Merry Christmas!

Tonight, be sure you hang your stockings with care...

trim the tree with lots of tinsel...

and go to bed early so Santa doesn't have to pass your house! 

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

A Few Sweet Things From My Pinterest Board

I'm all about the Peter Pan collar right now.

And colored tights. I'm all about those too.

And red coats. All about the red coat.

And Peter Pan collars. Did I mention I'm all
about the Peter Pan collar right now?

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

I've been spending the past couple of weeks getting the house all sparkly and Christmas-y. Tomorrow night we host our annual Christmas party - the one party a year where we banish all  persons under the age of 21 from our house so we can maintain adult conversation without having to referee miniature maniacs who are tweaked out on sugar. I love to go all out for this party! I channel my inner Martha Stewart - who I happen to think is way more down to earth than the actual Martha - and I get decorating!

• First, get yourself some glitter spray paint. Spray everything you come in contact with. I chose to spray cotton balls and, using a needle and thread, create a falling snow scene. (I can't wait to use the glitter paint to make these trees!) 
• Second, get yourself some pretty paper and cut it into strips for a paper chain. I remember making these as a kid and I was able to share this craft with my 5 year old. 
• Third, make gift wrap simple. I keep kraft paper, various ribbon and twine, and blank gift tags on hand all year. I just change the stamp on the gift tags depending on the occasion. That way I'm not overloaded on pricey giftwrap and the pile under my tree looks unified.  

Glitter painted "snow"

The classic paper chain

The Christmas Mantle (with a bit of my man in the shot!)

Easy & elegant wrapping - kraft paper, twine, ribbon, blank gift tags,  & a unique stamp

What are some of your favorite holiday crafts and decorations?

An Early Present to Myself!

I am very excited because I just bought myself this new record by She&Him. A Christmas record! And it red vinyl! Now the only thing left for me to do is to wait patiently by the mailbox...still waiting...

Are you going to get yourself an early present? If so, what is it?!

Wedding Redo

I've been scouting photographer blogs lately and have seen some beautiful wedding shots. Which make me wistful for a wedding. You see, I'm already married. I've had a wedding. And I want a wedding redo. On my wedding day I let a friend style my hair (badly), a relative do my makeup (badly,) my sister-in-law pick the bridesmaids dresses (I still can't apologize enough to my bridesmaids who wore them,) and I was bloated and in my first trimester (oops!) 

I don't mean to make it sound like it could have been an episode of my "big, fat redneck wedding." There were parts of it that were lovely! We were married in an old church that belonged to our friends who ran it as a theatre for experimental cinema. Our reception was at a funky little gallery. Our friends and family were with us and everybody had a wonderful time. It's just that at some point in the wedding process, I got exhausted with planning a wedding, work, an impending move AND baby. I sort of just threw my hands up and said "que cera cera!"

We don't even have many wedding photos that don't look like snapshops. I guess I'm going to have to dust off the wedding gown, buy my husband a new suit, and do a photo shoot in the back yard. Fake it 'til you make it, right?! Here's some inspiration:

photo by Samm Blake

from mimiandmegblog

Photo by Marianne Taylor 

greenweddingshoes.com

Photo by Samm Blake

What are your wedding inspirations?

Sometimes I Think I'm a Better Photographer With My iPhone Than With My DSLR

All of the above photos were taken by me on my iPhone. Now go check out photographer, Lisa Wiseman's "polaroids" series - taken with her iPhone.

Do you find yourself using your camera phone for everything too?

Christmas Card Time!!!!!

I've been planning the family Christmas card for months. I had been planning to do a family photo shoot for the card but I didn't have time so I settled on snapshots from the past year. I think it turned out okay though, don't you?
Does your family do holiday cards? 

The Hostess Gift

I am of the school of thought that one should never arrive at a party, dinner or cocktail, empty handed. Usually this means I run to the store en route and pick up a bottle of good, yet moderately priced wine to offer the hostess. This year I think I should class it up a bit. Maybe in addition to that good, yet moderately priced wine, I could toss in some whimsical wine glass charms. These Holly Go Lightly charms caught my eye!

Also, I am a sucker for stationary. Who wouldn't love to receive these beautiful notecards?

Penguin Book Covers from Anthropologie

Holiday Party Time

Shabby Apple

I know, I know. We haven't eaten Thanksgiving dinner and here I am talking about holiday parties. But really, those parties sneak up on you and before you know it you need to find a babysitter, a new dress, and a fabulous hostess gift! And if you're hosting, well, that will be a whole other post!

First things first, let's talk about the dress. I am all for a LBD, and this new one from Shabby Apple is what I'm hoping to wear to our annual holiday fete. I just love the classic silhouette.

Of course, I am digging the disco vibe of this little number from Jcrew.

JCrew

What type of dress are you thinking of the party season?

And I'm Off!

I'll be taking the week off from blogging to attend the Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walk for the Cure. I've been training and raising monies for 9 months for this event and I'm really excited. The goal is to walk 60 miles in 3 days and raise $2300. I've raised the money, now let's see if I can walk the miles! I chose to do this after a friend from high school lost her battle with breast cancer. I guess this was my way of processing the grief. Have any of you ever participated in an event like this? Post a comment and tell me your experience!

Fright Night

Halloween in upon us and all the ghouls will be out this weekend! Well, almost all of them. Instead of getting a sitter and braving the bars and clubs (like I would have in my life b.k. - before kids) I think the hubs and I will watch scary movies on Netflix and whip up a batch of this punch along with some spooky hors d'oeuvres and have our own party! How are you celebrating Halloween?

I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again

I'm back from a week in a NyQuil induced coma. Yes, the flu hit my house. Actually it just hit me. But I am on the up and up and ready to blog! I have to say, I don't know what I would do without my husband, who took up the role of nurse and Mr. Mom with gusto. And I totally believe his soup has healing powers. Well, it's not his soup. We found the recipe here. He added a lot of Sriracha (yum!) In addition to the soup, he made sure that Pride and Prejudice was on nonstop. There you go dearies - the cure for the common flu.

What makes you feel better when you're sick?

Don't Put Off Today What Can Be Done Tomorrow

For the past four years I've been eyeing this dress for my daughter. For some reason I always put off purchasing it (mostly for fear of her outgrowing it 5 seconds after it arrives. She grows so fast!) Well today I'm buying it and I am so excited! It's just a classically beautiful dress. On the plus side, I am killing two birds with one stone. I plan on pairing it with a Wednesday Addams wig and striped tights for her Halloween costume.

On another note I plan on changing up the routine today. Instead of walking around the same park we stroll through everyday, I think I may drive downtown so my son and I can walk around the river. New sights and sounds may be fun for us both.

What changes will you make in your routine today?

Rainy Days and Thursdays

Today is a slightly chilly, gray autumn day. There is a constant drizzle coming down and depending on your outlook this could be depressing or romantic. I'm going with romantic. I've piled my hair on top of my head å la Jane Birkin and I'm heading out to do errands in my new trench coat. I even added some "cat eye" eyeliner for some drama! What little things do you do to liven up a dull day?

Debbie Downer is Looking Up

So I think I've become a bit of a "Debbie Downer." This is odd because I actually have a very outgoing personality. But get me started on something I can complain about and I will go on forever. And these negative thoughts just DRAG ME DOWN! Let me give you some background: I used to live in a large city and I worked in the arts. I was a bit of a party girl. Then my WONDERFUL husband got a job - a job he LOVES - and we moved. We landed in a small town in the south and I feel a bit lost. It's been almost six years and in those years I've had two kids and been able to stay at home with them. And I know that I am LUCKY to have this. I am thankful for it. But I've gotten stuck in the past, on how I used to perceive myself and I haven't figured out how to live in the now and fully enjoy what I do have. So here's what I am proposing to myself. To stop complaining. To record a simple joy a day. To find beauty and share it. Okay, so I live in a small town in the south and it's not a hip, big city. Okay, so I no longer have an exciting career where I get to meet interesting people and create. But I do get to live in a beautiful part of the country and watch leaves change color. And I get to see my kids grow everyday. And that in itself should make me filled to the brim with joy, right? Well, here's my first joy to share. This morning my son, Dexter, and I took a walk in the park. It was cool, quiet, the leaves are changing, and I watched my son discover all kinds of new things in nature. And I was filled with joy.

What have you found joy in today?