Holiday re-decorating >>>

What happens when Im left alone for a few hours???  I rearrange the house!  It really was not a drastic rearrange, more like swapping things out.  I moved our tree to the other window, which eliminated room for our dining room table, so I took down my shipping desk in our living room and am now using the dining room table.  Its not like we actually eat there or anything...  I moved my writing desk back where it belongs by the cresent window.  Its amazing how big it made the house feel just by moving some things around.  I did a little more decorating too.  I hung up white twinkle lights on the window and got our stockings hung.  I was too impatient to find a solution for our rock mantle, so I screwed in hooks underneath the ledge of our kitchen counter (the part that shows in the dining room area).  You can view my felt stocking DIY from last year here.


Here is our dining room table now serving as my shipping desk!  Its a nice big area.  If we ever have people over to eat Ill just take the stuff off and move it (that rarely happens anyway)

I hung up a fringe crochet shawl in our doorway.  I love the way the light shines through it at night.  And I love James little guitar nook.  One of the acoustic guitars he bought from me at a garage sale I had when I was like 19.  He has used it ever since and written all of his songs on it.

I hung up a little vintage patchwork quilt top behind our tv.  I had it pinned to the wall in my sewing room, which Im rarely in these days.  I think it will be much more enjoyed out here in the living room.

I love this old wooden desk.  It was my moms.  One of my favorite pieces of furniture in my house.  I love doing my outfit posts next to it...

Miss Violet has actually been whining to come in lately, which is sooooo rare for her.  Its been cold outside lately and very rainy.  After I get all my orders packaged up today I have some major floor cleaning to do.  We have adorable little muddy paw prints all over the house!!!

 Time to turn on some good music and get to work!!!

PEACE,
Laura

The Sweetest Gift

A few days before christmas a local friend stopped by my house and delivered the sweetest gift.  I think it was so wonderful b/c it was so unexpected.  It truly melted my heart.  She knew (from reading my blog :) that I collect these vintage wooden bowls, and she found this amazing one and knew I wouldnt have it.  It such an irregular pattern, I have never seen one like it!  Along with an adorable glass owl tree ornament, and a huge bundle of vintage fabrics.  This could not have been anymore of a perfect gift for me.

As you can see, Bella enjoyed it too, especially the paper!

Things like this go deeper for me, I look at it as if Im doing something right in this world.  For someone Im not super close to (although i would love to be) to randomly think of me during this time of year when there is so much going on, is the sweetest thing ever.  Im truly grateful for moments like these.

A part of me wishes I could do this holiday season all over.  I was in such a funk and having a hard time getting into b/c of my own emotions.  And now that it is over, Im into it!  Lets do it again, ha ha!

PEACE,
Laura

Our Holiday Season

A peek at my christmas holiday.  I have way too much to share, so Ill just break it up into several smaller posts!  This has honestly been the best christmas so far since my mother has been gone.  I felt her peace with us all along the way, and I have ALOT to be thankful for.

My inspiration for wrapping.  Im such a yarn nut for as little crocheting as I actually do.  I use it on everything else!  These are some of my favorite colors.
I love love love decorating my tree every year.  I have such a sentimental heart, and christmas ornaments definitely fall into that category.  I know pretty much where every ornament came from.  Im excited to grow this collection throughout my life, especially when we start getting ornaments from our own children!  This button ornament is a new one I bought from a friend, I just love it!
I hung up my paper chain I made last year.  Little things like this instantly make my house feel like christmas.  I will be a bit sad to take them all down.  You will most likely never see me decorate my house with santa claus figurines or anything like that.  Maybe a vintage deer figurine would be nice!  But I love when other people do, its just not for me.
Christmas eve me and the boy watched his favorite xmas movie, A Christmas Vacation.  It is funny everytime!  Then we caught the last half of A Christmas Story on the tele.  We actually didnt even have our hot cocoa b/c we were too stuffed from dinner!
I made my cousin Shane a pumpkin roll. (still cant figure out how to roll it without having it crack, I was soooo super careful)  This is a tradition my mom started for him several years ago, so when she passed away, I took up where she couldnt, so now I make him one every year.  Its about one of the most special things to deliver each year.
I made a big batch of banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, just because.  I ended up giving almost all of them away for gifts.  Yum yum!
Christmas morning James gave me one of my presents early!  This very beautiful coffee cup from my favorite store, Anthropologie!  I adore it.  Prettiest mug ever!
On the way out to take Violet to her pin, I gave her an early xmas bone!  (we dont do our christmas until that night when we get back from my Nannas)
On the way to Nanna's we listened to a Rocky Votolato cd James got me. (another early gift he snuck out!)  Its not a new cd, but new to me!  I love Rocky!
We spent the day at my favorite house in the world, my Nanna's.  I have gone to her house every christmas since I was born.  I cant imagine christmas any other way.
 
 My nanna's tree.

This christmas was very special to me.  It was the first year that nobody cried (at least not that I saw) about my mom.  It was also the first year that after opening gifts and eating, every person in the family was sitting in the same room together talking and laughing.  Usually everyone breaks up into different rooms and different conversations, or watched football or something.  This was so nice to me, I know my mom would have felt the same way.  And I received a meaningful apology for an old deep wound, which has lifted my heart from the chambers I have created around it.

Besides the obvious of having an amazing husband, beautiful (furry) children, and so many other things to feel blessed for, the christmas had alot of heart in it for me.  The only part I would have changed would be having my brother and my dad there with me.  I missed them both so much.  But I know my brother was having his own awesome christmas with a special girl, and I will be having a movie date with my daddy soon!  And we will be doing our own little xmas with James' family soon too.

I hope all of you who are reading this had many blessings this season as well.  And I hope they carry on throughout the year ahead.  I love this time of renewal.  Beginnings of new years always feel like beginnings in our souls.  A time of change where change is needed, and a new spring in our step for the excitement of what is to come.

p.s. LOTS more photos to come.  besides just xmas, i have so much to share!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

PEACE,
Laura

Christmas Part 1

I just threw on my Joni Mitchell vinyl to sing to while I post this X mas blog!
Always reminds me of singing with my mom.
Perfect album for this time of year.

Joni Mitchell
"Blue"

go get it!

So, one more stocking and Im done! Yes, it is christmas eve! They have taken me forever to finish!
Two of my favorite ornaments. I made the sequin one in school, I must of been in about 2nd grade? The horse my mom painted, I just love it. Among so many others, every other ornament I have is my FAVORITE! They are all meaningful, mostly handmade, family ornaments. I wouldnt have it any other way!
It is so hard to get a good picture in my house of my tree, it is so dark in my house!
These adorable little yellow shoes are my 2009 ornament from Anthropologie. James started a tradition where I get to get one ornament from there every year! So, this is my second one! I love them so much. They were the first one I saw and said, this! This is the one I want!
Wow, my house turned Christmasy all of a sudden! James parents got us that funny santa claus! he has shades on and is holding an electric guitar, its suppose to be the guy from ZZ Top! Too funny! I put my christmas cards up on the dresser, Ive never done that before! And the presents doubled over the last day or so since I started wrapping them! There are only two store bought items down there!
Some details of James presents to me, I think its so cute when he takes the time to write me notes and draw pictures!
Look at this cute little sewing machine he drew! He is so excited to give me this present! He even wrapped it in some of my material from my craft room!
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Today I am printing last minute calendar orders!

And I am about to attempt the Pumpkin Roll! Im kind of nervous!
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I am one of the sponsers this month on FRECKLED NEST and she is having her monthly giveaway! So much good stuff this time, go check out her blog and enter the giveaway!


And dont forget to enter my GIVEAWAY if you havent already! I think I am going to end it on Christmas! I will present the winner most likely the next day!


I have so much to share, but I am going to break up all of this Christmas Craziness in a few blogs, so that is all for now!

Ill post later about some of the most amazing gifts that James and I exchanged last night!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Peace,
laura