I am reposting this from last Christmas as nothing has changed!!  I still love each of these things and am trying hard to incorporate them into my Christmas this year.  Enjoy!!

We're sharing some of our favorite things there today, and because it is the beginning of December, my mind is drawn to all things Christmas.


 OK- here we go...

 To say that I love all things mercury glass is an understatement.  And a big one at that.  I just love the vintage feel and all the festiveness that it is.  And to top it all off, you can find it anywhere now - Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Ballard Designs, Target...

I just adore these vintage scarves from Eddie Bauer {they are on my list for Santa!}  Aren't they so cozy looking?  And on a day like today, when the snow is flying and HIGHS are in the 20's, they look even better!

 

Would you look at all that fun!!  I have a post in the queue dedicated to wrapping packages - it is my all time favorite thing to do and these little goodies from Paper Jacks just put me over the moon!  They are on my wrapping table as we speak, just waiting for me to get my shopping act together.

 Oh, look... another of my favorites... ribbon!!  And *BONUS*, they are from Sundance, my favorite catalog - EVER.  These lovely spools look like they would take a package from pretty to spectacular in  heartbeat.

Apothecary jars are some of my favorite tools to decorate with.  After the holidays are all packed up and put back in storage, I intend to make the most amazing hot chocolate bar for anyone needing a little warm up after school or dinner, and these should hold some marshmallows and chocolate nicely, don't you think?  You can find these all over as well - from Hobby Lobby to Target to Etsy.

Do you have one of these?  It is a recordable book from Hallmark, but I've seen them in several places, even just at the grocery store down the way.  Our kids received one from Todd's dad a few years ago and it is, hands down, the first book pulled out of the bin and the one I find all over the house, because someone {even the biggest kiddo} has been listening to it.  Papa Bear took the time to not only record the story but pre-wrote it in a silly manner, mixing up all the beginning sounds and the kids get such a kick out of it!  What a timeless gift.  Might be the perfect gift for anyone serving over seas to hear a little bit of home when they can't yet be there.  Or maybe for those grandparents who live waaaay over the river and through the woods.  I just love this idea -  I'm a huge fan!

Have you tried these?  It's William Sonoma's Winter Forest soap and hand creme.  MMMMMMM... they smell great and are a treat around this house.  They contain essential oils and smell like the real deal.  They are a bit pricey {$30ish}, but worth every penny.  The bonus to having such good smelling soap around it that all the kids are anxious to wash up... in the middle of cold and flu season.  Score!!

{Sorry for the wonky spacing.  I think my computer is tired.  And stubborn - it is refusing to let me place that blurry picture in the center of the page!}

And last but not least, are these little gems.  They remind me of my dad.  They are his favorites.  I can find these chocolate orange sticks at the grocery store for just a couple of dollars and they make great stocking stuffers.  I highly recommend them!  I usually have to hide them because we all love them.  They tend to be like Oreos {?}.  You can't have just one.  These particular ones came from sweetcandy.com 

Well, there you have a few of my favorites - hope they give you a few ideas or help you out in some way!

Blessings,
{K}

Catching Up & a New Addiction

So, did you think I had gone away forever??

Yes, it has been really quiet in my little corner of blogland.

Seems that this working full time gig is killing my creativity

and free time!

I have been a really bad blogger lately and I plan

to amend that in the near

future.

I was such a bad blogger that over this long holiday weekend,

I didn't even pick up a camera.

We were in the mountains with all kinds

of family and photo ops,

 and I didn't even try to capture one image of our holiday!

Yikes!!

But......

I did spend some time on my newest addiction.

Introducing... {drum roll please} me on Pinterest!

Yes, indeed I am a bit late to the party as most bloggers are

way up on the social media scene & I

am just always a bit behind in

all things technology related.

It's how I roll.

You can click here to see what I have been up to

and to be inspired by all things lovely.

Have fun!

The Day After

I awakened this morning

 knowing only three thing for certain:

God still sits on the throne.

There is a God who works outside our

presuppositions and does things 

his own way.

There is a God who connects

the dots of history -

past, present, and future.

....

In our politically charged climate

it is difficult to keep a right perspective.

It is tempting to be all consumed and bow a knee in the wrong place.

I, like you, must decide to live not on the basis

of what I see, but on the truth that God will do what

He said He will do.

....

I must know that hope is more than a word - 

it is a state of being.

It is a firm belief that even if you don't know how,

or even if you don't know when,

God will come through and better days are ahead...