Plaid Ribbon for the (Christmas) Win!

Mollie and I saw this ribbon at least a month ago and we both instantly loved it!

I recycle my bows for a year or two, until they start to look rough,

 and then I like to change it up. 

You can see last year's sparkly stripe here in the kitchen windows.

We have started "decking the halls" and we are loving it everywhere we put it!

It has so many colors in it and the blue background is such a beautiful shade.

This one is on the front door.

Evergreen wreath is a Black Friday deal from Lowe's,  magnolia leaves from a friend's tree and a BIG bow. I may add some battery operated fairy lights. I'm not sure because I tend to forget to turn them off at the end of the night

 and then the batteries are kaput in no time flat :)

Trader Joe's boxwood wreath, more magnolia leaves (it's the South - we can't help ourselves!), fairy lights (the wire is far less noticeable in real life)
 and the fabulous blue plaid ribbon!

Our giant gold Santa got in on the blue plaid ribbon too!

We are just getting started. 

There's more Christmas decorating to come!

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. 

Christmas Painting Party!

A couple of weeks a go we had a little painting party at church.

 Just ladies, 6th grade and up. People brought friends, sisters, mothers, etc. 

We painted and chatted for 2 and 1/2 hours.

I offer a little instruction and guidance plus provide all the supplies 

and then they just get creative!

  There's always a glitter option when working with youth girls!

#pinterestsuccess

It's good to relax and be creative with a group of ladies!
Have you painted with friends lately?

The Favorites of Christmases Past.

As mentioned previously I haven't done a thing toward Christmas decorating.

 Nothing.

Bupkis!

( Remember Bupkis??) 

Actually that's not completely true.

I have looked at all the blog tours of already decorated homes.

#seekinginspiration

#seekingmotivationtoo

Does decorating the dog count??
#notthrilled

But in years past I have been spot on

and accomplished Christmas décor greatness 
 (ok, at least gotten the tree up - with lights!) in a timely manner.

I also used to make cute Christmas projects and share the DIY!

Let's remember fondly and revisit my top Christmas posts.

In case you,too, are #seekingmajormotivation.

They are all simple and easy I can assure you!

This guy is and has been my number one blog post "view"

and my number one "pin" on Pinterest!

This paint stick project of the Three Wisemen

is also a top post.

It is practically a "free" green craft.

This simple outdoor Nativity that I first did with children

waaaaay back in 2011 is still a top 10 post year round.

It is made with concrete landscape pavers.

 Mine still looks like it did when I painted it four years ago!

(And we do use it outside)

A little more involved but a keeper from year to year-


is this Advent Candle Wreath made from terra cotta pots.
I made it with groups of children for a few years in a row so we painted the pots and made candles and "flames" from TP rolls and tissue paper. 
Many of their parents supervised its use and substituted real candles. 
It is equally pretty left in its natural terra cotta state and filled in with real greenery.
One of my  volunteer moms had her children craft them for their grandparents one year and it was a HUGE hit!


And I have a bunch of Snowman projects
 but this one is the second most viewed post of all time.

Snowman in a Baggie!!!
It was a simple idea I cooked up for a school party activity and it is still being used year after year.
So easy and inexpensive but everyone loves to make him and then squish that nose around!

If you are looking for more projects then check the archives!
I have several Nativity projects, more snowmen and some burlap and painted canvas projects that are 'oldies but goodies."

And maybe I'll be back soon with some actual Christmas decorating pictures -
from my actual house!!!
#icanhope

The Assignment Should You Choose To Accept It...

... is to stick to the statement I made a couple of weeks ago:

I said, out loud, where people could hear it,

 " I'm not buying anything for Christmas decorating this year except lights

 and the live tree and/or greenery."

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(And an unrelated thought, "Oh how I wish I could whitewash my brick!)

I said it. And I mean it. 

(probably won't need quite this many lights!)

 #oythepowerbill 

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I've been simplifying Christmas for the last couple of years but this year we are using what we have or our noodles to come up with something that doesn't require a trip to the store.

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I have donated a lot of Christmas decor the last few years but I still have too. much. stuff.

I'm not being Scrooge-y. 

I love the season but I want to focus on that 

and not get to wrapped up in overdoing the decor. 

Tall orders for me.

 I have been known to repaint a whole room in a day or two 

at the beginning of December in order to decorate it for Christmas. 

So I guess after making that  bold statement above

 I'm going to have to DIY some of these:

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I also have not started decorating one. single. thing!

I know ... #gasp

I went to the beach for Thanksgiving 

and I've still got to refocus after all the seafood and glorious sunshine.

Some of us are having a hard time getting back to reality....

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Early/Early

I got up verrrrry early (busy day) this morning and worked a little while on this before heading off to lunch with a couple of great friends :


Is it too early to start painting this guy???

Christmas "stuff" was out at Hobby Lobby before July 4th
so some might argue that this is a late start!

It's a 125 days until Christmas ... but who's counting??
(Pumpkin photo bomb in the corner !)

 

He's big... 24 x 24 inches. He may be a work in progress for a while!!