12.11.2009

Christmas, I love you so.

Finally got to move on to my favorite decorating event of the year!! Christmas!! We had to buy a new artificial tree this year. Those ladybug/beetle things claimed permanent residence in our old one...I certainly did not have the patience to vacuum them all off. Good job for Husband before next year! I've always wanted two trees!


Nope....this isn't part of my Christmas decor (although its a "lovely" green and red plaid). You'll understand later. I promise.



Once I remembered to take this chair out of my junky treasure hauler trunk, I found the perfect way to use it! My favorite mass-quantity ornements in a perfectly rusty wire basket. I'm not really sure why I bought this gingerbread man this year...its not really my thing, but it must have been cute at the time.


I think I forgot to pull out this greenery last year! In real life, it looks SOOO real...how ironic. Dontcha just love the berry picks in that galvanized bucket? My Grandma Karen gave me that HUGE candle pillar. Originally, I wanted to paint it. But there's just something about it that I couldn't go "destroying" it with paint.


Big deal. I know. But there's something about a non-cluttered fridge. And I thought these also-magnets ornaments made just enough of a Christmas-y statement.


One of my new $7 mini-trees in the bathroom.



Christmas star and pretty little things in the bathroom.



My favorite cabinet all dressed up for Christmas.



I'm really in love with the large jingle bell hanging all by itself.



O Tannenbaum. The ornaments only show up well with the lights off, but now you have to look at the light wires. Boo.



An early start on presents under the tree.



Stockings hung.



Some of my favorite ornaments in a creamy bowl.



Christmas signage and more ornaments in a bowl.



I bought this snowman guy because he was "the method"...a highly sophisticated term describing the large shimmery flakes on his body. I nestled him between some mini-wreaths with vintage gold ornaments. I found the cheese dome for $1.50 at the thrift store (it stinks, by the way. How do I fix that?!). Those candlesticks were a gift (from yours truly) to Mom from Greece. But, she gave them back to me. Should I be insulted?



I swapped out my Halloween sparkly word ornaments for Christmas sentiments.



The other mini-tree found a home in front of the old window. This card holder (with one...one crooked card) used to have dolphins on it....no more!! I already know the topper is rather large for the tree. I usually use it on our big, official tree, but the idiots who made the tree used stiff "needles" for the top, and nothing will slide over it. Ugh!!



Again, PartyLite! I booked a show for this baby! After keeping it hidden in the bedroom, I threw some ornaments in it and brought it to the living room. Beneath it all is yet another score from our basket o' linens.



A sneak peek at an initial attempt to copy Let It Shine's awesome disco-ball tree re-do. I tried to just use what I had, but I'm not loving it yet. Better go get some Benjamin Moore Raw Umber finishing glaze!


And finally....weird intro picture revealed!!


Yes, we finally got a new recliner. It's somewhat of a monstrosity, but, boy, is it comfortable!! And SOOOO much better than this hand-me-down I got when I moved into an apartment on my own for the first time:


(late) Thanksgiving pictures ... a.k.a. My House Is Clean (and I better show it)

Since my DishNetwork isn't working today...which is vital to cleaning being  productive, I've spent an hour organizing pictures on my computer. In the process, I thought I'd better get a new post on here!

I know Thansgiving has been here and gone, but my house was clean for once! This is the first time I've hosted any sort of family function, and...I must say...I did a good job. In fact, Mom and I decided we actually had fun cooking and preparing.


My living room...complete with MJ on the blanket basket. Yes, that is a front door in my living room. I love the oldness and character of our current one, but its a little drafty (and small). Someday, it will be installed. (I keep telling myself that).



Our couch with shimmery, sparkly pillows that came with our bedding.



A shot of the old window displayed in the corner with pumpkins on "fancy" candle holders.



Oopsies...a little blurry. My Thanksgiving Tree (sans tree skirt). I only put on the brown rusty ornaments. Also, my $20 cabinet (which still needs some attention) and $3 box, now used as a DVD holder.



The dining room. I have a centerpiece and everything!! I can't believe I went from loving, to hating, to loving my great-Grandma's old china cabinet. What was up with that "hating" phase?? Oh. And. Please ignore the walls...the paint colors and "lovely" wallpaper border were not my idea. I just pretend its not there, and I expect you to do the same.



Closer picture of the centerpiece, leaning candle included. You can see what these candlesticks used to look like here. Much better. Although, the red was perfectly Christmas-y. Some DG (Dollar General) sparkly ornaments and pine cones fill my PartyLite hurricane. I got the wreath for something like $3 on clearance last year.



Our kitchen table, with a tablecloth I bought one day at a moving sale. Have I mentioned that lamp used to be a lovely shiny brass monstrosity with a pleated plastic shade? Gotta love turning Husband's old crap stuff into something ridiculously perfect. I don't normally leave margarine tubs on the floor, that's oury dog food and water bowls. (Note to self...buy cute dog food and water bowls)



Fill your plates! My Grandma Karen let me use Great Grandma Clara's gold-plated silverware. I've waited my whole life for them to be mine (for a day...I guess I should probably return it). This runner also came from the previously-mentioned shopping trip.



Since I over-estimated how many beer cups I would need at our wedding reception, these color-coordinated plastic beauties saved me some room in the dishwasher. Just had to share...



This made me chuckle.




Nope...not Pottery Barn. Father's Shed Full of Old Crap. I forgot I had this! Husband offered to buy it off of me (strange, I know, we're married) so he could give it to his Pepsi-obsessed friend. Ummmm....no.