The Little Gold Nativity Ornaments

Mollie and I wanted a little surcie

 (Surcie: Definition (n): word used in the South to mean a small, thoughtful gift, unexpected gift, just because.)

for the guests at our Ladies Christmas Brunch

 that we hosted at the beginning of December.

This is what we decided on...

A little handmade Nativity ornament.

We needed to make quite a few so something we could mass produce was key.

We started out with a 4x4 canvas from Dick Blick.

I drew these free hand but you could trace pencil lines or even use a stencil. 

This is just white glue. Plain old Elmer's or something equivalent to that. 

Practice on a scrap of paper to get the feel for the flow and line consistency. 

Then just draw your image on your little canvas and let it dry completely.

Then we chose to spray paint ours with our favorite gold spray paint that we have talked about here and here and here.

I glued a little gold ribbon hanger on the back.

I love cello bags ( which I order from Nashville Wraps)

 so we packaged them up,

 put them in a bamboo basket on our doorside bamboo cart,

 and handed them out with a hug as our guests left!

Live Nativity!!

It's That Time of Year Again...

It's time for our second

 LIVE DRIVE THRU NATIVITY!!!

We have actors. 

(Me - rallying the "troops"! Or AKA me saying stay off your cell phones - they weren't around in Biblical times!)

And live animals.

And we built our stable out of recycled pallets.

 We have hay. 

We have music. 

We have an off duty police officer to help with traffic.

 We have lights. 

And an angel high above the stable.

 And a star high above the angel.

We have angels singing.

 So please drive thru if you are in the area:)

December 16 and 17, 2016

7 to 9 p.m. 

Wesley Chapel UMC

4495 Sandy Plains Road 

Marietta Georgia

30066

Five Dollar Santa and a Can of Spray Paint.

I bought this Santa at Goodwill for $4.94.

In hot, 90 degree weather!

He is almost my height.

(Which is not saying a lot.)

  

And then I decided to spray paint him.

(I almost forgot to take a pic - I had already started!)

And now he is as good as gold!

He's either really awesome
 or I've lost it and he's on the front porch looking like a giant foil wrapped chocolate.

He's at his best at night!

Whose sweet face is that looking out the door at the lights?

We are waaaaay up on the hill. 

We didn't get the greenery on the picket fence this year.

 Last year we didn't get the lights on - just the greenery.

 Maybe next year. 

Ladies Who Brunch

We had a party!
Mollie and I decided to host a Christmas Brunch for a few favorite ladies.

We wanted to let them know how special we think they are.

We made our list and sent out invitations the middle of November.

The holidays are busy and we wanted to get our date on their calendars.

We chose the first Saturday morning in December.

We hoped people would have fewer conflicts that early.

It motivated us to get started with our Christmas decorating!

A bit tricky since we were at the beach for Thanksgiving 
and we don't decorate before Thanksgiving.
We had 6 days to pull it off!

Come in!!
(and Go Braves!)

 Wal Mart had $4.00  Fraser Fir wreaths.
 I added the bow and some additional greenery 
including the obligatory Southern Christmas greenery - Magnolia.
 If you live in the South and don't have a Magnolia in your yard 
and your friends won't share their Magnolia with you then you need new friends.;)

Our Entry Way.

In August, my mom surprised me with two, yes two, amazing bamboo bar carts. 
They are in perfect condition. They belonged to a dear friend of hers who is clearing some things out. Her friends' mother bought them many years ago in the Philippines when they lived there. They are truly antiques and I feel so fortunate to have both of them. Mollie and I decided to decorate the carts, stock them with goodies and sprinkle them around the downstairs to help with the  flow.

This bar cart was to the right in front of our DIY mirrored French Doors

 

 Next to the front door, we placed the other bar cart. 
This beauty has a brass tray for the top!

(I still have more polishing to do but it already has a great, warm gleam!)

The bamboo basket holds a little "surcie"
  (Definition (n): word used in the South to mean a small, thoughtful gift, unexpected gift, just because.)

We made an ornament for each guest.
And gave it to them as they got ready to leave.

To the left is our Library from our Spring One Room Challenge
 all decked out for the holidays with plenty of seating for Ladies Who Brunch.

I've already talked about this little tree and it's DIY Chinoiserie ornaments.

To the right of the entry way is our Family Room.
Clean and without two big dog beds in the middle of it :)
Can we take a moment?
#raredoghairfreepicture

No ornaments on the big tree yet. We only had 6 days, remember??

And in the corner of the Family Room we placed a bar cart that we already owned. 
It's thrifted, but not as old or distinguished a the other two!

This cart was for those who weren't having Mimosas.
(We also set up a coffee and hot chocolate bar in the kitchen using Mollie's Keurig.)

And then in to the kitchen...
and this is where I fell down on my job as photographer!
We got to talking and I forgot to take many more pictures!!! Happens at every party!
But here are a few shots of the food and fun...

Chicken Salad in little jars with leaf lettuce.

I'm not sure Valerie was ready to have her picture taken!

We used the large blue and white flower pot to hold our champagne on ice. 

Worked perfectly!

I always use gift wrap as my table runners.
 I bought this bright green and white at Hobby Lobby back in October. 

The table at the other end of the kitchen matched the island set up!

But I didn't take any more pictures of all the goodies or cute touches!!

#bloggerfail

Mollie and her Sorority sisters at the brunch.

(They did not talk beforehand to coordinate their outfits for this photo op!!)

We had so much fun, everyone was so glad our get together was brunch

 and early in the month.

Mollie and I think this may the beginning of a tradition!

Frothy, Frosty Peppermint Floats and Felt.

Every December my UMYF kiddos want to have a  Christmas Crafting Day 

where they can get creative and make gifts for friends and family. 

We've painted, made sugar scrubs, decorated candles, etc.

 I can't tell you what they worked on this year

 because they are surprises for Christmas morning!

However, I can tell you about our delicious holiday treat that helped us craft all afternoon.

(Do you remember the glittery Snow Guys from a couple of years back??) 

We had frothy, fluffy, frosty peppermint floats. Yum!

We used Publix Peppermint Stick ice cream. 

If you are in the South then you know how good their holiday ice cream is. 

The Eggnog Ice Cream is ah.maz.ing, too!

Scoop the peppermint ice cream into your cup.

 Then pour Sprite (or you can use a non flavored carbonated water but the Sprite tastes great) over the ice cream. It will froth and fluff and create a creamy, frosty, minty float.

Add cute straw. 

And you could add whipped cream 

and sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top 

for a fancier treat.

It's just so refreshing and festive.

And, felt.

Since I was hanging out while they crafted and they only needed me for questions and not for non-stop guidance I started trying my hand at a felt project.

I cut the letters free hand from some felt we had- no drawing or tracing.

 Non-traditional Christmas colors.

It was fun but I'm more of a paper crafter, I think.

I will not be going into the felt letter banner business any time soon.

I glued it down this morning and I'll try to remember to post a "finished" picture on Instagram this week!

So that's my felt-y, frothy, fluffy update on holiday happenings around here.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas now.