Christmas Home Tour Episode 2

Hello friends, I'm back today with the second half of my house tour.  Today I'm going to share with you the kitchen, the kids' room and a glimpse of the office.  My bedroom is pretty much central dumping ground, so no way are we going in there.  That would shame my mother so badly she'd quit reading this blog and I'd be down to about..... one reader.
When I was writing the last post and again on this one, my mind's soundtrack is not that of "Holly Jolly Christmas" or "Joy to the World"- it is Darth Vader's theme.  Seriously.  It's the whole use of the phrase "Episode 1".  I can't help it.  Even Tim knows it, as illustrated by the Christmas card he gave me two years ago...

But that's just me.  So while you are enjoying this leg of the tour, I'll be humming dun, dun, dun, dun, da, dun, dun, da, dun.  Without further ado, let's get ta steppin.

Kitchen

Here is the other place where we spend a ton of time.  Eating, doing homework, catching up on our days....

 Our kitchen is pretty dark, we only have the one window in it, and the door that is there currently, is a solid wood one.  The new one (with 3/4 glass!) is in the barn as I type, to be installed sometime...

Our little bitty island, is where the kids eat breakfast and I do the majority of my cooking and baking and prep.  It can get a little crowded, but it's what I've got and it works- mostly.  My pot rack is an old wooden ladder, we suspended it with the hanging hardware of an old Ikea rack.  I have some glass ornaments hanging from there for the season too.

 She was DYING to get in the picture.  She kept hiding behind the island.  She's a photo hog.

I was doing my Christmas card.  Gotta say, I got them from Staples this year, and I couldn't be
happier.  I loved the designs they offered and had a really hard time choosing.

 Back behind the island is the counter and sink area.  No I did not choose that counter top.  I hate it.  For Christmas I always add this black and white ribbon to my cupboards and clothespin Christmas cards to it.  I like looking at them when I'm working in there.  Looks like we don't have too many friends, doesn't it...

 Over the sink is this print I made.  I was inspired by a dishtowel I saw framed on Emily's(from Jones Design Co) kitchen wall

Here's my chalkboard wall!

I told you I love those vintage ornaments.  They are so beautiful.

Nestled in this weird little space is my new jam cupboard.  I just got it at the end of November.  It's a pretty old piece, but it's in great shape.  My little kitchen is always lacking in storage space (really, whose isn't?) and counter area.  This works for both.  I have a little hot drink area set up there, but usually it's filled with papers, Tim's wallet, change, you name it.

Ooooh, cookies!

This is another one of the signs I make

I got this great little number at Michael's.  *No deer were harmed in the making of this craft* He's made of cardboard.  Punch him out and put the pieces in the slots and you have a deer. 

Here's the kids' advent calendar.  My mom sewed the bags for me, and I did the awesome job (not) of cutting the numbers out of felt and ironing them on with that hem tape stuff.  I hot glued the clothespins on the board and there you have it.

Here's our eating area, all decked out for... a breakfast?  All I had were clementines, so just stretch your imagination for me a bit.

My new placemats I am in love with.  I got them at Chapters.  And son of a gun, when I put the link in I see they are on sale... I might have to get the red and black ones too.

I made this little boxwood wreath for the back of my chair from clippings from our yard.  I just wired them until I had a nice shape.

And a little bit of greens on the chandy for good measure.

Behind the bench is this piece I made.  I was inspired by something I saw on Pinterest and tried my hand at recreating something similar.  It was originally a dark, depressing painting of my grandma's. I snootched it from her yardsale and painted the frame up with a homemade chalkpaint, then painted right over the canvas with chalkboard paint.  I tried doing a free hand design- it looked like blech.  So I designed this beauty up on my computer and cut it out of vinyl.  Everyone loves this piece when they see it.  I wish I had a before picture.  The frame is dressed simply for Christmas with a red wood bead garland I picked up at Target.

Head down the hallway....

Kids' Room

To the kids' room.

I didn't go too crazy in here- but there are some fun touches that make it Christmas-y in here for them.

I made some pom pom garland and draped it over the top bunk, and over the window.  I also added a little homemade mistletoe ball (yes, that's what it's supposed to be).  I just cut out (weird looking) leaf shapes and hot glued them to a styrofoam ball.  I balled up some white felt and hot glued that on too.  It might look kind of junky, but they love it.  They were chasing each other around the house with it, screaming "I'm going to kiss you!" the first day  I made it.

A bunch of their own ornaments are on this little tree.  I thought they could enjoy them a little more this way.  I mean who wouldn't like Iron Patriot and a Timbit snowman in their Christmas tree?  Am I right?

They have a nativity in their room too.  I got it years ago, when my mom still had her store.  The kids love it.  It is resin, so it does chip, but they are pretty careful.  Elise loves playing with it.

The ombre dresser has another of my signs on it as well as a glittery bottle brush tree.

And lastly, what doesn't scream Christmas louder than a Lego Batman alarm clock.

Just a bit further down the hall, you'll see my yarn ball wreath.  I made it this year.  It's pretty darn easy.  Get some yarn,  Get some styrofoam balls.  Wrap them with the yarn.  Glue them to a wreath form.  It isn't quick.  But it's easy.  Just watch out for the hot glue.

Office

Oh, look who's waiting for us!

Holly, don't give me that look.  Seriously.  I don't appreciate the side eye.  You'll see another one of my trees behind her here.  It's just mostly decked in lights and buffalo check ribbon.  But it sure it pretty at night.

Last thing for today is my little printed paper village.  I found this cute village on Pinterest.  Go over to Thoughts from Alice for the download.  It is just too darn cute.  I totally adore it.  She is so talented.

I added a couple of bottle brush tree and called it done.

So there you have it.  Christmas at my house.  I hope you've enjoyed yourself as much as I have. Hope you didn't mind how LONG it was- thanks for hanging in there!  If you missed the first part of the tour, go back and check it out.  There's tons of glitter.  If you have any questions on where I got something, or anything else, leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear from you. I have to go back and wrap some more now before the kids get home.  See you soon!