Why buy decorations?

Christmas decorations cost a fortune, and wherever you go , you find the same decorations.  Want to make your house look unique this Christmas?  Get your kids to make their own Christmas decorations!!

Here are a few of the Christmas Decorations that I’ve been working on recently. The simple instructions to make them, are given on http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/kidscraftsactivitiesblog

This pretty angel made out of wax paper will look beautiful on your Christmas tree

Hang this paper wreath on all the doors of your house.

This simple star will also look great on your tree.

Here’s an easy to make advent calender that will help your kids countdown to Christmas.

Deck up your home this Christmas!!

Christmas 2007

When my husband and I got married we were a bit older (mid-thirties).  We each had homes and readily consolidated the best and most loved of what we had.  There were only two areas where we could not compromise.  The first is knives: his are Henckel and mine are Wusthof.  We are both cooks and particular about our knives or so we thought.  But typical of the years going by in a marriage, our knives are now all mixed together in the chopping block along with a few new ones.  Funny.

We also were unable to compromise on our ornaments.  So, yes Virginia, every year we put up two trees, except for Christmas.  Something had to give.  I could not very well ask my husband to skip his tree, so I gave up mine.

His tree goes in the Family Room (see photo above) and tends to be more casual with beautiful colored paper garlands hand-made by our daughter.  You can see that he is a big fan of trains and now our little one is too.  Who doesn’t love trains!  My tree is more formal and resides in the Library.  On Christmas Eve, we place the plate of home-made cookies and milk by the fireplace and then Santa calls (thanks to Uncle Richard who has a stellar ho ho ho) to make sure that our daughter skedaddles to bed and stays put.  Then by some North Pole miracle between Midnight Mass and morning, the gifts are carefully placed under the tree.  My Dad says the best Christmas present of all is watching his grand-daughter open her presents.

So here are some of the decorations I will be using this year.

Under $50

Crystal String Lights from Pottery Barn

I am a bit of a purist when decorating for Christmas and love white lights and candles.  These Crystal String Lights would look great wrapped through mixed greenery and draped across the formal Library fireplace.

Under $100

Eucalyptus Pepperberry Garland from Restoration Hardware

Even though this is faux, it looks so lush and real.  I would add the string of pillar candles from Restoration Hardware as shown and use this on our Family Room mantel.

Sky’s the Limit

Sanctuary Nativity Set from Gumps

I love Nativity Scenes.  This one is on my Christmas wish list and is now on sale for $159 at Gumps (husband take note!).  It is so serene and simple that it’s breathtaking.  I would display this in a very special place in my home, either in the Library or on the table at the Front Entrance.

A friend of mine passed me this landmark and after checking this little store out I’m happy to be letting everyone else know about it.   If you’re a little low on Lindens or just want some really nice decorations tp on over to Mr. Scrooge’s Holiday Shop.  All the items in this cute little shop are FREE!  As usual with creators that are this generous with their time and talent please leave a little something in their tip jar.  It’s not free to upload textures and takes time and love to create.  Here’s a few of the items you can pick up.

Mr. Scrooge’s Holiday Shop: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Intensity/97/75/31

Yay!  This is my 100th recipe posted here!  To celebrate I made a cake.  Chocolate cakes and I have a tricky relationship.  I’m very demanding when it comes to chocolate cakes.  I am after perfection!  I’m not sure I’m quite there yet but this is the best chocolate cake I’ve made yet.  It’s moist and fudgey and squishy but not too rich.  It’s quite dense but stops just short of being called brownie-like.  The best thing about it is that it can be thrown together in a blender or mixer if you don’t want to do it by hand.  It was ridiculously easy.  All in all this cake was a success. 

I was going to do fantastic things icing this cake.  I made fondant icing from scratch, well, a box of fondant icing sugar.  But I had to get the Kenwood out to mix it and spent over an hour rolling it out.  Blood, sweat and tears went into this icing, literally.  Then I finally had it rolled out to the right size.  I went to pick it up to drape it over the cake and… DISASTER.  It stuck to the plastic sheets I’d been rolling it out between and then it stuck to itself and then it fell apart.  I honestly don’t know if it was too wet, sticky, or too dry, cracked into pieces.  But I cried. 

So I just stopped with the buttercream icing and decided that may be I should practice with ready rolled a bit first.  Learn to walk before I try running if you will.  As for the decorations… well, I have the artistic ability of a drunken ferret.  I love edible ball bearings and all baked goods should be blessed with them.   Strawberries or raspberries would look great on this but they’re out of season at the minute so I used raspberry jelly sweets instead.  A layer of fresh fruit inside would be nice too. 

Makes 1×8″ cake

For the cake:
225g granulated sugar
200g plain flour
100g cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
120ml milk
60ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
120 ml boiling water

For the buttercream*:
180g plain chocolate
225g unsalted butter, softened
240g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence

- Heat your oven to Gas Mark 4 and prepare two 8″ sandwich tins. 
- In a large bowl mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa**, baking powder and salt. 
- Add the egg, milk, oil and vanilla essence to the dry ingredients and mix well.  It make seem very dry but keep at it.  It will come together to form a dough.  Keep mixing until it is a smooth, even consistency. 
- Add the water and mix thoroughly. 
- Pour the batter into the two tins.  If you want completely equal layers you can weigh them but I usually do it by eye. 
- Smooth the batter out so it is even. 
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.  You will be able to see if the centre is uncooked and a skewer inserted will come out clean. 
- Make up the buttercream by melting the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.  Allow to cool.   
- Cream together the butter and the icing sugar and then add the vanilla essence. 
- Mix well then add the melted chocolate and stir thoroughly until everything is combined. 
- Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes or so then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
- Once completely cool fill between the two cakes and ice all over with the buttercream using a palette knife to smooth it over the cake. 
- Decorate as you wish. 

* I only made 2/3 this amount and it needed more so expect better coverage than seen in the photo. 
**Sift this in or you will get lumps.

Thank you all for trying to attend and to those who could make it to the 2009 End of year Formal Meal.

Every one is busy

The Guides chose the this years theme to be Christmas.  So when the arrived out came the decorations and they got busy to work on the inside and entry to the building.

Many hands make light work.  So every body just pitched in to get everything ready.  The tables were put into place, the settings done beautifully. Table decorations were made.  An angle brought by a Guide graced the table.  Serviettes and fans were placed all around.  The Guides had made place mats too.  At the last minute a parent wisked off the un-laminated ones and thankfully these were done.  Spares were in the office so guests and leaders had these. The tables had sparkles and streamers along the middle.  The walls had streamers, tinsel and decorations all around.  The main door had a welcome poster – which was a really good idea.  One I had not thought of.  And the outside doors and windows were decorated as well.  There were even the Units Flags and the World Flag out on display at the head of the table settings.

We had to guess at how many people were coming as until the last minute we really did not know.  How ever there was enough food thankfully as many people brought deserts, cakes, chips and snacks. Not enough place settings and chairs.  But everyone was happy and any blotch ups were worked around.

Hot or cool drinks were served by the Guides to Guests.  The older Guides helping and serving the smaller Guides and guests.

The main course was beef and chickens.  The meats were slow cooking … the beef got microwaved as well to finish

A picture says a thousand words.

the meet cooking process.  The chickens were brought down piping hot.  We ended up with a basic red and orange salad and oven cooked big chips / wedges as a main meal.

The food ended up being placed on the side tables buffett style.  The refreshments, then the main course, and lastly the cakes, little merranges, chips, dip, scones/jam and cream,

The youngest got served the main course first.  The invited guest (oldest first!!!) and leaders were served the deserts and nibbles first the second time around.

The dish washers were glad that the plates were plastic ones and the dishes just kept being done through out the preparations and dinner.  Another advantage of everyone bringing something from home…when you’ve got roped into the general clean up and dish washing jobs.  Which the Guides and friends and family worked together and did very well.

Food on the side

Many times through out the years activities have had left over products.  These are saved and recycled for another time.  Hence the meal costs were down as we did not have to purchase serviettes, plates, cutlery, cups, table cloths, tea towels (we ran out and more were simply  brought along), place mats, cordial and decorations.

So anytime you have spares of anything think of us.  We will utilize them.

We have this…neighbor.

He….

really likes Christmas.

Really, really.

He gets on the news every year.

He inspires me.

He makes me think my one roommate should stop getting on my case about the 20 or so decorations I put up every year, including a teeny tiny tree and some measly garland.

Because you know what, CJ?

I could be a LOT worse.

At the end of each year there is a Formal Meal.  Begun by Debbie for the Unit it was previously organised by the Unit. At the end of September there were two Guides asked to speak to a restaurants chief .  Discussed were menus, colour schemes, times and dates, dress codes and preparation of food.  The meal was paid for by each Guides family  before the end of October. At home dresses were chosen, hair do’s and shoes sorted out weeks before the event.

2009 saw this change late in the planning procedure.  Firstly we had to get everyone registered.  By this time earlier plans had to be changed. The formal meal is now a District Event. With help the 2010’s Formal End of Year Meal is now Saturday – December 4th 2010.

• Notice of the Formal Meal will be in the District Calendar on the web. The Units calender – which in turn are created by the Guides.
• Activities will be throughout the year.  ie  place mats, invitations, table decorations [mugwomps], serviettes, grace and vespers sheets, serviette holders, place cards … These will be stored in a large plastic container [somewhere in the office]
• Invites to family, friends and people who have helped throughout the year will go out weeks before to this meal. The invites will be hardcopy cards, posters and emails.
• RSVP needs to be received by mid November.
• Please send a suggestion or two of the meal preparation  you are to bring with the RSVP.
• Your RSPV will be confirmed to you by mid November.
• Confirmation of what part of the meal preparation your family has offered  to bring will be sent to you as well.
• The District will supply the meat varieties and preparation.
• All parts of meals to have the actual ingredients within them printed / written out.
  
• Please supply the recipe.
  
• The Formal wear is good clothes for those attending the meal.
• The setting of tressel tables is to be in a horse shoe .
• Decoration of the main area will begin at 10.30.  All decorations will be made prior to the day so that all needing to be done is to place them up and around.
• Activities for free time sorted out well in advance.  A kitchen fly for shelter set up on the day at the back of the office grounds.
• Kitchen fly to be in place for erection by 10.30.
• First Aid kit and safety preparations will be made prior to the event. [as per every event]
• A Risk Analysis  Plan (created for the event [as per every event])  is to be on display in the entry hall.
• Sign in book to be in the entry hall.
• Photo release forms to be in the entry hall for those who are not members of the Girl Guides {Associate Adult, Adult or Youth members]
• Photos taken will be sent to each persons email address if indicated they would like a copy of their/ their Guides photos sent directly to them.
• Meal will begin at 1pm.

We are in need of:

• a kitchen co-ordinator,   [position filled]
• a hostess/ host co-ordinator.
• a decorator co-ordinator,
• an outside activities person  {will be taught about kitchen flies]
• a craft / artist and music coordinator.
• a Public Relations person for the event.
• a Photographic co-ordinator.
• a clean up co-ordinator.

Please note the adult coordinators job is just to make sure everything is there. Every so often check on progress.  The Guides are able to run things from this point.

Last night I finially finished NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). My novel, Vampire City, has a total word count of 50,270 (the total by the end of November had to be at least 50,000 words). Sometime during Christmas I’ll probably go back to it and try and edit it and improve it.

Last night I watched the final two episodes of Karaoke which were really good. Although, I have never seen a Dennis Potter play which wasn’t at the very least interesting.

My Dad came over to collect me fairly early this morning and we went to a shopping mall for a look around. Then I went back to my parent’s house and we had lunch. In the afternoon I helped my Dad get the Christmas decorations down from the loft, although we haven’t put them up yet, and then I listened to the first of a three part radio adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, based on the John le Carre novel.

To celebrate getting the novel finished I’m taking tomorrow off work, which should be really fun.

"Wow - Christmas Ornaments! I wonder how many of these I can manage to break"

Okay, so not quite yet, but we’re getting there with our decorations this year.  So far the tree is up, the stocking holders are up (no stockings up just yet), and we got the outside topiaries, and lights around the railing up.

"Mommy is even letting me put an ornament on!"

We’re getting there.  This year our tree looks a bit different as there are no breakable ornaments past the halfway point.  This way if the boy wants to look at an ornament he can, and we don’t have to stress about him breaking something.  We took bets at our house all the same as to how many we thought he’d still break.  Brad took 5, I took 3.  Hopefully it will stay at 0 and neither one of us will be right.

I figure if we get a few decorations up each day by Christmas we should be there!  Gone are the days when I actually put up 3-4 trees throughout the house, but it is more festive than ever, and the boy loves the one tree in the living room, especially the kitty ornament at the bottom and the Purdue Pete ornament.

It was a pretty nice evening to put up decorations, we had Christmas music playing, and a warm home full of love and laughter.

These Christmas lights ain’t fuckin’ around.

One Christmas season about 7 or 8 years ago, my husband got this crazy idea to tag deer.  A popular lawn decoration at the time were those big white wooden deer.  He thought it would be funny if we had owned them, to hang or paint a target on them.  Then it was decided it would be fun to do it to the neighbor’s deer.  While playing Rook with another couple, Jerry and Cathy, he shared his idea and it was decided that we should go around one night and hang targets on as many as we could find in the township.

So one Saturday afternoon we went to the sporting goods store and purchased the round targets and a package of ornament hooks.  We didn’t want to do anything to damage or leave a permanent marking on the deer, so the hooks served as a means to hang the targets.  We also taped a small washer to the back of each one so that they would hang and not easily blow off of the deer.

A missionary’s daughter, Kim,  was visiting our church for the holidays that year, a high school student that we all really liked a lot. We told her of our plans for the evening and she wanted in on the fun.  Great, not only were we going out being naughty, we were corrupting a missionary kid too!  Oh, and did I mention, my husband was chairman of the deacon board at the time?  Such behavior from the board members and their families, oh the shame!

We divided up our children,  2 in one vehicle and 2 in the other, and the women drove one, men in the other.  Our objective was to find and tag as many deer as we possibly could on our side of the township before we ran out of targets.  Using cell phones to communicate we headed out.

Kim, the missionary kid, wanted to be our ‘tagger’, and she took her role quite seriously.  Cathy would find a street, driving slowly as we hunted our wooden prey.  When we spotted one she would drive just past the house, turn off the lights and stop.  Kim would exit the mini van and quickly run up, hang the target and run back to the van.  Some targets that Cathy and I felt were too well lit, Kim saw as a challenge that must be accepted.  We watched her army crawling up front yards on her stomach to make sure she got the deer tagged, without being seen, before rushing back to the van.  Each stop brought peels of laughter from us and our kids.

Sometimes we had to turn around in a culdesac,  so we would get to see our handy work as we exited a street.  We all found this highly amusing, often laughing so hard and loud we feared we’d be heard outside of the van.  We laughed even harder when we’d cruise a street the men had already hit, spotting ‘tagged’ deer in front lawns.  We’d been told by a police officer friend that if someone were to call and complain we could be charged with criminal mischief.  The thought of a couple of deacons wives being arrested while corrupting a missionary kid only made it funnier as we discussed possible newspaper headlines for the following morning.  Later when we met up with the guys again we all got a many laughs out of the re-telling our adventures, it really was a fun night.

While out shopping a few days later my husband spotted little  miniature  deer like the ones we had been tagging, meant for indoor decorations.  We purchased a set for ourselves, Jerry and Cathy, and Kim.  Then we printed bulls eyes on sticker paper, attached them to the deer, and gave them as a fun Christmas gift to the participants from our tagging adventure.  Our pastor teased us all about how he was going to explain this bad behavior to Kim’s father when they next spoke but he too got a chuckle out of our little exploit.

Last night while putting up the tree and decorating the house with my daughter, I came across the miniature deer among the decorations.  They were buried deep and I had not seen them in years.  It brought back fond memories of that evening with great friends.

Christmas time is my favorite holiday, I kid you not I start singing Jingle Bells in preparation in September.  We have at least one Christmas CD in the changer in both our cars, we are Christmas fanatics.  Our house is completely decorated for the holidays and God bless my wife she already had the Christmas lights hung when I got home from my trip last week, which meant I did not have to go into the attic to get the lights down.

Did I tell you how much I love my wife, she makes the holidays wonderful.  All the decorations are hung in the house and both our trees are decorated.  We have one tree at the front of the house in a bay window towards the street and another in the living room.  Did I mention that my wife already had the Christmas cards in the mail the day after Thanksgiving, in fact we have already received several calls from you letting us know you got it, be patient if you haven’t they are in the mail.

The sights and smells of Christmas are just around the corner, I cannot wait until Christmas Eve, we have friends and family over and I cook a ham and we have more food than we know what to do with so if you are lacking a place for the holidays we always have an extra plate.  Then on Christmas Day we head over to my parents and exchange gifts.

Stephen’s Top 10 Christmas movies not to be left off your list, these are in no particular order except the 1st one, it’s my favorite:

How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, A Christmas Story, The Muppet Christmas Carol, A Polar Express, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, Frosty The Snowman

Below are a few ornaments hanging from the trees and garland.

God Bless you this holiday,

Stephen & Jeanene

Despite Christmas becoming too commercialized I still love it so wanted to show you a few things from a couple of my favorite stores.

Brat is a wonderful place that usually has houses, stores and even some playground equipment(all of which I love!) and they recently opened their Christmas store.  Such cute stuff!  It’s creative and well textured and did I mention cute? Oh yeah, I did but it’s worth saying twice.  They also have a lucky santa and MM board!  The pictures show the current prizes.  I highly recommend this store for some cozy Christmas seating or that perfect little cottage!

Brat~[T] Designs & Custom Builds http://slurl.com/secondlife/La%20Nostra%20Cosa/188/117/25

Next store is New Trails.  Everyone had their pumpkins around at Halloween for good reason and now they’ve moved on to Christmas! Yay!  The creations here have a unique look and style that is to die for!  I’m hoping to save up enough to get the color change tree for my little skating rink setup but for now i’ve settled for two smaller potted trees..Istill love them!  Go take a look and find your favorites!  It’s also a great sim to just hang around and relax. Very well done.

New Trails http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Trail/181/66/15

Last on my must visit list(for now) is MB Creationz.  I wish I could have put in pictures of all their Christmas decor but I’d run out of room.  Again, LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!  How cute are those cats?  Don’t forget to pick up the group gift(pictured below) while your there.  It’s perfect in my little Christmas spot!

MB-CreationZ http://slurl.com/secondlife/Monevole/100/31/26

I’d be failing a great designer if I didn’t mention her sale going on right now.  Simone has turned FIVE!  That’s like 50 in RL years!  To celebrate Simone is having a color a day sale on both the Style Starts Here and Simone sims.  Today is red day so I’ve got to run and pick up all the red I couldn’t afford last week!  No idea what tomorrows color is but for goodness sake check!  Everything that is the color of the day is 75L on the ssh sim and 150L on Simone!   Not going to admit how much I’ve spent there the last few weeks but……Go just go. Go now!  FYI: The outfit i’m wearing in the picture of the MB Gift is Santa’s Helper.   Can be found near the dance floor on the SSH Sim.

Simone and Style Starts Here http://slurl.com/secondlife/Style%20Starts%20Here/121/130/29

  I was babysitting and we were both bored so we decorated for Christmas!!!

As Catholics, it’s easy to get swept up into the secular Christmas culture. And, to be honest, there’s nothing wrong, in my opinion, with that. I love looking at lights, trimming the tree, and doing a whole host of holiday activities, even if in November!

Yet, as Catholics, we know there is a different path that we’re also called to take in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Our experience of Advent, through prayer and mass, point to what a great hope we have in Jesus, the hope he’s given us through his Incarnation and the hope we have that he will come again.

Advent should ultimately be a time of reflection and prayer, where we get closer to God as we wait for the coming of Jesus Christ. When we consider how long the great heroes of Israel waited for the coming of Lord, putting aside a few weeks of reflection isn’t really much. But, even that is difficult when the world around us started celebrating Christmas before Advent even begins!

I’m not arguing that we need to refuse to celebrate Christmas until midnight mass on Christmas eve, but admittedly, it’s a challenge to remain engaged in the waiting in the midst of parties, lights, decorations, and family functions.

But, it’s a challenge we must accept because Advent is a wonderful time to grow more deeply in our faith and learn to wait for the coming of Christ, in the world and in our lives.

So, I spent Black Friday in a totally nontraditional way. Instead of hitting the shopping centers, otherwise known as those madhouses, I decorated my home for Christmas, just as my mother has done for years. I put up lights in the windows, set up all three of our artificial trees, decorated shelves and found all three of our stockings. I also dug out and listened to a number of my Christmas Carol CDs. I did not leave the apartment once, except to take out some trash and go out to my van to put some things in it.

Christmas decorating has evolved for me throughout the years. When I was little, I was excited and wanted to help my parents as best as I could. So the tree got decorated with ornaments on branches that were only four feet off the ground and my stocking was hung happily upon whatever piece of furniture we used for our “fireplace” that year. Usually it was a bookcase decorated up like a fireplace, complete with cardboard bricks, pop can and kraft paper logs and tissue paper flames. I remember being told by my parents that it was a magical fireplace and that Santa was going to come through that magical fireplace just like he would any real one. And of course, being the imaginative child I was, I believed them. To this day, a little part of me still believes in that tale.

As a preteen and teenager, decorating sometimes was a chore for me. You see, my mom had a rule that everything had to be CLEAN before it was decorated. That meant tables had to be moved and rugs and walls vacuumed and such. Fall cleaning was usually done the week before Thanksgiving so that the day after Thanksgiving we could decorate everything with the mounds of decorations my mother had accumulated over the years. Everything had to be put in certain spots and I’d get annoyed with my mother because she’d move stuff I set up. At the same time, we had a real fireplace by then, though I no longer believed Santa would come down the chimney. And as for the tree trimming, we got to do most of it, except for the tinsel. That was usually mom’s doing, because we’d all get annoyed after the fiftieth branch or so and the time spent untangling the little pieces of silver plastic as they knotted. My brother and dad would take to throwing the tinsel on to the tree, only to be met with my mother’s scolds of “no, that’s not right!” and her fixing it. In the end though, the effect was magical, though itwas a pain getting ornaments off the tree after Christmas because of the mess the tinsel made.

These days, I find myself wishing I was back at home, listening to my mother and father as they argue where to put the lights as my bother climbs all over the roof trying to arrange them so both can be happy. I want to see the Christmas village as Dad sets it up in the bay window at the front of their house and watch the dog go nuts as people run around putting the accumulation of Christmas decorations into places they’ve been for years. I find myself missing them, but at the same time, I am enjoying making my own traditions half a continent away, with my own family.

Ready for Christmas in the neighborhood

I’ve never felt so organized. The day after Thanksgiving and our lights are up.  I must say having a green house makes  decorating a little easier.  Just add red!

We’re just about the first on the block to have Christmas lights up, except for the dude down the way who was done decorating a couple days after Halloween. That guy is nuts.

Now on to shopping, I suppose. Haven’t started, and I  had absolutely no interest in battling the wackos camping out all night in line waiting for the big stampede when stores opened at 3 a.m.

Today you should pick up each decoration you have in your house. Try to remember its “story” – i.e., why it might have some sort of sentimental value for you. If it has a story of sentimental value, like a ceramic cat your grandmother gave to you before she passed away or some sea shells you purchased on your honeymoon, then keep it. If it doesn’t have a story for you, put it in a box. When you have gone through all of your decorations, take the box of decorations that are mere decorations to a thrift store or charity shop and leave them there.

I’ve never felt so organized. The day after Thanksgiving and our lights are up.  I must say having a green house makes  decorating a little easier.  Just add red!

We’re just about the first on the block to have Christmas lights up, except for the dude down the way who was done decorating a couple days after Halloween. That guy is nuts.

Now on to shopping, I suppose. Haven’t started, and I  had absolutely no interest in battling the wackos camping out all night in line waiting for the big stampede when stores opened at 3 a.m.

Club Penguin Is Now In The Snow Typed Theame With A Cool New Maze For Members I Am No Longer A Member So I Can’t Show You It

But There Is A Free Item For Non-Members!!!

Here Is The Ski Village…

~Lilbeclil x

Weve gone crazy!

Black Friday ‘You Pick It’ Sale – Pick from 5 Amazing sales!

black friday special - free cardboard cutouts & more!

Today you should pick up each of the decorations in your house. For each, briefly tell its “story” in your mind. Does it have sentimental meaning? Is it a ceramic cat that your grandmother gave you just before she passed away, or seashells from your honeymoon? If so, keep it. If the story is that you just bought it to fill space, put it in a box or bag. When you’ve gone through everything, take the boxes/bags to a thrift store and drop them off. Enjoy your new space.