Christmas Home Tour 2013

Welcome to my Home Tour 2013!

I have a lot of things to share this Christmas Season, but today I wanted to share Highlights for a Home Tour. I've been adding to the basics since right after Thanksgiving, and as time has progressed, I'm having a few more vignettes and details to show. But for now, I'll hit the high points of my main level rooms, that have been decorated in a little more "easy" and natural theme this year.(you can click on the photo, and then click again for a bigger image)

The Entry

I started inside this year, because outside we have about 9 inches of snow. I love snow, but it's nice to wait until after all the decorating's been done.

I've wanted the Christmas decor to be more simple this year; the older I get the more I want something that's easier to live with. I have tons of boxes and tubs of Christmas decor, but this year I've had to choose bits and pieces to make small groupings instead of dragging it all out, to then turn around and put all away in three weeks.

I love seasonal changes, and for me "Winter" is full of evergreens,

 paperwhites, and splashes of plaid.

Heading in to the Living Room

Kitchen

Hall Sideboard

The Sunporch

Hope you've enjoyed the Mini Home Tour.

I'll be sharing more this week,

as we get down to some vignettes and vintage pieces,

that are just for fun!

Joining these great Holiday Parties:

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Christmas Home Tour at Coastal Charm

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

The Inspiration Exchange at City Farmhouse

Creating Christmas at Must Love Junk

It's a Party at DIY by Design

Cottage Christmas Party at Fishtail Cottage

Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Creating Christmas at Mrs. Olson's

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Shabby Art Boutique

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Come As You Are Christmas Linky at Common Ground

sending hugs,

The Marketplace Showcase and A Give Away

Well, the snow and ice have slowed down my Christmas Shopping expeditions; I hate getting out on the streets. I've found some great gifts on line, so that's kept me busy and on top of things.  How about you, do you shop online alot for Christmas? We still have time for some major Christmas Shopping Fun! Here are some great links from last week, to get you rolling!

Vintage Santa Doll

Mission Jewels

Vintage Green Glass Salt and Pepper

the dancing wren

FYHeart Woodworking

Merry Christmas Decor Sled

Vintage White Ceramic Christmas Tree

NanNas Things

Pair of Floral Tole Trays

Vintage Goodness1

Vintage Display Theater Box

Blue Creek Home

And Today's Sponsor

Sweet Magnolias Farm

thanks Sara!!

And Don't forget to enter the "Pin a Pillow" Give Away that started yesterday and runs till Friday night. I'm teaming up with my sweet friend and sponsor Heather from Elliott-Heath Designs.

  Get the details HERE!

Party Guidelines:

This is a linky party that is for items that are FOR SALE only. You don't have to have a blog to link up. If you have a blog post about your items that's great too, but they need to be available to purchase. Please try to link to the individual item that you are selling if possible. Please be a follower of Common Ground and if you have a blog it would be so nice for you to grab the image below to share somewhere on your blog. (not mandatory, just nice).

Thanks so much for joining in for the shopping fun.

Remember this link is open all week, 

so check back in for newly added items.

Hope you have a great week!

Alrighty...Let's get The Marketplace going!

"Pin a Pillow" Give Away

I know there are a lot of you out there that are pillow addicts, just like me. Christmas is the perfect time to get your pillow mojo going for some added "decking the halls" fun. It's so easy to change the atmosphere of a room or space with just a few pillows.

 Whatever your style or theme this Christmas, 

Elliott-Heath Designs

has just the right pillow to add that something special to your Holiday Home.

Heather and I have teamed up before, for my 4th Anniversary Give Away, and she's one of my great sponsors. You may remember that she has tons of great designs for holidays and decor. Here are just a few of Heather's wonderful Christmas Designs:

Elliott-Heath Designs

even more designs...

Heather and I have planned a fun little way to get a Christmas Give Away going. We want to get the word out to all you Pinterest fans of her great pillow designs for Christmas. All it takes to enter is for you to go to her website and Pin your favorite Christmas Pillows to one of your Christmas or Holiday Pin Boards. On the right hand bottom of the page you'll find a "Pin it" Button, just click and add the pins to your board, then come back and leave a comment saying you did. If you leave a link to the board in your comment, you may have visitors. 

OK, here are the guidelines:

1. Go to Elliott-Heath Designs and Pin up to 3 of your favorite Christmas Design Pillows. Then come back here and leave a comment. (if you share the link to that Pin Board it invites traffic to your board.)
2. Like Elliott-Heath on Facebook
3. Share this Give Away on your blog, Facebook page, Pinterest, Twitter or the streetcorner. Just let me know in a comment (thanks a bunch!)
4. Be a follower of this blog, Common Ground, and let me know.

The Lucky Pinner will get to pick 

one of Heather's wonderful pillow designs

 as her Give Away Gift.

Get Pinning!!

and have fun,

Have a Cuppa Low Cal Hot Spiced Tea

There's a reason why I totally went with this great pic 

from Lipton of their Hot Tea.

I cannot photograph food.

or drinks...

at least not well enough to make it look appetizing.

I remember having this delicious hot spiced tea

also know as "Russian Tea" or "Southern Spiced Tea".

When I was young I could sip on this all afternoon.

I would make big batches of it, blissfully unaware...

But I stopped making it because of all the sugar.

It has a ton of sugar.

and I rarely use sugar.

Maybe Splenda or Truvia.

Before you could say "Brrrrr, It's Cold Outside",

I would have consumed hundreds of calories

and waaaaaay too much sugar.

not gonna happen anymore.

Recently Pinterest was abuzz with pics and recipes for this yummy cold weather pick me up, and it had me reminiscing about how good this recipe was, and how it warmed you on a snowy, blustery day. Like today.

These were taken from my front porch...

I'm not getting out in it.

Now that there is sugar free lemon flavor iced tea mixes and Sugar Free Tang, I thought, "now wait a minute. I can still have this without tempting the Diabetes that runs in my family". (do you ever think out loud?) I really don't want to rile that monster up.

(what did I tell ya, no way to make this pretty.)

Super simple to put together. I used generic individual Splenda Lemon Iced Tea Mix and No Sugar Orange Koolaid cause hubby couldn't find Sugar Free Tang. Then just added equal packages of both in a plastic container; plus some cinnamon, and Splenda or Sweet n' Low or Truvia to taste. I just use about 2 rounded teaspoons full in a mug with boiling water. really good, tastes the way I remembered.  And hey...it's like I'm 20 again! 

stay warm!

xoxo,

Be Inspired #167

First of all I want to thank all of you that came by last week and linked up with the party. Thanksgiving week is such a hectic time, so thanks so much for coming to the party! I enjoyed seeing what you all have been up to, and I know that we had lots of visitors over the weekend. Whenever I'm feeling a little low on inspiration, all I have to do is click thru the links of this party, you guys are so creative! Here are a few links from last week:

Rita from Mammabellarte has been busy painting, glittering, and sewing

 as co host for her wonderful California event, The Vintage Marketplace.

 I thought you'd enjoy seeing a few of her Christmas Creations.

Tart Pan Pedestals

Susan from Must Love Junk has this amazing chippy door on her mantel.

It's reversible, creating a wonderful backdrop for her Natural Christmas Mantel 

Love this adorable Hoopy Holiday Snowman
from Nici at Posed Perfection

The perfect classic is Christmas Red and White in the Kitchen

from Carolyn at Aiken House and Gardens.
I'm in love with that metal picnic hamper!

 Barbara at 21 Rosemary Lane shared a DIY

of her beautiful Williamsburg Traditional Wreath

Each year I see these Vintage Jewelry Christmas Trees  and I want to make one.
This one from Betsy at Coastal Colors
is framed beautifully in a vintage gold frame.
Perfect for a little Christmas Bling!

Elizabeth from Blue Clear Sky wanted something different this year and she chose  to sew up some gorgeous White Denim bags for her armoire doors. You need to hear where she found the fabric, great upcycle!

Amy from Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

shared the recipe for Nutella Pumpkin Pie.
Pumpkin and Nutty Chocolate?
yes, please.

thanks so much, gals!

Lets' get the party rolling,

here are a few courtesy guidelines:

Please remember to turn off word verification. I tried leaving comments that didn't go through. I'm sure others have tried also.

Please have an individual link back to Common Ground within your post. I'd love to feature you. This is just part of the Party Etiquette.

Please no direct links to Etsy or Advertising.

Link up to three of your current posts.

Take a minute to visit a few of the other links.

Please be a follower of Common Ground.

Thanks for joining in,

Today's Sponsor

Marionberry Cottage