Snow Day

The snow is falling heavily here and it really feels like Christmas! I snapped some pictures of my living room while my son was at Pre-K because if he is home there are toys on every surface.

Like I said in previous posts I wanted to keep our Christmas decorating simple this year and I definitely didn't want to spend much money to get the look I wanted.

I got the wreath on our stepback for less than $2 because all of it's pine cones had fallen off...I just reglued some of my own on. And I filled an old box I bought for $1 with some pine boughs from our yard.

I bought this antique frame at the flea market and then my husband cut a piece of wood to fit so that I could turn it into a chalkboard.

An Ikea "As Is" basket holds some of the ticking fabric that I can't get enough of, and an old enamelware bucket makes the perfect mini tree holder. These little trees were only $3 at Aldi, what a deal!

I made this stocking with a left over scrap of the painters drop cloth I used to make our sofa slipcover.

Ok well it's back to cookie baking for me, with the snow falling outside it's a great day to be inside making cookies with my son. Hope you are having a wonderful day!

Christmas Guest Bedroom

I finally have our guest room all decorated for Christmas, up until a couple of days ago the bed was stacked high with presents to be wrapped. I finally have them all wrapped and put them inside this antique basket.

Nothing too fancy and not too much color, that was my goal for all of my Christmas decorating this year.

I thought I would go with all white bedding this year, I love it with the red and green.

This old store box makes for the perfect present holder. I  made my own tags this year, I used a bird stamp but I really want a tiny pinecone stamp (definitely on my list of things to get).

It FINALLY snowed here today and really made it feel like Christmas time. We live in the snow belt and usually by this time of year we have quite a bit of snow! Hopefully it will be a white Christmas, can't believe it is a week from today already!

Ray Of Sunshine

The Sandy Hook tragedy has filled me with a deep sadness and in that I know I am not alone. I debated about even blogging but I feel like we all need a a little ray of sunshine right now.

Gift Wrapping

I started wrapping our Christmas presents because I am desperate to have something checked off my Christmas list. Every year I seem to think that I am on top of things and then all of the sudden it hits me how much I have to do still. Instead of sleeping I start obsessing as I lay in bed at night about all that I am going to do the next day. And then I spend the whole next day tired and in a daze. Yesterday it took me 3 hours to make a very simple stocking all because I felt like a zombie. Don't try to sew anything on 5 hours of sleep is my advice:) But I love making lists and checking them twice...and I love this time of year.

I have all of my gift wrapping essentials in this tool caddy, one of my favorite flea market finds.

 And I have been on a quest for very simple wrapping paper this year, I am not a fancy glittery wrapping paper fan, however that seems to be all the stores carry. Let me know if you know of any stores that carry tasteful very plain wrapping paper! I have lots of brown packaging paper but I wanted one other paper to mix with it. A roll of plain red was the best thing that I could find for now and I like it against the twine.

Ok well it is back to gift wrapping for me! Good day!

Christmas Dining Room

The sun is shining bright here today so I thought I would share some photos of my dining room all decorated for Christmas. Our farmhouse is very simple and very rustic and that is the way that I like my decorating to be also. I recently found some really great and inexpensive items that I just couldn't wait to use this Christmas.

This galvanized bucket that I bought for $2 is one of them. The tree is a hand me down and the homespun fabric was less than $3 at the thrift store.

This long box is a $2 estate sale find, it was built to be a tool box but with some pine boughs and mason jars holding candles inside of it it becomes the perfect centerpiece.

I love decorating but I also love the challenge of not spending very much and still achieving the look you want.

Almost everything on these shelves is from the flea market, the thrift store or an estate sale, except the fly screens (I just bought those at Moon River Chattel in Brooklyn, go there if you can!).

                        I was very excited to find the tiny cipres tree at Big Lots for $4.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Simple and Rustic Christmas

      Some more rustic Christmas inspiration....because it is the season of giving!

Have a great day!

Christmas Mantel

I love changing my mantel with every holiday and I thought I would go with a "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" theme this Christmas.

Old mirrors, old windows, ironstone, tiny silver cups, and ephemera are a few of my favorite things. The chippy white window I bought for $15 makes for the perfect back drop for my ironstone. I love old mirrors and try to put one everywhere I possibly can and then of course my mantel is never complete without some sort of emphemera.

I bought this darling little Pulmonic Syrup advertising card for $1 this past weekend. I love everything about it.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

Rustic Touches

Well I had a very busy and fun weekend with my family, lots of laughing, shopping and eating out! I definitely need to watch my spending and my waist line for a couple of days! I did buy some really great things though, which I will show over the week. 

I am trying to decorate this year by using everyday objects that I fill with some sort of natural element. I just got this awesome rusty milk can from Blue Moon Collectibles on Etsy. An ironstone tureen is the perfect thing to hold some pinecones, I love pinecones and we have no shortage of them here.

                    I picked up some great rustic kitchen items this past weekend.....

                         because even your baking equipment should be beautiful right?

Also, thank you so much for all of the positive and super sweet comments, they truly make my day! For some reason my computer will not let me reply or leave comments on my own blog or anyone elses:( I always have something that isn't working, it's just the way my life goes! Hope you have a great day!