A Simple Table

I'm not sure why, but for me, decorating in January is the hardest to do.  I love the warm colors of the holidays and it always looks a bit bare afterwards.  So, I decided to change up my cabinet in the family/kitchen area.  I usually but out extra dishes but I decided to decorate with some Tuscan pottery and pictures of the family.

 I lightened up the table too; a simple runner with a woven vase and flowers.  It will be a lot easier at dinnertime.

 I was trying to work with what I already had on hand without buying anything new.

We have so much going on right now.  We are in the process of getting granite for the kitchen.  I never realized how many decisions were involved...sinks, facets, dishwashers.  Also, I'm planning for Ethan's birthday party and making the centerpieces for my mother-in-laws Relay For Life Event.  Busy, but very grateful and happy to do it.  Have a great week!

Sweets for Santa

I can't believe Christmas is almost here.  Where has the time gone?  I feel like I just put all the decorations up.  Today and tomorrow, I'll be busy baking but I wanted to share a really cute cookie recipe.  You can find the recipe here at the cutest little things blog.

Aren't they cute?  It's a really good recipe too because the cookies didn't spread.  However, I used silpat liners and chilled them prior to baking.  Tint the dough in different colors and mold them into ear muffs, scarves, and hats with your hands.  To make the hair, push a small clump of dough through a clean garlic press and then place it on the unbaked cookie.  After baking, you add the eyes and rosy cheeks.

I love their little faces!  Mix a drop of red food coloring with water to dilute and brush the cheeks with a new paintbrush.  Instant charm!

Allie loves to bake and help out in the kitchen so I wasn't surprised when she wanted to enter the gingerbread house contest at school.  I couldn't help her at all with the decorating; it had to be her concept completely.  It warmed my heart to see her rolling out the fondant and cutting out little shapes all by herself.  She piped royal icing to glue it together and used lots of little candies to decorate.

Here she is at the table with her certificate of participation.  I'm so proud of my little first grader!

I hope everyone is having fun making last minute preparations.  Thank you for stopping by and have a Merry Christmas.

Linking to:

•           The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

Christmas House Tour

Welcome!  I'm linking up with Kelly for her tour of Christmas houses.  I can't wait to see all the homes decked out for Christmas.  It's the most beautiful time of year!

Let me start off with our living room area.

 And here is the closeup of the arrangement I did for the dining room table.

Here is the kitchen and family room area decorated for Christmas.

 This is our hutch that holds my collection of teapots and cookie jars.

 And our small Christmas village.  This year, we added the train.

Our mantel in the family room.

Upstairs, we have a tree in our loft area which we use as a playroom for the kids.

And all of the bedrooms are decorated as well.  This is our master bedroom.

The girls' bedroom with a white tree.  It's decorated with gingerbread houses, candy pieces, nativity sets.

 And the boys' surf room.

I hope you enjoyed the tour and I look forward to visiting your home's as well.  Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Christmas in the Living Room

Here are some pictures of our dining/living room.  I made a new centerpiece for our dining room table.  Last year, I found the sleigh and reindeer at Michael's at great prices.  This year, I got Santa!

 I thought he was so cute and he fit in the sleigh perfectly.  I used up all of my leftovers;  extra picks, some garland, and ornaments to add more sparkle.

I hung lit garlands above the windows.  I used two types to bulk it up a bit, one with glittery leaves and the other a simple green one.  We always get a real tree for this room and this year we got a frasier fir instead of our usual noble fir tree.  I wish the smell lasted longer.

I love this plaque with the lion and the lamb.  I got it at church bookstore and I bring it out each Christmas and Easter.

 Here's our coffee table.  Once again, I used items I had on hand to make a small arrangement.

Have a wonderful week!

Linking to:

• The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

And the stockings were hung...

...by the chimney with care.  I wanted to share some photos of the family room fireplace.  Our family room is brown and aqua so the mantel has all the colors of the room.  The garland has mini white lights and looks beautiful at night.  I love that everything is on a time so I don't have to plug each cord in at night.  They are great time savers!

I made the stocking a few years back but they still look new.

  I love my nutcrackers!  My sister bought this one for me a while back.  I wanted to pick up some for the mantel but there is so much going on, I thought they'd get lost in the faux flowers.

And, this is the mantel in my room.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the other Christmas decorations out there.  We've been so busy lately that I haven't been on the computer much and I can't wait to see all the Christmas decor.  This week, I'm linking up with:

• The Lettered Cottage

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

It really is the most wonderful time of the year.  I officially started putting up Christmas decorations in my room the day after Halloween.  Early, I know, but I want to enjoy it for as long as I can.  I love the way the house looks at Christmas.  Our community had a yard sale a few weeks ago and my husband found this tree for next to nothing.  I've been wanting one for our room for a while but the budget never seemed to allow for it.  Granted, it was a bit sparse, but nothing some deco mesh and ornaments couldn't take care of.  Come see how it went from this to...

to this.

I used all the odds and ends that I already had.  During our camping trip this summer, the kids collected these huge pine cones.  Although you can't make it out in the picture, I glittered them and they filled in the gaps nicely.  Also, I had some sheet music which I turned into these snowflakes.

You can get step by step instructions here.  I simply scaled down the size so it would look more like an ornament.  It really didn't take much time at all and I had all of the supplies.  I love free projects!

Here's our room all decorated.

And here's the fireplace.

 The garland over the fireplace is actually three different garlands that I put together.  I really like the crystal branch garland because it really reflects the light.

 I like so many different styles of Christmas that each room in the house has a different theme.  In our room, I'm using creams and browns.  It's very neutral but elegant.  However, across the hall in the loft, I'm using lime green and red.  We use the space as a kids playroom so the colors are bright and whimsical.

Downstairs, everything is still decked out for fall.  We're hosting dinner so I still have a few final touches to make.  Have a great week!

Linking up this week to:

• Kristen's Creations

Favorite Dessert Recipes

I'm joining up with Kelly to share my family's favorite dessert.  Hands down, our family favorite is a fruit tart.  This is one of Paula Deen's recipes and it's a keeper.  I make it with whatever fruit is in season and it's so easy to make.

To make the crust:

• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 sticks of softened butter

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all of the ingredients until it forms a ball and press it with your fingers into a tart pan (the one with the removable bottom) trying to keep it even.  Bake it for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and put it aside to cool

To make the filling:

• 1 8 oz. package of softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat all the ingredients together and spread on the cooled crust.

Topping

• fresh fruit, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, strawberries
• apricot jam

Slice the fruit and arrange on the top of the tart.  I like thinly sliced kiwi for color but you can use whatever fruit you like.  To make a glaze to top the fruit, I take a tablespoon of jam and warm it in the microwave to loosen it up.  Add a bit of water to thin it down and strain any seeds.  Apply it to the top of the tart.  Chill and serve.