Christmas around the house~

i walked around with my camera yesterday taking pictures of

Christmas at our house.  i love bokeh in pictures. that's the effect you

have when you get blurred lights behind a sharp image in a photograph.

when i first tried to get this look, it was a bunch of trial and error, (and a new camera lens helped) but i finally got it (kind of) and

 here's some photos with pretty bokeh to show you.

                                                                                                              just realized you can see my reflection...: )

o.k. not all the photos have the effect, but isn't this new ikea star pretty?

i decorated with a scandinavian twist this year. i've been inspired by pinterest!

this is one of my all time favorite decorating ideas. if you have a covered cake plate

or a cloche, you can make beautiful little vinyettes under them. (with bokeh)

a simple scandinavian window treatment hung on a birch log.

                                                                   fresh greens in one of wood boxes from the wedding was kind of fun to assemble.

i have a lot of beautiful ornaments that are special to me, but this one?

year after year when i unwrap this precious little angel and hang her on my

tree i am filled with wonder. she is my favorite ornament and i've had her for over 25 years.

 there was a time in my life when buying an ornament that cost $18 was

a big stretch. we had 3 small kids and hardly ever any money for such

frivolous things. a woman in alexandria mn. hand made these little darlings

out of sculpey clay and when i saw them in a shop, i was completely enamored.

i just love the little face and the tiny gold halo...the wings that are a little bent now

and her sweet expression. it reminds me of that time in my life

and how sometimes, you just ought to be spontaneous. 

if something is "talking to you" the way this little angel talked to

me, buy it and don't look back.

the corner of our piano and our

christmas tree in the background.

i don't have the bokeh thing down perfectly yet... the candle was supposed to

be in sharp focus. : )

i went with a lodge look in the family room. have you noticed how "in" that

is in all the shops and catalogs? we have this kind of outdated (but lars loves it)
knotty pine down there so it works with the antlers, plaid thermos's and my fab new 
birch bark star i think. 

                                                                                         these are real antlers guys but they almost look fake don't they?

                                                                               i'm a huge fan of buffalo plaid~

hi duke~

well, there's a little peek at our house all ready for Christmas.

i desperately want some snow though...we live in minnesota for crying 

out loud. this green grass has me very confused, in fact, my youngest

offered to tear down an old picket fence in the back yard today and

he's having a bonfire and burning it up along with lots of

fall leaves. 

it's december 12. 

seriously~

 so confusing.

: )

now i know you have baking and shopping and wrapping and

resting to do, so talk to you later.  have a

great weekend~

xo, beth