My favorite things

I'm joining the  favorite things party today at 320 Sycamore.  And these are a few of mine.   Not big and extravagant, just simple, like me.

First up is my number one music man and best Christmas album!  What's not to love about this guy?

I just got this lip gloss and I lOVE it!  Ulta Minerals nourishing lip color.  It goes on so smooth and doesn't dry out my lips like so many I've tried.

Nutella.  Need I say more??

My skin gets sooooo dry in the winter.  I love this lotion from St. Ives because it's creamy but not greasy.  It smells great and leaves my skin so soft.  I put it on every day after my shower.

 I know it's been done and overdone, but I love dropcloths!  They're so versatile. And cheap. I've used them for curtains, pillows, tree skirts, table runners, you name it.

And one of my favorite Christmas Movies is The Bishop's Wife.  I HAVE to watch it every year on or around my birthday which is six days before Christmas.

Hope you enjoyed some of my favorite things.  There are alot more, but these are a good start.

My Christmas House

I took a little break there for a while.  I've had my house decorated since a couple of days after Thanksgiving, but between traveling and appointments (why are all our dentist appointments in December?) and Christmas shopping, I've neglected my blog.  So here are my Christmas decorations this year.
Come in and enjoy the tour

Let's go into the family room.  Movie watching, wii playing, cozy fire.  Here's my mantle.  I made the Believe sign this year and used what I already had.

 I love these gold glittery reindeer candletick holders.

Emily made these music page flowers this year.  So pretty.

This is my $10 thrift store tree.  I love real trees but it just didn't happen this year, so I found this little cutie and flocked it with paint and glitter.

It's very sparkly.

a fresh wreath still gives us the christmas tree smell

 basket collection on the armoire

Come in to the living room. 

A wintery scene, candlesticks, glittery pinecones, gold balls.

pottery barn banner from mom with vintage tags

my book page wreath on an old window gets some christmas joy

 a little pop of color in the room

My favorite nativity

Let's go into the kitchen where santa is everywhere

cute trio of santas

Now I think it's time to curl up on the couch with this little guy.

Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by!

A thrifty sweater

I found a sweater at Savers the other day on their 50% off day marked $2.99.  So that made it about $1.50.  I washed it first and then I cut the arms off and cut the neck so it was straight.  Then I put one of my pillows that came with my sofas inside.  I didn't sew.  I glued.  Yes, my glue gun again to the rescue.  It's now a soft and warm and cozy pillow. 

And with the arms I made some sweater roses to dress up some plain pillows.

Not bad for $1.50.  Do you have an old sweater in the back of your closet?  Give it a new purpose.

A perfectly good fan

Do you have a ceiling fan (or several) that work great but are hard on the eyes?  I do.  There is absolutely nothing in the world wrong with them.  They do their job perfectly and I'm sure in 1995 they looked beautiful!  But not anymore.  Replacing them all just for looks isn't practical.  So I have begun operation ceiling fan redos.  Here is the first of many:

Brass.  Oak.  Tulip floral shades.   No thank you.
This one is in my family room and is on a vaulted ceiling.  Good thing I don't mind climbing the ladder.  I began by taking everything off except the motor and taped the ceiling up the best I could.
I painted all the blades and little pieces outside with oil rubbed bronze.

I started out spray painting the motor a brushed nickle, but my paint can clogged.  Dang paint can.  So through a little trial and error by switching to copper paint which was a total fail, I just painted the whole thing oil rubbed bronze.

The picture shows up a lot darker than it really is.    I bought new shades.    All four for $16.  I already had the paint, but it's about $7.  So a brand new ceiling fan for a little over $20.

I have worked out all the kinks in my system so the next ones I do won't take nearly as long.
Go forth and redo!

The thing about poultry pals is.....

They think they can do whatever they want.

Crazy chickens!

Death by Disco

Allow me to introduce you to Teresa Maria Garcia

She's a latina disco dancer who also studies law.

She has an A.T.T.I.T.U.D.E.
She's trying to help solve the murder of her dance partner.

Her eyelashes are an inch long and she does the hustle like nobody's business.
She looks a little like Amy Winehouse.

But underneath it all, she's my third born.   And she was born to act!

Death By Disco
Cactus H.S.
Wed, Thurs, Sat.
7:30 pm.
Groovy!