Christmas Mantel

Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments on my tree! I am having so much fun seeing all of your trees and decor!

Did I ever tell you how much I love this time of year!?

I got a few questions and comments about the sled that you saw in the back ground.

I had been hunting for a sled like that for a while and finally found this one at an auction a few months back for $5!

I was so excited! I was going to put it outside but decided that I would enjoy it more right where it is!

The ice skates were my daughters when she tried her hand, or feet, at ice skating lessons. Those didn't last long but I now I have a memory of her that will I put up every Christmas!

A while ago I posted about some Christmas blog parties that are happening!

Today is Layla's (The lettered Cottage) Christmas Mantel Party so be sure to link up and check out all of the fabulous mantels out there!!

I have been working on my mantel for a while trying to decide what it is that I wanted.

I again tried to stay with the artificially natural theme and came up with this!

I took my inspiration from Laura's, from Finding Home, beautiful Thanksgiving Mantel!

I used a barn wood frame and hung a grapevine wreath in the middle and just dressed

the wreath up with some more evergreen and pine cones.

The stockings were made by my mother-in-law and hung with care! :)

I made the very simple pine cone garland,

(which I was inspired by Lara at Air Kiss, isn't hers just beautiful)

(Air Kiss)

and purchased the more detailed on at Michaels!

I weaved picks of evergreens and pine cones through my metal white pitchers and candle holders. I purchased the red posts at the Restore for a touch of red.

I then added a few large, Cinnamon-infused pine cones.

Of course I had to use mercury glass!

I really love how it looks with all the greenery!

Sorry this was such a long post, I got carried away taking pictures!

I hope you are all happily decorating and thank you all for taking the time

to visit me and leave such wonderful comments about my decor!

I really appreciate it!

In fact, I will be having another giveaway for you this week that will hopefully help with

some Christmas shopping!!

Linking up with:

Layla's Mantel party

Modern Country Style Wreath Party

Christmas Tree!!!!

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday weekend, I know that I did! I pretty much spent three days straight in my jammies and even did a little Christmas shopping, also in my jammies!

As you know, I have been decorating around the house, some of which I have already shown you, and some of which is still to come!

I told you a little about my tree in my previous post and even showed you tid bits of it.

I am really happy with the way it turned out and I hope that you like it as well!

I have seen trees placed in galvanized tubs all over magazines and throughout blogland so I really wanted to give it a try this year.

I absolutely love the look!!

I simply added a red table cloth inside with just enough color peaking out and set the tree into it!

It fit perfectly!

I tried to stay with a natural theme this year (and by natural, I mean artificially natural, except the pine cones in the wire basket)

The wooden "fork" is usually above the mantle, but that space is being occupied right now so I thought that it look cute against the tree.

I used burlap for a garland as well as strings of berries. There are piks of snow covered evergreens, berries on vines and metal snowflakes on twigs placed throughout.

My topper are branches that I purchased at Michaels that are surrounded by some of the metal snowflakes.

The big red wooden stars I have had for a couple of years and I just love the way the add a little whimsy to the tree.

White poinsettias are scattered through out to add a slight formal touch.

I also went back to Walmart and horded all the remaining "good" mercury glass acorns to hang on the tree!

Tree lit up at night.

And lit up during the day!

(Mr. Curiosity couldn't help himself and had to come check things out)

In the back ground is my mantle, which I will be sharing with you on Tuesday!

I hope you enjoyed my little tree and I cannot wait to see all of yours!!

Happy decorating!!

I will be linking up to the parties in my linky party tab as well as:

Doberman's by the Sea Christmas linky party going on now

Thrifty Decor Chic Christmas Tree linky Party on Dec 6

Oh Christmas Tree...

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are still glowing in the light of all that is yummy food!!

Or I should say

LEFT OVERS!!!

As I sit here catching up in blogland, eating my third helping of

turkey, stuffing, beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, cranberry in a can and pie, (still in my jammies) I am relishing in the fact that it is officially the Christmas Season!!!

Everyone is breaking out the posts, pictures and inspirations for the Season and

I

LOVE

IT!!

I have already put the tree and decorated the mantel,

but I am still adding little things here and there so I am only going to show you bits and pieces of what I have been up to!

We had to get a new tree this year due to the flood last year and Martha Stewart's Pre-Lit-Tree-That-Didn't-Stay-Lit smelling rather moldy!

We picked up this little 6 1/2 foot tree at Menard's and the galvanized tub at an antique store for a steal! ($12)!

It is the perfect size for our room and fit perfectly in the tub!!

(that orange blur would be my son who cannot, for the life of him, sit still)

It has small tinsel needles at the end of some of the branches,

and small pine cones throughout the tree!

I tried to stay with natural elements this year with a touch of country charm.

New Picnik Christmas textures!!

I will be back Monday to show you the rest of the family room and the tree!

I am going to spend some much needed time with the family and just relax, watch movies and start my holiday shopping!!

For those of you who participated in Black Friday, I hope that you found what you were looking for and are home safe and sound!!

Have a wonderful and restful weekend!!

I am Thankful

I just wanted to say

THANK YOU SO MUCH

for all of your beautiful Birthday Wishes!

I LOVED

reading each and every one of them!!

I had a

WONDERFUL

day thanks to all of you, my dear friends and family!

I am so blessed to have all of you in my life!!

I am going to be spending some time with the family

and I just wanted to tell you that I am so thankful

for another wonderful year of health, happiness, memories,

friends and family!

I hope that you all have a wonderful time spending the day with your loved ones no matter what you are celebrating!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Winner and Dining Room Christmas

Hello my friends! I hope that you are all having a wonderful start to this week! Some of you are busy preparing for Thanksgiving and hopefully you are all able to spend some time with loved ones!

I just wanted to thank you again for all your support and comments of friendship and inspiration! I am so happy to have started blogging and even happier that I have met all of you!!

~HUGS~

I truly wish I could get everyone of you something!

I am happy to announce that the winner of my "A BIG

THANK YOU" giveaway is

Shari @ Little Blue Deer

Shari does custom blog designs and is so talented! Her blog is full of beautiful inspirations!

Congrats!!!

Just send me an email with your address and I will get that to you!

Thank You!!!

I am finished decorating my Dining area/kitchen!

I went with simple, natural and soft colors with pops of red here and there!

I showed you some of my kitchen decor here, with my red skates and trees!

My beautiful scale that my wonderful friend Tracy gave to me is now decorated with evergreens, white tipped pine cones and sparkly white pine cones!

A larger view of my little vignette from here.

I just added some evergreen branches to my hutch along with a wreath and a few of my favorites from Christmas's past.

(I think that I need a bigger wreath)

The little thing in front of the picture is actually a small frame that holds three pictures. I painted it black, put some coffee filters in and then put small glass votives on top of those to add a little texture!

I purchased the lace table runner a long time ago and haven't used it until now!

Also, today is my birthday, 37 years young!

I have to say that in those years I have survived my big brother tormenting me, school, many jobs, childbirth, surgeries including two heart attacks and open heart, trying to raise two wonderful children, 14 years of marriage (and still going strong) and of course all the wonderful things that life throws at me on a day to day basis!

However,

nothing has prepared me for

THIS!!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually it is the third one that I have found this year (yes I am counting).

Might have to go buy a little box-o-color!!!

You Guessed it!

Thank you all so much for all your WONDERFUL comments on my Christmas decor!!

I think that my wood-filled copper turned black tarnished bucket is my favorite!

(not sure what they are called)

I also teased you with this the other day..

I picked it up at the Restore for $5.00!

It is 4 1/2 feet tall and about 2 1/2 feet wide and

HEAVY!!

I have no idea what it was. My only guess is some sort panel or table. The middle felt like leather, but hard,

I don't know,

anyway,

You all guessed what it was going to be

(so smart!)

I put a couple coats of chalkboard paint in the middle and left the frame untouched.

I added a white barn star and some greenery and set in on top of my side table for some added height to the room!

And of course my texture picture!

I really would love Photo Shop one day but I hope I am able to show you a bit of what Picnik can do and all the different variations of textures and tuning with the upgraded version.

I hope are all having a wonderful weekend!!

Don't forget about my giveaway, I will be drawing the winner on Tuesday!

Linking up to the parties in my linky tab!

Christmas Kitchen Peek and Guest Posting

Hello my lovelies!

I hope that this week is treating you well! I see you are all busy little bees starting your Christmas decor as well as getting ready for Thanksgiving next week!

Today I am guest posting over at Low Tide High Style.

Kat is such an amazing photographer and writer!

If you have not seen her blog yet, it is a must, she is just an amazing friend with a beautiful heart.

She has a gift for putting together inspirational words with her beautiful photography.

She has recently taken a small break from blogging to focus on her family and invited me over to share a few of my thoughts!

I thought that I would also give you a little peek into my Christmas kitchen that I have been working on this week!

I just love Picnik!

Hopefully I am not annoying you with all my playing around with textures!

I also picked this little-ish beauty up for $5.00 at the Restore!

I will give you one guess as to what it is going to be!

(see the mess in the background? That is why you are only getting a sneak peek at my kitchen)

(linking up to parties in my parties tab)