It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

I know, I know, it's not even Thanksgiving yet...  And for today's My Favorite Things' Wednesday Stamp Club, this week's challenge is Thankful For - What are you thankful for? Thanksgiving themed cards, party favors, table decorations (SCS Keyword MFTWSC11242010).  For a list of all the MFT designers participating in this week's challenge, you'll want to head over to Kim's blog.

I was laying in bed the other morning, thinking about this challenge and listing to myself some of the many things I'm thankful for, and I got a bit weepy.  It's true!  I'm a pretty tough cookie in that I have a high pain tolerance, I can take rejection, and though I'm pretty competitive, I'm a good loser (something I'm trying to teach my eldest about).  So it's not that I'm a crybaby.  But I may just be the most sentimental person on the planet.  It's a joke around my house -- "Uh oh.  Mom, you're not going to start crying, are you?"  Truman has a mean little trick he likes to play on me, that goes a little something like this:

"Hey, Mom -- you know I've only got (insert # of years and/or months) until I (insert milestone like "get my braces off," "start driving," "graduate," or "leave for college)." 

This, of course, reduces me to a puddle of salty tears. 

So, where am I going with this?  Good question...

My point is, I don't want to start crying all over my keyboard by listing how thankful I am for this wonderful life.  I do think most of the things I'm most grateful for come down to having had the good fortune of meeting the greatest guy when I was barely a sophmore in college and (somehow) having the good sense to recognize that he was a keeper.  One of the items in Life's Little Instruction Book that I've always taken to heart is this: Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come ninety percent of your happiness or misery.  After 22 years together (17+ of which as man & wife) I unequivocally agree with that little nugget of wisdom.

But I don't want to talk about that.  Instead, I want to talk about how grateful I am that the holidays are upon us, and how pleased I am that I'm getting ahead of the game this year.  Usually, I end up feeling overwhelmed about getting the house decorated and then guilty that I didn't do more.  I don't know what's different about this year, but I'm totally into it.

One thing that's different: I'm taking the opposite approach to what I ususally do.  Ordinarily, I'll put the 'most important' stuff out first: the family tree in the main living room, the stockings, photos, and the nativity scenes.  By that time, I'm usually pooped, and forego the secondary decorations.  This year, I've decided to try putting the secondary stuff out first.  Take a look:

Villages!  I have tons of Dickens and Snow Village houses that have not been put out since before Carter was born.  It's just seemed like such a chore.  But, then, if I don't enjoy them now, when both the boys are still at home (insert weeping), when will I ever?  So, I've got most of them out this year.  I decided to put them on top of the cabinetry so we can "look but not touch" and so they don't take up a huge amount of living space.  Above are a few of my favorite Dickens Village houses, above the cabinets in our den.

And there are the Snow Village houses (my favorites, because they're brighter, shinier, and kitschy-er than the more refined Dickens) above the cabinets in the kitchen.

This is a little section referred to as "Tennessee" since it features Ryman Auditorium (home of the Grand Ol' Opry) on the left and Graceland on the right.

I've even got the Snowman tree (in the den) put up this year!

I think beautifully wrapped presents are great decorations, but too often, I end up shoving something in a gift bag right before I have to give it (and often on Christmas Eve).  This year, in an effort to enjoy the wrapped presents under the tree, I've made a bunch of bows in advance, ready to adorn.

These were completed over a couple of evenings watching TV.  I think pretty, homemade bows really dress up a present.

And -- here's where My Favorite Things comes in -- one of the things I'm VERY thankful for this year are MFT's Die-namics, which are also going to add a certain panache to our gift giving this year:

I took plain sheets of white adhesive paper, and ran them through the Cuttlebug with the Polka Dot Framed Greetings Die-namic.  Then I stamped them off with the Polka Dot Greetings Stamp set (which comes with the Die-namic) in in Adirondack Earthtones Cranberry and Meadow inks.  The 'To' and 'From' are part of a different set that I'll hunt up the name for and edit to add later. 

Another thing I'm grateful for?  You reading this meandering, random post, and all the other ones you take the time to read throughout the rest of the year.  I really appreciate you.

 

BUY THE WAY:

It’s a pink and black Friday!

MFT is celebrating Black Friday, pink & black style. We’re bringing you the savings early and extending the sale through Saturday. We like celebrating… what can we say?

From Wednesday, November 24th, through Saturday, November 27th, enjoy the following “Black Friday” specials:

Spend $25 and get a FREE Chocolate Kiss paper pack ($5.95 value, while supplies last). Use the code KISS at checkout. Please note that the $25 purchase is before applicable tax or shipping. To activate the discount, you will add $25 or more in products of your choice to your cart, then add a chocolate kiss paper pack to your cart. At checkout, please enter code and $5.95 will be deducted from your total.

OR

Spend $55 and get a FREE regular-sized stamp set of your choice ($15.95 value). Use the code FREESET at checkout. Please note that the $55 purchase is before applicable tax or shipping (free shipping within the US for orders of $55 or more). To activate the discount, you will add $55 or more in products of your choice to your cart, then add any stamp set priced at $15.95 to your cart. At checkout, please enter code and $15.95 will be deducted from your total.

Comments

[Joan B]

Good grief woman! You are making me look like a Christmas loser!! And I am!! Have a wonderful holiday. Love to read how things are going. Gorgeous stuff in your home too!

[Kerry J.]

Wow - look at all the eye candy in this post!! Love your decorations Carole - beautiful! And you've so inspired me to make my own tags - yours are gorgeous and so doable! Smart chickie!

[Gabriela (Gabi With An Eye)]

You softie, you! Cat's outta the bag now! Have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving.

[Laura]

Christmas villages and a snowman tree. More evidence you were meant to be our sister!

[Barbara]

Girl after my own heart! I have my villages out, too, and, ahem, "several" trees up already. Love those tags, girlie!

[Lorie]

I love, love, love the idea of putting the houses on top of your cabinets! I may have to try that!

[Dawn Easton]

Beautifully decorated, Carole!!! Love your snowman tree!!! I collect snomen and this would be a fabulous idea in our bonus room....ha!

Your gift tags are perfect! Great idea to use adhesive paper!!

[KelliJo]

Love the Tags, the homes, and YOU!!!!

[Jane Harrah]

I am grateful for my blog friends that share so much of themselves. No matter if I comment or not, I always read you and enjoy what you share. Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks for Giving. I am a tad jealous about the decorating thing..............I am trying to "downsize" so getting rid of items, rather than displaying....... : (

[gailanne]

Carole, what a delight to read your "meandering post" and see your wonderful Christmas preparations. Wow, you know how to get things organized early. The rest of us are envious and admiring....

[Carolyn King]

wow...those villages look awesome. (also loving your paint colors!)
Love your wonderful homemade bows and tags.....beautiful!
Happy happy Thanksgiving!!!

[Bonnie aka raduse]

Wow Carole!!! I love all of your Christmas villages. They are so beautiful to look at. I'm so thankful for your wit and all of your funny posts. Keep it up.

[Kimberly Gajewski]

Wow Carole! Now that's a lot of tags and the bows are just beautiful too! What wonderful villages you have! They look lovely! :D

[pam]

You sparked some memories w/this one! When the fledglings were home they used to ask me to read them certain books or watch certain movies. It was just so they could watch the flood gates open. They thought it was so funny! Once they flew the coop, I quit crying. Go figure! Christmas looks amazing at your house. You've motivated me to take the Halloween down ;-)

[Christina Fischer]

Oh, you are a girl after my own heart! I also decided to pull out the Dickens Village after a several-year hiatus! :)

Your Christmas preparations are beautiful -- thanks for sharing a little bit of your world with us!

BTW, I have been a giant weepy ball of mush as Kyle moves makes his way through his senior year. Senior portraits, his last high school soccer game, ordering his graduation announcements... it's killing me. He also loves to point out that it's x-number of months until graduation or until he leaves for college -- he plays the same game with me. :)

[Amy Rohl]

Your post is so "Carole"--smart, witty, sappy and sentimental. Boy, you are one well-rounded gal, ya know it?! That's why me loves ya so much!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!
Amy

[Michele Boyer]

Wow, that's a LOT of crankin' on those tags! Love them though! And I love all of your decorations and tree too! :)

[Jessie/knightrone]

I LOVE those villages...I should start collecting them!! LOVE that you make your own bows, too....you rock!! Great labels, too!! Yaaaaay you!!

[Jody Morrow]

Wow Carole, I'm so glad to see you are finding the time and motivation to decorate so beautifully. I'm glad to see you happy... And crafting. :)

Hugs!!

J

[Jenna Schrock]

Hah! I can totally relate with being a crybaby. LOL! Just thinking about bringing my teenager to a dentist to have his Invisalign in Los Angeles gives me butterflies on my stomach. It feels like it was just yesterday when he was crying and I held him, and now he wants braces! Ugh. Anyway, I love your Valley collections! I'm envious. Haha!