New Year! New Arrangement!

There are two things I believe about taking down the Christmas tree:

1. You should ALWAYS plan to do something fun after you take down the tree. This does NOT under any circumstances mean eating black eyed peas. Regardless of how I was brought up, I refuse to believe that Christmas being over equates to eating something that tastes like dirt. (My mother doesn't really like black eyed peas either but I think she felt a little guilt ridden at the prospect of not cooking us up a pot of good luck for the New Year...)

2. You should ALWAYS do something to spruce up your living space with the festive stuff comes down. A New Year means a fresh start and this is the perfect time to clean out and liven up your dwelling place. New pretty things that you received over the holidays should be out and visible, while the items you've outgrown or outdone should be given away, thrown away, or, in the least ideal situations, stashed away. We are absolutely busting at the seams in the Sigler household so I am using the long weekend to reorganize several "hot spots" in our home and I have spent most of my short morning at work researching furniture placement techniques and drawing up a diagram of our living room. I'm reworking our space this weekend! Much to what will be my husband's great joy, I have found that I needn't move the larger pieces of furniture. According to the rules of best utilizing a small space (and most importantly, the rules of our comfort), the couch and sofa are already in the correct placements. There are a couple of little things that can be switched out, however, and I cannot wait to see what the new arrangement will look like!

I have also scored a new piece of furniture from my grandmother! I cannot wait to get it and, if it looks as great as I think it might, show you pictures! I think my weekend may also include a small bucket of robin's egg blue paint...

I found this pretty picture this morning. I love the color palette...
http://housemartin.typepad.com/housemartin/images/2008/04/20/lushcolor.jpg

Here's hoping you all have a wonderful New Year's!
Cheers!

Christmas Eve Eve!

Just thought I'd share some pics from the "treat making" at the Sigler household last night!I know I've already posted pics of our tree, but we've set it up on cinder blocks and packed the bottom with gifts! So fun!
These are our stockings! I quilted Caleb's last year while we were still engaged and I did mine this fall...his is bigger, which I regret. :) The stocking holders were made by Caleb's PawPaw!

This is my ornamented mirror above the dining table....

and this is the dining table! I love our table suddenly looks "Christmasy" with it's red and gold poster on the top! The little linens are lace pieces Mama brought back to me from Venice last spring and the gnome napkin holders were on sale for $2.99(!) at William Sonoma.

This is a pretty shot of our apartment. Teensy but very festive, I think! It is SO cozy to lay on that couch and enjoy the tree with my hubby.

Speaking of my hubby...here he is dipping Oreo truffles into the chocolate! He's so much better at this than I am, that I let him take over while I snapped pictures.

I love this shot of our "baby stove"...that's what I call it. See how little it is? I like to say it was custom made for me. :)

NOT my best picture but when Caleb protested to having his picture on the blog, I promised him I'd put one of myself "as is" as well....

I think we did a pretty good job...

Have a WONDERFUL Christmas, friends!!

Much Much Love,

Casey

Christmastime Is Here!

I am absolutely embarrassed at how long it's been since I blogged. I've been really conflicted. We've been so busy preparing for the holidays and working and seeing friends and I'd so much rather be actually doing the things I'd blog about than taking the time to blog about the things I'd like to be doing. :)

But it's time! I want to catch up a little before Christmas. This morning felt new and thrilling...the first day of Christmas week! Despite having to go to work (even on Christmas Eve!), my heart feels full of anticipation. I love this holiday! Our pastor spoke on Isaiah 9 yesterday. The prophetic words of Christ's life just sent chills up and down my spine. He reminded us that we are living life FROM victory, not TOWARDS victory, all because of the little Child God sent to save us from our sins. How beautiful!

Caleb and I have been entertaining like crazy the last couple of weeks. It's been so fun! We've actually managed to host (including ourselves) 8 adults and two babies in our teensy apartment. The trick is 1.) Shatterproof ornaments on the tree and 2.) Having a husband who will flip pancakes or help fill tea glasses at a second's notice. It's been an exercise in hospitality in small spaces and as I say, it can only get bigger from here!

I haven't even updated on Thanksgiving! Unfortunately, I don't have all my good pictures uploaded to the net yet. Our internet at the apartment has been running exceptionally slow. I promise, however, to upload some pics of my mother-in-law's silver service soon. I took some really good shots of it and I was fascinated by it at Thanksgiving. She has an entire cabinet full of the stuff!

Here are some pies at the Cannon/Overton feast. Caleb took this shot and I thought it was particularly pretty.




We're presently hosting some of our friends from Asbury this week and I have it on my schedule to make Oreo truffles with them tonight or tomorrow. I whipped them up last year and they were a pretty big hit. I'd love to hear from some of you ladies as to what recipes you'll be making/giving away this year.

Only three more days until THE Day!

Much Love,

C