Christmas Outside

Hello everyone!

I grabbed my camera to snap some pics of the outside of my house just in time before it started raining.  There were mostly clouds outside and not much sun, so this is about as good as I could get for you.

I decorated my house in the same color scheme of red and white, this year.

Wreaths with red and white ribbon were hung on the windows.

Over sized red and white ball ornaments were hung from the porch.

Red ribbon was wrapped around the columns.

Garland with red and white bows surround the front door and a bright red polka dot stocking hangs front and center.  Little potted trees with lollipops anchor each side.

A bench is fashioned with pillows and a throw.

As you can see, most of the trees are bare now and the clouds are hanging low.

But the red and white colors of the decorations help cheer me up for now.

Here are a few night time shots.

Each year we shine spotlights on the house.  I like to see the house lit up at night among the trees.

The garland around the front door and the little potted trees shine brightly with white lights too.

Merry Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~

Linking to:  Wow-us-Wednesdays

A Few Spots Around the House

Hello everyone!

I have a few last areas to share, of Christmas decor inside my home, before I share the outside with you. 

My kitchen table got a little holiday cheer.  

A red and white snowflake table runner, potted tree, and a sprinkling of apples is all I needed to add some cheer to this area.

As you can see, the paper whites in the background are just starting to bloom now.

My powder room got a little pizazz with a wire basket filled with greenery and pine cones.  I added a small plaid ribbon for a pop of color too.

And finally, in my sitting room, I added this cute potted tree to a little stool next to the chair.  I love that the branches have small pine cones on them too.

So, next, I will share the outside of my home.  Can you guess what color it's decorated in?  If you guessed red and white ........................... you would be correct!  

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Linking to:  Cottage Christmas House Party

Christmas in the Family Room

Hello everyone!

Today, I'm sharing my family room decorated for Christmas over on my sister's blog, Savvy Southern Style.  I hope you'll pop over there and check it out!  

Click HERE to see it.

Hope you all have a great weekend too!

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~

Christmas in the Dining Room

Hello everyone!

I'm continuing my tour of Christmas decorations around my house.  The next stop is my dining room.

I did very little in here.  I used a simple potted tree in a galvanized tub with a vintage red and white grainsack in it for the centerpiece.  It's sitting on top of an old burlap sack with red writing on it too.  

On my sconce, on the wall, I hung some pine greenery mixed with a pine cone and plaid ribbon.

My sideboard has a few red apples on it and a small boxwood wreath hanging on the mirror above.

This is my favorite thing though.  My paper white bulbs have been growing like crazy.  They're almost ready to bloom now!

Here is the view from the foyer.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!  It is still ugly outside too.  Is the sun shining at your house because it has been missing at mine!  

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

More Christmas Cheer

Happy holidays everyone!

I thought I'd show you some more rooms in my house decorated for Christmas.  That's what everyone is doing this week, isn't it?

  I actually have another room to work on this month that isn't Christmas related.  My oldest son's room will be getting a makeover.  I have never shared it with you  because it has always been a typical teenagers room which is ALWAYS a  mess. So, we're going to be cleaning and painting his room soon.  I dread it though, because it's going to be a lot of work, but it really needs to get done!  

So, back to the rooms that ARE done and have some Christmas cheer in them. 

We decided to purchase a new tree this year.  It's a simple 5 ft pre-lit tree.  We dreaded the large one we had to put together every year and it took up so much room.  So, now we have one that is very easy to deal with.  However, my 12 yr old isn't a huge fan.  He said that the tree belongs on the floor, not a table.  LOL!  

We put it in this large galvanized pot to give it some personality and make it look more country.  I draped a folded tablecloth over the table for color and added some burlap bunting, that I made last year, for interest. I hung simple red and white decorations on the tree that have a homemade feel.

By the way, it is an ugly day outside, so my pictures aren't very bright right now.  And, I don't think it's going to get much better this week.

So that's some Christmas cheer in my foyer and front sitting room area.  Hope you are having a good week so far and getting your Christmas decorating completed too.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Linking to:  Wow-us-Wednesdays

Christmas in the Kitchen

Hello everyone!

I spent almost all weekend finishing up my Christmas decorating.  So, I thought I would share my kitchen with you today.  I did not want to do a lot in here because I'm going with a simple country look this year that doesn't include a lot of fluff.  Also, the kitchen is often in use so I don't have a lot of extra space for the "fluff" anyway.  LOL! 

In the main part of the kitchen, I only added some candy canes, red and white linens, and  pomegranates. 

In the eating area, I went extremely simple in there as well.  A simple wreath hangs in the window.

And paper whites are surrounded by mini crab apples on top of the cabinet.

This year, I'm loving simple things.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Chocolate Chess Tarts

Hello everyone!

Did you have a good Thanksgiving?  One of the things I took to my family's Thanksgiving this year were these little scrumptious pies.  They are so easy to make and soooooooo good!  What I love about them is that everyone gets there only little pie.  

You will need these ingredients:

small pie shells, sugar, evaporated milk, baking chocolate, butter, vanilla and eggs

Combine chocolate, butter and evaporated milk in saucepan on stove.

Stir together and heat until melted.

Set that aside and let cool slightly.  

Then combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl.

Add vanilla and chocolate mixture from the stove.

Mix well and pour into a container that will allow you to pour this into the pie shells.

Pour mixture into pie shells and bake in oven.

After 30 minutes in the oven, they will be done. Remove and transfer to a cooling rack.

I actually doubled the recipe to make more pies, but this recipe should give you at least 12 pies or more!

Remove from pie tin and enjoy!

I cut into this one so you could see how decadent the chocolate is inside!

I have had this recipe for many years.  A friend gave it to me from the Southern Living Magazine.  So, maybe you can try it over the holidays this year too!

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Chocolate Chess Tarts

2 eggs

 5 oz can evaporated milk

12 unbaked individual frozen tart/pie shells

1/4 c butter

(2) 1 oz squares unsweetened baking chocolate

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 sugar

Combine chocolate, butter, and evap milk in small saucepan.  Cook over low heat until melted and smooth.  Let cool slightly.  

Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl.  Add vanilla and choc mixture.  Blend thoroughly.  

Pour into unbaked pie shells.  Place shells on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.  Cool.

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Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~