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Got a front door?
You'll need:
A door. (I'm funny.)
Numerous garlands ($3 or less each)
Numerous light strands
Large or small cup hooks
Step ladder
Measuring tape
Measure the height and width of your front door. Take your garland and figure how many feet you'll need. Most come in nine foot sections. (By the way, you can easily cut these to size with pliers or wire cutters.) Then, depending on how much you have and how full you want it -- twist numerous strands together. Then wrap the strands of lights around the whole thing.
Take your cup hooks, and start putting them around your door. I like to put them opposite ways, so the garland kind of weaves around them:
Keep a hold of that point in the garland, then hang that part on the middle cup hook. Then drape the rest down the sides of the doorway, tucking the garland in the cup hooks as you go. (Make sure the plug for the lights is closest to the outlet!)
The cup hooks will leave a very small hole in the trimwork. If you are worried about the hole, use the smaller cup hooks.
The great part is, you'll know exactly where they go every year -- the hole is already there! Greenery makes for a very traditional, sophisticated exterior and I LOVE IT. If you have the 12-foot, blow up Santa, I'm sure it will still work with that. (OH, do you know how close I am to getting one this year?? More about that later.)
To do this:
That's a lighted wreath, hanging in the window, in case you can't tell because you are blinded by the lights because my stupid bleeping expensive camera won't take pictures worth a crap in the dark no matter what setting I use... Breathe.
You may have to push a little harder for the window to lock this time. :) I'm sure it's some kind of minor fire hazard to smash a strand of lights through a window, but I've done it for years and we're OK. (Knock on wood.) Here's a better pic:
Wow, that little guy needs to be fluffed. Garland is like a wet cat, you need to fluff it up to get it looking it's best.
Really, none of this is hard. It just takes time. The first time you do it will be the longest. After that, it takes me well under an hour, start to finish, to hang everything.
Notice the coach light that's burnt out. Only the best for you folks, I tell ya.
P.S. The posts will probably come fast and furious this month! If I see something, I'm going to post it...like that puuuurdy Christmas tree. Kelly, NO THAT IS NOT IN MY HOUSE!! :)
P.P.S. We're getting our tree tomorrow -- EARLY this year. Yippee kie yay!!!
Then you can do this: And make the outside of your house as pretty as the inside. You'll need: A door. (I'm funny.) Numerous garland...
Purdiest Christmas tree EVER.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/STAhXNe8iuI/AAAAAAAABA4/pKizRcxYfcA/s800/tree.bmp)
Would you BELIEVE this is made out of these?:
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/STAhW3VgnlI/AAAAAAAABAw/8F99lApRDEw/s400/tree2.bmp)
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/STAhW_zOB1I/AAAAAAAABAo/0E4hsCrJXCk/s400/tree3.bmp)
OH, I am ROLLING!!! Not because it's made of Mountain Dew cans, but because I actually think it's kind of pretty!! My favorite part is the "star" on top. Have I lost my mind? Just another testimonial to the magic of Christmas lights -- they can make anything pretty!
Anyone up for a soda can tree? And talk about thrifty -- just save up your pop cans and wire hangers for a year and a FREE TREE!
![Purdiest Christmas tree EVER.](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/STAhXNe8iuI/AAAAAAAABA4/pKizRcxYfcA/s72-c/tree.bmp)
Would you BELIEVE this is made out of these?: OH, I am ROLLING!!! Not because it's made of Mountain Dew cans, but because I actually thi...
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Couldn't let the day go by without saying Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Enjoy, stuff yourself, enjoy your families, and try to relax at some point. I am very thankful for all of you. (Sniff.)
![Happy Thanksgiving!!](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htG7vy9vIAA/Tp0KrMUdoWI/AAAAAAAABAU/e7XkFtErqsU/s1600/grey.gif)
We slept in till 9, are watching the parade, and are about to start the pancakes. Does it get any better? I don't think so! Couldn't...
Magic. Take Two.
You so know me by now and were probably expecting this...but I had to make a change. The tree candles on the mantel were so...oh I don't know, 2006. I adore them, but they just didn't do the GORG magnolia garland justice. Sooooo...
I took floral foam, stuck a ton of garland in there, wrapped 100 lights in it (Good LORD!) and more flowers. Ummmm...love it. But is it too much? Even if it is, I luuurve it and it's stayin'.
**Edited to add -- I kept the crystal candlesticks (honestly, just because I am totally lazy and didn't want to take a trip to the basement to get the others. Added some green sparkly candles and done! I also moved the NOEL stocking holders to another spot.
Is it sacrilegious to not hang your stockings on the mantel when you have a mantel?? :)
I hope you all have a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving. Enjoy your family and friends and just relax and have fun with it all. We will do very little other than cook, eat, lounge, watch TV, lounge, eat, cook, eat, eat. Sleep. Sounds like perfection to me. We are ready:
Also stocked up on Christmas cookies, cinnamon rolls and wine. We've got all we need. :)
You so know me by now and were probably expecting this...but I had to make a change. The tree candles on the mantel were so...oh I don'...
Magic.
And a TON of these...glorious!!:
Or this?:
What do you think? I need advice!
In my humble opinion, there is nothing quite so magical and beautiful then Christmas lights in the dark. The glow transforms the room and my state of mind. I just have to sit back, smile, and relax.
P.P.S. I've been teaching my almost two-year-old son for weeks now to say "Ho Ho Ho" when we ask about Santa. Well, it took. All weekend...every time he sees a Santa, he says it. So basically, because I bought him the cauuutest stuffed Santa to tote around...it's all we've heard. For days. The best part is, this boy, the cutest boy in the WORLD, doesn't just say it...he purses his lips and says a very deep and meaningful "Ho Ho Ho!" out of the corner of his mouth. I. could. just. die.
First off, you need to know I can't get enough of certain things. All year round, you know by now, it's molding of any kind. In the...
Countdowns for the kiddies!
The magnet is a little itty bitty tree from Hob Lob that I got for about 30 cents. Painted it, put a magnet on the back, there you go.
Anyway, I think they are both adorable. When I saw the little containers in blogland, she put magnets on them, but I'm not sure if I will do that yet. I thought it might be fun just to hide them somewhere for every morning for the Bub to find. Ideas? Maybe the elves leave them? Is that a recipe for him freaking out about elves sneaking into the house at night?? Tell me these things, I'm only two years into the Christmas tradition thing. :)
Woooeeee, I am modge-podged OUT! I started one project tonight I just couldn't wait to show you and finished one I couldn't wait to ...
Do you follow?
I know, I know, I read WAY too far into stuff. I'm deep you know. Anyhoo...I've kinda changed my mind lately. Just today I added my first few blogs to my own followers list and WHOA, this is SO MUCH EASIER than bookmarking every page and clicking through all the sites every time I get online...AND we have two computers in our house (sucky one and kinda sucky one) and I bookmark different blogs on different computers.
Soooo, my question is, do you mind when people show their followers on the blogs? I'm thinking I'm going to do it, because now it seems kind of fun. I know this is really not a big deal...but if you have any thoughts about it, let me know.
And stay tuned because I have some fuuuuun stuff to show you later tonight! YAY.
**Edited to say I went ahead and added them to the side...more for YOU than anything. I'm finding this is a very easy way to find new fun sites, so go check them out! Please keep commenting about this if you want!!
![Do you follow?](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htG7vy9vIAA/Tp0KrMUdoWI/AAAAAAAABAU/e7XkFtErqsU/s1600/grey.gif)
OK, I've been going back and forth on this for months...the new followers thing on Blogger has created love/hate feelings for me. Love i...
Day of Blessed.
Life holds so many simple blessings, each day bringing its own individual wonder.
My day started with my alarm clock, aka the Bub, waking me at 8:30. I don't use a real alarm clock anymore. For this I am thankful.
A morning spent hanging with the Boy, taking our time, playing. For that I feel blessed.
Today I got our garage door fixed, did two loads of laundry, got our surround sound fixed, got McD's for lunch (YUM-O!), went to the post office, received a rare check from work (the decorating business does NOT pay well...not part time anyway), took a trip to Micheal's (ohhhh, dangerous!) and bought stuff I just plain wanted. For all of this, I am so thankful.
Got calls all day long from my sweet Hubby, checking in on my day, letting me know about his, saying hello to the Bub. For this, I feel so incredibly blessed.
Got my car washed, went to Lowe's and then the Bub and I went to dinner with two friends and their kids. We were a table of five kids and three Mommas, and we pretty much destroyed half of the restaurant. (This is why I tip well.) There were kids running everywhere, falling off chairs, refusing to eat, all eight of us talking at once, and it was SO fun. And for that, I am thankful. I'm even thankful for the lady who was giving us the evil eye...
Five of us went on a late night trip to Target, spent 30 minutes in the dollar area, then got so many groceries I couldn't even finish my list because the cart was so full. Spent almost an hour putting everything away when we got home. For this, I am so blessed.
Put the Boy to bed, with his new jammies, on his clean sheets, with his clean Froggy, and now am about to watch Kath and Kim (Gorg!) with a surround sound system that sounds awesome (thanks cable guy...for screwing up the whole system, I heart you). And for even the cable guy, I am thankful.
Tomorrow morning, the Boy and I will take our weekly trip out to breakfast for pancakes, eggs and bacon. He will make everyone in the restaurant smile, and for that I feel so blessed.
I know I haven't talked much about the Thanksgiving holiday, and I hope that doesn't make me sound ungrateful. I am so lucky for this life. I am so thankful for my home, my work, this blog and all of you, my family and friends, our kitties, my loving husband, my sweet step-daughter and my amazing two-year-old, who fills our lives with joy. I thank God every single day for these blessings, all year long.
![Day of Blessed.](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htG7vy9vIAA/Tp0KrMUdoWI/AAAAAAAABAU/e7XkFtErqsU/s1600/grey.gif)
Life holds so many simple blessings, each day bringing its own individual wonder. John McLeod My day started with my alarm clock, aka the Bu...
Gifts I don't want to give.
I may put my son's name at the bottom with the date or year, but I don't trust my handwriting. Do you love it or what?? You can't beat the price, seriously. They both cost less than $3 bucks!!
Yet again, say it with me...CAAUUUUUTE!! What a great package for a gift! I have a plant ledge I put candy swirl stuff on, so I may make more and put them up there or I may use it for our annual ornament exchange. Close up it's far from perfect. And after doing one...I may not do more, or I will find an easier way to paint the red (spray paint.) Although it was quite a relaxing project to work on tonight while watching Biggest Loser. :)
There you have it...two easy gifts and a not-so-easy-but-cute package. All cheap!
P.P.S. Am I going overboard with the "cauute" thing? Please tell me. I'll stop if you tell me it's annoying. And I'll find an equally annoying word instead.
P.S.P.S.P. Hobby Lobby has SO MUCH half off right now -- even the craft puncher things!! Go I tell you!!
I'll admit I've done this before...found something perfect for a friend and realized by the time I got it home how perfect it was f...
I'm in the giving mood!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SR5R_onOGQI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/nRNwDO--ddE/s400/present.jpg)
Yes, I know, I rock. Seriously. I know.
Soooo...this weekend, leave a comment, and I'll randomly pick one of you on Monday to receive your BIG HUGE MASSIVE letter you can fluff/garland/spray paint to your hearts content!! I still haven't figured out how I'll package this baby up for shipping, but no worries! (If you have an Ikea/Ballard outlet/NKOTB concert near you, I may just drive it out to you.)
Just comment and tell me what letter you want! Have fun! ;)
P.P.S. Even if you have a Joann's nearby, enter! Feel the love.
![I'm in the giving mood!](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SR5R_onOGQI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/nRNwDO--ddE/s72-c/present.jpg)
Take advantage of this...I'm all misty and googly and warm-hearted this weekend. (NO, I'm not pregnant!!) Feeling the holiday love, ...
Tour of the pot-tay.
You can see the before there -- I definitely needed a change. Chocolate brown was the answer, and of course...molding. (Obsessed, I tell ya!!) I added the crown, the chair rail and the squares. The chair rail is not the right height, but I had to put it at the same height as my original chair rail. Which was my first stab at molding, four long years ago, so let's just say, it was not good.
These are raised off the wall. Can I tell you how much professional faux painters will charge you to do these? Let's just say a lot. I mean, fall off your seat, A LOT. I will do a tutorial to show you how easy they are soon...
But I need something over the toilet. Ugh, that word is just yuck. Toilet. Let's say potty. OK, not much better. Anyhoo, I found the shelf at Hobby Lobby, the rocks at Pier 1, and the candles at Target:
The candles needed something, so I found these rub ons at Micheal's and it added the little flair I wanted. But now I can never light these. Brilliant:
I use a flower pot as a trash can. Just the look I wanted and have you seen how much trash cans cost???
I changed out just about everything in this room:
Shhhh...this is where I keep the magazines. I know you have magazines in your bathroom!!! Don't lie!
Have you seen my blinkey and button for my upcoming events?? I LOVE THEM!! Aimee over here made for me -- she freakin' rocks. I have been talking to numerous places for weeks about making them and she did exactly what I wanted in a DAY. Love her. Go see her. And copy them into your blog if you want! Fun. I have some more shout outs to share tomorrow.
I thought a break from our regularly scheduled programming (that would be Christmas craft hysteria) would be good. I realized the other day ...