Thursday, December 17, 2015

Christmas Mantel 2015

 Hi everyone!

In my continued effort to keep my Christmas decor fairly simple this year, I decorated the living room fireplace mantel with our family stockings, a simple garland, a few Christmas ornaments and a pair of candle sticks that are holding grapevine balls and some greens.


Our living room accent wall is not nearly as green as these pictures would make you think! Holy guacamole Batman! Nonetheless, it really makes a pretty backdrop to the holiday decor.


I found the cute little mitten garland at Kirkland's in Branson, Missouri - the Kirkland's of ALL Kirkland's!




I personalized these stockings the year Baby Bluebird was born.  They are making their 25th Christmas appearance this year!




We had to take away two stockings this year, since we had to say goodbye to both our dog and our cat.  However, we happily hung a cute stocking for our new puppy, sweet Palmer!  It has been a challenge decorating for Christmas this year with this eight month old pup under foot.  It is a good thing I wanted to simplify!


One week from today and we will be Christmas-ing away!  I am so excited to have Baby Bluebird home from school for a week or so.  I will be holding tight to every minute, as after Christmas vacation passes, I am unsure when we will be seeing her again.  *Sniff!*  Thankful for FaceTime and Skype!

Hope you are "getting it all done" these next few days, but also are taking a moment to stop and reflect on what it's all about and savoring the time with those you love.

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Mini Holiday Home Tour

Hi everyone!

With Christmas steam engining it's way into sight, I wanted to show you a mini home tour of all things Christmas at the Bluebird house.  I have a few more posts coming up before the 25th with lots more decor.  In the meantime, enjoy the tour!


















Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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Sunday, December 13, 2015

Mr. Bluebird' s Christmas Challenge

Hi everyone!

Christmas preps are moving along here - can you believe the big day is a mere 12 days in the future? I have held pretty true to my vow to do a more simplified Christmas than I have in the past. I am enjoying the uncluttered look! Of course, that's uncluttered for me - I still have a lot of decor by most standards.

I am sharing our master today, including a little project by Mr. Bluebird.  Let's start there...

As you know, we recently replaced Baby Bluebird' s headboard with an upholstered model. This left us with her old (and cheap) headboard - which sat, leaning against the desk in our den.

One day, I came up with the idea of turning it into a mantel for the fireplace in our bedroom. Mr. Bluebird, on the other hand, didn't think it was within his skill set. My response was a sullen, "Well, if you don't think you can...."

You can even see his cloud of doubt!


Of course, my agreeing that he may not have the ability to complete this task was a challenge to his manhood. The next thing I know, out came the tape measure, paper, pencil. To quote Dr. Seuss, "And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before."


And with his faithful dog, Max (aka Palmer!), at his side, the Grinch...er, Mr. Bluebird, got to work and turned an old headboard into a super cute fireplace mantel!



I used Waverly chalk paint in Plaster to wash away the faux oak finish. 



I found the cute sled pillow at TJ Maxx. They have had some fabulous holiday pillows this year and at great prices. Down filled, this was only $16.99! 


Yes, the wing chair used to be burgandy - I painted it with chalk paint awhile back. Watch for a post on that transformation and how to next month. I love it!


I kept the holiday decor to a minimum in the master. Just a few accents and seasonal greens.

I used to be a huge collector of Boyds Bears back in the 90's - they were everywhere! Of course, styles come and go, and my herd of bears is long gone.




I did hang onto these two for some reason, and I think they add a sweet touch on our chest of drawers.



Just a few seasonal touches in the master - just enough to say, "welcome Christmas!"

Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome Christmas Come this way
Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome Christmas, Christmas day
Welcome, welcome fahoo ramus
Welcome, welcome dahoo damus
Christmas day is in our grasp,
So long as we have hands to clasp
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome Christmas bring your cheer
Fahoo fores dahoo dores
Welcome all Whos far and near
Welcome Christmas fahoo ramus
Welcome Christmas dahoo damus
Christmas time will always be,
just so long as we have we
Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome Christmas bring your light
Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome in the cold dark night
Welcome Christmas fahoo ramus
Welcome Christmas dahoo damus
Welcome Christmas while we stand,
Heart to Heart and Hand in Hand
Fahoo Fores Dahoo Dores
Welcome Christmas,
Christmas Day!
-Dr. Seuss

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Monday, December 7, 2015

Every Christmas Needs A Cow

Hi everyone!

Just popping in with a teeny weeny post to show you a very sweet little cow I happened upon not too long ago.  I am sorry for the pictures...a bit blurry, but time is short these days and this fella is just so darned cute that I thought I could get away without editing.  I promise he will appear in some "fancier" pics soon.



He is currently holding court on my kitchen peninsula.  He is an old Breyer cow. Actually, he is a bull, but somewhere along the line - in his life before me - his horns must have met a terrible fate, as they are both missing! 


 That should have been reason not to buy him, but he has such a sweetness about him.  I was willing to take a risk.



Thanks for stopping by and indulging my bovine love!

Jane

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Friday, December 4, 2015

Christmas Kitchen Clips

Hi everyone!

Just stopping in with a few "Christmas kitchen clips" to share with you all today.  My holiday decor has been de-railed this week by a nasty bit of sickness, but I will have much more to blog about soon!















Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Dough Bowl Centerpiece

Hi Everyone!

Last summer, I lucked up and found an amazing Hungarian dough bowl at a flea market.  Not only was it beautiful, but it also came with a great price tag.  I have had lots of fun using it on our kitchen table these past few months, filling it with this and that.  Most recently, it held an assortment of fall pumpkins, gourds and the like.



Of course, the calendar tells us fall is only a happy memory and the holiday season is in full swing!  And so it is, here at the Bluebird household as well.  In keeping with my "simple Christmas" plan for this year, I filled it with pine cones - most from our own yard and a few cinnamon scented bags full from Wal-Mart.  I added in just a touch of Christmas greens to keep it from being too brown.  In the center, I placed a Luminara candle into a lidded glass jar.  I also am using a king size, quilted pillow sham (bought on super clearance from Pottery Barn a few years back) as a runner.






Simple and especially pretty at night when the lights are off in the kitchen.

I hope you all are off to a great start to the week.

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

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