Happy Thanksgiving!

I guess it's official. The holiday season is here!

If you're celebrating, how are you spending your weekend? We will be turkey trotting, serving meals at a local homeless center, cooking, eating, watching 7 year olds play baseball and spending time with our extended family. It will be a busy four days. Although the holiday rush and ensuing anxiety is abound, I'm hoping that we can find some time to take a deep breath, relax a bit, and truly get into the spirit of giving thanks.

love this print from gus & lula on etsy

And while we're talking about giving thanks... Thank you dear readers for following this ol' blog of mine. I haven't been posting as much lately, so I truly appreciate you for sticking around. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Make // Cork Tree

Before I sneak off for the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought I'd leave you a fun tree tutorial. All you need is a little cork, glue and a tree form.

I love the color and texture of cork and this little tree fits in perfectly with my existing collection of cream, gray and natural-colored decorative trees.

Click "Read more" for the tutorial

Make // Faux Fur Frame

Here's an easy way to change up your decor with a little glue and faux fur. I've been a little enamored with faux fur lately and have added it to our family room decor-- fluffy pillow, fluffy throw, even a fluffy rug. This little fluffy white faux fur frame fits right in and adds enough whimsy without being gaudy. It's perfect for the upcoming winter months!

click "read more" for the tutorial

Make // Light-up Bejeweled Ornament

When I initially started dreaming-up this ornament, I wanted to use pearl and rhinestone brooches and other luxe-looking jewelry pieces. But after a couple years of pricing new and vintage jewels, I knew that one expensive $50-$100 ornament wasn't going to make the cut. If I'm going to spend that much money, I'd rather just buy a collector's piece.

Then, on a recent trip to the craft store, I came across a large package of pretty jewelry-quality beads. With their translucent qualities,  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

I was the kid who couldn't get enough of  Lite-Brite... In my book, it's so much better if it lights up! :)

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Make // Faux Fur Trees

Ah yes... Are those sleigh bells I hear? Has Christmas sprung up overnight in about every retail spot that I inhabit? Except Costco, who thought it was okay to bring out the holiday cheer in August when my kids were still on summer vacation? Ahem. Yes my friends... It's that's time of year again.

I waited until All Hallows Eve was over and, although I love Thanksgiving and will honor that fine holiday with lots of good company and good eats, it's time to get BUSY!  Because Christmas will be here soon.

Stress and Excitement. That's what I'm all about.

Since I've been building a forest tree collection for the past several years (see most of them here), I thought I'd start with some pretty, soft and texturally awesome Faux Fur Trees.

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Plans for Christmas 2013 Decor...

It's November. Halloween is officially over. I'm gonna go out on a limb and declare that it is now officially okay to start talking Christmas... Mmm-kay?

When I look back upon my last few years of holiday projects, I noticed that each year I tend to focus on a particular material or style.

Christmas 2010 was white felt and silver paint-- It was my first year trying to revitalize our old, tired Christmas decorations.


Christmas 2011 was all things smooth and shiny-- pearls, satin, glass.


Christmas 2012 was natural materials and colors-- burlap, muslin and mother of pearl.


So what's in store for 2013?

Christmas 2013 is going to be the year of faux fur, leather (or pleather) and... metal hardware. Haven't quite figured out how I'm going to fit this in, but... Hey, that's part of the challenge!

Faux Fur Trees coming up soon...