The stockings ARE hung!

Since Chris and I aren't lucky enough to have a mantle, we have to come up with creative ways to hang our stockings each year. This year I decided to use something I bought at a yard sale. I don't know what you would call it, but I fell in love with the legs and had to have it. Chris took it to work and cut it apart for me and I gave it a couple of coats of black craft paint and sanded the edges.

Before

After

I realize this would look so much better if we had matching stockings and the dog's names weren't scribbled on in sharpie.

Yeah, I used thumb tacks....I meant to get little hooks but I forgot.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

I am going to try to post some pictures of our tree tonight!

Janna

Ornaments and Jewelry

I hadn't posted any pictures of our tree yet because it wasn't fully decorated. I had held off on putting the ornaments on the tree while we decided if we were going to get a real tree or not, and since we're not it's now decorated. I couldn't believe how much better the tree looks with ornaments on it! It looks complete now. I will take some photos of the full tree tomorrow, but I wanted to share some of my favorite ornaments with you.

The second one on bottom is a plumber santa for 
Chris. The silver ornament use to belong to my grandma.

My future SIL Kim was recently given a shoebox filled with brand new Lia Sophia jewelry. She was so generous and shared a few pieces with me.

I love this necklace!!

I know this is a bad picture, but do you know how hard it is to get a good picture of jewelry??

I tried taking a picture wearing this bracelet, but it was horrible.

Some cute silver earrings.

Janna

Bringing the Outdoors IN!

Chris and I decided not to get a real tree this year because a) I think 60$ for a tree you'll use once is too expensive and b) because I don't want to mess with the mess this year. I do miss the smell and the texture that comes with a real tree... I decided to bring in the texture at least by trimming a few branches of our local trees and arranging them in different ways. I LOVE them and can't wait to bring in more.

This is one of the wall baskets I got for free at a yard sale.

So Cute!!

                              

 

I also brought in some holly branch

  I just stuck them in a cute little vase.

  This helped fill the void of not having a real tree this year and brought in some cute decorations.

Janna

Christmas Photos

I don't really have anything to blog about today. I have been working a lot and havn't had time to do any decorating or crafting. The other day, my sister posted a picture on faecebook of the two of us at Christmas time many years ago. I love looking at old pictures of myself and my family so I thought I would post a few of my sister and me at Christmas time.

I have always loved this picture of me! My mom decorated this scene on the porch and she even won the decorating contest in our town that year.

I believe this pic is from the same year. Did you notice my pink pacifier?? That was my "bobo" and I had to have it with me at all times.

My mom started a tradition of buying us pajamas every year and we got to open them on Christmas eve. These were drop bottom pajamas... I loved that cardboard doll house, and I could even fit inside of it and close it around me. I told my sister she looked like a boy in this picture!

That's all I have for now. I hope you enjoyed them!

Do any of you have some old Christmas pictures you want to share????

Oh, I  have a brother too, but by the time he came around my sister and I weren't so cute.

Snowflakes

Hi my name is Janna and I am a copycat... I can't help it, there are so many creative blogs out there with so many great projects. I have been following Let it shine for a while now and she is so talented and creative. If you havn't checked out her blog yet, you should. A couple of days ago, she posted about these adorable snowflakes that she bought at the Dollar Tree. She used a glaze on them to make them look old and german glass like and hung them from the ceiling. I fell in love with the idea so I had to run to the Dollar Tree as soon as I could. I didn't get the same snowflake ornaments that she did, but I love them just the same. I also didn't have a glaze, so I just sponged some Minwax stain in dark walnut on mine and I love them. They are cute when you buy them, but they are just a little too glittery and bright.

It is so hard to get a good picture of the before and after.

I think they look a lot better after the stain and not as cheap either.

As you can see they are very messy.

I couldn't get a good wide shot last night, but I'll try to today.

Janna

Christmas Wreaths!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Chris and I went to his aunt's house for dinner and we are going to my parent's house this weekend to visit with them. I have been very busy lately with work, but I did find time to make some cute little wreaths. You guys have probably seen, or made, these before, but I love them and they are so easy to make. All you need is a wire hanger and about a yard of material.

I start by cutting my fabric into strips about four inches long by an inch wide.  Next you take your hanger and form it into a rough cirle and secure it at the top. .

Then you start tieing your strips into a knot on the hanger.

I used a faux silk fabric on this wreath and it frays so bad, so I singed the edges a little with a lighter.

This is the faux silk wreath and I know... it's a little lopsided.

I think this is the cutest wreath!

Please ignore my ugly scrub top...

I thought this fabric would look like a candy cane, but I think it looks more like a circus tent.

I also wanted to show you this pretty wreath that my soon-to-be SIL made for me. Thanks Kimmy! Love you!!

Janna