Happy New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve Party with Circles!

Who is ready for New Year's? I feel like another holiday creeping up on us fast! Here are some fun decorating ideas for your New Year's soiree using circles which remind me of the bubbles in champagne, the round clock that ticks to midnight, and of course the infamous New Year's Ball that drops! How can you not have circles at your New Year's Party?

DIY gold circle "Kate Spade-esque" champagne glasses from Pizzazzerie

Don't get rid of those small Christmas balls yet, use them to fill champagne flutes as centerpiece decor from Martha Stewart

DIY table runner with brown kraft paper and polka dots from Oh Happy Day

Fill a vase with glitter to simulate champagne bubbles and add a little New Year's sparkly.

Super cute cake pops with gold edible glitter from Sweetapolita

Free prinables from Anna & Blue Paperie

Circle streamers from Martha Stewart

Ok no circles here, but these were too darn cute. Champagne jello shots with colorful from Perpetually Engaged

RED Valentino dress with lots of gold circle from The Outnet

I have been wanting these Kate Spade glitter shoes for over 3 years now. I am so glad they still sell them, but still have not bit the bullet to get them. 

Also fun news! We added a new little cavalier to our famiy. Her name is Pippa and joined our family a week ago! She is 8 months old, so we we were excited Pippa got to spend her first Christmas with us.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Perfectly Wrapped Gifts

I had the pleasure of being invited by Tidy Up Gal to the Bows & Bloggers event at the new Buckhead Container Store. What a great learning event, I learned how to easily make a pom-pom bow, the trick to seamless wrapping and making perfect sides..the hint...double sided tape. Container Store is the one stop shop to get your gift wrapping needs. It would be nice if they even wrapped the gifts for you!

I thought since we are in the homestretch of Christmas here are some great videos from Container Store on wrapping techniques and bow making since my pictures don't do the justice.

Me with fellow blogger attendees Ekene, Charee

Perfect edges and no tape showing due to double sided tape, not to mention the beautiful "12 Days of Christmas" gift wrap.

Beautiful Santa themed gift wrap and coordinating ribbons

More cute package and ribbon ensembles

Nifty gift wrap tool from Scotch known as the Gift Wrap Cutter. This has no blade that can touch the skin so great for kids and adults. It helps you cut straight lines with the built in guide.

These are the "slap bracelet" style wraps known as Neat Roll Fasteners that keep your wrapping paper sealed, with no tears or creases. Package of 3 is only $5.99.

How to Wrap a Box (you think already know, but you may learn a neat tip)

Adding Ribbon to a Box (hint: this involves tops on how not to have a hump on the back)

How to Tie a Pom Pom Bow (didn't realize how this easy was)

My first try making the pom pom bow.

Here are some more cute gift wrapping ideas!

Plain brown paper with paper bows!

Fun whimsical touch adding large Christmas bulbs to make a bow.

Elegant wrap with polka dots, large feather, fabric bow and mini ornament.

Light blue velvet ribbon and monogrammed gift tags add a glamorous touch.

These paper snowflakes would be cute hanging on a gift as a tag

Christmas Decor Using Items from Around the House

Here are some Christmas decor items which use things you may already have around the house such as pine cones, plain grapevine wreaths, peppermints, and bay leaves!

Amaryllis in bowl with greenery and pinecones

Bay leaves from your spice cabinet glued onto cones. I think this may be my next craft item!

Simple grapevine wreaths made into snowman outside decor

Assorted pinecones can make garlands, mantel decor, fill urns, etc.

Pine cone topiary

Peppermint and red hot candy wreath

Check out my Christmas Board at Pinterest for sources and more great photos.

Christmas at my Haus!

Here are a few pictures of my Christmas decor! Have you finished decorating yet? 

Some goodies I brought back from Germany, the ornaments and all of the mushrooms. I also got the table runner in Germany, but found the tablecloth here at Ikea.

Had to carry the wintry wonderland theme to the lighting too! I hung some of the German straw ornaments on there too.

I made this cone by hot gluing peppermints on it!

My mantel. You can see a few of the German Erzegebirde items I brought back! 

Amaryllis in bloom. 1 out of 3 are in bloom right now.

I did a lot of wrapping tonight so a tree picture with some presents.

Decorated tree

Close up of our tree. Lots of candy and blown glass ornaments! When my husband and I travel we try to always get an ornament. The prominent one in this picture was a cool champagne bucket ornament we got at Bergdorf's last year on our Thanksgiving trip to NYC.

Simple red berry front door wreath.

Jefferson Hotel at Christmas

My husband knows how much I love Christmas decor! While he was traveling for work, he was staying  at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA and he called to tell me he will take lots of pictures. I love how hotels do amazing Christmas decor. We are going to stay at the Grove Park Inn the weekend before Christmas and I can't wait to see their decor and all the gingerbread houses from their competition. What is your favorite hotel with Christmas decoration?

Pictures from the hubby's phone!

I think this may have been made out of gingerbread

Lastly, this weekend we entered our dog in the Reindog Parade at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. We got 2nd place for the Dog Pack Category (we entered with another doggie friend). It is so rare to get a photo of the 3 of us, so I thought I would share!