Christmas Mantel

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Hope your Christmas preparations are going smoothly! 

We've been having some dreary, cold days this week, and those days are not the best for taking photos. Plus, I can't seem to get a clear photo, either on my cell phone camera or my iPad and it's been so long since I used my good camera I can't remember how to use it. First world problems... 

Well, so hear goes. 

With only a few more days before Christmas, there's still a few things to do. Back to wrapping.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Pam

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Christmas Foyer Vignette

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Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays!

Christmas is getting closer and I am falling behind this year on everything...

...decorating, some shopping and making our handmade gifts that Mr. DIY and I give out each Christmas. I'm sure we'll get everything that needs to get done finished, so I'm not stressing.

Last time I share the Black Friday shopping trip our daughter and I went on to the historic districts in Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro. I picked up a few cute items at Vintage Home Studio and used them to make a Christmas Vignette in the foyer this year. I mixed the cute finds in with  some of my favorite Christmas decorations from years pas,t along with every items and even a simple pom-pom garland I made.

The glittery snowflake ornaments are a Vintage Studio find. They can be hung on a tree, as well. 

The metal JOY banner is my favorite find from Vintage Home Studio. I knew it would be perfect for the Christmas Foyer Vignette the moment I saw it displayed at the shop. The frosted wreath was the 3rd item I found and brought home with me. You can find The Vintage Home Studio HERE. I ordered a couple of items I wanted after seeing my photos, and they arrived in just a couple of days. 

After putting together the foyer vignette, the mantle (not finished yet) , Christmas pillows and the nativity scene, a few other decorations, plus the fact that we'll be spending Christmas day at our daughter's place, Mr. DIY and I decided that we won't be putting up a large tree this year. 

As my mom used to say, as long as the Nativity is displayed, it's Christmas. I think I will still be flocking one of the 2 foot trees we have and setting it on a side table in the living room....and I might decorate the Breakfast Room chandelier and set a festive table...

How are your Christmas plans coming along?

You can find out how to make a pom pom garland HERE.

You can find out more about the Framed Chalkboard HERE.

Pam

*this post contains affiliate links...which means, I'll make a small commission should you purchase something from one of these links, (but it you'll still pay the same price)

A Floral First Birthday Party

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My how time flies!

It seems like it was just last week our first grandbaby was born and we were flying out to Southern California to meet her.

This year, we were going to fly out to California for Thanksgiving and for her first birthday, but our daughter, her fiance and our granddaughter ended up flying here Thanksgiving day and the party was the Saturday after. Our youngest daughter stayed at our house from Wed to Sunday and it was nice having the house full. 

Onto the party preps...
First off, let me say that most of these photos were taken by our daughter Jess. A few were taken by our youngest daughter Jenny and I took the rest. 

It was a busy November!
I started by gathering inspiration on Pinterest and then making a happy birthday banner. Our youngest daughter helped.
The tulle backdrop are the Lill curtains from Ikea. I ordered online to save time. $5 for shipping is worth it to not have to walk through that GIANT maze of a store for ONE thing. 

I purchased a ready made high chair tutu on Amazon to save time.

You can find the tulle skirt on Amazon

CLICK HERE

Throwing a pale pink floral first birthday party two days after Thanksgiving puts one in a conundrum.
Should the house be decorated for Thanksgiving or Christmas or decorated for anything other than a birthday?
Our daughter voted for Christmas, which then put me in another dilemma.
How to decorate for Christmas without making the house look like Christmas? So, I decided to decorate the Christmas tree and wreaths and mantel garland like the floral first birthday party decorations.
It was no easy feat!
Other than having the flocked Christmas tree, some gold and some white ornaments, lots of decorations had to be purchased. The pink roses were cut off a garland and floral taped to wire stems.

Find the pink ribbon HEREFind the white ribbon HEREFind the gold ribbon HERE

Find the pink roses  HERE

I flocked and decorated 4 wreaths  in pink, white and gold. (glitter is everywhere from those gold glitter picks!)

Mr. DIY drizzled pink tinted white chocolate over white fudge covered oreos for the party favors. 

The mantel garland and wreath...

find the Pink rose garland HERE

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Finding pale pink roses this time of year proved a challenge. 
I called our local Trader Joe's and while they were able to set aside ivory roses and eucalyptus, they couldn't guarantee pale pink roses because Christmas flowers were being delivered the day after Thanksgiving. 
After calling several florists, Sweet Ts in our town could provide them and even came down to their shop on Friday when they were closed, so I could pick them up. 
Sweet Ts was a lifesaver. The pale pink roses were so gorgeous and coordinated perfectly with the faux pink roses. 

Of course, Mr. DIY made a delicious and beautiful naked cake and naked smash cake, and pudding cups. We bought donuts from Sugar Donuts and they were supposed to have a white glaze on top, but the glaze was clear. 
Mr. DIY to the rescue! He whipped up some fondant and drizzled them on the top. 
Mishap averted. 

I ordered some delicious sandwiches from Provisions. Mr. DIY cooks a wonderful and bountiful Thanksgiving dinner every year and  he was making the cakes and some desserts, and making the food for the party would be too much to ask. The sandwiches also came with potato salad and we put together a colorful fruit tray. 

Here's the little princess assessing the smash cake.

....and with mom and dad...(Lance and Jess)

... and with grandpa and grandma...

...and of course, her aunt Jenny.

I think this is the most sugar Mia has eaten in her entire life. She didn't really eat much, but she definitely got her hands in it!

Opening gifts...

Here she is opening the Cuddle & Kind Charlotte doll that Mr. DIY and I gave her. 
She is a happy baby and was happy all day long, despite the excitement and commotion. 

Thanks for stopping by and sharing our granddaughter's first birthday!

Pam

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Merry Christmas 2018

Merry Christmas from sunny foggy Southern California!

Mr DIY and I  got to meet our new granddaughter yesterday and she is so beautiful and sweet.

We are excited to get to spend some time with her (and our daughters and family) this week.

This year we kept our Christmas decorating to a minimum.

We put our smaller dining room Christmas tree in the Family Room and I decorated the mantel simply.

Some Christmas lights, a wreath,  garland, some ornaments and a few other holiday decorations keeps it simple.

My mom always said as long as the Nativity is set up, it’s Christmas This nativity set was given to us by Mr. DIY’s mother.

I’ve always loved it unpainted!

Our youngest daughter let open this new glass Santa ornament before we left. I love it!

I’ll leave you with a photo of our adorable new granddaughter! Our daughter took this photo when almost a week old.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Pam

Christmas in the Breakfast Room 2018

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Gifts are wrapped and packages are shipped and the house is (minimally) decorated!
The breakfast area is decorated for Christmas, even though we won’t be using it on Christmas morning.
I’m taking inspiration from Christmas 2015, with lots of red and some plaid.

The Merry Christmas Pillow Cover was the only decoration purchased this year. Of course, I found it on Amazon!






I found the salad plates at Restoration Hardware many years ago and were a gift to my late mother in law.

The cellophane wrapped package is some handmade soap Mr. DIY makes every year. We send them out to family and friends. We used to send out baked goods, but handmade soap seems to be so much easier and can be made in the Fall. 


I think the Christmas Peppermint turned out so pretty!



The ceiling looks so tall when viewed in a photo. The tall ceiling is the reason why a tall chandelier was chosen. I felt that a smaller or shorter chandelier would have gotten lost.



The chandelier was dressed in my favorite golden bows and teardrop snowflake ornaments and a beaded garland. If I had more time and energy, I would have gone to our backyard and cut some pine boughs.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pam

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