Our Christmas Living Room

This year, I banished all my reds {even in my holiday decor}. I guess I wanted to make my couch feel 'welcome' {if that's a proper saying}. For my color theme, I chose golds, bronzes and a tidge of green. I did try some white, and wasn't too thrilled with how it looked, so that all went out. 

I already posted about my mantle, with more detailed photos. In regards to the 'Parisian' twist to our mantle decor, my girls and I {thanks to me, I know} are on a huge Eiffel Tower kick. I am pretty sure it's legit, because we've been obsessed for well over a year now, and even my little one spots it out when ever {and where ever} she sees one. We were pretty excited to find the little eiffel tower statue that's sitting on the mantle {about 2 months ago} from Ross for 6.99!!

Since 're decorating' isn't a priority in our budget this year, I was proud to say I didn't spend a dime to decorate this room this year! Everything you see was pulled out of tubs, boxes, closets, off shelves, 'borrowed from another spot in the house'. 

I am in the process of 'creating' something for the dining room, I was stumped on what to do in there {with the black and white curtains} and I was super excited to find this for inspiration!!

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We'll see how it pulls off! 

Linking up to {Links will work when they become available}:

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage

Flaunt it Friday @ Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Our Christmas Mantle

I'm so in love with my mantle! {Have I mentioned that yet?} I decided to 'house shop' for all my decor in the living room this season. I'm happy with the results.

This is what the mantle was for fall:

Now this is what it is for winter:

Details:

I'm really loving the last minute decision to shove peacock feathers and the Paris themed letters and the tower in!! 

I was attempting to tie in my couch..with the decor. I LOVE how it turned out! 

Since we are on the subject of mantles, if you look at my photos with the 'lit' fire in my fireplace, it's not wood at all! I LOVE the ambience that a lit fire gives, but I have suffered from severe allergic reactions to wood smoke {from asthma} since I was a little kid. So, I thought..I'd shove all my half/barely used pillar and jar candles in there. You can't tell there is a rainbow assortment of colors, it's hid behind the fireplace screen. It's not the exact same effect, but pretty close! I think I've got about 15 or so different candles lit! It does make it pretty cozy, and saves me a lot of problems!! Just wish I'd thought about it sooner!

How is your decorating coming along??? 

I'm really excited to change out the seasonal decor, and ready for some snow...just to make it all perfect ;)

Will be back in a couple of days with more living room shots. I'm just stuck on my dining room!! The living room came easy...but the dining room is hard for me this year. The rooms are divided by a large archway, and they have their own personalities, yet the decor needs to flow...so we'll see what I can dig up!!! Might include some painting {Oh Lordy!!}

Have fun decorating!!

Linking up to:

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style

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Canvas, Burlap & Ruffles!!

I have been trying to stay busy while being home...I rearranged my basement where now my sewing machine, hot glue gun and all my supplies are easily accessed!

I recently saw a tutorial on Miss Mustard Seed's blog {if you've never checked it out...you should!!} for making a ruffled tree skirt. Well, I decided to 'tweak' it and make my own version! I made a table runner instead. Currently it's adorning the piano...so who know's where it will end up next! It's an awesome concept, because the possibilities are endless, and if you're like me and have had buckets {literally!} of scrap material laying around...then this will cost you nothing but time!

I apparently had a ton of canvas drop cloths and burlap laying around, which is completely cool, because, I've made 4 giant {didn't mean for them to turn out so big} stockings, the really big table runner {measuring in at about 9 feet}, and 4 personalized 'mats' for my dining room chairs {more on that in a sec}.

{The stockings: from left to right- Union Jack Stocking [Josh's], Rosette's Stocking [Mine], Hearts with Ruffles [Maci's], Ruffles [Makenzie] }

{The 'mats' for the chairs- daddy, mommy, maci & kenzie. Just canvas, a tad of sewing {hemming} and a black sharpie marker. Since obviously these slipcovers are nearly white, and not so easy to put 'back on' after bleaching and washing, I was getting tired of seeing ugly towels for us to sit on, so why not make a 'matching' mat instead? To make it more fun, I thought the girls would enjoy taking their 'mats' to pick a chair to sit in!...Yes they love it, and it makes them more careful of spilling food on 'their name'!!!}

{Here is my giant table runner! It was soooo easy to make, I might make a couple more soon in different colors, and sizes!! All of this was hot glue...no sew! It took me from gathering supplies...um actually scissors and plugging the hot glue gun, to finish about 45 min. So if you love it, seriously check out that tutorial!! **HINT: I found 'heavy duty' strength hot glue sticks that I used for this project... the package read it was meant for even bonding wood, metal etc. They were fabulous!! I won't use another 'type' of glue sticks again! I can't even pull the material apart...it's super strong!}

There's a sampling of what's been going on around here! I did take a bunch of shots of my living room & mantle decor. The living room is done, just have to post it. The best thing about it? It didn't cost me anything!!!! Everything was house-shopped, and leftovers...just recycled!! Hopefully tomorrow, depending on how fast my internet decides to load the pictures!!

What about you guys? Who else was glad {happy!} to throw away the pumpkins-or mulch them, pack away the fall decor and get onto decorating for the next season and holiday??!!? 

Have a wonderful rest of your day!! 

~*Jessica

Linking up to:
Made with Love Monday @ Sew Chatty
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Weekend Warrior Link Party @ Ask Anna
Showoff Your Cottage Monday @ The house in the roses
SNS {Rustic Natural Burlap Christmas Decor} @ Funky Junk Interiors

Thankfulness

I'm sure all of us can find something to be thankful for.

I try to be thankful all year long, but this set aside time of year, most of us tend to be more reflective.

The Psalmist wrote:

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

It must've been so powerful that the very next verse was:

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Yet it still was repeated again:

O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Yes, and again:

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

There is so many wonderful passages of scripture from the Bible that are dedicated to being thankful.
I hope I can be thankful for my blessings throughout the year, but especially this time of year, I have so much to be thankful for!

Here are some highlights:

I am thankful for Jesus. He has been my dearest and best friend.
I am thankful for my family. For life, health and strength.
I am thankful for my daughter, she has taught me so much {even though under some circumstances, I still am learning!!}
I am thankful for my friends and church family. What an awesome support group.
I am thankful for my heritage.
I am thankful for the ability to love and reach out to others.
I am extremely thankful for the support we've received from unknown/unnamed sources {if that makes sense!}
.... and I would never thought I would say this 5 months ago, but I am thankful to be chosen to endure this journey. What a testimony!

Today was clinic. Maci received her second dose of doxorubicin, and her normal dose of vincristine. She gets a break until next Wednesday morning from steroids.

She sure has been craving a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches! Resulting in her gaining 2.5 lbs in one week!!

Next week will be the same as today's schedule, along with following the next Monday, Dec 5th, her MRI.

I also want to thank all of you for continuing to read this blog!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!!!

~*Jessica

Few {minor} Changes & Goodbye Fall!

I don't know why I am writing a 'goodbye' fall post...maybe it's because I never really posted anything about it {except to show you the mantle}, so I lit a 'fire', turned on the lamps, fluffed a few pillows, tweaked a little, so here you go!

I am super excited to decorate for winter next week. I try to wait until after Thanksgiving has passed before I put out Christmas & Winter themed decor. I've found a lot of ideas, and I'm excited to put stuff out!

This joined the living room a couple of days ago. My mom brought it over for the girls to play with. It normally would go downstairs, but since it's a basement, it's fine here for a while. If you would like updates on Maci, please feel free to follow along on her blog.

Excited!!!

I've been cooped up too long!! We've been here the last five days. I'm excited {much to my husband's chagrin} to get home and do some tweaking!! I've got a couple more things yet to do in the living room, then it will be done, until winter decorating :), got one {yes...one} more thing to do in the dining room. A couple tweaks in the bathroom, my room, and the girls room {exciting 'new' room arrangement idea...hopefully it will work out}.

I've been staying busy with other activities, tried to take it easy while Maci was in the 'easy' stage of treatment. This next 'intense' stage will start on November 17th. We will be stuck at home for two months, no going out in public {especially this time of year}. We have a lot of fun planned!!

Here is a little eye candy, {well I enjoyed it!} and hopefully can incorporate this kinds of things into the decor soon!!

Happy weekend!!