More Christmas

So it turns out my Christmas photos are not so fabulous. My batteries were dying on Christmas Eve, even though I had charged them, so I think I didn't get too many shots and the ones I did get are kind of blurry. Christmas day I really didn't take too many pictures. For a scrapbooker, I'm not really good at taking pictures during events. I do great with every day random shots, but put me at an event, party or gathering of people and I forget to take too many pictures. Oh well! Here's some I did get. First a collage of decor at my parent's house:


Here's Lucy on the Christmas rug with her shiny red Christmas collar and her new present:


Christmas cheers from Kellie:


Shawn in his post brunch, post presents napping state:


Ever since spending Christmas in England several years ago, we've opened Christmas crackers on Christmas Eve. I didn't get too many good pictures of everyone in their crowns, but here's my mom in her crown:

Here's Lucy, pleading with Kellie to take the stupid crown off of her...she managed to get it off herself a few minutes later.

A very Merry Christmas

Today was supposed to be my big Christmas wrap up post, complete with tons of pictures.....but, I left my camera at my parents house last night and since I plan on spending today in my pj's and not leaving the house, the pictures will have to wait. I am heading to my parents later this week, so my camera and glass bowl will be retrieved and a post full of pictures will occur after that.

We had a very nice, quiet Christmas this year. No big huge family celebration, just smaller gatherings at my parents. I spent Christmas Eve day baking muffins, gingerbread and chocolate goodies to take to my parents and did a last minute run to Target, before heading to dinner at my parents. It was just my me and Shawn, my parents, Kellie and my uncle Steve for a Christmas eve dinner of meatballs (not for me), crab legs, mashed potatoes, green beans and lefse...a somewhat traditional Norwegian dinner. We enjoyed some Christmas Cosmos made by my sister and a couple bottles of wine. After opening some presents, we ate some yummy gingerbread and whipped cream.

As for gifts, in my family, we usually take turns (oldest to youngest or youngest to oldest), each person opens one gift at a time and we circle around until the gifts are gone. This year we didn't have tons of gifts, because my parents decided not to exchange gifts with each other (although they both broke this rule) and alot of stuff was saved for stockings, which we opened on Christmas morning.

The big gift, a joint present for me and Shawn (although Shawn has already proclaimed it his) was this lovely weber grill. Shawn and I have been wanting to buy a grill for awhile, so this was a great gift.

I also got a cute new shirt from my parents, an Anthropologie gift card from Shawn, a red purse (one I almost bought for myself from Forever 21), several new shirts and a framed picture from our wedding from Kellie.

Christmas morning Shawn and I opened the rest of the presents under our tree and I got more Anthropologie gift cards, Christmas dessert plates I was secretly coveting, a cute ornament and dish towels from Ellen, a cozy throw blanket from Shawn's grandparents, adorable tank tops and a Starbucks gift card from Nicole, an autographed Ali E book, starbucks card and super cute mini album from Jessie and in my stocking from Shawn I had a porcupine ornament (he's been calling me porcupine lately) and a lump of coal...lovely right? Really it was lump of coal candy from Restoration Hardware, but it's okay because I found lump of coal bubble gum for his stocking!

After opening these presents, we got ready to head to my parents to spend the day. We had a nice brunch with my parents, sister and grandparents of egg casseroles, pumpkin muffins, berries and cream and Roederer Champagne with chambord...YUM! After brunch, we opened stockings and presents with my grandparents. I got another shirt, a silver and pearl necklace, a book and starbucks and i-tunes gift cards in my stocking. We had intended to go to an afternoon movie, but it was almost 2pm by the time my grandparents left, so we ended up just hanging out. Shawn and Kellie took naps, my poor dad had to head out on what he has since termed "egg hunting" to find eggs for a pie my mom was making and I chopped veggies for dinner and did some knitting. For dinner we had my mom's famous gumbo, which was delicious, more champagne and wine for Christmas toasting and chocolate cherry pie for dessert.

All in all we had a wonderful holiday! I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas as well.

Merry Christmas!

A little Christmas collage from my house to yours! Here's wishing you a very Merry Christmas full of love and holiday goodness!

It's Official

I am officially on vacation! Since I don't have to play guitar again until January, I can actually paint my fingernails. So, a red holiday manicure and pedicure was in order! As was an eggnog latte. After work today, Kellie and I headed to Taylor's for lunch and DV Nails. On my way home I stopped off at Starbuck's for a latte to enjoy as I wrapped presents and did laundry this afternoon. No big plans for me until Christmas Eve dinner with my family. For the next 10 days I plan on hanging out with family, relaxing in my pj's, watching movies, reading books, scrapbooking, knitting and anything else my little heart desires. Wishing you and yours the same!

Right Now

Here's what I'm doing these days:

-Wrapping gifts
-Creating piles of gifts and cards from my kiddos...I'll put them away and write thank you's after Christmas
-using lots of kleenex with vicks inside...a shocker to the system at first, but helps you breathe
-finishing up my Christmas cards to mail today
-finishing...or trying to..one last hand crafted gift
-trying hard to say "no" to all the sale emails that are arriving in my inbox these days....the scrap sites and kit club sales are the hardest to delete
-eating this yummy greek yogurt with blueberries and honey...how did I not find this sooner?
-working on my Christmas journal...have a few days to get caught up on than I'll post more
-drinking lots of coffee and tea with lemon
-listening to Christmas music in my car...I find it keeps me in a good mood despite all the crazies on the road
-trying not to eat too many of those holiday sweets I've been receiving as gifts

*edited to add that while I was posting this there was a fabulous 50% sale happening at SIS and before I realized I could get my Bind It All for half price, it had already sold out...so SAD!

What are you up to with 5 days left before Christmas?

Pictures pictures pictures

I warned you the next post was going to be picture heavy. I can now get to my office so the scanner and picture files are available to me. The new bathroom floor and counter tops look amazing, but I have yet to clean up the tile guy's mess and we still need to install the sink and toilet, so pictures of that will have to wait. In the mean time, I give you pictures taken this past week.

First up is my 52 Card Scrap Up Week #9...I think. I've lost track of the weeks these days! This week's prompt was from our guest prompter Andrea F., who has been the most timely member of this group in terms of posting her cards! Her prompt was "Christmas Traditions." I of course had to go with stockings, which play a big part in my family's Christmas. I've been playing with felt lately too, so I used some scraps on the front of the card.


Here's the back:


Now for the promised pictures of my tree. I stayed home sick on Monday last week and finished decorating the tree...well, mostly. You'll notice a couple boxes of ornaments under the tree that I slowly added throughout the week. Here's the close up view:

And the wider shot. You can see my angel on the floor under the tree. Unfortunately she's too big for this tree and just looks ridiculous hovering on the top the tree, so I've had to improvise with a glitter star this year.


This year I have participated in two Christmas swaps in scrapbookland. Thursday night I came home to a huge box from my Studio Calico swap partner Keya. She did such a great job with these gifts for me. When I opened the box, I found another box, opened that one and found these cute little wrapped presents. I kind of forgot about wrapping my swap gifts in my rush to package and send things off...I'm such a dork...sorry Keya! Here's the wrapped goodies:


The first box contained a yummy snack, cinnamon trail mix from Whole Foods. I don't know how Keya knew, but I love trail mixes and often buy them when I'm at Whole Foods. I've never had this one though. It might be my new favorite. It's delicious!

Here's the view of the next package. A fun little mix of journaling spots, stamps, mini albums, Scenic Route papers and the cutest little calender for 2008.


Here's a view of the envelope full of little journaling spots made by Keya herself. I think these might be my favorites in the box. I love them and they are in the perfect colors for me! Look for these in some of my upcoming creations!


Next package...Hambly goodness! She even managed to send me papers and rubs that I don't already have! I know, RED Hambly rub-ons that Erin doesn't have..shocking!


Package #4 was full of Creative Imaginations goodies. Again in the perfect colors for me! Funny thing is that I sent some of this to Keya too and had to fight the urge to buy those lined papers and felt trims for myself! She must have known somehow!


Next package..."vintage" 7 Gypsies. I do adore anything 7 Gypsies and was about out of my stash of those label stickers. Perfect!


The last package continued some KI lovelies. Including the amazing red lace paper...I must get some more of this and these cute mad lib style journaling cards. So fun! Thanks, thanks, thanks, Ms. Keya! You outdid yourself! I love it all! I can only hope she enjoyed her box from me as much as I enjoyed these goodies!


Well, I'm off to take some more Mucinex...seems that Sunday and Mondays are sinus/head cold days for me. I canceled kids last Monday, so it can't happen today. Here's hoping I can sing on this scratchy post nasal throat of mine! Happy Monday!

List list list

Ok so what I really want to blog are lots of photos I have taken recently. The Christmas tree, my SC Christmas swap goodies from my partner Keya, 52 card for this week.....problem is I can't really get to my scanner or the camera at the moment. Why, you ask? Well, we are actually having our guest bathroom tiled as we speak. Gone with the UGLY blue laminate floor and out with the gross blue sink and yellowy countertop...in new fresh new white tile floor, white tiled countertop and shiny new white sink! Hooray I say! This means more pictures of course...when I can get to it.....

So in the mean time, we shall post a little linky list of Christmas desires. This is mostly to benefit my husband who lost his paper list early this week, only to recover it with the help of his incredibly smart wife, who happens to know where most things end up....the floor, by his side of the bed. Pretty much where he dropped it immediately upon receiving it from me.

So here's a few things I would love to have this Christmas:

-I'd pretty much take anything from Anthropologie
-Pottery Barn gift cards would be lovely too, so I can eventually buy some of the things I have been coveting
-A Bind it All....think I need this for the mini book obsession
-Cute wintery tops to wear out on the rare occasion we go out to dinner or to a movie
-Jewelry from Red Envelope or Anilu's Etsy
-something from Lisa Leonard
-gift certificate to Studio Calico so I can buy add-ons guilt free in January! I really want the project kit, but it has a bigger price tag than I should allow myself!

I'm off to work on Christmas gifts and get ready to go to a production of A Christmas Carol in which one of my clients plays the ghost of Christmas past. Hope you all are enjoying your weekend! I'll be back with a picture heavy post sometime tomorrow of Monday.