I hope everyone had a very happy holiday filled with love, happiness and some wishes come true. We celebrated our first holidays in our new home and as husband and wife. We managed to find the perfect tree for ourselves, out of the blue, the week before Christmas:
It's number 34. This not only solved the need for a modern look for us but it flat packs away, is made from recycled & recyclable aluminum, made in Seattle (lucky us!) and we will own it for all the years ahead making it very Eco friendly. I already owned those green strung lights but eventually I want to switch them out to white strings and add some "fancy" type lights akin to those that look like stars or snowballs. We saw some great ones in Paris which we would have scooped up were it not for the voltage and plug differences. I found the icicle ornaments at Micheal's. I need to get better hooks as these were tiny and were too easy to pop off. Luckily the icicles themselves are very sturdy having survived a few death leaps to the hardwood floor.
Y+Z Reindeer: Pottery Barn reindeer decked out with mini ornaments found at Micheal's.
This year I used a large round vase to hold the Christmas cards. I really like how it worked. It was like a giant colorful ornament and I could add/pull out cards to show people very easily without the usual cluttered display. I thought of adding "snowflakes" to the bottom of the bowl but resisted knowing they would probably end up everywhere and guess who would have to clean them up.
We picked up these Eiffel Tower cards in Paris during our honeymoon.
Skully Santa made his usual appearance. This year he actually has a hat that fits. I think it's a baby hat, also found at Micheal's.
We bought this in Paris on our honeymoon as our first ornament.
The heart says Noël.
Our friend Ivett surprised us with this awesome gift. She hand painted this ornament for us! Y is a Siamese cat (like Zira) and I am the black kitty (I've always thought of myself as a former black cat). Notice the Seattle Needle skyline and Y's tail making the L in Mr. Lucky.
This is the back. Notice my tail making the M in Mrs. Lucky and the heart on our new home. When I opened the package and beheld this I started weeping because it's so wonderful and so much thought was put into it. Even the color choices; blue for Y and Pink for me, our favorite colors. I've known Ivett since college. I have the best friends! She is a very talented artist specializing in avian and wilderness art. Check out her site: AvianAndWildernessart.com
Z Stocking
Y Stocking
Zira Stocking.
Notice the attached felt fish. The stocking says, "Treats For A Nice Kitty" and has two pockets in the front as well as the main sock pocket. Found this at the Macy's Holiday Lane store. Could not resist.
Our Christmas Eve Dinner:
Grass fed New York steaks, grilled asparagus and my famous creamy garlic mashed potatoes.
Holy Smokes this was a wonderful surprise!! We had been to dinner at Bellevue Square (local mall) with my mom and my niece. We walked out of the restaurant and with no clue of what was happening, toy soldiers and majorettes were handing us blow horns. It was a big party that happens every night at 7pm during the holidays. After Christmas they do a New Year's every night (Celebration Lane) through the 31st. Tons of kids (big and small), music, Snow queens, Mouse Kings, Drummers, Sugar Plum Fairies, AMAZING! They even make it snow. I only had my iPhone so my photos & video aren't so good as it was night but here is a promo video:
Can't wait to take advantage of the Snowflake Lane next year for Santa's arrival and nightly party with my niece, of course. I'm sure we will also hit the Celebration Lane as well.
It finally snowed while we were around to enjoy it! We missed the previous snow this year. We were in Paris. We left Paris and it then snowed there. Totally thought we missed out on snow this year. My niece and I created Snowball the snowcat in our front yard. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrr or actually Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
We finally had our first fire in our fireplace. I have now mastered creating a roaring fire. Wow, it's hard work. That's what I get for wanting to learn how to do it.
2010 was an amazing year for us. Filled with surprises (our new home being the best surprise), love (our marriage especially), adventures (from Lake Geneva to Paris) and visits from family and friends. We really feel blessed.
In 2011 we hope to continue on this path and build on this wonderful foundation. New things are afoot business-wise (check out Calific.com for something Y & I are working on together). We are trying to really focus on our health this year. Paris let us know how far we are from our 20s, it wasn't just celebrating my birthday either lol, and how sedentary we have become since leaving San Francisco.
I wish us all a happy, prosperous and healthy 2011!
Hi - I am back ;) Just saw your comment on my blog and was going to give you the short West Elm version. They contacted me via Etsy about 6 months ago and wanted me to ship something to them for their catalog. (But we were asked not to tell) Anyway, I got it back with a note saying to look for my item in the Spring Catalog (all of this was in Oct.) -- but it was all the time that I quit my job. Aubrey was in Maryland for 2 weeks and my computer was down... they contacted me for my URL during the time my computer was down so I have never been quite sure if I was still going to be in or not...
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago West Elm hearted some of my things on Etsy and when I went to their page it basically said that the items were either from people who are going to be in the catalog or people whose items would work well with things from the catalog...
So still not sure. But I have my fingers crossed that I will be in the spring issue like they said. It has been a long time waiting and wondering and having to be quiet about it all...
I HATE them! I constantly talk about how much I hate them.
Aubrey who apparently only hears 1/3 of what I am saying must have heard:
Blah blah blah CROCS blah blah blah
Because he got me a pair for Christmas a couple of years ago (with furry lining --double oh no!)
I would slip them on from time to time to just go to the mailbox and what-not and they are REALLY comfortable. Anyway, I started wearing them to the restaurant a little because they are really good for standing on your feet all day - and skid proof and basically the perfect shoe to wear working in a restaurant.
Well, now I have discovered that they are perfect for Estate Sales because I can trudge right through mud, grass - whatever.
I still HATE them. I think they are the ugliest things ever and wish I had never worn them in public - but you will see them on my feet at most estate sales :)
Luckily, they are a dark olive green and not one of the other awful colors..
1. I'm actually looking forward to taking the tree down because of this. The tree actually hangs from the ceiling which causes the spiral to expand. So when we go to unhook it, it will just collapse back down upon itself. No longer will I be the crazy person with a tree well beyond Easter...yes, that happened once when I had a pink tree with white bows in my apartment in SF. It went from Xmas to Valentine to Easter tree, just because I was too lazy to take it down and being pink and white, it worked, LOL.
2. I'm sure you will be in the Spring issue. I had no reason to be looking for my Etsy friend except my intuition, which is usually spot on. Plus, how could they not include your fabulous stuff! Either way, that you have been recognized at all is HUGE! Keep at it. I know you deserve it and you work hard for it so it's just a matter of time. Now if they could just get my chairs off of constant backorder, all will be right with the world. ;)
3. LOL! Just so you know, I'm talking more about people who have no real reason to sport such ugly shoes such as crocs. People who work on their feet all day, totally understandable and acceptable, including Estate Sale Trudgers :) It was the intended purpose of the shoes. Just don't let me catch you with those weird pop on buttons for them, or else! I even owned some Uggs back in the early 90s. However, I purchased them at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne as BEDROOM SLIPPERS when I used to live there. That is what they are people. Especially those that still use the original sole. I even bought some for my grandfather and my mom, again as intended, as warm cozy slippers. When I started seeing them all over in public, I basically could not believe people were wearing bedroom slippers in public. I thought THE END was surely nigh.
oh so many things i love about your post! your home looks beautiful, how nice that you're nesting in together. great idea to put the cards in a bowl, much nicer. amazing eiffel tower card and 1st ornament souvenir. and the snowball cat is too cute!
7 comments:
Love the tree! The fact that it folds flat is awesome! Enjoyed looking around your Christmas-y house :)
Hi - I am back ;) Just saw your comment on my blog and was going to give you the short West Elm version. They contacted me via Etsy about 6 months ago and wanted me to ship something to them for their catalog. (But we were asked not to tell) Anyway, I got it back with a note saying to look for my item in the Spring Catalog (all of this was in Oct.) -- but it was all the time that I quit my job. Aubrey was in Maryland for 2 weeks and my computer was down... they contacted me for my URL during the time my computer was down so I have never been quite sure if I was still going to be in or not...
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago West Elm hearted some of my things on Etsy and when I went to their page it basically said that the items were either from people who are going to be in the catalog or people whose items would work well with things from the catalog...
So still not sure. But I have my fingers crossed that I will be in the spring issue like they said. It has been a long time waiting and wondering and having to be quiet about it all...
Now, that wasn't such a short version - was it?
Oh and one more thing - the Crocs comment :)
I HATE them! I constantly talk about how much I hate them.
Aubrey who apparently only hears 1/3 of what I am saying must have heard:
Blah blah blah CROCS blah blah blah
Because he got me a pair for Christmas a couple of years ago (with furry lining --double oh no!)
I would slip them on from time to time to just go to the mailbox and what-not and they are REALLY comfortable. Anyway, I started wearing them to the restaurant a little because they are really good for standing on your feet all day - and skid proof and basically the perfect shoe to wear working in a restaurant.
Well, now I have discovered that they are perfect for Estate Sales because I can trudge right through mud, grass - whatever.
I still HATE them. I think they are the ugliest things ever and wish I had never worn them in public - but you will see them on my feet at most estate sales :)
Luckily, they are a dark olive green and not one of the other awful colors..
Now, I am out of the closet on my ugly shoes :)
lovin the snowcat!
Angela:
1. I'm actually looking forward to taking the tree down because of this. The tree actually hangs from the ceiling which causes the spiral to expand. So when we go to unhook it, it will just collapse back down upon itself. No longer will I be the crazy person with a tree well beyond Easter...yes, that happened once when I had a pink tree with white bows in my apartment in SF. It went from Xmas to Valentine to Easter tree, just because I was too lazy to take it down and being pink and white, it worked, LOL.
2. I'm sure you will be in the Spring issue. I had no reason to be looking for my Etsy friend except my intuition, which is usually spot on. Plus, how could they not include your fabulous stuff! Either way, that you have been recognized at all is HUGE! Keep at it. I know you deserve it and you work hard for it so it's just a matter of time. Now if they could just get my chairs off of constant backorder, all will be right with the world. ;)
3. LOL! Just so you know, I'm talking more about people who have no real reason to sport such ugly shoes such as crocs. People who work on their feet all day, totally understandable and acceptable, including Estate Sale Trudgers :) It was the intended purpose of the shoes. Just don't let me catch you with those weird pop on buttons for them, or else! I even owned some Uggs back in the early 90s. However, I purchased them at the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne as BEDROOM SLIPPERS when I used to live there. That is what they are people. Especially those that still use the original sole. I even bought some for my grandfather and my mom, again as intended, as warm cozy slippers. When I started seeing them all over in public, I basically could not believe people were wearing bedroom slippers in public. I thought THE END was surely nigh.
Starcake: Happy New Year!!!!
oh so many things i love about your post! your home looks beautiful, how nice that you're nesting in together. great idea to put the cards in a bowl, much nicer. amazing eiffel tower card and 1st ornament souvenir. and the snowball cat is too cute!
Jen:
Thank you! Nesting has become my favorite thing to do these days :)
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