MeRrY ChRisTmaS!

From my family to yours,

Merry Christmas!

The table is set,

with lots of red and turquoise.

I used my faux grain sack runner as the main backdrop,

and added vintage looking placecards from these old index cards found at the thrift store.

 

The red striped napkins were found at the dollar store.

The buffet behind the table holds faux snow globes we made using items found around the house.

 

Now that the table is set, were having fun baking and preparing some super easy but yummy food.

This rocky road fudge recipe is for the neighbors.

On Christmas morning, we always have hot chocolate and monkey bread, except I cheat and use frozen roll dough instead of making it from scratch.  I put the frozen dough in a bundt pan with all the cinnamon/sugar and cover and place in the oven overnight.  In the morning, just bake, invert, and drizzle with the topping.

Then we have super easy and yummy, german pancakes to tide us over until our traditional Christmas dinner of ham, potatoes, rolls, etc.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

{all food images found via Pinterest}

new pleated burlap stockings

I added some new burlap stockings above the fireplace, just in time for Christmas.

I wasn't liking my mismatched ones, then spotted these cuties on etsy from

That Little Farmhouse.

I love the cute white pleats. 

I like how it makes the mantel look a little more finished, and my kids like that their stockings are all the same, so Santa is sure to be fair! 

 

keep primping,

white christmas mantel, bleaching bottle brush trees, and a quick Christmas home tour

It's looking a little more like Christmas around here. 

   

I updated my mantel with a favorite framed chalkboard, some mercury glass, and some bleached bottle brush trees.

 

We traded in our boy elf on the shelf for Chrissy, who watches and reports to Santa each night.

I found a package of 21 green bottle brush trees at Michael's, threw some in the sink with a bleach and water mixture, and had these white ones in just a couple of minutes.

Last year I completely re-did the ornaments for my tree.   This year I only made one, using my favorite item of the season--bottle brush trees.

To get a glimpse of our tree, check out last year's post.  This year, our tree looks a little pathetic.  It's been knocked over 3 times by our 'sweet' kittens who like to climb up the trunk.  Several ornaments were broken and my sheet music and bookpage ornaments look a little bent up.

 

The tree itself, looks like its seen better days.  Next year, I think we're buying a real life one, maybe we'll even cut down our own.

In the piano room, I added a real life wreath and more bottle brush trees, some were slightly bleached for just seconds to get a variety of green coloring.

I made this simple bunting with ribbon on hand, and inspired by this. 

Our new advent cupboard was updated with some paint and a sharpie, and filled with favorite candy.   It's much simple than last year's.

 

More bottle brush trees, and various sized letters that sing "fa la la".

I added a simple Christmas vignette in the girls' room.

 

Yep, you guessed it, pink bottle brush trees, and teeny tiny deer.

Another simple Christmas vignette, using an old metal ornament, sits in a cakestand.

Instead of the usual wreath on the front door, I added this wooden tree shape found at the thrift store.

It was already backed with chicken coop wire, perfect for hanging my vintage ornament collection.

Thanks for letting me take you on a tour of Christmas around here.  I think we are officially in the mood and ready for it!

keep primping,

linking to these fab parties:

Jennifer Rizzo, Tatertots and Jello, Funky Junk, Inspired Room, Sassy Sites