A Christmas Brunch for the Girls

A brunch with dear friends is one of my very favorite things!

Warmth.

Intimacy.

Laughter.

And food!

This chai tea latte is one of my favorite winter drinks...delicious & soothing! 

There were marshmallows, dipped in white chocolate and crushed candy canes.

We forgot all about them until we were done drinking our lattes!! ha

I found some beautiful table napkins & rings that I'd received as a Christmas present two years ago, and still hadn't used! It was about time, don't you think?

There were candles. You can never burn too many, can you? The ambiance is wonderful.

And the food. Oh, my!

This lovely cinnamon roll wreath was made by my sister-in-law, Bridgette.

It didn't disappoint, let me tell you!

Amelia made these delicious spinach/egg quiches...so good!!

Did I mention that there was also sausage gravy with biscuits, stuffed french toast casserole

 and fresh fruit? And the girls made most of that! Yup, I have the best friends.

But those things pale in comparison to the memories we made,

the laughter we shared

and the heart-to-heart chats we had.

I am so bummed that I didn't get a picture of the girls.

They truly are a gift to me!

Thank you each for the role you play in my life.

You make Christmas an even more beautiful thing!

***

And one last thought:

A friend & I were chatting about Christmas, and all that we love most about it,

and he made a statement that rocked my world.

"The thing I am most excited about this Christmas

is hearing from God!"

I love that.

And it's my prayer, that I would be still and truly listen to the One Who sent His Son

to be my Saviour.

That is a cause for celebration!

Merry Christmas!!!

Holiday House Tour 2012

Since I so much enjoy seeing all the lovely homes in blogland with their festive Christmas decor, I thought I would give you a virtual tour in my house! Every year, the decorations extend into more rooms. It's a process that goes on for weeks around here! And what fun I have...

I make my best effort to use what I already have, and simply add some greenery and pinecones. It's amazing how far that goes! 

I did splurge and bought a mini tabletop tree! Isn't it cute?

We have an over-abundance of citrus fruits around here right now, so I thought it would make a cheery centerpiece, with some holly and evergreen to give it that Christmasy feel!

I tried my hand at some chalkboard art. Somehow, my letters never end up straight...

I went with a glass/metallic theme for the mantle, and was so excited to find this reindeer at TJ Maxx! Doesn't he add the perfect finishing touch? I think so.

And there you have it: Christmas at my house! Thanks for "stopping" by!!

DIY Polymer Clay Gift Tags

Are we already less than 2 weeks away from Christmas?! Craziness. It always manages to catch me off-guard; there are so many fun things to do and experience that I end up finishing up my Christmas shopping the week before Christmas! I know, some of you manage time much better than I do! :)
It may have something to do with the fact that I get easily distracted; you know, Pinterest projects and such? Speaking of which, I want to share my latest one with you!

I've seen these clay tags all over, in blogs and on Pinterest, and was pleasantly surprised at how easy they actually were to make! You need the polymer clay, which I found at Michael's in a block. I just pulled chunks off of it, and worked it with my fingers until it was pliable and ready to roll.

This is a fun job for little people! Granted, she didn't do alot of rolling but she had fun trying!! :) My goal was to make them about 1/4" thick.

Using a cookie cutter, make your circles. Then I punched a hole in the top with a straw, which worked very well. To add a finishing touch, I took a distressed board and pressed it into the clay to give it a wood grain look. It was a bit clumsy, but it did the trick! I baked them on a cookie sheet at 325 for about 30 min, about 15 minutes longer than the directions said to do them. Just keep an eye on them and make sure they are done before you pull them out.

I now have lots of clay tags to put on all my gifts!!! Ahhh, happy sigh. I love them!

Now I'd better finish that Christmas shopping! :: Happy weekend my friends ::

Vintage Sheet Music Trees

 

With the vast number of DIY Christmas possibilities on Pinterest,

deciding which project to tackle wasn't the easiest thing in the world.

{I know, I have a difficult life.}

Christmas trees hold a special place in my heart,

and I love all variations as decor.

Add to that the fact that I had lots of vintage sheet music on hand,

and I was sold!

 

Shall we get started?

Here's the supply list:

 

:: foam cones, in varying sizes

:: vintage sheet music

:: scissors

:: hot glue gun

:: paper cutter, if you have one

 

 

1. Cut 1.5" wide strips from your sheet music.

 

 

2. For the length of the strip, make cuts that are about 1" long, spacing them approximately 1/4" apart.

 

 

3. After all the cuts are made, roll the strip of paper into a cylinder. My paper was truly vintage and a little brittle, so this step wasn't easy! But it is important to get the paper to curl. After that is done, gently unwrap the strip and run a line of glue on the base of the cone.

 

 

4. Glue the strip around the perimeter of the tree and gently separate the fringes.

Continue gluing the strips of paper to the tree, moving towards the top. There shouldn't be much of a space between the strips of paper, unless of course, you want to see the white of the cone peeking through! {Ask me how I know}

 

 

Note: This project is a great one to do while the baby is napping and you can watch your favorite show on TV! :)

 

 

Now my next "big" decision is where to display these baby trees!

 

What's your latest Christmas project? I'd love to hear about it!!