Our THIRD Christmas Together, 2012:

Happy Holidays everyone! Our tree is truly beautiful and my pictures don't do it justice. 

Jason said last year that a Christmas Tree isn't Christmasy without red. So this year I incorporated the red, basically eliminated a lot of gold, and got rid of the Mariah Carey-esque bling. I really wish I could capture how truly beautiful it is. This is another Woodland tree from our yard.

Our 1st Christmas; My 1st Christmas Tree in Over 14 YEARS!

I wanted to share a picture of our tree. My ex didn't want us to get a tree while we were together, but I was determined to have one for 2010, regardless if we were in a relationship or not.
My tree was done on a budget. Basically I didn't buy anything but 4 ornaments from Dollar Tree, (total of $2.00) this season, and the tree was $35.00 I think. It was a REAL tree, no artificial tree for me, regardless of how messy the clean up is!
I got most of the ornaments from either Ollies on clearance for pennies, Goodwill, Cracker Barrel, and Dollar Tree clearance stuff from last season as well.
My boyfriend's ex joked about how flashy/ ugly my tree might be (cause she doesn't really know me), and I have to say, she couldn't have been further from the truth.
I saw a lot of trees posted this year and let me tell you, I think my tree was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
My pictures do NOT do it justice :( As always, you can click on the pictures to enlarge them!

The tree before it was decorated (below):

My mantle for the holiday season (below):

Fake SNOW! (below):

It's the Little Things that Make a Big Difference- Thrifty Find- Pier 1 Imports tv cabinet at Goodwill!!!

I made my rounds through this store, had about $30.00 worth of items, and there she was! I first noticed her legs, the dark brown wood--- ohhhh it was real, then I saw a very convenient pull out drawer in the front, loving the design, I open up the doors.... okay, a few chips out of the real wood and some scrapes- but hey, it's character, price tagged glowed with $99.00... okay, you usually find pressboard stuff at WalMart for around this price. All over in very good condition, hmmmmm, let's just push it away from the window and see if there is a tag on it---- yeah right. Pulling away and.... "EXCLUSIVELY FOR Pier 1 Imports" and then the date!!!!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!! I parked my cart in front of this! My cellphone dying in my hands I call my boyfriend and ask him if we can get it. I mean we just purchased a tv stand in November/ December that looks great in our home- from WalMart, but there was something about this Pier 1 piece. I got 'permission' to purchase it especially knowing I'd be spending $89.99 on it with my discount card! I told him I'd put everything else back and he said I didn't have to!! woo hoo! It took everything I could to walk away from it because everyone was eyeing it, and they didn't even know who had constructed it! I paid for it, had the woman put a "SOLD" sign on it because SERIOUSLY people were flocking to it! I had to clear my throat with a "eh hem it's SOLD" to some people. They were mad! LOL! It was mine! So I am waiting for him to pick me up and I am sitting super close to it. Watching ignorant people bust their carts into it, even watched a woman slam a handful of pictures/ picture frames into the side of it! I stood up, said, "EXCUSE ME!", pushed the pictures she was looking at back against the wall, smoothed my hand over the side of my entertainment console and she says, "Ohhh sorry" then goes back to looking through the pictures. I had to have the workers put it in the back or I would have had a stroke sitting there watching people abuse it and fondle it! As the girls put it out back, I heard a very large bang. To this day I hope it wasn't it, but I am sure it was.

So here she is!
It's not crooked, my house and apparently I am!
I am also thinking of staining the wood black with some IKEA stain that I got on clearance, and doing either an Oil Rubbed Bronze or a dark silver instead of the gold. It seems a little Moroccan to me or something. haha please ignore the short black curtains, I hope to find some nice long lighter curtains soon enough!


the sticker, I wish I could get a better picture, but I don't want to move it with our big honkin' tv on it.






the doors close, I just closed them over without latching them.


And this is the BEFORE:


linking to the fabulous: Debbiedoo!

Also linking up with Apron Thrift Girl:









Also linking up to Southern Hospitality:

Thrifty Finds 7/4- 7/11- Part 2:

Starting off with another FAVORITE find! Black and silver distressed ship book ends for- $3.99 then 10% off! It made me feel so good to hear the people behind me wishing they had it! bwah ha ha! My boyfriend is making fun of me saying it looks like something my dad would have owned, but whatever, my dad was creative and very crafty!
PS no I am not keeping them on my kitchen sink, it was hard to find a nice surface considering everything in my house is dark.







Beautiful box for .99 then 10% off that! SCORE!:





This was an expensive purchase, a large skeleton key for $7.99. I hope it was worth it! There is that ugly satin ribbon HOT GLUED to it and I hope I can find a way to get it off. I want to sand this down then spray paint it Oil Rubbed Bronze. wow, what a bad picture, it has the pronged teeth on the other end.



Another Pier 1 box with a working locking key! $3.99:



Got this cross because it is scrolly and has orange in it $1.99, I honestly didn't even see it was a cross until I got home, but that's fine:



Got this to most likely put a bird on $1.99:



Basket for $3.99 then 10% off (a few weeks ago):



This little box gets me, it almost smells like it is covered in toothpaste or crushed Certs! It was $3.99 and I didn't even realize it was half off when I grabbed it! So I spent $1.99 on this minty smelling, pretty box!:




Linking up to Debbiedoo's! <-- go ahead and click on her link, she's fabulous!

Also linking up with Apron Thrift Girl!


Also linking up to Southern Hospitality: