So tired...

I can't seem to recover from the events of the past week. We've been laying around the house a lot...even the dog. Hopefully the new year will bring some more excitement into the picture.

What's Your Favorite Christmas?

While eating Christmas dinner my dad started asking each of us what our favorite Christmas was. Hands down, mine was Christmas of 1993.

I was in fourth grade and was aching for a beautiful, blue, colonial style dollhouse. I was doubtful I would get it because of the ridiculous price, but my parents had actually purchased a kit to make it. All fall my dad would disappear after dinner and not return until I was in bed. He said he had meetings at work and at church and I believed him. He was really sneaking over to our neighbors and building my dollhouse in their garage.

I was shocked and so excited on Christmas morning. It was beautiful - three stories tall and my mother had put Christmas wreathes on all the windows and a tree in the living room. Dad had glued on countless shingles, banister rails and crown moulding. I collected furniture and carpet for it and eventually we wired it with electricity so the ceiling fans would spin and the lamps would light up. It's in the attic now, but I can't wait too pull it out and add it to a playroom one day.

This Christmas certainly is up there in the list as well! Mom and Dad outdid themselves once again and here are a few of the fabulous surprises I awoke to:

Mom found these beautiful hand-painted plates at an estate sale. I can't wait to hang them up!

She also found these antique planters which will be great on my kitchen shelves.

I inherited a set of china from my grandmother. It's almost a full set and I have been collecting the rest of the pieces to complete it. Mom found this covered casserole dish and I found these berry bowls to add to it.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas...

...I went to a Christmas Concert.

(Actually I went to two on consecutive evenings)

The first night I headed up to Nashville with eight other friends and went to dinner and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. My review: stick to the CD. Thankfully the food and company couldn't have been better.

The next night I took a spur of the moment trip to Birmingham with four friends and met up with eleven others for dinner and the Red Mountain Christmas Concert at Workplay.

My Review: FABULOUS! It totally redeemed the previous evening's event.

I purchased Red Mountain's Chrismas CD (Silent Night) around the beginning of December and have been listening to it all month. The concert was also with Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors and I bought their Christmas CD too (A Neighborly Christmas) - so fun! I'm hoping they will do it again next year so we can make it an annual event. If either group is ever near you please go! It will be worth it!

On the Eight, Ninth and Tenth Day of Christmas...

...I did a lot of this

and this...

and this...

while sitting beside this!

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...

...I decorated the Christmas Tree!

Well, my little tree, that is.

Ever since I was little my mom has bought us all an ornament each year. My collection has grown even bigger since I started purchasing them for myself as well. It's no secret that I am a little Christmas obsessed and every year I hit the sales to pick up few more "desperately needed" ornaments.

This year I went to one of my favorite garden shops . They had reduced all Christmas stock 75% the week before! I racked up with four spools of great wired ribbon ($3 a roll) and 6 ornaments. I saved $75!

I have a small tree in my bedroom at my parents house that I decorate each year. I only used about half of my ornaments this year...guess it's time to get a bigger tree.

A few of my favorites:

Notice the tiger and flying eagle that were some of the ones I got while attending my Alma Mater :)

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

...We finished decorating the house!

We finished our mantel off with Jackson Vine that I brought home from Thanksgiving and hung our stockings with care.

The apothecary jars that sit on the mantel year-round were filled with ornaments (from Hobby Lobby at $3.oo at box).

More ornaments were hung from the chandelier. Here it is from two angles because I couldn't decide which picture to use.

And here is the top of the buffet. I have a small collection of white-ish Christmas trees and we draped the mirror with a pearl garland I found last year at the after-Christmas sales.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas...

...I threw a Christmas Party!

We didn't go too crazy with extra decorations or cook a lot. We had everyone bring an appetizer or dessert and we made apple cider and spiked hot chocolate (hot chocolate with Kahlua added). It was a fun evening and we had a blast without being exhausted.

Here is the gingerbread house my roommate made for the party.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

...I made Christmas Stockings!

My roommates and I made stockings for our mantel. We stuck with our green and white theme and I think they turned out pretty good!

They were made from ivory felt and we decorated them with green and white ric-rac, grosgrain, buttons, green fabrics and embroidery floss.

I am learning how to crewel so I embroidered my initials on mine as well as a few snowflakes. Here are the close-ups:

Here was my inspiration:

My mother cross-stitched our families stockings when we were little (mine is the one on the far right). They are, by far, my favorite decoration at my parents house. In fact, once I asked mom what is the first thing she would save if our house was on fire and she said the stockings!

On the Third Day of Christmas...

...I threw a Tacky Christmas Party!

So I work with college students and what better way to help them prepare for exams than make them spend time coming up with a hideous clothing combination!

We had a white elephant gift exchange and everyone competed in the "best dish" contest.

I even added some "extra decor" to the front of the house to greet the guest.

On the Second Day of Christmas...

...I bought a new Christmas album.

I come from a long line of Christmas music lovers. My dad and grandfather linger around the "obsessive Christmas music listening" level. We have a huge drawer full of nothing but Christmas CD's at home.

I have inherited part of that gene...but only part. I am much more selective in the albums that I purchase (no room for a whole drawer full). I thought that I would share a few of my favorites:

1. Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas - Available Here or Itunes













2. Your King has Come - Available Here















3. Silent Night - Available Here or Itunes







4. The Soundtrack from Love Actually - Available Here or Itunes













5. Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Available Here












Some of these are ultra-traditional and some are a bit more out-of-the-box, but they are all wonderful and will put you in a Christmassy mood!

On the First Day of Christmas...

...I made a moss wreath.

In an earlier post saying how I was dying to pull out the Christmas decorations I mentioned that I wanted to try my hand at making my own moss wreath. Well, I gave it a shot!

The work in progress.

Supplies for making your own wreath:
1 wreath form (mine is a 20inch)
1 bag of sheet moss ($4 at Hobby Lobby)
1 bag or box of Reindeer Moss (Smith and Hawken, Pottery Barn, or a wholesale florist)
Hot glue gun and plenty of glue sticks
Ribbon

Instructions: (pretty self-explanitory)

Glue the sheet moss on first. Glue in patches and fill in the spaces with the reindeer moss. Make a bow with your ribbon and attach!

Here is the finished product hanging above our fireplace. I think the result speaks for itself!

The best bow "how-to" instructions from Martha!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

...CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas Season is finally here which means I can decorate with reckless abandon. (I have been unashamedly listening to Christmas music since October.)

In the spirit of DIY I'll be posting several Christmas decor items that you can make yourself...that is, you and your hot glue gun.