Catching Up on Christmas

Whew, it  was a busy, busy weekend in my little mountain house!  

Last week I posted about feeling a bit stressed and not ready for Christmas - I was definitely feeling overwhelmed and I don't like that one bit! I got so many wonderful comments from my blogland friends out there and the majority said, and I paraphrase here,  Just let it be. Let it happen. Whatever you get to, you get to. And what you don't? Oh well!

You know what? I like that attitude!! I'm going to try to adopt that mentality to more of my busy life!

We started the weekend Friday evening with some sweetness from my favorite reindeer. 

That little face always makes any day brighter!  Of course, she doesn't look too thrilled with her new accessory but she's always a good sport.

And a cookie bribe helps. 

Saturday morning dawned bright and SNOWY - just what I needed to put the pep in my step!!

It wasn't much but just that little dusting of snow made it feel so much more like the holidays!

Some good snow squalls throughout the day made me feel all warm and cozy inside while wrapping gifts. 

It was a marathon wrapping session for sure! But, I can cross that task off my holiday to-do list so I'm a happy girl. 

My little treats for my staff are all ready to hand out on Christmas eve. 

It's certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas around the tree!

Sunday brought more cold weather although no snow. I don't think we have a hope of a white Christmas this year which is sad. 

The holiday grocery shopping was done with some help from my girls and after a quick pizza break the baking began. 

Tell me why I bothered to clean the kitchen before we started baking? Not my wisest moment!

Butter cookies three ways, chocolate chunk cookies, and Carol's absolutely amazing sugar cookies - (get the recipe here at the Red Painted Cottage) -  and the cookie marathon was done!

A quick kitchen cleanup and then my daughters and I gathered in the living room by the fire to watch It's a Wonderful Life. 

Obviously all the action this weekend wore my poor old Lily girl out. 

However, I guarantee that as soon as she hears the sound of the cookie jars opening she'll bounce up looking for a treat!

All in all it was a great weekend, albeit a busy one. Not much time for R&R but perhaps after the holidays I might catch up on a little quiet time. 

I hope your weekend was a happy one, friends!

Forcing Holiday Cheer

It can be so tough to get in the holiday spirit some years, am I right? Just because the calendar says it's Christmas time doesn't mean it feels like it....so what's a person to do?

We're one week from Christmas and I'm not ready.

I'M NOT READY!!

I haven't wrapped a single gift. For that matter - I still have gifts to buy. 

The weather has been unseasonably warm, there's not a snowflake to be seen. It doesn't feel one bit like Christmas. 

I don't even know what I'm making for Christmas dinner.

I haven't baked even one cookie. Not one. 

Via

The weeks just fly by, there aren't enough hours in the day, and I can't catch up. 

Can anyone say STRESSED??

This weekend I need to catch up so I can enjoy the remainder of the holiday season. What's left of it. 

I'm pulling out all the stops right now. The big guns. It's time.

Here's my plan. 

Saturday morning I'll make my usual weekend morning cappuccino....with a good sprinkle of cinnamon. 

And a hearty weekend breakfast. 

And I'll get to work. 

My favorite Christmas CD will go on. 

Sarah McLachlan - Wintersong

My most loved song on the whole cd? Right here. Song For a Winter's Night. It gives me chills, every time. I turn it up real loud and sing right along with Sarah. 

And it's not Christmas without James Stewart and Donna Reed. Not even close. My daughter took me to see a 1940's radio version of this at a local theater last weekend, which was incredible - we had such a terrific day! However, the original movie still needs to be watched. Without a doubt. 

Via

I'll light some beautiful holiday scented candles - I'm super excited about a new one I just got in the mail and it's unpacked, in place on the sideboard, and ready to go - just waiting for me to strike the match. 

Unplug Soy Candles

These Unplug Soy Candles are poured into old wine bottles and they smell AMAZING!!  This one is a Christmas scent and I am so excited to light it up!! I read about it first at Thrifty Decor Chick's blog and she absolutely raved about it....of course, since I'm a total candle junkie I had to reach out to Jennifer and place an order. I'm so glad I did!!

Via

Once the scene is set I'm going to make myself an eggnog, get out the wrapping paper, and go to town. 

Via

How do you get yourself in the holiday spirit when you're just not feeling it?

What's your secret?

Puttering Sweetie

I'm so  lucky to have a good man in my life.....not only is he sweet, funny, and handsome but he also likes puttering around the house. 

Just like me. I love puttering. 

But I work full time so my puttering days are limited to weekends. 

Fortunately for me, my sweetie will often surprise me by coming to my house while I'm at work and tackling little projects to make my life better and/or easier. 

He's a good man. I might just have to keep him. 

This week he tackled two projects for me as little surprises while I was at work. 

The first one is this ingenious system he worked up in that brain of his to store some of my patio cushions - and hopefully keep the critters out of them. 

Check this out - he suspended them from the rafters in the garage, in a mesh tarp bundle, high up in the air! 

I worried - how will I get them down in the spring? We know how much I hate ladders, right?

Well, Sweetie thought of everything - he rigged up this pulley system to raise and lower the bundle to make things easier for me. 

He bought this pulley a few years back after I had knee surgery so I could raise and lower bags of firewood up to my second story deck - it was a slow process and much quicker to just have my daughter bring in all the wood! But the thought was there....and it was a good idea. I just didn't have the patience to stand there and keep turning that crank. 

The pulley was removed when I was moving from that rental and stored until needed again. The next use was when a snow and ice storm bent a tree nearly in half on my new property. My sweetie rigged the pulley up to pull the tree upright again in stages so it wouldn't snap. It worked - genius, I tell you!

And now it's in place in my garage with this new system. I tell you, that man's brain works in ways mine never, ever would!

It's seriously a wonderful system and hopefully by having the cushions suspended so high up the critters will stay out of them. Fingers crossed. 

The path is cleared again so it's easier to carry in wood. 

You know, if we ever need a fire again here in the mountains of Upstate NY. Ever. 

Since it's been 50 - 60 degrees consistently. No fire needed!

Weird weather. 

Anyway.....the second surprise I got this week was just yesterday when my honey came over and put up a lit wreath at the peak of the roof. 

He brought me over the wreath from his house....he wasn't using it.....but I was already done with the decorating outside and there was no way I was getting back on that ladder. 

No way Jose. Not happening. No, thank you. Uh....nope. 

So the wreath sat on a chair by the door. And then I hung it around the porch light, which was ok, but not great. 

But I was ok with it because it didn't require me stepping on a ladder. Worked for me!

My sweetie came over with a friend yesterday and took care of it while I was at work. What a nice surprise to come home to!  It looks lovely from the road, and now the house looks finished for the holidays. 

However.....unless he's going to get back on the ladder after the holidays that baby's going to stay up year round!!

It will give the birds a place to nest, come Spring. 

Stretching the Dining Room

When I first toured my new house I fell in love. 

Instantly and completely. 

But I had a problem. And I almost didn't buy the house because of it. 

Despite the fact that I was in love. 

What was my problem?

The dining room would not seat my whole clan for Christmas dinner. 

I told you about it here - I didn't sleep for a few nights, tossing and turning and worrying about this. 

Yes, I know. I'm nuts.

Finally I just gave myself a good hard kick in the butt and said, "Who cares? It's one day a year!"

And I made an offer. 

And the rest was history. 

But now it's nearly time for Christmas dinner. 

And I'm starting to fret again. 

So what's a girl to do? 

Get creative, that's what!  

And I did. 

With help from my sweetie. 

I had this idea to take a piece of plywood, saw it in half, hinge it (for ease of storage), and place it over the table top. 

For once, Sweetie didn't tell me I was out of my mind. 

He saw the possibilities....and made it happen. 

Sanded and smooth, corners rounded, piano hinge down the middle. 

With the table stretched open as far as it can go - and a gap in the  middle to accommodate the hinge - we're giving it a test run tonight. 

With a dinner party for 12  nope, now we're at 13. 

Sweetie helped me carry the makeshift tabletop in last night and get it in place. 

It was a little warped, as plywood tends to be. So he clamped it and I weighed it down with all the fall squashes I have yet to cook. 

And I went on a hunt for the giant ivory colored tablecloth I have had for eons. 

And I hunted. And hunted. And turned every linen storage area in my house upside down. 

And no giant ivory colored tablecloth can be found anywhere. 

It walked away. As things do. 

So I improvised. 

With two brown tablecloths I've had for centuries and that lovely red velvet jingle bell runner I told you about here. 

And I worried the colors would clash. 

But you know what? I'm not hating it!!

My plates have a brown band as well as blue and dark red, so they work to pull the colors together. 

Add red napkins and crystal glasses and there's not a thing wrong with it!

The dishes help to weigh down the table so it's not quite as warped. It's still a little wobbly but hopefully will be alright, once the bowls of heavy food are put in the center. 

I'm really quite pleased with the end result. I set the table for 12 this morning.....I'll have to find room for one more when I get home from work - we'll squeeze. No worries. 

When the lights are dimmed and the candles lit and the music is playing and the wine is flowing nobody will worry one bit about being a little tight around the table. 

And we'll do it again next Friday. 

Happy Holidays, Friends!!

~~~~~~~~~~

Sharing at 

Cozy Little House - Tweak It Tuesday 

Girly Girl with Power Tools

It's a dangerous combination, don't you think?

A girly girl with power tools and a can-do attitude? 

My mom always said I was like a bull in a china shop. And as stubborn as the day is long. 

That may be the case, but it has served me well in life. 

When something needs to be done I will try to tackle it on my own whenever possible. 

Unless it involves a power saw of any type. That's not happening. I'm even more afraid of power saws than I am of ladders, if you can believe it. 

Anyway, this was another busy, busy weekend. Aren't they all? Not enough hours in the day, I say. 

The temps were in the 50's so I wanted to work out in the garden.  However, after spending two hours on the phone with Verizon trying to repair the issue with my internet (don't get me started!!) I headed out to the garden only to find.....it was drizzling. 

Oh well. 

Back inside to tackle a few projects that were bugging me. 

See this? This is my wall hung jewelry cabinet that 1. Does not close. At all. Not a chance. 

And 2. Always has a pile of scarves hanging over the door, for lack of a better place to put them. 

Which is not why it doesn't close, believe it or not. 

There were also scarves sticking out of various fabric bins in my walk in closet. 

Did I mention how much I love, love, LOVE my walk in closet? 

Oh, no? 

Well, I do. Almost as much as I love cheese. 

Anyway. I decided I had to do something about it. I knew what I wanted to do....just not where. 

And then one night in the wee hours when I couldn't sleep I figured it out. 

This is where it had to happen. Right on these dividers between the hanging space and the shelves. 

Drapery hooks! The perfect thing for holding scarves!! I picked up two of these at Lowes....and there was one more that looked similar that I was in the house when I bought it. 

About 15 minutes with my handy dandy Black & Decker drill & screwgun and I was a happy camper!

Check this out - perfect!! Now, don't even think for one second that this is my entire scarf collection....no siree, Bob!!

However, at least it takes care of the ones I use most often, or that have just been worn and need a place to hang out (ha ha, yes pun intended) until they get put away. 

The third hook got used to take some of the pressure off the poor Jewelry cabinet. 

Seriously, look at that door - not a chance it's going to ever close unless I remove a bunch of the bulkier items out of there! It's not even close. 

Well, after pulling out about a million of my costume jewelry necklaces and hanging them on the new drapery hook the door can close again - hooray!  That hasn't happened in years....well, with the exception of when it was empty on moving day. 

I love the way it looks now when I look into my closet - not only is the chandelier sparkling but the light catches the necklaces also!

Such a girly girl I am!

While I had my tools out, I took care of a little problem my daughter had in her room. 

This was her hook rack in her bedroom. It was here when we moved in....but it had four hooks, not just one. 

I guess they weren't that strong.....they snapped off one by one. 

A little while later she was back in business. 

All it needs is  a little touch up paint and we're golden. Easy peasy. 

It makes me feel good to not only be able to do these little projects myself but also to teach my daughters how to do them at the same time. 

I hope you also did something this weekend that makes you proud!

Happy Monday, Friends!

Guests and The Big Green Monster

There was a time when I used to have 10+ people staying in my home overnight for Christmas. Back when the kids were small and their cousins would all sleep over....there were makeshift beds everywhere! 

But kids grow up and have their own lives and families get busier and traditions change. 

I still host my family for Christmas dinner but don't have as many overnight guests any more. 

Mom and Dad don't come back from Florida for the holidays. 

My sister and her family, with her grown kids, tend to travel back home after dinner. 

My other sister may or may not stay for Christmas night with her two boys. We'll see. 

Times change. 

Either way, there's room for everyone in my new house. We can have a big old fashioned sleepover if the cards fall that way. 

I never did share my guest room with you. Do you wonder why?

Because it's naked. 

Who wants to see a naked guest room? 

Well today's the day. Naked or not. Here it is. 

See what I mean? There is NOTHING hanging on the walls. At all. Completely naked. 

I wasn't going to show it to you at all except the sun was shining so beautifully through the windows this morning and I had to grab the camera and start snapping. 

Also, my all time favorite EVER piece of furniture is in the guest room. 

And about a billion plants that I moved out of the living room to make room for Christmas decorations. 

Did I mention I love plants? They make me happy. 

This piece of furniture has been in my last 4 homes. 

It was in my yoga room when I was married. It held my yoga DVD's and workout equipment. 

It had a spot of honor in my living room when I got separated - it held dishes since my itty bitty kitchen had no storage. 

And it was in my kitchen in my last rental. It held dishes and glasses. 

When I bought my house I stressed and stressed over where this piece was going to live. 

Because no matter what, I had to find a home for this baby. 

Do you have a piece like that? I call this one the Big Green Monster. 

I hoped I could use it in my dining room but it just didn't work. Too huge. 

I thought I could use it in my lower level but it didn't work. Too tall. 

But you know what? It works perfectly in my guest room. 

It stores my guest towels and sheets perfectly behind the glass doors. 

Lavender sachets make it smell so lovely when you open the doors to take out a set of clean sheets!

The lower doors hold some other bulkier bedding as well as a few misc items that don't have a home yet. 

It fit just perfectly on this wall next to the window. Don't you just love it?

And you know what? I get more comments on this piece than any other piece of furniture I own. 

Do you know how much I paid for it?

Nothing. It was free. Someone was throwing it out. 

Can you believe that? 

I really need to find something to hang on the walls in here, though. 

Nothing has jumped out at me. 

It will happen in time....you can't rush these things. The layers take time. 

Meanwhile, it's a sunny, happy room and I love having a dedicated guest room. 

When you look out the window you have a view of the horses in their paddock and their little barn. What's better than that?

When you come out of the guest room you meet my little happy fiber optic snowman (thanks, Mom!) and a couple of other little holiday items. 

And the guest bath is right across the hall. 

It's a sunny, happy room also with that skylight above the shower. 

I didn't have to do a thing but paint in this room - the previous homeowners had already renovated it fairly recently. 

Wait, I lied - I changed out the sink and toilet. 

Even the guest bath has some artwork on the wall yet there are many walls in my house that are just crying out for artwork. 

What's wrong with me? I have a hard time committing to hammering that nail into the wall!

So....welcome to my guest space. 

Let me know when you're coming and I'll turn the bed down for you.