Ah, Christmastime: the sights, the smells, the crafts

Here are a few of my favorite sights this year, enjoy.

Last year, you may recall, I made these ornaments to add to my chocolate/gold tree. I only finished assembling half of them, because we only decorated half the tree (no point decorating the bottom half with an 19 month old about).

my tree, all dressed up for the season.

 I wanted to do something else for my tree this year, and my inspiration came from a craft blog I stumbled across, here. I bought a cuttlebug and embossing folders with these ornaments in mind, I'm a little bit obsessive, or just plain crazy, I'm aware of that.

my new ornaments, and the ones I made last year.

  I'm so glad that I did, I love how these ornaments turned out.  And they were far, far less time consuming, and expensive, as last year's ornaments.  The colors are hard to see, but they're chocolate and bronze and gold and champagne.  I ordered the metal sheets here, they've got such amazing colors!

 One of my favorite sights during the holiday season is that of our advent wreath.  I love to see the candles burned further down each week, all in anticipation of Christmas.  And for me, this one tradition is a small, but constant reminder of the coming of Christ's birth.

 I was so excited to find this Jim Shore Santa at the Boyd's Bear store in August, and half price too!  I am totally in love with the man's work (although, not always of his styles).  I was also determined to get one of his nativities, and was thrilled when I found this one.

Including the Little People and Playmobil sets, we're up to 6 nativities.  I think I've got a the beginings of a collection.  We'll see what I add next year.

And since Eric had borrowed his dad's ladder to take a look at our clock, I found another use for it before we return it.  I love the garland in the chandelier with the gold snowflakes dropping down on us.




This is the kids' advent calendar, they love it.  The only caveat is that the holy family be placed nicely in the stable, and that they save space for the star at the top.  Maddie put the donkey under the palm tree that Davin put on top.

Now, lest you think my house is awash in gold, I've contained the warmer tones to the front of the house, the back rooms are in the cooler tones, the whites, reds, silvers, and crystal.