Nutcrackers, Barns and Christmas...Oh My!

I know what you're thinking...

I've finally lost it!

Well maybe...maybe not:)

We have a lot going on at the Shabby Chicks place today...

White Wednesday...

A barn party with the Barn Chicks...

and we're getting ready for Christmas with

All Things Merry & Bright!

So let's get started...

White Wednesday is a cool group who link up with 

Kathleen at Faded Charm

This is where the Nutcrackers come in.

Would you believe I am painting my house tomorrow just to go with the

9 ft. WHITE Christmas tree that is arriving on Friday?
Yes, I am crazy!
My girls say this is my "Martha" side coming out...
everything has to be "perfect".
Whatever...
not perfect, just kind of perfect:)
So I found some beautiful Nutcrackers this week.
The first one is from Joann's and is 20 inches tall,
dressed in cream and white glitter...

 GORGEOUS!!!
The next 2 guys are a silver and champagne color from Michael's.

 (Don't you LOVE the coupons from these stores?)
Anyway, I wasn't sure how to decorate this year until I found these guys and it hit me...
it's my GLAM Christmas with metallics (even pink:) and glitter!!
(I still love Pink for my pink friends...
but it goes better in the rest of the house:)
And speaking of Nutcrackers,
my daughter got a pic of the tutu she will be wearing for the Nutcracker last night.
This is it...

 a real tutu fit for the Snow Queen,
white with silver stitching, cream sequins and crystals.

Okay...moving on to barns!
Karen at Brayton Homestead Interiors is hosting a
Barn Chicks Party!!!

 If you like barns...or anything fall/winter/decorating...check it out!
Okay, so my husband recently met someone who lives on a ranch out east
and even he was impressed by the life this guy has.
He said to me "what do you think, could you be happy living like that"?
Ummmm...yeahh!!!
Especially if I can live in a BARN!!!

 (He thinks I'm joking...NOT)
 I mean, Christmas is coming and can you imagine coming home to your BARN
decorated like THIS???

 Or how about a winter wedding in a barn...

(flickr photos...green weddings)
not too SHABBY:)

Speaking of Christmas,
Robin is hosting the
All Things Merry and Brite blog party
on Wednesdays and we
are allowed to post old OR new posts for the Holidays.
I should have SOMETHING here, wouldn't you think?
 I decided to re-post a recipe for Amish Sugar Cookies.

These are so good, so white and sugary and look pretty wrapped in a
clear cellophane bag and tied with a pretty ribbon.
Oh my gosh, I'm making myself hungry for sugar cookies at 8:30 in the morning!
The full post is here but I've included just the recipe for you below.

AMISH SUGAR COOKIES:

Beat Well:

1 C Sugar

1 C Powder Sugar

1 C Butter

! C Corn Oil (We used Canola Oil)

Add and Beat together then add to above mixture:

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Cream of Tarter

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

4 1/2 C Flour

Directions:

Drop a heaping tsp on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.

Flatten with a glass bottom dipped in sugar.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. or till edges are golden.

(Yes, we add a sprinkle of sugar when they come out too...

and do not let them stay on the pan too long or they get too crispy/crumbly)

All I can say is ENJOY!!!!!
And Happy White Wednesday, Barn Chicks Party and
All Things Merry & Brite Day!

Were You Born in a Barn or Something?

 Ha,ha,ha...

We all know that saying, right?

No, I wasn't born in a barn...

but I do wish I had been married in one!

(Sorry sweetheart)

Actually,

I was married in a gazebo by the sea...

on the north shore of Hawaii

at a place called Turtle Bay...

near where they filmed "Lost".

Yes, it was BEAUTIFUL...

but I'm still hung up on barn weddings.

Remember awhile back when I said I wanted to

live in a renovated barn?

Or, own a place with an old barn

that could be used as an antique/flea market/barn sale

like some out there today?

Well, when it isn't in use for sales, 

it could be used for weddings!!!!!

Cool, huh?

Always thinking...

and daydreaming:)

Who knows...

maybe one of my girls will get married in a barn.

I have no problem with it

as long as they are married by a minister.

Just think...

a ballerina or a doctor 

getting married in a barn.

Sounds so cute...

to "mama bear", that is:)

I can see their eyes rolling already.

(good thing I'm not a controlling mom...

yeah, right:)

Anyway, there is something so enchanting

about a beautiful barn wedding.

So rustic...

yet so charming.

Oh, and by the way...

make sure you include your best friends

in your wedding party:)

I even have the name picked out...

Fairytale Farm...

 where "happily ever after" begins...

Okay...

clearly I need to get going and

actually accomplish something this morning...

and stop planning for my farm:)

P.S.  Don't forget to check out my new blog button:)

The Old Red Barn...

So my daughter had to read a book for school called Animal Farm and she then had a bunch of projects to do for her grade. One was to find a picture of a farm that resembled (to her) the one in the book. She had a hard time finding the right one until we quit searching for "farms" and started searching for "barn." Bingo! The pictures started rolling in then.




Then it got me thinking about how much I love driving along and seeing barns...especially old red ones.






I especially love the old weathered barns with the chippy red paint...



A light came on in my head and I realized that THIS is where I want to live when I grow up...and I want an old red barn:-) If I believed in a "next life", I would say that this is where it would take place.

Since I don't, I can only think that maybe this is my "mansion" in heaven since I would love an old farmhouse more than a shiny new mansion anyway. Seems like a simple request, huh?:-)


Well, maybe with not so much snow...but I would like a few flurries on Christmas, thank you very much!


And if I were lucky enough to have a sweet cow too, then I would be very lucky indeed:-)



And I can tell you this, she might give us milk but I could never send her off to be a cheeseburger...no way, no how!!!





Of course, we would definitely need a few of these cuties to play with.

Notice how I already have names picked out? hahaha



And I know I am meant to go to a pretty little church like this...



My husband knows this is my dream. (well, one of them:-) He once looked at a job in horse country and to get me interested, he told me we could buy a small horse farm. I was so excited, until he told me we were NOT getting horses but at least I would have fields to run around with my dogs. Hmmm...nice, but not quite there.

Did you know there are companies that will convert an old barn into a magnificent farmhouse?

How's this for a place to enjoy your morning coffee...




Even I wouldn't mind cooking in this kitchen...




And Thanksgiving dinner around this table...

Heck, it might even get me to eat a bite of turkey...but then again, probably not:-)

Well, there you go...another of my many daydreams.

I know what you're thinking...enough with the barns already, right?
Not so fast. Check back for Part II of The Old Red Barn...or What I Want to do When I Grow Up!

Have a wonderful week...
Suzanne