When I Can't Make Up My Mind

So remember that post when I showed you my Christmas decorations for this year?

Well I changed them. Already. And it is only December 7th.

Not completely, but I was feeling like I really wanted something new and special to add to our decor this year since we'll be here for more than two weeks to enjoy them.

Last weekend I spent mostly with my mother, and she helped me come up with some more ideas of how to decorate that were inexpensive but added a little bit more sophistication and fun to our home.

In my previous post you'll remember that my mantle was a hot mess. It was too small to have those huge stockings sitting on them, but too big for just a small nativity scene. It looked a little ridiculous. My sister had some leftover garland that she let me use, and I think with the little stockings it makes my mantle look so much better! What do you think?

Not a whole lot changed here... except for some added glitter! I found these sparkly little numbers at Hobby Lobby, and they added so much more flare than my old green candles. 

Our nativity now sits on our side table, with a jinglybell candle holder found at Z-Gallerie for three dollars.

I also changed up my tree! My mom helped me make book page ornaments (which were super easy and found on Pinterest!), cascading ribbon, and a few more ornaments to turn my color scheme from green, aqua, and red to gold, silver, green and touches of classic red.

An easy tree topper. I'd still like to find a real one, but a bow will do for now.

A refurbished tree much classier than the last.

What do you think of my changes? Be honest!

Also, don't forget: today is the LAST DAY to enter the amazing photoshoot giveaway! 

I'll announce the winner tomorrow so make to enter!

A Christmas List

Happy Monday everyone!
Did you all have a great weekend?
 A few exciting things: My sister had her baby! Which means their little family of two is now a family of three. Congrats to my sister and my brother-in-law. :) They named their little girl Allison Jane, and she is such a pretty baby.
Also, this is the last week of classes for the semester! Which means I might be kind of lame on here, but will hopefully be working my butt off at school.


Anyways.
I love to make Christmas lists. 

Honestly, I make them year round and by the end of the year when Christmas comes around, I have so many different lists and half the stuff I wanted six months ago I don't want anymore.

Does that happen to anyone else but me?

Maybe not.

So looking back through my Christmas lists this year, I realized that I have expensive taste. Not good, classy taste, but just expensive. I think we tend to all have a little bit of that in us, but I keep looking through and realizing that the things I'm hoping for for Christmas are big ticket items! Silly me.

I obviously don't expect to get any of these things for Christmas,

but maybe someday. :)

Number one on my list?

Sperry Hingham Boots.

Seen on Sarah Vickers in Matchbook Mag in the October issue, they caught my eye and I can't stop thinking about them. They are absolutely perfect.

An SLR camera. Preferably a Canon, but I'll settle for anything honestly.

I'm just ready to learn to take great photos and to have the equipment to help me.

An old movie collection of my favorites. Casablanca, Roman Holiday, How to Catch a Thief, Rear Window, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the African Queen. 

We have a very limited movie selection that include one chick flick. yes one. I can only watch The Bourne Identity and all our other action movies so many times.

 

A Le Creuset pot. Perfect for a stovetop or oven, and the colors are beautiful.

Maybe someday (pleasseeeee)?

There are, of course, a few other small things on my list. But these are my dream items...

What's on your Christmas list?

P.S. Don't forget to enter this amazzzzinnggg Giveaway! You still have two more days to enter so do it to it!

A Dreamy Giveaway!

I could not be more excited to announce this giveaway today. 

Not only is the giveaway sponsor one of my best friends, but she is so talented.

Meet Ali.

She's made several appearances on here before, but a little bit more about her.

Seattle-lover, aspiring journalist, music expert, and lover of everything vintage.

Ali is one of the most talented photographers I know.

Then meet Aaron, Ali's husband and best friend. Their first date consisted of Ali spending the night in the hospital, and it's been love practically ever since.

 Ali and Aaron make a great team, and today they're giving away the most dreamy and thoughtful Christmas gift to one of you guys!

They're giving you guys a photo shoot! 

If you live in Utah, and are looking for any type of photo shoot, be it engagements, family portraits, pictures with friends, senior pictures, or maybe you want head shots of your baby or even your dog, or ANYTHING, this is perfect for you. :)

Ali and Aaron shoot both digital and film, and work as a team to make their photos stunning and beautiful. And I might be really sad that I can't win this giveaway.

Their shoot for the lucky winner will be in January (perfect Christmas gift I tell ya), for an hour long with up to four people! After your shoot they'll give you a full-resolution disc with your pictures and all the rights to print them and use them for whatever you want. :)

Here are some from incredible shots from their collection:

 

 

Here's How to Win!

To enter:

Mandatory:

+You must be a follower of my blog on Google Friend Connect - ONE Comment

For More Entries:

+Follow Ali's blog, We're the Kirks - One Comment

+Follow me on Twitter - One Comment

+ Follow Ali on Twitter - One Comment

+Leave a comment saying what type of photo shoot you would do if you won! - One Comment

That's up to FIVE entries! To see more of Ali and Aaron's photography skills, go to their blog, HERE.

The giveaway will close next Wednesday, Dec. 7, so you have almost a full week to enter, so get to it! good luck, I can't wait to see who wins! :)

Happy Friday!

 

a WINNER!

I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to announce the winner of our Freschetta giveaway, i really have no excuse for not getting around to it!

Congratulations to Andrea, the winner of our giveaway.

I'll email you in the next 24 hours to get your mailing address and information!

thanks to everyone who participated!

weekend scenes

my mom was in town this weekend! i always love it when anyone comes to visit (especially her though).

we did lots of fun stuff.

we ran errands and had friends over for dinner,

went to our favorite mexican place la casita for dinner,

ate lots of treats: yogurtland, spoon it up, sweet tooth fairy... and then homemade assortments.

i feel like i turned into sugar and am melting.

love you mom!

i also re-perfected my cookie recipe. if you saw my dilemma from a few posts ago, you know how distraught i have been. i'm pleased to inform you that thanks to an old family friend and the addition of two tablespoons of lemon juice, these cookies were the bomb.com. seriously, i think i ate about ummm... 8. not kidding.

did you all have a nice weekend? 

p.s. don't forget to enter the FRESCHETTA giveaway!

xoxo

ranunculus & the giveaway

my latest creation...

 i love this arrangement,

and i especially love the beautiful, large, white ranunculus in the middle of the design.

so spring-like. :)

if you haven't entered the giveaway yet, please do! You must leave a comment on the post below to be entered. :)

happy saturday!

Spring Party Set Giveaway!

I am so excited to announce our first ever giveaway! Because you are all so great and it is our first Bloggiversary, i'm happy to do this giveaway to thank you guys.

i wish all of you could win!

i've been contemplating for a LONG time about what i wanted to do for this giveaway...

you all know how much we love to entertain, and now that spring is here (almost), i thought it would be so fun to give away a party set for your next spring soiree! spring parties are so fun, whether it's a dessert party, sunday brunch, or afternoon tea party, this set will be perfect for your next spring get-together!

i also am pleased to announce that the Party set is from Vera Bradley, one of my most favorite places to shop for purses and home decor. Their products are bright, girly, and adorable, and i have loved them since i was in 8th grade!

Vera Bradley is very popular on the East coast, but not too many people know about it out west, but i'm sure you all will love it if you don't already!

Here's what we're giving away:

the Vera Bradley "Happy Hour" Set (shown in Lemon Parfait pattern):

8 Drink Coasters

10 Fold-over Place Cards (with extras for labeling food items)

& 20 Cocktail Napkins

Vera Bradley Cocktail Plates (shown in Folkloric, my favorite pattern!)

Set 0f 8 Plates

Take a look at all the spring and summer 2011 patterns and pick a favorite for your party!

Here's how the giveaway works:

+You must be a follower of our blog to enter, any entry left by some one who isn't following will be deleted, sorry! (the reason behind this is because i want to thank one of our readers! not just someone who doesn't really read our blog and just wants to win a prize, sorry!)

+For One Entry: leave a comment on this post saying 1) that you're a follower of this blog, 2) which pattern (click here to view patterns) you like the best (so i can send you your favorite pattern) and 3) leave your email address so i can contact you if you win!

+For a Second Entry: leave another comment saying 1) what you would use this set for and 2) say something you are looking forward to this spring!

+You can enter the giveaway this entire weekend, and the giveaway will close Sunday at Midnight.

+The Winner will be chosen through a random number generator (i want it to be as fair as possible), and will be announced Monday.

Have a great weekend and enter this giveaway! :)

good luck!