Hostess gifts and IKEA

Here is a few quick ideas for hostess gifts from IKEA.  Nothing expensive just a little gift to say thank you for having us.  Everything is under $10. 

You can't go wrong with Christmas napkins.  They are the best gift as you use and discard. They have a variety of designs.

Tea towels are nice. Especially festive ones.

Not everyone enjoys scented candles. Or they have their favorite scents.  So maybe consider white taper unscented ones.

Maybe pick up a few of gift bags for bottles of wine.

Hope this helps. It is also a good idea to have a few items on hand.  Napkins and gift bags already at home could save some time and energy!

Wrapping things up

 It is hard to wrap our head around but in a week and a half Christmas is here.  No idea where December went let alone the rest of the year.  It will soon be time to take stock of the year and start a fresh one with possibilities and plans.

This year was different.  I'm going to use that word as parts were hard and parts weren't.  We are still in a pandemic but things opened up.  We got to go to restaurants, sit on patios, take in a few shows and be with family and friends.  Oh yeah and get vaccinated!  

The hard parts were still not travelling outside of province, numbers rising and still restrictions. Thinking of we were clearing this only to be into another wave. Things are again tightening up before the holidays with numbers rising.  

This year was making the best out of what was available. Sitting on those patios, BBQs, cottages, the beach, family and friends.  Grabbing our wins when we could and shifting what was important. Supporting our community buying local.  One of us purchased artisans gift boxes all year as they are struggling with less craft shows and less people coming to the ones that were open.

So we are heading into another year in a pandemic. Another holiday season.  There is no point in being bitter of what we can't do. Everyone is in the same boat - word-wide.  If family can't get to you shift your thinking - Zoom.   Opening presents together via Zoom.  Decide to make the most of what we can do and what we have. What about making a care packages as a family for the homeless?  Check in on neighbours or people with no family near. 

We have some control over how we spend our holidays - our attitude is a major one. Decide now no matter what restrictions are in place to be positive. What ever plans you have to change, you are going to take a breath and make the most of it.  What we can do? What can we do differently?  Maybe you will find out differently is the new way to go!

Holiday Collections Anyone ???

 Turning the calendar was a bit of a shock.  How did we get to the last month of 2021? What happened to 2021?  Remember March 2020 and being told March break would be extended for a week due to COVID19 well.....we know how that went down and here we are rolling into 2022 and the world is still dealing with it.

Enough of that we want happy posts.  So we decided to showcase a few things worth collecting and displaying for the holidays.  In no particular order.....

Christmas trees.  One of us has collected glass Christmas trees for a few years. It is a beautiful collection as they come in different colors and can be placed in grouping or as a single tree.  Yes glass so can be put on the bathroom vanity so a splash of the holidays.

Nutcrackers.  This was debated to include as some like and a few others find creepy. All individual choice.  Have seen one collection going up the stairs which was a neat way to display. 

Holiday mugs and/or Santa Mugs.   Inspired by Charm (fabulous eye candy blog). Has a Santa Mug collection which he display.  This is a neat item to collect as you actually use them.  You can swap out your mugs for your holiday mugs end of November (if not before) and enjoy.  

What about holiday sweaters!  Snowflakes, ornaments, maybe the Grinch!  Something fun to pull out.

We know someone who always collects a Christmas ornaments during her travels. It is a small memory she pulls out every year.  Imagine having a tree full of travel memories.

Snowperson would be in-line with Christmas trees. Something fun to display during the holidays. Really they could be out all winter!  Such a great variety in various materials. They would look great in a grouping or scattered throughout the house!

If you have a collection please let us know. It is fun to collect a specific item and display.  Are you thinking of starting one?  Let me know.

Happy Holidays.

Time to evaluate goals of the past year

 We are rolling into the last part of the year.  Looking back we thought we'd evaluate some goals of the past year.  

• Purging check.  One of us did Project 333.  Check it out so worth doing. 33 items for 3 months. Makes you evaluate what you actually want to wear.  Ended up getting rid of a lot of summer clothes that didn't make the cut.  Didn't miss and felt like enough clothes to wear. 
• Cleaned and purged under kitchen cabinets.  Everything out, cleaned and less back in.
• Cottage rental. So good and needed. Read books, painted and general had days of doing nothing.
• Did some hiking this fall. Weather perfect for hiking in the fall.  Warm but less or no humidity.
• Yeah happy to say made it to a few patios this summer. Felt normal. Even tried a new place downtown which was cool.
• Bought a few artisan gift boxes. This year a major to do was support local artisans. Purchasing gift boxes was an easy way.  More than one artisan in the box. Look for them in your area. Support local.
• Tried a few on-line paint classes. A few of us did one together - very neat. No we won't be showing or work!!!!
• Book club - maybe not as frequent as we wanted but did manage a few.

Overall it was a good year so far. Family and friends safe. Mostly trying to make the most of a pandemic that is still ongoing. 

Live the life you can in the times you are living.  That has been our motto.

Not too early to check out holiday ideas

 We thought we'd share some Christmas / Holiday ideas. It is not to early to start planning for the event.  Especially if making / baking is involved.  Plus a few home tours to get us into the spirit.

Check out Hershey kiss christmas-cookie.  

These mini art easels are so cute. Have seen easels at Dollar Store.  

Here is a Christmas home tour from A beautiful mess.

Now here is wreath for your kitchen!

Also check out YouTube for painting tutorials.  Maybe make a friends' evening of it. 

DIY string art ornaments.

Head over to The Art of Doing Stuff for a Christmas home tour

How to make modern Christmas wreath  on a budget.  

Not to late to make an advent calendar.  This link will show you a great variety.

These look delicious.  Chocolate sticky buns.  Christmas morning or any morning! Oh what about this Saturday?

What do you think of this gradient rainbow Christmas tree.

Drop us a line letting us know your holiday ideas. We would love to check them out and maybe add them to our list!

Shameless wants ! !

 This is a total shameless, not relevant to anything post.  If you want to spend a few minutes browsing through nothing majorly important here it is.  Below are some items we have come across recently that we are wanting.  In no particular order....

Inspired by Charm totally obsessed by these ghost tea lights. Want.

Want one of these essential oil diffusers.  

A friends' spa weekend. Somewhere within driving distance.

What about starting a collection of seasonal coffee mugs?

Local artisan pottery.  No link as I want us all to be shopping local for this!

Hmm....thinking I might want a vintage rug or two.

What about you?  Drop in the comments your wants so we can check them out!

This is a rant - raising boys versus girls

 If you are not into reading a rant over raising kids stop reading.  This is a post that I felt strong enough after listening to a conversation that I had to write. 

Woman of two boys mad as son (adult 18) borrowed something and didn't return it. It was a pass to get over a bridge so inconvenient in the extreme the next day.  Texted him angry about it and him not returning it. Then said "boys just don't think of those things."  Boys don't think of "those" things.  Those things are respect for other people. Returning something you borrowed.  Boys just don't think of those things as well they are boys. Give them a pass.

I had to stopped talking as knew I wasn't being heard over respect and giving "boys" a pass. Daughters are not giving a pass over respect. There is an expectation for females to respect, return, take care, do the right thing.  I know I am over simplifying it but seriously?  Boys don't think of those things.  Hmm....

Maybe this is why we teach our daughters how to be safe. Watch your drink. Make sure you park where it is lite. Leave with friends. What are we teaching our sons?  Doesn't seem to be the default is "no" when forcing/raping a female.  All I hear is unless they "say" no it means yes. 

NO! the default should be everything is NO unless she says yes lets have sex. So if she is drunk, stoned, can't communicate effectively.  Mumbling yes to everything doesn't mean males can say oh that was a yes to sex. Oh passed out that is a  no also.  

You might think this has veered off topic over not returning his mother's pass but has it?  Boys don't think of those things?  Why not? Why are they given a pass when females are not?  Why aren't we teaching our boys to be respectful? 

This is 2021 almost 2022 why is it still a man's world?  Maybe the place to start changing course is raising males to be respectful and not giving them a pass. That the world is not theirs to manipulate and rule. Females are not their "play" thing.  

Yes to teaching our daughters to be safe and have critical thinking and be aware of the world and what is happening right around them.  Also raising our sons to know the default is "NO" all the time. That they don't get a pass because they are male. They still have to do the right thing.  Period.

It starts at home.