3ft DIY Reindeer

Have you ever been out shopping and found the P-E-R-F-E-C-T item?  Well, perfect if it were say

Another color?

Taller?

Etc.. Etc…

Yes, yes, it happens to us all! I admit, it’s usually clothes but here is my most recent “I’d love it IF” item.

I found this little cutie in front and just loved it, the problem was it wasn’t near the size I wanted for the space I had in mind. Besides, bigger is better! Especially if you’re talking Christmas decor!!!!

Can you believe it is DIY? I think it looks amazing and I am so thankful for my ML taking the time (something I’ve been pretty short on lately) to make it for me.

You can’t even imagine how much this thing sparkles and the pictures just can’t capture it. Here is an attempt. (a poor one!)

I honestly considered the title of “Photographing Glitter is for the Birds!!!!”

Oddly enough it looks gold in that picture when it is in fact a tarnished silver and sparkles better than some diamonds I’ve seen.

I can’t wait to see what other wonderful goodies I can create using the same technique!

 

Christmas Eve Service

We are heading out tonight to a candlelight service. I’ve always liked these for all the wonderful music and really remembering the reason we celebrate. Do you attend a service on Christmas Eve or do you have another special tradition?

I almost forgot to mention my wonderful snag from yesterday. We ran out yesterday to pick up a last minute gift. Don’t you love when you think you’re done and your husband steps in and goes “did you get (insert random husband friend) something?”…………  uhm no that’s your department honey. Anyways, so we went out amongst the kazillion billion people to find a gift.

I’ve been really into greenery this year and have wanted some garland…… everywhere. We all know by now though that I’m cheap so the $20+ for garland wasn’t happening. We happen to stop by a 2nd hand store where they had all their Christmas goodies marked half off. While poring over the tables of stuff I stepped on something sticking out under the table only to look down and see……… a small child….. HA just kidding it was greenery, lovely wonderful 8ft lengths of greenery! They were marked 4 dollars, only FOUR dollars and half off. Needless to say I snagged up all I could hold and I’m sure looked something like a moving Christmas tree as I headed towards the counter. I ended up with 2-8ft lengths of garland and 2 greenery centerpieces for a total of 5 dollars. say it with me S-C-O-R-E.

Oh and Santa came early this year for someone, maybe I can get some good pictures to show you the goods. You’ll just die.

 

Holiday Touches

Before we head out for the Holidays I wanted to show you a few of the Holiday touches around the house.

Am I the only one who wishes they lived in a Christmas Village? They always look so cozy and you can just imagine the people who live there.

All my jars with special goodies in them. The little white church and small metal chair set have been passed down through the years; I think they look cute as little “scenes” in the apothecary jars. Please excuse the tipped over table, I fixed it and then forgot to take another picture I guess.

Isn’t he adorable? I found him this year and now wish I had purchased two.

 

Cheap and Easy Centerpiece

I’m usually not much of a ‘greenery’ person, but this year something in me wanted to include it…… everywhere.

My centerpiece this year started out as a pretty vase filled with ornaments. Simple, but as Christmas grew near it just wasn’t cutting it anymore and had to go.

I’ve mentioned the “gimmie10” thing, it’s a side effect.

I was out shopping for Christmas presents when I came across a GORG centerpiece, all glittery and wonderful. It was love at at first sight, we were meant to be, except for that $60 price tag. I was on a mission…

First stop, Goodwill.

I knew I needed a candle holder for my centerpiece and Goodwill has all sorts…… for cheap. Things started out slow, they were too big, too small, the wrong color………………………………………… Wait a minute…… up there……. behind that metal thingy.     There-it-was! I picked it up and noticed it was even a 50% off tag making it a whole $1.50. SCORE!

It was the perfect height, shape, and even matched the smaller holders I already had.

Next I headed to Michaels (the North’s Hobby Lobby).

I found some greenery with built-in iron candlesticks, it was too small and not the style I was looking for. Finally I found what I was looking for.  $4.99 seemed like a good price, then I found out it was 50% off. Things were looking good! I grabbed a few picks and flowers to finish things off and headed home.

I was able to put the whole thing together in less than 3 minutes and for a total of $7.

Not only is the price great, but I can switch out the colors every year. 

Ornament Exchange Party

I loves me a good par-tay! Just one more reason I love the holidays.

This week I had my first annual Ornament Exchange Party and it was a HIT. If any of you are sitting on the sidelines wanting to have an annual holiday party but unsure of a theme, this might be the one for you.

I am all for having a party (sing it with me HEY HEY) but I require a few things, can you guess what they are? Yep, it has to be cheap and easy. I want to be able to enjoy the party also and not feel like it’s a big stressful event. You know what I’m sayin? You shouldn’t be left singing, “it’s my party and I’ll CRY if I want to”!! (Sorry I had to do it)

For those of you who haven’t been to an ornament exchange party, they are super fun. Everyone brings a wrapped ornament and places them in a pile and then draws names to see who gets to pick first. The first person grabs a present and unwraps it. **Insert the OOOoohhs and AAAHHhhhs** When the second person is picked they can either STEAL the ornament from the first person, or pick a new wrapped ornament. Rinse and repeat till everyone has a goodie.

So fun!

I wanted everything to be easy for people to grab whatever they wanted so I set things up on my dining table in a buffet style.

Please forgive this picture, I forgot to take one pre-arrival so this is after everyone had their fill. Sorry!

Now, don’t get me wrong I enjoy cooking (every now and then HA) but when it comes to a party I’m more of a let someone else-er. I’m a stickler for my house being clean when I’m having company and having dirty pans, or extra dishes to do before they arrive just isn’t for me.

For this party we had:

Seafood Crab cakes, Spinach Quiche, Three Cheese Quiche, Mushroom Turnovers—These were sooo yummy and flakey crusted, people went back for more and more. Oh Did I mention I paid $5 for 48 of them? Can you believe that, $5 and I didn’t have to bake!!

I also took 6 big eggrolls and cut them in half for finger food size—Cost $1.32 total !!!!!! (My local Teriyaki place sells these exact eggrolls for $2.50 each)

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins—$1

Along with a few other goodies like cupcakes and fudge dipped cookies, but you get the idea.

I took cardstock and holiday stamps and made food labels to place in these cute little ornaments on the table. I left extra and a marker available if my guests brought anything they wanted to label.

  

They looked really cute on the table and made it easy for people to get what they wanted.

At the end of the night I sent each person home with a little favor box.

I found these KAY-UTE “to go” boxes for .25 cents each. Inside I put candy and flavored tea, then topped them off with an ornament to complete the theme of the night and Ta Da, party to go.

Maybe next year you’d like to come?

I’ll have a Pink Christmas

I have an addiction to the color pink, my Christmas tree was even pink and black one year. Thankfully I married a man who, while he may not be thrilled about it, doesn’t complain too much. My bathroom is a prime example of said addiction.

This ornament hangs on the door to my bathroom and I just love it. I love the shape of it and the fact it looks like blown glass without the don’t touch it, it will break factor.

You can find touches of pink inside…… everywhere. The wreath was a simple 1 minute DIY project that I think fits perfect with the style of the room. I simply took a feather boa and wrapped it around a wreath ring.

 

 

Yes, I do have a pink Barbie tree

 

 

What? You don’t decorate your tree with high heels and sunglasses?

Hope you enjoyed the pink tour!

Oh Christmas Tree

Can you even count how many times you’ve heard that song on the radio this year?   No?   Me either, not that it matters because I could listen to it a Kazillion more times and not get tired of it. I AB-SO-LUTELY love Christmas time, from the parties to the hot chocolate. So much so that I started thinking about it in July August October… Yes I know I have a problem and should I forget, I’ve got a nice personal reminder that gives me that look when I pick up Christmas decor in July October.

There are so many icons that represent Christmas to me but one of the biggest, at home, is the tree.

This year my Christmas colors are Aqua, White, and Silver.

I say “this year” because remember how I mentioned the “gimmie10” disease I suffer from? (If not check out the “about me” for a proper description).

I really hope this picture does the aqua color justice because it is the most beautiful jewel-rollyourselfinitandsmile-tone. 

 

Now for the Cheap Like a Birdie aspect.

Those make-me-smile aqua glass Christmas balls .31 CENTS each.

White glass Christmas balls .12 each

Mesh ribbon, less than $2 for the whole tree.

Aqua ball garland $3 for the whole tree.

Various Aqua ornaments .50-1.50 each

Picks .10 each

Now the big kicker, the 7.5 foot slim design, pre-lit with foot push on/off artificial tree with metal stand and random “real branches” $25! Original price $200.

Yeah I know, you just said to yourself “why can’t I find deals like that”.  I hope to change that voice from “why can’t I” to “I did”.

I hope you all are having a blessed holiday season and stay tuned for pictures of my PINK CHRISTMAS decor and my cheap and easy centerpiece.

 

I’m linking up to Thrifty Decor Chick’s Christmas Tree Party, Between Naps on the Porch, House Tours, Funky Junk, Southern Hospitality, The Nester and Tip Junkie.