And We're Off!

 With all of the fun activities as well as the actual holiday approaching so quickly, I think we need to start our Christmas tour. It's a bit gloomy outside today so we'll skip the porch for now and start in the living room...which is a good thing because it is still the only room I've had time to photograph. Lol

I was going to try this Santa sign on the mantle in the family room this year but I just couldn't get it how I liked it-those darn white lights are still throwing me off in there-so it is back where it was last year and maybe I'll have time to figure it out next year. I guess he works here because he is right inside the front door so he announces what is to come everywhere else in the house.

As I look at this vignette, I realize how much I wish that I could throw on everything that lights up for you but, as I have said, I'm trying hard to get everything I can on timered lights and, if I threw them all on now, I would have a heck of a time getting them all back in sync when it turns dark. Suffice it to say that everything looks beautiful when all of the lights are twinkling at night.

Just a few of my favorite Christmas photos are in here while the rest are scattered throughout the rest of the house. And, just like Halloween, there are a lot! With three children and seven grandchildren, Santa pictures abound and I will place them anywhere there is an empty spot!

This area always distracts me for a few minutes because it holds so many memories. I made that wreath many, many years ago with so many of my favorite ornaments-some from my childhood tree, some from my own children's first Christmases and others made by me or gifted to me commemorating a special occasion. As I look at it I am transported back to so many wonderful times. And then below the wreath is a piece that my mother-in-law got for me on a trip she took back to her native Norway soon after my husband and I were married. She had the same one in their home for years and I must have mentioned it once to her and she remembered and gifted this one to me. And, the Santa on the right was given to me by the mother of a very dear friend because she knew how much I loved Santas. They're both gone now but what a beautiful trip I take down "Memory Lane" every year when these things come out.

I cross stitched that Santa before getting the statue but I am always in awe of how similar they are.

And now we move to the portion of the blog that shows you why I never seem to be able to stay on course and get things done and off of my to-do list. Here is how I started this space...and I loved it...I thought...until seeing these pictures. I loved the way the new picture of the book stack looked in the middle cubby-at least I liked it in person. But when I saw it here, I felt like it may be too large and I didn't like the "dead" space where the small gold frame was. Let's carefully check the "befores".

With everything else I have going, my plan really was to live with it for a bit and see. Of course....check out the "afters". Lol

Ahhh. So much better-I think. Lol I just like the larger picture on the chest filling up a bit more of that space.

And isn't that live poinsettia so pretty. In this picture it actually looks like to is made out of paper. I picked it up in Target yesterday for only $8 and it is so much prettier than the others that I bought and have outside...and paid twice as much for!

These are actually the only "plug-in" lights left in this room and if I get back to HL one more time, that might change too-although I do like the wispiness of this garland here.

So that is the living room for this year unless I tweak it a bit more. I did run a few places yesterday to pick up some fill-ins and I was able to find them but I was amazed out how many empty shelves there were in both HL and Target-at least of the things I have bought this year and for once I was happy that I was actually early in my purchases or I would not have been able to find them.

I'm off to the sunroom. I started my "heavy duty" cleaning today-mostly to get ready for the luncheon I am hosting in a week. Since I don't think there will be any puppers here between now and Christmas, the plan is for things that get cleaned this early to stay clean until then-fingers crossed. At least there won't be dog hair rolling along like tumbleweeds. Lol

I will be back soon in between the next round of cleaning chores. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned.