Personalizing Your Gift Wrapping

I saw this in Country Living and it reminded me that I use to love to wrap presents in brown paper and then decorate them with colored markers, stencils, etc. By adding a beautiful ribbon or bow the gifts can look so festive, even elegant. I like the uniformity under the tree. Sometimes I think that all the various colors and patterns of regular wrapping paper can be tiring.

Like These

A lot of people that work in the design field feel that way. When you work with color all the time, sometimes you just need something simple and uncomplicated. Too me the brown paper is just more restful to the eye. One of the things I love about it is that you can embellish each gift to suit the recipient with regular ribbons, the miraculous wired variety, raffia, leaves and berries, an ornament or anything else your imagination can conjure up for that individual.

Can Be Easier on the Eyes

It might even be fun to have your kids decorate the boxes wrapped in brown paper with their drawings, stickers, signing their name or whatever else they can dream up just for fun. I know as a grandma that would be fun for me to receive. This should be supervised I am sure!

As I was enjoying the photo I realized, I have gotten very lazy in this department. It started when I had little kids of my own and was so busy that I would just quickly wrap things and not even put bows or ribbons on them. Jim and the kids didn't care and it was a lot easier. Another thing that comes to mind is that my mom made full use of my wrapping when I lived at home. I would wrap all her presents, even my own that were taped securely in boxes so I could not see the contents. I may just have wrapper's burnout. Whatever the cause, the laziness ensued.


With the advent of gift bags and the elimination of department stores that gave boxes as a courtesy, I just got into the ease of gift bags. But when I saw this today it reminded me that presentation is important in just about everything and is almost a part of the gift itself. Don't get me wrong, gift bags can be lovely and can serve their purpose at other occasions. To me they just aren't the same as packages beautifully wrapped and sitting under your Christmas tree. You can also use white butcher paper or any solid color of your choice. I have even wrapped small gifts in copy paper and it works great and looks pretty with a gold bow made easily with the wired ribbon.

Unless These Are Short
They Scrape The Bottom of the Tree
And Crush Your Tissue Paper Too!

Since I don't have little ones around anymore, I think I am going to turn over a new leaf and be more creative in my wrapping. It might be fun to get out some of the old scrapbooking things and do something creative. There is a time and a season for everything and this just might be my season for this. Most of our gifts have already been ordered and shipped this year for the kids and their families. But I still do have some shopping to do for family that lives here and a few friends so they may be the lucky guinea pigs recipients....we"ll see.


What I said previously about the plain paper being restful to the eye, is also true about the white dishes. During the holidays we are just drenched in deep colors and patterns and the white is so refreshing. What do you think about this earth shattering subject? Geesh, maybe I am just loonier that a Christmas fruit cake, surely there are weightier matters to discuss!

In the good news department, I am one day away from having my house decorated. Yippee! Then I just have to clean, do the porches, shop, wrap in my new style, Christmas letter and cards, prepare menus, my list goes on and on just like yours! I love it though, don't you? Gotta love it, 'tis the season~there is no turning back now...19 days and counting down!


photo #1 Country Living, all others as seen on flickr except the ornament/mine

Christmas Traditions Live On

Our Personalized Snow Family
Made by our friend, Lanette, Over the Years.
Our Family Has Grown from 2 to 18.
There are 8 Babies on the Ground and
2 in Their Mothers' Arms.

As I have been decorating the house for Christmas these past couple of days I have been thinking about Christmases past and traditions and how certain things just have to be done to make it feel like Christmas! My mantra this year has been that since we are going to be gone for Christmas that I was not doing it this year. Hmmm, that didn't seems to work when it came right down to it.

It takes me about three days to get everything done just the way we like it. It is a lot of work but I just know Christmas could not come and go in this house without this effort. It just wouldn't be right somehow. I saw this quote yesterday and it made me realize why it is so important to me to keep doing it even though all the kids are long gone from home.

"She lived her life not only through her own body but through the house as an extension of her body; part of her relation to those she loved was embodied in the physical medium of the home she made." -Cheryl Mendelson, Home Comforts

Chris, Laura and Jennifer with Santa 1984

As I have been rummaging through the boxes I have been recalling some of the memories of the Christmases when the kids were little. Money was always tight for our young family and I can remember wondering and worrying sometimes about how it would all come together. It always did. A lot of my love for Christmas came from my own mother. She was the original Mrs. Claus. She just loved Christmas and making sure Christmas was the best for all of her kids and grandkids. I think a lot of that stemmed from never having Christmas when she was a little girl and making sure that never happened again.

We always had an abundant Christmas and it didn't matter so much what was under the tree, it was so much more about the preparations and anticipation, the decorating, the traditions of being together, mom's baking, the music, being with family and most importantly about remembering why we do it in the first place.

Sadly, Mom and Dad are no longer with us and traditions have evolved over the years, but the feelings of Christmas remain very much the same and intact for me. It is a celebration of all we hold dear, the Savior's love, life and example; the family and friends that make life worth living. It is about love and giving to others and just a lot of warm fuzzy feelings coming to the surface as I pick up each decoration. So many remind me of the kids, the places we have been, and those that have given us so many of the treasures in these boxes.

When Jim came home last night he looked around at the mess and the things I had actually accomplished and said his favorite thing is the nativity set that I had made in a ceramics class when the kids were small. As you can see it is not too elaborate and in fact reminds me of a bunch of little kids acting out the Christmas story. It was just a young mom's effort to teach the children the true meaning of Christmas many years ago. We have a more beautiful one now that is more sophisticated and fancy but this is the one he loves. I think he loves it because it does remind him of our kids and the memories of the days they were here with us.

The Simple Nativity Set I Made
That Has Taken Us Through Many Years

So I am at it again today for just the very reason that the quote mentions because, "She lives her life not only through her own body but through the house as an extension of her body; part of her relation to those she loves is embodied in the physical medium of the home she makes." When I do this they are here with us once again and it is Christmas and the warm fuzzy feelings of hearth and home can endure.

When I am really old (I will probably wear purple but) I won't do this anymore. But for now, it remains a treasured tradition to deck our halls with boughs of holly. And every year I can do it is a celebration of life, love and a golden thread that connects Christmas past, present and future.

The Art of Table Design and Food Presentation

My sister -in-law, Marilyn, is an amazing chef. We were blessed to be guests at her feasting table on Thanksgiving. She and my brother, Gary are extraordinary hosts and I just wanted to share this beautiful presentation of the appetizers.

The enjoyment is doubly enhanced for most of us by the way that food is presented. I just love, Marilyn's style, the floral arrangement, the dishes, all of it. She served a delightfully spiced goat cheese and sesame seed flat bread crackers, bread sticks, olives, and vegetables, and made her own hummus that was delicious. And have you ever seen a table so healthy or more pleasingly presented?

She also created a delicious and festive drink. It was 1/2 white cranberry juice (preserving your carpet, rather than taking a chance on the red) 1/2 sparkling water and a squeeze of lime or orange. It was amazing and refreshing. Marilyn is so talented in the kitchen, she rarely cooks the same thing twice. (I cannot comprehend this, can you?) My brother is one lucky man!

Double click the photo to enjoy.
The meal was exquisite!
I am thankful for the amazing talents of artistic people!

Shopping With Your Man

Right after Thanksgiving, Jim and I went on a little 'Get Away Weekend' just to relax, refresh and renew after a very busy several months.

We did not do a lot of shopping on our trip, in fact very little, but here are a few shots from some fun places. This trip was so not about shopping but when you are passing right by...you know how I am. I am doubly drawn because I love the merchandise and I want to see the way the shops are designed. But, I do not like shopping with Hubby because I know he doesn't get it resists, so I try hard to hold back! The gathering is a female phenomenon, so bewildering to most men. It's the Nest Building that never ends! (Not for me anyway!) It is not about acquisition, it is about creating a lovely home environment. For Jim it is the Sunday of the creative period in our life, but for me it is still Thursday!

This Shop was so Beautiful!

Everything was white, off white, and silver.
The pictures do not do it justice at all.
(Double click on photos for best results!)

It was full of these big trees and very striking.
The store was so unique.
The owner told me all the 'trees' are actually
her gigantic dead Camilla bushes.

This was a little entry courtyard to the white and silver shop

This was some seriously pretty stuff.

This shop has a bizillion ornaments.
I bought one that is a Byzantine Madonna
that reminded me so much of our trip to Italy last Spring
and all the Byzantine art we saw there.

Here she is! We heart Italy!

~This one was just so posh and so festive~
It made me want to run home and
get out our Christmas decorations!

This vacation was about just relaxing, napping, dining out, being together and seeing the wonders of the natural beauty of the area. We did also go to see The Secret Life of Bees which we loved. I did buy one other thing which I could not resist. I tried but we had to go back to Oleama and get it, we were half way to Stinson Beach just barely down the road when we turned back. It was this book. I am in love with it.

This book is all about my parents' era, the 40's, the war, the clothes and the amazing shoes. It is fascinating reading as it covers a lot of the history of the 40's and how the rationing affected fashion during the war years and the pictures are fantastic! I have thought of my Mom and her five stylish sisters and my new friend, Deanna, from Texas as I have been reading through it.

That was it in the shopping department. The shopping is best left for being with my daughters or friends. The weekend was just fantastic all the way around though in spite of the limited retail therapy gathering for a lovely home environment.

Tips for Downsizing or Clearing a Home

Don't Surprise Your Heirs With This!

Recently an elderly lady in our neighborhood passed away. She had lived in her home for over 30 years and the task of clearing our her possessions has been a huge and daunting task for family and friends left behind. Today I found this article in our local newspaper.

"Whether you are downsizing your own house or clearing the family home, these tips from Julie Hall, author of "Boomer Burden:Dealing with your Parents' Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff, " may help.

• Don't Panic: Anxiety will subside as you take stock, call on others to help, and bring in an appraiser or estate sales agent to evaluate what should be sold.
• Divide Heirlooms: Encourage your parents to divide beloved heirlooms and sentimental keepsakes now. At the very least parents should write down who should get what. Then hold a sibling only meeting to discuss the division of property ahead.
• Clear the House: If you are doing this yourself, designate one room for donations, another for things to keep and a third for sale. The average job requires 30 to 50 cardboard boxes, six rolls of packing tape, and at least 100 large plastic bags and markers for labeling. If possible, work in pairs so one can pull objects and the other can run them to the appropriate room. Take time to share important memories.
• Check for Treasures: As you go, search nooks and crannies for jewelry and cash that may have been hidden beneath floorboards, in rafters, the icebox, sugar canister and inside rolled up socks. Some people hide money in books, or inside picture frames, between the picture and the paper backing. (If you do not hide money and other valuables around your house, tell your heirs in advance of your departure.) This will save them endless hours of searching in vain.
  
• Recycle: If it is plastic or paper recycle it, but shred old checks and financial papers first. Some commercial shredding companies make house calls. Books can be donated to libraries. Send clothes to homeless shelters or other charities.
  
• Spare Your Heirs: Get your affairs in order, organize your paperwork, and declutter your own house. In 1974 the average house measured 1695 square feet, today it is 2500 sqare feet and apparently that is still not big enough. Self-storage facilities have become a $22 billion business."

Thinking about these things as we proceed in our lives is a good idea. I have helped prepare several homes of people in their 80's for sale. It is an horrendous job if they wait until it is time to move to declutter and get organized. One of the nicest things you can leave your children is an organized decluttered home! When they have their grief to deal with they don't need this added burden of weeks of clearing out the house as well.

This Old House

By My Calculations Our House is About 90 Years Old!

That is OLD by anybody's standards!

Living in an old house has definite advantages. The character and charm cannot be duplicated in a new home very easily. You cannot pay for the mature landscaping and the memories of raising our family here are priceless. There are also disadvantages; smaller, less functional rooms and closets, the repairing, replacing, remodeling can be costly and a big hassle too. But I guess you have that in most houses to some degree.

One of the things we have done is tired to keep the house as true to the era as we could without sacrificing comfort and conveniences. What that translates to is getting what you can for cheap, fixing it up and taking care of it in case it needs to last a life time!

Even though my tastes have changed a lot over the years and if I could just go out and buy all new furniture it would be totally different~ for this time and place in our lives the furniture is just fine. What I do try to do is keep it updated with fun accessories, art, etc. What that translates to is sometimes what you have determines your style more that what you love best. I am OK with that, are you?

Happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want.

Sometimes I trade when I work on someone's house for either services or like last week, I traded my friend, Barbara, for some furniture. I got the fun of helping her pick out all her new furniture (vicarious thrills for free) and at the same time was able to enhance our home with something from hers. We are so happy to have this table because it holds lots of wonderful memories of our family and theirs getting together for dinners through the years.

I got to receive and arrange the new furniture for Barb and decorate her home while she was busy working this past week. It was so much fun and, ladies, this is the only way to fly. By coordinating all the things she loves in her living room, dining room and family room we were able to make one great room out of her L- shaped open floor plan. I will have pictures after we finish everything probably after the first of the year as we need to do window treatments and she is getting her flat screen mounted above her fireplace, etc.

Barb purchased a new gorgeous dining table and hutch. Very Pottery Barn looking and, to die for, I must add. Her old one needed a new home and so it has come to live with us. We are quite happy with it and it looks like it belongs with all our other outdated, but beloved oak furniture. Although the mighty oak has lost face in the market place, our saving grace has always been that our house is a cottage. Something very contemporary and modern would not fit in our setting. Our next house is going to be bigger, newer and a total turn key but, for now we are very cozy here.

So here is our new table and chairs.

It is pretty amazing how it matches our china cabinet,
hutch and small, lighted curio cabinet. With a leaf it can seat 10.

Looking into the library and office

And then we have the beautiful original random
plank oak floors with the wooden pegs.

As you can see this room is very "Oaky" which is one of the reasons we decided to custom paint it with three shades of green and lots of glossy white trim. With all the wood a traditional neutral would not work here. What I want to buy next is a really nice area rug for this dining room. Unless of course you want to make a trade. I am always open to that if you have one that is just right for this room? I am looking for one that will add color, pattern and softness to all the hard surfaces in this room. Fabric usually does the trick. I love that the table is round as that really helps to soften it out quite a bit already. Next big job I get..hopefully you'll be seeing the new area rug! That is unless something else needs to be repaired, replaced or remodeled first in this old house we call home. Fingers crossed~ it is all good.... for the moment.