A Blogger's Christmas

Hey there! Hope you guys had a great day.

I know it's crazy to be thinking about Christmas yet and everyone who drives by Christmas decorations going up is probably grumbling under their breath (including me) but people ~ things are different here in blog land! We start EARLY!

The advantage to starting the seasons early is that it really and truly allows our family to enjoy the seasons longer and live more in the present instead of rushing to get decorations up a week before the holiday. So although it is painful upfront it is SO worth it in the end.

So...I may or may not have been invited to participate in an online home tour this season (my first ever, yay!) so I am spending some time planning out how to transform this home into a beautiful Christmas oasis over the next 3 ½ weeks. This is not going to to sit well with my "to do" list but it is an opportunity I cannot and would not pass up.

A blogger home tour is basically an online tour of different design bloggers homes during a day, week or month long period. There is usually one or two hosts and the participating bloggers have a set schedule when their home tour and post has to be live on their site. Then all the bloggers link to each other's sites which is nerve wrecking but so exciting! I to hope be broadcasting the official announcement here soon.

I have been brainstorming and researching ~ between school, work, snacks, dinner, bath time, bedtime, etc ~ Christmas and seasonal decor that fits my style which tends to have a coastal cottage feel. But lately I have also been inspired by traditional reds, greens and Christmas plaids. What do you love to see in Christmas decor styles? I would love your input. Below you will see some of the ideas racing through my brain. Let me know what you like!

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On a side note have you guys seen these vegetable centerpieces? They are gorgeous and edible! Fellow Charlotte area blogger Emily A. Clark wrote a great post about them and you can check it out here.

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So what do you think? I need your help!

Coastal Christmas, traditional plaid Christmas, rustic or winter white Christmas? Gold is hot right now and I think there will be a lot of gold going around so I would like to try something a little different. Maybe some bronze and wood tones?

My final note on how this ties into my 30 day series is that I am pre-planning. Normally when I go in a store I lose my mind. Literally, I get lost and don't know where I am, like I am outside of my body. I know that sounds weird but it's true. Confessions of a shopaholic?? Anyway, being in this type of biz it is hard not to want to buy the latest trendy things and shop for great bargains.

But as you know I have sworn myself away from stores this month and I am doing everything I can to create with what I have and what I can find. If I do have to venture into the unchartered territory of Home Goods or Hobby Lobby, I am going to be prepared so this is my planning session. I don't plan on visiting any stores unless I need crucial supplies that I don't have or can't borrow. I am breaking the chain of aimless shopping.

Over the next couple days I will have a 30 days update and a really yummy and oh so simple dinner recipe for you so stay tuned.

Thanks for being here and see you tomorrow!