Day After Shopping

Shopping the Day After!

We don't shop on Black Friday anymore.  Well, let me qualify that...we don't shop at brick and mortar stores.  We did do a lot of shopping online from Black Friday until Christmas Eve.  It was fun to get all the boxes on our front porch at first but after awhile they just became a pain to check for rain damage and haul them inside.  We got to the point that we were not even opening them.  About a week before the big day we finally got them all opened, reordered damaged things and wrong sizes and put into piles to be wrapped for Christmas.  We added our in-store purchases at Kohl's, Macy's, Dollar Tree and Walmart and we worked in the loft at my Grandma's kitchen table that my Daddy refinished.  My daughters and I and sometimes my granddaughters wrapped all our presents in our pretty Christmastime in the City themed paper and curling ribbons along with matching tags.  Some days it was fun and some days we felt like we would never get done! 

However...we DO shop on the day after Christmas!  I choose 3 stores that i definitely want to get to as soon as they open.  This year my first choice was Marshall's at Washington Crown Center Mall.  Since we were there the day before Christmas right before closing I got to see all the goodies that would be half price the day after Christmas.  So we arrived there shortly after opening.  I grabbed all the goodies I wanted.  

We raced across town to Target in Washington next.  I bought gift wrap for my Christmas theme next year which is Christmas in Evergreen (LOL!), bows, curling ribbon, tags, ceramic house, two outdoor timers and who knows what else!  Ha!  We stopped at Eat n Park for lunch in Peters Township.  



We went to Target at South Hills after lunch and they didn't have a lot to pick from but it was fun with the girls!  Oh wait they did have my Chobani yogurt in flavors I've never seen before!  I stocked up!

Barnes and Noble was our next stop of the day.  We found quite a few books to look at and some new authors to keep in mind.  We ordered cookbooks from Martha Stewart and Paula Deen.

We forgot to stop at Starbucks to use our gift cards for a holiday drink.  We'll do that another day though.

Our last stop of the day was Market District.  We love walking around in this grocery store.  They have so many different items than our regular store.  We found some needed groceries and candy.  

It was a very busy day that ended with a great Hallmark movie snuggled on the couch in our jam-mays!

We had lots of laughs and good times being all together.  The grandchildren were so excited to help find the bargains.  I hope your shopping trips were as successful and enjoyable as ours were!

December Daily 2017

December Daily Album from 2017

I wanted to share a passion of mine on my blog so you will all be able to see more of the celebrations we share during the month of December.  

Please enjoy the photos and memories I have captured in the album. 

The album is from Ali Edwards HSN collection.  A lot of the decorations in the album are from my scrapbook stash. 

Created the calendar page with my Cricut, using Cricut pens and fonts.  Each day lifts up and shows what we did that day.

I get all my photos printed from Shutterfly.  I also buy all my Christmas cards and special 6x8 cards made from Shutterfly.  I like their website the best.  Their quality of prints is phenomenal.  I partnered with Shutterfly for this album!  These Christmas cards are fabulous with our Walt Disney World photos on them.  

More Disney photos in the album, I just love making the 6x8 cards on Shutterfly.  I can add text and get the back printed as well. 

Bradford House tree donation from our company Southern Style on Fifth Avenue.

JFK Catholic School Cabaret

Walt Disney World photo cards from Shutterfly.  I used the Cricut to make the Mickey head and the journaling card.

Hallmark Countdown to Christmas movie guide and a bag from Starbucks!

My favorite Christmas drink is the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha!

Watching Hallmark Christmas movies all winter long!

A not so merry day when I ran into the rack at Kohls.  UGH!

Had to spend the day in Pittsburgh because I was diagnosed with kidney disease the night before.  But I did get to see this tree at PPG Place and the house with the big red bow.

Lunch with Mary Lou at Cracker Barrel and a great journaling card handmade by Lauren and Karina, they used the Cricut for the writing and and some AC foam dots to pop it up.

Jolees accents on the back.  My parents tree!  I hope they loved it from Heaven.  I miss them so much at this time of year.  We still decorate their house.

Snuggling watching Christmas movies in our jammies.
I got to meet the author who wrote the book about Kaufmann's at Barnes and Noble South Hills.

Believe in the magic of Macy's at Christmastime.

All the trees in Sugar Hill (our home) for Christmas in 2017.  JW with his Frosty Friends spiral tree in his room and Isabella with her Princess Dreams tree in her room, all the signature Sketchbook ornaments from Walt Disney World, she loves them!

Home Depot donated a tree and ornaments to a needy family in Washington.  Southern Style on Fifth Avenue facilitated the donation with Home Depot of Bethel Park, PA. 

Snow day!

My Mama's birthday complete with the poinsettias like she always liked.  We took the sleds to the cemetery.  Yes, even I went down the small hill a few times.

Christmas in the Smokies

Our Smoky Mountain Christmas Tree

We love Tennessee and Pigeon Forge area especially.  We frequently travel to Pigeon Forge and stay at the Dolly Parton's DreamMore Resort.  Our many visits to this area over the years inspired me to create this beautiful tree.  I purchased a lot of the ornaments from Pigeon Forge area including many from The Incredible Christmas Place store there.  I have new ribbon for this tree this year, I decided to use two ribbons, one is red with black bears and the other is a flannel red and black plaid.  I just love how these ribbons tied together the feeling of being in the Smokies during the winter.  

 The tree hits the ceiling.  Not sure if I will do a tree topper...  

 The wooden sled was a gift from my husband to Lauren and I.  

He also made another for Karina.  They are beautiful and we love them!

 I love the bears which are from Dollywood mostly.  The lantern

adds more of the mountain touch that we all love.  Did you

know there are a lot of moose in Tennessee?  So, our Mr. Moose

is part of our Tennessee display each year.  This tree is sitting

by the red plaid love seat in the Tennessee room!  

 The black bear family from Tennessee!

 The plaid wrapped gift is from last year.  My husband John never opened it-ha!  

Guess who is having a re-gifted present this year?

 Love this blown glass truck with tree and also the car with a tree on top and especially the bear lantern! They were from Target.

 Tin ornaments are this year's addition and are from Lancaster, PA...Primitive's by Kathy.

 Another one of the many moose we have collected

and another tin ornament.

 This sign is also from Lancaster, PA. at the Flower and Home Marketplace and the fisherman is a reminder of my Daddy who loved to fish.  I bought it at Cracker Barrel.  I also bought one of each of these for my grandchildren who were fortunate to grow up being with my Daddy every day.  We miss him and my Mama, especially at this time of year, so very much.  Love you Daddy and Mama!

We hope you are enjoying our tree display this year.  At the end of our decorating sessions I will put all of these photos in one post to make it easy for you to pass on to friends or refer to for your own decorating!  Have a wonderful time today shopping Small Business Saturday!