A Quick Update

To my lovely blog-readers...
This fun Thanksgiving break has left me quite exhausted and I've been unable to upload my wonderful photos from this delightful holiday weekend. I promise to have them up on my blog on Sunday. Can't wait for you all to see our fun Thanksgiving festivities and Christmas decorating!

Christmas Records & Cats in Cardboard Boxes

One of the many Christmas traditions that I remember while growing up was listening to Christmas records on my parent's record player. My brother and I would listen to Disney's Merry Christmas Carol's and Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' Once Upon a Christmas while decorating the Christmas tree.

Soon after Dustin and I were married, we began collecting different vinyl records from different record stores and used book stores in hopes that we would some day have a record player of our own. Well about a year ago, we were given a record player from my Father-in-law. And since it's that festive time of year, I've begun playing the Christmas LP's that we have in our collection. I haven't come across the Disney one or the Dolly Parton and Kenny Roger's one at any of the stores we've searched, but I do have some great compilations of classic Christmas songs.



There's nothing better than listening to that crackly, raw sound of an LP. I just love it!

In other news...I hosted a Pampered Chef party a couple of weeks ago and all of the orders came in yesterday...which meant a lot of large boxes all over our apartment. But, what seems like a mess to us, is a cardboard heaven for our cat.

He has firmly planted himself in one of these boxes. It's his little get-away from the dog and whatever weird things us humans are doing around the house. I think he's kind of mad at us because we have temporarily removed the dining room table to make room for the Christmas tree and his hide-away was located under the table.

I don't know what he's going to do when I get rid of all of these boxes. I have a feeling he's going to get back at me by hanging out under the Christmas tree or something crazy like that. (Every cat owner's worst nightmare!)

It's Almost Time...

So I have officially taken all of our Christmas decorations out of the storage closet. Our Guest bedroom has been bombarded by all things Christmasy. I believe there's a bed somewhere under all of these boxes and containers...



I'm just so excited about decorating this year. My in-laws gave us their "big fat tree" so we're actually going to have a full-size tree this year.


There it is...just waiting to be put together and decorated with beautiful ornaments! Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!

P.S. I've begun working on the ornaments for my Christmas giveaway. Tehehe! I can't wait for y'all to see 'em!

Oh I Just Can't Wait To Be King

Guess what I'm going to see on Thursday?

That's right! Oh yeah! I'm so excited that it's here in Indy.
I'm going with my lovely friend Jamie. It should be a blast!
That's another Broadway show to mark off my list.

A Cozy Cup of Yummy

On chilly days such as these, there's nothing I enjoy more than a yummy cup of hot chocolate. And to fancy it up a bit, I add whip cream and red sprinkles. Mmm...the cozy goodness.

One thing that I am looking for right now is a homemade recipe for hot chocolate. I currently use SwissMiss powder, which is quite yummy, but I would love to be able to make my own homemade cup of chocolaty goodness! If you have a recipe, leave a comment and let me know. I'd love to try it!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Little dancing snowflakes
On this November day.
Chilly breezes blowing
Inside is where I'll stay.
Hot Chocolate and Hot Tea
Will keep me comfy here.
While I watch the ice dancers
Filled with early winter cheer.

I love being able to sit in my studio and stare out of the window while sitting at my desk. It's the most wonderful set up. Watching our second little snow of the year (our first one was Saturday night/early Sunday morning, which left a light dusting of white sparkles on rooftops and cars) I was filled with the desire to find a fun snowflake craft idea and who else to look for an idea from than Martha Stewart. She has a whole page worth of fun doilie-inspired snowflake crafts that would fill any home with wintery goodness. I personally love the hanging doilies that look like large snowflakes hanging in your window.

Christmas Tradition

When I was growing up, my family had a Christmas tradition. Every year we would each pick out a Hallmark ornament for the tree. Well, when you get married, you carry those fun traditions with you. So for our first Christmas and our second Christmas, Dustin and I were able to find a Hallmark ornament for each of us. We also started a new tradition, which involved us buying an ornament from Macy's. That tradition started because we lived in Chicago during our first year of marriage and it seemed like I visited the Christmas section of Macy's every week during that Christmas season. This year, we were sad that we couldn't find a Hallmark ornament that really fit us, so we decided to get our ornaments from Macy's only. This proved to be such a fun and magical time last night during our date. Here are the goodies that we found.


Dustin found a really neat "vintage-looking" Santa ornament. While we were searching, we realized that we didn't have a single Santa Claus ornament for our tree and this one would make a great addition to the tree.


The one I chose was actually found by Dustin. He saw it hanging in a tree and thought it fit me perfectly. I completely agree. It has such a fun and playful look to it. We can't wait to put up the tree after Thanksgiving so we can hang these beautiful treasures!

Sparkly Goodness for Your Table

I was browsing Martha Stewart's website today and stumbled upon this really easy Christmas decorating idea. I don't exactly have a garden cloche, but I do have a candle globe that I'm thinking about filling with some pretty ornaments.


P.S. I've been listening to Christmas music for the past 2 weeks...I know...I'm so bad! My favorite Christmas song of all time is Bing Crosby's White Christmas. What's your favorite Christmas song?

Not 1, Not 2, But 3 Quilts

So there is some exciting news from the Old Red Barn Co.
Dana is giving away 3 different quilts! I know, I know, I know! It's just so exciting you could pee your pants! I know I did...just kidding...err...well...maybe a little...no really...I have control of my bladder.

Anyway...back to the contest...

Here are the beauties that you could have a chance to win if you visit Dana's blog and follow all of the lovely instructions on how you can enter the contest.




*Sigh* Oh the beauty...the perfection...the amazing-ness of it all! Make sure you visit Old Red Barn Co. for a chance to win of these 3 lovelies! Go now! Don't wait! You know you want them!

Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Look what came in the mail yesterday...



Oh how excited I was! Just look at all of these wonderful Santa faces.



I bought 2 yards of it...one yard for me...one yard for my mom. I'm thinking about making a Christmas apron with it. I have some great red and white striped fabric that I think would look really cute with it. I also might make a Christmas ornament with one of the faces. We'll see! Tehehe! I'm just tickled pink about it all!

Chilly Sunday Afternoons

Yesterday was quite a delightful day. After church we came home, we got into our comfy clothes and enjoyed soup and sandwiches. It was quite a brisk and cloudy day, which called for snuggly warmth and cozy naps.


We also cuddled by the first fire of the season.


I also finished quilting and binding my Christmas table runner. I wanted to finish it before Thanksgiving so it would be ready to set out when we decorate the house for Christmas. I used a red silk embroidery thread to quilt it, which is something that I've never done before. Here it is in all its Christmas cheer!

Just in that Christmas Mood

So I don't know what's wrong with me this year, but I've been ready for Christmas since about September. Perhaps it's because I have so many fun and exciting Christmas projects that I have planned to work on and that I'm currently working on. Or maybe it's because my domestic/decorating side is busting out of the seams...I'm not sure what it is, but I like it!


I was searching Moda's site today and found this wonderful Alexander Henry Christmas print that I just have to have. It has that vintage feel that makes me all fuzzy inside. It's called "Christmas Time Check Twice." I feel like I could just pinch Santa's rosy cheeks and hear a good ol' Ho! Ho! Ho!

Am I the only one dealing with the early Christmas bug or are there other crazies out there just like me? If you know of any Etsy shops that have some fun Christmas fabrics, please leave a comment and let me know. I'd love to get my hands on some!

Funny Faces & Yummy Salads

So today is one of those random posts that contains the delightful little happenings of life. With the changing seasons, I finally dug up my lovely patio garden this past weekend.


It definitely served me well and made my Spring and Summer days filled with beautiful blooms and heavenly fragrances...but alas, the days are much cooler and the leaves are at their peek of golds, reds, and ambers. Today was one of those slightly warmer November days, so I decided to take the dog for a walk and soak up some of the Autumnal color palate.









I just can't get enough of these wonderful colors. I find myself completely distracted while driving down the road because I get lost in the beautiful colors that are scattered across Central Indiana.

Now this next picture has quite the story to it. While walking our proud pup Jalen, I could tell that he wanted to get back home, but I was determined to take a picture of him on our walk. Well...when I snapped the picture, he just so happened to blink his eyes in the bright sun at the exact moment of the shot. Thus I got this photo...

How funny is this? I think it looks like he's closing his eyes in protest to the photo. It's as if he's saying, "If I close my eyes, she won't know I'm here and we'll have to go back home." It is definitely Jalen in his finest moment!

After our walk, I was quite famished, so my Hubby made a yummy salad that was quite a refreshing treat for such a fine day.


Doesn't it just look scrumptious! Mmm...Mmmm.

Well I hope that your day is filled with the beauties of this Autumn day and that something out there just makes you smile. Oh...and one last note...I'm planning on having a Christmas Give-away in the next couple of weeks, so be on the look-out for your chance to win some trimmings for your tree!

A Cheery Christmas Give-Away

Oh there are just so many delightful give-aways in the land of blogging. It's almost overwhelming. I stumbled across this one today.


Enter for your chance to win this beautiful table runner. I know I did! What a beautiful Christmas edition it will make to anyone's Christmas decor this season. Just visit Simply This That and The Other's blog for your chance to win! Oh how I wish I could win such a beauty.