What Now? After the Holidays Thrifty Finds

I usually get a little bummed out after Christmas. If I could arrange things (like the world calendar) to my liking, I'd make Christmas a whole season - 3 months long! I find the whole process of Christmas enjoyable. 


Then, when you've decked and trimmed, baked and cooked everything in your path, for about a two day period, you celebrate with loved ones and eat too much. After that, it is pretty much over. Even though it is not officially over until January 6, everyone gets back to regular life. The tree gets dry.  I usually take it down on New Year's day or soon after as I did today.


Have you ever noticed that everyone is so excited to help get the tree up and decorate as soon as possible? Mysteriously, when it is time to take it all down and put it away, no one is around. How does that happen?


One of the things that bums me out is that things go from looking great in the fall, right into Christmas, then my poor house practically looks naked. I know this is a good time to redo, so I'm doing that. BUT, while we're on the subject, I was wondering what all you creative types in blogland do after Christmas? Do your homes look naked too? From January to April when plants begin to green up and bloom around here, it is so BORING outside. I would LOVE some good ideas for how to decorate your porches, window boxes, etc. 


After Christmas, if there is one thing to look forward to, it is CHRISTMAS CLEARANCE! I usually buy wrapping paper and gift bags then. I only bought one roll this year - neutrals and metallics. I am preparing for a white/neutral/natural Christmas next year! I like to coordinate my wrapping paper with my room. How compulsive is that?


Here are some other items I found:

I may keep it natural, or I may spray it white. It cost $1.00. It was on 50 percent off at Goodwill. It is a candle holder, but I took the candle holding apparatus off.

I think I mentioned I have a thing for trees. I just find them to be so charming! Here's the find I am so excited about incorporating next year:

It's a little crooked now, and needs to be fluffed up a bit and tweaked in the right places, but I can just imagine it in a lovely urn with small ornaments  on it! It was originally $19.99, and was 66 percent off at Hobby Lobby. If my math is correct, it was about $6.80. It's about 4 feet tall!  My new friend Lynn's blog - Shabby Story, had some lovely Christmas ideas this year! I particularly liked her small tree in a watering can.

Source: http://shabbystory.blogspot.com/2011/12/vintage-water-can-tree.html

Isn't that tree adorable? Her whole home is lovely - you should definitely go check her out!

I also like these, though they appear to be painted silver or white. I'll probably leave my tree green. 

Source: Pinterest from www.laurieannas.blogspot.com 

(original photo source unknown)

I also took advantage of 50 percent off at Walmart, and got some cute white glittered pine cones. They were about .50c each. They clip on instead of hanging from a hook. 

When I found these, I was at Walmart to purchase paint for my living room. I REALLY want to paint it. But, with all the other things I needed to do today, like take down the tree, mop the kitchen and main bathroom, finish cooking some of the things I hadn't gotten around to, and doing a little laundry, it just didn't get done. 

BUT, I have paint. I'm going to try a test swatch today at least to see how I like the color. It's a stock off white - and I bought flat instead of eggshell. Apparently EVERYONE in town wanted to paint this weekend. The shelves were very picked over, and they didn't have eggshell in the color I wanted. We had painted my daughter's bedroom in flat, and it is really a lovely finish, if you don't expect a lot of wear and tear. I think the living room can handle it. I have painted pretty much my whole house with Walmart paint, and I like it. It's WAAAY cheaper than other paints, and I have heard from more than one person it is made by Sherwin-Williams. Anyway, I'll do a test patch and tell you how it turns out later!

Word for the Day:

Deuteronomy 11:8-15

 ⁸ Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ⁹and so that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ The land you are entering to take over is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you planted your seed and irrigated it by foot as in a vegetable garden. ¹¹ But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. ¹² It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.

¹³ So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— ¹⁴ then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. ¹⁵ I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

May you receive all the blessings this new year has for you!

-Revi

Frequently Found at these Parties:

Sunday

http://my1929charmerblog.com/ Sunday’s Best
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ Creative Blogger's Party

Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com Metamorphosis Monday
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/ Show and Tell Monday

http://makingtheworldcuter.com/ Making The World Cuter Monday

http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/ Motivate Me Monday 
http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ Creative Blogger's Party

http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/ Show Off Your Cottage Monday

Tuesday

http://www.knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/ Knick of Time Tuesday

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Wednesday

http://eisymorgan.blogspot.com/ Inspired by YOU Wednesdays
http://www.fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/ White Wednesday

http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/ Primp Your Stuff Wed

http://moderncountrystyle.blogspot.com/ Fall In Love Wednesday
http://restoreinteriors.blogspot.com/ Restored It Wednesday
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/ Wow Us Wednesday
http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ Penny Pinching Party

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/ - What’s It Wednesday

Thursday
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/ Under $100 Link Party
http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ Suzy's House Party
http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/ Transformation Thursday
http://www.the36thavenue.com// Share Awesomeness Thursday
http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ Thrifty Thursday
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ Hookin' Up With HOH Thursday

http://katherinescorner.com/ - Thursday Favorite Things

Friday

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Feathered Nest Friday

http://www.missmustardseed.blogspot.com/ Furniture Feature Friday
http://www.remodelaholic.com/ Fridays on Remodelaholic
http://redoux.blogspot.com/ Friday Redoux Link Party
http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/ Frugal Friday
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ Frugalicious Friday

http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/ Potpourri Party
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/ Inspiration Friday

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/ - Flaunt it Friday

Saturday
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ Saturday Nite Special

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/ Show and Tell Saturday