Ever have one of those days/weeks/months where you just get nothing done ?  My list of projects to finish this week was a mile long, but I barely made a dent in it.  There were cabinets to paint, stockings to sew, emails to return, laundry to finish, a household to run, and children to take care of.  But when your little tykes are ill, it’s just about impossible to get anything done, or to get any sleep either. 

During our walk downtown running some errands, we happened to pass the local Christmas Fanstasia shop. Just try walking two small children (who wholeheartedly believe in Santa Claus) past this charming display behind beveled glass, and resisting their request to visit.  It’s completely impossible.  

So despite all my best plans to check off some of those items on my long list, I stopped, and then welcomed this little detour.   

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One of my most favorite blog sisters is Liz at It’s Great to Be Home.  I discovered her last summer when she was writing all about her adventures in home improvement, design, and do-it-yourself projects.  She and her hub recently flipped a home, and the story of their renovation was so interesting and most informative.  I’m one of Liz’s biggest fans, so I was delighted when she accepted my invitation to contribute to Guest Blogger Week. 

Please enjoy Liz’s insightful tips (and video!) on transitioning your fall table in an easy and inexpensive way. 

Here’s Liz ! 

Hey guys! I’m so excited that CG asked me to share a little something with you during Guest Blogger Week – here we go!

It’s that time of year when every time you turn around there’s another holiday that demands a whole new slew of decorations – or maybe not! Here are a few tricks you can use to easily transition your décor from Thanksgiving to Christmas, saving you some pennies and giving you a ton of extra time to spend with your family:

· Keep your greenery fairly neutral. For me, greenery is the “foundation piece” for a holiday arrangement, just like a sofa is for the living room – that’s why I try to keep my greenery neutral so that I can use it throughout the holiday season and make it feel new and fresh by adding some holiday-specific accents (like berries, leaves, etc). Try simple greenery with pinecones, and avoid greenery with glitter or faux snow that can lock you into a specific holiday or theme.

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When I first got married ten years ago, I started collecting Christmas decorations.  Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I’d always dreamed of having my own home filled with the sights, sounds, and scents of the season.  Every year, I like to add something new to my growing collection.

This year I was inspired to create some decorative pillows with felt. The nice thing about felt is that it is inexpensive, it doesn’t fray, and it adds just the right amount of coziness for those upcoming winter months.  I wanted to create something bold, something stylish, but nothing too busy.  Poinsettias were my inspiration.

Here’s what I came up with:

Red version, up close:

If you want to create your own version of these simple sew poinsettia pillows, here’s the step-by-step.

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With so many great submissions, we’re kicking off Guest Blogger Week early!  Today, I’m featuring a new and talented blogger named Janel Kaden Doran and her blog Dinks.

Janel shows us how she crafts some extra special touches during the season for her Thanksgiving table, and not a moment too soon since the big day is upon us !

Enjoy these simple and easy tricks for dressing up your seasonal tabletop, including Golden Twig Place Card Holders, Purple Flame Place Card Holders, a multiple use Starburst Bow, and a Giving Thanks Simple Place Card Holder.

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