Easy Christmas Wreaths 2014 Ideas

Whether adorning your front door or decorating your mantel, try one of these stunning Christmas wreaths this holiday season.

Mix classic elements, like winter berries and sprigs of greenery, with trendy accents, like textured feathers, to create a traditional yet updated wreath. Design by RMSer marykay.

To create a designer worthy wreath, add in silk flowers, like magnolias, hydrangeas and winter berries. Complete the look with a few metallic feathers and trimmed ribbon to hang. If you have a tall door, tie the ribbon high above to maximize impact, but have the wreath hit at eye level. Design by RMSer Leanne Michaels Interiors.

Combine magnolia leaves, berries and pine cones with unusual vegetables, like artichokes, for a nature inspired Christmas wreath.

The holiday season is all about glitz and glamour. Dress up a plain wreath with ornaments, pine cones, ribbon and leaves in your favorite metallic: bronze, copper, silver or gold.

Use two textured ribbons, like velvet and brocade options in complementary hues, to create a beautiful bow at the bottom of your wreath. Fill out the rest of the wreath with ornaments and flowers. Design by RMSer Leanne Michaels Interiors.

Get crafty with a paper wreath. RMSer lindsay 5402 uses old sheet music and pages from a dictionary to create a one of a kind Christmas wreath.

Glittering flowers are combined with vintage owl ornaments for an enchanting Christmas wreath. A snowy landscape adds interest to the typically empty center. Design by RMSer Barbara Ann.

Go the simple yet stunning route by letting the beauty of a fresh evergreen wreath take center stage. Hang the wreath with patterned ribbon and add in a few pine cones for texture and interest. Design by RMSer Leanne Michael Interiors.

Classic ornaments in a variety of sizes are used to create a festive and bright front door wreath. Gold ribbon provides the perfect contrast to the shiny red glass balls. Design by RMS laurabruen.

More Memories Of San Diego

Just in case you've missed my Pinterest page, you might want to go there and see over 8,100 photos posted there, just click here. And also, I'm only posting on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from now on unless something extraordinary comes up. I'm leaving weekends free.
*

Our granddaughter, her hubby and their 2 girls have been here for eleven days and we have loved having them here. Do I even need to say how tired this ol' lady is having 2 great-granddaughters in the house? One is 3 1/2 months old, one is almost 3 years old. Caroline is a pistol and keeps us hopping.

She also loves perfume!

When she saw the perfume she had to smell every single bottle. Her favorite is Cabriole, which is close to her name so we call it Caroline. She runs around with bottles in her hands most of the time. Hubs was afraid it would spill but I've tightened the caps and tried to retrieve them when she was loosing interest in them and put them back.

Then the other day I caught her in there. She had moved the chair in our bedroom over to my dresser and got up. A few days later, we went in there and she wanted to see the perfumes—on a wicker tray—and I told her she'd seen them enough. Well, that little chick got the little pink ladder I had sitting in my bedroom over to the dresser and climbed up it herself. I cannot believe her problem-solving skills! This will serve her well later in life. She's really, really smart, but we all think that of our progeny. Right? This kid is something else though. You tell her something and she does NOT forget. We've had to hide things from her because of that.

Then there was the melt-down at Michaels. She loves craft stores. But she cheated herself out of some craft items by melting down so we had to leave the basket of items behind while we took her home to bed. Then she saw Target and told her mummy to go to Target. We asked her why and she replied, "Just trust me. Go to Target, mummy." We didn't! 

They're leaving tomorrow so we're going out to Jack in the Box tonight for salads or whatever they want. I love those kids!
*

We lived in a house on West Mountain View Drive in San Diego during the mid-1960s and loved it there. The family across the street was also a Marine family we knew. I introduced them to baked beans and they introduced me to...well, let me explain.

We were going to have a BBQ one weekend and I said I'd bring the baked beans. This family was Hawaiian so she said they'd bring teriyaki chicken. It was absolutely fantastic and that's how I make it to this day. Chicken marinated for hours in soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Then put it on the grill. That's it. Better than any bottled sauce ever.

She said her kids didn't like baked beans. I made them anyway thinking they can at least try them if they want. They did and loved them. I had to give her my recipe for baked beans then.

Then one day while my kids were playing with hers I sat and talked with her in the kitchen while she was making something for their dinner. As she prepared it, she gave me a piece to eat. It was fishy tuna fish with some vegetables and rice wrapped in seaweed. I gagged. Luckily, I had a napkin to wipe my face and surreptitiously wiped my mouth and discarded the food into the napkin. I thought it was horrible but I'd never say that to someone. I then excused myself to go home and throw it out. Quite embarrassing actually. I love fish but this was very fishy-tasting tuna. I can't stand it if it has a strong fish taste. That's why I'm not eager to taste something from someone's kitchen anymore. I just say no, thanks, I'm not hungry and let it go at that.

This couple had 4 kids and she became pregnant with her 5th. When I asked her what she was naming it, she said, "Zelda, because it's our last one." I thought she was kidding; she wasn't. ;-) Lovely family.
*

Love this little living room. Just cozy enough for me.

One of the most darling wreaths I've ever seen created! Oh my.

One of my ideal patios to have.

Who makes these gorgeous cookies? Stunning bows, roses and flowers.

Sigh...

These can't be real cupcakes. How did they make the pearl centers?!

I'd consider this one of my favorite kitchen tables.

A darling handbag.

Frilly pink gloves.

Gypsy, BoHo or Magnolia Pearl? Beautiful!

Another adorable kitchen...for people who like to cook. Not me!

I've done a similar thing to my entry into the family room, but I'm thinking of doing it to the living room into the dining area now. It just needs something more.

Another gorgeous living room I love.

Just too cute for words.

I thought you'd like to see this picture frame. Isn't it cute and unique?

*

It would take a jumbo jet about 120 million years to fly across the Milky Way galaxy.
~*~ 
Linking up with NMH Open House Party.

A Book I Read

If you've read my blog for awhile you know that I am not a chick flick-type chick. I love action movies and books. After all, I'm married to a retired Marine and my son is a former Marine and relatives are Marines also. My brother-in-law is a professor at the War College in Pennsylvania.

I read a book several months ago and started laughing immediately. Now, this wouldn't be remarkable except this wasn't a book of humor; it was a murder mystery. Let me tell you about it.

These 2 guys—cops— are looking for a certain bad guy. The main character, one of the cops, in the book—let's call him Bill—goes into an old barn where some bikers have their Harleys and asks for a certain guy. Of course, none of the bikers will give their buddy away since this is obviously a cop looking for one of the bikers. They act tough, talk tough, threaten Bill, and then they hear a noise.

Somewhere outside the door someone is humming the Ghostbusters theme. The bikers seemed a bit confused at that. Then the door bursts open and in walks this guy looking like a ghostbuster with a flame thrower. (I'm laughing so hard just typing this I can hardly type.) He points the flamethrower at a wall of lockers inside the barn and incinerates the whole wall. The bikers try to look and sound tough and then the ghostbuster turns his flamethrower outside the door where their Harleys are and incinerates one of the Harleys. They give up their friend faster than slick on snot. (Forgive me, but I love when the bad guys whimper!) Then all but the one wanted biker get on their Harleys and get out of there faster than a 747 jet airliner. Bill and the flame throwing ghostbuster—a cop also— look at each other and Bill said: "Was it something we said?"

I laughed so hard I barely made it to the bathroom. I loved that book! :-)
*

This dining set is adorable. Love the way she has enchanting pillows on the chairs.

Who could resist such a lovely florist?

A darling home with roses-covered picket fence.

This could be a place on a side street of Carmel.

My absolutely favorite food—donuts!

Sparkly covered boxes.

Another darling cottage with pond.

Simple eye candy.

Love these rose wreaths.

Not sure what it is but it's cute.

A place to dream and dream about.

Beautiful decorated bottles.

I know it's not usually snowing this time of year, but isn't this scene gorgeous?

A secret place.

I'd take this chair in a heartbeat!

*

Tidbits:
Hot dogs take more than 20 years to break down in landfills.
~*~ 
Linking with NMH. 

Children Never Grow Out Of Some Things

I'll remind you again to visit my Pinterest page with over 7,000 photos of gorgeous eye candy. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Just click here.
*

How do I put this? Hmmmm...Well, I guess I could just say hubs has a hard time finding something in the house I've asked him to find. Usually it's a pantry item. He'll look and look and swear it's not there. While I'll know for a certainty it is. So then I go to the pantry in the kitchen or the smaller one in the laundry room or the shelves we have in a spare room to hold extra food items. I'll find it immediately unless we really are out of it, which is unusual because as soon as I'm down to my last 2 cans I'll put them on our shopping list to buy more. So I'm rarely without something I need. This applies to just about anything in this house besides food items.

When our son was here a few weeks ago, he came out of the guest bathroom and into the kitchen and washed his hands. I queried him about why he didn't wash them in the bathroom. He said, "I couldn't find any soap in there." His father and I just looked at each other. There are 2 sinks in there with a bar in a dish at each sink, 10 bars in a pretty dish holder between the sinks and several more bars in a drawer in there. Son is 49 years old and still can't see something right in front of him. Sigh.......He is soooooo like his dad!
*

Some of you who have been followers for a while might remember a book I was reading about the Secret Service, the men who protect our presidents. Here's another story.

A vice-president who espoused family values told his secret service detail to take him to the elegant St. Regis hotel. They took him in the back door and to a room on the fourth floor. He then asked them to come back in 3 hours. They then understood he was having an affair with a woman. They left him there unprotected, a clear dereliction of duty. As agents they were embarrassed because they were facilitating his adultery and felt like pimps. They couldn't look his wife in the eye after that. I never give the names but you can buy the book and read it to find out all the little secrets involving men who lead us.
*

Sweet home on a soothing pond.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous rose wreath!!!

Lovely lined laundry basket.

Adorable kitchen.

Beautiful living room.

I love this print fabric!

Sweet old tins.

A lovely old bottle with a stopper that just won't stop! Magnificent!

Now, this is what I'd call a tiny bedroom.

Pretty little sachets wrapped up with roses and bows.

Lovely lace garment.

Pretty jewelry.

A fantastic wreath. I don't think the flowers are real though. I'd love it no matter what. It's beautiful.

Love these fabric roses.

Pretty close-up of a gorgeous pink rose!

*

Tidbit:
A single Formula One racing tire costs about $1,200.