Lessons Learned

So after ambitiously trying to post an idea for Christmas everyday, I have learned my lesson. Sorry for not being able to keep up with all the ideas floating around in my head. What I should have done was shown you all the crafts and DIY projects I was working on that kept me so busy this holiday season.

Well, all I can say is lesson learned. A few other lessons I learned this season:

Don't leave all the wrapping for Christmas night. You will end up way more stressed out and not being able to enjoy the fun.

Don't leave all the shopping for last minute. Do it all early. And by early I am shooting for October. There will always be last minute things to deal with and that's ok. But take care of what you can before you have to leaves more time to deal with the other things.

Send invitations for special dinners. When you have a family like ours, you need to put it in writing so they know the importance of being on time!

These are just a few of the hard lessons I learned this holiday season. The final lesson I'm learning now is to just relax- after getting a stomach virus on Christmas day. We will be spending the New Years home, which will be just as special as anything else we could have done. Here's to hoping I've learned my lesson and will not over do it for New Years too!

Entertaining in Small Spaces (Tip 1): Think Vertical

When you have a small home, floor space is hard to come by and shouldn't be overly cluttered with holiday decor. Keep your floor space open, and your home will feel bigger and easier to move around. But just because you're keeping the floor space clean doesn't mean that your home can't have some holiday cheer! One easy idea and an instant way to inject style is to choose one wall as the focal point and focus your holiday decor there. Choosing a color theme or keeping the items in the same style is a good way to keep everything on the wall looking as though they belong together without having to be too matchy matchy.

In my home, our color theme for this holiday is ice blue and purple with touches of silver and white. Because we are so tight on space this year, I am pulling some of my white ornaments, shelf items, and white cardstock for Christmas silhouettes and throwing them on our main wall with our flat screen television. Not only does that wall add instant holiday, but it makes our TV look so much more appealing!

Another space saving way to dress up your home: string rows of lights up and down one wall. I love white Christmas lights all year round. I used them one Thanksgiving hung all around the ceiling, and it was the perfect glow for our holiday dinner. Having a party? String them with some slack across the ceiling to set the scene!

Advent Calendar (A little late!)

So after being sick for a week, I was finally able to catch up and finish the projects that I had planned, including the DIY advent calendar for our home this year. Six days into the holiday season is better than I've done before, so I'm not complaining.

Below is our simple, quick and easy advent calendar. Total time was about 1 hour and only required paper, glue, and tape. I really do like the larger size compared to the smaller one you can buy at the grocery store, and I think younger kids can appreacite it too. Adding a bow for each passing day is great way for my daughter to see how many days have already passed and how many more days are left. I hate to admit it, but it really is the candy that gets their attention. But at two years old, she gets that we are counting to Christmas and that everyday she gets to eat candy - so she's happy!

• Cut out the number boxes from cardstock paper.
• Arrange the boxes is a pattern or shape that you like. I liked a Christmas tree shape, but you can do anything.
• Write the numbers on the boxes AFTER you arrange them. I used a caligraphy pen because I was looking for an excuse to, but you can use anything. If you have the time, you can even cut out the numbers from scrapbooking paper or even fabrics.
• Take a picture of your arrangement. Trust me on this one, you'll need it when you go to assemble it on the wall.
• Cut out the decorative paper for behind the number box. I used my favorite wrapping paper that looked like candy canes. I cut the boxes at different angle to give the calendar a little more visual interest.
• Glue the number box and the backing together. Using spray adhesive is a good idea, especially if you plan to put this away and use again next year.
• Arrange on the wall! Once you've tried to remember how it looked, you can go back to that picture you took and breeze through this part. Doublesided tape makes it easier, but you can use any king of  tape you have on hand.
• Adding the candies. You can stick a small piece of candy in between the paper layers.

Get your kids involved if they are old enough. My daughter is almost three, and she loves helping out, especially when it involves candy. Enjoy!

Welcome to the 25 Days of Christmas!

There are few things more exciting than the build up to Christmas day. Watching the Tree lighting last night with my girls made me feel all tingly with anticipation for all the fun things we've already planned for this holiday season. Seeing my kids, especially my almost three year old daughter, makes me excited in a way I haven't been since I was the little girl waiting for Santa. So this year, to go along with my internal excitement, I've decided to post one special idea - a craft, recipie, table setting, something that will make you just as excited about Christmas as I am.

So what's first? What's better for the first day of December than a DIY Advent calendar idea. My oldest daughter has a milk allergy, so even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to buy a regular chocolate filled advent calendar you'll find in any grocery store right now. Tonight, I will be making my own Advent calendar for her. Using basic cardstock paper and some scrapbooking paper I have, I will cut and assemble each numbered door on her much larger bedroom door. Behind each door, she'll find one of her favorite (and allergy free!) candies.

This will be my biggest Advent calendar yet - so wish me luck! And check back tomorrow for pictures of the finished project!

Ok, who's hosting Thanksgiving?

If I could, I would host every single holiday meal at my house. Sounds crazy, right? Add a complete basment overhaul to the normal holiday festivities and I'm certifiable. Normally, it's a dash to see who can claim the holiday hosting privelges first. This year is definitely shaping up to be different. With everyone in some sort of home project, the prized holiday ball keeps getting passed around. But we have the kids, and with kids comes the responsibilty (or a really good excuse for me) to catch the holiday ball. My husband will probably kill me when he finds out. He's the realist and I'm the dreamer. So before I break the news that we will be hosting what may be our biggest Thanksgiving yet with half the space, I'm doing what I do best, and planning it all out.

Breakout the iPad floorplan applications, every single space saving tip I've ever read, thirfty double duty furniture, and some new ideas I've had floating around in my head since September.  I'm on a mission to prove that hosting Thanksgiving in a small space is possible.

Did I mention that my oven hasn't worked in over a month? I guess the first thing I should do is call the plumber.

'Tis the season - already?

I have to admit it was more than a couple of weeks ago when I first walked into my local Home Depot to return a tool when I was met with the giant Santas and snowmen. Yes, they had already started to display their Christmas trees, ornaments, and stockings in a small part of their store. I shared a glance with another mother as we both rolled our eyes and said, "can you believe it? Already?" It was the same response that came from a Home Depot employee who complained about these decorations being up for almost six months out of the year. As I met these people, I shared my own disbelief of how quickly the holidays were approaching and how every year it seems to come earlier and earlier. It probably would have surprised every one of those people that I talked to that I am a closet holiday enthusiast. Yes, I admit it! I love the holidays. More and more it seems like loving the holidays is something to hide from fellow parents and friends. But I can't wait for the stores to start stocking their holiday items. It makes me feel like it's ok to start making my shopping lists, plan holiday parties, search for new holiday recipes, and of course, decorating. Maybe I've always been in love with the holidays. Maybe it's my daughters, the oldest now almost three and now very aware of the holidays and santa. Maybe it's the northern weather. Whatever it is, something special kicks in before Halloween and stays with me for the next couple of months.

This year may be a little more special to me. This is the first year for me and my sister with our new company, and while still in baby stage itself, the amount of ideas running through my head make it hard to sleep! So for now I will try and use the rainy fall days of the north east to channel those ideas into some hopefully entertaining ideas for you and yours to try. Here's to falling in love with the holidays!