SOMEBODY OUT THERE HATES ME...

because they keyed my car this morning at, of all places, Walmart. Not just a single key gouge but a double-dip-in-your-face- I- HATE -you- multi- gouges. I never saw it, on the passenger side of my car, when I put my few bags in the little hatch back of my car. I always park way, way back in the parking lot and walk the distance, just to protect my car.

When my husband pulled into our garage tonight, he gets out next to the passenger side of my car. He yelled through the door "Who hit you today?" WTF?

So to the lovely person that did this to me today... are you happy that you ruined a nice person's day? (Me, being a nice person who has never wished an ill thought on anyone). Did this give you some kind of satisfaction? Was it just me and my car or do you do this to other people at random?

I just don't understand and I am heartbroken to be the recipient of such a hateful act. But I guess I need to tough up and move on.

A little lemonade to sweeten the New Year

Many thanks to sweet Belle for bestowing upon me this lovely lemonade award. What a great way to start a NEW YEAR return to my "life" of taking care of me!

This award comes with a few rules:

Put the logo on your blog or post.

Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!

Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

I graciously bestow this award to the following great ladies:

Her Highness of Cute

Girly Stuff

This Southern Girl's Nest

Mom in High Heels

House of Whimsy

Fiddle Dee Dee

Life at Home

Pearls to Hide My Neck

Landlocked Mermaid

Brittany

Sanctuary Arts at Home

Susie Harris

Coco

Southern Inspiration

Hope it makes your day bright, happy, anf full of love!

Whew!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

My inspiration for a beautiful NEW YEAR ....a gift from one of my New Year's Day guests that joined us for dinner....beautiful pink tulips....how SPRING INSPIRATIONAL!!!!

and what a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year it was. Today, January 4th I finished taking down all my WAY too many, WAY too much decorations. My husband made it all special with this wonderful comment: "You fulfill all our hopes and expectations for a wonderful Christmas in so many ways. You give us peace, happiness, and joy and you make everything so special!"

WOW, so that's why I do all this!

Son and his dog have been here since the 12 of December. Daughter & SIL arrived on the 23 with their dog. We had the best Christmas ever. Our family is so blessed....we all love each other with strength and conviction. I would love to post family PICS but not sure the kids & hubby would approve!

I served too many sit-down in the dining room meals...love it but I'm whipped.

But I'm ready for tomorrow.....that starts my first day in 3 weeks to have my own space to myself..... since hubby has been home rehabbing his leg and knee, we've had to drive MIL everywhere, and kids + dogs have been here!

I've got some serious design projects keeping me awake at night....hope to fulfill these dreams!

I'm looking forward to bloggy catchup,

XOXO!

Finally back from NYC...

wedding dress, veil and petticoat from WGPC. You know who grumbled at the cost of cleaning + preservation + insurance as he just happened to go to the the cleaners for me today and this was in.... He didn't know he had to pay $$$$.
But he grumbles at everything these days.... must be the stress... YNWIM!
This is a little preview window.... instructions say DO NOT STORE in attic or basement!

I can live with that as box as not it is too big....they obviously air-shrunk everything down.

Stuff for the Princess

I don't think they will fit you. Slightly snug on my foot.

MY HOLIDAY OPEN FLUFF STUFF TOUR

Another fun party to go to! Thanks Kimba! Join the fun!

Thanks to these sweet ladies for their gracious invitations to play in Holiday Open House tours.

BOOMAMA

HOOKED ON HOUSES

http://southernhospitality-rhoda.blogspot.com/

I go a little overboard at Christmas but I learned years ago that I was the FLUFFER that made all the things happen, Christmas being the time that it was OK to be over the top. If you've read through my blog, then you know that we lost most of our STUFF a few years ago. I realized these past few years that it was all just STUFF and STUFF can be replaced. And STUFF really doesn't matter. When I talk about my FLUFF STUFF, it's tongue in check as I know I don't need all this STUFF....

How you live your life matters. The love of family and friend matters. The happiness of being safe in your home matters. Yes, those things are what life is all about. Not decorating.

But decorating or FLUFFING your home is just plain fun and therapeutic. So if you decorate just a little, or over the top, or not at all .....you can still have the warmth, joy, and spirit of Christmas. It's right there, within all of us. Go out and look for your own FABULOUS FLUFF STUFF, it's there, you just need to find it.

Hope you enjoy my fluff stuff and I'm looking forward to seeing all of yours!



Welcome, my front door garland is all new this year. I have one more splurge yet to come for the 2 large urns at either side of the door. I waited for a pretty lighted filler to go on sale from Grandin Road, it's coming. We (hubby) doesn't put up any outdoor lights so the door is important.

I smiled when I saw I could see a little bit from the inside.

If you come in through my back door, and a lot of people do, here's what you'll see.

The tree

Five fat and over sized stockings waiting to be filled with fluff stuff. I've always wrapped each and every item that goes in stockings. So going through our stockings takes at least an hour of fun and laughter.

Foyer
oops, lost that picture

Dining room still needs attention. Might have 12 for Christmas dinner so I've got to get going on that next.

Blessed Baby Jesus

One bathroom looks a little festive, 2 more baths, 3 bedrooms, and 2 rooms have nothing....yet.

Kitchen

Christmas morning: champagne, eggs Benedict and pancakes for the PRINCESS!

Thanks for touring, I hope you all have a wonderful fluffed stuffed Christmas!

XOXO! Lamp Tramp

Stuff on the tree

Thanks THRIFTY DECORATING CHICK for hosting this great tree par-tay!

My tree has aqua, bronze, rust, and some soft cream stuff.

Looks a little sloppy this year, did I do this or did hubby sneak in and mess things up? He's driving me crazy, he'll be home for 4 more weeks. He's on crutches and has to stay off leg with fracture and torn ACL. That means no golf. He sits in his chair and begs me to come sit with him all day. Lord, give me strength.

A quick redo

Remember this mess? Made 2 wreaths for the back door. Below is from the outside.

Took a long wire, tied at top of each wreath. The wire goes over the top of the door, it's thin enough that the door can easily close. Great way to hang the double sided wreaths. Covered the wire with raspberry wired ribbon.

This is the inside wreath.

Almost made 2 big bows from the tons of raspberry ribbon. but I think the wreaths are so full of the copper and raspberry balls that a bow would be too much.

I'm still working on my front door garland. Decided to change colors this year so I'm still looking for more fluff stuff to throw up. Over the door, that is.

IT'S SNOWING ON THE MS GULF COAST...

a phenomenon that only happens once maybe every 4-8 years. Last snow flakes to fall from heaven on our coastline was Christmas 2004. The snow is not sticking yet but everyone here goes crazy. They don't know what to do (this from me, being an old wise Yankee ). Schools close, businesses shut down which adds to the panic. There's all these extra snow-crazed drivers on the road which is more treacherous then the snow or ice. What fun!

I'm not going anywhere on the roads today so here's what I'm tackling. This old mess of a garland. The green plastic stuff is so old it sheds like a dead Christmas tree. It's being tossed in trash. Trying to save any of the 10 light strands, what a chore to unwrap.
Not sure what I'm doing yet for my new front door look or what I'll do with these below.

But I'd better hurry up, I still need to do Christmas shopping!

SHOWING SOME SWAG...

This is past years outdoor door garland. I've been telling myself it's time to throw this mess out. This is the wrong way to store a garland. I'm learning the hard way. It's time to... start new and fresh. Well the new garland for my front door is still sitting here on the floor. Maybe today, maybe today....

Thank goodness I did some very early Christmas decorating. I started before Thanksgiving and have not had the time to do any more since. So here's some of my swags:

LIVING ROOM:

DINING ROOM:

KITCHEN:

FOYER:

So maybe today I'll get a little more swag going on!

Yes, I've made all these myself, & I double swag (as Nester suggests) and add extra lights. I have to take all the ornaments off every year to store carefully. But, oh, what fun!

PS: Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. Hubby has fractured tibia and torn ACL, MIL and I still going to specialists for answers. That will be an ongoing for many years, I'm sure.