Poinsettia Perfection

To say I love these flowers is an understatement.  This is the tree of my dreams.

On display at The Four Seasons in Istanbul.

Christmas Tree Peek

My Olvera Street discoveries are making my tree so festive!



I'm craving a holiday margarita.

You'll die when I tell you where I found all of my goodies!

Cleaning Epiphanies

Cleaning involves triumphs and tragedies. I almost lost the battle with our tree. The makers of artificial trees must package them in tiny boxes on purpose. They expect you to get so fed up trying to fit it back into the box, you'll cry uncle & toss it. How else would they stay in business? I plan on keeping my tree forever.
However, if Robert hadn't been here, it would be in the trash. After a few complaints, elbow grease, duct tape & a cryptic announcement that, "After this, I'm done for the day," he managed to get it back in & haul it to the garage.
Below is a true triumph.



Don't you love when you discover things while cleaning? While rummaging through our guest room closet I discovered invitation samples from Wedding Tulle. I collected them while planning my wedding (4 years ago) & the designs are still very current.


The stitching detail is even more beautiful in person.

Bree also blogs & featured this cake topper from Ann Wood Handmade and the chocolate mice truffles from William Sonoma below.

I want to get married again!

Our Tree is Up

We just put up our artifical tree (nothing's messing with my new floors) and Simba has already taken her post in front of it. Guarding it. Every time we add something special to our home she makes sure the other kitties can't get close. She's the tree's bodyguard. Nobody's messing with the tree.

Why is it up so early? Well we were watching I Love New York 2 this morning & Robert says, let's put up the tree. I figure why not, since I'm not in the mood to lug it up our stairs on Thanksgiving. If he's inspired, he can do most of the work.

By the way, this comes from the gal who put up her tree in August two years ago. Not because I was selling it on ebay and needed to take a photo. It was for a much more pathetic reason than that. I was homesick, alone, & it provided comfort. Better than stuffing myself with oreos, right?

That's the same year I collected all of my vintage ornaments. I don't have the time to do that now. Maybe I have more of a life now? I sound pathetic. It's that time of year anyway when sappy pitiful stories are all over the place. That was mine for the holidays. You're welcome.