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Cocoa Bokeh

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I absolutely LOVE the big, fuzzy, out of focus Christmas tree lights as a background for any photo. It almost sounds like I know what I’m doing, when I say that I’m playing around with aperture and bokeh. Honestly, I don’t even know if I’m pronouncing bokeh correctly. All I know is that it looks really pretty when you follow the directions on real photographers’ websites.


Here is a link that tells you the secret ingredients for photos like these.
Cheryl also listed a few links in this post.
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It’s All About Tradition

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Every year, at this time, families head to the tree farms to find something special. They search for the perfect trees to bring into their homes. But, it’s not really about the tree. It’s all about tradition.

Things I know for sure, because it’s tradition:
*There will be cocoa.
*There will be Christmas music.
*Everyone will get a chance to cut down the tree… and yell timber.
*Hark the Herald Angels Sing will be sung “Peanuts style” and the family will look at us like we’ve lost our minds.
*We’ll top the day off with Christmas cookies and be too tired to put up the tree.

Memories will be made… it’s tradition.

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Home and Family Friday

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I love these carolers. My grandma made them for me several years ago. I think everyone in the family has a set. It’s one of those decorations I take out every year and really appreciate the work that went into creating it.

Let’s see what you have been up to this week.

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Christmas Mantel

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The stockings are hung by the chimney with care!

 

I made the stockings just before my son was born. It was my first (and last) attempt at quilted paper piecing. It was such an intricate project. A little too tedious for me.

 

 

The little sweaters on the candles are leftovers from the pottery barn sweater pillow project.

 

Happy Christmas Decorating!!!

I’m linking this up to Layla’s Mantel Party.

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A Peek At My Porch

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How do you welcome guests to your house? What greets them before they even come inside? Here are a few things you’ll find on my porch.

For those of you who know me well, you know this sign is SO true. My nieces and nephews know there will always be warm cookies and cocoa at Auntie Becca’s.

 

We have two sleds on our porch. The old beaten up sled has seen many hours of sledding down the High Woodlands hill in my old neighborhood. I hate to call it an antique, since I’d like to think that I’m really not that old. We will just call it Well Loved. The newer sled is also mine. When the Well Loved sled had seen better days, my parents bought me a new one. Let me tell you, it’s the envy of all the kids now! My kids call it the “old fashioned sled” and it FLIES down the hill unlike these little plastic things they like to call sleds now.

 

Think about your front door. What does it say about you? What stories can it tell?

Happy decorating!

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It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

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Well, we’ve made it. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which means the day after tomorrow is the start of the most wonderful time of the year. There’ll parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting… sorry, got sidetracked by my love of Christmas music.

These little reindeer cookies are my favorite thing to do with my kids on the day after Thanksgiving. They are really easy for the kids to do all by themselves.

 

Oh, the gingerbread houses! I can’t wait!

 

Don’t worry, these pictures are from last year. My Christmas decorations don’t come out until the day after Thanksgiving. Just getting in the mood.

 

 

Happy Holidays!

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The Mom Cave

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All over Bloggerville my crafty friends are sharing their Mom Caves. I don’t really have my very own Mom Cave in the house. I usually work on projects in the rooms where my kids are. Only when I need table space, my sewing machine, or my cutting mat, do I head to the den/craft room. The computer armoire now houses my sewing machine, fabric, and embroidery materials. Once we had a laptop, we didn’t need a big computer center anymore. This was the perfect way to hide my sewing supplies.

 

When my husband works from home, this is the room he works in. It has a big, mostly empty table, in a room where he can close the doors and get work done. The den is the first room you see when you walk into the house. The fact that it doubles as a craft room causes extra pressure to keep it clean.

 

My wrapping paper, ribbons, and crafting supplies live in this room too. The room didn’t look this clean when I started this organizing project. I was really feeling the need to declutter before the Holidays.

 

 

There are those bins that I love so much. If you read my blog, you know how much I love labeled bins. These bins are nicely organized, but still need the perfect labels. I’d like to make small chalkboard labels, but that’s a project for another day.

These drawers are sanity makers.

The happiest part of my cleaning was coming across the PERFECT ribbon. I forgot I had this and it’s exactly what I was looking for to go with my gold Christmas wrap. ADHD moment… ooooh, look at the pretty ribbon…. must wrap Christmas presents. Lucky me! When I was done, my craft room was organized AND I had ten Christmas presents wrapped.

Happy organizing… and wrapping.