Picnic by Ellie

Prep Time

Like most of you, we are in the middle of the hustle and bustle that comes with hosting Thanksgiving. This year we're hosting both of our families and we're really looking forward to having them here. It's not very often we get to see them...let alone in the same room!

I love gussying the house for the holidays. It takes your mind off of cooking that turkey! Aaaargh! (How the least talented cook in the family got to host Thanksgiving is a question I'm still asking. Oh dear, I hope it goes okay. Oh dear.)

I'll try to check in before Thursday, but in case I'm up to my ears in giblets, have a very happy holiday, everyone! I wish all of you a warm, peaceful weekend.

Love,
Ellie

Patchwork

I've never owned a quilt. How sad is that? To be honest, I've never been much of a patchwork person, preferring mostly clean patterns of fresh florals, polka dots or stripes. I know. Yawn. I never knew I liked patchwork so much. But sometimes you go shopping and surprise yourself with what you like. That happened over the weekend, when we were sauntering through our local antique mall. (I can't keep out of that place these days. I think it's because of all of your beautiful photos, finds, and blogs. You ladies are so inspiring.) Anyway, my husband and I saw this quilt and agreed that it would be perfect for our house. I have no idea why. It doesn't necessarily match anything we own. But it just seemed right. I love the mix of girly pink and colorful fabrics with masculine plaid and dark corduroy. Maybe that's why it works. It's just like us.

Then, of course, I found an apron to go with it. I think they're both right at home.

I hope all of you had a lovely weekend!

Sweet Hearts

Who can resist vintage valentines? I've bought so many this year (I'll show you more in the upcoming weeks), even though I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. Remember making valentines for your classmates and decorating a Valentine's Day shoe box to store them in? Those were the days...

Snow!

Remember all of my Think Spring chatter? Well, like many, we awoke to find snow, snow, snow! (Not as much as this Golden Book illustration, of course.) But it was beautiful. Snow makes you slow down, and that's just what we needed. It was a good day for homemade pizza, movies, and working on tiny projects around the toasty little house. My kind of day.

A Place for Everything

There's nothing like the flip of the calendar page from December to January to make you want to get organized. This year, like many others, I'm focusing on my work space. And, after a seasonal flurry of ribbons, paper, and crafts, it could certainly use it. I'm hoping that cute containers will make the process a bit more enjoyable. These adorable file folders should make filing paperwork and receipts a breeze. I hope.

Oh, and I promise this is the last time I will mention these suitcases. I just love them so!

And what would an organization project be without a visit to IKEA? (That's where I found the sweet circle clips.) So far, it's been very comforting getting things put away and organized, like beginning the year with a sigh.

I also wanted to thank you for the super sweet New Year's wishes. I am so lucky to have met such wonderful people in the few short months I've been blogging. I hope this year is bringing all that you want and wish.

Well, I must get back to work... Have a great day, everyone!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope this year brings each and every one of you good friends, good health, and good memories. Have a happy holiday, filled with light and love.

XOXO,
Ellie

Reading Week

Happy Holidays! I wanted to stop by for a quick hello. I don't know about you, but I love the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. To me, the relaxation after the hustle and bustle mixes beautifully with anticipation for the year to come. This is a week to be inspired: to paint, to sew, to organize, to read...

My sister, a self-proclaimed bookworm, can match a book to a person flawlessly. This Christmas, she surprised me with great home books that fit right in with my style, including this one from the founder of French General. The pages are filled with inspiring pictures and projects perfect for the cold winter days ahead. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!

Love, Santa

I find, one of the best parts of Christmas is giving a gift just to watch someone open it. This year, my sister-in-law asked for a sewing kit, and I couldn't wait to get started. I know it's a simple gift, but I really thought it could turn out pretty cute. There are so many great containers and notions on the market, like this little suitcase from Paper Source with the most adorable turquoise polka-dot lining. I filled the suitcase with needles, pins, a tape measure, scissors, and many other sewing essentials. Plus, I found this vintage pattern that I thought I'd tuck in just for fun. My sister-in-law is a big fan of color (especially pink), so I hope she likes it.

What is your favorite gift to give this season?

Greetings from Candyland

Okay, so I was going to spare you the drippy mess that became of our graham cracker house experiment, but here it is anyway. It's not at all how I pictured it, but that's okay. It was a labor of love (and massive amounts of sugar). Like many craft projects, the process and the time spent working together were the really enjoyable parts. It was a fun Sunday afternoon project, and I would definitely do it again. Plus, it makes the whole dining room smell like icing! Who doesn't love that? Maybe by next year I'll have perfected my icing techniques. Maybe not.

I also wanted to share a picture of one of my favorite holiday pieces: this peach lustre egg nog set of my grandmother's. I love it so much. It gives the egg nog great fanfare.

Well, I know this is a very busy time for everyone, so thanks very much for stopping by. 'Tis a busy busy week indeed!

Warm Heart, Warm Home

After a long Saturday of shopping, shopping, shopping (and a lot of just aimless wandering around stores), today is a day of relaxation. I still have a bit of Christmas crafting to do, and I really want to try making one of these cookie cottages that I've seen so many adorable versions of on the Internet this holiday season. I've always wanted to make a gingerbread house, but not being a baker, I've never felt like it was something I could even attempt. So, I'm excited about this graham cracker experiment, although I wouldn't be surprised if we just ended up with a stomachache by the end of the day. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Oh, and great news! Picnic by Ellie was mentioned in the fabulous Plump Pudding blog last week. I'm so grateful to everyone who has stopped by. It really means the world to me. I have met so many inspirational, creative, and thoughtful people in the few short months I've been blogging, and I know that is its true gift. Thank you all again. I hope you stop by often.

Well, I'm off to make a house (hopefully) out of graham crackers and watch White Christmas, my favorite holiday movie. Happy shopping, baking, crafting, sewing, or wrapping, everyone!

XOXO,
Ellie

P.S. How excited am I to finally have a use for this muffin tin!

P.P.S. Must add "learn to bake" to list of resolutions...