Welcome to my blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I believe that everyone can have a beautiful home without spending a fortune! One of my favorite things to do is find creative ways to re-purpose things I already have on hand, or have picked up at yard sales and thrift stores. Join me as I share with you some of my favorite ideas for crafting and decorating, as well as travel adventures, and fun things that I pick up on my treasure hunts! Much of my work is influenced by my love all things French, nature, and of course shabby chic! I have gotten so many creative ideas from you very talented bloggers out there, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you as well!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Slowing Getting Ready for Christmas!

I just love decorating our house for Christmas, but it seems to take me forever to do so!  After hauling a seemingly endless stash of decorations and ornaments out of the attic, I then take down almost all of our usual accessories, then dust, then try and figure out where I am going to put everything!  So right now, I have boxes and baubles all over the place!

I did manage to make a centerpiece the other day, using my galvanized carrier.  I first showed you the carrier a few weeks or so ago, that I had an autumnal display in.
And here it is all set for Christmas! I've added greenery (faux, so I wouldn't have to worry about drying out and shedding), pinecones, moss, and faux white berries.

I also added tea lights, and I placed clear ornaments inside of some silver pots that I already had.


I love the contrast of the glavanized carrier, which has kind of an industrial vibe, with the shiny pots and ornaments.  It's hard to tell in the photos, but the ornaments are a bit iridescent.



 I really love this carrier, that I found for just a few bucks at a neighbors yard sale!  It's larger than it appears in the photos, and quite heavy, too!

I had intended on getting alot more decorating done yesterday, but I had a major blogging crisis! I had been trying unsuccessfully for months to change my blog's background.  I had been doing it correctly, but it never worked!  I am so envious of all you ladies who always change the look of your blogs for the seasons! Anyway, the other night I thought I would get brave and change my template.  Maybe then I would be able to get a new background, I reasoned! And that is where all of my trouble began!!
The new template totally messed up my blog!   My sweet friend Tete even did a couple of blog posts for challenged people (such as myself!) on how to change backgrounds and templates!  Well, to make a long story short, every time I made a change yesterday, things got worse, much worse!  My dear friend Cindy Adkins came to the rescue!  She spent so much time helping me get things straightened around, and even designed my gorgeous new header.  Isn't it beautiful?  I thought that was just so nice of her!!
So, last night I sat down to my blog, thinking all was well and good.  Wrong!  I discovered that none of the links on my blog were clickable!  None!  I couldn't click on anything on my sidebar, non of the links within my blog posts, nothing!  Needless to say, I was in tears, and wished that I'd left well enough alone!  I somehow managed to get things working.  Don't ask me how, my brain was a jumbled, stressed out mess by that time!  So, moral of the story is:  if you are going to do any major type of changes to your blog, do a test blog first!  I should have listened to you, Tete!
So a huge thanks so Cindy and Tete for helping me thru this "meltdown" of mine!  You guys are the best!!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful decoration dear Donna!!!
I lake it!
Kisses and regards.

Debbie said...

Hi Donna...your arrangement is wonderful! Love all the elements you've pulled together for this one.
I know what you mean about those awesome holiday backgrounds for blogs that are out there. I envy Tete and Rebecca for being able to make such cute backgrounds for each season. I've tried, but goofed up my blog, so I just use the boring "blogger" templates.
Your header looks terrific!
Debbie@lakehouse

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

LOVE how the tote looks all decorated for Christmas...just beautiful! That tote was such a great find!

Kaybe said...

That's the first thing I noticed was your new header with the candlestick's you made. It is gorgeous. For me I know enough about computers to be dangerous. So nice to have a friend that can help. Love love the galvanized planter centerpiece. Just lovely.

Take good care,

Karen

Musings from Kim K. said...

I love your metal tote for seasonal decorating. It's just delightful. Love the new blog header too. Those blogger templates can really mess things up. How nice that you had a friend come to your rescue.

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

You know how much I love that metal tote! It looks great all dressed up for Christmas. Nice mix of shiny and rustic. Love it :)

Unknown said...

Thank goodness for people who save blogs!!!! I am not one of them, so I appreciate all your misery from yesterday.

I really like your centerpiece-where did you find your fake greens? They look so real!

I was wandering around yesterday wondering where to put stuff that I needed to move to make room for Christmas decorations, wondering if anyone else did this. And where do you put all the STUFF?????!!
have a great day now that your blog looks so great!
xo
lynn

mizdarlin said...

I really do feel your pain..it's why I'm terrified to try and change anything..having lost everything once before, and no tech-savvy friends to come to my rescue..boo hoo..
Yours looks wonderful now..and so does your centrepiece..♥

Karen said...

Oh dear....sorry you've had problems with your blog! I've had the "itch" to do the same lately, but decided not to waste my time and cause more stress! You were so lucky to have friends help you out with it!

Love, love, love your header! It is really gorgeous! Your Christmas decor looks wonderful. Love how you used the clear ornaments in the containers...very clever. Everything looks just perfect in the galvanized tote! Amazing job!

Karen

NanaDiana said...

WEll, first off- I love your new header...and secondly, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your old carrier. It is wonderful and looks great dressed up with greenery and baubles.

Now, I must tell you. I am just like you. I stick with my plain, boring old header because when I first started I tried to change it and lost everything...followers names...blogs I was following..yep...I am a computer dummy..and not afraid to say so. So, if I ever do try to fool around I will open a dummy blog as per Tete's suggestions. She is just the greatest, isn't she?

Well, back to cleaning here. I am just like you...take everything down, clean and then revamp. I am in the cleaning part of it all right now. Hugs-Diana

MJ Ornaments said...

Love the plants mixed with candles, just beautiful! ~Martha

Cindy Adkins said...

Hi Donna,
I finally got home--been gone all day!!! Geez! Right in the middle of my crafting. lol Now, I'm starting to work but I wanted to make sure your blog was here! I love, love the galvanized holder---wow!!!
XO

Christine said...

The holder is wonderful, and I love the way your blog looks! Isn't it funny? Our blogs are like our babies, we don't want anything bad to happen to them...

kim said...

The tote is wonderful!!! I NEED ONE! LOL So sorry that you had all the troubles with blog changing.....the header is very nice....hopefully you can look back now a maybe a small smile??? You had to learn something!!!Happy holiday decorating.

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Donna,
I know what you mean about the template change.
I had the same thing happen to me and it took me an entire day to fix it! I was ready to pull my hair out!

Love your pretty galvanized box/tray. You have made it look so festive.

hugs
Sissie

Leo said...

Love the galvanized tray. Looks so pretty!! And I would have been totally lost on the blog design. I am still trying to figure out picasa for petes sake!!

Rebecca said...

I've got one of these sitting on the table for the last month-didn't know what to do with it-great idea!

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Loving that tote all dressed for the season!

I like to change my blog now and then and always seem to hold my breath til it's done! Yours looks great!

Anonymous said...

I love your Christmas centerpiece, Donna... beautiful! That metal glavanized tote is AWESOME... LOVE IT!!
Have a great day my friend!
xoxo,
Jo :)

Kelly said...

I love this! I think the container is what makes it.

Kelly

Erin said...

Love this, in fact, you should go ahead and give it to me, and then come down and change it out accordingly, HAHAHAHAHA!!!!