More snowy white inspiration...

Hello again on this snowy afternoon.  It's really coming down here at my house and I pray for my kids safe return as they did go to school today.

Here's some pics of my dining room and some other little areas around my home:

my dining room

my centerpiece is a spruce wreath with little blue berries surrounded by icy white pieces and the infamous battery operated white candles

This is my little tree I always keep up year round.  this time with some rusty snowmen of different sizes and the snowflakes are actually picks I got at Jo Ann's for 75 % off, gotta love that.

My entryway is where I always signal the season, this hasn't changed much since Christmas.  I did put the little houses here.

I love this little white, silvery church.  I had to get it I thought it would go with my little house.  It has a light inside and I got it at Target for $5!!! Woo hoo I love a bargain.

on top of my TV armoire, I put the little ivory star in the basket, I have since moved it again, always fussing with things.  I got the candle holder at Kohl's it was a gift from my sweet Aunt Princess.  It really sparkles at night.

This is my bakers cupboard, I just put my snowmen in here.  I moved things around a bit to find a place for them.  I saw my moms lacey white doiley and thought it would look nice in there with all the snowmen.

Finally, my husband always gets me a Santa and a snowman for Christmas,  this year he got me a little guy to go with my other snowman.  I like to think of them as Papa Snowman w/his son. So cute!

Have a blessed day, stay safe and warm

Carey

Fresh, Clean, Snowy Look of Winter

Hello blogging friends, I have been working on my house for the last two weeks and am finally done with it all.  It's a huge relief.  We have a loomy forecast of snow on it's way.  I went out to get one more thing that I forgot yesterday and the grocery store was utter chaos.  You know how people get if they think they will be snowed in. 

I am really enjoying the clean uncluttered look of my house after the holidays.  I luvv.. my snowmen though so they will stay with me a bit longer.  I have found my tastes are changing and evolving as I live in my new house ,as well as, all the blog hopping.  I really enjoyed the hooked on houses.net holiday open house.  Another place I always find inspiration is from a primitive place. 

Here's my new mantel look in the family room:

The snowman star was a housewarming gift from my sister.

at night

Remember the graniteware bowl? Well I changed it up just a bit placed a icy wreath and some pines in the bowl.  I'm loving white snowflakes and things that have an icy look to them. 

I'm still enjoying my fresh balsam candle from B & BW

Each time I glance up at my mantel I remember when my husband and I lived in South Dakota and we went up into the hills.  It was so beautiful! The snow had just fallen and it was one of those perfect winter days.  I wanted to get some pinecones for decorating and we had such a good time playing in the snow and falling down the sides of the steep hills.  I will never forget that day.

In my kitchen I chose to display my growing collection of white cake stands.

More white pitchers, milk bottles, buckets and tins

I chose to keep my stovetop simple and this time of year I like to keep my teapot kettle handy for hot cocoa.

This little candle holder I got last year and it's just perfect for my island.

I'll be back with more pics soon, stay inside where it's warm, Cause' baby it's cold outside!

Carey

Make-Over Monday

Here's a quick before and after that my hubby and I worked on over Christmas break.  He bought it for me through a silent auction for $3 and I bought the shades on ebay for 30.  So here is my new chandelier for my kitchen for only $33!!!!  I love a bargain. 

It was kinda of a dark rusty color with some texture but it reminded me of more southwest than country so I decided on black and these cute red/white gingham shades really make it pop.  I just sprayed on several coats of a satin black color. Then my husband hung it up for me. I thought about looking for some candle looking drip sleeves but decided this would do for now.  Now, I just need a farmhouse table to go under it, do you hear that honey??

Before

This is what we had in our kitchen before, you can see it right hanging in front of our huge tree.

Before it was painted

After

Hope you enjoyed my little make-over now only one more light to go in this room.  Got any ideas for me? You can see it looming in the background.  My sister suggested painting it too but I just don't thing the styles go together.  We'll see..stay tuned I'll be back soon some frosty white decorations to show you.

Carey

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year blogging buddies! I don't know about you but this is the time of year I tend to streamline my home.  I'm loving the clean look of my house right now.  All of my decorations came down today.  I've been working on it a little at a time.  I kept the frosty guys in my basement and scattered about my family room.  I think I may even keep my twinking lighted mini tree and snowman on my front porch for a while longer.  I love the fresh, crispness of dark green with icy white on my wreath, it's so perfect for Winter. 

Like many of you resolutions are something I don't make and keep very much so I didn't this year.  Although I have some weight I'd like to lose that's for sure.  It has slowly been creaping back and I'm to the point I have to do something about it.  Maybe some of you can relate to this no matter what the number might be.  A few years ago I lost about 35 lbs so I would like to get back into that size and goal weight again.  I feel unhealthy and know my that if I would start exercising more regularly and eating better I would feel better.

I'm also at a point in my professional life where I'm not exactly sure where to go, I will begin substituting again after break after doing this for 2 years.  I hope it will turn into something more full time in the Fall.  My husband is concerned about not finding work after he retires so this would help him feel better if I already had a contract.  I thought about going back to school but I'm not sure what else I would do if not in education.  I have been waiting for my DH to graduate before starting anything else.  I could start on my masters but feel uneasy about staying in eduation when I haven't found a teaching job for years.  I heard about many teachers retiring when I was in college I just want to know when that will happen exactly I"ve been out of school since '96 and taught for a total of 6 years.  Mmm... I guess people have delayed retirement.

Well, whatever 2010 will bring I am excited at the prospect and I know that God has a plan for me and my family and I just have to trust that it will be a good one.  I'll be back to share some more photos of my home soon.

Wishing you and your family a Blessed and Happy New Year,

Carey

Holiday Highlights!

Did you have a good Christmas?  Our family did my dh came home and my fil is feeling better after having surgery.  We feel very blessed.  My family gathering was wonderful.  I missed my niece and my sisters family.  She is having her first baby and didn't want to expose herself to my son who was recently sick.  He has been under the weather for about a week now with fevers on and off.  You can tell in some of the pictures he didn't feel good.  I have been sick at Christmas before, not the best time of the year to be sick that's for sure.  I guess there isn't a good time.  I wished she could have made it but I can respect her  decision. 

We had appetizers, ham and I made a bunch of dessert goodies including some recipes I have already posted.  My daughter took some of these pictures. 

Festive Eggnog Punch

Candy Cane and Turtle Brownie Bites

Miss Santa Claus

opening presents

Even the dog was excited about presents!

modeling her new vest

my son with his Grandpa

our big family gift for the media room, now we can watch movies and have theatre popcorn!  We've been watching planet Earth, which I highly recommend.

a family tradition,  reading Twas' the Night Before Christmas

Going to Church with our family

One more question for you, do you make New Years Resolutions? If you do how many of you keep them?  Just wondering, it's that time of the year. 

Hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Carey

Christmas Eve is upon us...

our large tree

I thought I would share a few more glimpses of my house and some yummy things I made for my family gathering tonight.  I got my prairie curtains hung in the family room and they look so neat.  I took this graniteware bowl that I had somewhere else and put it on the coffee table I put some pinecones and layered my other bowls a spray that I bought at Jo Ann's.  Inside the bowl is one of my favorite B & BW scents is Spice, it's a pretty dark red color.  Love that!

a candle clip that I purchased at K-mart on sale, they are battery operated timers so they come on and stay on for 8 hours, love the ease of that.

family room with new curtains

We've been busy getting ready around here...

doing a lot of this

This is something I came up with when I found I purchased the wrong brownie mix, a twist off Picky Palate's version is below and these couldn't be easier!

Carey's Turtle Brownies

1 box Turtle Brownie mix (the kind with the carmel)

1 bag Nestle toll house semi sweet chocolate chips chocolate

1 bag Nestle Toll house milk/carmel swirl chocolate chips

Make the brownies as directed on the box, stir in 1 cup of the milk/carmel swirl chips.   Place into a mini muffin pan or mini cheesecake pan and spray generously with nonstick spray. Put into a 350 degree oven for about 20 min-23 min. Let cool completely, remove from pan.  Then glaze them with the semi sweet chocolate chips and a few tbsp. of heavy whipping cream (optional) for added richness.  Then take the carmel from the packet the brownie mix came in and drizzle onto the brownies.  I added a milk chocolate carmel chip on top of each one for decoration.  Delicious!

Click here for Picky Palate's Candy Cane version

gotta get those candy cane kisses!  They have a sweet surprise inside.

Have a blessed Christmas with your family, Jesus is the reason for the Season!  I'll be spending time with my family this week and be taking a little break.

Carey

Let it snow, let it snow!

Well, the weather outside was a pure delight this weekend.  It was just beautiful.  The kids were out of school and we had nothing to do but enjoy our hot chocolate, bake some cookies and enjoy being together.  They decided to venture out after getting an urgent call from Grandma that the snow packed well to try and build a snowman.  I had discouraged this due the the amount of snow we had but as you can tell they managed.  It's amazing how much they fight but given enough time can really get along well when they want to accomplish something together.  So here's the proof!

the end result all of about 2 ft high

Hopefully, we'll get some more snow for Christmas it's supposed to rain Christmas Eve so I just hope my family and my husband makes it home safely.  I'm so excited to show everyone our home and host it this year.  It will be so nice to truly be home for Christmas.

Carey