With Gratitude....

I love this time of year! I love going to the mailbox and finding it loaded with Christmas greetings and pictures of people who I adore. It's nice to not actually find bills, but blessings. Which was just the case recently. My mailbox had been filled with Blogger love...
Dawn of a Cottage State of Mind was so thoughtful and sent me one of her Thrifty Thursday finds, this precious yellow bird bowl. I just adore it Dawn! And how thoughful of you to give it to me. I will cherish it and think of you when I eat my grits! Smile.

Dawn included a sweet little note on the back of a card with a tiny little fork and spoon on it. I now have it on my refrigerator. Precious!

Barb of The French Elements blog hosted a giveaway. I was the lucky winner! I was thrilled because everything that Barb creates are heirlooms.  I won a flour sack tea towel that has been embrodered with a evergreen Christmas tree and gifts underneath. It has a place in my guest bathroom.

I also won this Linen pillow embrodered with the words, "Joy". I have it sitting on my couch. It's just adorable and so colorful. Barb is the creator of The French Elements. You can find these beauties and more for sale over at her blog. They'd make perfect Christmas gifts!

I want to thank Kristin of The Goat, for sending me and Big Daddy a sweatshirt and  t-shirts from "Scooter Planet". I love different t-shirts, from differnt places. Thanks Kristin for your generosity!! We have worn our shirts everywhere!

And thanks to those who have sent Christmas cards! I just enjoy receiveing them and appreciate your thoughfulness. I save all my cards, year after year. Its nostalgic to look at years past and recall with fondness our friends. Thankyou!

Later this week I will be sharing my list of Gifts to give. Also join me tomorrow for a Christmas version of Outdoor Wednesday and on Thursday for Thrifty Thursday!
Have a wonderful week!
HUGS!

Vintage Christmas Monday, Parade Highlights....and the Kitchen Sink

Wow! What a busy Weekend...and an equally busy post today.
I plan to have slideshows up by lunch time (Monday) to share over on my Photography blog. I have spent a good bit of time with Santa over the past week at both  the neighborhood of Old Cahaba Christmas party as well as at my friend Diva's home, where she welcomes Santa every year.  And finally at a reception for the city. Photographing young ones with Santa for their parent's Christmas albums. is something I could never tire of in the literal sense. I love to see the magic of Christmas on the faces of those young ones. From time to time, there is fear too...but for the most part it's all joy. And I have to admit, I love working with Santa!

On Saturday the City of Helena, my hometown, hosted it's 39th annual Christmas parade. I serve on the Christmas parade committee, therefore Saturday for me began early and ended late. Bo Bice was the grand marshall this year and did a masterful job. The citizens of Helena were delighted to welcome home their hometown "son" and his precious family.

Although the parde occupied much of my day on Saturday, I  did get home just.in.time.  for kickoff. I made certain to see my TIDE take Gators and become the SEC Champions.
ROLL TIDE! 
I was shocked to find myself so emotional, for one knows there is no crying in football, but after cheering on the Alabama teams for as long as I have known,  and going back  to a few years ago when my family made the  trip to Tuscaloosa to welcome in then new coach Nick Saban freshly off a plane and  be totally committed and excited about his being there and for feeling a even more vested interest this year (my son "Bama" is a freshman Alabama) I was so overcome. I felt like those football players could've been my son's! And I couldn't be any more proud if they were. They have worked so hard and are so deserving. Now, our eyes and GPS systems are locked onto Pasadena, California to play in the National Championship game.

Following the game, it was off to my friend Sweetness' home, where she and her husband hosted the "Clematis Club" Christmas party. There is nothing like good friends and good food. It makes for a good time, and that it was! Husbands and children joined the Club members this year in celebrating the season together. This year, instead of giving gifts to one another, we decided to donate to a charity in the name of our "club". We picked Safe House. SafeHouse is a full-service domestic violence and sexual assault center that provides emergency shelter and comprehensive support services to victims. It's a incredible organization that is needy of donations of many kinds. If you are looking into giving back this Christmas, you might be interested in reading more by clicking...Safe House.

My friend Joan over at The Potting Shed-Anything Goes Here is hosting a carnival taking place Monday's from now until the end of December, It's Vintage Christmas Monday. This party is a great way to share and showcase some vintage Christmas decorations. And in case you aren't aware, Joan has a fabulous blog! I just LURVE her! She is always putting together fabulous vignettes with her vintage finds. She and I both have featured some of them on Thrifty Thursday's. I cannot wait to see what her Christmas vignettes will hold!

My vintage Christmas decor I have to share are these three little Christmas elves.

I remember my mother would set them up in the foyer of my childhood home when the Christmas decorating commensed. I loved to play with those elves, I would make up elaborate tales using those elves. When my mother asked me a couple years ago to take anything of her decor that I wanted, one of the things I grabbed for myself was those elves. I look at them and I  think, "Christmas" and all the memories attached.
Be sure and check out Anything Goes Here and all of the participants of this vintage Christmas party.


Below is a look at this past weekend's City of Helena Christmas Parade and Grand Marshall Reception

Off the subject, I am having some blogger issues, perhaps someone can offer advice. In uploading pictures, blogger says that I have exceeded quota for my space. So, I went to blogger and purchased another 20 GB of space, it said is should take 24 hours to show. That was Friday, and still I cannot upload pictures. Help? I used slideshow to share these pictures today because blogger woldn't allow me. Help? Anyone? I logged out and back in as suggested and still cannot figure it out. And for the love, there is not an actual place I can find to email for assistance. If you can offer some advice, I'd love to hear.

I am posting this as well for Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan of Southern Daydreamer.
Be sure to come bakc on Thursday for Thrifty Thursday+ a Tablescape and on Friday for Leigh's Gifts to Give. Monday is it the Tour of Homes- you won't want to miss. Be sure at link up at Nester's blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by Bloggeritaville today!  I truly appreciate your visit!
Have a wonderful week. Hope to "see" you tomorrow.
Leave me a roadmap.....
HUGS!

Thrifty Thursday # 44

Hi! It's Thrifty Thursday! I am your host, Leigh. Thank you so much for stopping by and additional thanks to those who also participate in Thrifty Thursday! I am most delighted to have you join in..for it's YOU who makes it a "show and tell party". I also participate in Tablescape Thursday the host of that fun carnival is the Hostess with the Mostess...Susan of Between Naps on the Backporch. That's no lie or exaggeration, each week I visit Susan's porch and just long to be a guest at any of her tablescapes...especially those held on the porch. Today, however, I will not be participating in my own tablescape, but I do encourge you to stop by BNOTP for wonderful inspiring tablescapes!

(You can click on any pictures for a closer view)
*If you do not know what Thrifty Thursday is or need more info on Thrifty Thursday you can go here.

*Don't forget to copy and paste the Thrifty Thursday logo button to your computer so you can add it to your side bar and your Thrifty Thursday post. That way visitors will know that your are participating in Thrifty Thursday.

On a Thrifty Thursday, a couple weeks ago I was astounded at Donna of Funky Junk's bedroom makeover using all thrifty finds and a lot of creativity. Donna's bedroom is a cozy comfy dream come true. I thought it deserved a second look!

Donna was so sweet to agree to share her cozy little nest today on Thrifty Thursday.

Donna, please take us on the tour!

The bedroom is finally ready for a reveal! (on one side of the room) A few tweaks are yet to be had, but you'll get the idea pretty quick. I chose to go with a monochromatic scheme for total serenity. Ready for a little bit of funky? Here we go!  (all 3 bedroom makeover links HERE)

I've affectionately named this room, "White Trash". You'll soon see why. :)

A happy surprise. I LOVE the extra colours peeking out on the paint ladder rungs after sanding.

You won't find this bed neat, tidy and symetrical. This bed is about rumpled crumpled comfy bliss.

Random clear jars sitting on an authentic stamped post highlight twinkling tealights.

The metal clad siding is painted and glazed for rustic softness.

Update: I already changed out the wreath. :)

An old weathered table top becomes the ultimate charming and sturdy bed tray.

An old weathered pedistal table and shabby bench team up with a couple of mirrors in a little nook. More on this part HERE.

Before #1.

Before #2. (sign is in my son's playroom now)

And finally... After.

Confession time. I had NO budget for a new bedroom. But I wanted something shabby white, so I had to dig through my garage to find these things and make them work. Nothing, and I mean, nothing in this room is retail new except for the curtain rod I simply made out of a partially rusty (works for me!!) steel rod. Gate was from the dump. Door was from a burn pile. All else was from thrift stores. Aside from the odd sheet or pillowcase I've been gathering from the thrifts on an ongoing basis, this room was totally created with things I already had on hand.

For today, the new look is unique, casual, elcectic, eccentric even, very me and...

... the cat REALLY likes it. :)

(I'll be sharing some how-to's  in December, after my Christmas show)

This post is shared with:

Thrifty Thursday #43

Thank you Donna, for sharing your private space today at Tales from Bloggeritaville's Thrifty Thursday! I am highly impressed with your "white trashiness"! Your bedroom truly reads as wonderful treasures picked up here and there, and heirlooms handed down from one generation to the next. This is what I love about thrifting. This is a perfect example of repurposing and reusing. Amazing! I am with the cat-the room looks scruptious and I can just imagne plopping in that bed with kitty and coffee! Heaven! Again, my sincere gratitude to you for sharing!!
You can find more of Donna's Funky Junk at her own blog, where creativity abounds.

Every day I am inspired by all of you other bloggers out there. You each inspire me in so many ways. I thank you each one for that!

Thanks to all of you for stopping by and participating in today's Thrifty Thursday. Please use Mr. Linky below to link up your blog.I encourage you all to spread the love and visit the other thrifty Thursday participants, for that's what half the fun is. Aside from seeing a cool treasure it's making friends!

Thank you, all, FRIENDS! I appreciate YOU!

THRIFTY THURSDAY PARTICIPANTS:

Cast Iron Christmas Stocking Holders

In my scouring for  thrifty treasures, I often see old irons. They are often very inexpensive and easily found in antique shops. Old cast iron clothing irons make awesome Christmas Stocking Holders. First of all, they are heavy, so they can support the Christmas stockings. Secondly, they have handles, which allow them to easily hang Christmas stockings on.
So, make a row of cast iron irons on your fireplace mantel. You can use ribbon to tie the Christmas stocking to the irons. Simple run a nice thick Christmas colored ribbon through the loop in the stocking and tie it to the iron. No mantel? These clever hangers work great on a sturdy shelf. And after the olidays, use the ironss as bookends.
Another option is to simple tie the bow right in the middle of the handle. Now, use an S hook to hang on the bottom of handle. You Christmas stocking can hang from that.

Today is also Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan of Southern Daydreamer. It is also Walk with me Wednesday hosted by Thoughts of a Bama Belle. I try and tie these two together.

First  I must apologize, I am so behind in my visits and comment responses. I promise I will respond. I promise. We all kow this time of year is busy anyway, and I have been slammed in my photography business-Praise God-because we desperatley need the money to purchase Christmas this year. But my "free" time recently is all but gone. (Again, no complaints other than not having blog time)

I  also serve on the  Christmas parade committee and we have been knee deep in coordinating the City of Helena Christmas Parade (as if I hadn't enough to do). The parade is on Saturday at 2PM with Helena's own "son", Bo Bice "rocking" the Grand Marshall position. This year's theme is "Rock and Roll Christmas", so join us on Saturday, if you can. And do, say hello!

All this being said, at the end of a photography session on Sunday, I snapped this picture as the sun had just set across the pond.

It is moments like this, when it is so peaceful and I have my moments to "Walk in the Spirit".

It's when I feel closet. And when I feel so small.

This last photo I took when I walked up the drive. We had a bit of rainfall earlier in the day. The rain had ended, but the leaves were still rain kissed. I thought is so beautiful. It's the little things, if you don't pause and take a look at, you miss. It's the little things that are so easily taken for granted. So stop, smell the roses, or in this case, the rain. And look at life's reflections in the raindrops.

Join me tomorrow for Thirfty Thursday. I have a special guest host who will be sharing her delightful and magical bedroom transformation.....and it's all on a budget. Be prepared to be lost in her photos. So see, you tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by. You mean so much to me. I honesly mean it. And your comments are most appreciated and make my day. Who doesn't love a little happy in the "inbox"?

Happy Wednesday!

*Updated 7:19 AM CST-apparently Blogger is having some technical diffculties. Comment Moderator is not working, from my end anyway. I do see your comments, but it is not allowing them to publish. Keep em coming, and hopefully blogger will have it ironed out soon. Thanks to Shelia, The Quintessential Magpie for letting me know that its not just at my end. One sometimes wonders.