Jan 1, 2014
Happy New Year! It’s officially 2014, and if you don’t have a calendar yet… you need one! Here are my two favorite picks from this year. In fact, I’m keeping one of each!
#1 – This Letterpress Calendar from 1canoe2 letterpress – I love the style of this calendar! It’s got cute imagery, but my favorite part is the “holder” (a sawed piece of tree branch, which I lovingly call the “stump”). Only $28.99
#2 – A colorful and bright option is this gold foil gorgeousness from Waste Not Paper. It’s a steal too at just $19.99. The holder is simple – just fold back the clear tray it comes in!
Dec 26, 2013
As you start to think about packing up your Christmas decorations, try this little tip I use for organizing garland. It’s simple one, but if you’re like me (multiple strands of garland, all in different lengths and with designated “homes” around the house), it’s a time-saver!
Label your garland with painter’s masking tape. See? Easy.
Once you know where each garland fits best (on the tv cabinet, in the dining room, on the mantle, etc.), it only makes sense to not have to solve that puzzle again! Before you pack it away, fold a piece of painter’s tape over the end of the wire and label its location with a Sharpie. Painter’s tape is removable (without leaving a sticky residue), so it’s perfect for this task.
Once labeled, you can store all of the garlands in one box instead of several, but they’ll still be easy to sort out next year. Just remove the tape and you’re done – quick and easy!
I started doing this a few years ago because no matter how much I *thought* I’d remember where each garland went (after 11 months of not thinking about it), I didn’t. This trick is a huge time saver now!
Happy Holiday Decoration packing!
Dec 25, 2013
This holiday, I went with a slight variation of the centerpiece I used for Christmas dinner last year… I seem to keep getting stuck on using those gorgeous evergreens, hydrangeas (because I love them so much) and my “new” deer figurines. So sue me.
Luckily, this time I was able to incorporate an unique piece that my grandmother gave me this past weekend at family Christmas “on the farm” – a gingham enamelware coffee pot. It was just so cute with its wrap-around pattern and squatty body – I couldn’t resist! That baby became the center of my tablescape pretty much as soon as it was in my grubby little hands. I think it was just perfect, perched atop a sliced tree trunk, among boughs of fir and evergreen, adorned with antique glass ornaments and votive candles to complete the look.
I just love how it turned out so homey and personal (and even more importantly – SIMPLE)! Merry Christmas everyone!
Dec 24, 2013
As some of you know, this year wasn’t exactly my favorite. I lost my beloved Sarah, and that pretty much made me want to skip Christmas altogether (it doesn’t help that her birthday is December 28th). Every year I make a photo card with her and Lucy, and I just wasn’t sure that I’d be up for making one without her. It was REALLY hard, but I decided that despite the sadness and pain of this year, it was more important to remember that I am still blessed. I still have the option of choosing JOY, so that’s what I’m trying to focus on.
Since it was hard to make myself do it at all, I tried to keep the design pretty simple. This year’s card is a 5″ round ornament with red twine. The front has the definition of joy (I’m kind of nerd – I collect antique dictionaries when I run across them, so I created this version from a compilation of resources I had on hand). The back is my own version of the definition: JOY is not measured in things. It is measured in the presence of love, endurance of faith, and abundance of hope. (No matter what I’ve lost this year, I still have a good amount of love in my life, faith that God has great things in store for me, and the hope that more happiness in the future exists.) As you can see, I decided on black envelopes (my slight nod to the darkness of this year).
My wish for all of you and yours is JOY in 2014!
“Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice!” – Phillippians 4:4
Dec 7, 2013
I found one of my favorite quotes about hospitality in Food & Wine Magazine, when they interviewed Bronson van Wyck. He said, “Hospitality in its truest form was always about giving respite to travelers. If people have traveled to see you, you want to make it worth their while.” I love that!
With Christmas just around the corner, I’m getting ready for guests. Are you?
Here’s my “Hospitality Checklist” for making sure that guests are nice and comfy when they stay in my home this holiday:
1. A welcome Basket with the basics – snacks (sweet and savory, or guest favorites if I know them), water, Blistex, lotion and allergy medicine (hey, West Texas is DRY I tell you!). I also like to include a new loofah and personalized gift of some sort (stationery or a Jon Hart airport chico are my usual go-tos). I also print a “welcome” card with my Wi-fi password and house alarm information, as well as a house key if they need it.
2. Plenty of bottled water in the fridge, as well as the guest’s favorite beverage on hand. Whether it’s decaf coffee, whiskey, Dr Pepper or apple juice, I like to have a familiar drink for my guests on hand if possible. It just puts people at ease when there’s something familiar away from home. In fact, if I know someone new is coming, I like email them a little survey to fill out. It’s super dorky, but it helps me plan! If you want a chuckle, you can see my nerdy survey here. (ha)
3. Fresh towels and sheets, because everyone likes a clean place to sleep and bathe. There’s nothing more off-putting then staying with a friend who clearly hasn’t cleaned the sheets since their last guest. I believe in a “hotel experience” – so it’s really important to me that the room is fresh and ready for guests at any time (even spur of the moment) Even if those guests are my parents (and they were here the previous weekend), I refresh the room when they leave (you never know).
4. Speaking of bathing, I like to stock my guest bathroom with a few basics: Poo Pourri (not a joke, it works), bubble bath, extra toilet paper, plenty of towels, toothpaste, floss, rubber ducky toys for the kiddos, and extra “guest” toothbrushes (these wooden ones are my faves, aren’t they cute?).
5. Food. To cook. Because there’s something really special about making a meal and eating “at home” with your guests. If you’re feeling extra hospitable, plan to have enough groceries to cook one of two menu options (just in case your guests have dietary restrictions or preferences). I’ve found that meals around the table with friends and family who come to visit is often my favorite time of their visit!
Do you have any great tips for welcoming guests into your home? I’d love to hear them!
