Christmas Home Tour

Welcome to my home all decorated for Christmas.
I have touches of Christmas everywhere in my home.  

We have our tree and mantel decorated in the family room.

Throughout the family room we have all of the dancing and singing snowmen we have been collecting from Hallmark over the past seven or eight years.  It's such a fun collection that the kids look forward to buying each year.

In the dining room I have decorated with the BELIEVE blocks I made last year.

I will be setting the table for Christmas Eve in the next day or so.  I can't wait to show you the new china I picked up that I plan on using Christmas Eve.

Also in the dining room I have a red glass Christmas tree filled with white lights.

Here it is all lit up at night.

...and also a Santa and Little People nativity set.  

I've added some JOY to the kitchen.  You can check out how I made these letters here.

I also made this sign last year.

In the living room I have decked out an all white tree with white lights, pink sparkly ornaments

 and lots of ribbon. 

Here it is all lit up...

 I created the "tree skirt" out of green silk fabric I had in my stash of fabric remnants.

Of course I have my banister adorned with garland, ribbon, bows and lots of white lights.

In the foyer I have added an angel under a cloche.  The angel is supposed to light up...but you know how that goes with Christmas lights sometimes.  

My kids favorite thing to do each morning is change the number of days until Christmas on our Countdown to Christmas Santa!

In the frame I printed out a graphic from The Graphics Fairy and added a saying and some holiday bling via PicMonkey.

This little mini Christmas tree is at least 15 years old.  It hasn't come out in a few years, but I added some new ribbon and spruced it up a bit and it's back in the Christmas decor line-up.

Thanks for taking my Christmas Home Tour. 

-Judy

Linking up to The Nester's Christmas Home tour party

Winter Blues Wednesday - It's a Party #96

Welcome to this week's Winter Blues Wednesday party (it's time to move on from the Fall into Fall party).  Last week's party was filled with tons of inspiration and great ideas.  

Here are this week's features:

CHRISTMAS HOME DECOR:

Life in my Empty Nest  shared her Christmas foyer.  I love the idea of a Christmas tree welcoming you as you enter a home.  Stunning!

Beaux R'eves  shared her gorgeous table top Christmas tree.  

This is definitely a look I want to recreate.

Our Home Away From Home shared her Christmas decor.  Her room is so warm and inviting looking.  

CRAFTY CREATIONS:

Designed Decor shared some creative gift wrapping. 

Who wouldn't want to receive this gorgeous present?

Turtles and Tails shares some of her homemade ornaments.  I just adore this pinecone map ornament.

HOLIDAY TABLESCAPES:

Rosemary & Thyme shared a gorgeous tablescape for Christmas.  I love all of the blue and silver.

Calypso in the Country shared her Christmas table as well.  Beautiful in all it's details.

TASTY TREATS:

Just a Little Creativity shared her recipe for peanut butter and nutella cookies.  

What could be better than that?

From Nature to Nurture  shared her recipe for cake batter cookies.  I can't wait to try this recipe.

If you were featured, please grab an "I've Been Featured" button (you can now find my buttons by clicking on the buttons tab right under my header).  Now let's get started with this week's party.  I can't wait to see what you have been up to.  Link up anything you have been working on...home decor, sewing, crafts, organizing, baking, recipes etc.   I will keep this link open through Friday.


<a border="0" href="http://www.diybydesign.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipw62ZdrKpNmaJdWF0-T8fM7RV9-cuZSxfrIWZ_j8O996HWzXChosS5wOVixR0OXFygAvhfK7VB34IUIgHiT38YyF7GxGTfXiPhdmuMMlhadOaxv_VUL8kw37m08BRwJqtn31mvleXUpzi/s128/18542134351.jpg" /></a>

A few rules:

1.  Please become a follower (if you already follow me on Google, I would love for you to follow me on Linky Followers, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as well).  

2.  Please grab my party button above and display it either on your sidebar or somewhere in your post.  This way word can spread about the party.  The more people at the party, the more fun we will have.

3.  Please enter the link to your actual post, not just a link to your main blog page.

4. Please visit others who have linked up.   Everyone works hard on their projects and blogs...let's show each other some love by visiting each other.  Let's have some fun and hopefully make a few new friends along the way.

Ok...Let's Party

-Judy

Blogger Day of Silence

-Judy

A Day of Silence

I am sure you are all as devastated over the events on Friday as I am.  I can't even imagine the depth of the pain the families must be feeling.  How do you go on after something like this?  I am praying for all of the victims and their families.  

For anyone who would like to participate,  on Tuesday December 18th there will be a Blogger Day of Silence in support of the victims and their families from Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut. For more information, please visit Kelly's Korner. She has the button and link information.

This is a sign of respect and support for those who have lost their world.   
My link party will not open on Tuesday at 8pm as usual, but will open at 12:01am EST on Wednesday December 20, 2012.  I hope you will all join me in this day of silence.

-Judy

DIY Gift Idea - Pottery Barn Teen Inspired Style Tile Board

With Christmas getting closer and closer, I thought I would share a DIY project I did last year that would make a perfect gift for any tween or teen in your life.  I've made a few of these since the first one I made my daughter and the possibilities are endless as to the look you can create.

As you know, I recently updated my daughter's bedroom, at her request. 

Her new tween look is really coming together.  For a while now, she has wanted a memo board like the style tile boards Pottery Barn Teen sells.  

Images

I love them, however, they sell them at a very steep price (prices range from $179-$349...YIKES).

 I knew I could do something similar for so much less.

I started by purchasing four cork boards from Walmart.  They were $5 each and were 14"x14".  I then purchased two sets of frames, 28" long each,  on clearance from Michaels for $10 each.  I couldn't find white, so I painted the frames with the trim paint I used in her room.

I went to JoAnn's and picked out this fabric.   In total I spent just under $5 for all of the fabric.

Using duct tape I wrapped each of the cork boards in different fabric.

After all four were wrapped, I turned them over.

I then used duct tape to attach them all together.

The frame went together easily with a little wood glue and the L brackets that hold it all together.

It was that simple.

The calendar and memo board used to be on my daughter's wall.  They are vinyl adhesive and stick to anything, including these fabric covered tiles.  

You can see that we have my daughter's Pottery Barn Teen bean bag on the floor in the corner under the memo board.  It's actually a great place to hang out for her.  I think this wall is done now too.

My daughter was thrilled when she got home from school and saw what I had made for her.

Here's the cost breakdown:

4 corkboards at $5 each - $20

Fabric - $5

Frame - $20

Total cost - $45

The whole project took me under an hour. 

 It would have taken even less time if I didn't have to paint the frame.  

I can't wait to hear what you think.

-Judy

Craft Show Inspiration

My mom went to a holiday craft show last weekend and bought this gorgeous mini Christmas tree.

It's lit with white lights and filled with ornaments, flowers and ribbon.

I am totally inspired to make one of my own.
I'm on the hunt for a mini tree this weekend that I can decorate.

(BTW the wreath you see in the mirror was made by the same woman several years ago and it still looks as beautiful as the day it was bought).

Have a great day.

-Judy