I'm Ready for My Close-Up!

What an amazing weekend! Saturday was spent hanging out with the sister and then heading out to dinner with the parents. Afterward we cruised around the city taking in our own personal Christmas light tour. This city is alight with color! Great fun indeed! Sunday brought snowflakes and my very own photo shoot. Ya see, my favorite photographer who lives here in Missoula awarded me a free session! I was so excited to win this and we decided to head outdoors for my snowy shoot. I had a BLAST! This lady definitely knows what she's doing and is sooooo talented. I had a great time tromping through the snow, frolicking in flakes and even making a snow angel. Laughs and smiles abounded as she clicked away with her camera. I have been singing her praises for a long time, and now am more excited than ever. I can't imagine a nicer lady to have take your picture. :) Below is one of my favorites and if you hop on over to her blog: Kristine Paulsen, you can see a few of the others. I'm loving them! (And I'm so glad I wore that red coat!)

Things I'm Loving Right Now

1. Hot Cocoa with Raspberry flavoring. Mmm. It's like a cup of candy.

2. Earrings that are just heavy enough that I can feel them move when I turn my head or laugh. (I'm wearing my new pair from Chile today!)

3. A handful of particularly remarkable friends of mine who make me smile and laugh. And I am so eager to give them their Christmas presents!

4. My one strand of Christmas lights in my work window. They make people smile as they walk by outside (including myself).

5. Lunches with my Mother. Who would have thought that every time we get together we have MORE stuff to talk about? Where does it all come from? I have a lunch date today and I'm sure we both have lots to share, as always.

6. The way my cat pulls all of her toys out of her toy basket and then runs around the house until she ends up under the Christmas tree exhausted.

7. The way my cat tries to eat the FAKE Christmas tree.

8. A perfectly made bed with matching shams and throw. I'm one of those people with all those darn pillows on the bed and everything has to match. And in the morning, even if I'm running late, I'll take the time to make it up, every single day.

9. Successfully, and gracefully, jumping puddles on the way to work.

10. My trips home on the highway, when the moon's out, the stars are shining, and all the little rural houses are covered in Christmas lights.

What are you loving right now? :)


(Photo Credit)

A Day to Decorate

Today my sister found her collection of ornaments for the tree. She'd lost track of hers, so I had filled the tree with my own. Well, she added all of hers and now the tree is simply stuffed! I think we need more branches...It looks like a very happy tree though! :) With a vintage star on top, and a lot of memories tied to each little ornament. I've seen a lot of themed trees out in blog land, and I do love them, but my favorite theme? Family. Friends. Childhood. I have a themed tree in my bedroom, but the big one in the window will always showcase a mix of new and old, pastel and bright, glass and porcelain and construction paper (yep, we have a few we made in grade school that are up on the tree. Glitter and glue? Perfect!).



After my sister was almost done I heard her wandering the living room. What was she doing?! Getting creative. :) I found glass balls all over and she even wrapped our grapefruit plant with a popcorn garland and beads!



As I looked around I found them on our deer skull in the living room, our tropical plant in front of the fireplace and joined in on the fun by hanging them above the sofa too. Very festive indeed! And a lot of laughs to go with.



Today has been filled with house chores, playing with the cats, adding touches to the decor and general merry making, cookie baking and coffee drinking. Tonight? Decorating those cookies. They're in the shapes of dog sleds and huskies. (I got the cookie cutters in Alaska!) I'll let ya know how they come out!

Photo Challenge: Festive!

Friday is upon us, and so is another Photo Challenge with RAZMATAZ. This week's theme was festive, which was perfectly fitting for this holiday season. :) My photo is a look at my Christmas lights through my glass of wine. Two things that I associate with this time of year. :) Nothing like a festive little party or get together to get you in the holiday mood!

Have a great weekend!

Christmas Questions!

This looked fun! I saw it on my Mom's blog, A Montana Life, and she got it from Pinecones and Roses! You should play along too! Each question should have only a one-word answer. Here we go!

1. Your holiday decor: Eclectic
2. The weather where you live this time of year: Snowy!
3. Your favorite smell of the season: Cinnamon
4. Your favorite beverage of the season: Spritzer
5. Something you wish you could avoid during the holidays: Ice!
6. What you typically bring to the potluck: Brownies
7. What you wish people would stop bringing to the potluck: Nuts
8. A word to describe how you feel about the word 'potluck': Weird
9. What is on your feet right now: Socks
10. How many layers you are wearing right now: Two
11. Where in the world you would rather be right now: crowd
12. Something that makes you feel invigorated this time of year: Lights
13. Something that makes you feel challenged this time of year: Highways
14. A cold weather comfort food you crave: Pie
15. Something you wish you were doing right now: Strolling
16. Something you SHOULD be doing right now: Vacuum
17. Your opinion of snow: Wonderful
18. Your opinion of those big furry-looking hats with ear flaps: Silly!
19. A tradition you'll be sure to keep this season: Baking
20. A tradition you'd like to start this season: Hand-made

That one-word thing is kind of difficult! :)

A Gift from Chile!

Oh how excited I was when I got home from Alaska a few weeks ago. My sister announced "You got something from....Chile?" I jumped for joy! That meant that my giveaway prize from A Measure Of... had arrived from the Southern Hemisphere. Wahoo! The box was wrapped in what looks like pages from an encyclopedia, or illustrated dictionary. The best part? It's of course all in Spanish! I love the International sticker on it. :) It all seemed so exotic!

After opening the package I found a lot more than I was expecting! I mean, I'd won an earring giveaway, but the box was full! Inside I found a whole collection of awesome items from Chile. I was as giddy as a school girl!

First up was the adorable card. I love the photo clipping she pasted on the inside, and her sentiment was so sweet. This lady is just a doll! :)

Next up were two South American candies. They reminded me of the chocolates I ate when I visited Peru two summers ago! I will definitely have to share them with my sister so we can both reminisce. :) Next was a gorgeous green, sparkly scarf! I love it! Items like these are especially chic in Missoula, Montana and I can't wait to wear it around and share where it came from! What a delightful surprise indeed. :) (And the color is perfect!)

Lastly, was a small box wrapped in soft, green yarn. Inside were the lovely earrings I had been expecting. Even better in person! They are so beautiful and unique! I can't wait to wear them out. Oh how I love jewelry with a story! So much better than going out and buying some. :)

What a great treat to get in the mail. Thank you so much Heather! You are far too sweet and kind. You brought one HUGE smile to this Montana girl's face! And for all you other followers out there, hop on over to Heather's blog and take a look. She's right now in the middle of a move from Patagonia to the States. What a process! Her adventures and whit are addictive.

THANKS AGAIN!! :)

Come to the Party!

One of the blogs I follow, Shabby Vintage Junk, is hosting a wonderful giveaway in celebration of her 100th post! Please head on over and take a peak at her lovely blog. She has such a great eye and a way with words! What a hoot! You just can't go wrong with vintage, and she has it down to an art. :) Go on over and visit and you will be glad you did!

This photo is from her blog, and some of the items she's giving away! :)