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December 23, 2015

Merry Christmas

 
 
Merry Christmas everyone!  It's such a wonderful time of the year and I'm hoping to take the next few days to savor these Christmas moments and enjoy good times with our family.  My kiddos are bursting with excitement over the holiday and I want to soak it all in.  I am so thankful for all of you that stop by to read this blog.  I truly appreciate it and hope your Christmas is filled with much happiness.
 

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours. 

XO,
Becky


December 21, 2015

Christmas Treat | Chocolate Toffee Bark

 
Christmas week is upon us and I'm hoping to take time this week to relax and enjoy time with my family, indulge in delicious food and celebrate the birth of Christ.  My shopping is done, my presents are wrapped and my house is decorated.  They only thing I still hadn't done was to decide on what I would bring to our Christmas gathering, so I gave this recipe a try.  Really an easy one and so, so good!  
 
 
 Chocolate Toffee Bark
 
Ingredients
 
50 saltine crackers
1 cup of butter (2 sticks) I use real unsalted butter
1 cup of packed light brown sugar
2 cups of milk chocolate chips (not semi-sweet)
topping of choice (m&m, almonds, pecans, etc.)
 
Method
  1. Preheat over to 325.
  2. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Then line crackers on pan.
  3. Place butter and brown sugar in small sauce pan and heat over medium heat until boiling about 2-3 minutes.  Stir constantly.
  4. After it's bubbly remove from heat and pour over crackers.  Spread with butter knife over crackers. 
  5. Place pan of crackers in oven and bake for about 6-8 minutes.  Mixture will spread evenly over crackers.
  6. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over toffee.  Let them melt for 2-3 minutes and then spread evenly with knife over toffee
  7. Add topping and place in freezer for 30 minutes.
  8. Once chocolate is hard remove and break or cut into pieces. 
*recipe adapted from here
 
 
Have a Merry Day!
 
 

December 16, 2015

December 15, 2015

12 Days of Christmas Home Tour Highlights

Our 12 Days of Christmas Home Tours finished up yesterday and I hope everyone enjoyed them!  It's been a fun couple of weeks getting a peek into everyone's home all decorated for Christmas.  I love seeing all the pretty decor and fun traditions.  And tomorrow is the day when you can link up your home tour and it will show up on all 18 blogs!  I can't wait to see your home decked out for the holidays!! 

Today I wanted to share a few photo highlights and links to all the blogs that participated.
 





Shine Your Light     •    Driven by Decor    •    Suburban Bitches

 
Grab a cozy blanket and your favorite beverage and enjoy!  Come back tomorrow for our link party and you can link your Christmas Home Tour. 
 
Have a great day!

December 10, 2015

A Few Fashion Favorites

 
I'm all about comfort most days with my wardrobe and I think you can still look way cute doing it.  During the Cyber Monday sale I did a lot of my Christmas shopping for others, but I also took a little time to shop for myself too :)  I scooped up a few cute and comfy pieces to add to my closet that I though you might like as well.
 
 
This one-button fleece wrap is super cute and it's still on sale for $39 in 12 different colors.  I went with black, but thinking about getting another color.  For sizing reference (because there are 3000 + reviews to sort through) I'm 5'5" and a size 4-6 and went with a small in this.  I like the size.  It covers some in the back, but not a full coverage.  So if you want more coverage size up.  But I like the length with these flare jeans (which I'll get to soon :)


Awesome bootie!  I really love these for everyday running around and they are still stylish for dressy occasions too.  The low heel makes them super comfortable.  The fit is true to size and I bought the putty suede color which goes with EVERYTHING!  They are currently full price, but worth it!


These jeans, also on sale for 40% off, are not overly flarely which I love, but still make me feel taller and slimmer.  Yes!  The fit and comfort are great, and length wise with heels or a heeled bootie they are perfect!
 
And because they have been so popular and we are talking about comfort...these riding boots are still marked down.  As mentioned before, they also come in wide calf
 
http://thisishappinessblog.blogspot.com/2015/01/2015-holiday-shopping-guide.html
 
So how is your Christmas shopping going?  I was telling my husband yesterday that I have done 100% of my holiday shopping on-line so far.  I'm reaching the end, so we'll see if it will stay that way.  Anyways, while I've been browsing the net for gifts I've also been adding them to my Holiday Shopping Guide.  If you are still struggling with a gift for someone, take a look and maybe it will spark an idea.
 
Have a Merry Day!
 
*affiliate links used 
 

December 7, 2015

Decorating with Minted Artwork

Thank you all so much for all the very sweet comments on my Christmas Home Tour.  They really made my day (and weekend!) 
 
Are you like me and have several blank walls in your home that still need to be decorated?  Sometimes it's so hard to know where to go to find a unique piece of art that fits your style.  I have used Minted for the past few years now to order my Christmas cards and invitations, but I am now also a huge fan of their artwork.  Did you know that Minted is an online marketplace connecting you with independent artist from all over the world?  And they source their pieces through on-going art competitions.  They have lots of designs to choose including photography art, custom pieces, children's artwork, fine art, foil press and more.  Here are a few that caught my eye.

 
 
 
Blue Fish Wish (how adorable for a kid's room, right?)
 
 
In case you missed it, I used this gorgeous print above on my mantel for my Christmas decorating this year.  It tied in so perfectly with my home style and my holiday decor.  It's called Folksy Joy created by the talented Jennifer Morehead who is a not only a doodler and art designer, but a mother and wife as well.  I love the quaint, rustic print Jennifer created.  Framed in the hand carved whitewashed herringbone frame, it added the perfect festive touch to our Christmas mantel.


Minted has so many unique pieces to fit all of your art needs.  Whether you are decorating your own home or needing a gift for someone, they have so many great options.

Have a lovely day!

*Thank you Minted for partnering with me.
*Affiliate links used


December 4, 2015

Welcome To My 2015 Christmas Home Tour

 
I love the cozy feeling the holiday season brings.  All the pretty lights, garlands, wreaths and ribbons placed throughout our home all in preparation to celebrate Christmas are all so comforting.  This year I'm honored to be part of the 12 Days of Christmas Home Tours with such a wonderful group of home bloggers.  Before I show you my tour, did you happen to see Pam at Simple Details' Christmas Tour yesterday.  Her home is so beautiful and her décor is always so gorgeous.  And today, Paige at The Pink Clutch is also sharing her Christmas home tour along with me.  You will definitely want to check it out!  And for a complete line up of the tours, I have those listed at the bottom of this post.  So much inspiration from this talented group.
 
So are you ready to see my holiday home tour?  Let's take a look...
 
 
The last couple of years, I've kept my holiday décor fairly neutral with a touch of red.  This year my decorating color scheme was definitely influenced by the colors in this gorgeous artwork on my mantel from Minted.  You can see a peek of it in the collage above.  It's called Folksy Joy and I love the quaint, rustic print the artist created.  Framed in the hand carved whitewashed herringbone frame, it added the perfect festive touch to our mantel.  So this year I incorporated hues of blues into my holiday decorating and I'm so happy with the change! 
 
For the front door and porch décor, I used a live boxwood wreath and live pine garland from Trader Joe's.
 





The mudroom and study/piano room are the first rooms you see when you enter our home from the garage or the front door, so I added a little Christmas cheer to each of those spaces.  The boots and scarf are a couple of my favorite fashion pieces this winter and have been on heavy rotation.  My stockings are from Etsy and the wrapping paper is from HomeGoods.  The basket and red wood cranberry bead garland are World Market finds.  The Christmas tree garland draped on the piano is a simple DIY from last year. 

I usually like to write a one world message in the center of my boxwood wreath.  Last year it was "joy" and this year with all the violent attacks recently "peace" seemed more fitting.  Praying for peace.





In the dining room I set the table with natural color chargers, simple white dinner plates and these darling dessert plates I found last year at Marshalls.  You can see the sweet deer in the picture above.  They came as a set of four, each with a different design.  I love them!  For the center of the table, I used fresh garland, which last a pretty long time especially if I spritz it.  I was a bit stumped on what to use for the center piece, so I went with this rustic galvanized planter that I had from Birch Lane and I filled it with small presents.  I continued the blue color in here as well with the blue striped napkins.

 

 
Moving on to the kitchen, I really kept it the most simple in here.  A small Christmas tree, mini wreath and cocoa station add a few festive touches.  The navy plaid pillow is a Target find.

 

In the breakfast room I added a couple of live boxwood wreaths on the shutters and a few holly berry clippings in the center.

 


And finally our Christmas tree.  It's such a wonderful feeling relaxing at the end of the day near the soft white glow from this tree.  As for decorating our tree, I like keeping it simple.  We put all our ornaments on the tree from the homemade ones to the more expensive blown glass ones.  The kids love seeing the ones they made or were given, and I love the memories each one holds as we unwrap them.  I think it's so pretty and a little more special with them all together. 

You can get a better look at my beautiful Minted Artwork on the mantel.  It tied in so perfect with my home style and décor.


Someone else loves the Christmas tree too.  My little shadow was by my side with every space I decorated and then joined me while I photographed too :)


So that wraps up this year's tour.  Next up on Monday, Lauren from Bless'er House and Amanda from The Tale of an Ugly House will be sharing their holiday homes.  And for a complete line up you can see the whole gang below.  We are also sharing on Instagram under the hashtag #12daysofchristmasbloggertour if you want to follow along there. 

And finally a huge thank you to Jenny @ Evolution of Style for putting it all together and inviting me.  And to Lisa @ Shine Your Light for the beautiful graphics.


12/14  Simply Sarah Style | Rough Luxe 
12/15 Tour Highlights   
12/16 You in our Link Party
 
This Is Happiness Holiday Inspiration
This Is Happiness 2015 Holiday Shopping Guide
 
We can also keep in touch here:
 
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*And to quickly update you on my other holiday group...Amy from 11 Magnolia Lane and Amanda from Dixie Delights also shared their homes this week for the Holiday Open House hosted by 11 Magnolia Lane.  Hop over to their blogs and take a look at their pretty decor.
 
Have a Merry Weekend!
 
*affiliate links used