Goodbye Christmas, hello storage bins

There was no star on top, but I placed this angel as close to the top as possible.

The big 18-foot Christmas tree was a thrill for our family, but I have to admit I was more than ready for it to come down.  Our tradition is to ring in the New Year around the Christmas tree. Technically I would even keep it up until Jan. 7, since Epiphany is Jan. 6, but I have never been able to wait that long to take down the tree. This year the tree was getting really dry just before New Year's Day. I spent the better part of a day getting all of the ornaments off of it and placed back in their boxes.

For years I made do with unacceptable holiday gift wrap and decoration organization. But there was one year, and I remember it well, when I decided the old cardboard box that I kept the Christmas wrapping paper in was just not doing it for me. I kept it in the back of the closet, and the good thing about it was the wrapping paper stood vertical in the box, but the exposed ends were all tattered, making those ends unusable.

I surveyed the disarray of bows, ribbons and tape, and I decided it was time for a change. Those things could never be found in the same place twice.

With determination and a blank check I made my way to the nearest retailer that sold storage bins. No matter the cost, my Christmas stash was going to be organized.

I still have all of those bins. I bought a smallish one with wheels, a really long one for the wrapping paper, a small pullout drawer for ribbons and tape, a few medium sized ones that varied in depth for the gift boxes, tissue paper, and gift bags.

The one bin I'm not really thrilled with is the wrapping paper box. I want a vertical one. The box I have keeps the paper relatively nice, but the rolls lay flat and the box is very unwieldy.

And for the ornaments? Well, see, I'm a recovering ornamentolic. And I'm particular about how some of them are stored. Actually, most of them. If they came in a box, I keep them in their original box. I have some Hallmark ornaments-- yes, OK, I have more than "some." But they were on sale! Those aren't the only ornaments I have. I do not discriminate. If I love it, I love it. (There was a time, not too long ago, that I had three trees in my house. One tree was all Santa ornaments, one was miniature with miniature ornaments, and the main tree...OK, I said recovering.)

I have really big bins for the ornaments. One main bin holds all of the ornaments that have their own box, and there are a couple of other bins that hold the ornaments that are wrapped in bubble wrap and tissue paper. I carefully pack them all away when we take down the tree, and I store them with love and care until I get the thrill of hanging them on the tree again.

And the beautiful thing about all of this is that Chuck understands. He really does. He loves everything Christmas. He spent a lot of time out in the cold in order to get the lights on the roof. I called him Clark on a couple of occasions, but I am really happy that he enjoys the season as much as I do.

And we wrap our lights in a similar way as well. No tangled lights here. I wrap them up kind of like an extension cord, and then I tie mine with a strong ribbon or corded ribbon. Chuck uses zip ties. It's the man version of a ribbon.

What storage methods do you use for your treasured Christmas ornaments and other decorations?

From the Internet
Which storage container do you prefer? This type or this one?

I couldn't resist sharing this catalog of ornaments...


And then there are these storage options as well.

Forest medicine

A walk is sometimes the best medicine. Last week was challenging for me, so on Saturday I took some alone time and walked through some cute little shops to look at pretty things. And on Sunday I had a bit of a stress headache, so we went for a walk in the forest. And life was good again.

Happy Weekend!

I like the blues in this a beautiful picture of snow in January. I found it here, posted by Kenneth Randolph Taylor. We haven't had even a skiff of snow yet this season, and we are all starting to wonder if we will get any at all.
Wherever you are, I hope you are having a cozy weekend.

Here are a few other things I found around the Internet.

Check out these groovy leggings by Snow Angel.
These snow boots are sporting some toggle action, and I do love a toggle.
A bit pricey, but isn't this little snowsuit adorable?

It's the details

Once upon a time I used to write about home decor and all manner of things that go with a home. I wrote story after story for a home and garden section of a newspaper, and I loved writing for that section. (The company is a different story, but I'll save that subject for another day.) I had always admired linens, plates, stem ware, napkin rings, and just about anything that would go in a dining room or on a dining table.

I definitely feel very comfortable, and experience a calm feeling, when I hold an individual salt spoon or touch a fine linen table cloth. The idea of setting a table for guests that includes place card holders, exquisite napkins and plates of all sizes stacked on a charger just seems like so much fun.

I have already confessed to Chuck my obsession with dishes. We don't have space for more, and it's a good thing. I could go nuts with china and dishes. I once wrote a story about a house that had a whole room for storing china, and the original owners had their own pattern. I was in awe.

Part of me sees it as excessive and unnecessary. Part of me loves all of it because of the details. For me there is such  fun that can be had choosing patterns of china that enhance another, the finish of the flat ware, the colors of a table runner, and design of the napkin rings.

I was feeling a bit gray the other day. I hadn't had a bad mood descend upon me in a very long time, and I don't know why it hit so hard. I've had some extra stress lately, and maybe it was just the combination of that and the constant rain lately. It rained, and it was so dark all day.

I had to return a book the the library, and I decided I was going to take a short break for myself and walk around some stores I had never been in before. I started out going to look at sweaters at Loft, but I didn't see any great deals there. And I do shop there, so it wasn't new to me.

Loft is located in a little shopping area across the street from the library. In that same area are many shops that I haven't visited, and I darted into one to get out of the rain. It was a little boutique with a lot of jewelry and Asian trinkets. I tried on some huge rings and looked around for a few minutes. Nothing there I would use, though.

Right next door was a kitchen store. Oh, wow. It was just what I needed. I hadn't been in a store with such a selection in a long time. There were many styles of individual salt spoons, little individual salt cellars, chargers, napkins, table linens, china, and all sorts of kitchen essentials. I didn't buy anything, but it did the trick for my mood. I came out of that store feeling inspired and rejuvenated.

What lifts your spirits when you're feeling down?

A virtual shopping trip from me to you:-) 
Oh, no need to pass the salt. I have my own.
And one more set
I like these napkins
Love these Italian china patterns

Movie review and a zoo

Most nights we are right here at home eating a home-cooked meal and doing chores, like laundry and picking up toys off the floor. We often rent movies from Red Box, or Netflix, but don't go out to movies very often.

The kids got movie tickets and a book of coupons for MacDonald's for Christmas from my aunt Bennie. They were pretty excited about it. So I suggested we take them out for dinner and a movie one night last week. It's always a challenge to get the kids to agree on a movie, so Chuck and I kind of chose it for them without asking.

I looked online to see what was playing and the only one that looked like a good family movie was "We Bought a Zoo." Animals are always fun.

When we got to the theater there was quite a crowd. Lucky for us it was not sold out, but we forgot that our theater is a Galaxy theater and the tickets they had were Regal. Oh well. Chuck and I had a free pass for two, so we just paid for the kids to get in. Our Galaxy theater is great. It's fairly new, and I love the comfortable seats, the drink holders and the way the seats are positioned.

The movie was based on a true story, and for me the plot was not predictable. (Something I can't stand these days.) There was real emotion in the story, and I liked the fact that though the main character (Matt Damon) was surrounded by women who wanted to "help" him get through his grief of the loss of his wife, he didn't take them up on the offer. I aslo loved how the movie showed him grieving, and how his children were grieving. But it really isn't a sad movie, it's a fun movie about hope and change and how to persevere when you have a dream.

I'm not sure where he got his money. He was a reporter. I didn't really like the ending, but over all I thought it was a good movie.

Here's a review of the movie.
Here's one opinion of the 10 best movies of 2011

Do you have a favorite 2011 movie?

I win!

Have you ever filled out one of those little slips of paper with your name and contact info for some kind of giveaway? I've done it so many times. These days I find some giveaways on blogs, and I usually enter those if it's an item I would really like or use for a gift.

As we left the Stable Cafe after lunch at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, there was a table with a pretty red bowl and those little "enter and win" forms. On a whim I filled out one and dropped it into the bowl. Chuck saw what I was doing and he filled out one, too.

We left and I didn't think much more about it, because I rarely win anything. In fact, I really can't remember winning anything from an, "enter and win" contest.

We had been home a few days when I received an email from Biltmore Inspirations to let me know I had won the bowl. I was so excited! I plan to use it in many ways as a centerpiece during the holidays.


A little gift package of stuff I found on the Internet :-)

Get inspired

I love this set of mixing bowls

This serving bowl is so pretty.

Welcome 2012

Our 2011 was amazing. We are so excited about what 2012 has in store for us. We know that no matter what, it will be great because we are together.

Here are some highlights from our year:

In February Sean and I celebrated Valentine's Day with Chuck over dinner at the fire station. Doesn't sound romantic, but he was working and it was so great of him to invite us to be there.

Chuck and I had a couple's night out in March and saw Tom Kimmel at a house party. Great fun.

In May we had another adult night out and saw Desmond Tutu at the Tacoma Dome. It was inspirational and such a treat to see him.

In June Chuck took us on an adventure and we saw the Nevada desert for the first time.

In July we had a date night. (I know that for most this is not a big deal, but for us it really is.)

We celebrated Sean's birthday in August, and we welcomed our neighbors for a barbeque, and some of Chuck's family visited as well.

In September we enjoyed the harvest of some blackberries and some of our garden veggies. It was fun to see the results of our first attempt at a garden, and to have time to create some tasty dishes in our kitchen.

October was my birthday month, and Lilly's. We went on a mushroom harvest adventure and also began picking some of the huckleberries. We all made some jelly and syrup from the huckleberries, and enjoyed huckleberry pancakes as well.

November was our one-year anniversary month and we had family photos taken here on the property.

We finished off 2011 with a trip to Tennessee in December to see more of our family members and enjoy some Southern goodness. And this was my absolute highlight of 2011, because for me it is really all about family and having as many shared moments as possible.