Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Pink Feathers, Photo Ribbons, and Countdowns



It's not as cool as gold, frankincense, and mur
but I have 3 Happy Holiday goodies to share today!



These ideas are FAST and EASY
for the multitudes of those who chant
"I don't have any time..."





1) RIBBON Photo Holders

I never put photos on our fridge EXCEPT at Christmas. Actually, our house is far more cluttered at Christmastime than any other time of the year! During the holidays I put up old photos of Christmas' from our history and past. It is fun to reminisce and see them each year. I also display all the SANTA shots from each year.

See that extra ribbon in the photo above?
That is where this SANTA 2009 photo goes!

However, as the years have passed, we've collected more and more photos! After I had them hanging on the fridge it just looked like a cluttered mess.
So I brainstormed a solution. This simple RIBBON idea solved my problem!

Simply use magnets to attach a long piece of holiday ribbon to your fridge. Then use colored paperclips to hang the photos. It gives a fun look!
I also did this for our collection of Christmas trees.
Each year I display photos of our tree from every year since we've been married
...that's 9 trees, yo! ;)


2) Romantic Countdown

Advent calendars add anticipation and delight for kids.
But this is a little spin on the idea. Make one for your LOVE.

I have had this quilted Advent Calender since our 2nd year of marriage.

Traditions...

Every year I write 24 love notes to my best friend for him to open each day. They are simple lines of what I really like about him or simple lines of appreciation for particular things he did for our family that year.
A few of the notes have been the SAME every single year, haha...for example,

"I Love, Love the way you walk". Seriously, his walk always gets me, so I like to remind him. {wink}

Some just say, "Thank you Baby for working so diligently this year providing our family with blessing after blessing".

But most of them are surprises,
new messages straight from my heart.
I feel entirely grateful to have Chris in my life.
He is the best Daddy to our boys I could ever hope for and
my perfect teammate.
We JUST FIT.


By the way, for all you boring people UN-romantics...the last note on Christmas Eve is always a Magazine Subscription to a new magazine. Surely you can endure 23 sappy notes if the reward is a super cool magazine subscription at the end!



3)Feather Wreath


This last one is a little project that literally took me 5 minutes! PUH-LEASE don't say you don't have time for this.

My itty bitty pink powder bathroom constantly gets me giddy. I wanted to embellish it for the holidays and thought a fluffy feather wreath with a brown polka-dotted bow would do the trick!

To make this as inexpensive as possible I easily cut the middle out of a paper plate rather than spending $5 for a wreath form. I used a Hobby Lobby coupon that you can print online ANYTIME to get 40% off a pink feather boa. This total spent on this wreath was under $3!

I wrapped the boa around the plate and tied it off.
Uncomplicated...
and as my 5 year old says, "easy peasy".



What little ideas will become a statement or tradition in your home?
You know I love them, so please share!


40 comments:

Ramsey said...

I am in LOVE with your pink boa wreath!!! Didn't know about the hob lob coupon either. Awesome ideas, thanks so much!
Lots of love,
Ramsey

Jen said...

I love the ribbon and picture idea...I may try to adapt it to use with Christmas cards :)

BonBon Rose Girls Kristin said...

That advent calendar for your hubs is such a beautiful idea!

Becca said...

This is a post full of wonderful Ideas! Thanks for linking!

Lisa @ Fern Creek Cottage said...

The pink feather wreath with the pink pom pom towels...ooh la la!

Linda@Coastal Charm said...

It would not be Christmas at our house if we didn't display old Christmas pics...I love displaying them and always do something different with them each year...stop by tomorrow for a tour of my home for this years display...lovin how you did yours on the fridge with the ribbon...looks great!

Blessings,
Linda

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Girl I love the wreath idea...you always have the best things at your home...I always enjoy my visits here with you...Many mountain hugs and smiles to you dear friend....Gl♥ria

Rebecca said...

I love the romantic calendar! Awesome idea.

laterg8r said...

such a good idea to do a romantic calendar :D

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Wonderful ideas! And I love the romantic advent calendar. That is such a great thing to do for your husband! Your wreath is cute, too, as are your picture ribbons. All fun!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Judy@cutest-little-things.blogspot.com said...

Your advent wreath is SO similar to what I've done for my hubby for V-day! I did a "top ten reasons I love you" with numbered tiny envelopes stuck around the house for him to find. Then I took a heart-shaped box, and filled it with puzzle pieces. On one side of the puzzle was the complete top ten list, on the other was the cover of one of his V-day gifts - a CAR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION!!!

Great minds think alike!

Jane said...

My dear friend...
Again, you blow me away with your thoughtfulness for your husband. At Christmas, we women get caught up in making the celebrations wonderful for the kids. With the decorating, the shopping, and the baking, husbands are often left out. Not at your house!!! I LOVE your advent calendar "just for him". What a wonderful way to let him know how much you love him. Men do love surprises...and reminders that the girls they married still think they're the BEST. I am going to pass this idea along to my dil...and the future dil (My eldest got engaged last night!!!!!) What great traditions to begin in their homes. (Your pink feather wreath is cute too!)
Much love...
Jane (artfully graced)

Michelle @ Delicate Construction said...

Those are some great ideas! What a thoughtful advent calendar and that wreath is too cute for words!

Jessica Loukota Leimback said...

I love the ribbon on the fridge idea. I usually do ribbon on the wall and don't have much wall space this year. Thank you for the solution to the problem! Your home is looking christmassy!

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

I LOVE your feather wreath! Great ideas for the romantic notes and holiday pictures. I have all my kids pictures with Santa and actually have one or two from when my hubby was a boy that I've done on the mantel some years.

Hideaway Girl said...

Great ideas! Making the wreath out of a paper plate is brilliant - very cute.

Design A-Peele said...

such great ideas girl! I'll have to make a cute wreath like that :)

Jenny said...

Love the romantic calendar idea. I'm sooooo stealing that next year!

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

Cute ideas - my house is also most cluttered at Christmas time, and I enjoy it, but only for the limited time!

KimMalk said...

The little wreath is the perfect size for that spot.

Melissa Miller said...

Lisa I love your ideas! The ribbon one would be cute for Christmas cards too. So pretty!

Thank you very much for your sweet comment last night. You really made my day sweet friend. I appreciate it so much.

Enjoy this joyous season! ~Melissa :)

b. said...

cute post!

Leanne said...

I love the idea of the ribbon for the photos. It looks neat and tidy. I should have known you use the same planner as me. We were meant to be blogging friends.

Corinne @ The Splendid Stuff said...

YOU ARE SO DARN CREATIVE! Love this. And, thanks for the recipe! I am saving it!!!!!

michelle@somedaycrafts said...

YOur feather boa wreath is rocking!!! I love it!

Sam said...

OMG!!! I am in love with the pink and brown in your bathroom. The pink wreath just completes it!

Rue said...

Hi again Lisa :)

I love all your ideas, but that message advent is so neat!! I'll have to come with something like that for Rich. He's a sappy guy too (shhh... don't tell him I said that) and will love the prize at the end ;)

rue

Room to Inspire said...

Okay the pink boa wreath is ADORABLE. My daughter would LOVE it!

Chelsea

Kathleen Grace said...

The notes to your husband are absolutely one of the sweetest things ever! I love that idea and I just may steal it for next year (although his magazine of choice would be woodworking). The pink feather wreath is perfect in your bath:>)

Its So Very Cheri said...

Great ideas-love the "love notes" and the pink bathroom-so cute-My Gabby girl would be drooling even at 2.

Cheri

Tanya said...

These are great ideas! The feather wreath is adorable.

Anne said...

I love that feather wreath! I want to make one!

Cristin // Simplified Bee said...

Love the feather wreath!!!

xo,
cristin
www.simplifiedbee.com

M.O.T.B said...

Do you glue the boa at all? How did you hang it on your mirror?

Janna said...

You saved the best for last but all of your ideas are great! What a lucky guy too!

Becky @ Our Sweet Peas said...

Love that you honor your husband that way. Good reminder!

Amy said...

I'm new to your blog, found you linked to Blue Cricket Design (Show and Tell)
First, how refreshing to hear a woman proclaim her love for the hubby. I think we women need to do this more! I get frustrated when it seems more acceptable to bash husbands than to "get sappy" in public. Way to be a sap!!:)
Also, the feather boa wreath...love. I am so doing this, if not this year, then next! I have an itty bitty pink and black polka dot powder bathroom that it would look great in!
Glad I found you!

Bethany @ Our 4 Sons Plus 1...Super Cute Girly Girl said...

Love the sweet notes for your husband! And LOVIN' that feather wreath!!

Anonymous said...

CUUUUUUUTTTTTTEE!!!! Love the pink boa. My mother puts feather boa's on her tree as garland! It all looks so festive! Thanks for showing us around! I am stopping in from Nester's place. To see my tour click on the 'Christmas 2009' tag on the left sidebar of my blog.

Hoity Toity Baby said...

I have one of those "quilted" trees! Mine is blue...my grandmother made it for me and I cherish it!