Christmas Tour 2011

Happy Christmas Eve eve. I don't know about you, but after Thanksgiving everything until mid January seems to be a blur for me most years. With buying gifts, going to and hosting parties, charity functions, cooking,  putting up and taking down decorations, and who knows what else. Speaking of decorations, the house is dressed up all purdy (Texan for pretty) and I finally got a chance to take some pictures of the outside yesterday while there was a break in the clouds. I moved the rocking chairs that are usually on the back porch to the front. Took an old sewing machine base that has a wooden top and some decorations to fill in the voids. I wish it would have snowed before I took the pictures, everything looks so much better white rather than BROWN.

The living room is looking a bit wintery. No fire yet, not cold enough. I made the tree topper look like a crown. Can you spy the kissing ball? My husband bought it for me the other night at Target. Aw, I love that man.

Need to wrap more presents. lol

I actually drilled a hole into the middle of the deer skull between the antlers and let me tell you it smelled as gross and it sounds. But, I wanted to nail them to the front of the mantel.

The entry table is spruced up with a berry wreath and a Santa that my mom bought years ago and my dad gave it to me this year. What a nice Christmas present.

I put a snowman ornament, a pine cone, and some greenery from my yard in a vase, he looks so cute in there, don't you think?

and lastly a little something for the coffee table.

The kitchen feels warm and cozy. You saw my table Wednesday, but I wanted to show the rest of the kitchen today.

Next year the cabinets will be painted. I first thought black but, now that I've lived with it for a few weeks I'm not so sure.  I look at the pictures and think maybe it's too dark. Maybe an off white with glaze. What do you think? I would really like to know.

The bar post is temporary, my new one came today (sorry no pictures yet). I'm going to wait to have it installed until after the new year.

Santa and his reindeer above the microwave. 

I set my lamp on a cut peace of a cedar tree trunk and my little birds found a home for the winter.

A birdcage holds some of my extra holiday dishes.

Before I go I just had to show you this fleur-de-lis picture frame I got at Hobby Lobby the other day to put my daughters graduation pictures in. 

My wish for you all is to have a Very Blessed and Merry Christmas

Theresa

Linking Up To:

Savvy Southern Style

Handy Man, Crafty Woman

Ivy & Elephants

Ready for Christmas Breakfast

I hope your MORE ready for Christmas than I am. Wow, I have no excuse for not being ready, except that I go and look but just don't know what to buy for everyone.  But, I think tomorrow I should be able to wrap up all the shopping that I need to get done, I guess I kinda have to.

So, I thought I would set up our Christmas breakfast table today while I was procrastinating thinking of what I might possibly get for the last remaining love ones. Speaking of love, I love getting up on Christmas morning and having a nice breakfast like my mom used to fix with eggs, white gravy, coco gravy, bacon, sausage, homemade biscuits, and coffee.

I've decorated with pears and apples this year in the kitchen and dining room.

Last year I found these coffee cups and bowls at Home Goods and I've paired them with dinner plates and dessert plates that I got at Krogers.

I set out some of the Fritz & Floyd salt and pepper shakers that I collect.

I brought in my birdcage from the back porch that I bought at First Monday last March, washed it and put my extra plates and cups in it.

I even set a couple of place settings on the bar so I can sit and have lunch tomorrow and not have to mess up the table.

I've had family in visiting, a party with about 50 people this past weekend and now I have until Friday to get my house back in order before some more family comes in and then family Christmas on Sunday afternoon. We've cleared out the garage and I've actually decorated it with Christmas decorations, a tree and  three tables.

I hope every one has a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Theresa

Linking up to:

Between Naps on the Porch

The Shabby Creek Cottage

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Ivy & Elephants

Kitchen Remodel Part 1

 A lot has been going on at our home and just before Thanksgiving we started a kitchen upgrade.

My parents built this home when I was in my teens and we purchased it from them a little over 5 years ago. I remember watching my dad drive the 9" nails through the logs with a sledge hammer and my mom and I hanging wallpaper. We had the floors redone a few years ago and it's taken some time to figure out what we wanted to do with the rest of the kitchen exactly.  Then one day I had that ah ha moment. I milled over (I know) hundreds of photos so I could show our general contractor what I wanted.

This is what it looked like just before they took the 21" bar out

This is what it looks like now with the new 24" cabinet where the old bar was and a 21" bar top

I hope to get the backsplash up and a bar post installed before my side of the family comes for Christmas on the 17th and my husbands on the 25th.

Oh, and we had a exhaust fan installed also. But, I'm so happy with what we've gotten done so far that I just had to share it with you guys. 

After Christmas I'll paint the rest of the bottom cabinets black and get new hardware. What do you think, should I paint the upper ones also or leave them as is or paint them another color (if so what color)? The backsplash will be tumbled travertine with bronze accent tiles.

I'm excited to see what you think :)

Blessings,
Theresa

Linking To:
A Bowl Full of Lemons
The Blackberry Vine
House of Grace
Type A
Savvy Southern Style
The Shady Porch
Handy Man, Crafty Woman