole and I started working on these yarn wrapped wreaths.  They are so simple to make, but they do take some time.  Plus, I had to go to 3 different stores until I found one with peacock feathers!  We have a gorgeous peacock tree skirt, so we're going with that color theme this year.  We started with that idea last year, but this year we're going all out.  Next year I think we'll go with a different color theme.

Anyway, here it is.  (I'm actually going to hang it in the living room.)

Christmas Gift Giving

With Christmas just around the corner, I've been planning and preparing for holiday gifts.  Now that we have Rilo, we decided to institute the "Want, Need, Wear, Read" gift giving idea.  I'm not going to strictly adhere to only 4 presents, but I like the idea of keeping it simple.  Any other gifts will most likely be small or handmade.  And we'll still keep our Christmas Eve pajamas tradition as well.  I really like these gift tags from Dandee Designs.  I'm thinking of doing something similar this year.

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Inspired Co's Christmas Issue

I'm a firm believer in waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to start decorating and listening to Christmas music.  BUT, I have no qualms gathering lots of ideas and starting on some projects!  My sister-in-law Jamie sent me a link to Inspire Co.'s Christmas Issue.  It's an online flip-through magazine of the best Christmas ideas.  It's well over 100 pages of awesome holiday-ness!  You can check out the issue here (make sure to click on the image to view the full version).

I am in LOVE with these silhouette gift tags.

I now have about 5 more projects added to my growing list!  I can't believe the holiday season is just around the corner!