Happy New Year

I wish you all good things in 2011! Thank you for visiting me here this year. I feel inspired to make this a happy, beautiful place in the coming year. Be safe! Hug your loved ones!
photo by Michael Buholzer/Reuters

December 30

New Year's Eve is tomorrow. We're planning one this calm, cozy and quiet...Ahhhhh. I hope whatever you do, it's happy!

image from here.

A Few Pretty Ones

Taken by a friend on Christmas day in North Carolina. Wow.

Gifts

ShukuruMutaraI hope you've had a beautiful holiday weekend! Our Christmas was so nice. It was a happy, quiet day, and we felt very loved with all the thoughtful gifts we received from family.
I did not do quite so well as they did in the giving department this year, but I did love fostering Shukuru and Mutara (gifts to my sisters) again this year through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. Among other significant conservation projects, the Trust takes in and raises orphaned elephants and rhinos. With a small donation, you can foster a young elephant or rhino for a year. I'm happy to report that Shukuru and Mutara (each almost one and a half years old) are thriving.

Christmas Wishes

I wish you a peaceful, joyful holiday! Thank you so much for visiting me here. I love your comments and love visiting you, too. I'm off to spend some happy time with my family. I hope the same for you.
via here.

Sweet Christmas Work from Nulka

Perfect December images by Nulka. How sweet are those legs?!You must go look at Nulka's photostream on Flickr. She has an uplifting holiday set, one for each day in December. Originally seen on Decor8.

(photographs shown with permission.)

Time for a Fire

Fires in the fireplace, and beautifully stacked firewood, always make me happy...

From these inspiring places: Emma, Red Ticking, My Scandinavian Retreat, and Desire to Inspire.

Be Kind

Seen here.

Pretty. Just Saying...

A few favorites from 1st Dibs ultimate holiday gift guide...in case you have just a little bit of money to spare. Just saying...

The Grinch

A favorite around here at this time of year...We watched last night. I giggled right along with my little one.
images from here.

So Sweet

Yum. I saw this sweet scene on the lovely greige today. Perhaps I'll try to create it in our home.
I'm off to my little one's holiday performance at school. Can't wait. Have a beautiful weekend and thank you for visiting here!

Ball of String

Every year, my mother would say that all she wanted for Christmas was a ball of string. When we were young, we didn't believe or understand her. Now I think I really do and I wish I could tell her that.

These are from antiquity by sadieolive, re-found via Bliss today.

These Make Me Happy

images: 1. per breiehagen (you must go visit)(thank you Elsa!), 2. The SoHo, 3. Huset, and 4. the lovely Solid Frog.

Little Scenes

as seen on les fifoles, mar, munted kowhai

Inspiration

A sweet bit of holiday inspiration, the first from automatism, a long-time favorite...

images from automatism, lucky boy sunday (via all the mountains, a new, great find for me), hello neest, and mar via bird and banner.