Deck The Halls

Well, to get in the holiday spirit, I did a little decorating, crafting, gift wrapping, herb harvesting, and pecan picking. My neighbor has a HUGE pecan tree. It can be a little high maintenance with all the leaf raking and limb maintaining. So, since there is a plethora of pecans that fall into my yard every other year, it is only fitting that I help myself right? Well, I think so anyway. From my garden, I also harvested a bit of Rosemary, Dusty Miller, and Daisy's to put in vases in my house for a sweet little decoration.

In the herb/flower arranging process, I found a friend!

Apparently he likes to eat flowers because about 24 hours later, there were holes all in this pretty little yellow daisy and that squirmy little thing was no where to be found!

So, while I was outside picking up pecans from the ground, I met a neighbor I have never met before. He was walking his dog and I am sure was wondering that that crazy lady was doing digging around in the leaves. But, after I explained what I was doing, pecan scavenging, we had a nice conversation over my neighbor directly across the street digging up his yard and putting in astro turf. Yes, astro turf! This baffled us both but it looks so real and the yard will be green year round! Jeff is very jealous because they don't have to mow their yard anymore.

The neighbor that I met is a retired police officer and his wife is a potter! She has her own home pottery studio fully equipped with firing kilns! She also teaches classes. So, it was meant to be that I was out there crazily picking up pecans out of the dirt. I think I may have to go ring their bell and take a class or 2! He told me what house they lived in. It is the sweetest house up the street with the most fabulous herb garden out front that I have always admired. I think I really like them already!

Ok, so...I can't believe that I actually have a few gifts wrapped and under the tree! I am getting a handle on things early this year. Come to think of it I do not have a whole lot of shopping left to do but I have major craft time to put in! All this wedding planning put me behind in the Christmas crafting area. Anyone want to join me for a crafting day? Maybe a glass of wine, appetizers, a Christmas movie; ie: "The Holiday", and some fun time crafting by the tree?? It will be too much fun! But for some reason, I feel this holiday season flying by so much quicker than in the past. I wish I could stop time just for a little while.

I am taking a new approach on decorating this year. Yes I am using the same decorations but, I am trying to change things up a bit. I have also decided that I am decorating the kitchen with a retro Christmas theme. I purchased some vintage ornaments from ebay that are heading my direction soon. I have a 2 foot silver tree that I put on top of the fridge. Once those Vintage ornaments come in I am going to hang them in the kitchen from the window I think. I also picked up these cute little vintage elves at an estate sale with my sister when she was visiting...

She has the 3rd one with the little deer. I also scooped up this great hand made tree skirt! Can you find Cedella? She loves creeping in my pictures just when I hit the button!





It goes so well with my handmade tree theme. I am working on making some cookie cutter ornaments for the tree that I saw the the recent Martha Stewart mag. I picked up a 40 pack of cookie cutters on sale at Joann's the Saturday after Thanksgiving for only 6 bucks!

It is going to get chilly tonight! A cold front is blowing in. You can already feel it and I can't wait. I love this cold weather! Fa la la la la la la la la! (O.K. that was a bit too much)

Cheers!