This Christmas....

This Christmas mend a quarrel.

          Seek out a forgotten friend.

                    Write a love letter. 

                             Share some treasure. 

                                        Give a soft answer. 

                                                  Encourage youth. 

                                                              Keep a promise. 

                                                                           Find the time.

                                                                                     Forgive an enemy.

                                                                         Listen.

                                                             Apologize if you were wrong.

                                              Think first of someone else.

                                Be kind and gentle.

                                                   Laugh a little.

                                                                   Laugh a little more.

                                                                                  Express your gratitude.

                                                  Gladden the heart of a child.

                        Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

              Speak your love. 

                                      Speak it again.

                                                          Speak it still once again.

                           - Anonymous

A Testimony To Java

So I got up bright and early this morning to finish re-covering some chairs for a client.  I had started the project Wednesday afternoon and want to deliver them today (Friday) so I thought I'd get an early start.  In my enthusiasm, I started the project before consuming my first cup of coffee...let me walk you through how the first chair transpired:

This is what one of the chairs looked like Wednesday:

We added some batting to increase comfort, 

because they were what I would call "diet chairs" 

...you wouldn't linger at the dinner table seated on one.

We then gave them a good cleaning and sprucing.  

If you've never experience Scott's Liquid Gold, it's fabulous 

(and you can get it at the grocery store):

So to get to the point of this post, can you tell which chair I did first?  

 Look closely:

The one on the left has the pattern going sideways!!  Urgh.  

Longer story short, I undid the first work of the morning.

I was obviously staple crazed without my first cup of joe:

By then I had finally woken up and mapped out the next cushions.

After re-organizing, I had another cup of coffee.  Or two.

And the chairs look GREAT.

Happy Ending!

All I Want For Christmas....

1154 Lill
Isabel Set
Love this place -- you can custom design your handbags!
This coordinates with one I already have....
There is a Dallas area rep who can come to you (she is fabulous).
Let me know if you want her contact info.

Fossil Stella Watch
I'm not a high maintenance gal...I don't need a fancy watch.
I like having variety and I think this will be easy to wear.
Plus, I'm hard on watches -- it's amazing how much physical labor is involved in staging!

iPad Case
I don't even have an iPad (yet) but looooove these cases.
I think I like the zebra best.
What do you think?

The Happiness Project
I love this idea.
It looks like a version of Eat Pray Love but applicable to everybody and not just Julia Roberts.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!

I don't know where that title comes from...a friend of mine says it and it just kinda stuck itself into my title.  Try saying it out loud though - it's kinda fun.  

Anyway, following the same practice of writing the names of my public followers on little pieces of paper and then asking my half asleep husband to choose one as the winner, we found one today:

In case you can't read my writing, the winner is STEVE PLUNKETT!  He is the lucky recipient of $35 to use at any one of the 200+ CSN Stores.  Free money, baby!!!  

Congratulations, Steve...hope you enjoy the options on line with CSN...and THANK YOU for following my lil' ol' bloggity blog.  (Oh, and Steve, if you're wondering what is on my Christmas list...that will be my next post so don't go spend it all right away!) 

Free Money GIVEAWAY by Michelle Lynne

HAPPY DECEMBER and happy shopping to all!

As a fun little treat, we are going to host a giveaway next week to help you with your holiday shopping!  A shout out to CSN Stores and their generosity to host our giveaway.  They have over 200 on line stores where you can get anything from a leather briefcase for the man in your life to a cozy robe for your favorite sister...or yourself!  

We will be giving away a promotional code worth $35 at ANY of their stores.  Woo hoo!  Free money, baby!  It's easy to win - you just need to be a public follower of this blog.  We will draw randomly from the group (come on -- it's not a big group yet so you have a great chance of winning!) the week of December 6th.  Like I said...FREE MONEY...why wouldn't you sign up to win?

Playing With Fire

Looking for fun and unique gifts to give this season?  Or maybe a keepsake for yourself?  Check out what a friend of mine is doing under the name "Playing With Fire":

I wonder if this only holds decaf?

Santa is jolly because he knows where all the naughty girls live!

I could decorate a whole tree with these and some pretty gold ribbon. 

How cute is this for a newborn?

She has a cute platter for "Grandpa's Sweets" too
(I'm getting it for my grandpa, he looooves sweets!)

This is a chandelier!

Close up of one of the lights.  Look at the cute ribbon tied below!!!
OH THE DETAIL OF THESE PIECES!!

I borrowed all of these photos from her Facebook Page.  If you want to see more, check it out HERE.  Or email Katy directly:  welovesunshines@sbcglobal.net
Call Katy:  469-525-1987

She will pack and ship your custom orders so you have them before Christmas!

Oh, and no extra charge for her fun personality....

Mom...is that you???

Yay!  It's not just my mom who reads these posts!  I woke up this morning to an email from a blog reader sharing HER holiday tablescape.  I'm so excited that I wanted to share it with you.  Here is what Danielle said:  

I saw your post about your table and you had asked what others did...not sure if that was rhetorical :) but I thought I would share my dining room centerpiece for Thanksgiving and one of my Christmas centerpieces. I only share because I am so cheap and make a lot of my own stuff. The Thanksgiving centerpiece was super easy and cheap. I found the candelabra at Kirklands for $10 (tossed back on the clearance rack and a little bruised)... didn't like the way it looked completely so I went and bought the candles I liked and the fake floral from garden ridge. Total price $30! Same with the Christmas centerpiece...didn't like it completely so I added my own stuff I found cheap! THe only thing the wreath had on it originally was the poinsettia flowers and the pine cones. I love decorating on the cheap!!!!!!!!

Danielle, you made my day!  Thanks for sending me the email with these photos of your lovely creations.  You continue to prove that with a little creativity, beautiful decor does not have to be expensive.

...AND you also proved that more than just my mom reads my little ol' blog because I hope that someday this blog is going to grow up and be like Cote de Texas.  WOO HOO!