It finally happened. It took giving up for it to finally happen, but it happened. When I finally gave myself permission to not stress out about fall decorating, it was then that my heart reminded me what I really loved most about fall. Halloween. I love witches. And ghosts. And haunted houses. And basically anything…
Holidays and Seasonal
Five Free Fall Mums Watercolor Printables + 15 More Fall Printables
I am so excited about how this little project turned out, ya’ll! It’s not really a project, I suppose, but either way, I’m excited about it. If you’re coming over from Robb Restyle, welcome! I just love Kristy’s Cool Nights printable – so perfect for fall! If you saw my fall home tour, then you…
Fall at the Farmhouse
Affiliate links may be included in this post. Hey, ya’ll! Today, I’m sharing my fall home tour with five other bloggers in this year’s Fall Home Tours hosted by Marty from A Stroll Thru Life. If you’re popping over from 11 Magnolia Lane or another stop on the tour or from anywhere else, welcome! I’m…
A Colorful Christmas Home Tour | Part 2
I completely understand if you are on Christmas home tour overload by this point. I’m sure there has been a slew of holiday decorating coming your way this week and probably last week too. If you’re fed up with it by now, I totally get it. I’ll be the first to say that I’m pretty…
A Colorful Christmas Home Tour | Part 1
Merry Christmas! Welcome to the first part of my Holiday Home Tour! If you’ve been around for a while, flying your freak flag right alongside me, then you know what to expect – holiday decor at it’s most colorful, meaningful and perhaps a touch on the tacky side. If you are just popping in for…
How to make Character Stocking Holders
In our house, we do Christmas while flying our freak flags proudly. If you’ve seen any of my past Christmas home tours, you know that our Christmas tree is filled with memories, not matching ornaments. I pull out what some would call the tacky red and green huge Christmas lights from the 60’s and wrap…
DIY Vinyl Record Tree Skirt
Two years ago I was asked to decorate a tree in the theme of a wish – a wish from Lauren, who has Cystic Fibrosis and wanted to go to the Grammys. Not only was I honored to do so, but decorating that tree was so much fun. It’s not a secret around here that my…
Gift Ideas for Every Type of Lady on Your List
Want more great gift ideas that are both thoughtful and affordable this holiday season? Then be sure to sign up for my holiday gift idea emails! Sign up here! This list of gift ideas for every type of lady was another really fun gift list to make! Of course in the process, I also added nearly…
10+ Really Great Gift Ideas for Hard to Buy For Men
Want more great gift ideas that are both thoughtful and affordable this holiday season? Then be sure to sign up for my holiday gift idea emails! Sign up here! Fall break is over for us. Although it didn’t turn out quite like we planned, Grunt, the Circus and I still had a great (and much…
Fall Home Tour
I am not an elaborate fall decorator. I tried that once before. It stressed me out and nothing really looked that great, so I said to hell with it. So for the past couple of years, all I’ve really done in terms of fall decorating is toss a few painted pumpkins with glittered stems here…
Simple Bunny Vases for Easter
Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Astrobrights Papers, however all opinions and love of bright colors for Easter decorating are 100% mine….and the Circus’. If we’re being honest – and we’re always honest around here – my Valentine’s Day wreath just came off my front door three days ago. The Circus proclaimed that “The Easter Bunny…
Christmas Home Tour: The Finale
Have you seen the Geico commercial where Europe is performing The Final Countdown?
It’s a fantastic commercial.
Well, I kind of feel like I should be doing a parody of Europe’s song with this post.
It’s the final Christmas tour.
This finale is filled with really simple holiday decor ideas, a few memories (because it wouldn’t be one of my Christmas home tours without them) and of course – some quirk.
Let’s start in the kitchen…
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The Annual Christmas Party Comeback
When Grunt Labor and I first got together, he always threw an annual Christmas party.
Y’all, I had struck gold.
Not only was he good lookin’, but he hosted a Christmas soiree each year.
#howdidigetsolucky
Now, there was one catch to this Christmas party – one could only attend if they brought a toy for a kid who might not otherwise get a Christmas gift.
I know – and he has a heart!
When you come through the door with that toy though, you are entitled to all the booze and food you can handle – or until we run out.
I was on board with this party faster than a hot knife through butter.
So that year and each year after, we hosted an annual Christmas party.
And then the Circus came.
And a circus + a Christmas party don’t always add up very well.
This year though, I really wanted to have one more Christmas party in the beloved foreclosure before we pack it up and move to the 70’s Landing Pad.
And so we did.
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Decorating with Memories and Vintage Finds
If it wasn’t already apparent from round one of my Christmas home tour and my Christmas tree, I’m declaring this year’s Christmas theme as decorating with memories.
And also random items such as an Elvis bust.
Oh, and vintage things too – because vintage Christmas decor makes my heart go pitter patter.
These theme(s) have always been at the heart of my holiday decor, but this year I’m on a mission to get everyone to embrace their own holiday decor rooted in memories and good times – because that’s what Christmas is about.
So here’s part two of my Christmas tour – our living room – in all its (random) glory.
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Decorate with Memories…and Random Stuff
If you didn’t already figure it out from the post about my Christmas tree, we don’t do trendy Christmas decor around here.
In fact, some might consider some of our holiday decor tacky.
And I don’t know that I wouldn’t disagree with them – but that doesn’t mean I will part with my multi-colored-plastic-melted-together-christmas-tree. It was my Grannie’s – and I’m a bit of a sentimentalist…and a hoarder too.
So if you are following along on this Blogger Stylin’ Home Tours series and popping over from The White Buffalo Styling Co. or Craftberry Bush, welcome – I hope I’m not too much of a disappointment to you. I’m a bit of a different kind of holiday home tour – around here, we decorate with memories during Christmastime.
And also completely random items that aren’t meant to be Christmas decor.
Welcome to the freak show.
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The Christmas Tree Trend Everyone Should Embrace…
I’ve never been one to follow trends.
In fact, I think trends are overrated.
There. I said it. So sue me.
Yes, trends may be new and pretty, but after a while, once everyone is following the trend, it tends to loose its luster.
There is one trend though, one that in my personal, somewhat educated opinion, I think should make a comeback.
I’m calling it the Meaningful Decorated Christmas Tree Trend.
I should probably come up with a trendier name though.
You see, this trend is never overused and doesn’t lose its luster.
Never ever.
Because the ornaments you place on your tree with this trend are unique and meaningful to only a few people in the world – you and your family.
Now this does mean you will have to be comfortable with a few things…
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Supermom, I am not.
I have a love-hate relationship with Pinterest.
I love it because it is filled with beautiful rooms, genius ideas and overall pretty darn good inspiration.
I hate it because half of it is unrealistic.
Can I get an amen?
If you’re a parent, the “kids and parenting” section on Pinterest can especially make ya feel like a real winner.
For example, I could never count how many DIY sensory toys / tools /stations I’ve seen on there for babies.
I was supposed to do sensory activities with the circus?
Shockingly, the kid has turned out fine. Ok, not fine, but normal. Ok, not normal, but pretty entertaining.
And then there’s the whole blue-million ways to pose your kid’s Elf on the Shelf. I’m lucky if I even remember to move it somewhere the night before. Honestly, I’m usually remembering to move it when she wakes up and I frantically run into the living room ahead of her to grab it, stuff it under my shirt and run and hide it elsewhere.
And that reminds me, I think James the Elf was supposed to make his first yearly appearance the day after Thanksgiving. Whoops. Yea, he’s still in the hall closet.
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How to Make Ornament Clusters
I am a Christmas ornament whore.
Not all ornaments though – only vintage ball ornaments.
And they never go on my tree – the tree is reserved for really meaningful ornaments – instead, these ornaments get scattered throughout the house and in clusters. My favorite is the clusters though.
Now, these clusters could be nothing new to you. It may just be that I was living under a rock for a very long time and when this idea dawned on me awhile back, it just seemed like the best thing ever. So, if you already knew how to do this…then why the hell didn’t you tell me?! If you didn’t, here you go.
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My Favorite Things Gift Guide
This post is one of my most favorite ones to do all year long.
It’s my favorite things gift guide post, plus a huge giveaway.
I just wish I was rich like Oprah and could give each and every one of you one of my favorite things, instead of only showing you my favorite things and being able to give some away.
But ya know, I do kinda need to send my kids to college, rather than give each and every one of you a sarcastic coffee mug.
But it is a damn good mug.
Either way – I do get to giveaway THIRTEEN of my favorite things to THIRTEEN different people and in the process, you get some pretty stellar gift ideas for people on your gift list. Not a bad deal, eh?
Click the link below to read more and enter the giveaways!
The Circus’ Christmas Tree
The day after Halloween, the Circus announced to her baby dolls as she was strolling them down the hallway that “It’s not Halloween anymore; it’s Christmas.”
She seemed rather excited to jump from one holiday to the other so quickly. This may or may not have been due in part to me taking down all the Halloween decor and bringing out all the Christmas decor on November 1st.
#sorrynotsorry
We pulled out our Christmas tree and decorated it. When she found some of her ornaments that we usually put on the tree, she announced they would go on her tree.
Her tree that was non-existent.
So I did what any mother of a spoiled child would do, I went and took her to buy her own Christmas tree.
Parenting at its finest, ya’ll.
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How to Make Wagons Out of Crates
The Circus loves to carry things on herself.
Have you ever seen a kid with a pink turtle zipped up in her jacket with its head popping out like it was a baby in one of those wrap things?
Well, you could have all day yesterday.
She also likes to load up a doll, perhaps a stuffed animal or two, her juice cup, probably a cash register as well and a few other random items in boxes, clothes baskets and other “carrying” devices and drag them across the house.
So if I told you that these wagons were still on the front porch and decorated just like this – I’d be lying.
However, I can say that these wagons – made out of crates – are quite easy to make and really do make pretty holiday decor when loaded up with various holiday items sans a princess cash register.
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My Fall Home Tour: Take Two
If you saw my fall home tour a couple weeks ago, you may have noticed there wasn’t a pumpkin in sight.
I like to ease into fall.
Or maybe I hadn’t figured out where I stored the fall stuff last year…
Either way, Lindsay from The White Buffalo Styling Co. is hosting the Fall Edition of the Blogger Stylin’ Home Tours this week and asked me to join in, so I thought sure!
You’re actually forcing me to find those pumpkins, aren’t you?
If you are popping over from Caitlin at Desert Domicile, welcome! No kidding, I drool over everything that woman makes. If you don’t know her, you should. In fact, you should have known her yesterday. She’s that good.
Ok. I’m going to tell you my big secret for fall decorating.
Are you ready?
Seriously. Its top secret.
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Fall Home Tour: Cowboys and Elvis
This fall tour is not at all about pumpkins.
Sorry if you were ready for pumpkins.
Instead its about some of my favorite fall-ish things…cowboy hats and boots…red plaid blankets…and Elvis.
Ok, Elvis isn’t really fall-ish, but its my house and I’ll do what I want to.
If you want pumpkins and leaves and all that jazz, check back in a few weeks when I’ve actually had time to remember where I stored all that decor from last year.
#storyofmylife
Valentine Cards and Decor in an hour
With the exception of Halloween and Christmas, I’m usually not a big holiday decorator. I have a few little things I set out for Valentine’s Day and Easter, but that’s about it.
But…..the circus is now old enough to really enjoy these holidays a little bit more…and since I am mom of the year and all, I felt I should up my Valentine’s game a little.
So, I whipped up an adorable little heart garland and the kid and I even made her very own valentines in an hour.
Because I’m mom of the year like that.
