***Wonderful*** {Christmas 2012}

I know it seems a little silly to be looking back to Christmas of 2012 while everyone is still talking about this Christmas. But as I was going through this past year's posts I came across this. 

It really was a meaningful post to me, but I had only been blogging a couple of months and less than 60 people read it! 

Maybe these words will resonate with someone who needs to be reminded that perfection isn't a healthy goal, especially during the holidays? 

I'll be back tomorrow with my 2013 review!



*{The following is a re-post from Christmas of 2012}

A few years back I read a quote that said, "Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful". Light bulb! My life a seeming perpetual un-perfect mess, my brain latched on to this and has clung to it ever since! : )

Christmas eve, and Christmas day have once again illustrated this for me. SO not perfect. I SO did not "check all the boxes" this year. In more ways than one we've had a mess. 

Tonight, kids tucked into bed with their new favorite Christmas toys, I tripped through the mess on their floor to say our Merry-Christmas-goodnights. I went downstairs to tend the thermostat, check the doors and lights etc. I got to the living room and just stopped in my tracks for a moment. 

There was the warm light of the Christmas tree and in an instant I saw the calendar of my kids' childhoods in my mind. One more childhood Christmas behind them, and their mom. It will never come again. A bittersweet satisfaction came over me as I let my heart say goodbye to Christmas 2012.

The curtains are all open and I see the icy-bright iridescence of moonlight across the snow covered landscape beyond the warmth of the Christmas tree lights. The beauty of this place-our little hometown-and this place of seeing in my heart....it leaves me awe-struck. 

Moments later I turn to walk past some dishes, yet un-washed. Shreds of Christmas paper here and there. We'll tend to it tomorrow. I step over a coat and boots at the bottom of the stairs as I'm heading back up. I'm fighting a sore throat and cough coming on and, as I reach my room, I feel....happy.

Christmas of 2012 is behind us. Certainly not perfect, but it was wonderful.

A Little Bit of Christmas

It's the night before Christmas Eve, friends! 

On Saturday we made the looong drive from Colorado to southern California. "Tiring" would be an understatement, but here we are, safe and sound!

I never got a chance to share the last snippets of Christmas at home before we left, so I'll share them with you this evening.

Don't forget, simple and handmade were the goals this year as we knew we'd be away.

On the piano, just our Advent candles, our Handmade Nativity Set and some pine cones.

To the left of the piano, our simple Christmas dining room. 






 To the right of the piano, our small living room space.

On our farmhouse cabinet, two little evergreen wreaths hang on wide strips of torn white cotton fabric


 


The curtain panels in the doors of the farmhouse cabinet are really pretty kitchen towels I got from the Frugal Ain't Cheap Etsy shop. 

 


An antique sled and some cheerful red and white details adorn the top of the cabinet.

It's always fun to incorporate the kids' wooden doll house into the holiday decor.

This year, I just cut some little images from a catalog and taped them into the windows and added a simple twist of faux boxwood for a wreath.

 

On the mantel was a mix of little Christmas trees handmade dolls, gnomes and sock snowmen.

My kids had fun making these cute little gnomes during a "crafty streak" before Thanksgiving.

Nut baby tutorial here

We left Colorado in snow and temps around 20 degrees. Today in southern California it was almost 80 degrees! 

To be honest, somewhere in the middle of those two would be just right for me : ) 

I've missed sharing and being able to visit around to other blogs this week, but we are right where we're meant to be with our family all together. 

I pray you are having a blessed and not too frantic Christmas week.
See you soon!

Jeanette 

Sharing over at

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Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life 
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Shabbilicious Friday at Shabby Art Boutique
Be Inspired at Common Ground 
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Party Junk at Funky Junk  

Woodland Nut Babies {2013}

Oh my, things have been a little crazy over here trying to get ready for our drive to California this weekend! Would anyone like to fish-sit for us? ; )

Today I'm going to share a little craft project that I originally posted last year around this time. 

Crafting these little "nut babies" is a Christmas time tradition in our family. 

This little one is the newest addition to the Nut Family : ) My daughter made this one, and decided to create a little cap from paper instead of our usual acorn caps.

Below is the simple tutorial from my post last year. I hope you have fun creating your own little nut babies! 

 

 

I really can't remember how the first one came to be, but these little cuties have been appearing at our house at Christmas time for probably ten years now.

We've made ornaments out of them, but usually just tuck them in to the branches of the Christmas tree. They also make darling doll house babies!

 

Here's what you will need to create your Woodland Nut Baby:


*Hollowed out Walnut shells for the nut baby's cradle.
Try to split the Walnut as evenly as possible. The ones I used for this were a little "choppy"-I think they were leftovers from last year.

*Small wooden beads for the heads.

*Acorn caps. These came from actual acorns, but I seem to remember you can get these at craft stores as well.

*Cotton balls. I split one in half for two nut babies.

*Fabric scraps for creating the little "blanket" top. I used craft felt for these.

*Hot glue gun  

 One year we painted some of the Walnut shells silver. Natural or painted? You decide!

I have some fabric leaves just waiting for a little project, so I'm going to try something a little different. I'm tucking one into one of the shells for the nut baby to rest on. Kind of adds to the "woodland" feel, don't you think?

  

Now hot glue an acorn cap onto the wooden bead. Doesn't it make the cutest little baby head? Sometimes we'll draw a little face on these, but today I'm leaving these plain.

  Now hot glue the head to the inside edge of the nut shell.

Now take a piece of cotton ball and fill up the shell. Sorry about the fuzzy photos!

  

Fill the shell with enough cotton to create a puffy look under the little fabric scrap blanket that comes next. 

Cut a little piece of fabric the approximate shape of the nut shell.

Lay it over the cotton and begin tucking it in around the edges and under the head. When you like the way it looks, you can add a little touch of hot glue to keep it in place, but it really isn't necessary.

And that's all there is to it! After all these years, I still think they're just adorable.

Don't they look cozy tucked into their nest?

 Nighty-night babies...

I'll be back soon to share what will probably be the last little bits of Christmas around our house here in Colorado before we take off for California on Saturday. It's just going by too quickly!

I hope you're having a wonderful December week and thanks for coming by today, friends!

Jeanette



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