COUNT DOWN TO CHRISTMAS

As the house continued to get ready for Christmas, the kids get more and more anxious for the count down to Christmas. So this year I made them a count down calendar!

Here is what I did:

I bought three sheets of this magnetic paper stuff from Joann Fabrics.

Little dollar store type toys (whistles, duckies, slap bracelets etc)

 

 Then using a 12 and 6 cup muffin pan, I measured the holes and used cups and muffin papers to make a circle in teh magnet sheet for each cup hole.

I drilled holes in the top of the muffin pans. 

Then I decorated each of the magnet circles with the number for the day of the month and holiday themed papers etc. 

 Then I filled each muffin cup with trinkets and treats for the kids and labeled which kid got to open which day. When there was an uneven amount of days, I would put three treats in for each of them.

The magnet papers then covered the holes and could be pulled off on the correct day. 

I hung them up on the wall for the kids to see, but not be able to reach. This kids really loved this!

I would like to say this was my idea, but I think someone else did it... I can't remember where I saw it though. If you did this and it is your brain child, please email me so I can properly credit you! 

DECORATING MY HOME!

                     Okay, no tutorial here, but here is my home decorated for the Holidays!

Our living room tree. can you believe I only spent $30 on this tree two years ago?? It was on late January clearance at Menards with all the ornaments etc at the end of the season. It was TRULY hideous then... but I saw the potential. It had enough stuff on it to do this tree, the garland over the door, the mantle and a wreath for our living room... all for 30 bucks!!

Ribbon trees on a side table. I made the trees.

Above our front door on the inside. 

Our presents ended up on the mantle because they were under the tree... but now the tree has someone living under it that is eating the gift wrapping. 

(our bunny is in for the winter and has taken the tree as it's home... it is litter box trained just like a cat so no worries there)

coffee table arrangement I did. 

Living room wreath.

Mantle details. 

My special tree in my craft space with ONLY Women of Today ornaments...and one special one from a pageant queen. 

The server in our Dining Room.

The wine cabinet.

Top of the wine cabinet.

Outside. It looks SOOOO pretty on our deck at night with the lights.... this tree is artificial. An old one I had that has no space in our house and David won't let me put it in our bedroom... so I had him screw it into the deck for the season! Next year, this space will be my focus space for improvement for the decorations.... I can't wait to clearance shop for this one!

Our center island.

Dining room table. 

Antique book arrangement on the table.

Ignore the dishes. Lots of holiday parties here lately. But this is the garland on my kitchen window. Bad photo, but it is right in the window. I hope to take a better one at night for y'all. 

On our wine rack.

Kitchen pantry wreath. 

Bathroom on the main floor.

BAD photo of the garland over the bathroom lights... matches the below tree in the bathroom.

Bathroom tree.

Kids' tree with all our family ornaments and things placed by them. 

Playroom mantle. tutorial later on the 2X4 snowmen!

Wreath on the basement bathroom door.

Arrangement in the basement bathroom. 

Garland in the basement guest room. 

Children's Bathroom door upstairs.

Swag over mine and David's headboard.

Tree in our bathroom on the tub's corner ledge.

Swag over our bathroom lights.

Tree outside on our front steps.

Front door garland.

 Garland detail.

Front door wreath.

Swags under our garage light sconces.

The wreath over our garage. 

Our landscaping trees.

Outside.

Our wreath on our inner garage door.