Okio B Designs

***You still have time to enter my giveaway here!***

After searching just about every Dollar Tree in a 10 mile radius for bottle brush trees, I was just about to give up. Luckily, I popped into Home Goods this morning and lookie what they had:

I'm so happy that I found these two pretties! And I love the fact that I really don't have to do anything to them. Right now they are on a shelf in my livingroom - right next to a Dollar Store birdie I picked up last year.

I also couldn't resist these little books this morning. They were only $4.99 each. I have them stacked on the diningroom table for now.

These are some other Xmas goodies I picked up from Home Goods last year.

And here's a view of my Xmas kitchen window shelf which is kind of like a make-shift mantel since I don't have one:

A lot more Home Goods goodies from last year here too!

The Crown is a recent Home Goods find. Not sure if you can tell but it's filled with some small Xmas bulbs.

Am I the only one humming: "Oh it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." these days?! =)

Jeanine

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Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving yesterday. We enjoyed a nice, quiet, peaceful day at my Mom's. I needed the relaxation because today I officially started to decorate for Xmas.

These are just little packages to put under our tree (which hasn't gone up yet) while we countdown to the 25th. With two little boys who still believe in Santa, I can't have the actual gifts under the tree so I decided to do some faux ones so it doesn't look bare under there. You can probably also see the shabby bucket I did a week or so ago. It's pleasantly filled with some red plastic ornaments from Ikea.

This is just a little envelope I made from some vintage sheet music. Got the inspiration from Pinterest. I sewed up the sides to keep it closed, and then added the button, baker's twine and jingle bell. The little tag says: "To Wish You Joy at Christmas."

Next I did a large Dollar Store matchbox - also with some vintage sheet music. I tied this one up with twine for a more rustic look. The "Compliments of the Season" tag I made using an image from The Graphics Fairy.

Lastly is this little shipping box that I wrapped in simple brown craft paper. The Santa image is also from The Graphics Fairy. I used some Ikea candy cane-striped twine for this one and added some faux greenery from the Dollar Store.

I have a bunch more to make and what's so nice is you can use any type of simple box. Maybe even one that you might have otherwise thrown out!

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday and Funky Junk Interiors:SNS.

Jeanine

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Because sometimes you just want to keep it simple:

Vintage scale, petite cloche with bird, white Xmas tree and a simple white candle which reads:

I am at Peace.

Linking to Faded Charm: White Wednesday. There is still time to enter my giveaway here!

Jeanine

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I'm pretty sure I saw this idea in Martha Stewart Living. I had the bags. I had the number stamps so it was really a no brainer and the kids think it's the coolest:

This is just a temporary hanging place. I'm still not sure where to hang them from nosey little hands. I got the striped bags off of Etsy over the summer and wouldn't you know it - there was exactly 25 of them.

So I stamped each one and then divided them into fours so I didn't have some ginormous (is that even a word - lol?!) banner to hang up. I don't know if you can tell but I hung them with some of my Joyeux Noel clothes pins.

The boys are very excited to fill them and then of course eat whatever goodies we add. I think it makes for a sweet countdown to Xmas this year!

Jeanine

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I don't know if these exactly qualify as bottle brush trees. I haven't been able to find them in my local dollar store or even at my local Target. These two minis are from Michael's and they go with one of their little Xmas villages:

I did not do much to the trees but I did paint both little wood spools white. Then I glued each tree on top. For my finishing touch, I stamped Joyeux Noel and Peace onto some tea-stained seam binding.

Then I kind of just draped them around each tree - tying the seam binding in the back. Two petite lovelies but not feeling the true bottle brush vibe so if anyone has any advice on where to find some bigger ones, I'm all ears!

Linking to Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday. And don't forget to enter my giveaway here.

Jeanine

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***Don't forget to enter my giveaway here!***

This basket sits in my livingroom and normally holds all of my favorite magazines: Country Living, Romantic Homes, Martha Stewart Living, etc. I wanted to make it a little more exciting so I turned it into a basket o' book stacks:

I picked up some old books this morning from the church thrift store and started tearing them apart once I got home. Once they looked good and old, I tied them together with some twine and added them to the basket.

The book stack in the front with the flower is one I bought off of Etsy a couple of years ago. I love the colors in the book stack to the left so I kept them as is. The one to the right I made last year and features some crowns from The Graphics Fairy.

Yup, I think this looks much better and my magazines are safely tucked in under the stacks!

Jeanine