Merry & Cheery & More {Announcement}

I am trying really hard to give Thanksgiving its time in the spotlight... but I have to admit, I am getting very excited for Christmas.

I've decided to do something new this holiday season...
As with Halloween and Thanksgiving, I am going to focus on hand-making our festive holiday decor. Some brainstorming today led me to this:

I am challenging myself to make at least 12 homemade decorations for around the house. I will be sharing them with you, every other day during the month of December.

Exciting right?!

It doesn't end there, though.

During the other days of the month, leading up to Christmas day, I will be doing what I do best...
visiting every blog I can to find amazing Christmas projects, decor and more.

I will be sharing {and linking back to} a few blogs during each post. I applaud all of the crafty and creative people - it takes time, patience and talent to come up with beautiful things!

So... there you have it! I hope you'll visit QOTC often during the month of December to take a gander at all projects; mine and theirs. I may even try my hand at a linky party... Oooo! Something to check back for, for sure!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming Thanksgiving.

It completes me.

Well... maybe not *ME* - but I think it does a wonderful job completing the family room. Furniture wise, anyway.

I mentioned yesterday that we went to several stores... one was this one:

 

We'd never been there before... We actually found it by accident, looking for a new Goodwill to scour.

We weren't at the donation door to drop stuff off... rather, we were there to pick up our latest thrift store find (cue handmade logo)...

We walked right in. I thought some items were a tad over priced, but we kept looking.

My eyes scanned the large, open store for the furniture section.

It was love at first site.

I didn't even sit in it.

(the hubby did, though)

It was the right size, color, shape, style, color, shape - it was perfect!

In my eyes anyway.

And seriously... it was the only chair there that did not have any rips, stains, or sagging issues.

We all hate sagging issues, don't we?!

The price tag indicated the chair was $40.
The sign out in front of the store said it was 50% off day.
We stole that chair for $20 buckaroos.

When I was trying to describe the chair to my mom, I think she was a little worried that we picked up a 70s high back. I think it's fairly new... at least within the last couple years. Even if it's not - it was taken care of quite loverly.

I spent all morning cleaning it up. I probably used a whole bottle of Fabreeze (love that stuff!)...
and used the shop vac to make sure I got everything off of it I could.

After all that, Isabel and I lugged it into the house and worked out it's final resting place.
I think.
Eventually, I want the tile to extend into the family room. I think that will help with the positioning of the chair.

I am pleased with the way the room is shaping up.
And I'd like to point out that the coffee table was a Goodwill find ($12), the end table was a Goodwill find ($9) and the lamp & shade were also from Goodwill ($9).

I love thrift stores.                                                                                                                                   

Even better? One less person has to sit in a folding chair come Christmas Eve. YAY!

A day in the life of.... Us

Happy Saturday to you. Happy Saturday to you.

Happy Saturday dear you - ooou. 

Happy Saturday to you.

Doncha just love Saturday's?

The husband, the little kid and I made a day of it today... And I tried to capture it in pictures.

I will admit, I kept forgetting to take the camera out once inside most places... but I tried.

So - here goes...

A day in the life of...Us

 

In the end... We got some great stuff from the Thrift Store and Goodwill.

One of the items being a chair for $20.

Can't wait to clean it up and show it to you!!

We also got our Christmas lights... from WalMart.

Very excited about that.

The three of us were gone for over 7 hours.
I am glad to be home.

Where my handsome handyman is now making chicken enchiladas for dinner.

He takes me Goodwill shopping AND makes me a divine Mexican meal?!?!

Yep. I am lucky like that.

It's Random Friday, Everybody

It *is* Friday... right?

I was going through my camera and found a few pics I wanted to share.

Nic loves taking pictures of Ellis. 

I probably have a few dozen of her, just from him. 

Slowly, but surely... I am becoming o{wl}bsessed.

I found this one at Ross yesterday for $5.99. 

Can't forget the great pumpkins...

They are literally littered around the house.

Seriously... I want a SWEATER in this material, color, {size?!?!}

A Hobby Lobby find.  At 80% off, I don't think it cost more than a buck fiddy.

Love it.

Breaking... What?!

Via here...

How did this one get in here?!

Oh.... it's November 18th!

Breaking Dawn is HEREEEEE!

I have plans to go see it tonight - real late.

But, Isabel is down and out with the the sickness...

so, we may have to postpone.

But, even if - at least the movie is finally here.

Any other Twilight Fans out there?

Fans of Ellis {the dog}?

Pumpkins?

Make it a great Friday.

Mini-Makeovers

Time is slipping by... I have a ton of of mini-makeovers to complete.
For example, I took down my formal living/dining room tablecloths drapes, washed them and will be taking them over to my aunt so she can add some length (in the form of chocolate brown!).

I have our family room coffee table (Goodwill find) to sand and stain.

And then, I have to makeover this sweet little rocker girl.

My cousin gave the chair to me, for free. I need CHAIRS. I feel like I don't yet have enough seating, especially during family get-togethers. So, I drove on over, picked it up and now I have to decide what to do with it.

Lots of work to do next week, in between opening cans of Cranberry Sauce, making a ham, and mashing potatoes, of course!

P.S. Still working on this wall... Found some cute things on sale at Hobby Lobby this week. Can't wait to share!

I have a thing for words {on signs}

The Cracked Egg sign I got at Hobby Lobby.

The Bless this House sign I got at Hobby Lobby (but I've shared it before. It's not new).

The Laundry sign I got at Ross for like $5.

Speaking of the best store ever...

I made a trip to Hobby Lobby last night with my neighbor friend, Jen.

It was her FIRST TIME.

Fall stuff was 80% off. 

:D

Besides picking up a few last minute T-Day items, 

I picked up a couple of things to make a few new {old} signs.

Cuz I love them so much.

And why do sign-makers get to have all of the fun?

{eegads, a dirty laundry room}

One of the rooms that has been completely ignored over the past year is our laundry room.
In the beginning, I had high hopes of gettin' er done.
That hasn't been the case.

In fact, as of yesterday morning - this is what my laundry room looked like:

Notice how I didn't make those pictures extra large?! lol...
I am ashamed. But, it's not my fault. Mostly not.

If the dog could be trusted to meander at night, without wetting her pants, we wouldn't need her kennel/bed in the laundry room.

If the husband would move his tools into the garage, they wouldn't be taking up residence with the laundry and laundry soap.

Do you love the random paper plate?

Seriously.

The room has been a catch-all for a while, and I am sick of it.
Sick, sick, sick.

So, I cleaned it. And took out the kennel/bed (so, there! Ellis) and threw all of the tools and manly things into a bucket (take that, Mr. Husband!) and washed all of the extra laundry people evidently don't need (okay, at the time of this post, I haven't *actually* washed it yet, but it's sorted and I will wash it. Soon.)  I am going to be making a trip to Goodwill this week - drop off time!!

Here's what it looks like now:

And here is my Pinterest Board for what I want it to become...
A sneak peak... Check out the rest on my Laundry Room Makeover board.

{Pictures are all courtesy of Pinterest and are owned by their respective blog owners}