20 days till Christmas......

does that make you smile or scream?  haha

here is how i look at it this year.......

i'd rather enjoy the moments more and worry less about details and things

we "always" do or "used" to do.

every year and every Christmas is special for 2 reasons......

we are celebrating Christ's birth and we are able to do special things for

those we love.

right?

i realized last night i haven't "decorated" my blog for the Holidays,

so when i have time today, that's what i'll be doing.

please check it out tomorrow:)

for today, a quick peek at a few of my favorite things.......

and goodness knows i have a lot of those!

first of all, we all know i love ballerinas!!!!!

so imagine how excited i was to find these snowflake ballerinas.

to make, you simply cut out paper snowflakes and insert 

a ballerina into the center.

if you need to learn how to make the snowflakes,

the simplest thing is to google that.  

MANY templates will come up and you can pick the style you like.

click HERE to go to the site where you can get a template for the ballerina.

a few wreaths i love this season........

this wreath (boxwood?) with an oversize initial.

LOVE IT!

i might make one of these ornament wreaths........they are so easy,

and i really like it in all whites/champagne tones.

i am CRAZY about my new RED slipcover!

i have an IKEA sectional and can't recommend it enough,

 mainly because the slip covers are so cheap and you can change things up for a new look!

I will always love my WHITE slipcover,

 but living in Florida, this red makes it all a bit more festive.  

i'll probably keep it on through February:)

bucket list, bucket list.....

forget about making one for your life.......

maybe just make one for your Holiday season:)

are you a CRAZY mom?

well, don't sweat it.......

take the "crazy mom" challenge from iMom 

(one of my favorite sites ever!)

do you tend to panic and forget what you have to do on Christmas Eve,

besides get ready for Jesus' birthday?:)

well here you go........

well, enough for now.

need to do a blog makeover and...........

surf's up!

xoxoxo

Suzanne

have a very, merry, BURLAP Christmas.......

so y'all probably know by now i am totally

hooked on burlap these days!

(part of my rustic chic mood:)

and if you read this blog last December,

you know i have a huge WHITE Christmas tree

that i adore!

but i've never had a tree skirt that made me happy:(

until yesterday.

good ol' Homegoods.........

for the bargain price of $20 i found a burlap and cream/white tree skirt

with embroidered flowers on it!

YAY!!!!!!!

i know i recently did a blog post about burlap,

but here are some ideas for a burlap Christmas.........

isn't this just soooo PRETTY?

 i think burlap wreaths are so unique and unexpected.....

same with burlap stockings......

burlap pillows are great too.....

this one has snowflakes on it and is GORGEOUS,,,,,

but i bet a cheap, easy way to jazz up a burlap pillow is with a lace doilie.....

even if you have to glue it, like me:)

these basic trees are just wrapped around styrofoam cones and glued.  

simple and rustic as is, or embellish to your hearts content:)

LOVE these burlap bags.

i saw some at oriental trading for CHEAP and just stencil on a tree!

 last but not least, some burlap bows would be an AWESOME, super simple way to 

make your Christmas decor a bit rustic chic...like me:)

(well, not that i'm rustic chic but i'm decorating a bit rustic chic.  hahaha)

 adios for now, my friends!

enjoy the season!!!

yep, that's me:)

Suzanne

Cozy Winter White.......Decorating, Fashion and Yummy Treats

sometimes i think i need to get a job decorating a store for Christmas.

maybe then, i wouldn't drive my family crazy with

the need to have a 

cozy/traditional/non-traditional/white/winter-white/pink/dreamy Christmas.

seriously.

but since i don't have that job yet,

they have to put up with me.

and the white tree still reigns here.

and it is soooooo GORGEOUS, if i say so myself:)

we have an abundance of winter whites.....

but i threw a new wrinkle in it.

however, that's for another day,

because today it's all about, you guessed it......

WINTER WHITE!

starting with winter white fashion or style.

i have always LOVED winter white, which is actually not pure white,

but a creamy, off-white.

according to various fashionistas, there are three items that you should have in

WINTER WHITE, if possible.

they are;

 ~~~a winter white sweater to wear with jeans and a pair of boots.

~~~a winter white coat, which may be the ultimate winter white must have.  i would have the one in the photo in a heartbeat if i lived in a cold climate.

~~~a winter white handbag.

~~~and besides the obvious way to wear it, with jeans or black,

my personal favorite is to pair it with pure white all year long.

doesn't the Queen look pretty in her winter white?

 winter white decorating.......

what else can i say besides BEAUTIFUL!

 i especially love the felt tree skirt and sweater covered furniture.

 i love, love, love angel wings as decoration.

 moving on to a winter white party......

cupcakes, donuts, snowflake cookies and white hot chocolate. (recipe below)

WInter White Hot Cocoa by Paula Deen

1 cup white chocolate chips 

1 cup heavy cream 

4 cup half-and-half 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Vanilla whipped topping, for garnish

Mint leaf, for garnish

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir continuously until white chocolate chips have completely melted. Stir in the half-and-half, and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until heated through. Pour into mugs and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

that's it for my winter whites!

you have to admit, it's cozy, right?

happy winter white wishes,

Suzanne