Christmas smack

Since we are nine days away from Christmas Day, I'm going to try to cram in as much Christmas as possible these next few days because after December 26th, I am over it, so over it. And since the retailers of America feel the need to shove the holiday down our throats earlier and earlier every year, it is at this point in December that I'm sick of the traditional colors, lights, sights and sounds. I didn't want to freak everyone out with a creepy and disturbing parade of images so we'll just do a little off kilter and off the beaten path Christmas inspiration. If I didn't ADORE this amazing time of year so much, I wouldn't be able to talk smack about it.

Again, I saved the best for last. I have wanted to do the inverted Christmas tree for years and I never break with tradition. Next year! Go spread some Christmas cheer...

Babypalooza

Since my children are now smug thirteen year olds, I get sentimental for the days when they were babies. Their nursery was a neutral shade of beige and their cribs were a sleigh bed style in a dark mahogany finish. I did not go over board in their room for a few reasons, I was having twins and was a little freaked out, (did I mention they're my first?) we didn't have a lot of money and I had recently stopped working so I was trying to get the rest of the house up to our new baby standards...because unbeknownst to me, babies don't come out of the womb walking, putting small objects in their mouths and choking and shoving forks into unprotected electrical outlets.

So I wanted to fantasize for a few minutes about the nursery they never had. If you have children, dream along with me. Unless you're one of those overachieving moms that had the nursery professionally done with every onesie on a silk padded hangar and a thousand dollar area rug that may look fantastic now but wait till someone pukes on it at three in the morning one day very soon, then it won't seem so fantastic.

Bright, cheery and crisp!

Hell yes you need a sofa in the nursery! Most of us spent many a night in a crappy rocker nest to the crib, a late night vigil with our feverish baby.

Love the wallpaper, colors and that fab light fixture.

Love the SHEEP!

New tradition for the baby.

I don't know what I like more, the striped walls or the faux zebra rug?

Love the color palette, fun and sophisticated.

Gorgeous!

Adore the orange and more faux zebra.

MMMMM...flokati.

Love the Tiffany blue and the Sputnik light fixture.

LOVE the colors here and notice the TWO cribs, great space for the girls. One of my favorite rooms.

The chandelier does it for me.

My absolute favorite nursery. Not super babyish but just look at that fantastic wallpaper on the CEILING!

Cute and butch color combo and I love the wallpapered ceiling again!

The blue chair really pops against the charcoal wall, nice and graphic.

Inanimate Object Love~Connection

I think we forget sometimes how big of an impact visual merchandising and design in our favorite stores has on us. Not only on the chemistry of "BUY" but how we connect to it emotionally and how we can visualize it in our home. Not only the stores, which I much prefer, but online or catalogs. Personally, I need to touch it, see it in 3D, smell it, sit on it, play with it or accomplish whatever else I need to do in order to make that connection. I'm a firm believer in the most basic of design rules, "If you don't LOVE it, don't buy it". Having that intimate connection with an inanimate object is what pushes us to purchase and in turn, cherish our objects.

Who of you would be comfortable purchasing this absolutely fabulous loveseat without sitting in it? Running your hands over the upholstery? Giving a little bounce to test the springs? Walking the full diameter of it to see it from every possible angle? If you said "ME!", then I applaud your bravery. I know people do it everyday, I just can't bring myself to do it.

Okay, I'm quickly digressing. I'd like to hear from you, what's your favorite store in terms of visual appeal? Do you buy from them on a consistent basis or is it more of an inspiration for your own home? Leave me a comment, I'm really curious to hear everyone's answers on this.

Some of my personal favorites are DWR, C&B and Anthropologie. All these stores make me want to buy and they all inspire me to be more creative when I get home.

Almost forgot! Scroll down to the White Christmas post below and check out the last image. It's Bergdorf Goodman's Christmas window. Now that's pure inspiration.

White Christmas...someday

One of my design fantasies is to have an entire home be completely done is shades of white. I mean everything, rugs, trim, furniture, light fixtures, wall color, artwork and every little accessory would be a shade of white. I might even be generous enough to allow a little of the following: chrome, crystal, glass and a little stainless. That being said, I've always thought that maybe an all white Christmas could be a little more realistic and obtainable back here in reality. I've yet to make that happen. So, I've vicariously planned it all out through Pinterest (which if you don't have an account yet, I highly suggest you investigate immediately)! I've taken a few of my favorite Christmas trees from my White Christmas Board and given you a hint of them here. Please feel free to wonder over to the "Follow me on Pinterest" badge to your right on this page. Maybe someday when I'm retired and we have a little condo, I can turn that into my all white wonderland. Although that doesn't sound very Grandchild friendly...oh well, that's soooo far away.

I saved the absolute best for last. This is the Christmas window at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, not sure about what year but does it really matter? Just look at it for God's Sake! Unfreakingbelieveable!

Christmas Trainwrecks

This has been an unusual year for me and my family but with the Holidays approaching I wanted to remind some of you how fortunate you are for having a normal family, per say. I'm not saying my family is not normal, I'm pretty sure they are. Besides, how do we even gauge normalcy anymore since we're all self diagnosed nut jobs?

Ah, a military family!

Wow! He is excited about Santa!

Yeah, Moms think it's cute to dress you all alike.

Taxidermy with a Latin flair...that screams Christmas joy.

I'm not sure what's more amazing in this shot. Getting all these dogs to sit still and look at the camera or the sheer opulence of it all!

...and party ev-er-y day!

Have yourself a dark and dreary Christmas...

Santa is always tolerant of those on the naughty list, too. Photos courtesy of Awkward Family Photos, Thank you! Please cherish the time with your family this crazy season. Merry Christmas!