PineCone Placemarkers

Everyone had a great time at our Thanksgiving.  We did dinner pot-planned (it's like potluck but you tell people what to bring) so it wasn't too much work for me.  DH cooked the turkey.  All I had to do was pre-clean the house, make stuffing and eat pie. Since I used paper plates, clean up was a breeze.

Part of the fun this Thanksgiving was making the placemarkers for our dinner table.

I don't remember where I got this idea, but it was really fun and simple.  I cut 1x2 inch squares of card stock paper and wrote everyone's name nicely on them.  Then BG finished it up with hot glue, toothpicks and a cinnamon scented pinecone.  I think you can figure out exactly how they went together. 

This is a cute and pleasant smelling craft for any kid to put together. 

...I wonder if this can pass for a Christmas decoration, too?  I'm just joking.

Our Table

I thought that because it is Thanksgiving week I would wait to show you our big Christmas Tree.  Because you know, it's Thanksgiving.  And Thanksgiving is about eating.  You can't eat without a table, well you could.  We did for 6 years in LA.  But it's so neat to have a real table that everyone can sit at for the holidays this year. 

Here's our table.  Seating for 7 adults and LG .  BG and her two cousins were at the picnic table that I brought inside. 

Yeah, I know.  That is Santa Claus in the middle of my table.

I have a confession to make, I don't have any Thanksgiving decorations.  Maybe that is why I put up the Christmas stuff so early.  Because I'm loving the season and all I've got is Christmas stuff?

I'm lucky I even have the Christmas stuff.  When we were in LA we had one of those table top sized trees that we used on a side table 'cause our coffee table was for dining.  I didn't decorate anything else.  (BG asked me where we hung our stockings in LA and I told her we didn't.)  Now that we have space, I really enjoy filling it.

I've received a few items as gifts over the years, most of which I didn't care for.  I picked up some ornaments that I loved which had been discounted the day after Christmas a few years ago.  Last year was the first year I got to buy my very own big tree and I had a ton of fun decorating it.  I picked up a few other things, like stocking holders for the fireplace.  This year there has been a bit more shopping.  I figure I should at least get a good sized Christmas arsenal before I start buying for any other holidays.

Back to the table.  I really wanted these turkeys from Pottery Barn, but have nothing to go with them.  I was thinking that since I already put up the little tree and it's right next to the table, I needed to match the tree.  So red placemats it is.  Red is a Thanksgiving color, right?  The little Santa was a gift I received from my MIL years ago.  He fit perfectly on my skinny table. 

I didn't totally miss the Thanksgiving holiday.  I found these great Turkey paper plates.  They make me laugh. 

The Small Tree

 You may have noticed that I've been working on the Christmas decorations.  No, I don't think it's too early.  In fact, I would rather put it all up too early than after the Holiday Break from school has started which I was afraid would happen if I didn't jump on it now.  

Part of my motivation to get everything decorated was my Dad's visit last week.  He's single and doesn't really put up a tree unless someone is coming to his house.  This year he is traveling everywhere, so no tree.  I thought that he could share in the holiday spirit here during his visit.  Mostly he got to see the empty trees and all the decorations in the boxes still.  That's okay.  

The small (and new) tree was the first to go up.  While taking a quick trip to Walmart with my Dad, I saw this tree for $20 and was wanting a "kid" tree so that I wouldn't have to share the big tree.  I'm a little OCD with the tree decorations.  This tree is all kids.

If you look you will see that most of the decorations are in the middle of the tree.  At one point BG was reminded to put ornaments on the top of the tree, too.  There are no decorations on the bottom of the tree.  We hand strung some fresh Honey Nut Cherrios that will be fed to the birds after the holidays, if LG doesn't eat them all.  There are even fake presents, thank you empty Harry & David boxes from last year.

While school is out for the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm going to take BG shopping to get a few more things for the tree.  It needs a skirt and plastic ball ornaments because all the ones I own are glass.  I should be able to share with you the completed look sometime next month.  

I am glad that I picked up the second tree.  It's perfectly sized to be next to the fireplace with the stockings and our rocking horse.  The horse stays there year round.

All this early decorating wasn't without consequences.  BG put her hand in my stocking and quickly pulled it out because she felt a spiderweb.  While evicting our unauthorized tenant I discovered that it was a Desert Recluse.  It's like a Brown Recluse only the West Coast version.  Still poisonous though.  I really hope that it enjoyed the garbage disposal.