"Snap Out of It"

 Do you feel "antsy" around the holidays? I do. For some reason, my list of "shoulds" increases twenty fold. I begin to make Martha Stewart comparisons; I think I should be baking every cookie recipe I come across; I think I should have my (handmade) Christmas cards addressed and mailed and; I think my home should be beautifully appointed with breathtaking Christmas decor...What the...! All the while, my life should be running smoothly; i.e, dinners on time, house always clean, business projects completed. I wonder what little kernel of an idea was planted that it should grow into this monster expectation? Doesn't matter...there it is, nagging at me like a whiny child. Hmmmm, maybe there's a clue!

Okay, so now, what to do about it? Get busy. I know, that sounds like opposite world, but the cure has to be to get out of my head and jump headfirst into the holiday. Weeeee....!

The first item on the Christmas agenda is to dig my little tree out of storage. Yes, it's a little fake tree, in fact, it was once a sad little Charlie Brown fake tree that needed to be rescued. This is a true Cinderella story. My talented friend took this sad little tree mounted it into a wooden base (which she covered in a yummy leopard print!) and proceeded to "ribbon and bead" this sweet tree back to life. Here are some photos to drool over.

 I wrapped some funky lights into the tree and then I decorate with handmade ornaments. I will blog photos of the fully decorated tree in tomorrow's post. :)

 This is such a great DYI project..truly a labor of love...but of course, enjoyed year after year.

Can you spot the dried anise pod? They are all over the tree at the tips of the branches, wrapped in with ribbon. They give the tree a wonderful scent.

Okay, tree is out, decorations underway! Have you begun? Or maybe you analyze less and DO more? Either way, it's all good! Happy decorating.