Advent Calendar

"Mom! We forgot to leave carrots out for Rudolph!"

That's what Hudson says every night when I tuck him in. He's SO excited for Christmas. I think an advent calendar would come in handy for us. Since I have to have it done (like today) I'm opting for an easy version. But I'm all ready making plans for next year. Here's a quick round-up of my favorites (pssst--most of them have tutorials if you're in the same boat as I am):

he likes it, originally uploaded by nanaCompany.

Embroidered Felt, by Purl Bee

Baby Sock Advent, via Martha Stewart

Mittens, by Oliver + S

Magnetic Advent, by Twig & Thistle

I also love the idea of wrapping 25 different Christmas books and choosing one to unwrap and read each night. On the agenda for today: round up baby socks & find a good used book store. And make those snowflakes from yesterday.

Our snowflake-making was interrupted by a doctor's visit for baby C. She had a "learning-to-walk" injury which resulted in two black eyes. She's tough--and now she looks the part. Despite the setback, she's not giving up on the whole walking thing. 

White Christmas

I love the frosty, wintry look of white holiday decor. Throw in a little shimmery silver or gold and you've got yourself an instant, glamourous look that will last--not only through the holidays, but all winter long.

Canadian House & Home

Country Living

Country Living

Canadian House & Home

Country Living

Canadian House & Home

And a couple DIY White Christmas projects for you:

via Food Network

Country Living

 So what are your plans for holiday decorating this year? We started last night, at the insistence of a certain four-year-old. I think snowflake-making is on the agenda for today.

Baby-Friendly Ornaments

Now that the turkey's gone the way of leftovers, I'm turning my thoughts (and my blog) over to Christmas. And I'm dedicating my first holiday post of the season to baby-friendly ornaments. Since Charlotte admires everything with her hands (and her mouth) the bottom half of our tree will be decorated with slobber-friendly, unbreakable ornaments. Either that, or I could ruin her fun and only decorate the top half of the tree. :)

Shopping Guide: 1. The Land of Nod, 2. Crate & Barrel, 3. Anthropologie, 4. Etsy (pdf knitting pattern), 5. Crate & Barrel, 6. West Elm, 7. The Land of Nod 8. Paper Source

Rain

What do you do when it rains day after day?

Jump off the bed and make handprints on the windows, of course.

Random Monday

This morning my head is swirling with all sorts of wonderful, random things...so I'm going to purge them here for your viewing delight:

Pink Glitter Tiny TOMS Shoes

My sister gave me a pair of  black sparkly TOMS for my birthday. I love them so much. But now I'm dying over the baby TOMS. Hey Santa: I think these would be the most practical, everyday shoes for Charlotte. No?

1 cm Felt Balls

I'm doing a happy dance at this very moment thinking about the soft, fuzzy Christmas wreath I'm going to make with these babies. 

Woodland Owl Download

All I have to say is: cutest fall cards. Ever. Click the link above to download them free.

Turkey Shirt Tutorial

My friend Jen made one of these turkey shirts for Charlotte. I love it so much that I kind of want to make one for myself. Er, I mean, for Hudson. 

My latest TV obsession: How I Met Your Mother. Hilarious.

B and I are having fun catching up on all the past seasons.

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And I don't have an image for this last one...but if you're a blogger (or not), read this article. It puts my love/hate relationship with blogging into words. Marta's is one of the blogs I've been reading the longest, and I really admire her creativity, her honesty and her writing skills. I think I'm gonna have to read this article every time I think about quitting my blog.

Now we're off for a day of playing with cousins and Thanksgiving prep. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Winner

Congratulations, Carol W! You're the winner of last week's CSN Giveaway.
Thanks to everyone who entered.
I've got several other giveaways lined up throughout the holiday season. So stay tuned.

Kids' Table

Thanksgiving is hard for kids. They have to wait, and wait and wait while the grownups make dinner. Then they have to sit at the table while the grownups eat, and eat and eat. Here are a few ideas to use before, during and after the big meal to keep those little hands busy. Click the links below for the how-to's and image sources.

{Sources: 1. Children's Table Setting 2. Thanksgiving Banner 3. Rice Krispy Turkeys 4. Napkin Buddy 5. Pilgrim Hats}

Birthday Recap

I've been kind of a lazy blogger this week. Maybe it's my old age catching up with me. Maybe it's this ridiculous cold I've had all week. Anyhow, I'm back.

My parents were kind enough to fly in to help me celebrate my 30th birthday. B surprised me with birthday donuts and roses, and tons of thoughtful birthday surprises, then sent me back to bed for a birthday nap. I was showered with love all day long via phone calls, texts, and birthday gifts left on my doorstep. And Little C started walking just in time for the big day. We had such fun watching her toddle back and forth between us.

My mom treated me to a gem & bead trade show, where we picked up the bits to make this necklace and a ton of other fun stuff. (That's a real aspen leaf, dipped in silver, btw). The mountains where I grew up have lots of aspen trees, so I really heart my new necklace.

After the trade show, the rest of the gang met up with us for dinner at my favorite Southern restaurant.
So that's that. I spent my 30th birthday feeling loved and spending time with people I love. What more could a girl wish for?

DIY Teapot Lamp

I love everything about this lamp from Anthropologie. Everything, that is, except for the price tag.

A trip to the flea market + Country Living's tutorial = Way cheaper version.
{I'm still partial to the all-white Anthropologie version, so I'm adding white dishes/teapots to the top of my Goodwill shopping list}.

CSN Stores Giveaway

Happy Monday, folks! Sorry for my little unplanned absence last week. I was out celebrating my 30th birthday with some of my favorite people in the world. Anyway, I'm back with a giveaway for you. With 200+ stores in the CSN family, you'll find everything from baby gear to extra tall bar stools. The nice people at CSN are giving away a $45 promo code to one lucky reader. Use it to jump-start your holiday shopping, or simply pick up a little something for yourself.

Here are a few of my top picks {largely influenced by my favorite 4 year-old}:

Bai Design Solar System Clock

ferm LIVING Mr. Robot Pillows

Blast Off Play Tent

Alexander Robot Backpack

Want to win? Of course you do. Here's how:

1. Leave a comment here. Simply say hi; or if you're feeling ambitious, tell me what you'd choose if you win. 

2. Follow my blog. Leave a separate comment telling me how you follow (GFC, Google Reader, etc.)

3. Promote the giveaway: tweet, blog or post about the giveaway and leave me a separate comment with a link to your post.

{Remember: leave a separate comment for each entry} 

That's it. Comments will close on Thursday around midnight-ish. I'll announce the winner on Friday morning. Have a great week!

The World in Words

i'm sure you realize that whether they're in a book or on a poster I love words. 

so it's probably no surprise why I enjoy this poster by dirk schächter.

Wouldn't it be great in a kids bedroom or playroom?

A Nemesis, Defeated.

Ideal Bookshelf 73

My first love was reading. My parents used to catch me in bed late at night with a flashlight reading under the covers. I studied literature in college. Even my thoughts are "written" out in my head. I've read hundreds of books over the years. But eventually, I met my match: the unabridged David Copperfield. If I had a nemesis in book form, it would be David Copperfield. 

This book has been following me around (literally) since 1998. I got it in high school, took it to college, it's been on road trips, airplanes and hospital stays. I've started and made it halfway through at least four times. So giving up on my goal of reading it by my 30th birthday was not an option. 

I finished the book last week. And to be honest, I'm glad it took me so long. I think my life experience has given me a depth of understanding that I lacked a decade ago. As I read, I kept wondering if Mr. Dickens is perched atop his cloud in Heaven watching people read his work. If he is watching, I'm sure I put on quite a show for him. I laughed. I cried. I loved it. I think that's why I love Charles Dickens so much. His words and his wit are timeless. 

I'm kind of at a loss now, though. I've always had this book waiting for me. Now that I've conquered my foe, what should I read next? Any suggestions?

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And a side note: How fantastic is this print? My new favorite etsy artist is Jane Mount. She'll even do a custom painting of your very own bookshelf for you. Gorgeous work; and what a great gift for the avid reader on your list this holiday season. 

A Question

Is there anything prettier than fall?
Just a few fall images from around the web that make me love this time of year even more.

Photo Credits: Images 1, 2, 5; Image 3, Image 4

What's your favorite thing about fall? Mine is a three-way tie between sweaters, apple cider, and feeling the leaves crunch under my feet.

On My Mind: Matryoshka Dolls

I don't know anyone who can resist the cuteness of a Matryoshka. They're happy and colorful and delightfully rotund. Here are a few sweet Matryoshkas that have caught my eye and captured my heart.

Grey Matryoshka Ornament

Add a sweet, soft version to your holiday decor this year. 

Soft, unbreakable ornaments are a must for us this year with ol' Bubs on the loose.

Russian Dolls Embroidery Pattern

Embroidered Matryoshkas? Yes, Please.

Matrushka Dolls Rubber Stamp Set - Set of 3 stamps


Make some simple gift tags, or spiff up your outgoing mail.

Saint Tea-tersburg Tea Set

Have tea for two with this darling tea set. The best part? There's another tea cup nestled inside the blue one.

Baby Doll Peasant Dress

What's cuter than a Matryoshka? A little girl in a Matryoshka dress. That's what.

Smaller & Smaller Loungers

I just found my perfect rainy Sunday afternoon pants.

Note to self: Add these to Wish List, ASAP.

Matryoshka Labels & Note Pad

On my to-do list today: Print these labels and note pads from A Print a Day.

Quite possibly the cutest free download ever.

Seeing all these in one place is making my obsession grow by the second. Hope you had a great weekend.