I was visiting with my daughter and her friend the other day and discussing their gift plans for customers. They are both in medical sales and have many contacts to remember with a small token of appreciation each year. They also have to have these purchases made early because it takes most of the month of December to get them delivered.

My daughter’s friend found her gifts at HG this year. These adorable little gift bags are filled and ready to give. She was so excited to find them . . . something everyone can use, and a perfect price point for everyone on her list.

We all have those people in our lives whom we want to remember with a little something. These little bags filled with cocoa mix, tea bags, etc. are the perfect way to do just that!

I’m back, trying to get more Christmas decorating done.  I try to do a little each day, then it’s not so overwelming and rushed, if I leave it all to do in a day or two.  Also I have time to think about where things go, enjoy each project, and get in a holiday mood…yes, it’s coming.

As I stated in CCC 1, my inspiration for this Christmas were the 6 framed sea-life calendar prints I hung earlier this year over my fireplace (huh, sea-life and shells, for Christmas??). I didn’t want to take them down… Read entire post

For many of us, this is the weekend to pack up the Thanksgiving decorations and pull out the rest of the Christmas decorations. Which also makes it the “perfect” time to organize your holiday items for re-storage.

It’s also a great time of year to purchase bags and boxes for storing everything from your wreaths to your holiday china. Here are 5 simple steps for organizing and storing your holiday decor.

Read entire post

I think there is something especially fun about reinventing what you have in your home. While anyone can go shopping and come home with “a seasonal decoration,” by creatively re-purposing what you have each season, you can easily have a unique and charming home year round. Reinventing ordinary things doesn’t have to be complicated. Read entire post

Is a drive over the river and through the woods in your future this week? 

Before you buckle up, prepare a car caddy (stored within reach of passengers) with essentials.  Here are some essentials that I keep in my car caddy (keep in mind I have a couple small kids…adjust your list as needed!):

• Wet Ones and/or paper towels
• Extra set of clothes for the kids
• Blanket
• Towel
• First Aid Kit
• Plastic trash bags
• Bottles of water
• Non-messy snacks

Now, for us the most important thing is to pack some activities for the kids!  Aside from the usual DVD player and perhaps some books, how about a clip board for each kid equipped with paper and a Ziploc bag of crayons?  How about Backseat Bingo.  Remember counting how different state’s license plates you can find?   

If you’re toting pets along, you might need a bigger caddy!  Might I suggest a dog brush to keep the pet hair to a minimum in the car? 

What essentials would you take on a road trip?  

(Disclaimer: we’re staying home this year)  

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I wish you all a safe and gracious holiday!

Where do you get your Christmas tree? Do you use a real tree or an artificial one? If you buy a real tree, have you ever purchased one from a tree farm? For years we lived in Florida and bought our trees at the corner lot. They were lovely trees, shipped in from North Carolina. But it was really difficult for this northern girl to get into the holiday spirit picking out a tree in a paved parking lot.

Now, I live in North Carolina, where all of those “lot” trees came from! So we started a new family tradition a few years ago. The first weekend after Thanksgiving, we head to a local tree farm.
Read entire post

Some of my all time favorite items for entertaining and decorating are cake stands. Their usefulness never ceases to amaze me! Because I love things that can serve more than one purpose, cake stands are the perfect versatile choice for year round entertaining and decorating. Read entire post

I know it’s getting late but if you’re anything like me you’ll wait until the last minute to plan your table. I’m a big believer in simpler being better. This kind of look is easy to achieve for a procrastinator like me. A walk in the yard for leaves and sticks mixed with pumpkins and gourds you probably have around the house will combine nicely with neutral or harvest themed dishes, linens, candles and trim. I’m inspired this year not to overwork myself preparing for the big day so that I won’t be too tired to enjoy it. Instead I’m going to keep things simple and spend time appreciating the thing I’m most thankful for, my family.

(pics from bhg.com)

Read entire post

I saw a clip from The View from last week and had to laugh. The View ladies were talking about Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s experience at HomeGoods. Elisabeth shared that was thrilled to have found a great deal on Thanksgiving napkins while shopping at HomeGoods. Long story short, her husband was with her and he didn’t have the patience to finish the shopping trip so she left without her turkey napkins. Oh, I would not be happy to leave my napkins in the cart! As Elisabeth says in the clip, you can’t come back for them later, they may not be there the next time you go! So true! Read entire post

Tomato Cage Topiaries

I thought I’d get a jump on Christmas decorating. Thanksgiving is late this year, and we will be “giving thanks” elsewhere. So, I wanted to start on some projects. My inspiration for decorating this year, are the sea-life prints I hung over my fireplace this summer and a shell collection. Yes, these might sound a little odd to decorate for Christmas with, but anything you have an affinity for, can be showcased in a holiday way. So design a Christmas around the things you have and love.

I was up on a ladder pulling down Christmas boxes from the rafters in my garage… Read entire post