Christmas owl & antlers

Last year my dear friend Rob invited me into his home to photograph his Christmas. I knew immediately it would become a tradition I would look forward to year-after-year. Rob decorates unlike anyone I know. He is such a gifted designer!

Well, this year he outdid himself. I was completely stunned when I walked through the front door. So how 'bout we take a little tour of the place so you can see for yourself.

Magical. Enchanting. 

 Lovely and captivating. 

Went a little wild when I saw how the upholstery nail heads were photographing. Love!

And the tree... oh my. I literally gasped.

Oh Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree ~ how lovely are your branches!

Rob's entire house is adorned with art and soul and style and texture. 

We've had a tradition in our home to hang the infamous Christmas bat on our tree... but never a Christmas owl. Trust me, Rob's owl is way cuter than our glow-in-the-dark bat. ha! And lest you think he's all soft and fuzzy, you'd be wrong. He's coarse and brittle. But oh what a statement he makes!

Rob uses so many interesting design elements ~ deer antlers, twigs and pinecones to name just a few.

He already knows what he's going to do next year and let me tell you ~ amazing! 

I can hardly wait to come back for the photo shoot! 

Thank you Rob! I always come away blessed having spent the day with my dear, trusted friend. 

Merry Christmas Rob & Toni ~ and a Happy New Year!

happy birthday to me

• today I turn 56
• I was born in '56
• here's 56 things to do instead of spending money
• I've been sick all week with an awful flu
• achy, miserable and feeling rather sorry for myself
• I never lose my appetite when I'm sick
• food comforts me when I'm feeling bad
• so I had smoked tomato & bacon soup at 8:30 this morning
• hey, it's my birthday, I can eat whatever & whenever I want to 
• cried pretty much through the entire Family Stone movie
• we were hired by a friend to do an Estate Sale for his parents estate
• after 2 months, 2 yard sales and 2 Estate Sale dates ~ we're finally done
• hardest work ever
• best experience ever
• I never want to do another
• never say never 
• more changes in our future
• praying for peace
• my cousin got in his car yesterday and the odometer read 121212 on 12.12.12.
• we're getting rain today and tomorrow, with snow in the high country
• I need a road trip so I can photograph snow
• I need to get into the spirit of Christmas. so much yet to do.
• my twin grandsons are 8 months old next week
• here's a photo from their 6 month photo shoot
• Nathan & Jonah are so stinkin adorable!

DIY beverage/ popcorn stand

I have vivid memories of my Mom washing clothes using these galvanized wash tubs along with her wringer washer. Talk about backbreaking work. No wonder she kept threatening to throw them in the dump if we didn't take them. Not the most pleasant of memories I guess. Well I wanted them, and finally hauled them out of the basement on June, 2011, when we last visited the farm in Wisconsin, and brought them back to Phoenix ~ never dreaming they would be used to ice beverages at my daughter's wedding a year and a half later!

Over the years I have found two of these units in IKEA 'as is'. I transformed one of them into this. And the other has been collecting dust in my shed for years. That is, until I showed Miranda the 200 vintage paper popcorn bags I found for a dollar at a thrift store, which inspired her to serve popcorn to her guests while the backyard was being transformed from ceremony to reception. What a fun idea!

Miranda wanted me to cover the top in oilcloth and suggested the Cath Kidston oilcloth that I purchased while visiting her in England in 2009. I was thrilled. You can even see her holding this very oilcloth piece while we were shopping in the Cath Kidston store in Bath, England ~ and you can read all about that memorable visit HERE!

Miranda also wanted paper straws at the beverage table. She ordered the gray straws online and I found the red ones on clearance at the Kirkland Store for less than $3.00 a box ~ 144 ct. per box ~ right after 4th of July. I know! LOVE how Kelsie photographed them!

She also wanted the baskets lined. We chose to use only three of the baskets for easy access, and then lined them with a blue-check woven fabric I've had in my stash for years.

Every December I get a $20.00 birthday coupon from The Willows, to spend at their fabulous store in Phoenix. Last year I chose those galvanized hanging chalkboards. Again, I had no idea I would use them at my daughter's wedding a year later. I can't wait to spend my $20.00 this month! Thanks Willows! See you soon.

Special thanks to Pinkerton photography for all these lovely photos of my DIY wedding reception projects! You're awesome Kelsie!

Linking up with other awesome inspirational blogs ~

SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY

FRUGAL FRIDAY

Mr & Mrs wedding chairs

What are the chances I would happen to have two antique chairs in my shed when my daughter pinned the photo below on her wedding Pinterest board? Like pretty good. In fact I had only recently found the other one at my little ARC Thrift store for $5.00. And what are the chances I would have those two tree bark boards in my shed, along with layers of dust? Again, pretty darn good. ha!

Miranda's inspiration found here.

Both chairs had caning in its former life. So I just had my husband cut boards to fit and then I upholstered fabric from my stash that Miranda chose along with enough batting for comfort. Miranda painted the Mr & Mrs, I added screws in the back and then cream colored burlap strips for ties.

So pleased with how they turned out for the newly married Mr & Mrs!

My Grandkids & Santa

Let me interrupt your regularly scheduled wedding post and bring you Christmas!

Nathan & Jonah with Santa Claus

Elsie & Emolyn ~ Nathan & Jonah

SO excited to celebrate Christmas with these little guys!

The Wedding Flowers

Omg, the flowers at the wedding were simply gorgeous! And I mean GORGEOUS!

My daughter Miranda's best friend Kendra is the creative genius behind the bridal bouquet, boutonnieres, bouquets and the beautiful floral arrangement. She's so amazing!

Kendra handed over the arranging of the centerpiece floral arrangements to my dear friend Chris and her lovely daughter Bailey. And let me tell you, they singlehandedly arranged 36 beautiful floral arrangements. That was no easy task. Truly a labor of love that I am forever grateful for!

The centerpiece decor will be a blog post all on its own. Can't wait to share all the details!

 

When the wedding was over, the flowers that were arranged in my mason jars came home with me. And let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed them, staging several photo shoots each day until their demise a week later.

  I would daily pick out the withered flowers, snip fresh cuts and add clean water every other day, making them last as long as possible.

I hung the shepherds hook aisle arrangements on my back patio.

I've been collecting Ball mason jars for many years... never dreaming they would one day be used at my daughter's wedding!

Miranda's dear friend Carla came to the wedding from England and brought me a Cath Kidston coffee mug. I know! Cath Kidston!!! I was beyond ecstatic! Doesn't she look pretty next to the wedding flowers? 

As you can see, I did my own arranging in various vessels. But check out the rose that never fully opened!

It was so dense, but never did open up. Rather strange.

The wash tubs that I brought back from the farm in Wisconsin last year were used at the wedding for bottled beverages. I have vivid memories of my Mom using those wash tubs along with her wringer washer. Talk about back-breaking work! 

Thank you for taking the time to read all my wedding posts. I have a few more to go, then onto Christmas!

Amy's wedding photos

Our dear friends Amy & her husband Andrew drove from Southern California on the day of the wedding and she went on to capture some of my very favorite photos! She's so talented I could hardly wait to share them with you. I'm amazed at what she shot from her aisle seat. 

But I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Oh my gosh, they make me cry every time I look at them!

Thank you Amy. Your photos tell a beautiful story of Aaron & Miranda's memorable day ~ that I now get to relive over and over again. I am forever grateful!