Winter Snow (Feat. Audrey Assad) - Chris Tomlin (Must See)

For my gift to you for the holidays, I'm sharing my favorite winter song this year. Blessings to all of you my friends and Happy Holidays too!

Felt Packages and Bows

I saw a couple more really cute gift wrapping ideas today.  I know, it might be a little late to post these, but you can save it in your file for next year, unless you are last minute like me and are still working on holiday projects this week.

Felt Bows and instructions at Twig and Thistle

Felt Pouches and instructions at Heart of Light

Holiday List Making

I love this cute holiday to do list made by Jess from Pecannoot.  It's a free download, so you can use this one too.  I've already printed a couple of them and have filled them up with last minute to do's.

Fun Find

I love this New Years Eve party idea from you are my fave.  Fill balloons with confetti and fun prizes and pop at midnight.

Surprises For Me?

I have joined many a blog giveaway, but alas, never a winner...until now:)!  I just found out on Friday that I was not the winner of one lucky giveaway, but two, Yeah!  What a wonderful surprise for the holiday!  First, I won the new book, Downtown Chic by Robert and Courtney Novogratz from The Paris Apartment.  I've had this book on my Amazon wishlist for awhile now and have checked it out from the library a couple times.  Now I get to add it to my very own library.  Thank you so much for this wonderful giveaway Claudia.

Second, I won a surprise giveaway from Hooray Design.  I don't know what it is yet, it's a surprise, but I know it will be fun, because I've ordered a few things from her shop, and have been following her blog for awhile now and everything Alli Michelle puts together is very sweet and fun.  She's also giving away free gifts with orders of $10 or more in her shop to make way for new things for the New Year.  Thank you Alli Michelle.

Winter Weekend Delights!

Sometimes I can't decide whether to decorate with pastels or bright colors.  I really like both.  Today I'm feeling in a girly mood though and starting to think about Christmas since this evening is the last night of Hanukkah.  I hope you enjoy these winter wonderland delights and have a delightful weekend as well.

I'd like to go shopping in the city and enjoy the sparkling lights.

I'd like to put on this pink furry coat and go to a glamorous party.

I'd like to decorate my front door with a pretty glass ball wreath.

I'd like to decorate the house with sparkly tinsel and snow.

I'd like to relax on the sofa and read the holiday issues of my favorite magazines.

I'd like to decorate pretty candy canes and give them away as gifts.

I'd like to spend the weekend in this cute little cabin all bundled up in the snow.

and when I'm there, I hope the reindeer show up to visit me.

Tiny Christmas Tree

I just saw this Tiny Christmas Tree made by Jutta over at Nice Package.  I just had to post it here because I think it is so cute.  I love the simplicity of the lightly dusted branch with little pom-pom's made from candy-stripe twistie ties and placed in a simple jar.

Thursdays Creative Thrift

Do you remember those paper snowflakes you used to cut out when you were a kid?  I always loved doing that.  Every year I would go home after making them in school and get my brother and sister to help me make more of them.  We would make tons of them and plaster them to the sliding glass door.  It's been along time since I've cut out a paper snowflake, but when I saw these doily snowflake garlands on Design Sponge, I thought it might be nice to give it a try again.  Just in time for this winter season.  Since it's not snowing outside, we can at least make it snow inside.

Hanukkah Masquerade Ball

This is what I've been up to this past week and part of the weekend.  I've been a little busy sewing and decorating for this Hanukkah Masquerade Ball that took place last night.  We turned a very plain sanctuary into an elegant ballroom on a very low budget.  I think every party needs a little drama, something big to set the scene, so we created these columns by hanging white fabric from the chandeliers and dropping strings of white Christmas lights down the middle of each column to light them up.  I think it turned out beautifully, don't you?

All-Star Bar Mitzvah

Here are a few pictures of the Bar Mitzvah I just decorated for. This was for my friends son Andrew. His passions are baseball and drama so we included both for his party. We went for the most part with a baseball theme, which included popcorn and peanuts and cracker jacks of course and a hot dog stand.  We also added his passion of drama with pictures of all the plays he has been in by creating a film strip out of black paper to display them.  I made all the hanging baseballs out of foam core.  All the decorations were a surprise to Andrew and he was pretty pleased with them.  He even called me later to personally thank me.  He's such a sweet boy.

Photo Swap Surprise!

In November I joined this photo swap just for fun.  The rules of the swap was to take pictures with a roll of film or a disposable camera and send them to your swap partner to develop.  The suprise would be seeing what your pictures look like when your partner posts them on their blog.  I was delightfully surprised when I got the developed film back and this was the first photo that I saw when I opened the package.  Isn't she cute, and isn't this the most clever and sweet way to say hello?

I had no idea that my photo swap partner would end up being such a great blogging friend and an awesome photographer as well. Here is a photo of my beautiful swap partner Becca, and yes that is a real butterfly on her finger. Here is a just a sampling of some of the photos she sent me. There were so many good ones it was hard to choose which ones to post. Here are a few of my favorites and if you'd like to see more you can visit the photo swap '09 flickr group. 

Plans for the weekend

I'm working away, finishing up on the last few details for the Bar Mitzvah I am decorating for this weekend and then next week I'll be working on the Masquerade Ball.   I'm still dreaming about my fantastically inspiring studio space that I haven't gotten far on organizing yet, but here's another inspiring image I found via Lolalina.  Do you have any fun plans for this weekend? 

Thursdays Creative Thrift

How clever is this?  Turn your unsightly elecrical cords into pretty designs on the wall.

{images found via say YES! to hoboken, via lifehacker}

Love Lives Here

You know how I talked about my happiness in my last post.  Well, after posting I had that feeling like, why did I post that, I'm not really finished with it yet.  I'm in this place in my life where it is hard to make a separation between talking about things that make me happy, or lift me up or give me a positive outlook on life without including the one who is behind it all for me, my Creator.  I never wanted to make this blog a place to preach God to others, but I do need to add here, that it is because I know that Jesus is the lover of my soul and that he that he will never leave me, nor forsake me that brings me joy, delight and happiness in my life more than any other.  What's in our hearts will always influence the way we act. If our hearts are focused on pure and uplifting things, our words and actions will reflect that. But if our hearts are selfish, the words we speak will make that clear as well.  I found this beautiful print that speaks all the right words for me.  Just letting you know that in my heart, in my soul, in my home and right here on my blog that Love is Spoken Here.

You can find this print by Merrilee from mer mag.  She is having a sale all this week in her shop tuesday mourning.  Buy one print and get one free.  Just enter the promo code: CYBERSALE and she'll reimburse you for your free print.

Say Sweet Words

The last two weeks of November, I kept asking my husband, "why I am I so darn happy?"  I've been trying to figure it out for weeks, and I can't figure out why I am so happy!  Not, that I am usually sad, but there was a time in my life that I was, and I used to always ask, "why am I so sad?"  So when I started to ask myself, "why am I so darn happy?", it made me feel really good.  You probably think, I should just be happy and get on with life, without trying to figure why, but...I just don't do things like that.  I finally realized that it had something to do with my 26 days of gratitude last month.  Being grateful for life and writing it down and voiceing it out loud really does change your attitude and your mind.  You have no other place to go but up.  So with that, I decided that I would just continue on with this upward spiral of gratefulness and give you helpful words of encouragement this month.  So you might see a few words of encouragement sprinkled here and there in between Hanukkah and Christmas throughout my blog during this month of December.

{image found via Here I scribble}

Good Morning Monday!

Good morning friends I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Here's a relaxing space to look at before you start your next holiday preparations and cheer.  I'll be working like gangbusters the next two weeks on the decor for two events, a Bar Mitzvah and a Masquerade Ball.  What kind of plans do you have going on for this month? 

{image via Livingetc}

Felt Polaroids

Here's a little project I found on Katie Cupcake to begin this month of December with.  I think these felt poloroids are really cute hanging on this string of lights.

Day 26 of Gratitude: Z

I'm grateful to be able to bring you this Zany round-up of Z's
It's the last day of our 26 days of gratitude here.  I hope you enjoy this Zany round-up of Z's and that your weekend is filled with Zillions of fun!

Zebra prints

Zipper pouches

Zoo animals

Zigzag pillow covers

Zucchini bread

Zippy little cars

Zero calories

Zoom lens

Zany paint jobs

Zines

Day 25 of Gratitude: Y

I am grateful for You!
Each and every individual one of You, my fellow bloggers, readers and friends.  Thank you so much for joining me here for this 26 days of gratitude.  It would not have been as much fun without you.  I am so grateful for you and your visits and for your comments and kind words.  I hope this has inspired you as much as it has inspired me to always look up, have a positive outlook and to have an attitude of gratitude.  Remember, each one of you were made unique, and special.  Our connection here is not by chance, but to encourage and lift each other up and I hope I have done that here for you my friends.  Happy Thanksgiving!

You can purchase this card at bluebicicletta on etsy

a story of unselfish Kindness

I saw this story a few days ago on Auburn and Ivory and saved it in my google reader. It is a story that she saw on A Los Angeles Love that was shared at a Swell Season concert.  I keep going back to it, because it is just so touching. The kind of story that makes you cry and want to go out and make someone else's day brighter. I thought this was a perfect story to share here after a month of being grateful.

"'A few weeks ago, Glen was in Chicago for the tour. As he came down the elevator in the morning, an older woman, perhaps 70, in a bright blue coat joined him. He described her face thusly: "You know how you have the face you were born with until you're 25, then from 25 to 40 you have the face that earn, and from 40 to death you have the face you deserve? Well, this woman was beautiful at 70, just one of the most beautiful faces, she definitely had one of those faces you earn." And as he looked over at her, he felt the need to compliment her coat, and so he did. And she got so excited and touched, responding, "Thank you for noticing my coat. This coat means so much to me, thank you for noticing. I bought this coat when I decided to live again. I loved the color and wanted to live. I didn't leave my apartment for two years, and when I did, when I decided to live, I bought this blue coat." Glen was a little surprised and a little touched, and he helped her with her bag to the taxi. As they got to the taxi, she started to tear up and the words started rushing out like when you've had a moment of kindness that unlocks all the emotions that have been sitting around for ages. And she said, "My son died in that tower. He quit on September 10 and went back the next day to pick up some last things. I meant to call him and tell him not to bother going back, but I slept late. And then I didn't leave my apartment for two years. And then I finally decided to buy this coat and live, and you noticed it.'"

Day 24 of Gratitude: X

I'm grateful for a XX Chromosome
There is not alot for X that I could think of being grateful for, but I know that I am grateful to be a girl!

This t-shirt is available on etsy at Xenotees

Day 23 of Gratitude: W

I'm grateful for Wishes...that do come true
I'm not really one that wishes a lot , but I do love it when wishes, dreams and desires in my life do come true.

{image spotted on Jolie Marie!}

12 Challenge Calendar

Although all the calendar round-ups I have seen on other blogs recently have been very enticing, I have been holding out for this 2010 Challenge Calendar from Our Little Love Nest.  The artwork for this calendar has been a few months in the making and I know Dee put her heart and soul into every piece of artwork for this calendar.  Dee's project started out with an idea for New Year's resolutions made simple.  She created 12 challenges by creating an art collage for each challenge and spread the challenges out, one for each month of the year.  These are great challenges too, challenges like, to be fearless, simplify, bee free, find your voice and sing loudly.  I know it would make Dee very happy to pass one of these calendars onto you.  I know it is her desire to implement these challenges in her own life and she would like to pass on this same encouragement to others as well.

You can purchase your 12 Challenge Calendar in two different sizes, as well as some of Dee's original art work created for this calendar at her etsy shop.

Day 22 of Gratitude: V

I am grateful for Vacations
Who doesn't love vacation?  A time to get away from your regular daily routine, for some rest and relaxation or fun and adventure.  I'd have to say just about every vacation I have been on has been a delightful one for me.  Here are just a few pictures of us on vacation in the last couple of years.  I'd say my most adventurous vacation was to Israel in 2006 and my most memorable family vacation was to Disney World in 2008 where I finally conquered my fear of roller coasters, yeah!  What are some of your most memorable vacations?

Us on vacation, clockwise from the top, Connecticut, New York, Disney World, Israel, California, Utah

A Few Ideas For Your Thanksgiving Feast

When it comes to the Thanksgiving table, I like it simple and organic, using things you might be able to find by walking out your back door or going to the local supermarket.  Here are a few ideas I found that are beautiful, simple and easy.

Sunset magazine has alot of ideas.  I like the simplicity of this leaf placecard.

Another magazine that has a plethora of ideas is Country Living magazine.  Since Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks I like this idea of writing quotes of gratitude on thin strips of paper and fastening them to wine or water glasses using double-sided tape.  You can invite each of your guests to read their quotes aloud.

For this one, I just loved the rich look of blue hobnail glasses mixed with browns and the added touch of pheasant feathers.  Another Country Living magazine idea I found via perfect bound.

I love this idea of creating a bouquet with items found at your local supermarket.  This idea is a favorite find of mine this year and I'm going to use this for my Thanksgiving table.  You can visit Design Sponge for all the arrangement details.

Day 21 of Gratitude: U

I am grateful for Unexpected surprises...
Did I tell you that my birthday is December 14th?

{image found via coco+kelly}

Day 20 of Gratitude: T

I am grateful for Tea
I am totally a tea drinker.  I drink it in the morning, I drink it in the evening and sometimes I even drink it in the afternoon.  It soothes me, it warms me and it's just good to have.  My favorite is chai tea latte of course, but I also drink, jasmine blossom, tazo zen, peppermint, and Mr. Sandman tea just before bed with a couple of lemon cream cookies, mmmmm...good!

{image by Our Little Love Nest}

Day 19 of Gratitude: S

I'm grateful for my Son,
Darren has many qualities that I admire. He's not afraid to speak his mind and he makes friends easily, he has a really hard time telling a lie or keeping things from me, which is a benefit for me. He makes me laugh, and he keeps me on my toes.  I love my boy!

Thursdays Creative Thrift

I spotted this recycled plastic mat made from tape measures on the haystack needle.  Unfortunately, I don't have instructions for you to make this one for yourself, but sometimes it's just nice to purchase something like this already made.  This particular mat is actually available for purchase from Viva Terra.

Day 16, 17 & 18 of Gratitude: P, Q & R

I'm grateful for Pillows, Quiet Moments and Rest & Relaxation
You know when you have those days that it seems like you haven't stopped going for at least three days.  Well, today when I got home I layed my head down on the pillows on my sofa, pulled a blanket over myself for just a little rest, and ended up falling asleep.  I was very grateful for those pillows and my sofa and the much needed rest that I got.  These three things seem to go together quite nicely and the pictures below illustrate some pretty places to savor those quiet moments where you might get some rest and relaxation.

{images found via wide open spaces, color me katie, love.obsess.inspire}

Short Break and some Cute Jewelry

I'm taking a short break today.  I'm having a hard time keeping up with all this gratitude and I think I'm lacking a little on the design posts too.  I hope to be back later this evening.  In the meantime here is a Hootie ring by Corky Saint Clair I found awhile back while perusing in my google reader.  I think it's kinda cute.