Hit the after Christmas sales - well, only Target so far.
I'm beginning to see how this works. Target runs a couple of "collections" for the season that allows you to coordinate your decorating. Though who in their right mind would buy a whole collection to redo their house for a holiday.. (wait, I'm doing a sizable job of that).
This past year one of the collections was green, red and white stripes. There were table clothes, towels, shower curtains, napkins, plates, nicknacks, etc... all in this motif. It was bright and cheery and the color scheme was toned down enough one could even keep some of the items out year round.
Two of the other collections featured red and white. One was a plaid look and the other was snowflakes. The plaid would also work year round (table cloths particularly), but the snowflakes was strictly seasonal. Since my home is already painted green, I'm going with a combination of the red and white to round out my color scheme.
In my hall of 9 doors (10 if you count the double master bedroom door), right after Thanksgiving I bought evergreen wreaths with red bows. The look was stunning against the green walls. So I want to run with the evergreen garland and red accent colors through the house.
I have the plaid table cloths ready to go now. I couldn't find matching napkins - but I wouldn't want to overdo the pattern anyway. Solid red napkins will be easy enough to find or make. I have one set of white dinner plates from World Market. I'll watch the sales this year and pick up a second set (and some dessert plates) when the price is right. (I didn't like the white with silver trim plates that Target featured this year - the silver trim limits the use of the dish. Plain white is more versatile.)
I decided to go with the snowflake shower curtain for the family bathroom. It'll add a touch of whimsy to the decorating. I need to paint that room, so I'll paint it red with a darker burgundy sponge job on top. I like dramatic colors in bathrooms and red is a nice year round holiday color (also does wonders for the complexion). Valentines, 4th of July, even Halloween with Red and Black will look good. I'll watch for sales and buy some red and white towels during the year. I did find a sassy set of embroidered hand towels - one says Naughty and the other Nice. I already have a red floor mat in there since deep red and pine green are a kind of running color motif in my house.
But evergreen and red/white alone would be a flat palate. The eye would soon be bored. So to spice it up a bit, I've picked up some jewel toned glass ornaments.
When I was in Paso Robles this past Christmas I drove along Vine Street, which features their Victorian homes. Every year they do a special Victorian Christmas night when crowds come to tour the street of decorated houses, listen to carolers, and drink hot chocolate. One of the favorite stops is the house of Ebenezer Scrooge. A sour spirited gentlemen an red long johns and nightcap rales against the jolly crowd. (here is a youtube upload from this year - a little shaky in spots, but you get the idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW68qhlfH44).
It looks like loads of fun, so I'll have to add that to my holiday calendar to see if I can catch it. (that along with the Christmas boat parade in Naples, Long Beach)
But this year I only got to see the decorated houses during the day. One popular trick is to hang large glass ornaments with fishing line from the bare trees. Done well, it is quite pretty. One family strung line between two or more trees and suspended the ornaments across the front of their home. This array of bright glass balls seemed to be suspended in the air - it was eye catching. Then when I got home, my daughter in law had a link to a website where someone had used this same basic technique to create a glass ornament suspended Christmas tree.
I have an opening between my living room and family room that has been begging for something fun as a decoration. I think I may suspend the glass ornaments in there. If there are enough, I may even do some in the hallway. Additional ornaments in glass containers is always pretty too, or around candles on a plate.
I'm actually feeling pretty ready for the decorating part now. I still need to get garland, but what is available during the sales is not acceptable. I'll do some on line searching off season to see if any is available, or buy it early next year. I would like to find a large wreath for over the fireplace - one with a hunting horn in it. Or maybe just a large horn embellished with greenery and a bow. I still have plenty of time to locate that.
Now to finish putting this year's decorations away...
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
It begins
I know everyone is sick and tired of Christmas right now. Yule 2010 is barely cooling in the fireplace. After Christmas sales are in full swing with broken, worn out and tired decorations at 50% off. Valentines is starting to show up on the shelves and folks are making plans for New Year's eve.
But I am starting to plan for Christmas 2011 and feeling a little behind already.
You see - my side of the family gets together every other year in a kind of semi annual reunion/Christmas celebration. The 4 sisters rotate turns hosting the event and 2011 is my turn.
Shouldn't be a big deal - I hosted it 8 years ago and had no problems. The house was relatively new and hadn't had a chance to get too worn down yet.....
But now 8 years have passed, and I have to show some progress.
In the past 8 years I have had 4 sons grow up and leave the house, one got married and has produced 3 grandkids. I have a daughter who is now in college (living at home) and I've finished my masters in educational administration. I've been busy, just not doing too much on the house.
On top of that, I'm a horder. There, I said it. I admit it. I have a problem with hording. Not a level 5 or anything, more like a level 2 or 3 horder. I am the black sheep of the family when it comes to keeping things neat and clean.
Being an elementary school teacher doesn't help things. Hording and scavaging is a time honored skill for teachers. That old shower curtain becomes an art project drop cloth. The jello cups cleaned out become water cups for painting. Don't even get me started on egg cartons and strawberry baskets. I have boxes of materials in the garage for grade levels I have taught previously, but don't dare get rid of cause who knows if I will get reassigned to that grade again.
So in 8 years time..... well, you get the picture.
I have made some progress on the house. I did get the living room, family room area painted and I made new curtains for each. But I haven't started painting the kitchen yet - which is attached to the family room, so the effect is an unfinished look.
It took me 3 years to get the hallway painted, cause I changed my mind on colors halfway through the job. But it got done this last Thanksgiving. I have created a guest room out of one of the boys' rooms and a craft room out of the other - so they only need some minor touching up. Ronni's room was painted and organizers put in -- so it is well on it's way.
But the Master Suite and bathrooms haven't been touched and are collecting junk. The back yard needs some serious work and the front yard can stand a curb appeal make over.
Don't even ask about the garage. I filled a dumpster and hauled 2 truckloads of junk to the thrift store, but you can't tell by looking. Fortunately, for Christmas I think I can just lock the garage so no one goes in there.
But it is family, you say. They love you and don't care what your house looks like. They just want to enjoy the warmth of your love and being together. And that is what they will tell you, but I know better. I hear the gossip, one of us is pushy, one is mother's pet, one is neurotic - and I know I am the family slob. They've already started with the "Do you think you'll be ready" jibes.
They'll be sweet and kind, laughing and hugging when they are here. But if I don't out Martha, Martha Stewart - it'll be tsk, tsk fodder for the next 8 years.
You see, I so what them to see me in another light. I am the unaccomplished one -- they view me as unsophisticated, borderline redneck, the poor relation, the family sympathy case. Ok, I am exaggerating a little. A little.
Loretta is an international meeting planner who travels to exotic places making fantastic things happen for big important companies.
Kathy has her PHD in electrical engineering, teaches graduate level programs at ASU and delivers papers at important conferences.
Nancy has opened her own string of fashionable clothing stores and her husband collects vintage cars.
I'm a first grade teacher -- yeah, yeah - in the grand scheme of things teaching kids to read and do basic math is probably much more important than what my sisters do. It is kind of altruistic, like working for the peace corps. But nobody wants to hear about my exciting breakthroughs or plans for next season. I do have other credits to my name. I taught claymation to gifted and talented children. I wrote a couple grants that brought about a million dollars to the district for technology equipment, then spend 3 years training teachers how to use the technology. I was the segment producer for a local educational TV program for our district. And I have worked with the state department of education in the area of educational technology development. But when I come home at the end of the day, my professional title is First Grade Teacher.
I'm also a mother - of 5 kids. My engineering professor sister now has a politically correct size family of 2, the other two eschew children (actually Loretta considered having a kid on her own, but for whatever reason decided against it). After my 2nd child, each additional pregnancy announcement was greeted with raised eyebrows (what's the matter, don't you know how to quit??). The fact that my husband and I were struggling to make ends meet at the time didn't help. The terms poor, barefoot and pregnant probably bounced back and forth in the gossip calls. They never said it to my face, but I could read it in their eyes.
The fact that I put myself through school to get my teaching credential and went on to get my masters did earn me some brownie points. But their overall impression of me is still lacking.
Or at least that is what I feel like sometimes.
So it is important to me that Christmas 2011 is nearly perfect. I'm practical enough to know I don't dare go nuts striving for absolute perfection - my sanity is worth more than my family's opinion of me.
But I've got a good year to pull off a decent show. Plus ++ the best way to get motivated to get the house in order is to invite company! When it's over, I have a pulled together home :D
Only 363 days to go.
But I am starting to plan for Christmas 2011 and feeling a little behind already.
You see - my side of the family gets together every other year in a kind of semi annual reunion/Christmas celebration. The 4 sisters rotate turns hosting the event and 2011 is my turn.
Shouldn't be a big deal - I hosted it 8 years ago and had no problems. The house was relatively new and hadn't had a chance to get too worn down yet.....
But now 8 years have passed, and I have to show some progress.
In the past 8 years I have had 4 sons grow up and leave the house, one got married and has produced 3 grandkids. I have a daughter who is now in college (living at home) and I've finished my masters in educational administration. I've been busy, just not doing too much on the house.
On top of that, I'm a horder. There, I said it. I admit it. I have a problem with hording. Not a level 5 or anything, more like a level 2 or 3 horder. I am the black sheep of the family when it comes to keeping things neat and clean.
Being an elementary school teacher doesn't help things. Hording and scavaging is a time honored skill for teachers. That old shower curtain becomes an art project drop cloth. The jello cups cleaned out become water cups for painting. Don't even get me started on egg cartons and strawberry baskets. I have boxes of materials in the garage for grade levels I have taught previously, but don't dare get rid of cause who knows if I will get reassigned to that grade again.
So in 8 years time..... well, you get the picture.
I have made some progress on the house. I did get the living room, family room area painted and I made new curtains for each. But I haven't started painting the kitchen yet - which is attached to the family room, so the effect is an unfinished look.
It took me 3 years to get the hallway painted, cause I changed my mind on colors halfway through the job. But it got done this last Thanksgiving. I have created a guest room out of one of the boys' rooms and a craft room out of the other - so they only need some minor touching up. Ronni's room was painted and organizers put in -- so it is well on it's way.
But the Master Suite and bathrooms haven't been touched and are collecting junk. The back yard needs some serious work and the front yard can stand a curb appeal make over.
Don't even ask about the garage. I filled a dumpster and hauled 2 truckloads of junk to the thrift store, but you can't tell by looking. Fortunately, for Christmas I think I can just lock the garage so no one goes in there.
But it is family, you say. They love you and don't care what your house looks like. They just want to enjoy the warmth of your love and being together. And that is what they will tell you, but I know better. I hear the gossip, one of us is pushy, one is mother's pet, one is neurotic - and I know I am the family slob. They've already started with the "Do you think you'll be ready" jibes.
They'll be sweet and kind, laughing and hugging when they are here. But if I don't out Martha, Martha Stewart - it'll be tsk, tsk fodder for the next 8 years.
You see, I so what them to see me in another light. I am the unaccomplished one -- they view me as unsophisticated, borderline redneck, the poor relation, the family sympathy case. Ok, I am exaggerating a little. A little.
Loretta is an international meeting planner who travels to exotic places making fantastic things happen for big important companies.
Kathy has her PHD in electrical engineering, teaches graduate level programs at ASU and delivers papers at important conferences.
Nancy has opened her own string of fashionable clothing stores and her husband collects vintage cars.
I'm a first grade teacher -- yeah, yeah - in the grand scheme of things teaching kids to read and do basic math is probably much more important than what my sisters do. It is kind of altruistic, like working for the peace corps. But nobody wants to hear about my exciting breakthroughs or plans for next season. I do have other credits to my name. I taught claymation to gifted and talented children. I wrote a couple grants that brought about a million dollars to the district for technology equipment, then spend 3 years training teachers how to use the technology. I was the segment producer for a local educational TV program for our district. And I have worked with the state department of education in the area of educational technology development. But when I come home at the end of the day, my professional title is First Grade Teacher.
I'm also a mother - of 5 kids. My engineering professor sister now has a politically correct size family of 2, the other two eschew children (actually Loretta considered having a kid on her own, but for whatever reason decided against it). After my 2nd child, each additional pregnancy announcement was greeted with raised eyebrows (what's the matter, don't you know how to quit??). The fact that my husband and I were struggling to make ends meet at the time didn't help. The terms poor, barefoot and pregnant probably bounced back and forth in the gossip calls. They never said it to my face, but I could read it in their eyes.
The fact that I put myself through school to get my teaching credential and went on to get my masters did earn me some brownie points. But their overall impression of me is still lacking.
Or at least that is what I feel like sometimes.
So it is important to me that Christmas 2011 is nearly perfect. I'm practical enough to know I don't dare go nuts striving for absolute perfection - my sanity is worth more than my family's opinion of me.
But I've got a good year to pull off a decent show. Plus ++ the best way to get motivated to get the house in order is to invite company! When it's over, I have a pulled together home :D
Only 363 days to go.
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