A Few Last Minute Christmas Decorations

I found these two reindeer table runners at the Christmas Tree Shop.  The red one has rhinestones on it and the tan one has tiny jingle bells on the holly leaves, both are burlap and are so cute!

 Mini mitten lights, 10 on a string, also at Christmas Tree Shop.

 Frosted (waxed) printed tissue sheets $1, is used for baked goods, you know to put into a container of cookies or for wrapping food items.  Printed tissue paper $1, for wrapping gifts.  Both at Christmas Tree Shop.

 I found a new use for these Scentsicles that you hang on artificial trees to get the scent of a real tree.  I use them as air freshners in the bathroom.  I hung them on the towel bar, no one noticed they were even there, but said how nice the bathroom smelled.  They come in different scents, not all pine scented.  I found these at Michael's, but Home Depot and Lowe's sell them too.

 Silver shimmery table cover on sale at Target.  I will use for the tablescape for my cookie party.  And, I made this little hurricane for $2.00, all from WalMart.

Cookies, Cookies and More Cookies

My Christmas cookie party is coming up fast, so I started pulling out some of the cutters, sprinkles and jimmies, to see what I have and what I still need.  This is just a sample of some of the things we will use.  I found quite a bit of sprinkles/jimmies at Home Goods, they had some very unique colors and shapes.  One of the shapes I found, which I had never seen before, were gingerbread men sprinkles and candy canes, so I grabbed them.  IKEA had cookie cutters that are 3D, in the package are a big tree, a reindeer and a star.  I also found a reindeer face with antlers, he is really cute! And an angel turned to the side.  I found Food Writers, Wilton makes them, you can write on the frosting after it dries.  I have two cookie stamps, one says Merry Christmas, the other is a snowflake, and a Linzer cookie cutter.  We will be working hard that day so I like to prepare in advance and have everything lined up and ready to use.  I will also bake some things ahead of time.  The sweat shop will soon be open for business, there is a big list of cookies to bake, share and enjoy!

Another set of 3D cookie cutters and stamps.  Cookie cutter on one side then turn it over and stamp your cookie with the other side.  Pretty cool, found them at Sur la Table.  Santa, Snowflake, Christmas Tree and Snow Globe.  Each side has a different stamp so there are 8.

Old St. Nick Isn't Far Away!

Wow can you believe another year is almost gone and Christmas is almost here?  Time is going by so fast, too fast for me.  The kids are getting older too.  I always love the holidays, it brings back so many memories of when they were little and woke up on Christmas morning.  The excitement was sometimes too much to handle for them seeing all the things Santa brought.  I still get into the spirit when Christmas rolls around, I love it!  I love to decorate the house, the tree, bake the cookies and cook Christmas dinner.  Having everyone around the table is what makes me happy.  It's a simple thing, having your family is what counts, not the gifts.

I went to the Christmas Tree Shop with my sister, and a few other stores, and picked up some things to freshen up my deco's for the Christmas season.  I have decorations that were my mothers and my grandmothers, I still put them out among all the newer things that I have, it keeps both of them with me at Christmastime. The Christmas Tree Shop is open all year round and if you haven't been to one, find one and get there.  This store is the best, they sell everything!  Check it out.

Glittery Jingle Bell Picture - Christmas Tree Shop

Glittery Noel Metal Letters with Snowflakes - Ross (I love glitter and sparkles!)

 Sequined and Glitter Reindeer and Santa Picture - Christmas Tree Shop

 Glitter Bottle Brush Trees -$1.99, Festive Napkins - $1.00 for small and $1.29 for big, Candle - $2.99, Christmas Tree Shop

 Big Christmas Ornaments To Hang From Chandelier - WalMart, Bell Door Hanger - Christmas Tree Shop Decorative Tissue Paper, 60 pcs. per pkg - $3.00 each WalMart, 10 Colorful Mylar Bows and Ribbon -$3.00 WalMart

 Glittered Christmas Gift Bags - $.89 each, Christmas Tree Shop