Christmas Decorating

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We sure did! It was a very relaxing and calm day, so you just cannot ask much more than that!

I am not very timely with my blogging. However, I do keep my promises! And I promised more decorating pics of my house...so here you go! I hosted a couple of Christmas parties at my house this year, so that was a lot of fun!

This is the outside! I never got a picture at night with all the lights on, so just use your imagination! It really did look pretty! Notice the wreaths on the dormers...I hung outside the windows to get those things to stay! I still cannot believe they stayed up!

Living room and main tree!



Mantel (sorry for the blur, I was in a hurry!)



Dining room. I did not go crazy in here, just some greenery on the light fixture with ornament balls hanging and a centerpiece.

The dining room table centerpiece.

I got this little house in Frankfurt, Germany at the Christmas Markets! I love it!


Breakfast area in kitchen with my travel tree. I really love my travel tree!



Getting ready for a little party....

The start of the Christmas cards coming in! My friends have the cutest kids (and dogs!)!

It was really fun decorating this year. Since this was my first Christmas in my new house, I had to start from scratch decorating! That was a bit of a challenge, but I already have ideas for next Christmas!

Can you believe that it is almost 2010?

Painting

My major in college was accounting. I really have no creative juices running through my blood...I am not kidding!! But when I see something I like, I can do my best at copying!

My friend, Amanda, has found a new passion and she is really good at it! There is a lady in town who does "the original girl's night out" and offers paint classes! You show up with appetizers and wine and a blank canvas in front of you! I walked in with the idea that I would support Amanda in her new passion but took note of the trash can sitting by the door where I would place by sad little non-creative snowman when the class was over! I also showed up for the wine (I won't lie)!

So, when the class started, I thought, what the heck..."Tippa, leave your anal tendencies outside and just give it a shot and don't worry that it is not perfect...remember there is a trash can beside the door!" That exact thought went through my head!

So, that is what I did...

We started out with a blank canvas. The instructor drew in the border to help us.We were told to draw out our snowman's body using grey paint and start filling it in with white paint. Then, start on the background.
Then the border...
That's me with no analness!
Looking good!
Even better! (Ok, the instructor did the flower, I have to be honest...but the rest is mine!!)
Amanda and I and our little creations!
The artist!!!!
I think she turned out really cute! I should learn to throw out my analness more often!

Bloggy Friends

I started blogging as I was preparing to move to Europe back in late 2006 and 2007. I wanted a way to document my travels and adventures so my family and friends could keep up with me and see pictures. At the time, I had no idea I would connect with a wide variety of people across the country and abroad through the internet. Some bloggers have become really good friends and I feel as though I know them better than friends who live within a few miles of me.

A few weeks ago, my friend Danielle visited the South for the very first time. Danielle is The Design Girl who designed my blog and photography blog (coming soon!!). She is from LA and wanted to experience a true fall...and meet some cool bloggy friends. I decided to make the trip to Nashville to meet her as well as a few more friends whose blogs I read on a consistent basis. When I told my parents what I was doing, they both sort of freaked out and thought I was nuts. I showed my parents each of their blogs and said, "see, they don't look like killers!!!". Ha!!! My mom glared at me.....

See, they don't!!!

Danielle, Amy, and Jill

Jill and I

I still cannot believe I did not get pics with Danielle and Amy?!?! What was wrong with us, girls?!

It was so fun connecting with them. I felt like we were all old friends getting together and hanging out. We walked around downtown Nashville and stayed at Amy's beautiful home.We laughed as we talked about our parents and friends sort of freaking out about meeting people on the internet. Each of us had to make calls to our families and let them know we were ok!! It was hilarious!

I so much enjoyed meeting each of you girls! I cannot wait until our next adventure and you are all welcome in my home anytime!

I also got a chance to catch up with Angie and Jessica. I found Angie's blog over a year and a half ago and have been blessed by it more than words can say. I also started reading sweet Jess's blog as well! What a crafty lady she is! They were both just like you would think they would be...so warm, down-to-earth and lovely. Again, that experience was just like sitting down catching up with old friends! They took us on a little adventure down the Natchez Trace to see the beautiful fall leaves......and it was an adventure! So so much fun! Thanks ladies!!!!

Bloggy friends are the best! There are many of you out there that I hope to get to meet one day! Until then, I will continue to connect via this crazy world wide web!

Christmas Decorating (Work in Progress)

I had so much fun over the weekend pulling out all of my Christmas decorations that I had not looked at in over 2 years since moving to Europe. I did not do much decorating in Brussels because I came home for Christmas so I didn't even bring most of my decorations with me so they were in storage in Memphis. I have always loved decorating for Christmas and when I bought my first house I went crazy buying decorations, lights, a huge tree (that spins!!)! It was truly beautiful!

Throughout all of my European and world travels, I made it a priority to buy an ornament from every place that I visited, almost to the point of irritating my travel buddies! Ha! I managed to pick up an ornament from most places and I am so glad I did! I knew I loved them when I bought them, but now, they are true treasures. As I was unpacking them on Friday, I began to tear up as the memories flooded back of that particular trip. It's moments like this that I realize the past two years were real and not just a dream!

I wanted to share a little sampling of my treasures (yes, there are more!).

Belgium at its finest....chocolate, beer, and fries (yes, fries came from Belgium, not France)
Brussels, Belgium
Vienna, Austria
Paris, France
London, England

The Netherlands
Mediterranean CruiseDubrovnik, Croatia
Ephesus, Turkey (also known as Kusadasi)
Santorini, Greece
Prague, Czech Republic

Christmas Markets in Frankfurt, Germany - I picked up a few other items besides an ornament at the market, like this little house. I want to add it to my Christmas village...you know, as soon as I start one!

These little ornaments are hand painted with such incredible detail. The back is the exact same as the front. Gorgeous!


Capri, Italy
Positano, Italy
Waterford, Ireland
Disneyland Paris, France
Budapest, Hungary
Brugge, Belgium
Copenhagen, Denmark
Sweden - Sometimes I just had to improvise when I could not find an ornament!
Edinburgh, Scotland
Berlin, Germany - This was a piece of the Berlin Wall. It was originally suppose to be a necklace, but I made it an ornament.
Original German nutcrackers! I love them!

Normandy Region of France

Christmas Markets in Cologne, Germany

Christmas Markets in Aachen, Germany - I love this nativity scene!

With all of these travel ornaments, I needed another tree! I decided I would like a travel tree in my kitchen, so, well, I put one up and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Christmas Markets in the Netherlands (in a cave) - Pam and I went to a Christmas market in a cave last year and had so much fun. We bought so many goodies! I need to take more pics once I get everything placed! I plan to frame this little Santa and hang it during the holidays. Maybe next year!

This is a beautiful tablecloth. I will take another pic once it is on a table!
I finally have my main tree up and decorated along with the outside of my house and the mantle. I will post pics soon!

How is your decorating going?