Category Archives: prettythis.
and now i need to order some!! Blue Lily has made their 2015 schedule. thanks again WENDY!!!
we are deep into Camp Create right now (oh-my-gosh-it-is-so-much-fun!!!) we went to the barn and shop today. everyone is creating with stephanie right now so i have a moment to post.
Aaaaah- I love these sunflower pictures!!! They are beautiful and capture the glory of God’s creation! 🙂 The picture quality coming across my computer screen is amazing! The sunflower fields say “home” to me. I’ll be hoping for a print in the future!! oh what glory! i hope you will sell some of these as prints in your shop – I would love to buy some, they are just full of joy! amazing photos!! good luck with the new project . Oh Meg, I’m so exited for you. This is just awesome. You made my Monday a little more happy. Thank you. 🙂 I spy a little buy playing peek a boo in the 5th picture!! Soooo pretty! Meg, those sunflower pictures are simply stunning. What lens did you use ? Thanks! Beautiful! You do a wonderful job of capturing that beauty, thank you 🙂 Meg-I passed a field of sunflowers the other day and you popped into my mind. It was not as large as this field, but beautiful just the same. You take some fantastic photos! Thank you so much for sharing these. Amazing !! love love sunflower and your beautiful photos 😉 Gorgeous pictures! Moved from Kansas about a year ago, so these pics are making me VERY homesick! Miss my sunflowers and deep blue skies! Thanks for sharing! Made my day! I have always wanted to stumble upon a sunflower field! Next year I am just going to come sleep in the middle of this field and bask in it’s glory 24/7! Beyond breathtaking! Meg! Please sell these prints!!!! Why is there a field of sunflowers? Does somebody plant it just because its pretty or do they sell the flowers? They are beautiful! Please print the “Bee in Flight”!!! So awesome! oh my gosh!!! can you believe that in all my life of living in kansas i’ve never seen a sunflower field? Amazing! Oh, how I love sunflowers. Sunflowers are just another reason I love my state. Your pics are beautiful. The bees in flight are awesome! Job well done! Wow! Just. wow!!!!! Man, they are HUGE! And you are so brave out there with all those BEES! 😀 Oh soooo pretty!!! It’s amazing how much beauty you can find in a simple field. I hope there are prints in the future:) These pictures are beyond gorgeous! Always love your sunflower pictures. 🙂 Every time I see a sunflower I have a ‘How Great Thou Art!’ moment. Only a wonderful God could have made something so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. LOVE the pics! WOW! Just Beautiful! Lovely! I would love to see these in your shop! 🙂 Wow, all these sunflowers facing the sun gives me goosebumps. What a world we would live in if we all faced the ‘Son’…..Hope Camp Create is awesome – sounds like it already is! meg…..glad you are having a creative, fun time!!!! These pictures are so pretty….please sell copies of these prints……. pretty please 1. i wish i lived in Winnipeg so i could see Kal Barteski’s artwork in real life.
2. speaking of art…
3. and since i am obviously feeling artsy today….
have a colorful day today! 🙂
Oh how I love color too. And I am a huge fan of Erin’s work. We were super lucky to receive one of her beautiful floral paintings for Christmas this year. It’s amazing and makes me happy every time I look at it which is all the time! Thanks for all that you share with the online community! You inspire me! I love the watercolor at the bottom. I am a neutral girl who appreciates color – does that even make sense? Part of why I love visiting here is for your happy color : ) Kal is amazing. I have met her briefly and she is so kind and I have stood inside the artwork that you have linked and I wish all of your blog followers could experience it. It really is beauty. Buy some of her artwork!!! Hey, I really love color too! Yours is the only blog that I follow regularly (besides family) because we share the same design taste…I think…anyway. But, I have been thinking of you a lot lately because I have been following the Emory Hospital story and Dr. Brantly. I am so thankful that he is well and back with his family. He is a true and faithful servant and I am so glad he has been blessed with health along with Nancy Writebol. Oh, and your family is beautiful. It reminds me of mine except we have 3 boys and 2 girls. 🙂 Erin Gregory’s artwork is vibrant and beautiful. Sure hope she reopens her etsy shop. I love that floral artwork. So many people shy away from using and enjoying colour in their homes – I am glad you are not one of them. I read the first line of your blog today and said….”what now, huhhhh!” I live in Winnipeg! I am going to check art out! Hi Meg, I’ve been reading your blog for years, and I live in Winnipeg! That’s cool that you mentioned my city! Oh my gosh!!! Thanks you for that splash of color it was just what I needed today!! I love color too! With you loving color so much, you should definitely check out my sister’s website http://www.janalamberti.com/. She’s a silk artist–she paints on silk with dye. The last time I visited her I watched her do it, and while I’m definitely biased–I think it’s still pretty awesome. the week that Annie got to go to her first longer version of camp we decided was a great time to paint and decorate her bedroom! getting it done without a lot of changing ideas… questions… able to work late into the night was GREAT!
when the paint was dry, using a 48″ level and a pencil i measured down from the ceiling across the wall in three places so i could connect those lines. if you were planning to do this project you would have to figure out your measurements based on your ceiling height, number of colors & stripes and your moldings. we worked HARD for several days straight. i spray painted many coats on the bed & bedside table over the few days we had.
along the same lines as getting the old chair… she was so excited to get a lamp with a pull chain. kids are rad.
love it!! did you go WOF for the curtains or piece together?? 🙂 When you spray paint furniture, does it chip easily? How do you prep it? Do you cover it with anything to seal it from chipping? The room is adorable! You have an amazing way of making all the colors work. If I tried that, I think it would like a circus clown gone wrong! Absolutely LOVE it!!! ❤️ it all looks soooooo good. LOVE the room. can i ask where you got the material for her window curtain? I think all of it is my favorite. What a fun room – no wonder she loves it! Oh my! I love it!! Striped walls are my favorite and even more so with those bright fun colors! What an awesome room and super awesome surprise!! You are fun parents!! How awesome! Love it! Looks cute!! I think you should put the headboard on the rainbow wall. It would add a huge impact!! Awesome room. What a cute raspy voice she has. You two are the best parents God ever created!!!! What a laborious project- I love how you made it sound like “not biggie”- (I’d love to have your energy). haha xo Beautiful room!! When you wrote that Annie was excited about the chair and the lamp, it hit me how much our children learn from us and how excited they can get when we share or do something for them that we love too. It’s special to them because it’s special to us. I’ve seen this with our boys too and I often forget. Thank you for the reminder 🙂 Have a blessed week! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Annie as excited as she was when she got to show me her “new” room! She absolutely loved it! I have to contradict something I told her. I didn’t think the cabins at Camp Mennoscah had changed since I used to go there back in the 50’s, but after seeing the picture I realize I was wrong….there was no cute graffiti on the walls then 🙂 I love the container at the end of the bed holding her dolls. What is that? (I need to start googling to see what I can find for my daughter). I love everything about her new room and, especially, how you surprised her! Gah. Can you be my mom too? 🙂 It’s beautiful! Meg…It is a DREAM! Just a dream! Now, I am curious where the rainbow fabric for the rainbow pillow on the bed came from? Hobby Lobby too? Thank you for the great shout-out, Meg! Was not expecting it and what a coup! So much traffic from your amazing readers! xoxoxo! We are converting the study into a bedroom for my older daughter while they are away at camp. I can NOT wait to see her expression when they come home! I’m going to have dreams about that accent wall. Well done! The room is a true reflection of her vibrant and fun personality! She will always remember her mom and dad staying up late to redecorate and paint her room. That is an awesome feelingg for a little one to have. You guys are just amazing parents!! What a fabulous room for a young girl! I know as a mom, we love surprising our kids with things we know they’ll love! That comforter is beautiful. It looks amazing with those colors! I love the way you decorate with such bright, cheery colors. It is so inspiring! Sami Wow that looks stunning! On the nightstand and headboard, can you post about refinishing them? Did you sand first or just paint them. Too many pinterest tutorials are on the shabby chic look and not a regular bold paint job! Wonderful! What a great gift to give. Love the room – fun colors and just “looks” like Annie – spunky and bright!! I’ve done the “room surprise” thing twice for my daughter. Once when she went on a week long mission trip and we went from deep turquoise walls to white – talk about late nights – it took so many coats and threw me off schedule but it worked out. I did a bathroom makeover like that once, too. It seems that I only finish completely if I have a project deadline!! I WANT your taste and talent! and I want this room 🙂 LOVE the room! What a wonderful surprise to come home to. I remember painting my sister’s room when she was gone on vacation once. I told her that we had painted it to look like a candy cane when really Mom and Dad painted it mint green, which was her favorite color at the time. I would totally go back and touch up the white stripes in Annie’s room. Love her room!! Awesome! What a fabulous room – love all the colours, especially that duvet cover and chandelier. I LOOOOVE!!!!! LOVE! This room is adorable!!!! Just like Annie! So glad she loves it! What an awesome room! I love the bright colors! Meg, this is gorgeous and a great surprise for your daughter. If you paint over the tape with your base coat first, it will eliminate the need to go back & fix choppy lines. Darling! The stripes remind me of rainbow sherbet! Wow, beautiful room! I would love to have it myself! What a wonderful surprise to come home to! Love the stripes! If you want to avoid those paint line touchup next time you tackle a stripe try painting over the edge of the painters tape with the original wall color then paint on the colors once that’s dry. Since something will always bleed under the tape you seal it with the original wall color and end up with a clean line, no touchup needed. (Yes I saw is on Pinterest but I’ve actually done it and it works!) Such a cute room!!! I loved watching this on Instagram – what a lucky girl! I want it for my room, but hubby might flip out!! HA!! I wish you had been around when I was raising my kids. I did my best but could have used inspiration from you. You are an amazing mom and have so many incredible ideas! Beautiful room! I love the stripes. I did that once in my youngest son’s room when we first moved into a house we remodeled. It was so much work, but adorable. Everyone loved it. Maybe one day I’ll do something like that again, but not right now. Good job mama! that is the temperature outside right now. i am under four blankets… on my heated mattress pad… wearing to many clothes. so i thought we could all use a little warmth through color today!
(and of course the source is all screwed up… can’t find who DID take it)
i am making hot tea and watching Parenthood on dvr right now. (that adam braverman is the just the best) what are you doing right now? Well I’m late on the draw reading this post…but it got up to a balmy 35 here today in Boston! Whoot whoot felt like summer….scary that 35 can feel so warm when your used to 10 degrees and under. I love all the pretty things you find! Vintage Revivals blog has a tutorial for that geometric wall. Check it out. She is awesome 🙂 I am enjoying all the beautiful posts for spring and yours. Color…not white. Love it! My toes have not been warm for days. I got home from work at 1:45, made some taco soup in the crock pot for dinner, finished my geometric art for the living room, and am now waiting for my girls to get home from school. After that, heading to academy sports to buy some softball gear for an awesome 8 year old. I am tired after writing that. I love the color shown on the inside of that closet! I think I might have to do that. Also, I hear you on the tropical water pics – people are able to live like that every day?! I want to take a vacation right now so bad! Supposed to be almost 70 on Monday. 🙂 I want to be a Braverman. That is all. I love all of these colors!!! And I love Parenthood and agree about the actor you mentioned. :] It’s 84 degrees F here today in Brisbane, Australia. And this is our Autumn (Fall). Our climate is very similar to Tampa, FL. I leave Australia in two weeks. And will land in totally frozen Upstate New York in 3 weeks. If Niagara Falls is frozen (again), I imagine I’m going to be a bit cold! And I can’t wait. I hope it warms up for you soon Meg. It is 23 degrees here in Minnesota today, and let me just say, WE ARE THRILLED. Beyond thrilled, considering how much 23 degrees *below* zero we have had this winter. Hi Meg! Didn’t really want to have to buy a new furnace – but I guess we don’t really have a choice, : ) XO beth Parenthood….yes, yes, yes. Love it! And the last picture you posted is just about perfection. I liked your warm post, despite the fact it’s cold here again today too. I’m working on a blog post, with a fun spring giveaway ( just because ). Don’t we all need a bit of a lift this time of year? Bring on the warmth. It’s currently 19 degrees here in Wisconsin and we are all like heat waveeeeeee! But I’m dreaming of not having to bundle up anymore and those cool homes in the water. I can hear the waves crashing now… 🙂 Parenthood was SOO GOOD this week! I just love Adam too–and that “spa” they went to looked heavenly. Although my man said “no way” to the mud bath! HAHA I have been watching old “Parenthood” seasons on Netflix. It is SO. GOOD. I will be so sad when it ends someday. sniff sniff LOVE Adam Braverman! Funny story – was watching the Truman Show with the hubs last night and realized that the weirdo Truman worked with at the insurance agency IS Adam Braverman! Totally funky pompadour and all. Still…that voice and those kind eyes…I’d recognize them anywhere! 🙂 I do not scream color at all. I am Neutrals Neutrals Neutrals, plain plain plain, greige greige greige, althought I do love yellow 🙂 I’ve tried to incorporate it into my life but its too busy for my eye. But you, you do such a good display of it without the color being too much. Thanks for sharing your inspiration today. Had devotions earlier (6:50am). Joined my students for Breakfast Club (breakfast duty) from 7:30-7:50. Now drinking hot tea (with milk), and reading blogs and answering e-mail’s. My first student will be here at 8:30. Miss you so much! gb It’s about 15 degrees here and snowing…again. *sigh* I have been sewing with fun, bright fabrics this week so that is brightening everything up. Your pictures make me think of one my mom sent me this weekend. She was cleaning up a jar of old buttons she bought so we can use them in sewing and embroidery projects. She took a shot of them all laid out by color- so pretty! Today’s buttons don’t even compare. I am staying up way too late messing around on the computer. Checked your blog and love all the happy pictures! Stay warm! Love the color. We had the jello for valentines, so easy. I was also just showing the hubs that resort too. Love. I am at home in Australia, about to head in & pick up my kids from school. We’ve got a dreary Autumn day happening here, I miss Summer already! I am trying to embrace the beauty of the new season though 🙂 Reading this blog post of your I am thinking you must be hungry, all that deliciousness you want to eat all of 😀 I am reading your blog loving it and waiting to see your post on craft weekend to see what you all bought at the barn! I love that place- a couple friends and I are driving down it his month to go there too! It’s cold here to and I am all wrapped up too! I am at home in New Zealand, the sun is shining, but we have the slightest autumnal feel to the air temperature. I am loving all the bright and inspiring photos you have posted about. Hope it warms up somewhat for you soon. so we have a tree up. please tell me that with a few of you i am not alone. so i was looking at lovely homes on pinterest and found some beauty to live vicariously through their decorating this year.
i love the black. then these were all in the top faves too…
and then i went to look back at my past posts… and i missed living in the Craft House big time.
but next year….
i went super simple this year, and it felt so good and clean…. you’d think i would have had more energy, but it was the opposite. i completely shut down. for real. you’re a fun mom…you’re doing a great job….your mojo will come back for certain things, if it’s supposed to. sometimes we lose our mojo in areas because we’re suppose to. 🙂 So inspiring. I love the bulbs in the glass containers. It’s 12/20 and I have lights only on 3/4 of my tree … still have a Halloween table runner in the entry way and haven’t finished shopping! Thank you for this blog and the relaxation and enjoyment it gives me! Merry Christmas!! so this year i just let my 16yo daughter and some VISITORS, traveling basketball team girls…not even people I know!, decorate our tree and living room. I am just soooo tired. At least the shopping is done. It doesn’t feel like me at all and the same old tired decorations… but they had fun and … did I mention the shopping is done? I saw Shanon’s comment about rental houses being mojo suckers…so stinking true. This is my third Christmas in a row in this townhouse we’re renting and it is sooo hard for me. I look at Pinterest and blogs and its almost painful how much I miss that…I feel like I can’t be ME right now. Its hard. I want 2014 to be my Buddy the Elf year too, but I said that last year and never would have thought I’d be right here in the same place this year. Am I depressing you yet? 🙂 I just hope I get my mojo back someday…. I’m so glad you posted this!! SERIOUSLY THRILLED!! I put the old tree up and let the kids have at it and that’s it. I’m usually the one with the house decked out to the hills before thanksgiving. Too many big things going on and i don’t have the energy, and quite frankly it will be covered in drywall dust before it gets put away. I am glad I am the only one who hasn’t had the energy or drive to go all out this year! I keep seeing all these lovely pics of houses all done up looking clean and perfect…kind of gets me down…this was good for me to read! Oh thank goodness! I am not the only one. We have a tree. That’s it. LOL! I think I will live vicariously through your post too. Last year I went overboard decorating as early as October. Yes, that’s right…October! My dad had just passed away and I needed something happy and cheerful. I think I was overcompensating. A year later…I just kinda have a case of the bah humbugs. I keep threatening to get the rest of the Christmas stuff out, but like you…there are other things that have come first. our tree has been up for 2 weeks, and it just got decorated yesterday. Other than that, we have nothing else done. I don’t even have my son’s stocking out. I’m glad he is almost 14, and knows the true reason for Christmas, so it is not a big deal. Thank you for such an honest post! I didn’t put up the tree this year as we won’t be home for Christmas. The rest of the house is decorated but very simply. I just can’t come home to a tree. relax and enjoy your simpler holiday season. everyone. Christmas is a time for love. I know how you feel! I felt that frazzled every year, tree up at the last minute, lots of knick – knackie stuff to put up, all of it with no intention. Then my daughter went to her first year of college and it was worse because we did so much of it together ; ( Well for her sophomore year, I declared that by the end of Thanksgiving weekend when she went back to school, the tree had to be up, decorated and we had to be done with decorating or we would have to resort to the dreaded fake tree. The Christmas season has been so much better, less rushed, with more creative time together. Some years the mojo is just not there…. that’s okay. Just go with it and it’ll be better next year ; ) I am in love with the gumball machine print in your shop. I neeeed it. I also totally think you should add a print of it filled with your vintage ornaments. I would totally buy that too. I love your style!!! I also agree about the natural light. That is probably why i love older homes – more and bigger windows. This is also why i love your pictures from the craft house – all the light. (And your great decorating of course!) You make me laugh! Yesterday my 11yo daughter said “Momma you do know that Christmas is just the Wednesday after this? And we don’t even have a tree?!?” Ha. I just took the pumpkins off the front porch three days ago. My husband & i just purchased most of our Christmas gifts Friday night online. Still have stocking stuffers to get & take the kids to get theirs for each other. And haven’t baked the first cookie. Sigh. I need to stop writing this down; now i am feeling overwhelmed. Oh Meg you’re not alone , I have nothing but my porch decorated for Christmas at all as I started a complete family room reno at the beginning of December just a completely new coffered ceiling and ripped out the carpet and installed new detailed pine flooring, no big deal Christmas will wait…what was I thinking. I should put up a tree somewhere shouldn’t I, Tuesday I will that’s my goal anyway. You are not alone. No tree up yet. But I am loving my family! We actually ate together every night this week. Busy teens you know. The adult kids are gone. Our new normal. I can’t wait for next year either. It’s our turn for Christmas!! I found this on Pinterest & I think you’ll need to make this rainbow scarf with your girlies! It’s all finger knitting so it’s pretty easy! 🙂 http://diy-projectss.blogspot.com/2013/12/diy-finger-knitted-scarf.html I passed up a silver tree once. Always regretted it. It was just a time in my life when I didn’t have another $20 Your home a few years ago is what has inspired my decor. I loved all the jars of Christmas balls. So beautiful and reflective of the light. Which here in the Northwest we need that! SO that’s all I do anymore. lights, christmas balls and a simple nativity. We focus on traditions and family experiences! Merry Christmas!!! I am so with you this year. I just got a little decorating done, only because I had people coming over. I also let my 4 year old single-handedly decorate the tree. (Until her father got home and helped her get the top branches.) I still have a list of things I need to make and then another that I would like to sit down and do with my daughters. Those are top on my to do list right now. I love the inspiration photos that you posted. The ones of yours too! Some of those are on my pin board as well. And I think that there is nothing wrong with living vicariously and letting someone else do the work at times. That way we can focus on the important things, like taking naps! :o) Meg – I love your honesty and I love this post. Yes, the pictures of the other houses are pretty – but not as pretty as the craft house decorations. The craft house is one of the cutest places I have ever been – even without Christmas. I don’t think your kids will remember if the rent house was perfect or not, but they will remember the time spent with you. And they will appreciate the reasons you moved your life to the rent house. Seasons. We all have seasons. And Buddy was pretty much psycho. Merry Christmas! Spend time with your kids, do fun things. That is what they will remember not how the house was decorated. They grow up & leave home too quickly, then you’ll have more time to decorate. Plus, you will have a lot less “”stuff” to pack up & put away in January!!! Wishing you & your family a Christ filled Merry Christmas!!! Those first few pics are lovely. But my faves are yours! I completely understand not having a lot of decorating done this year. I’m super sicko, pregnant with twins & am not going to do nearly as much this year. But you’re right, there’s always next year (though next year I will have 4, 4 & under to contend with!) Merry Christmas! Love seeing you craft with your girls 🙂 Love so many of these pictures – especially the top two. I know a lot of people who have scaled back this year in decor. I hear ya! Just tapped out. Next year, next year will be epic! I think that’s the first time I’ve ever used that word…hah! My tree and an outdoor garden flag were the only Christmas decorations at my house until a few days ago. I had been so busy it just hadn’t gotten done. I’m hosting a holiday craft sale at my house today and tomorrow so I kind of HAD to get some decorating done. Still, I have kept it simple and not spent a lot of time or effort on it and it still looks nice. But whatever I get done, it will have to be good enough because I still have some Christmas shopping to do and a few gifts to sew. 🙂 My Christmas Decorating mojo is missing this year as well! We moved into a new house and I haven’t even finished decorating it so the thought of putting ‘temporary’ decorations up is just too much for me this year. we have a tree, and some bulbs in bowls and a few trees outside decorated with lights, but that is as far as I have gotten or I am going to worry about. I am *TRYING* really hard to just enjoy the season, but it takes effort for me. I always get so grouchy with all of my ‘To-Do’ lists while my husband and children skip around merrily, completely oblivious to all the effort that I am putting in to create the “magic of the season”. Perfect gifts for teachers, co-workers, friends, family, bus drivers, bosses on stop of snacks & treats for company and friends and parties. Perfect wrapping of gifts, decorating, plate of cookies for Santa. The dang Elf on the Shelf. I am trying not wish the days away and enjoy the magic moments that happen each days with the kiddos. So this year my hands are in the air and anything goes. My father in law arrives tonight from DC and I am not even going to worry about the fact that there are legos all over the floor, dirty floors, clean laundry on the couch waiting to be folded. I am just going to go with it….. People who have the time, energy, money, talent and creativity to decorate so beautifully amaze me! All of these homes are gorgeous. I didn’t have one gift bought until yesterday. I’m right there with you. Feeling so behind, tired and not able to do all I would want. But! I am trying to create some fun family time. Movie nights watching our favorite Christmas movies. Hot chocolate after school. Talking about Jesus… I think each year is different and that’s ok. It’s hard when you feel like you’ve lost your mojo though! Merry Christmas! Every time I pile some of my shiny brites in a container and set it somewhere I think of you. 🙂 Kelly Meg – to the woman whom I MOST ADORE AND ADMIRE on the inter webs…regardless of what your mantle looks like this year. You are beautiful because God made you extra shiny. Your home is amazing because it’s a gorgeous reflection of your heart, and your family. Your family is the bomb, because you follow God and you are real and you don’t need to make things extra shiny because you are fabulous exactly the way you are. Life and decorating and crafts (I agree! Exhausting! My 4 blessings just can’t seem to keep the glitter glue on the project! ARGH!) come and go in seasons…but you will remain you, and that is a wonderful person to be. You inspire me and my family (my girls love to see all of the pictures you post – thank you for sharing!), and I am blessed to read your blog…it really adds joy to my days, and I know it’s not easy…so thank you. Merry Christmas, sis…and I will pray for you as I pray for me to embrace the beautiful chaos!!!! 🙂 Meg, I found one of those ikea trees on ebay so no need to go to the store. 🙂 I always look at all your December posts, I am always so inspired by them. I actually just looked at them yesterday! lol And yes I always think, holy cow, she has 5 kids and did all that! You are cracking me up. Feel better, dear! I don’t even have a tree up. Or ONE SINGLE decoration this year! We just bought our first house, so we have been ridiculously busy with that bad boy. We WILL get one up.. tomorrow.. or the next day… haha. My kids asked if they would still get presents if we didn’t put a tree up! *tear Last Christmas my husband had just finished his last round of chemo and was in remission. I had no energy to decorate, but we were very happy. This year I still don’t want to drag the tubs up from the basement. I have one lovely lighted decoration out and am ok with that. More importantly, I got the Christmas spirit back. I had been majorly bah-humbug this year until last Sunday. We sang Little Drummer Boy at church and “I have no gifts to bring” struck me….what do I have to bring? Immediately I knew…..a better attitude to honor His birth. It’s made all the difference. I don’t feel guilty about not decorating, and I still have time if I want to decorate. Have a Merry Christmas! You have a beautiful home(s) and family and are a blessing to us, your readers! W-O-W those are amazing photos Meg….great decorating and great photography! thanks for sharing~ Just wanted to say we can’t do it all. This year with having my 5th bundle of joy I chose 3 – 4 things to focus on during this season. When I am tempted to do more I go back and look at my initial list. That has been helpful. Thanks for the shout out! There’s so much inspiration in your post loved seeing all the other photos! Ha. That’s supposed to be super simply, not supper simple. We went supper simply this year too. We had a new roof put on the house yesterday and our family leaves for two weeks in Rwanda on Christmas Day. So this year many of the things I usually do were left undone. One strand of lights around our front door, that was done because of pressure from the kids. No real tree; just our little artificial one and it has about 10 ornaments on it. Two were given to us this year and the rest the kids and I made from paper. I did put up our stocking and hung some ornaments from our lights. It’s amazing how simple it is but how much I still really enjoy it. So much so I’m thinking of purging one both of Christmas stuff at the beginning of the year. I know I’ll be even more motivated after we come back from our trip. I also LOVE seeing Ashley on here. We went to college together and she is as amazing as she sounds on her blog. Two thoughts: One: ENJOY this season! Someday when the “Craft House” has run its course and the kids are older, you’ll be so happy for the time you spent doing crafts and helping other ladies to do the same. After all, every “stage” has its pros and cons! Two: stay away from Pinterest, especially if you’re already feeling inadequate! 🙂 I find I really have to be careful about my blog/pinterest time. It can lead to such discontentment. And I know that’s MY problem-not the fault of the “inter webs”. Hope you can relax and enjoy this season. After all, Christmas isn’t about the glitter and lights. Jesus came without any of that–and HE saved the world! 🙂 Merry Christmas, Meg! i feel like this with my whole LIFE. I am in the same boat as you, so here I go to read your post again :). You are ahead of me!! Our tree is up, no lights, no decorations. Last year we left it all till the last minute, and then it was still all fun & new on Christmas. Hopefully it’ll work that way this year too! ha! Rental houses = Mojo suckers. Yours is just snoozing, that’s all. It’ll be back. You NEED to do a rainbow striped tree next year like the picture! as always, beautiful. i also have not been in the decorating spirit. looking at everyone else’s beautiful decorated houses makes me smile and wish i had a crafty bone in my body. I am so there with you!! tonight i was going to finish decorating and now it’s dinner time, then kids baths, then pick up husband….so…maybe tomorrow night. i just feel like there is so much crap everywhere all the time! anyways i am with you – let’s make a pact to knock it out of the park in 2014 – i’m in!! No need to feel bad, Meg. I haven’t put up any Christmas decorations this year (besides a 3 foot tree the kids have taken to decorating). That’s what you get when you agree to move the week of Christmas! Meg, I’m with ya! tree is up and decorated, but the boxes are still out!! and have been out for 3 days now. gotta get on that! I’m so thankful for this post. I’ve been feeling so guilty that I’m not more into the whole decorating thing this year. We still don’t have a tree and I don’t think we will be sending out cards for the first time ever. It’s nice to know I’m not alone! Great inspirational pics though! 🙂 Oh how I love light and beautiful Christmas decorations, but sometimes we can’t do it all and we have to prioritize. For me, this year, that means taking time to really get into the true meaning of this season, crafting with my preschooler (STRESS), doing family activities, watching Christmas movies and just being. That’s it. The tree is up and so are the advent candles, but the rest is packed away. This is the year of a simpler Chistmas and I am loving the memories we are making. Sometimes memories trump the perfectly put together Christmas. Love your honesty. THANK YOU for not being perfect and for sharing that with us! My house is very simply decorated for Christmas and definitely does not even compare to all the beautiful homes on Pinterest and the blogosphere. But, I have babies at home– they keep me up day & night. They are more important than decorating at this life stage. Think I’ll go take my nap now! oh, I know EXACTLY what you mean. I don’t feel like I have my mojo this year at all. Yesterday I finally took my Halloween wreath off the front door and put up a Christmas one. (Yes, I did say Halloween). I’ve been looking at all those lovely pics too and it makes me want all those beautifully decorated rooms. And I want a white tree too!!! Did you see this one on Pinterest? http://www.pinterest.com/pin/160088961727827180/ It is from Treetopia and I have been stalking it! Oh Meg, my decorations are not what they were a few years ago either. Most are still in the basement. Since I am in Germany, we don’t even have a tree yet – that comes late here – but they are always real & smell fantastic.. Two weeks ago my family was in a very lucky car accident, which could have easily killed my husband and my 2 kids 12 & 9. I am still shaking about it and so glad they are ok – car is gone, but who cares. Christmas means family. Some years we go all out, some not…. I love the look of a house beautifully decorated for Christmas, but reality strikes when you don’t have a gorgeous mantlepice to decorate, and the rooms in your house aren’t large and spacious. I also find that living in New Zealand and having a summer Christmas, the traditional decorations, wreaths etc don’t suit our lifestyle. Yes we have the tree – full of decoration with stories and meaning to us, I have made a scrappy fabric wreath and I try to gave fresh flowers. It is hard to decorate the outside with lights, when it is not dark until 9pm, by which time you are getting ready for bed so don’t really see them. It is still nice to drool over other people’s decorating and as you said experience it vicariously. Ah yes! I remember your Christmas house from a few years ago! So inspiring! I’ve had good decorating years and not so good. Last year I spent most of December in the hospital on bed rest waiting for my baby to be born. He came 6 weeks early and we spent Christmas in the NICU… so no decorating that year. This year I have a one year old and a 2.5 year old, and I have energy to only do the basic decorating… maybe next year I’ll decorate more! ha ha we’ll see! 🙂 Merry Christmas! I agree with you — it’s the natural light! Lots of natural light is a big deal to me too and those pictures look all the better because of their light! I’m not going all out with Christmas decorating this year either. I think it’s because Christmas comes so soon after Thanksgiving this year; I kind of feel like it’s not worth the effort to put everything up only to take it down 4 weeks later…The tree is up and the mantle is decorated and that’s about it! I’ve done nothing. Barely bought a gift. I’m also freaking out because it’s our 25th wedding anniversary on the 23rd and I don’t have any idea for a gift for my husband. New flat-screen tv?! Nothing says love like electronics, right?! Sometimes it’s a little too easy to whip out that plastic and try to make the holiday a happy one. I just don’t have the motivation this year. Bah humbug! Send Buddy the Elf my way, please 😉 I’m living vicariously this year, too. Like you, our tree is up and decorated and that is as much as is done around here. And it will most likely remain that way for this year while the rest of my Cmas decorations stay in their tubs in my basement. 31Bits is one of my favorite jewelry companies. Using fashion and design to empower people to rise above poverty.they are changing lives! they have a new holiday line that launches today… and it’s covered in glitter!
31Bits Values:
31Bits Business Model:
and i KNOW there are lots of people on my christmas gift giving list that would love some 31Bits! 🙂
Click over to 31Bits.com to see the new line and do some shopping!AND use the code BITSLOVESMEG to get $10 off your purchase of $50 or more. woo-hoo!!
Oh, these are SO pretty! One of the things I love about you is how you use this blog space to help others! You are a blessing to many. I had no idea about the glitter bits! Love them. Thank you for this amazing offer Meg! I have a Christmas list for 31 Bits and love this discount. Thank you for being such an inspirational woman and spreading the love! I just placed my first order – thanks for the promo code! Oh those are so pretty!
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yes please…. i would like to 
that couch. YES.
a fruit rainbow. i want to make one! i see a citrus grocery bill in my near future….
love this print from 
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art supplies make me happy.
can you even believe that places like this exist? sometimes when i really think about it i am blown away. some people get to live like this. every day. it is craaaaaaaazy.
this kitchen. i mean…. i would never… but yet… i LOVE it! it is so cool. you know whoever lives here is THE COOLEST person i would ever meet in real life.
i wish i had taken this photo. because that would mean i could visit this place. and take more.
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Jeanie - Meg, you have a beautiful family! And I have to tell you – when I first looked at the pictures – I thought “where’s Meg?” You looked like one of the kids! How do you keep yourself so young – with so many kids, so many activities, schedules etc? I need your secret!
ellen patton - there’s a lot of love in these photos!
tracy fisher - love. just, love.
Debbie - I never get tired of looking at Bluelilly photos. I agree, all are very nice. You’ll be so glad you have these.
misty - wow! gorgeous! the 4th one down needs to be on a HUGE canvas! You have a such a pretty fam!! Love love!
danielle - These are gorgeous! You guys look great!
jen - Such great pictures! Thanks for sharing them.
Mindy - Beautiful photos done in perfect light. What a lovely family you have and great memories captured.
Kristin - Gorgeous pictures, with so much love shining out of them!
jaimie - beautiful! i love the poses, lighting and the outfit choices…you can tell from the pix what a lovely, tight-knit family you are! happy holidays!
iralee poore - these are simply amazing!!!! i love love love the lighting!!!
bethr - oh Meg, it was so fun to see all these beautiful photos of your family! The outfits, the light, the smiles and connection you 7 seem to share- all so touching!
Amy - LOVE!! You guys are gorgeous!!
Lori - Great pictures 🙂
Diana Yarborough - Beautiful family pictures! We need to do them like this one day!
On a totally different subject, is there a sewing machine you recommend? I really want to get one, but am obviously a beginner.
Leslie Humphrey - Absolutely beautiful – your family and the pictures. The love just oozes from each shot – thanks for sharing!
Stephanie - I have tears in my eyes for some reason. Good pictures do that. Your family is so beautiful and reminds me of my own in so many ways (we have seven kids). I love love love when big families are all captured in one shot–looking happy and in glowing light. You have quite a job picking one picture out!
martha - okay…so I’m just commenting to wish you luck picking your favorite picture! usually there is never a shot where everyone looks good and all of these do! ps. we don’t get a glimpse at your eldest daughter very often- she is just lovely! thank you for sharing your family with us!
Flower Patch Farmgirl - Stunning!!!
The one of the girls together…or you and the boys. Agh! Such pretty people. And the stripes were the right choice.
Kristin S - What perfect light. How did you capture so many great shots at that perfect light?
I love that last one.
Jenn - What stunning photos of your beautiful family! Just lovely! These are indeed true treasures that you will cherish and look back on for years to come. Many happy blessings to you and your family this holiday season. I am a thankful reader whose life is enriched by the inspiration you share. Thank you!