More Christmas!

I'm back with another 2 on Tuesdays, linking up with Andrea. It's basically the only thing I write about these days. But have no fear! My awesome uncle sent his annual Lowe's gift card with his Christmas card (it has evolved from a check to the gift card since we bought our house). I made a pit stop on my way home from work today to get lumber for my laundry dresser. I'm off this coming Friday morning, all day next Friday, and the whole week after Christmas. Minus an eye doctor appointment, I'll have plenty of time for my closet re-boot and maybe even tackle the pesky "toilet room."

Enough babble. On to the topic: What are your two favorite Christmas songs? What is your favorite Christmas movie?

I freaking LOVE Christmas. The presents, the sparkle, the magic that just seems to be in the air. I adore wrapping presents (which Husband loves since he thinks he's terrible at it). I created my own playlist of music to listen to as I wrap. Out of my general Christmas/Holiday Smart Playlist, I have these as my "Top Christmas", in no particular order:

Winter Song: Sara Barellies and Ingrid Michaelson

Christmas in Dixie: Alabama

Breath of Heaven: Amy Grant (one of my youth directors growing up sang this one Sunday during worship and I was instantly in love)

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't be Late): The Chipmunks (when I was little, instead of "Me I want a hula-hoop," I sang "Me I want yahoo, yahoo!" Like Yahoo! Christmas is coming!)

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Christmas Song: Dave Matthews Band (Really top favorite)

Carol of the Bells (the singing version, not just instruments)

Mary, Did You Know?

Angels We Have Heard on High (the sheet music had me mesmerized every year at my church's Christmas Eve service)

I'm Gettin' Nothin' for Christmas

Christmas movies are a little easier to narrow down. Of course, there's the perennial TV specials: Rudolph, Frosty, Grinch, and Charlie Brown. Husband and I DVRed them all this year and watched them one night by the fire. And of course dissected just how much suspension of disbelief one needs for those movies--anyone else notice how totally racist and sexist Santa and Donner are?

However, when push comes to shove, Christmas just isn't Christmas without:

(All images courtesy of Google search)

Christmas Vacation

A Christmas Story (TBS marathon style)

Elf

P.S. PSA: Don't Google search "Elf." Only the first hew hits are the movie. The rest are just scary.

Laundry Room

I think...I'm not quite sure...what this feeling is. It's kind of like relief, mixed with "what?" I have completed my very first room! All of the other rooms in the house, although "done," still have minor things to be done. I know. I know. That list never ends. I am trying to keep my list divided into things that need/I really want and the things that would be nice, but if they never happen, no biggie.

Today, I completed the last project for the laundry room.

I had a head start, with painting and doing some art projects, before the arrival of our favorite 4-legged family member (how naive were we, thinking he'd actually sleep in the laundry room?

Anyway, since I moved the shelves lower to accomodate my un-tall stature, there was a large expanse of wall that just felt empty. I considered getting a vinyl decal that are all the rage lately, but I just don't want to hop on that train. Plus, nothing I saw was really what I was thinking. So I decided to make my own art (again).

I bought a long poster frame from Michael's while waiting on Mister at the groomer (how convenient is it that they are next door?). It's one of those really long but narrow ones. I didn't want to totally fill that space, which is my tendency. Bonus: the frame was on sale...30 or 40% off!

Then, I made a trip this week to Hobby Lobby and bought some chip board letters, light blue acrylic paint and some scrapbook paper. My original idea was that wrapping paper might be more economical, but the only thing I found in my color scheme was a pattern and I couldn't get the look I wanted with that.

I painted my letters (bonus that I didn't have any letter repeats, since the package only had 1 of each letter!) in alternating colors, corresponding with the colors in the laundry room. Then, I made sure my scrapbook paper would indeed fit the frame. 3 pieces of 12x12 were perfect! Plus, the paper was 30% off, so it was way cheaper than wrapping paper. I began going around the paper with my phrase "Wash, dry, fold," hoping and praying I wouldn't have to end in the middle of a word. Luckily, it worked out almost perfect. I traced the letters in light blue Sharpie.

I was ready to hot glue my letters onto the paper and then realized I misspelled "laundry," omitting the N. Oops. Since I had mixed 2 blues and 2 greens (I already had), I couldn't just use more. I had to salvage my mixes from the trash (still right on top and not attached to anything gross). Easy fix. Once dry, I finally did hot glue them into place, roughly center. I added my fun catchphrase at the bottom and let everything dry for a few hours, just in case.

I placed the plastic layer on top, popped the edges back on, and hung in center to the shelf.

Now I have a laundry room I don't mind doing laundry in! Figures that my first "complete" room is not an actual ROOM. Total cost: $10 or $15. Don't remember exactly how much the frame was, but it wasn't much.

On my "maybe one day" list is to switch out the light fixture, except it's florescent and I'm not sure how cut and dry that would be.