Redecorating the mantel, thrifty finds and true confessions from Mrs. Smith!!

Christmas decor is put away till next year which means putting the living room back together!

I went to Target the other day and scored 2 mirror chargers for $6 each (one square beveled and one round). Mr. Smith wanted to know what I planned to do with them. Typical man-at least-typical Mr. Smith-always needs to know what I am using something for. Typical woman-at least-typical Mrs. Smith-I don't know but I like it and I will figure it out when I get home! (Note to self-go shopping alone!) So I had 2 mirrors that I had for 2 days before I figured out what to do with them.

I went to the thrift store yesterday (it does get scary when the workers are greeting me like they see me all the time-well lately they have). I found this clock face-no clock parts-with the fleur de lis(love them) for $2! Did I know what I was going to do with it-NO! I picked up the silver bowl last week at another thrift store for $2-had no idea what I was going to use it for either. Until today.......the clouds parted and ..........well you get the idea that I finally figured out how to use all my new treasures...

I made a center piece on my coffee table with a candle I already had-the mirror fit perfectly in the center of the clock. I may add to it later but for a total of $10 not bad for a large center piece.
On to my mantel, okay I need to clear up a few things

1. I am not tall-5' 4 1/2" tall.
2. This fireplace and mantel are huge.
3. A ladder is required for me to decorate.
4. Ladders and I are not friends.
5. I am a klutz. I wasn't the cheerleader in the Smith household-Mr. Smith was. (That's a whole story itself).

So here is my newly decorated mantel that will stay like this for a few months(so I don't climb the ladder anytime soon).

Keeping the Parisian theme going.......

I found these molds at the thrift store and I paid $2 for 4. They were made in Germany(I know it's not from France). They remind me of mercury glass. So I thought they would add some glitter to the mantel with a tea light in them.

Enjoy and be careful on ladders! Oh no one ever said that decorating could be dangerous for your health so I should put out a warning.

WARNING: DECORATING COULD BE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH-DISMEMBERMENT, SCRATCHED CORNEAS, BLEEDING, BRUISES, BROKEN BONES ETC.....

Side note....Sunday night I fell off a chair and hurt myself while taking stuff down from Christmas(I was not using a ladder-Mr. Smith got after me for that-he knows me too well). I am okay just have a BIG bruise.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from The Smith Hotel to your home!!!! May 2010 be filled with many blessings!

Christmas Eve at The Smith Hotel

More than just Eiffel Towers are happening at The Smith Hotel........ Even with the Shabby Parisian White Christmas theme I still had to keep the real meaning in the decor...... I found this white church at a thrift store this year for $5. It looks really pretty above our front door lit up(just doesn't photograph too well with the white lights).

Another white church, another thrift store find........

A white church candle.......

Found this at TJ Maxx this year and fell in love with it.......Had everything I was looking for... Nativity scene and silver glitter....

A small white Nativity scene.....

A Nativity scene that I picked up the summer Boy Wonder was going into the 4th grade and we went to 6 California missions.... This one was made in Peru......

As I was photographing my churches and Nativity scenes, I can across this little angel. Apparently she was tired and fell asleep on top of a snowflake.....That's what happens when you let the kiddos decorate......Shh, I left her sleeping.....

Merry Christmas!!!

More Christmas Pictures of The Smith Hotel

Took some pictures of Boy Wonder and Drama Queen's bathroom and thought I would share them with you....... Added a few festive touches like the striped rug , candy cane striped candle and snowman hand towels.

The kiddo's little tree that they got to put some of their favorite ornaments on. Or in other words, ornaments with color that didn't coordinate with our Shabby Parisian White Christmas theme.

My favorite painting from a very talented friend! Love that wagon! I wanted a Dick and Jane theme in the kiddo's bathroom. So by adding the wagon painting, photocopied pictures from a Dick and Jane book and bath towels that I made-I think it gives it a simple but fun look.

Some fun penguins and igloo on the windowsill.

A manger scene which I was later informed by Boy Wonder and Drama Queen that I had put the angel where Mary was supposed to be! I just think at the time the angel was checking on Baby Jesus while Mary took a nap! See Mary in the back with her eyes closed! Very believable!

Hope you are enjoying your Holidays so far! Merry Christmas! I think Mary had a good idea and Mrs. Smith might just be taking a nap today too!

Christmas Vacation at The Smith Hotel

Mrs. Smith went out with some girl friends to breakfast this morning. Thrift store shopping afterwards and got this for a dollar! Didn't really like the painted side but turned it over and.....

A whole new chalkboard!!!! Even kept the same string on.

Yep that's Mrs. Smith's office but...........

Boy Wonder is hogging the computer!!! I can't even get to my desk to clean it!!! Yah okay I really wasn't going to clean it but can't wait till he saves up enough money to get his own laptop. Plus I plan on using his new, faster one when he is in school!

A Christmas Concert and Cookie Decorating Happenings at The Smith Hotel

Our church had a Christmas Concert last night and Drama Queen sang her heart out. There she is top row, middle kid with the big grin.



Today was spent decorating sugar cookies. Mr. Smith made the cookies last night and refrigerated them overnight. We don't have "Martha" looking cookies but my kids just care about sprinkles and frosting anyways.

Lots and lots of sprinkles and frosting........

More sprinkles and frosting.....

Silver Jimmies were a hit this year.......

M&M's are a necessity as well.....

Lots of cookies......Running out of places to put them.....




Forgot to mention Mrs. Smith's diet plan for the holidays....... Mrs. Smith doesn't like frosting so she won't be eating any of these cookies..........



But Mrs. Smith goes off the diet wagon with something else.......

Russian Teacakes........Might not photograph well but they sure taste DIVINE!!!!!

What is your weakness during the holidays?

Getting ready for our Christmas Party!

Welcome to The Smith Hotel........

Mrs. Smith is getting ready for our Christmas Party! It's for our Sunday School Class that Mr. Smith teaches at Redding First Church of the Nazarene. A rare picture of Mrs. Smith(usually I am behind the camera) modeling her new Christmas Apron. Bought at a thrift store for-you guessed it $1!!! Loved the colors-different from the traditional red and green. Who wouldn't love hot pink and turquoise for Christmas? The table is all set up for appetizers and desserts. We are doing buffet style and everyone is bringing something.

Bought the jello molds and set them all around the house with tea lights to create a festive mood.

Mrs. Smith's office (in the kitchen) with a nice view of Mt. Shasta off to her left (through the door, through the powerlines).

Even the top of the desk got a little glittered up.

Even though we are doing a Shabby Parisian White Christmas-the kid's area of the kitchen had to have color. Santa's mug for milk and plate for cookies is ready for Christmas Eve.

Drama Queen made this Santa at school. Looks cute with the jar full of snow and candy canes.

Drama Queen even wrote a little note for Santa and left it on his plate.

Mrs. Smith's kitchen cabinet which she has had since she was 9 years old (had it in her bedroom filled with dolls and porcelain animals). Now it's crammed with transferware, milk glass, pitchers, and cake plates.

Love Trader Joe's-got the pine and holly bouquet there for $4.99-placed it in a large pickle jar and tied some burlap for a bow. Mr. Smith's famous fudge and peanut butter fudge. Yummy!!!

Easy tablecloth, a huge piece of white material bought at Walmart and burlap folded in half and used as a runner. Thought the jello molds turned out to be cute little candle holders.

Beverage center-hot cocoa, tea, coffee, water......nothing fancy.

Christmas is just around the corner! Hope you and your loved ones have a blessed holiday season!

The Mystery of the 5 Hats

It's a cold, wet day in Northern California.....a good day for a mystery......so grab something hot to drink and wrap a blanket around your shoulders.......

1940's-A Bride......Possibly a War Bride.........
1950s.....Maybe a mother by now......a time when hats were worn everywhere.....to church, doctor's appointments, shopping, even the grocery store......

Easter Sunday means a new hat......In Green with a flower stand up because this lady wants to show the world that she has personality and also wants to fit in with the current fashions.....

Husband gets a promotion so She buys herself a new hat.....She is a practical woman so she buys a black one.......

1960s.....A Grandmother perhaps by now.......Hats are still worn.....She is a little more subdued now......Beige-a very practical color.....Maybe her hair has started to turn grey......

Many questions come to mind as I hold these hats.......Was she happy? Did she have a good marriage? Did she have children and if so how many? Did they love her? Was she a good cook? Did she work outside the home? What happened to her? The list of questions is endless.......

When you hold an old treasure do you think of the ones before you who owned it? This to me is living History........to use things others have used in the past.......Will someone someday hold something of mine and wonder about who I was???? Life is more than things but those things left can tell a story of how we lived our lives. I choose to invest my life in my faith, my children, my family, my friends......Will that make history someday?

The Smith Hotel's Shabby Parisian White Christmas!

Welcome to The Smith Hotel's Shabby Parisian White Christmas House Tour..........



Our front door will be covered with cards and pictures from friends and family. Covering our door has been a long time family tradition. As you can see we are just getting started on it.

My dental cabinet that I got a garage sale for $20 and had to shove in the front passenger set of our VW bug. I was determined to get it home!!

My $1 garage sale trees and the garland that covers the cords was also $1 at the same garage sale. Add some burlap and Presto-not bad for $4! This is in my husband's home office on my buffet that doesn't fit in my kitchen eating area-so he has a buffet in his office. Yes, we do have some interesting places for some of our furniture. (One of these days I will show you what furniture is in our master bathroom).

Our Christmas Tree!!! Now remember this isn't professional decorated but an 11 year old and an 8 year old had lots of work! My picture doesn't do it justice but we think it's Pretty!

My "5" that I got at a thrift store for take a guess.......Yes $1 that I painted silver.

My "0" that I also got at the same time for yup $1. These numbers don't have any particular meaning only that they were cheap, huge and well, numbers.

My vignette on top of my bookcase full of cookbooks. The candle holder, cake stand, bead garland were all purchased at thrift stores and I just put it all together and stuck a candle on top.

My little tree in the living room that I decorated. This was Mama's tree so hands off kiddos! You can't see it but I found an Eiffel Tower glass ornament at Target that I had to have. The urn was from a thrift store in Portland that I thought would add some elegance to the tree.

My "Present Wreath", shabby euro pillows ( I can custom make some for you on my Etsy store), and my bird bath thingy that is really huge but I fell in love with at a TJMaxx/Home Goods Store in Eugene, Oregon. Wish I had a Home Goods store closer to us. I made 2 little table cloths for my black Ikea tables to match my pillows.

My mantel with my hot sellers on Etsy-burlap stockings! I had to add a 5th one for our dog Snow White. The church was a thrift store find from our trip to Oregon.

My "Winter" banner that I made for our mirror.

Our kitchen dining room light. Decorated with kid made snowflakes, dollar tree garland, and other things.

My coffee stained tags and my thrift store finds. The scale was purchased last year at the Lewiston Peddler's Fair.



Hope you enjoyed the tour! It is a different look for us but I like that I will be able to reuse alot of my things throughout the year!