O Christmas Tree!

This was my Christmas tree this year. I love this, because it shows some of the half-wrapped gifts from little, curious hands getting a sneak peek, and ornaments on the floor from two little boys playing swords with rolls of wrapping paper.

Christmas Advent Calendar

This is a very special advent calendar. I grew up with one just like it, and this Christmas, my Mom decided to make them for my sisters...but she told me that I was capable of making my own...so I did:) lol She helped though:) But I remember when I was just little, looking forward to picking out one of the stuffed felt peices from the pockets, and putting it on. So I wanted to keep that tradition for my own kids!
This thing is a piece of work, I tell you! It took HOURS and HOURS to make!! Each piece is hand cut, hand pieced, and hand embroidered. But it was all worth it!:)

My Gingerbread House

Christmas Decorations...a little late

My husband made this awesome pinata!! And I decorated it:) It took forever- with the newspaper strips, dipping it in a glue mixture, and putting it over the balloons. But, it was worth it! It turned out so good!


Some of my ornaments. Growing up, my Mom always had a picture of each of us kids on the tree. I loved it, so I am continuing the tradition! I just got the plain wood picture frame ornaments at Roberts, and then colored them with Sharpies!:)
This one is for my baby Owen, who came four days after Christmas:) It will have a picture in it next year.
This is me, at 3 years old. awww!
And my husband at about 3 years old. awww!
And my little guy, Charlie at 21 mo. old. Awww!
This is just a glass block that I put some rub-ons and stickers on, and tied a bow around.:)
My adorable nativity! I have been searching for a cute one, and I came across this one at Roberts, and I got it for 65% off, before Christmas!

A few Christmas decorations:)

*MORE CHRISTMAS DECOR TO COME! Here are some of our stockings
This is a cute yo yo tree that I made, and embroidered. Cute!
My little guy couldn't get enough of looking at his cute mug in that ornament! If you look close, you can see his reflection, as well as my husbands. So cute!
Such a good helper!

From messy bookcase to organization station!

Here is my bookcase before the makeover. It has so much junk on it- like books we never read, random stuff we throw on it when we walk in the door, decorations, decorations, decorations.
Sooo, I wanted to simplify it, and make it much more useable space instead! FIRST: I de-junked it. Got rid of tons of magazines, books, old decorations,etc. Then, I took out the second shelf, and added some wainscotting panels to the back of the shelf. Then I painted them black, added some cute hooks, got some adorable apple baskets, made tags to label what is in them, and that's it! I am very happy with the improvement, and I must say, I am losing my keys, and shoes a lot less now that they have an assigned spot in my home!


AND AFTER:

Yes, I already have my Christmas stuff up. But, this is not to showcase my adorable handmade stockings, but to show the new backsplash, and hooks that I installed.
My awesome apple baskets that fit perfectly in my bookcase! I have them labeled- one for shoes, one for toys, one for books, and one for photo albums. I use the smaller baskets on the top shelf to hold my scarfs, gloves, and hats, and the other to hold our hand sanitizer, and any other odds and ends that we might throw in there when we walk in the door: like wallets, sunglasses, receipts, etc. And we hang out keys on the hooks! And please excuse my little monster in this one. I think he was yelling at me, and standing on my Christmas decor boxes that I just got the Christmas tree and ornaments out of!:)

My "Christmas in May" Birthday Party!

In May, I celebrated my birthday by having a "Christmas in May" party! I don't know anyone that loves Christmas more than I do! In fact, I am listening to Bing Crosby Christmas right now!! It's July!! Anyway, so I just couldn't resist having a Christmas themed party. All of the guests were required to wear jammies, like on Christmas Eve. We watched Elf, and White Christmas, sipped hot cocoa, ate cheesy spinach dip, and cupcakes!! It was such a blast!! (The top picture is of me, and all my sisters:)
My friend gave me a paper cutter. Can you believe I didn't have one!!? Pathetic, I know.
And the highlight of the party... the huge pinata stuffed with magnets, scrapbook stickers, combs, note pads, and candy! (You can tell it was a huge blast by the look on my friend's face! It has "This is better than Christmas!" written all over it:)
You better believe I got way into hitting that pinata!
And the treat table. I even made my husband get some of my Christmas decorations out for it:) And I don't know if you can tell, but I used clear glasses, and Christmas colored pots to make different levels for the food! It just made it a little more interesting:)

Host a party, get a free NURSING COVER!!

My little NURSING COVER business, Charlie Cloths, is trying to expand it's roots! If you would like to host a nursing cover party, IN UTAH county or SALT LAKE county, you will receive a FREE nursing cover!! Email me at rachellelaree@msn.com for the details! Anyone can do it!!

Neighbor Christmas Gifts

This year, we gave small boxes of laundry detergent to our neighbors and friends, with the quote "Wash your cares away this Holiday Season!" (yep, I even made that up:)
I slapped a bow on top, and they looked like little presents!:)

Christmas Planner!

Scary snowmen to pretty ornament:)

I got these tin stars at the dollar store last year, and the snowmen on them creep me out. They are pretty ugly.:) So I decided to give them a makeover so I could put them on my tree.
I spray painted them silver and put some vinyl designs on them, a ribbon at the top, and voila.