Are you in?

Phew...my annual Christmas card photo is officially over, hurried along by the early snowfall that I desperately wanted to take advantage of for its photographic possibilities. It is not an event I particularly look forward to, however, I so enjoy the end result. I have tortured myself this way for as many years as I can remember, and love looking back on the photos of Christmases past. Many have been taken as the children sat under our Christmas tree, and others in front of the mantel, whenever we had one. For some reason, I have upped the pressure on myself to be creative and photograph them in a different way each year. Perhaps it is the ever-honest voice of my husband's brother that I hear as he proclaims that "...last year's was better" or "...you can never beat the one of the boys on the front step" (when they were five and three years old),

but regardless I plan that photo with the same intensity that the "old man" in A Christmas Story bargained for a deal on a Christmas tree. Who doesn't need a little more holiday pressure??!!

The common theme (besides well wishes to friends and family) has been to show off my children...and I make no apologies for that. They represent our family best; and their father and I have yet to join them in a Christmas card photo - partly because of the logistics behind it, and partly because I want to look at the photo with sheer contentment, instead of picking apart my flaws and second guessing what to wear. I think I am like many women, who shy away from the camera, wrong or right. I also think we are misguided, and may regret our opting out of these pictorial keepsakes.

I have, on one occasion, posed for professional photos with my boys, albeit completely unintentionally. The following photos were taken when my boys were two and one yrs old. Despite our best efforts, my baby would not let me put him down, nor would he relinquish the train the photographer had given him, to coax him from my arms. Try as we did, there was no way he would pose for her, thus she suggested that I be in the photos. Despite my protests (I was not dressed for a photo session), and my shyness in front of the camera, I knew it was a losing battle: either pose, or go home empty-handed (photo-wise, of course...).

Apprehension aside, I laughed my way through the shoot as both boys "kept it real" and alternately toddled away, pulled hair (see below), acted silly or squirmed in my arms. Either way, I ended up with photos that are priceless to me, and instead of scrutinizing myself, I simply saw an adoring mother of two hopelessly cute boys. On this occasion, I was in...!!

Are you?

Please Santa...and a winner!

photo source: Country Home magazine, styled by Matthew Mead

How many of you fine adults still pounce on the Sears Wish book and flip to the toy section? Well, I do, even though I show enough restraint to allow my kids first dibs. I remember being a young girl and finally getting my hands on it and stealing away to a quiet corner to look at all the loveliness. I'd greedily put a star beside each gift I coveted, especially if it involved Barbie or Sindy. I certainly didn't get everything I asked for, but that was hardly the point. By laying claim to a particular toy, it opened up the possibility that it might find its way under our tree. Between Mum and Santa, such magic could surely unfold?

photo source: BHG.com

After my daughter had a good look through this year's edition, I curiously looked at what she had "starred". Instead of writing her name next to the toys or drawing a check mark or star, she had simply written the words: Please Santa?

~Sigh~

How can I resist such a sweet request? I jotted down the numbers of a couple of the toys that I knew she was really hoping for and from Santa they will be! My boys have moved on from such wish lists, and instead I have to pull teeth to get them to reveal a few things I can pick up for them. Santa is over for them now, at least in the truest sense. Me? I'm a believer. Like one little friend of my son's said a few years ago: "How could there be no Santa? My parents certainly couldn't afford all that stuff!!" Indeed...

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Now on to the winner of the Fairy Door: courtesy of the random number generator, PippaJo of Cottage at Wit's End is the lucky winner! Thanks to all who entered!!

A Silhouette Tutorial and a Fairy Door...from me to you!!

photo source: Ladies Home Journal

I think of all the projects I have undertaken, my fairy door and silhouettes have been the most popular. Like me, many of you see the charm in whimsy, and enjoy keeping decorating light-hearted and fun, and not stressful and expensive. I have been very remiss to not respond to the call to explain how I made my silhouettes. I have seen many great step-by-step tutorials on how to create them, and again, I will not measure up to their attention to detail. I am a one day project girl. If it takes more than a day, I am less likely to do it. Basically, I bore easily and thus focus more on projects that I can complete in a flash. My silhouettes were no different...

So, here is the nuts and bolts of how to make your own silhouettes. For those needing more complex and/or detailed instruction, go here. For those who are more lazy and/or have an attention span akin to mine, sit back and take (a few) notes:

First, round up all of your subjects. If you have to bribe or threaten them to sit still, so be it. That's part of the tutorial, in my world. Have them sit on a chair, with a blank wall (I skipped this step), and stare straight ahead. I photographed my people on their right sides. This is important if you want the finished product to show left facing. Tell them no smiles are allowed - maybe they are, but mine simple sat closed mouthed (thoughts unspoken) and stared irritably into space. I photographed them from a distance of approx. 3ft away. I forget if I used the zoom feature or not, but this is an example of the shot I ended up with:

or this:

(See, they don't need to dress up!)

You may have to take a few shots to ensure all of the pictures are roughly the same "size" (i.e. look the same when you see them on your computer screen. After you are satisfied that you have your "shots", upload them to your computer, then use your printer to print them off (in colour) in the size you wish the finished project to be. My frames are 8x10 oval, so I sized them accordingly (convenient way to say I forget if I printed them off in a 5x7 size or 8x10...sorry). Do note, if your subject has curly hair, as my Sophie does, a pony-tail will be much easier to cut around and look more real.

After you have them all printed off, glue the pictures (using a scrap booking/acid free glue stick) onto acid free black card stock. Then, using small sharp scissors, cut carefully around the features of your subject's face. Now is a great time to cut away any double chins, super-sized moles... basically give your subject free plastic surgery! Of course, if the subject is a child, simply cut away...they are already perfect! Once you have your subject in silhouette form, do some doctoring to the shoulder area to make their shoulders look more authentically silhouette (see after photos below): To finish, carefully peel away the pasted on colour photo and flip over to the perfect side, which will be your completed silhouette, facing left. I adhered mine to white card stock (cut to mimic the oval paper that came with the frame), using a piece of acid-free double sided tape, then put the frame all back together and hung it on my wall. Easy peasy... I am not kidding!!

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Now, for the fun part!

I am giving away a fairy door to one of you! It is red and glittery, and very sweet, and you can simply adhere it to the inside (or outside) of your home using heavy duty, double-sided tape. Note: it is the door only; it does not have the surrounding moulding that mine has, but it is very cute anyway!! (It also measures roughly 5"tall by 2" wide).

If you would like to win, simply leave me a comment (if you don't have a blog, also leave your email address) by Tuesday morning, Nov.25th (at which time I will close comments). If you'd like to be entered twice, simly mention this give-away on your own blog (with a link back to this post) and let me know you did.

Christmastime's a Comin'

photo: Better Homes and Gardens.com

Yes, Christmas is coming, but there are a few things that have to happen before I bring out the decorations. First is my birthday (today), where I am going to enjoy being spoiled rotten by my husband and family. I am not really a presents girl, although I have already received some beauties from some friends (a glittered tree and brown, floral rubber boots), and of course, the recessed panelling that my sweet husband installed for me as my birthday present. I finished painting the front entry panelling yesterday, and I am a happy girl. For some reason, my husband has been very agreeable to my building projects lately, so to return the favour I cooked up his favourite meal yesterday: my famous meatloaf with all the trimmings! I know how to keep him happy, too, and it really does make him putty in my hands! Being the birthday girl and all, I also get my favourite meal tonight - Chinese take-out. Can a birthday get any better?

yep, they're all ours...

This weekend also calls for the annual Christmas parade in my town, and it is the official kick-off to Christmas for me. I will bring out the candy canes that I have stowed away, and on Monday I will begin the decorating process. I will then take the kids to the mall to select names from the Salvation Army tree, and they will help me pick out the gifts, one for each of their ages. I am also looking forward to Sophie's Christmas concert, as the boys have moved on to Junior High, where such a thing is no longer done...not cool, I guess.

By the way, thanks for all of your fashion advice! Heaven knows I need it sometimes, and looking at my pasty, white legs, I don't know if there is enough self-tanner on earth to darken up my gams!!

I just had to share this picture of my "baby" sleeping last night as I went in to check on her...

I will now share more Christmas inspiration to help get you into the mood for the holidays:

photo: BHG.com
photo: Pottery Barn.com

above two photos: Room Service Home

Sending out an S.O.S....and a few thanks.

I am not one to gussy myself up too often, but I picked up this dress on sale last year and have yet to wear it. First of all it requires baring one`s arms, and I don`t do that very happily, especially this time of year! I did manage to pick up a silky, cotton sweater to conceal what needs concealing, and also found these shoes: I love them for all their girly charm, and although they are probably going to have my feet very mad at me, I will take one for the team! When I tried on my ensemble, my little Sophie breathed in with admiration and such excitement that her boring mum had finally donned something glitzy and a wee bit glamorous! I can actually say I am looking forward to dressing up for a change. In fact, I feel positively excited about it, if not to please my daughter alone!! But I need your help: what colour hose/stockings do I wear with it? I am not a fan of beige/nude stockings. I feel all granny when I picture them, and granny style is not what I am aiming for! So, all you fashionistas, if you actually aren`t snorting with laughter at my country bumpkin dilemma, would you give me your two cents?

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You all know I am a very bad blogger when it comes to awards. I am always happy to receive them and do try to make sure I thank the bestower as soon as I find out, but ~sigh~ inadvertently sometimes miss the chance to leave my thanks in a timely fashion, and even forget altogether! I am horridly forgetful and lazy about passing them on, and have stated before that I thus do not deserve any awards at all!! However, some of you have either overlooked my faults and/or have been kind enought to forgive me and awarded me them anyway. I am very grateful for your kindness and have spent altogether too much of my Saturday evening frantically going back through the comments and my emails for signs of unrecognized awards. If I have forgotten anyone, please let me know, and I will make amends...somehow! Without further adieu, I hereby thank the following:

Madeline of Newly Nesting awarded me this one:

Her blog is a treat and I love her approach to sharing her life, home and thoughts and tips on nesting.

Lanette at Cottage Elements and Cheryl of Cheryl`s Fascinating Finds and Karin of The Style Sisters passed on the Kreative Blogger award to me. These ladies are all on my must-read list and I have enjoyed all of the inspiration they share.

The following awards were given to me by: Stephanie at The World of Princess S.

Stephanie has sweetly given me two...she really must not have heard how bad I am at passing them on...Check out her blog...she is a great writer, and you all know I love a blog with great writing.

And in true bad blogger form, I will put off awarding the honours until another day. I promise!!

Show me your urns!!

Outdoor decorating has to be my favourite part of "decking the halls". I love that the outdoors offers up a veritable blank canvas that is less likely to get messed up on a daily basis, and the scheme can be tweaked quite readily each year. Something as simple as distributing your lights differently, taking a more natural approach with elements from nature, picking up a unique wreath from a local department store, and (my favourite approach) switching up what you place in your urns each Christmas, can provide just the originality that you may be seeking for your outdoor holiday setting. One of my favourite approaches to this was in my own snow ball mounds I crafted for my urns last year. A simple grapevine cone, some styrofoam balls dusted with some faux snow, and a hot glue gun was all that it took to create these fun additions.

Dressing up your urns can be as simple as using boughs and winter berries, dogwood branches, or winter kale. Grapevine balls like the one below, entwined in mini white lights have graced my urns more than once.

Evergreen topiaries and grapevine trees left au naturel, or festooned in twinkly lights, are an elegant addition to your outdoor decor.

If you want to add glamour and sparkle, you can also employ the sparkle of a gazing ball or two. Your urns will present with importance if only you let them. Look around at what you have in your decorating arsenal. View your urns as the perfect pedestal to showcase your holiday decorating style and they will serve as the perfect holiday sentries to your outdoor Christmas scene.

******all photos (except top photo): Better Homes and Gardens.com

Shadow boxing...

Liz at Violet Posy, is hosting a round-up of easy and inexpensive craft ideas that you can keep for yourself or gift to others. Although I haven't ventured into the holiday crafting scene yet, I did scroll though my archives for a craft idea that I was quite pleased with. It involves a shadow box from the Dollar Store; various Christmas decorations, trinkets, etc.; vintage or new holiday cards/postcards; and a little paint and glitter. Your imagination is your friend for this craft, and it is a great project to do with your kids, friends, and family.

(my mum made the one above)

If you are wondering how I made the coloured bottle brush trees (above), I pass the torch of pride over to Sarah of The Misadventures of Mama and Jack, who is brilliantly creative, and whom I happily copied step by step. You can copy her, too, by going here. If you are smart, you will go through her archives for more evidence of her creative (and often frugal) genius...you'll be greatly inspired!

Don't forget to check out Liz' other crafty participants!!

Feather Your Tree...

photo source: Country Living.com

What says vintage Christmas better than a feather tree? Given that they have a very long history, they are more and worthy of the vintage label. In fact, feather trees were actually the first artificial trees. The folks at Feather Trees Co.com explain it best:

Made in Germany to resemble the white pines of the German forestland, feather trees had wider spaces between their branches than what we normally expect of today's Christmas Trees. But that space is what makes them great for showing off ornaments! The earliest Feather Trees in America were brought by German immigrants. Germans loved the celebration of Christmas- they couldn't think of being without a Christmas Tree! Many of the trees from Germany were tabletop trees, easily transported to America along with other holiday traditions. Goose feathers were the feathers of choice for feather trees, and still are today. The feathers were wrapped around stiff wire to become the branches of the trees. These branches were then attached to a wooden rod, the truck of the tree. The trunk was then inserted into a stable base for support. Red berries or candle holders were placed at the ends of the branches. Even in the early days, Feather Trees up to six feet tall could be found.

I bought my very first feather tree about five years ago. It was a traditional green one, and I hung small vintage-inspired cooking implements on it and placed it on the island in my kitchen. I loved its sweet simplicity and it has kept its place of importance ever since. I have continued to add to my collection, and now have a white feather tree and a larger green one.The white one is decorated very simply with glass pears hung from its delicate branches and a single partridge (actually just a pretty, white bird) perched on top, hence its label: A Partridge in a Pear Tree. The larger one sits on the ledge behind my corner sink and is adorned with my much-prized Wendy Addison advent tags...glittered and gorgeous. I do not add lights to any of my feather trees as that would be not only exceedingly difficult, but also weird...

I received a comment from a reader the other day asking me what she should do with her own feather tree: "I'd love to hear your ideas (should you run out of blog subject ideas) for decorating a white feather Christmas tree. I snatched it up at TJ Maxx, not quite sure what I was going to do with it. I'm thinking of putting it in my bedroom, and I could either go with the kinds of pale-pink/aqua/white colors you have in your home, or my usual red/white-eyelet-and-lace color scheme. Should I hang a garland on it? I saw some beautiful tiny fake mercury-glass ornaments at Target - do you think a feather tree would look right with something like that?"

To start, I would have to say thanks for the vote of confidence in asking my opinion! It sounds like you picked up a great find, and one that will be beautiful in your home adorned or not. I think the colour scheme you go with should depend on where you will place it. If your room has a cooler palette and you want a change, then most definitely - go with the first palette you suggested. However, if you wish to use the red and white scheme, then that will look lovely too. I love the idea of hanging tatted lace snowflakes and small, red glass balls. Look for those with a crackled finish, reminiscent of the mercury glass. If you decide to use the actual silvery mercury glass balls, add little else, as their elegance will likely be enough for your little tree. If your feather tree is more like this (below), then the photos demonstrate how less is definitely more when it comes to decorating a feather tree of any kind.

above two feather trees: Elizabethan Christmas.com

Although the tree in the photo below - sitting pretty in its location of my bedroom, last year - is actually a bottle brush tree ($1 from Marden's), it will give you an idea of how a blue, brown and ivory colour scheme might look on your feather tree.

Good luck!!

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For a great source for decorations for your feather tree, check this place out: They sell feather trees and the most wonderful ornaments to decorate them with!

This is a wonderful way to showcase your feather tree:

Simply place the base of the tree within the fence!

(above four photos: Home Traditions.com)