Merry Christmas From My Family To Yours

Hello friends!  I sure hope each of you had a relaxing, wonderful and very Merry Christmas.  Just popping in real quick to share a few simple holiday touches from around our house.  

As much as I love to decorate, this year I had the desire to keep our holiday decor completely simple.  My daughter is a December baby.  I had fun decorating her room.  She loved the cedar garland draped around her bed.  She said it felt like she was sleeping in the forest!

I switched out the decor in my wooden bowl and decided to load it up with bleached pine cones and fairy lights.

Listening to Christmas music on my old-school IPod while I filled out holiday cards.  Thought I'd share my alternative to sealing envelopes.  I fill a small bowl with water and use an art paint brush to moisten the seal. Works like a charm!

A preserved boxwood wreath (Target) hung with black and white ribbon.

I made sure the bar cart was stocked and ready to go!!

The weather was so nice on Christmas Eve that we decided to sit outside around the fire pit.  We made smores and sipped on eggnog.

Warm and cozy under the stars!

I topped my coffee table with a tray filled with silver dollar eucalyptus, a wooden box and ornaments for an easy centerpiece.

The ornaments are from the dollar store.  It gives me peace of mind knowing they're toddler-friendly!

We're tired of traditional holiday meals.  We had store bought lasagna for dinner Christmas Eve and enjoyed crab legs along with take out for dinner tonight.  A little unexpected, but dinner was simple and easy. Clean-up was a breeze!  We decided to make this a thing.  Maybe next year we'll set up a taco bar!!

  

Merry Christmas!  I hope you are surrounded by good food and the people and pets you love!

Awesome Wall Decor for Your Home and Office by Pixers

Golden Line

Are you in need of a home makeover, but don't know where to start? If you've been stuck in a creative rut, you should consider art to transform your room. With so many great online resources, you may not know where to begin. You no longer have to scroll endlessly through social media for inspiration or get frustrated before you nail your first hole in the wall. Consider Pixers as a source for bottomless inspiration.

Pixers is every art lover’s dream. They are a global company, personalizing interiors all over the world for all surfaces.

SEAMLESS BRUSH STROKES PATTERN

They even carry unique adhesive veneers for IKEA Lack Tables!

VINTAGE PATTERN WITH WHITE LITTLE SWALLOWS

I love art prints, wall murals, paintings and photography. Within a few moments of scanning through Pixers' inventory, I was impressed by their selection and prices. The team behind the site truly cares about the magic that goes in every piece so that all customers are satisfied. Customer satisfaction creates loyalty. You can read past purchasers' reviews here.

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Let's talk about the products Pixer offers. Their wall murals are as diverse as their buyers. Scandinavian Style, Contemporary, Futuristic, Minimalist, Industrial; no one's taste goes unnoticed as there are wall murals for all styles imaginable. Though I like to view my style as simple and easy to accommodate, it can be quite difficult to find art that compliments my space.

BLACK AND WHITE MACROPHOTO OF PLANT OBJECT WITH DEPTH OF FIELD

I like things very minimal. I'm drawn to monochrome patterns and natural art images. Pixers has artwork that I would love for my home. Even for the pickiest of picky, you could upload a photo you love and have it transformed into a work of art.

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If you need another resource for your decor needs, Pixers is the way to go. They offer an infinite number of choices and if you change your mind, you can return your order within 365 days of delivery; for any reason. They're a diverse brand of impeccable service, providing you with top-notch art work.

**This post was made possible through a partnership with Pixers.  All opinions expressed are my own words.

My Christmas Table

 We'll have Christmas dinner with just the 4 of us again.  I'm thankful that my daughter attends college in state and won't be commuting for the next few weeks, so we can spend the holidays with her.


My son begins his break next week.  Tomorrow we're hosting a few of his friends for a sleepover.  Yikes!  I'm sure I'll have my hands full keeping those guys entertained.

 With so much going on, I decided to keep my tablescape simple and within budget.

 I had fun shopping the house and using things I already had.

 The gold flatware is from Ballard Designs.


The plates are a mix from Target and Dollar Tree.  Yep, Dollar Tree!

 I just love the shape of these delicate glasses.


They're a recent flea market find.

  

 The paper runner is from Hester & Cook.
  

I love using it to dress up my table.  It also can be used as gift wrap.

 I love the simplicity of the dough bowl filled with fresh greenery.


I added the Guinea fowl feathers and dried berries for a nice arrangement.

Now that the table is set, I can focus on planning our meal.  We're over turkey and stuffing.  Wondering if lasagna would be too strange?!

Doesn't really matter, as long as we're gathered together.

That's what's most important to me; relaxed and pleasant conversations while being together as a family.

I hope you're inspired to have fun setting a welcoming table of your own.

Designer Wood Watch from Jord

I like to think I have giving Christmas gifts down perfectly.  My daughter is always a no-brainer, my son is simple to please, and other relatives are satisfied with whatever I come up with.  My husband, however, is quite a challenge.

Tastes changing frequently and naturally picky, he is hard to pin down during the holiday season.

So, a little observation and extra thoughtfulness was needed this year and I finally found him the perfect gift.  A JORD watch was an obvious choice.  Knowing my husband, he loves unique watches and sporting special pieces.  A men's watch made with beautiful cuts of wood was perfect for him.   

The dark grain complements the ivy green watch face extremely well and matches with his laid-back style.  It's a cool watch; timeless, yet one-of-a-kind, a look my husband regularly dons.

It is one of those pieces that will never run out of style.  The watch was such a beautiful early Christmas gift that he and I collectively adore.  I have to say I am slightly jealous!  

If you have any loved ones in your life that are fashion savvy, into accessories, love unique accents, or merely enjoy watches, a JORD watch is a great option.  With so many styles provided, it's hard not to find anything to love.

As a little holiday bonus, I've partnered with JORD Wood Watches to share a handful of instant e-gift codes worth $25!  If you've had your eye on one of these lovely wood watches, enter here to redeem your code.  Be sure to share with your friends and family.  The e-gift code link will close 12/18 at 11:59pm. The $25 instant e-gift code will expire on 2/28/2017.

*This post was sponsored by Jord Wood Watches.  All opinions expressed are my own.

   

Wooden Wristwatch

Favorite Things 2016

This week Melissa at 320 Sycamore is hosting her annual Favorite Things party.  This year she asked me to join and I’m so happy to be apart of it alongside some very talented bloggers!

  When I started blogging in 2010 I joined Melissa's link party by adding a list of my favorites, you can view my old post here.  

Join us this Thursday by sharing a post of your own, then add your link to her blog.

Here are a few of my favorites from IKEA and Trader Joe's...

Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite stores to stop in. Only a short drive away, the market stocks the most interesting items that most grocery chains do not provide; like convenient frozen meals and wine or cookie butter ice cream! My favorite products to stock up, however, are everyday items.

I love filling my home with fresh flowers. Their floral section is incredible. They have beautiful flowers for great prices.

Also, these lavender dryer bags are a favorite. They have a soothing lavender scent that is subtle. I like to tuck a sachet under my dogs' beds to keep them smelling pleasant in between washes.

 My dogs LOVE these peanut butter treats. It's not too often that they have them, but when they do, I'm sure they would go through a box each if I let them!

Trader Joe's sells an assortment of greeting cards for just 99 cents. They're unique, so you won't find them anywhere else. I love the artwork and style too much to want to give them away though. Their quality card stock can be framed as art; a classic DIY idea. The colors complement a couple rooms in my house. I cannot wait to find the perfect frame and hang them up as art pieces!

Here's my favorite greeting cards found at Anthropologie.
  

I framed a few to display around the house.  So much cheaper than buying framed artwork!
  

Ikea has so many hidden gems. Since it's such a large store, you have to do a little digging and get your creative juices flowing to figure out what works in your space of interest. For me and my family, we needed a better way to organize our shoes. We used to keep them in the garage, but since we renovated it into a bedroom, our shoes needed a new place to rest.

These white wire baskets are absolutely perfect as a shoe organizer.

They are very inexpensive, minimalist in design, and sleek enough to slide underneath our beds. Though I'm not sure of their true purpose, these baskets became a staple for organization.

Thank you so much for stopping by, friends! Please visit Debbie at Refresh Restyle to see her favorites. Here's the schedule of the other ladies who will be sharing this week too.

Monday, November 14

1. Jessica at 4 Generations One Roof

2. Kristen at Ella Claire

3. Desiree at The 36th Avenue

Tuesday, November 15

1. Mallory & Savannah at Classy Clutter

2. Brandi at Don't Disturb This Groove

3. Debbie at Refresh Restyle

Wednesday, November 16

1. Janna at Yellow Prairie Interiors

2. Andy & Candis at Old Home Love

3. Kelsey, guest posting on 320 Sycamore