Christmas Sneak Peak

It's a dreary day here with sleet and rain outside.  Me and little man still have our pajamas on and I'm putting the finishing touches on my Christmas decorating.

Here's a little sneaky-peaky.

Living Room:

This year's tree is made up mostly of handmade decorations the girls made over the years, and the needlepoint angel (sorry her head got cut off) Mallory made with my Mom a few years ago.

Dining Room:

Kitchen:

Mantle:

The adorable banner was made by my dear friend Christina.  You can check out her Etsy store by clicking on the link in my sidebar.

Well that's it so far.  I'd show you some more of the Family Room, but Cole's toys are spread all over the floor and there may even be an old sippy cup or dirty diaper in there somewhere too.  It's all part of the decor.

I can't wait to browse all of the amazing Christmas decor in Blogland.  Let the parties begin!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulicious day!
xoxo,
Kim

Joining:  Homespun Christmas Party at Savvy Southern Style

Cozy Little Living Room

My Living Room is not at all big.  It actually serves as my office, the place where I blog.  I love to be surrounded by things that I love and this room is filled with some of my most favorite antiques and treasures that I've collected over the years.

To re-upholster or not to re-upholster, that is the question...

So many of you asked about the gallery wall in here.  I actually started it over a year ago and it has kind of evolved since then.  I really think it sets the tone for this whole room.

Believe me, there were many holes in the wall before I got it right.

This piece has had several different looks over the years.  It has a mix of A.S.C.P. in Paris Gray, Chateau Gray and Olive with dark wax and gold rub n' buff.

A few of the paperweights and pipes from my collection.

What's your favorite cozy spot in your home?  Could make for a fun blog party!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulicious day!
xoxo,
Kim

Joining Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Puzzle Pieces

Sitting at my desk listening to Christmas music on ITunes.  I love this time of year.  The time between Halloween and Thanksgiving.  My absolute favorite!  The calm before the storm.  The anticipation.  It's so fun.  I haven't started decorating or shopping but I do enjoy seeing the Christmas decorations in the stores and watching the commercials on TV.  I don't even mind that Santa is in the Mall already.  It's all part of the season before THE Season.

Now, raise your hand if you are sick of seeing pictures of my Family Room.  I know I am sick of decorating it, and if the money tree we planted in the back yard would grow I wouldn't have to re-decorate in drips and drabs over long periods of time. But I digress.

Here are a couple of BEFORE shots:

 And NOW:

Buh-bye dark chair, dark sofa, dark curtains.

Hello sunshine!

We finally got our IKEA Ektorp loveseat to match the sofa I scored from Craig a few months back. Hoo to the Ray for slipcovers!!!

This side of the room now flows with the rest of the space wouldn't ya say?

I also replaced the patterned area rug with this new seagrass rug from Overstock.

My new Craig's List chair feels right at home in this corner.

A simple Fall mantle.

A crisp vignette.

The last piece of this crazy puzzle is a wicker trunk which will serve as a coffee table, that is on back order from Grandin Road and should be here by Christmas.  Looking forward to having some extra storage for toys.

So loving how this room feels much lighter than it did before.  It's a fun place for the whole family to hang out enjoy.

Next up: pulling out the Christmas decorations.  Have you started yet??

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulicious week!
xoxo,
Kim

Joining:  Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
               Blissful Whites Wednesday at Timewashed

JERSEY STRONG!

Many thanks to all of you who checked in on us here in New Jersey.  Hurricane Sandy packed a wallop and we were miraculously spared, save for a few hours without power.  What is so miraculous? We are a mere 40 miles from the Jersey coast where the storm wreaked havoc on our beloved shore.  It is completely heartbreaking to say the least.  So many neighbors, family and friends have homes "down the shore" and what happened there in just two short days is mind boggling.

It's hard for me to sit still during normal circumstances, not to mention a Hurricane.  So I did what any crazy normal person would do - I "stormed the barn"!  Not by myself - it took me, Denise and her son Justin to do in 8 hours what we had planned all along to do in 2 full days!

Larkspur Interiors' booth at the Barn was due for an overhaul and since we reluctantly decided to give up Clover Market (for now) we are concentrating our efforts on our booth space, including adding  "Shabby Corner".

We worked until the wee hours of the morning, having a late night picnic on the floor of our space.  It's something I think none of us will ever soon forget.  But now it's done.  Weeks of preparation and hard work are now over and there's nothing left to do but enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Denise and I are looking forward to a more streamlined future, with less clutter in our garages, much to our hubbies' delites.  It's fun to think about just working on our booth without the added stress of doing a show.  It will allow both of us more time for our families, our homes and ourselves!

Thanks again for checking in and please continue to pray for those in our state who are still without power and homes.

xoxo,
Kim