Hope, Courage, Freedom

A Day in History ~

In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations. ~ President Obama

Thrifty Finds of Home Decor

I hosted Thanksgiving at my house this year with 18 people attending! What was I thinking? I had just downsized my kitchen table to a cool new pub style, because it is just my teen daughter and myself now at home. Plus it gave me more room in the kitchen and opened up the space! My tiny kitchen looks larger, less stuff and I am loving it! I purchased this at the same time we redecorated my son's room into a totally new upstyle room for my teen daughter. That project is another post! I still hate the wallpaper in the kitchen and hope that becomes a project for 2009! The small frame on the wall has now been replaced with a neat find from TJ Maxx.

So I needed more 'seating' table space to host a bunch of people. I went to a local antique mall and found a solid wood coffee table ($30) that matches perfect! There is barely a scratch on it! Just last weekend I found a beautiful small rug (another TJ Maxx find) and love the way it breaks up the wood on wood from the flooring and table. Added a clearance bowl find along with potpourri (found on clearance for 97 cents a bag at Kirklands!). Everything ties in with my blue and burgandy colors currently in the living room. Would love a new sofa, but have decided to wait until my daughter is out of the house. This sofa is still comfy and has a bed for guests. Hoping to come across a few decor pillows to add a little color there!

I have slowly been transforming rooms into 'what I love'. One of the things I've said over and over since my son moved out on his own is I want to get my house 'in shape'. I want to have it functional, more my 'style'...if I even have one! and of course, at a bargin! So this year of 2009, not only do I wish to SHINE .... I want my home to SHINE too. Not as a show palace, but with things I love, reflecting Love lives here! I am newly obsessed with several blogs that are home decorating on a budget. Thrifty finds made over that turn out AMAZING! These ladies and gents have talent and I hope to gleen some inspiration from them.

Wrap it up!

Christmas is 2 days away! So it's time to wrap it up and get it done! Here is a quick gift wrap idea that I came up with this morning. I found a package of 3 cookie tray bags in my gift wrap box. Obviously I had purchased them to make goodies as gifts at some point or bought them on clearance! Ha! (I think I actually picked them u at the Dollar Tree at some point). I decided to wrap up my tile coaster sets for my mom and two sisters with these cute bags. I had 3 wooden boxes I also picked up on clearance at Target, a few years ago. These have been sitting ...waiting in my gift 'closet' (the top shelf of my clothes closet). Perfect to 'protect' the coasters and add a little something something to the 'gift'. I tied raffia around the coasters, lined the boxes with a new kitchen dish 'rag' and put the box down in the huge cookie bag. Tied them with a bit of Christmas ribbon from my scrappin' stash and ta da .... pretty wrapping! I still need to make a tag out of my paper stash to add to each one. Easy and pretty, if I do say so myself!

Christmas Cake

I've posted about this before. Several years ago while working on a company employee newsletter I came upon a cake recipe. I made it that year for Christmas. The actual recipe is called It Won't Last Cake. However, I renamed it the Christmas cake because my dear sister has asked that it be her 'gift' every year since! My brother in law loves it too. So since I hosted Thanksgiving this year, he requested the cake then. I am posting the photo of the cake, which I will be making again this week to take to sis's house for our Christmas get together on Christmas Day. It is easy and is like a spice cake or banana bread. Very moist and even goes great with coffee in the mornings.

A homemade Christmas

Many of the gifts I am giving this year are 'homemade' or put together ideas that are small 'I thought of you' gifts.

I gave the girls at my office ~ Relaxation 'kits'. A set of 4 wine goblets painted with snowmen (they came that way) filled with bath salts, a votive candle, a bath squishy and chocolate. A friend and I came up with the poem, which I used my scrappin stash to make! The girls LOVED them!

For my male boss, a quote frame using my stash and a cute $2.00 frame I had on hand. He puts in tons of hours at the office and is really a great boss too! He thought it was really nice and said it will stay in his office. He even mentioned it matches the office furniture. Well, of course! Ha!
My brother-in-law is a pastor, so he is getting a scripture verse using the same paper and a slightly different wooden frame from Walmart that was only $3.00.

I made tons of tile coasters for family and friends! This was the first try at them and they were EASY and fun to make! I can't wait to give them and see what everyone has to say about it. They are stamped, sealed and have full cork bottoms on them.

I am working on a few other items and will try to post them as they are completed!

Christmas Spirit!

Yes, it has been FOREVER since I have posted to my blog. So here is a bit of Christmas cheer to get the ball rolling again. A photo of our tree this year, just a tad bit different as I changed out the gold ribbon to a wide sheer white (found on clearance at Michaels!).

I did not get out my HUGE collection of Santa's; only those that are tall and sit around the tree and fireplace. This year I did add some new ornaments that are a bit larger than the ones we had...just shatterproof gold from Walmart but it does make the tree sparkle and SHINE!

I also am LOVING my window 'frame' that I found at an Antique Mall for $4.95! on the wall.