Hustle and Bustle



BHG

Why does this feel like the most stressful time of the year! I found myself getting caught in a whirlwind the other day getting really stressed because I hadn't done my Christmas cards yet, haven't really done any shopping (still haven't). We did manage to get our tree up and decorated this past weekend but we came home that same night from an event only to find it laying on the ground! So now I had to decorate it all over again. Really? Although in my house, because of our dog, the tree really only has ornaments half way up the tree!
In any event, after a few days of almost freaking out, I have decided that I am just going to try and relax and realize that it will all get done somehow, someway, even if my cards all arrive after Christmas, so what! I was starting to show my stressful self to my kids and husband, which really made me think. I realized if I get so caught up in all the holiday stress and my kids see me so nutty and crazy how am I going to keep the real meaning of Christmas first and foremost? So I am making that my goal from here on out, although there is still so much that has to get done, I am going to be taking deep breathes while I do it, and know there are more important things that surround the Christmas season.
So in all of my hustle and bustle I had wanted to get my house ready for the house tours going on over at Jennifer Rizzo's blog, I did not, but you should go over and check out the daily Holiday House tours series she is doing. They are really fun to see and gets you inspired for the holiday season.

I am going to try and do a few holiday inspired pictures of my house to share this week, a little late for the tour, but that's ok.

Family Traditions



BHG

 Do you ever come across something and think to yourself- why didn't I ever do that? I know I have many times, especially when I saw this. How great is this! I love this idea that this couple started on their first Christmas together. They cut off an 1" or so of the bottom of their tree and wrote the year and their names and have done so every year since. Now they  use them as a beautiful display on what looks like on their mantle, signifying all of their years together. What a great tradition, I guess it's not too late to start!  What are some of your special holiday traditions that you have kept through out the years?

And the Winner is...

Stephanie K. is the winner of the Holiday give away! I will email you for your address! Congrats!

Holiday Winter Warmer Give Away

I'm so excited to be doing my first give away! I thought it would be a nice way to give a little something to one lucky winner as a small gift just in time for the holidays and your holiday entertaining. I will be giving away 2 holiday frames that I made using ASCP(Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) - they are great because you can write on them and use them through out the year to write different things. With the black frame, I thought it would be fun to leave a small spot in the corner to write your initials. Also in the give away are 6 little velvet acorns (if you go back to see my previous posting on, The Cutest Acorns Ever, you can see where the idea came from). And I have also teamed up with a very creative friend of mine, Alison Young. Alison very kindly made these 4 festive felt napkin rings, 4 cute snowflake wine charms, 4 glass bead wine charms, and 6 larger ornament charms. They are all so cute and would be great to use for a holiday party.

velvet acorns

felt napkin rings and 4 glass bead charms



snowflake charms and ornament charms

 In order to join in on the fun you need become a follower or like me on face book, if you do both I will give you a bonus entry. Then you just have to leave a comment on this post and include your name. I will choose a winner at random and I will email the winner to get your address. Please enter only once. The give away will end on Tuesday, December 6th, at 8pm. Thanks for joining in on the fun! Good luck!

Fun frames with ASCP

I thought that I would do something fun and festive, tis the season, so I got a few frames and used some of my ASCP(Annie Sloan Chalk Paint) to paint them. The best part about the paint is, as you can see, you can also write on them with chalk, how fun is that? That way you can change the saying from Merry Christmas to Happy New Year etc. On the one frame with the larger pink and green dot, I painted a small square where I thought it would be cute to put an initial. I am going to pick one, or maybe two of these frames to add in my Winter Warmer give away that starts this Sunday the 4th, so stayed tuned to see what other goodies will be in the give away!

Shopping Local continued

The shopping continues, this time I am going to share with you one of my local favorites that has great gifts as well as furniture and home decor. The store is called, Simply Home, they have found a great niche in Wilmington Delaware.

photo via Simply Home

At Simply Home, you can always find unique gifts and lots of home decor.  Terri Sisson Truono, the owner, has established a great reputation over the last 13 years at Simply Home. She has a great design sense and a beautiful inviting store with tasteful upholstered furniture and great wood furniture pieces as well. They always make you feel welcomed, which makes you want to go back for more.

I was browsing through there the other day and found this cute button shell garland, how pretty is that?

Below they have it wrapped around a lush moss wreath.

How fun is this to put on your table?

photo via Simply Home

(and did you notice the antlers? They have become a new favorite of mine, see my previous posting on antlers called, Open Season, to find out more)

These owls are so cute and are also very popular right now.

photo via Simply Home

Below is a festive display they have set up in the front part of the store. They have also just launched a new website where you can find lots of their items for purchase(like the candle pool ball set and owls above) and they are offering free shipping($50 min.) in their gift boutique and holiday shop. And if you are lucky enough to be in the area, stop by on December 6th for a Holiday party from 4-7, where they are offering a variety of specials throughout the store.

photo via Simply Home

I promise, you will find many things that you are for sure going to want to add to your Christmas list this year!

shopping local

I like to stay as far away from stores this time of the year, especially on Black Friday! I do not like crowded stores, the pushing and shoving, long lines, tear gas!!(saw that on the news at some store). I remember as a kid all those big fights over Cabbage Patch Dolls. Can you imagine! I love the Christmas season but find more and more that I don't like all the shopping - trying to find the right thing, making sure the kids are happy. But maybe if I wasn't such a procrastinator it wouldn't seem so bad. I do love holiday decorating (the lights, the tree, the music), although I am really not fond of my neighbors giant blow up Santa riding a polar bear. Last year I don't think they took it down until March!
Instead of all those big stores with tons and tons of people I like to go to all my favorite stores(then do the rest online). You know, the stores that feel like they are just your own, smaller local stores where they may know who you are and you can talk to someone for a few minutes. I have my favorites for this and that, where I can find unique new holiday treasures or those that I know are great for buying gifts. This holiday season, make a point to support your smaller local stores.

photo via Talking Chester County

photo via Talking Chester County

This is one of my favorite stores in West Chester, PA called, A Taste of Olive, it is the most amazing specialty olive oil and vinegar shop. They have these great silver vats of all the oils and vinegars for you to sample before you buy, everything from, 18 year aged Balsamic vinegar(my favorite), to fig, chocolate, hot serranno chile honey, and blood orange just to name a few. They are also available online but if you live nearby it is totally worth the experience to go in and try them, they are amazing.
As I shop my favorites stores this holiday season I will share them with you- would love for you all to share your local stores so I can check them out online!  Happy shopping!