Winter Decorating with Ice Skates.......

with Christmas just 25 days away,

you might think the title would be

"Christmas Decorating".

but what i have in mind would be beautiful all winter long.

let me backtrack a minute.

i've just returned home from visiting my Mom in Michigan.

while there, I found a pair of my old ice skates.

memories, memories.......

of fun times with family and friends and of VERY sore tailbones:)

i had seen pretty decorations that started with an ice skate,

so when i found my skates,

i grabbed them up.......one for me and one for my Mom.

i didn't have much time,

 so i simply attached a clip of greenery and a red cardinal to the skates.

then my mom hung it on her back porch.

i'm telling you, i LOVE this sweet little ice skate decoration.

not bad for a dollar decorating job, huh?

and not just for Christmas, so no need to take it down in

25 days.

(yep, it's coming that fast:)

i found some more cute ideas for decorating with skates to inspire you.......

~~hanging on an old sled

(and by the way, that's another cool way to decorate.......

with an old sled!)

old skis too!

~~on a window or front door

~~above a fireplace

~~on the corner of a chair

you can hang them ANYWHERE!

(sorry...i couldn't resist a dr. seuss moment:)

~~add a bit of glitter and a sparkly pink star for a little girls room

~~create a pretty vignette with them

just look at these PRETTY felt skates hung as a garland.

if you go here, you can find out how to make these!

and you can use them to hold little gifts, too:)

~~last but not least, you can hang them on a tree.

how GORGEOUS is that!

so start rummaging through your oldie boxes, hit thrift stores, check online.....

and grab yourself a sweet little pair of ice skates!

cause nothing says winter like ICE, right?  hahaha

xoxoxoxo

Suzanne

19 Signs You're Doing Better Than You Think.....

This is just too good not to share.

I believe it is from the Happiness Project and when I saw this, 

I had to share it:)

1. You are alive.
2. You are able to see the sunrise and the sunset.
3. You are able to hear birds sing and waves crash.
4. You can walk outside and feel the breeze through your hair and the sun’s warmth on your skin.
5. You have tasted the sweetness of chocolate cake.
6. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.
7. You awoke this morning with a roof over your head.
8. You had a choice of what clothes to wear.
9. You haven’t feared for your life today.
10. You have overcome some considerable obstacles, and you have learnedand survived.
11. You often worry about what you’re going to do with your life – your career, your family, the next step, etc. – which means you have ambition, passion, drive, and the freedom to make your own decisions.
12. You live in a country that protects your basic human rights and civil liberties.
13. You are reasonably strong and healthy – if you got sick today, you could recover.
14. You have a friend or relative who misses you and looks forward to your next visit.
15. You have someone with whom to reminisce about ‘the good old days.’
16. You have access to clean drinking water.
17. You have access to medical care.
18. You have access to the Internet.
19. You can read.

When a Southern Girl Meets Snow........

We are in Michigan for a little
post Thanksgiving/pre Christmas
visit with my mom.



We were hoping to see a few snowflakes
while we were here, so imagine how happy we were to arrive to
snow on the ground.
A little snow.
VERY little...but still snow!
After a long, steamy Florida Summer and Fall,
we see snow.
Miss J was so excited,
she immediately wanted to make snowballs.



Yep, only a southern girl plays in 1/2 inch of snow,
HAPPILY making snowballs with her bare hands!
Yes, Life is good:)

Suzanne
-"Worry about nothing...Pray about everything".

Blessed and Thankful..........

confession time.........

i'm not a huge Thanksgiving holiday person.

oh, i love the Fall decor, the side dishes (hate turkey), the pumpkin pie, the family get togethers.

i do believe we have so many things to be thankful for.......

and i hope I am pretty thankful all year long.

i know some think this is the one day to stop and be thankful.

let's face it.......it's the one day to watch parades, football and 

STUFF yourself silly!:)

the day for being thankful is EVERY day.

but.....i do remember fondly those huge family dinners in my grandma's basement.

good times:)

now, i do want to share some little things I am thankful for.

but first, my "blessings".

because more than anything, i am

BLESSED!

i am blessed and thankful that i grew up in a Christian home

 with a loving family.

and i am now blessed with my own beautiful family and friends.

now THAT is something to be thankful for.

so when i don't include the "obvious" in my thankful list,

please know that some things just go without saying.

today, i am going to share a few things i am thankful for

 that aren't the obvious choices.

these are the little every day things that i am blessed with and thankful for

EVERY day.

in no particular order, i am thankful for.......

~~~my life down south

~~~living near the beach/Gulf

~~~sunshine and cool breezes

~~~rainy afternoons

~~~the pure love and loyalty from my 2 dogs

~~~spending every single day with my beautiful girls.

~~~hugs, kisses and i love you's

~~~a husband who works very hard to support his family

~~~morning coffee

~coconut cream for my coffee

~~~seashells and sea glass

~~~twinkle lights

~~~my fluffy slippers

~~~my oversized, cozy fleece tops

~~~finding something COOL at a thrift store

~~~getting "fun" mail

~~~memories.....and photos

~~~banana laffy taffy:)

~~~cupcakes

~~~nice, friendly people

~~~spray tans

~~~a really good book

~~~laughter

~~~double peach hibiscus in my front yard

~~~gardenia bushes

~~~orange blossoms and vanilla.....my favorite scents

~~~warm cookies

~~~a good nights sleep (rare but nice when it happens:)

~~~college football

~~~country music

~~~hallmark movies

~~~italian food

~~~tulle

~~~naps with my dogs!

~~~anything pink or aqua/turquoise

~~~cowboy boots

~~~bling

~~~being a homebody

~~~warm, cozy blankets

~~~down comforters

~~~vacations

~~~really sharp pencils

~~~my glue gun

~~~vintage costume jewelry

~~~charm bracelets and lockets

~~~birthdays

~~~faded, broken in blue jeans

~~~orange cake and moon pies

~~~fresh strawberries and raspberries

~~~a good nights sleep.....did i say that already? haha

~~~my blog.....and the wonderful people who read it!

see a trend here?

the things i'm really thankful for, outside of the important family things,

are just everyday things that i am sooooo thankful for.

every day.

does that mean every day is thanksgiving?

maybe that's exactly what it is.......or what it should be.

so from our family to yours.........

may you have a beautiful, blessed Thanksgiving.

and eat some PIE already.

(ditch the diet for once!;) heehee

xoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Black Friday Sales and a PINK Thanksgiving.....

Yikes.......

if there is one thing I DETEST it is the phrase 

"black" friday.

it just seems so dark for the start of CHRISTmas shopping and for the day after 

Thanksgiving,

even though I know it has to do with "being in the black".

and for personal reasons, i have very good reason to not like it...trust me:(

but for today's blog post i have to use it, 

so please excuse me because I stumbled

on something REALLY cool!!!

did you know........

you can go to

blackfriday.com

 and pull up early sales AND a list of what will

be on sale Friday?

so for those power shoppers,

no need to pore over ads.

you can make your shopping list RIGHT NOW:)

now for pink Thanksgiving,

for pink saturday....

bet you didn't think this would be possible but look at this.....

see, it is possible to have a pink thanksgiving!:)

xoxoxo

Suzanne

be HAPPIER in you own HOME..........

be HAPPIER in your HOME

Found this list on apartmenttherapy.com and then saw it reblogged in various places. I was inspired and thought it might inspire you too!  I've tweaked things a bit to my tastes and for my readers but basically it's the same.  Pink Christmas will have to wait another day.

1. Make your bed.

The book The Happiness Project, explains that this three minute task is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to positively impact your happiness.  I read this book and while sometimes it was a bit much for me, it has GREAT happiness ideas:)

2. Bring every room back to “ready.”

I learned this trick from Marilyn Paul’s clever book, It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys. It’s a known fact: Clutter causes stress; order creates a haven from it. This mood-boosting routine is simple: Take about three minutes to bring each room back to “ready” before you depart it. (Unless you have a toddler, or a partner who likes to simulate earthquakes, three minutes should be sufficient.)

3. Display sentimental items around your home.

One reason that experiences (and memories of those experiences) make us happier than material things is due to the entire cycle of enjoyment that experiences provide: planning the experience, looking forward to the experience, enjoying the experience, and then remembering the experience. Make your home a gallery of positive memories.

4. Start a one-line-a-day gratitude journal.

Before bed, simply jot down one happy memory from that day. (If you have kids, you can ask them, “What was the best part of today?”)  We did that every night...now why didn't I ask myself that? Reflection is an important part of happiness, and pausing to reflect on a positive event from each day cultivates gratitude. (An added bonus: Later, when your memory is defunct, you will already have all of your meaningful adventures recorded!) If you have trouble getting started with journaling, consider buying a book to guide you. Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach, is a great one.

5. If you can’t get out of it, get into it.

This tip comes from The Happiness Project also. I love the message: The dishes are not going to clean themselves, so you will do it, and you will like it! (Unless, of course, you can outsource this job, in which case I say: Nice work!) Otherwise, get into doing the dishes. Feel the soothing warm water on your hands. Enjoy the tickle of the tiny bubbles. Crank your favorite album at an unusually loud volume, do a couple fist-pumps while shouting “Can I get a hell yeah for the dishes? Hell! Yeah!” and pretend you love it.

6. Before you get up each morning, set an intent for the day.

Every morning when you wake, be grateful you are alive and have a precious life. A number of people have said that. Wow.  I tend to wake up with a strong reaction that says, “Attention human beings: Be afraid of me before coffee. Be very afraid!” Setting a daily intent makes a huge difference. Your daily intent could be something like “be productive” or “enjoy today’s delicious moments” or it could be something more specific like “say thank you to my loved ones today.” But it should not be another “to do” item on your list.

7. Do small favors for your housemates, expecting nothing in return (not even a thank you!).

(That’s right, I said it: nothing!) Mow the lawn for your husband, but don’t expect him to pat you on the back. Make the bed for your wife, but don’t try to get bonus points for it. Take the trash out for your roommate, just because. The ability to cultivate strong, healthy relationships is one of the biggest contributors to health and happiness, but when you start to keep score, the benefit is lost. (No! It’s YOUR turn to clean up the dog poop!) It’s a well-known fact: When you do good, you feel good. Hmmm.....

8. Call at least one friend or family member a day.

You can do this while you clean, while you make the bed, or while you walk the dog. Texts and emails do not count! Make an actual phone call to a loved one, just to chat and catch up. We humans are social beings and studies show that even when we don’t feel like it, even if we are naturally introverted, socializing with our loved ones makes us feel better.

9. Spend money on things that cultivate experiences at home.

Save money for a new grill for parties or cookouts, or a new DVD or game for family movie night — something that will encourage you to be home with those you love and enjoy it! Don’t forget to print out the pictures to remember the good times.)

10. Spend time every day with God.  (This one is kinda my addition:)

 Obviously, spending time in devotion and prayer is very important.  But maybe noticing and appreciating his beautiful works is another way.....take a walk in nature. Write in a journal. Be thankful and present.

Well, that's about it for today:)  I hope some of this helps you as it did me.  Thanks for stopping by!

xoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Decorating Styles.......or How Do YOU Trim the Tree?

This is somewhat of a repost from Christmas in July.
I figured some un-festive people were not too happy
when I did this in July,
so I'm posting it again today.
Soon, I hope to repost one of my reader favorites,
which was a PINK Christmas in July from a few years back:)
If you see a stray reference to summer that I missed,
sorry about that.
It was SWELTERING hot when I wrote this originally:)
Alrighty then, here we go.....

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

Beach Gypsies.......Our Little Corner of the Store

Well hello there.......

It's another day, another chance to get it right.......

We can only hope:)

Awhile back, I mentioned that we (my girls and I) have been busy

creating goodies to sell at Vintage Charm of Naples.

Well, we finally got enough together to have our very own corner of the store.

our style is shabby, beach cottage, girly and FUN.

it looks a bit cluttered in the pics but in person,

it's very pretty and whimsical.

i think:)

here are some photos.......

we turned it into a beachy winter wonderland!

 everything from sweet seahorses, to wreaths, to painted mason jars.

 ornaments, jewelry and even a mirror!

 can't forget the tutus...and notice the pink snowflakes?

a dollar store find, spray painted pink and glittered:)

 ruffled rompers and white Christmas trees!

we really got lucky with the paint color inside the store...

shabby-beachy aqua!

PERFECT for the BEACH GYPSIES!

if you're ever down south in Naples. stop by Vintage Charm.

you can't miss the beach gypsies little corner of the world:)

xoxo

Suzanne

Think about this.....PLEASE!

when you talk to your children,

do you tell them they can be anything they want to be when they grow up,

 if they don't get messed up and they work hard?

OR........

do you tell them when they grow up,

 they can be just like everyone else?

Yes, it's THAT simple friends.

i don't do politics on my blog and am appalled 

at all the people who shove their opinions in your face on .........

what else..........facebook.

but today, i'll make an exception.

not shoving anything at you.........

just asking you to think about something.

something VERY important.

then go vote.

i could post a TON of funny, scary, thoughtful pictures about this election.

but instead,  i'll share just one.

because i can't resist.

now don't be a hater and leave nasty comments.

i'm not like that and hope i don't have friends like that.

instead, think about your choice, PRAY about your choice,

and if you haven't yet,

VOTE for your presidential choice.
and don't forget to smile today.......
or even better, let slip a giggle or two.
even better..........

May God Bless you all today.........
Suzanne