A Woodland Tree

One of the best things about Christmas decorating is opening up all the storage boxes and seeing all your favorite things that you haven't seen in a year.   When it came time to start decorating, I immediately began with my woodland tree.  This tree features forest animals, birds, birdhouses, gold ornaments, and a bee skip.  I must admit, I had a very difficult time photographing this tree and all its details.  In person, it is much prettier. 

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Red-and-White Marbled Cookies

Over the weekend, the December/January issue of Country Living arrived in my mailbox.  While I was reading the magazine, my eyes instantly landed on these red-and-white marbled cookies.  As many of you know, I enjoy baking and learning new baking techniques.   I also happen to love marble stone and would love to have marble countertops in my new kitchen someday!

Using a basic sugar-cookie dough, I divided the dough in half and then tinted one half red.  Next, I rolled each half into a rope and then layed the two pieces side by side and twisted those into one rope.  Then, I just kind of "smooshed" the two colors together to make the marble effect.   I just wish that marble kitchen countertops were that easy to make!

I joined the link parties at It's So Very Cheri! and Sew Many Ways.

A New Blog Header!

Hello, my blog friends!  If you haven't already noticed, I finally dove in and changed my header.   I am not very computer savvy, and the whole process was taking a lot of nail biting, hair-pulling, and many margaritas!  I finally discovered this tutorial, which helped immensely.  In the end, I found out that it's really not so hard after all!  I may even attempt to make another header for the holidays.   Have a wonderful weekend!

Fall Cookies

With fall decorating coming to an end,  I thought I would take out my leaf cookie cutters and decorate some sugar cookies.  Unfortunately, I decided to try a new sugar cookie recipe, and  although the leaf cookies are pretty to look at, they taste horrible!  Next month, I am participating in a cookie exchange, so I am so glad that I discovered this now and not in several weeks.  Otherwise, I would have had quite a baking disaster.   Have you ever had one of those?   

Anyway, if you like to decorate cookies, I would highly recommend Cookie Craft by Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer.  It is the book  that I always go to when I want to learn more about techniques and great decorating designs.  In fact, Cookie Craft would make a great Christmas gift for yourself or the baker in your life! And no, don't worry, my horrible cookie recipe did not come from this book...

Dreaming of a New Bathroom

This past week at Love and Life at Leadora has been very exciting.   The drywall in the new bathroom was completed.   Believe it or not, this bathroom used to be a bedroom prior to the renovation.  Currently, all five of us are showering in the master bathroom, and I am so done with sharing!! 

Next on the to-do list is paint and tile.  In the meantime, I am dreaming of a new bathroom....

Hopefully, my dreams will come true! 





To Decorate or Not to Decorate?

After Halloween, my corner cabinet looks awfully bare.  Thanksgiving at Love and Life at Leadora  revolves around the dinner and Christmas decorating commences the day after, so I own very few Thanksgiving decorations.   Also, the traditional fall colors of yellow, orange and brown look dreadful in my dining room.   This year, I decorated  my corner cabinet with some of my pink and white transferware, acorns from our large oak tree, decorative pumpkins, a pumpkin teapot,and my favorite little bird turine. 

What's your Thanksgiving decorating style?  Do turkeys and pumpkins fill your home?  Or do you skip and go directly to Christmas?  To decorate or not to decorate?  I'd love to know your answer.  Let me know by leaving a comment!

Abundance

When Christine, from Silverlinings 4 me, asked me to participate in this week's wordweek for the word "abundance", all I could think of was the abundance of  house projects that need to be done at Love and Life at Leadora!  However, I quickly realized that all these house projects would not make very interesting nor pretty  photos!  So instead, I decided to share my abundance of pink and white dishes.  The dishes in the photo are only a small portion of what I own.  I love china and would probably have as much possible if it weren't for lack of money and space!   Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy November!

Today is a beautiful day at Love and Life at Leadora...beautiful, bright, warm and sunny. 

Happy November!