O, Christmas Tree...

For as long as I can remember, my mother has had this small circa-1970's ceramic Christmas tree. It has colored bulbs that go into the holes in the branches and when it's plugged in, they light up.




When I was a little girl, I thought it was the most beautiful thing.

Frankly, I still do.




2012 goal- find a ceramic tree of my own...


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happy happy merry merry!

Hope your holidays have been merry and bright!






Happy happy merry merry from snowy NH!

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to longchamp or not to longchamp?

Is it just me, or are Longchamp bags just everywhere all of a sudden? I don't think they are terribly new, though I had never noticed them until somewhat recently. I wasn't sure I liked them all that much, to be honest, but then I saw this one, and it is growing on me...

Patch Toile!

Kind of pretty, eh?

I may need her. Is it too late to add her to my Christmas list?

Do you have a Longchamp bag? Which one?

clippie dippies!

I recently made some hair clips! I'm so loving these, I think they are so much fun!

I used a yo yo maker, which I had bought from Joann Fabrics for about $6, and then those hair clips. I made the yo yos, and then with a glue gun, attached the yo yo to the clip, and then added a button on top!

Cute, eh?

I plan to send them to Majlinda, my World Vision darling in Albania. She has long blonde hair, so I know that she will love these!

Once I get my etsy shop up and running, I plan to have these in there for sure!

Cute as a button, wouldn't you say? :)

cookie swap 2011!

Last Sunday I hosted my third annual holiday cookie swap! It was started a few years ago by my dear friend Christine and I. It was held for two years, and then last year, it was skipped for a variety of reasons, but I brought it back this year, and hope it will continue for many years to come! When I was a little girl, my mother always went to cookie swaps- she'd bake many dozen cookies, and then come home with the same amount in a variety of cookies, though I didn't think that any of us needed many dozen....so, just a few were swapped, and that was fine!

Before the party though, Steve and I had to get our tree up!

Our naked tree here, though now it is decorated! Note the lovely Scarlet Threads tree skirt, called the Noelle! Now out of stock, though there are a few Genevieve's left!

Steve sets up the water bowl for the tree....

See this little bear? She was given to me by my first grade teacher, Mrs. Sirna, many years ago, and she is hung on my tree each year still!

(I'll have to do another post later, about favorite ornaments!)

Now, it is nearly cookie time! I made a white chocolate cherry chip cookie...I saw the recipe on pinterest, and they were SO good! I am actually making them again tomorrow for a bake-off at work! Yikes, the competition will be fierce!

Here is the batter!

Here are the cookies, ready to be swapped!

Let the swapping begin!

Heidi has a plateful of deliciousness (and blogged about it last week!)

My finished cookies!

Steve and I. He wasn't really a guest, but since he lives here too, I suppose it was okay that he came downstairs for a snack ;)

Thanks to the ladies who were able to come, it was so much fun!

Do you have any holiday party traditions that you take part in?

Dear Santa, I've been a very good girl this year

Earlier this week, Rebecca asked me to do a guest post, which I did. In case you don't read her blog (why don't you?!), this is what I sent her--

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I was so excited when Rebecca asked me to do a guest post! Her blog is so much fun, and she's also a friend in real life! Lucky me!

Recently, my aunt asked for my Christmas list. I was a somewhat at a loss, because I never know what to ask for. I'm always seeing things that I want (ha!), but when the the time comes that someone needs to know, I feel the pressure and have no idea what to say! Does that sound totally bizarre and weird of me? Probably :)

Here are a few of the things I mentioned to them that I might not mind receiving this year-

I've been lusting over this cuff bracelet for months now. Found on etsy, it has a line from the Desiderata, a poem by Max Ehrmann. It is my favorite, I just love it. The poem is many decades old, but is so true and has so many good things to remember every day. I have a postcard at my desk at work with a few lines too, and would love to have this bracelet to remind me to keep priorities where they should be.

How gorgeous is this chair?! I just find it so bright and cheery, and would love to have it in my sewing room. It looks so cozy.

From Anthropologie, this is the Tea and Crumpets apron. I love to cook and bake, and my blog is called Tea and Crumpets. I need this, natch.

Again from Anthropologie, I am in love with this perfume. I love the pin cushion topper and the scent is so lovely, roses and others.

These boots! The bows! The bows! How can you not love the bows!? So sweet and darling.

Then Rebecca wanted to know the shoe of my dreams.

I love red shoes and wear them as often as I can, and when I saw these, I knew that I needed them immediately. I love the grey lining with matching buttons, and I love the double strap and the shiny, patent leather toe. I just love them all around! I might dance around my kitchen in my Tea and Crumpets apron while wearing them.

Oh yes, I think I would.

What did you ask Santa for this year?