Not Agian!

I must have missed my home more than I knew when I went to Wyoming because I have been doing nothing but piddling with decor ever since I awoke on the Sunday after my return.  Remember (like that's all you have to do) the post where I showed you my Christmas mantel? (of course you do, ha, ha, ha.)  Well just in case you don't here it is again.

I decided that it was too heavy on the bottom and too light on the top ( kind of like me - light in the brain and heavy footed on the floor).

Any way (as Ellen would say), I spruced her up a bit.  Here she is in her new attire.... similar but a little more color and style.

I glued wrapping paper on poster board that I cut to fit the shape of our mantel insert.  Then I antiqued it (or is it uniqued it?)  with a walnut stain and glaze mix.   I rearranged the pine bows so they no longer covered the entire mantel and sprinkled  fewer candles mixed with some glittered cinnamon scented pine cones.

I added a ceramic Christmas tree and a white bird with a broken wing.  I was going to cover the glass on the candle holders with a transparent sheet music print... but lost my steam.

After a good night's sleep, however, I covered wooden letters spelling out Silent Night with sheet music.

Do you think it will stay this way until Christmas?  It will if I find other things to occupy my time, like Christmas shopping.  I'm not much of a shopper, especially when everyone else in town is shopping.  We don't exchange gifts either, but He-man and I do host a Dirty Santa give-a-way, where we buy as many gifts as there are people and the gifts can be hand-me-downs, recycled or hand made. 

Before I left for Wyoming I was at Tara's and JD's and I took a picture of their mantel.

 She sent me a new picture yesterday.  She changed the position of her white candle holders, added the word, "family" and attached Christmas cards they have received to the large frame.  

Maybe that's because Tara and JD have seven stockings hanging from their mantel.  With that many people to keep track of and care for they don't have time to wrap their mantel in Christmas paper much less unique the darn thing!  

I remember those days... little children hugging my ankles where ever I went.  New Christmas lists written and thrown my way every time a catalog or magazine arrived. I felt lucky if I could remember where I hid the last gift that was on my kids list let alone deliver creative explanations as to why Santa couldn't take new requests.  

I remember my mom telling me all would be well, "These are the happiest times of your life," she would say.  Later when our little children turned teenagers and wanted high dollar electronics, she said, "Don't worry honey, these are the happiest times of your life."

Mom told me that with every new phase that our children grew into.

Mom was right.  Now that I spend these days piddling more and wiping no one's nose but my own,  I fondly remember when I had rows  of empty stockings waiting to be filled and umpteen presents to buy with far less than umpteen dollars to spend, I think this is the happiest time of my life

35.  I am grateful for do-overs.

I hope your Thursday is clean, safe and happy.  If you feel the need to do something over, I hope you bless yourself with a gentle response to try again.  I hope you remember and apply the wise words of an elder to your situation today.

 Yaya