A Contemporary Christmas and a Time with Friends!

Every year we have a holiday get together with some friends of mine who all formerly worked together.  This year we're lucky...we get to do it twice!  The first go around was spent at my friend Sue Wolfe's house.  I've known Sue for nearly ten years and she is one of the most talented people I know.  Her style is amazing.  It's very contemporary, but she'll still will add a little vintage to it.

I did get some some pictures taken, but my apologies as some of them didn't turn out very well.  But I'll still post them as I so want you to see her incredible home.  I guess I was just too excited when I was there!  Oops!  My bad!  But enjoy the pictures and I hope they inspire you as much as they did me.

This room is sometimes her dining room, sometimes her family room.  Currently it's her family room.  The birch wallpaper is amazing.  And the trees in her house came straight from the woods.  Needless to say they are perfect.

This book shelf is always filled with fun and interesting things.  The couple of aquariums she has hold both bottles of wine and a candle.  And the large silver balls (which I love-love-love) were purchased a few years back from Pottery Barn.

A closer look at one of her gorgeous trees!

This "bar" is actually a hot chocolate stand.  And with all the snow and cold weather we've had this year, it's the perfect added feature!  And can you finish the Christmas songs written on her chalkboard wall?

Christmas balls filled with marshmellows....very clever!

Now how cute is this!  The numbers were added to the cue balls.

I love these little white frames she had throughout her house.  They're from Ikea...a mere $1 each.  You'll find cute little sayings in them.

She was the first one I saw do the painted Christmas trees.  She's added words to hers.

A hall table made from cement blocks. 

And how can you forget to decorate the bathroom!

This is an old Woolworth's "W" and she painted the stripes on the wall herself.  Talk about patience!

And then we have a birch pole that doubles as a coat rack!

Another not so great picture, but can you tell what the wreath is made from?  It's clear Christmas balls (with the metal top removed) and hanging from nails.  Okay, now I really love that!  Can I get an Amen?  Looks like I've got three hands on that!

Even kitchen is done to a "T".  Or is that a "YUM"?

Not the best picture, but I loved her kitchen light, and the sign she created....too cute!

I want these trees!  I have my name on them if she ever gets rid of  'em.  The table they sit on was once a wicker basket that ended up in the fire pit.  With all the wicker burned off, she saw it's potential.

These pictures were actually once fabric she purchased from Ikea.

The pictures are Sue Wolfe Originals, and the hanging candles, Crate and Barrell.  As you can see, we were watching a DVR of Oprah's show with the cast of  "Sound of Music".

Last but not least, another of her trees.  I loved this one with all the white balls. 

I'll try to get some pictures of my home this year.  I'm having a get together with the girls tomorrow night so my house should be clean!  LOL. 

Until then,



The Reason for the Season.....

Luke 2:9-11 (New Living Translation)

Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Thankful my husband was able to come home from the hospital on Christmas Eve feeling 100% better.  A great Christmas present from Jesus.  It makes you remember the true reason for the season.  Merry Christmas to all!  May you know the Jesus I know in a personal way every day of the year.

An Illuminated Cream Bucket!

Sorry, I haven't posted in a few weeks.  Has it really been that long?  It's been a busy Christmas season, and with all that going on, I've also had a very sick husband.  They don't really know exactly what's wrong with him, some virus most likely, but when your loved one is sick, you don't really feel like being merry (or posting).  Pray he get's better.  It would be appreciated.  No fun being sick at Christmastime.

With that said, I did finally get some Christmas decorating done and even pictures taken.  Yeah!  And if I can, I'll get some more pictures taken and show you the rest of my house.  Unfortunately (or furtunately) no Home Tour this year for me, so decorating was done more to minimum.  I actually did do more than I thought I would, but anway, I'll post some pictures later of the whole house.

But on to my latest project!  I found these wonderful cream buckets (or so they tell me) recently at a local favorite junking haunt (Linda's Cellar in Chaska). And as the saying goes, if you don't know what to do with something, put a candle in it! And so that's what I did...with a little extra embellishments.

I was fortunate not to find just one, but two!  Lucky me!

The sides of the buckets are made out of a mesh type metal with a ga-zillion holes. Okay, so maybe that's a little exageration, but they're perfect for allowing candlelight to shine through.

This bucket actually has a skeleton shell, with the mesh just lining the bucket.

All it needs is a little embellishments...berries, ribbon and greens.  

Ribbon was added around the bucket , but inside of the shell. I hot glued it to keep it in place.

I then bundled the berries and greens with a good sturdy wire.

And then attached the greens to the bucket with additional ribbon.

This is what you call a two-fer. Wa-la!

And out on the porch they go! And with the recent "ton" of snow (no exageration, we live in MN), they light up the snow!

 

There is no place like home, and with a little junk added...even better.

 
And with that, I wish you and everyone out there in blog land a very merry Christmas!

To see more of my JUNKMARKET projects, click on the link on the side of my blog. 

It's Christmas "Time"!

After another recent visit to Otten Bros., a landscape and garden center in Orono, I picked up an oval wreath, designed exclusively by Sue Whitney of JUNKMARKET Style for Otten Bros. With some added clock parts, I hope it brings a "junky" welcome to my front door.

I started with this Sue inspired and designed wreath made in an oval shape. Love that! And the mix of greenery was stunning!

Some clock parts from Sue (via Kathy Stanz of  Sylvia's Vintage Daughter), would be just what the clock doctor ordered for this wreath.  The clocks are a great way to remember to take time for what really matters this Christmas season.

I think this tree wrap gauze will be the perfect bow. I love the natural feel of it and plan on incorporating more nature in my Christmas decorations this year.  Thanks to Sue for the idea via her Home for the Holidays class.

The clocks and parts are pretty darn heavy so some good wire would be in order. I twisted them around part of the clock to help keep it in place.

As it's hanging on the front door, and my daughter has a tendancy of slamming it...oops, I made sure the wire was wrapped good and tight.

Some pieces, like this clock face, were light enough that a good hot glue sufficed.

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that in clock parts were a perfect mix.

And here we have "Big" Ben.

 

And then there's "Baby" Ben.

I'm not very good at "ribbons" (to say the least). And with a little trial, and a lot of error, I finally came up with something I thought worked. I felt it needed more than just the white ribbon, so I scrounged around and found the chubby rope and large key, along with the "Home" tag.  

Welcome to my home! Now to get the rest of the Christmas decorations up! Got to run.....

To see more of my JUNKMARKET projects, click on the link on the side of my blog.