Merry Christmas!!!

This is a photo of a painting that my Great Uncle, Simeon Oquist from Stockholm 

painted many years ago.  A snowy Swedish country scene.

I love it!

Holiday Decor III

Where should we go now? 

How about the kitchen and sitting area.

my favorite pillow...

on my favorite chair... in my favorite part of the house.

This used to be a dinette area. 

Now it is a "come sit and talk to me while I cook" area!

I bought the tea towel at Williams Sonoma after Christmas sale on year

and

the red Le Creuset pot stays on the stove the whole season!

Notice the simplify sign...It's my new theme

I was going to take more photos but I ran out of time...
taking off to spend Christmas
with the grand youngens our west

Merry Christmas!

Holiday Home Decor part II

I didn't feel like doing much with lights this year but I did haul over some big leafless branches, put  them in pots with topiary forms in them and twisted little silver and gold balls and lights on. 

It looks pretty cool at night.

In the Library I like to hang Delft blue ornaments from the chandelier.

(My husband was born in the Netherlands)

I keep them up year round because I have a lot a of Delft blue vases in there. 

and...It's a Dickens thing...keep Christmas in your heart all year long ya know!

 Now to the dining room right off the kitchen....I love the whole Father Christmas thing

The Joyeux Noel framed Christmas card was bought on Ebay after a long bidding war.

My parents grew up in Quebec and I'm from Winnipeg so, 

this is an nod 

to all the Frenchiness I grew up with.

Santa was bought at a resale store three years ago

This one is my favorite as it reminds me of my mother's Swedish heritage. I love anything Swedish!
 I bought it years ago after Christmas at  the Ballard Design clearance center.

The table is always set 

...doorway to family room that was added on a few years ago.

Dang I love red white and black together!

I brought in a garden statue...why should it be all lonely and cold outside.
Wreath is from the dollar store and the topiaries? I dunno

Our Holiday Home Decor part 1

This is the last time I'll be decorating this house for Christmas so I'm feeling a little (a lot) sentimental. We empty nesters are down-sizing and simplifying this next year. I really want to...but...it will be hard. My husband takes one look at my office and shudders.

So now,  here's Christmas at the Boot house 2010:

I love my white tree, it shows all the jewel toned ornaments so well.

A few years ago I found some ornaments on sale that matched my living room furniture

Which I love! Yup I'm a black and white and jewel tones girl. The pillow (Pottery Barn outlet... only comes out at Christmas) just has gift wrap ribbon tied around it.

I love my nativity set, I bought it at a Dollar store...really!

I made a huge ornament topiary out of all my left overs.
Use it or lose it is my motto this year.
I brought in a metal topiary form that I had out in the garden and stuck it in an urn I had
 and wired on the Norna - ments...that's what my daughter, Melissa calls them!

I like the way it turned out.

Bright and shiny - that's how I like everything.

 Garland is hung everywhere....and not a penny was spent in decorating!!!

Santa, please... Bodabing !

Apparently, this is the perfect pant and I love EVERYTHING spanx!

Bod-A-Bing! Pant

$72

The secret slimming liner found in these perfect-for-travel pants keeps tummy, thighs and rear looking totally trim. Pair with a tank for a day about town or dress it up with a tucked-in blouse.

• New! Secret slimming liner now in black
• Improved true-to-size fit!
• Slims tummy, hips, thighs and rear
• Wide waistband won't dig in
• Wrinkle-resistant fabric is ideal for travel
• WEBSITE HERE

Last Minute (really?... already?) Gift

Last week I got my very first pair of fake Uggs....changed my life!!! 

Sooo comfortable!

I could shop, run around a few airports like I do every other week (really)

...and I was comfortable without feeling shlumpy

BUT

I've been trying to figure out how to get jeans to fit snug in without being all bunchy

Well here is the perfect solution!

WEBSITE HERE

Cool notice board & unique gift

If you  happen to have a silver tray with one leg broken off like I do....you can do this!! Just wack off the other three legs!

Awesome little gift

I love it when photographs explain the use of a product perfectly. This perfect little bracelet /utility hook sells for $20 and is totally useful.

I love it as a purse hanger in the car.
See the website HERE

Christmas wreath - big and beautiful

THIS..I will do...and probably tomorrow. This wreath is simple to make (just a low melt glue gun needed) and packs a punch. I like how it shows off particularly beautiful ornaments that sometimes get lost on a tree. I will be putting mine over a large round mirror that I have in the living room.

If you live in Atlanta...

The fall immediates show at the Atlanta mart is this Tues, Wed and Thurs.
 (Oct 9-11).

 This show is cash and carry EVERYTHING! Kids clothes, womens, gifts. 

Showrooms will be selling out their samples at wholesale.

The OVERHERE showroom will have a ton of Knuckleheads and Hula Mula samples.  Let me know  (in comments) if you want me to email in a guest pass for you. 

Once you're in, you will have access to ALL the show rooms and all the samples.

Yup, I'm nice like that! I would have loved to have that offered to me over the years.

silver leafing furniture

I'm a magpie. I love anything shiny or glitter. See furniture photo below. This is a very expensive piece I'm sure.

 I love this post I saw here on Little Green Notebook on how to silver leaf furniture yourself. There are great before and after  photos.

The OVERHERE showroom is finished...for now

There are still many things to do...add racks...find a couple more apparel lines...

Here is the showroom window. 

I love the vintage mannequins for Knuckleheads!

Oh...we decided to change the name of the showroom...the old name was also the name of a brand...
that I don't rep!

...and from the back of the room...the rack between the two tables is to hang clothes on as store owners put together outfits and decide what they want to order.

That whole wall on the right is all Baby Legs, then Diaper Dude (cool diaper bags for dad...it's time has come), then Hip Babies pearl jewelry, Mini Maniacs Bibs, Me in Mind and on the back wall is Pink Axle, then Ma Petite Amie, Scout Hula Mula and Knuckleheads

I love the Eames Eifel  sp?...tower chairs at the writing...as in orders...  tables

Showroom - In process

The showroom is finished and we had our ribbon cutting and first show.  

We never took pictures of how it all looked when it was done. Will do that tomorrow.

Fresh grey walls and a lot of decision making and nail biting!

I had samples and information on several new lines all coming in at the same time, and I would still have to memorize it all.

Those scissors were real! and very sharp

Ribbon cutting - (what a cheezy grin!)

We have room for another full apparel line. You know what's fun? Looking around the kids fashion world and going after lines that you like and want to rep. 

The Beginning...

Well here it is...It was the Baby Lulu showroom and now it will be Little Threads Showroom.

 Just a bunch of nothing right now. 

But the location is GREAT! It's right by the escalator...in the busy aisle!

Opening up a Showroom!

Now for something a little different.  I am opening up a children's wear showroom in the Atlanta mart (a huge combination of connected buildings in downtown Atlanta that I affectionately call "the great and spacious building" I'm fairly certain that it is the largest merchandise mart in the world. The building that my showroom is in (see photo)  has about 15 floors, a huge interior atrium and houses women's and children's wear, jewelry, purses and everything else a woman could possibly drool over. There are  samples, fabulous jewelry, and purses all at wholesale prices - if you can get it - which ain't easy!

There are plenty of blogs about design for the home, fashion, organizing, and saving money (all topics I love) but none that I have ever seen on an inside look at the kids clothing industry, with its trends, insider tips and hot topics.

So, here I go for awhile..... Come along with me and my new direction and new life as a kids clothing rep as I set up a showroom and see all kinds of fun things happening.....warning: THERE WILL BE GIVE-A-WAYS, donated to me by my generous brands, to give out to YOU from time to time.

Personal history - one day a year.

Love this!   ....Once a year books..... Its a family history project that you update only once a year! One photo of each child, once a year.

Unless you have more than one child.....