Decorate

I was the last one to take down the Christmas decorations this year, I am sure. Usually it is such a depressing task, but this year I decided to do a little redecorating. My goal for the year is to start really making our house a home. We moved into our fixer upper cottage with a very long to do list in Spring, 2008. Isabel was born that fall. And she is now beginning the process of weaning, and playing a *teensy* little bit more independently. So, it seems like an opportune time to add a few more homemade, thrifty, DIY aspects like the entryway table pictured above. Can you believe that it is not a table at all? It is a HUGE, horrible 1970's gas heater that doesn't work. After months of despising it, I came up with a delightful plan of disguising it. Then when the tree went down this year I realized that the awesomeness of a Christmas tree, is having nature in your home and making it very pretty. So I did the same with the above dead branch. I just tied thin strips of fabric scraps to the branches and placed it in a sauce jar with some glass marbles.

Nick has had the above wooden bird since before we were married. I think it is completely beautiful! We have CD shelf that we can't use for CDs because the kids like to play with them so we put the bird and a cheap Ikea plant and vase on top and put a few nice looking toys in the shelves below:

I used scrapbook paper and some chipboard cut-outs that I found on clearance last year at Michael's. It always amazes me how much can be done with a little bit of paper in the way of adding life to a boring room.

Completely off the topic, Anastasia's family-party was snowed-out and we were snowed-in yesterday. The 2-3 inches of snow they were predicting was actually half a foot! I love snow and honestly, we really needed a relaxing day after a big week and weekend. And, I didn't even have to cook as we were invited to Ben and Anna's for dinner!!! Thank goodness we have good friends in close proximity and a Jeep.

Today has been a productive lazy day as we put together Isabel's crib and had to re-organize the girl's room! She loves her crib at the moment (she is sleeping in it now even!!) so I hope it will motivate her to move out of our bed and sleep better. We will see what actually happens. Kids never do what you expect so you can't expect anything except the unexpected. lol. Happy cozy weekend.