Rustic Room Christmas decorating

I've rustled up 10 different inspiration rooms in case you are the rustic type when it comes to decorating.  That has been my favorite Christmas look for over 15 years.  Started out because it was cheap, but I loved the natural materials and smells so much my taste hasn't ever changed.

Have a beautiful holiday.

Eclectic Family Room by Charleston Interior Designers & Decorators Stephanie Woody

Rustic Family Room by Gettysburg Media & Bloggers Mustard Seed Interiors

Eclectic Dining Room by Other Metro Media & Bloggers Louise de Miranda

Rustic Dining Room by Webb City Media & Bloggers Michelle Edwards

Contemporary Family Room by Columbus Photographers Julie Ranee Photography

Spaces by Webb City Media & Bloggers Michelle Edwards

Traditional Kitchen by Evanston Architects & Building Designers Kipnis Architecture + Planning

Traditional Living Room by Alpharetta Lighting Christmas Lights, Etc

Rustic Living Room by San Diego Interior Designers & Decorators Leanne Michael L U X E lifestyle design

Traditional Spaces by Arlington Furniture & Accessories Warehouse 67

How I Want to Remember Myself

No make up

No jewelry

Just looking at the light

At peace with where I'm at

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

Our resident Celiac Girl is here to share her latest baking achievement:

The no-roll crust is seriously the best thing ever.  We'll start there:

1 1/2 C gluten-free flour blend
1 1/2 t sugar
1 t salt
1/2 C oil
2 T cold milk.

Mix together and press in pie pan.

Then for the pumpkin filling mix:

1 15 oz can pumpkin
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 C sugar (brown or white)
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t EACH of cloves, nutmeg, and ginger
1 C evaporated (or regular) milk

Pour filling into pressed in pan crust dough.  Preheat oven to 450.  Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce heat (leave pie in oven) to 350 and bake an additional 40-45 minutes.  Insert a knife to check if it is done.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate mix, Jumbo batch

20 C dry milk (the largest box at Walmart)
3 1/4 C powdered coffee creamer
3 1/4 C plain baking cocoa
10 C powdered sugar
2 boxes of candy canes, crushed

Put in a large container with a 1/3 C measure as a scoop.  Then use to mix with one cup hot water.

Makes about 100 servings. 

One Bucket Down

Great news.  I think....

I've been grouting the tile whenever I'm in the mood to get messy, so pretty often.  It took longer than expected but today marked the finish of the first bucket o' premixed grout.  Still have more to do but considering we bought 5 buckets we've got WAY more than enough.

Western Decor Products

The cold weather has me thinking about warm and cozy western design again.  I've decided I want to make insulated plaid flannel curtains for the camper.  Sounds fun, right?  When summer comes I may lose my motivation, but since it'd keep the heat out too, I might be up to it!

Eclectic Table Lamps by San Francisco Furniture & Accessories Pottery Barn

Fires are so romantic.  I'm thinking about putting one of those fake fire space heaters in my master bathroom.  The tile is so brrr on these winter mornings.

Eclectic Fireplace Accessories

Traditional Throws

Tropical Firepits

Asian Products (but I maintain it has a western edge)

Blessing and a Curse

Ancestors Love

I have felt this before in gentle but powerful ways.  My foremothers are a loving influence on my direction.

Everybody....EVERYBODY!

One of my favorite writers Martha Beck once wrote a small piece about the people we see ourselves reflected in.  You know,  like the group of people we think of when we say, "Everybody feels ______ about me."  Or "everybody thinks this about ______.

If I remember it right, our EVERYBODY is usually just 5-10 people whose opinions we value and/or have certain spots in our life.  Sometimes there are members of that "group" we don't even agree with or respect, we've just grown accustomed to the idea that we should be in fear or obedience to them by keeping their hypothetical judgements as part of our choice making.

It was an "aha" moment for me as I realized through the end of the article that *I* could reconstruct my Everybody just as she suggested.  It was many years ago (pre instagram, twitter and the like) when I took in her suggestions that even authors or dead celebrities or whomever from where or whenever could be in our chosen group.

Well, that just changes everything,  right?  Feminists from the past who fought hell and high water to get me a few freedoms are gonna give me a certain grace that a privileged person from another arena might not.  It was my choice who judges me.  Even if it's all in my head.  (Which it already was/is anyway, right?) 

Just a few days ago, this idea popped back into my mind.  I could do this with my social media!   Instead of grasping at people to like me or worrying that they didn't,  I could raise my vibration to taking in the updates and energy of those I want to emulate and feel encouraged by.  It really is a switch for me in making the media serve me rather than feel fearful and tossed about by it.

In that vein I'd like to mention Taylor Swift's instagram feed was super empowering this morning.  And I'm off to my weekend.  Hope you love yours ♡.

So much to do with that Pallet

One of the great bonuses of getting our building supplies in bulk and delivered on a truck is all the pallets they arrived on.

We've got the fresh clean pretty ones out in the backyard "weathering" the natural way (not like this) and as I looked out over the one that is still out there I started daydreaming what it should become.  Do you have any votes?

Here are my ideas so far:

Source

Because, hey...why rip them apart when you have perfectly spaced areas for lettuces?

Source

Casey wants a more enclosed electronics cabinet so this might not happen.  It'd be a good style for a buffet table in our dining area, though.

Source

This looks like a pretty fast way to use them without much effort.  And we do need a new bed....

Source

Not sure, but I'd add some stain on these maybe.  We could use sidetables in every room in this house.  Quick and useful.

Source

From Barn to House

This is one of the most gorgeous looking trends....says I who loves barns of every kind anyway :).

Here's some of my favorites (scroll through):

Hairstyle Inspiration, Rita Ora

No, I didn't get my haircolor ideas from her...I didn't even know she existed until recently.  But watching a couple of her videos just now, I realized she and I are doing a lot of very similar colors.  But her cuts are longer, so I thought I'd gather a group of pictures here for styling ideas once mine gets this long.

I'm still loving blonde!  (But that pink she threw in there makes me miss that a little too)