Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

I truly hope that your holiday season is full of love and joy. Right this very second I'm thinking that the pure love of Christ is one of the main tickets in life and so grateful that we have that example to follow.

Well the below is a little staged scene of one of my favorite Christmas traditions that we had the opportunity to share in this months issue of Arizona Foothills Magazine. In real life (like last night) there was not a fancy tablecloth and my my little boys certainly were not outfitted in blazers but we did gather around the fireplace and by candlelight ate very simple foods like cheese, olives, dates, oranges, grapes, bread and soup. I love this very simple tradition because it really helps us to slow down and think about that very first Christmas and what that great event means for us in our lives..(thanks Mom & Dad)

Anyway hope all of you are enjoying the holiday.

Love to all!!

Christina

Thank you to Michelle Herrick for all the work on making our above Christmas card dreams come alive:-).

Colette van den Thillart

Colette van den Thillart has a rockin space in London. I've seen bits and pieces of her home but was very happy to see a spread in my latest issue of House & Home (there is much more to see of the above space...so to my sister I would say that this is another magazine that I would put on the suggestion list to subscribe to , go here). Anyway, Colette is the creative director for Nicky Haslam at NH Designs and when doing a little googling on her I came across an article where she gives a list of 10 design tips and thought it would be fun to share. On her list was painting the inside of a lampshade pink because it will make you look wonderful. Go here to see her list.

Speaking of lists, how is your list coming along? Something about Christmas Eve tomorrow.

P.S. - The above faux bois rug in the top two pictures is a Martha Stewart rug for Safaveih just in case you like it too.

Pendleton

Today I am loving Pendleton. I was just telling my friend last night that I was considering not even having a duvet on my boys' bed and opting for a simple woolen blanket and Pendleton has a few that would work. While I was on their website I also found a few other items that I thought were attractive..especially for that girl that has a soft spot for an American classic based out of Oregon. For some reason Pendleton reminds me of all of my time spent in Jackson Hole when my family lived up that way...Doesn't a nice cabin and a ski trip sound great right about now?

Oh and just in case you were wondering they do have a few items for the baby. Who can resist a tiny pair of pink moccasins..

How is everybody's week going with the onset of Christmas?

{All images via Pendleton}

Ruthie Sommers in Town & Country

The last few issues of Town & Country haven't been too bad. I think I might pay for the $10 yearly subscription now. The above is a space designed by Ruthie Sommers.

{images via town & country and here.}

snippets of our holiday decor

Thank you Deb and Becky for sharing snippets of our holiday decor. Go here if you would like to check it out.

I could not stay away from the dots.

P.S. - Pls. excuse our naked woodwork..Anyone know of a really good painter here in the valley?

The above happens to be a picture of my husband's back when we were at his parent's farm for Thanksgiving. The very same husband that just took me to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas (his parents have season tickets for all ten days)...So he wasn't jumping up and down and doing cartwheels when he saw a "girlie" lavender test strip painted on the wall in the room where his parents are coming to stay after Christmas. I told him I was trying to make the room fun just like the rodeo..."what?" Paneling everything in leather and cowhide isn't always the best option in life.

The scene of lots of cowboys in their hats walking down the strip is quite the sight.

It was the wrong shade anyway so back to the drawing board.

{Non-traditional Christmas Tree}

This home has a non-traditional Christmas vibe to it, yet it is very fun and festive. Did you notice their main Christmas tree in the family room?

{all images from MiCasa}

{Let's go to London}

One ought to stay @ the Connaught....more specifically in the rooms that David Collins designed.

Do you ever get the Top 20 sent to your inbox from TravelZoo? I think for 8 years now I have waited for that email to come every Wed. while dreaming where I wanted to go next. In fact as of late I am waiting for that perfect deal to London. While I wait I hope I don't continue to have dreams about going to New York and checking into a hotel with bedbugs. That's what I get for reading this before bed. I kept trying to find plastic air tight baggies to protect all of my clothes.

Anyway...

{bringing the citrus indoors}

I have always loved citrus trees and found it such a treat to grow up in the middle of citrus groves. The trees are a welcome sight in the middle of the desert. Not only do the fruit smell and taste really good but the leaves stay nice and green despite all of our heat. Anyway, if I had enough light in my home then hands down I would have a couple of dwarf lemon trees indoors. According to Martha these kind of trees are easy to grow indoors. Here are some suggestions for some of the best citrus tress to grow indoors and here are some suggestions on how to grow them.

If I can't grow the trees indoors then I can certainly go outside and pick the leaves and the fruit to make garland or a wreath. Jordan Ferney has already posted a cool tutorial on the above garland. Go here to check it out.

Happy day wishes to all!!

P.S. - If anyone has had experience with growing citrus trees indoors pls. share anything you have discovered.

{image 1 via Pinterest, 2 via Martha Stewart Living, 3,4 via googled images, 5 via Oh Happy Day}

The above old school Katie Ridder is something that I still likey. It's those Niermann Weeks canopy beds that do it every time. Also love the way that the tv is flush with the bookshelves and who doesn't love a classic white and black bathroom with monogrammed towels.

Above space featured in the March '06 issue of Elle Decor.

Here is a much more affordable option for the canopy bed. Found here.

painted burlap drapes

I love that the folks over @ Tracery took a stencil & painted themselves some burlap drapes for the front of their shop. Go here to see more.

return to oz (latest round of inspiration)

Don't mind me, I'm just having a emerald green moment.

Does anybody else remember that movie from the 80's, Return To OZ? I need to find a copy and see if the movie is as great as I remember it being. I think it may have been a tad bit odd.

{image 1 & 9 via here}