A Little This... A Little That...

It's Thanksgiving Eve...

It snowed today! Not a lot but enough to close schools. I didn't work today because I was afraid the roads would be icy. So now I really have a nice, long weekend ahead of me!

I worked out yesterday and today and for some reason I'm really sore. Like I can hardly walk kind of sore. So tonight, we stay in... Not that we would have hit the town otherwise. We are homebodies.

Tomorrow morning: yoga class. There is just one morning class each year on Thanksgiving and it is such a warm, cozy, good vibe kind of class. I adore going to it.

Tomorrow night: Out to dinner with my family.

Friday night: My brother's house for another dinner with family.

Saturday: Decorate the house for Christmas. We usually do it the day after Thanksgiving. This year we decided to decorate very simply and minimally. My hubs works A LOT and it's just too hard this year to decorate the outside of the house like we normally do. But I will do a few pretty touches around.

This is how I envision Christmas in my head. Like I'm in the Swiss Alps with reindeer on leashes, wearing a cool Nordic sweater and my hair is tied in the perfect halo braid. Then I snap out of my delusion, realize I am not living on an Anthropologie catalog cover, and reality hits me over the head. I'm at home in Connecticut, my hair is in desperate need of a trim and instead of reindeer on leashes, I have my crazy dogs dragging me along in pursuit of a squirrel or any other critter that has caught their attention. But a girl can dream, no?

So as far as keeping my decor simple, there will be no living reindeer in my yard but rather two tall urns filled with logs, greens and white lights. And maybe if I can find a pinecone or two in my woods, I will put a dash of them in the urn as well. Pretty. Simple. {My urn is much prettier than that pot shown in the pic.}

One of my favorite decorations is my antique sled that my brother bought me for Christmas a few years ago. I hang greens off it and an old pair of my ice skates that have not seen ice in over a decade. They hurt my feet... But it makes for a delicious decoration on the porch! Simple. Pretty.

I'm sure I'll have more things to say and do regarding Xmas decor, but this is my start.

Enjoy time spent with your loved ones tomorrow.

Remember loved ones no longer with us.

May peace and love envelop you, my friends.

xo

Pictures via: Anthropologie, pinterest

Oh, Deer...

It came! It finally came!

I've been waiting patiently for my newest DIY project.

A FAUX {never real!} deer head {made of resin.}

I was a DIY crazy woman this weekend. Doing projects left and right.

This deer bust has been on my list of things to do since last year. I could have bought one off Etsy for much, much more than I paid to do it myself. So why not do it myself?

And if you don't think I'm crazy for wanting a faux deer head on my wall, and you are interested in hearing about the process, here goes:

I bought the deer head off Amazon. When it arrived, I was so excited to open it to finally see what it looked like. Even Miss Sassy Kitty had to see what all the rumpus was about!

 

 

 

 

 

OMG, just as I expected! Sweet little face... Typical deer colors. But change was soon to come!



 

 

Now... what color to choose? I thought about white, yellow or grey. Then I finally settled on black. Matte black. 2 cans of spray paint later... He looked cool, funky and whimsical. A piece of his antler broke off, but a little crazy glue solved that in an instant.

Next, I decided I wanted to frame him. I just needed to find the perfect frame. I wanted antique, not new. I went on the hunt and came across this chippy paint green antique frame at a local antiques shop. Only $7.00! Score!!

But something was missing. I bought these colorful felt balls to make a fun garland to string through his antlers. Why? I have no idea. I just thought he needed to look more festive. It was so easy to make. Some of the felt balls already had holes in them. I used a large needle and twine and strung them all together. I knotted and looped each end. Done. {And remember... girls who ride horses can't have nice nails and manicures... they don't last. Just sayin'.}

Voila! Finished product! I adore how he looks. Especially decked out in his frame and garland. What an easy DIY project that adds so much punch! I don't care if people think it's weird. I love it!

 

I know his attire will change with the seasons. I'll get bored and out will come a scarf in the winter, a flower in the summer, fun felt balls for the fall. Whatever it takes...

DIY and save some serious cash! It's easy and fun.


xo

A Festive Family Favorite...

Hi y'all.

You might think we are a weird family for doing this, but we LOVE going out to dinner for Thanksgiving!

The reason I'm telling you this is because I just made the reservations for our fabulous Thanksgiving dinner at a great restaurant with my brothers and spouses.

And before you judge us... here is why we love it:

These are not in order of importance either...

#1: It's a really festive atmosphere. The restaurant is usually decorated to the nines for the holidays.

#2: The people are super friendly and extra nice on Thanksgiving because they are acting all thankful and not in their typical New England moods. I can say that because I'm a New Englander... We can act moody sometimes. But not on Thanksgiving!

#3: {secretly my # 1} We don't have to cook! Not a thing. Not one thing. Not even a single green bean!

#4: You know the old expression {usually reserved for Christmas} Eat, Drink and Be Merry? Well that is us! We eat some really great food that we didn't have to cook. We drink some really great wine and get a little happier. And we are very merry because we don't have to clean up anything. Not even a fork!

#5: We get to sit together and enjoy each other's company. The whole time! It's all about family togetherness.

I know it's not for everyone. But it is most definitely for us!


So... no matter where you are:

xo

pic via: pinterest

Find Your Spunk...

Many years ago I thought I broke my toe after jamming it really hard. It was black and blue and I couldn't bend it. It was over the summer and I had each toe nail painted a different pastel color. I remember the doctor saying to me: "Your toes look so cute. It shows you have some spunk." {Obviously it was a female doctor. Ha, picture a male doctor saying that!}

Cut to my life now... This fall I've been wearing a lot of leggings. A lot. Tall boots, leggings, long thin sweater. My staple look for fall. It's a cute and comfy look {in my opinion.} Thus far, I have many pairs of black and grey leggings.

So here are the looks I wear and love:

I mean come on... super cute, right?

 

 

 

 

And even super chic.

 

 

 

 

I have been looking for other colors that are neutral, but then I saw these from White Plum and my eyes popped out. Sooooo fun! 

 

 

 

Colorful and whimsical. And maybe a little spunky, right? Just fun! Life doesn't have to be so serious all the time.

Find your spunk and show it off to the world.

Wear it.
Own it.
Rock it.

xo

pics via: pinterest

Monday...

Good morning and Happy Monday!

No doubt, Mondays can be hard. A fun weekend gone... the work week knocking at your door.

I have discovered a little trick to make my Mondays a little happier.

I know I am lucky that I have a flexible schedule to be able to do this... but I have rearranged my schedule to go horseback riding on Monday morning. It starts my week out on a really positive note.

I know most people can't do that, but I also know plenty of people who get up early to meditate, go to a spin class, sit quietly for a half hour with their coffee, knit for a little while... it doesn't matter what it is. Just as long as you create a routine that you look forward to on a Monday morning.

It takes the edge off of the Monday blues just a little bit.

So for now, I actually look forward to Mondays. Who would have thought?!



Oh yeah, and keeping a little bit of this quote in mind never hurts either!

Happy Monday!

xo

Pic via: livelifehappy.com

He Humbles Me...

You know how I love my Isabel, right? Well there is a new sheriff in town and his name is Bob.

Bob and I are in the midst of trying to bond. We don't know each other's quirks yet. I know Isabel backward, forward, inside out, upside down... and she knows me.

But Bob, oh Bob... We aren't in sync yet. I have been riding him lately instead of my sweet Isabel. It's good to switch it up sometimes because it makes you a better rider.

So Bob doesn't canter all that easily. You have to ask him just right. So far, I haven't been asking him just right. Yesterday I used spurs {gulp} while riding for the first time ever. I was nervous using them. Like... what if Bob thinks: "um, excuse me? What are you poking into my side?" See... we don't know each other well enough yet.

So after about 10 tries, I finally asked him "just right" and off we went. It was liberating! But let me tell you something... He seriously humbles me. Just when I think I have this riding thing all figured out, along comes Bob to tell me "slow your roll sister. You have a lot of learning to go."

He teaches me patience. Perseverance. Tenacity. To listen. To feel. To ask just right. And so many other things.

I really can't tell if he likes me yet.

He's big and beautiful. He is bold. He has such a presence.

He is nothing at all like riding my Isabel.

But I think it's a good thing to feel humble. I know I can look forward to that feeling at least once a week now until Bob and I can get it together. {Come on Bob... I'm rooting for you here...}


Here he is in his blankie munching on some hay before our ride. Easy to ride? No. Not even close. But a sweet boy he definitely is...

xo

The Fire Within...

Just when I think I have it all figured out...

feeling all dope inside...

boom... it hits me...

what am I doing?

not today, not right now...

but what am i DOING?

what fuels me?

what ignites that fire within?

what tells me this feels right?

what sets the spark so bright it burns my eyes?

today I am trying hard to figure that out.

usually I know, but today is a mystery...

xo