It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas!

I have been itching to post some of my Christmas photos but I wanted to wait until at least after Thanksgiving~~Which we had a wonderful one and I hope that all if you did as well! So much to be thankful for.....

I am joining up with the extremely kind and talented Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday as well as The DIY Showoff! I am sure everyone's homes are undergoing a metamorphosis at this time of year!! I thought I would share some photos of the exterior of my home, beginning with the bench in my front flower bed....

Some greenery, ribbon, berries, a star and an angel, which was my mothers...I miss her...

The white sprinkling on the ground? It is NOT snow! That would be the remnants of my styrofoam pumpkin that the dogs across the street chewed up...yeah, a little ambiance if you will...

The front porch and allllll the presents!

The chair filled with greenery and ribbon and more presents....

I moved my birdbath to the front porch and did an arrangement in it, and of course my rabbit bedecked for the Season with her red glittery bow.....

Threw in a few big ornaments....

I have some photos of the inside that I will post later this week. A quick tip in case you didn't know, cos' I didn't until last year, but the places that sell Christmas trees most of the time will give you the greenery that they cut off of the trees they sell. Ours is the Lions Club and they have a HUGE pile of evergreens and they smell soooo good! I had Steve go by and just fill up the back of his truck for me on Saturday! When I use it outside it holds up for the whole Christmas Season because it is cooler, and just "keeps". I used it indoors too and the aroma is awesome! Sometimes, though, I have to freshen it up before the end of December.

Thank you SO MUCH for visiting me and please be sure and visit everyone else for Met Monday and DIY Showoff!

Lou Cinda :)

A Gift and a Tease...

I was fortunate to win a wonderful give away from Jane at Finding Fabulous! This fantastic throw that I absolutely ADORE! And not only me....no, no, no! I have to fight Bella for this throw! Everyday I come home and there she is.....snuggled all up in MY throw....sound asleep! See that big black tail on the back of my chair there? Simon....yeah....he squishes my cushion on the back of the chair there....drives me NUTS! I fluff it up....he squishes it down.....

Seriously....I have too many cats.....Seriously...however, I LOVE my quilt!! Thank you so much JANE!! Check out her blog and Frugalicious Friday! Great stuff!

Now a little tease about some of the stuff I have been up to this past week.....

But just a peek!!! More to come....

Have a Great Day :)

AWARDS!!

I have been totally humbled by receiving three award from three awesome bloggers! I still find it such a thrill and somewhat of a shock when I actually receive an award from a fellow blogger, and when I see that I have a new follower, well, I am just amazed. I still can't believe that I do or say anything that anyone would be remotely interested it! But sooooo glad you are!

Robin of Alabama Slacker Mama and Jane at Finding Fabulous both nominated me for the Honest Scrap Award. These two blogs are two of my favorites!! Robin makes me laugh...ALOT and Jane never ceases to amaze me with her talent for creating! She has such vision... Please check these two blogs out!

Next, a new blogging friend, Lisa at Recaptured Charm nominated me for the Kreative Blogger award. I discovered Lisa and her wonderful blog and just love it!!!

I am supposed to name 7 and 10 things about me that you don't know....I will "combine" here for the sake of not boring you to death!!

1. I am looking at the big 5-0 in February! I am in denial, big time! Seriously.....not happy about it.....seriously...

2. Every time I hear a siren, I call both of my boys to make sure they are okay.

3. I love cats! (You may have already known that)

4. I am extremely thankful for my husband and my boys.

5. I cannot stand it when "people" leave cabinet doors open!! And I probably shut the pantry door, 20 times a day!

6. I love Christmas, though it is tougher for me since my parents are no longer with me.

7. I am a chronic early bird! Can't stand to be late!

8. I am A FREAK for glitter! I am drawn to things with glitter like a moth to a flame, can't help myself. Seth says if it stands still long enough, I will glitter it! I will throw some glitter on you! I ain't even lyin'

9. I absolutely HATE to mop! I will vacuum all day long, but avoid the mop at all costs.

10. I love blogging and all of the wonderful friends I have made from all over the place!

Now I have to pass these awards along.....

Jane at Mamie Janes is so talented it blows my mind! She made these adorable snowmen out of salt and pepper shakers! They are so stinkin' adorable!! I want to be like her when I grow up!

Miss Mustard Seed just has an awesome blog. The things she can do......unreal gifts this girl has!

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life is just the sweetest! She has been a huge source of encouragement to me and always leaves the kindest comments! She has exquisite taste and has great cloche parties!

And finally, Jane at Blondies Journal whom I just adore! She is also a woman with vision and talent and such a sweet heart and spirit.

Please check out these talented women!!

And I would also like to ask you to pray for Ashley at I'm Just Too Jazzed To Sleep who is at M.D. Anderson Hospital right now for stem cell treatment. Ashley has ovarian cancer and is starting a very aggressive treatment. She is a Godly and wonderful Christian woman whom I both admire and aspire to be more like. Please keep her in your heart and prayers....

And truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for these awards and for taking the time to stop by my little blog! It means so much to me....

Coffee Tablescape~ Take Two

Okay, I am giving this another go. I am a woman on a mission ~ a mission to get the flippin coffee table done! So....here we go again! I took all of your advice, and thank you so much for your opinions and suggestions!! I read them ALL!

So...I got some fabric and made a quickie runner to break up all of the cream. Lifted the rabbit up on some books, got a platter and worked in threes...

Pears in a pretty bowl, rabbits under a cloche and a pumpkin on a flower frog. Pumpkin on a flower frog? Yes....work with me here....

Candlestick, books/rabbit, bowl of cherries....I'm working the red people....

I do love this platter. I already had it. In fact I had everything except the fabric for the runner...

So.....what do ya' think? Better? I like it better...am I done? Lord no!! I will be tweaking this from now on, but I like it much better than the way it was.

Just in time for Christmas....when I have to change it again.....Lord help me.....

MET MONDAY

I am once again joining in the party given by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch! I have been doing some painting and tweaking and generally movin' stuff around somewhat! I have been Metamorphing....if you will...

I put a burlap runner on the table for some texture and to help things stand out a bit more...



tiny balls of twine...




a teeny tiny nest.....I got this nest from Barb at Treasures from the Heart. It is so tiny and intricate....she makes them by hand....I SO love this...

I painted my coffee table cream and wiped it down with a glaze to age it a little. I like it, but I have had yet another thought, which is a dangerous thing in and of itself. I am pondering painting the top a burgundy red, which will work better with my colors in this room, I think, and glaze it, leave the rest cream...

And while I am at it, may I point out that although I can do many things....paint, hang pictures, coordinate colors....one thing I cannot do....is accessorize my flippin coffee table! People I cannot do it! I am going to have to hire someone to come over and just do that for me!! I am serious!! Drives me NUTS!

What do you think? Does it stick out like a sore thumb now? Red or cream?

This was my buffet in my dining room before. I have moved things around on there, added a few things, added a runner...

I think moving my soup tureen to the other side looks so much better! I don't know why I had it sitting right in front of the white platter when it blended in and looked like a big blob. Go figure....

I love the orange in front of the platter...

These are some tiny little balls of string that I found in an antique shop and for some reason....LOVED. The precious shop owner sold them all to me for a few dollars. I bought the little bowl and runner at my favorite consignment shop, Esthers, for a dollar a piece.

I really love the way it looks now...changed my candles too....

This is the dining room AFTER the Rosemary Sprig paint job. See that big blank spot to the right of the door? Bugs me.....

Thank Goodness for Twice as Nice because I found this vinyl in their Etsy Store and LOVE IT!

She wrote me a note and told me to "take my time" putting this on the wall, or as Steve said "installing" it. Which we did, and it came off without a hitch! LOVE IT!!

I think it is FAB! Jamie came in today and I asked her if she liked it and she said "Well, it is different." WHAT! Define "different".... What does she know anyway?

I LOVE it!! And so did Steve! I'm just sayin'

And last but not least the "morphing" of Bella....She is getting so big....I think she is adjusting to her life here.....

Yep! She's adjusting JUST fine.....

Be sure and check out the other participants!! Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate it more than you know :)

Thank you Susan!