The Christmas Crafting Bug

I don't know what it is this year, but I've been bitten by the Christmas Crafting Bug. My mind is just loaded with ideas and there's not enough time to make them all.

I did, however, get one such craft project completed. It was quick & easy.
I needed a new wreath for my back door.

Enter an old wreath, some Deco Mesh & a snowman.

Not having any real clue what I was doing, I managed to come up with this.

So tell me, has the Christmas Crafting Bug bitten you this year? If so, what are you working on right now?

I hope to have other projects to share with you soon and more Christmas decor as well. It's been gloomy here, so I'm waiting for a bright day to take more photos. (It's also been unusually warm...59 degrees yesterday! I don't like it. I want cold & snow!)

Happy Wednesday!

Linking to:

Tiptoe Thru Tuesdays at Crayon Freckles

The sparkle of mercury glass

Several years ago, I fell in love with the look of mercury glass. I love to decorate with it all year round, but at Christmastime, it's especially fun.

I spent the whole of Friday decorating for Christmas and decided to group all my mercury glass together.

There's just something about it grouped and sitting atop my blue vintage dresser.

Here's an interesting story. Both of my sisters were helping me decorate on Friday. As we gathered my mercury glass, we found I was lacking one piece to make it look complete.

No problem, we thought. We'll all go shopping and find something to add to this.

About an hour later, the mail came. With the mail, was a package from Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage. I had won her giveaway.

What did I win?

Well, a very sweet angel made of mercury glass! Can you believe it? Not only was Shannon's giveaway perfect, but apparently she has perfect timing as well!

Pretty cute, huh?

Do you think maybe I should raise her up a little?

Anyway, can I just say if you haven't checked out Shannon's blog, Fox Hollow Cottage yet, you won't be disappointed when you do. Shannon decorates beautifully and she has a lively personality you'll enjoy.

OK, I'll be back to share more of my Christmas decor with you soon.

Linking to:

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

A Day of Thanks

This gives new meaning to the words "turkey dressing," doesn't it? LOL

I have been so crazy busy getting things ready for Thanksgiving Day. I'm sure many of you are experiencing this same whirlwind of craziness. There's just so much to do.

I thought I would take this time to wish all of you a very happy & very blessed Thanksgiving Day! I have so much in my life to be thankful for. You, my sweet friends, manage to make me smile each & every day and for that, I am thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

I've had this recipe for quite a few years & decided it was finally time to give them a try.

What can I say? They are yummy, simple to make, and a perfect Fall or Thanksgiving treat.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Tarts

2/3 cup (about 15) crushed gingersnap cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 cup 100% pure pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons sour cream, optional (I did not use)
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Paper-line 12 muffin cups.

Combine cookie crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press scant tablespoon onto bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Bake for 5 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract in a small mixer bowl until blended. Add eggs; beat well. Pour (or spoon) into muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (25 was perfect for me). Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove tarts from pan; refrigerate. (After refrigeration, I removed paper liners.) Garnish each with a little sour cream if you wish.

Place chocolate chips in a small, heavy duty plastic bag. Microwave on high power for 20 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag, squeeze to drizzle over tarts.

Makes 12 servings.

I hope you enjoy!

Linking to:

Potpourri Party #12 at 2805
Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence

A Touch of Thanksgiving

I don't have alot of Thanksgiving decorations, but I thought I would share with you what I do have.

This is my dining room hutch. The topiaries are from Michael's & I've had them for many years. The pilgrims were a TJ Maxx purchase last year. I made the subway art last summer, here.

I filled some of my apothecary jars with Fall related goodies.

I liked the centerpiece that I used for my Turkey Tablescape so much, here, that I decided to use it as my everyday centerpiece.

I had to include this picture. This is one of the shelves of my entertainment center. For every holiday, I try to work my kids' old books into the decor (on the shelves, in a basket, in a bucket, etc.) See that book that says "I can read!" Yeah, doesn't matter that they're 13 & 10 years old now, they still get excited every time I take out their old holiday books. I guess it's become a fun tradition that I never planned.

I'm linking this to:

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Home Sweet Home #41 at The Charm of Home

Breaking Dawn

In honor of the release of the movie, Breaking Dawn this coming Friday, I thought I would share with you the Twilight Party I had for my daughter back in 2009 when the first movie (Twilight) was released.

Olivia & her friends were/are huge Twilight fans, so I tried my best to impress them. At the time, there really wasn't alot of merchandise out there, so I had to get creative.

The table all set in the red, white & black theme (OMG, I'm glad those green walls are gone,  I hated them!)





Anyone care for an Edward bar?



The part that really surprised my daughter...I made all these signs and hung them all over the house, including the bathroom. You should have heard the girls squeal with delight when they found a sign.



A Twilight vignette complete with a life sized Edward Cullen. Every party needs a life sized Edward! Just saying. A life sized Jacob Black wouldn't be too shabby either. ;D



The cake was really difficult because I had to make it myself. The baking wasn't the problem, it was the decorating. I managed to find that sugar image online, but I had a terrible time adhering it to the cake. I'll never attempt this again.  The girls didn't mind though, just so long as they got a piece with their favorite character on it!



Only the Twihards drink "The Nectar of the Volturi" aka Hawaiian Punch. Oh boy, did the girls get a kick out of that!



The girls insisted that no Twilight party would be complete without a little vampire baseball!



So there you have it...Olivia's birthday party 2009 done Twilight-style! Just looking at these pictures makes me smile & wish I was giving the party again. I've got so many more ideas I would like to use. 

Thanksgiving Turkey Tablescape

Every year, we host Thanksgiving dinner at our house.  Dinner is usually for 13 people. I always want to do so much with the table, but sometimes having enough of everything for 13 people poses a problem for me.

It is not a problem, however, to tablescape for my family of 4.

I started by using my matelasse as a tablecloth. Glasses from Christmas Tree. Green wine glasses stolen borrowed from my mother. Bronze chargers & pearl handled flatware from Target. Green flatware from Home Goods.

I bought these turkey plates at TJ Maxx a few years ago. At the time, I purchased all they had in the store, which was 12. I needed 13, but I bought them anyway. Luckily, the following year they had the plates again and I was able to buy another box. Now I have 16 altogether.

Green dinner plates are Better Homes & Gardens from Walmart. I have at least 16 of these in various colors (green, orange, eggplant). Napkins from Tuesday Morning. Wicker placemats from Pier 1.

The turkey is from Joann's a few years ago. The tray was a Southern Living Home purchase. I had the pinecone candle holders for quite a few years & I think they came from Coldwater Creek of all places.

I hope you enjoyed my Thanksgiving tablescape for 4. Now if I could only figure out how to set the table for 13 on Thanksgiving, I'd be all set.

Thanks for taking the time to visit me today.

I'm linking this to:

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

Dreaming of Snow, Pinterest Style

I know there has got to be something wrong with me.

I'm dreaming of snow. Beautiful, fluffy, white snow.

Since we haven't received one single snowflake here as of yet, I decided to get my fill via Pinterest.

Source: flickr.com via Lynette on Pinterest

Source: tribes.tribe.net via Alessandra on Pinterest

Source: papernstitchblog.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Sharon on Pinterest

Source: blueeyedyonder.blogspot.com via Gina on Pinterest

*Sigh* Snow can be so perfectly dreamy.

(In April, when it's still snowing here and I start incessantly complaining about the neverending snow, and you show me pictures of your beautiful Spring blooms, feel free to go right ahead and remind me of this post, ok?)

Thoughts of Thanksgiving

I have to admit, some time last week I started wishing for Thanksgiving. I really couldn't wait to have Halloween over & done with.

Now that it is officially November 1st, (and yes, I have already packed away my Halloween decor) I can turn all my attention to thoughts of Thanksgiving, that is until Christmas begins to creep up on me!

So I've been scouring the internet for pretty Thanksgiving ideas and thought I'd share some of them with you.

I love this centerpiece...a pedestal dish of pears flanked by roses.

My Home Ideas


The colors of this tablescape are so vibrant, I love them.

Country Living

I love this vignette and wish I had a large vintage scoop so I could copy it.

Better Homes & Gardens

Another pretty table.

Better Homes & Gardens


White is always pleasing.

Better Homes & Gardens


Now that the cobwebs have been swept away & the ghouls retired for another year, are you having thoughts of Thanksgiving?