Christmas in July...What is your Holiday Decorating "Personality"?

now please.....no hate mail about it being only summer.

I KNOW it's only summer.

it's summer all year round where i live.

and it is one HOT summer this year,

so let's forget about it and think of something "chilly", ok?

what i thought i would do is look at Holiday decorating "styles".

do you have one?

or are you more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of gal?

maybe your decorating is whatever your kids draw, create or want to hang on the tree.

that's what mine was, for YEARS!

i love it still.....

although now i change it up sometimes.

i'm sure when i have the empty nest, i'll bring back the kiddie tree,

just because:)

anyway, let's get started with the decorating PERSONALITY quiz.

 are you a traditional, red and green kind of person?

i'm not so much.....but i do love it when i see it.

and one of these days i'm going back.......

because i really want a red tree some day.

i know.......a red tree is NOT traditional.

hahahaha

but at least it's red:)

okay, if you go the red and green route,

you are classic, traditional, conservative and reliable.

you are okay with change to a certain extent.

but not too drastic.

decorations may change and get an update.....

but they must stay RED and GREEN.

and your lights are always white.

they look best with the red and green theme.

well, what do ya think?

am i close?  a little bit? maybe???

now, what if you use colors like

 orange, turquoise, fuschia, purple and lime in your decorating?

hmmmmm......

well, to start with ,

you would ALWAYS use multi colored lights.

the more color, the better.

you are non-traditional, obviously.

you like to try new things and you LOVE change.

you are adventurous, free-spirited, confident and outgoing.

people like being around you with your FUN outlook on life.

okay, okay.....what about all those people who have a single color scheme.....

like Pink?

well, obviously you are a bit non-traditional too,

although not necessarily "modern".

you may be vintage and classic, but just LOVE pink!

you believe in surrounding yourself with people and things that you LOVE,

that make you happy.

you don't care what others think.....you like it.

it is important to you that your choices in life reflect the real you.

you love pretty things and aren't afraid to be a lady

you are very warm and approachable and make friends easily......

especially if they like pink too:)

so pretty.....in pink:)

"i'm dreaming of a white Christmas....."

yes, let's talk about those who love their whites.

(including metallics)

that's the style i have these days.

but trust me, it isn't cold.

not at all.

mixed with creams and a bit of glittery metallics,

it's my Vintage glam" look:)

but i promise to be unbiased in my personality description here:)

white christmas lovers are......

non traditional, to start with.

i mean a giant white tree?.  definitely non-traditional!

they like beautiful things and love the idea of a 

snowy white Christmas.

they are confident, happiest when decorating their home,

a bit controlling in that they like decorations to

"go with" or coordinate with the decor.

know what i mean?

but in a good way, of course:)

they are dreamers.....and they are doers.

(had to stick that one in there:)

elegant too...did i say that?

heehee

okay, before i sign off,

just a few odds and ends.

this year, i am sticking with craft paper that i embellish real pretty

for my gift wrapping. 

i think.

if i get my act together:)

something like this......

although MUCH less professional looking:)

nice, huh?

and speaking of gift wrap, 

if the kiddies are getting cabin fever,

summer is a great time to have them make your Christmas wrapping paper.

we used to do this all the time.

just buy solid paper and stamps/sponges.

let them have at it with a bit of paint and you have great gift wrap!

 or if they are a bit older, maybe they can cut out some

COOL paper snowflakes.

lastly, any idea how these ADORABLE penguins were made?

penguin instructions

well, follow the link under the photo but here's a hint.......

they come from a soda bottle.

i'm not even giving more hints because you're going to LOVE

Lucy and her VERY creative blog!

so go meet her and look around awhile!

Be Blessed.......

Suzanne

cowboys, prayer and cowboy church.......

oh. my. GOODNESS!

last saturday night, Miss J and i went to our very first rodeo.

hey.......any excuse to wear boots and cowboy hats

 (forgot the hats though:)

and a chance to see real live cowboys in this

tropical world we live in.

and like i said...

OH

MY

GOODNESS!

did we have a special night or what!?!?

actually, for us wannabe cowgirls,

it wasn't a whole rodeo but bullriding from

the professional bull riders.

but it was enough and it was COOL, trust me!

let me tell you, those are some HUGE bulls!
it was just really cool, seeing the cowboys with their hats on, leaning over the bull cage,
helping the rider get seated on that wild thing.

clearly, everybody has a job to do......
a very important job, since this is
ONE TOUGH SPORT.
and it is definitely a sport and these are very talented athletes.

the night started with music blaring and fireworks,
as well as the letters PBR (professional Bullriders)
set on fire on the floor.
you had to see it.
the arena is dark, the giant letters are burning and the announcer starts
to introduce the bull riders.
when their name is called, they walk through the flames to line up in a semi circle.
quite spectacular.

but the MOST spectacular thing was when the announcer asked
the audience to stand for the invocation.
Prayer!
at a public sporting event in America.
imagine that.
Prayer.

and what a prayer it was.
basically, this is what it said.......
they prayed for safety for them and their families.
prayed for our soldiers, our country, the President, the Colorado shooting victims.
they thanked God for his many blessings.
they prayed for forgiveness of sins and yes, much more.
it was something else!

i noticed the cowboys, some holding their hats on their chests,
some kneeling, some on all fours.

clearly, they took this very seriously, as we all should.
and the audience was very reverent.
also quite surprising for a big arena full of excited people.

this had me so stunned and moved,
that i went home and looked up the rodeo, bull riding, and cowboys praying.
guess what.......
now i'm even MORE impressed!
these men know that what they do is very dangerous.
in interviews, they refer to the power of prayer.
they know that guts and bravery are never going to be enough.
these men rely on their faith every time they get on the back of one of those bulls.
in a world of "political correctness".........
they PRAY.

they pray over the bull rider as he sits atop the bull, they pray in the locker room
before they come out, and they pray in front of the crowd every night.

and that's not all.
their faith is so important, that there are now
"Cowboy Churches" all over the country.
wherever there is a bull riding contest, there is cowboy church.
whether they meet in the bleachers, in a barn or in a little country church,
they gather to worship and pray.

one pastor said they have simple services........
filled with country/gospel songs and a simple message to take them through the night and into the next day.
lessons to use, lessons to live.
and plenty of prayer.
we had a pretty remarkable night.
moving.....that's what it was.  very moving.
so good to see prayer like that at a sporting event.

i'm not suggesting that these men are perfect.
they are no more (or less) perfect than the rest of us.
they just seem to wear their faith boldly.
i was so impressed that night and look forward to the experience again.....and again.
quite a lesson for us all:)
God Bless the American Cowboy.....
and God Bless All of you, Too!
Suzanne

How's That Summer Bucket List Coming Along?

so what about it?

are y'all having FUN and making lots of MEMORIES this summer?

been working hard on that summer bucket list?

well, don't worry.....there's still time!

if you're planning a beach vacation,

check out these cute things.......

(click on the photos to be taken to the shopping site)

an adorable personalized little dolphin beach bag filled with beach toys.

and.....

a personalized chair and umbrella set.

or if sleepovers are in your future.......
this bag is a MUST!

Personalization Mall is one of my favorite places to shop....
check out one of those three above for gifts or just for fun:)

(okay, okay.....no more shopping:)

well.....nothing major.

this outdoor chalkboard is such a COOL idea from Lowes......

but who has time to put the pieces together and assemble? 

 I guess if you need it this big,

maybe.

but you could paint chalkboard paint on any old framed mirror or picture

you find at a garage sale.

Or just buy a piece of ply wood, sand and seal it REALLY good,

then paint on a frame and hang it up.

TONS of summer fun:)

I saw this at Holiday Crafts and Creations.com.

But then again, these flower balls are made from paper flowers you put together.

personally, being the lazy person that i am,

i would buy styro balls from your craft store, cheap, bright flowers and styro glue

(or hot glue) and voila.....

you have pretty flower balls hanging from the trees for summer parties!

how about a "twist" on a favorite board game?

spray on dots to make a HUGE twister game in the backyard.

have you heard of those 30 day photo challenges?

how about buying the kids a throw away camera and making a challenge for them?

then, put together a little album for show n tell in the Fall.

ideas for daily photos are as simple as;

*what you had for breakfast, lunch...

*favorite summer snack

*BFF

*summer splash

*bike photo

*family photo

*their bedroom

*favorite stuffed animal/toy

*ice cream photo

*find a bird/butterfly photo

*picture they colored/drew

*something orange/blue/pink.....

*flower

*something they found.....

anything really!

can you tell i really like this idea?

and Mom...while they do their little photo shoots,

sit back and have yourself a little

 Peach Flip

~frozen peaches, lemonade and sprite in the blender

SOOOOO GOOD!

that's it for today.
except one quick reminder.........
fun little summer moments spent at home,
 doing simple things like playing in the backyard, coloring or taking photos
 may be the best gift you can give.
think about it.......
in a world of iphones, computers, video games and sports camps,
giving kids the chance to have quiet time, unstructured time may
sound crazy but with school around the corner,
very much needed!
i don't know it all,
far from it.
some days i think i know very little!
but i know one thing.......
i wouldn't trade lazy summer days with my girls when they were little
for all of the camps, activities and games in the world.
just hanging out is good,
which is why the focus here is time together,
HAPPY times together.
XOXOXOX
Suzanne

Rustic Chic Turquoise Decorating.........

Okay, the news these days is quite sad.

more than sad.....downright tragic.

so on this silly lil ol' blog,

let's get back to mindless, simple,

hopefully happier stuff,

without ever forgetting what others may be

 going through.

let me tell you about my latest decorating obsession.

R
U
S
T
I
C 

C
H
I
C

and my favorite color,

 which is darker than aqua yet with similar tones.........

what i call rustic chic turquoise.

i totally love it.

it works with any decor, in my opinion.

and in particular, works in my home.

i just don't have a whole heck of a lot of it.......

Y

E

T

but i will be adding touches here and there as i find it.
have i written about this current obsession yet?
i kinda feel like i have but..... OH WELL:).

 in a nutshell, 

using my white sectional as a starting point,

this would be my idea board.

complete with the happy cow:)

look at all the cool things pictured here.......
from the awesome table to the chair, armoire, FAUX cow hyde rug
to the pier 1 lamp and the amazing pillows.
and the floor.....can't get more rustic than that!

and so you know, i have been eyeing this cow at Z Gallerie for some time.

i love the colors but most of all, 

i love the happy cow.

(i've always loved cows.....those big cow eyes are so sweet:)

and can you guess what this painting is called?

the

HAPPY COW!

don't you love it?

okay, don't feel bad if you think i'm crazy.

that just means you are siding with my husband in sending me to the crazy farm;)
hahahahaha

moving on to some other items i love......
this rustic turquoise bed and side table is stunning in it's way.

these dining room cabinets are so pretty!

and how gorgeous is that touch of lilac paired with the turquoise.

this necklace and bracelet set, while stunning,

is just an example of how everyday items can serve as decor inspiration.

don't you think?

hey.....trust me, i've bought things telling my husband i needed them

because they were inspiring me.

it works:)

this next thing, i am SO doing ASAP!

i have a rattan chair that was very comfortable but lately

we feel it's not so anymore.

so i've been thinking and thinking.....what kind of chair would we like?

then i remembered i have two studded, faded leather chairs downstairs!

so i'm going to cover the cushion and add some cool pillows.

i can't wait!!!

i love this little sign.......

the lettering and distressing is just the right shade.

this vase is so pretty.....mixed with the fall flowers.

well, there you have it.

my obsession with rustic chic turquoise.......

and don't forget the happy cow:)

hope you're having a great Saturday!

Suzanne

That's Why I Pray.......

and why i love country music.

frankly, it is the only "popular" music my girls listen to....

the only they are allowed to listen to.

there is good and bad in anything.

but there are FAR more songs/videos like this one by Big and Rich.....

That's Why I Pray.
Click on the You Tube link to watch it if it doesn't play.
It is well worth the few minutes it takes.

On an unbelievably TRAGIC day in Colorado,

it's something to think about.

That's Why We Pray.

We need to Pray for those affected by this tragedy.....

the victims, their families.

the healthcare workers and police.

witnesses.

neighbors.

friends.

and the shooters' family.

Anyone who thinks this is or will be an isolated incident is just plain 

CRAZY.

Because our country is in trouble.

SERIOUS trouble.

That is what the song is about......how we are discouraged from speaking of God,

praying in Public.......keeping God in our Pledge of Allegiance.

and look where we are.

"Don't speak of God".....when we need to.

And we need to speak TO him.

There are those who will question.....

but it is not for us to question.

It is for us to pray and have faith in the only one who is always there for us.

We have no need to worry about what will happen in the next week, month year.

The people killed in this tragedy thought they would watch a movie

and walk out afterwards.

We never know.

Maybe all we can do is pray.....and hold those we love a little closer.

Enjoy those little moments.

Never take anything for granted.

God Bless all of you!

Suzanne

Happiness is.......The Long Hot Summer Edition

because while it's only mid July.....

it's been a loooooong HOT summer!

so hot, i think maybe i've been even LAZIER than normal!

which is why i haven't been on my blog much.

too hot + lazy = no blog posts.

seriously, this is what happens when i sit at the computer to write.....

awwwww....so cute:)

i mean, this heat is draining.

  all i wanna do is lay around like these cool guys..... 

but before you think i haven't been enjoying summer,

here are a few things that spell summer happiness to me.....

and we all need to think about the HAPPY in our life, 

past and present, right?

Happiness is.........

~having FUN is what summer is all about.

remember water balloons?

SOOOO much fun in the summer!

well, now some creative mommies have discovered how to have a water fight with sponges!

photo credit: Sponge Balls

super easy to make.....

just cut up 3 sponges into strips.  

gather them together and tie with dental floss.

fluff out your water sponge and you're ready for a water sponge fight!

COOL, huh?

now that's some serious summer fun, sure to make everyone

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY:)

~Happiness is also.......

the beach!

going to the beach with a book and a CUTE hat are even better.....

(love this book, and what do ya think of our new hat?)

next best thing to going to the beach is EATING the beach.

haha......one of our favorite desserts is sand on the beach.

kind of like dirt cake except with vanilla pudding, cream and crushed vanilla wafers.

OR

you could experiment with happy beach cupcakes.

okay, enough about the beach, our happy place:)

~Happiness is an ICE cold treat.

if you don't like em, they make a CUTE gift!

credit: eighteen25.blogspot.com:

Happiness is........

hanging out and just talking with my girls.

well, one of them.  the other is still at Boston Ballet but coming home soon.

happiness is ALSO that she is HAPPY, having FUN and made some wonderful, life-long friends!

but speaking of talking with your kids this summer, 

here is a list of great ideas from iMom re: talking with the kiddos.

Happiness is.........eating simple.

as in simple dinners!

like the good ol' 

B

L

T

Yum!

Happiness is.........

 lemonade stands.

my girls used to do this ALL the time.

so much fun and still makes me happy.

do yourself a favor.......

if you see a lemonade stand, stop.

you may be the only one (besides the mom) who does.......

and you will make some children VERY happy:)

Happiness is.......

cuddling and playing with my dogs.

they just make me happy, no matter the season.

this time i bring you my big boy,

Maui the Goldendoodle.....who doesn't know he is big at all:)

YIKES! hahaha

and last but not least,
Happiness is.........
staying inside on a hot summer day,
doing crafts with my girl(s)
like these SUPER CUTE headphone wraps!

we saw the idea on pinterest and in one night, Jordie was done with hers.
(mine took longer but only cause i was doing 10 other things at the same time:)
aren't they cute though?

okay, okay.....enough catching up!
time to get out and enjoy the day before it gets TOO hot and steamy:)
most important, remember this.......

XOXOXOXOX
Suzanne