We all bundle up, as you can see!
This year we wandered into a little shop and discovered Peregrin Road, a local acoustic band. They were just sitting there, live, playing music from their Christmas CD, which I bought on the spot! It's a beautiful mix of guitar, Irish whistle (my favorite) and other things this non-musical person cannot identify.
As you can see, my accommodating husband changed out the legs for me. (The above photo is after the legs had already been replaced. And just in case you are curious, we bought the legs at Home Depot!)
I started by painting the table an antique white (Behr's "Country Dairy" in an eggshell finish). It took about four coats because I was impatient and neglected a primer coat. (Nothing new there!) Then I sanded the edges a bit and added a little knob. I love how it turned out!
I also love that I don't have to worry about Henry eating pine needles all month. Happy Holidays to all! :)
...now looks like this:
We decided to convert our upstairs loft into a bedroom. It's been a fairly straightforward project-just adding a half-wall, door and closet-but really? Is there anything good about having a garbage can in your hallway?
So that's why I've been absent lately. We're in a bad place around here. Construction dust. My son finding pieces of stray drywall to put in his mouth. My daughter's footed PJs looking like she's been trudging through the gutters in them. The dog? Oh, the dog! His fuzzy hair is like a magnet for debris. 
I made it when I was 8 months pregnant last year, and I still love it! Each box opens up and allows me to hide a little treat for my kids for each day leading up to Christmas. Nina can hardly wait to dive in tomorrow. Henry doesn't care so much, but he will next year, I am sure!
I have a detailed tutorial from last year on how I made this, so if you feel like getting all messy and taking on another project this Christmas season, click here for instructions! Happy Mod Podging!
Just get a glue stick, scrapbook paper, little tags with holes in them, and a cute paper punch-out leaf or other Thanksgiving-y shape. 
Glue the cute little Thanksgiving shape to the tag. Be sure to leave some room for people to write. 
Put all the tags somewhere your guests can get to them, and lay out a nice pen and some twine.
On Thanksgiving, throughout the day, people can come along and write down something they are thankful for, then tie it to the tree! We plan to read ours during dinner. I imagine some of them will be sentimental, some silly, and some just bizarre (if I know my family). Just the way I like it!
As you can see, I've already added one thing I am thankful for. Like it?
Anyway, let's get right to the winner of this giveaway! It's Sarah, of Nesting in Pleasant View! Sarah, and sweet baby Anna Claire, you can thank my husband, who chose comment #3, which was you! Please email me at buzzingsofaqueenbee@hotmail.com and I will give you the details of how to collect your $20 credit to the fantastic Marili Jean!
I fell so in love, in fact, that I did something I've never done before. I asked the owner of Marili Jean, the shop that sells these little numbers for girls and boys, if she would give one away on my blog!
I felt like a bit of a salesperson, and was afraid she would think I was some crazy lady just asking for free stuff, but luckily she gave me a chance! 
I thought it was a cute addition to the Thanksgiving decor around here. I am debating if this guy can hang around all year, or does he have to go into hiding after the fall? I just love the colors in the plaid.
What do you think?
I felt relatively confident to try and make zippered pillowcases because this blue material was probably $4 at a garage sale. Love it! (And I washed it on a steaming hot cycle first, don't worry!) So if I completely messed it up, no harm done.
I think you'll agree that these zippers are not pretty. No one will be asking me to make their wedding dress anytime soon. 
The houndstooth fabric was a little pricier. We bought extra when we got our new chairs covered in the same fabric. It was a little scary to sew it, but at the end of the day, what good does it do me if the fabric just sits in my closet? The zippers are far from perfect, but...
See my new "Little Cowboy" sign? That's a cheap-o pine board from Lowe's. I painted it cream, and then just stuck the letters on. Worked like a charm! 
Afterwards, I used some wood stain (Dark Walnut from Minwax) and also gave it a bit of sanding along the edges. My husband drilled a few holes and added the rope.
They also sent me this sweet little pony. I didn't have another pine board, but I did have an old piece of scrap wood from another project. Gave it the same treatment as above, and I just love it!
Next time you're at the grocery store, pick up these easy three ingredients: oranges (or little clementines work well too), cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves. Peel an orange or two and allow the peels to dry (you'll use the peels only, not the fruit itself). Put all three ingredients in a pot and cover them with water, then simmer on the stove. Sit back and wait for your house to smell amazing.
Or this dinosaur? Love it!
If Nina didn't already have some stationery, I would be all over this preppy little giraffe:
Do you want to see which one I chose? I picked something for Henry, because, you know, he sends lots of mail. How cute is their packaging?
I could not resist this pale blue and chocolate brown combination. And the little train at the bottom? Precious!
OK, now that I've convinced you of the cuteness of Minted, how about a giveaway?
This makes me very afraid for the Christmas card photo. Very afraid.
You know, in case they forget where their rooms are. Or for whenever they learn to read.
Next time you are looking for a unique little gift, give one of these a try! Or who says you can't make one for your own kids? :)
And sometimes we put wreaths on the back of the front door, like this apple version I just made.
But then we get tired of it on the back of the door, so we move it to the dining room hutch. I strung a pretty green ribbon and then just attached it to one of those removable plastic hooks on the top of the hutch.
Then I decided that the mirror in the master bathroom was quite large and boring. Just a little grapevine wreath in the center makes me feel better.
I made another wreath a few months ago and would not rest until I found a place for it in my house. (To see how I made this Pottery Barn knockoff, click here!) Windows that are not being constantly opened and closed, or covered by curtains, are great places for a wreath!
This chalkboard in my family room looked a little lonely all by itself, so adding a wreath on top gave it a bit more dimension, and brought some green into the room too. If I ever feel the need to move it and actually write on the chalkboard, the wreath is just tacked to the top of the frame with an upholstery tack.
See? Lots of room for wreaths around the house...not just the front door! They can be cheap to make, can bring lots of color into a room, and just make a space feel more finished. Now you can be all wreath-obsessed like me!
This year I decided to skip the mums, save the money, and just put pumpkins in the places where plants usually go. So my urns? They are now holding fake grass ($2 at W*lMart) and a cute pumpkin.
My tabletop has a dried gourd that requires no green thumb from me.
And my window boxes have an array of mini-pumpkins and gourds.
This makes me happy because 1) I still get that pop of fall color on my front porch, 2) this stuff can stay on the porch through Thanksgiving, look all cute and autumn-y, but 3) no watering!
She let me choose the date to display on the bracelet, as well as the colors. The date is my wedding anniversary. (I know what you are thinking. I should get one for my husband so that he never forgets. He's just not the bangle bracelet type...what's a girl to do?)
I love wearing it! If you're looking for a unique Christmas gift for a girlfriend, mom or sister, this would be so fun. Or maybe for that forgetful husband, who knows...
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