While I was still recovering, I found solace in making and painting.  The kiddos and I spent several days making ornaments out of old sheet music, a broken pearl necklace, glue gun, and ribbon.  (Yes, we started long before Thanksgiving).  The kiddos also had me make some large ones out of a full sheet, though I prefer the simple small half-sheet ornaments that turn out about 4 inches in diameter.

Later we took a few more sheets to make our paper chain of giving to hang around the house and one for the tree.  The creamy sheet paper, pearls and cream ribbon looked so nice with the 12+ strands of white lights that I put on our lil’ tree.  The designer and I were enjoying the pure simplicity and tried to put just a few decorations on the tree.  Then we remembered how much the kiddos enjoy decorating and redecorating the tree each day.  So now it is shamelessly gaudy-ed up with tinsel and most of the decorations on the bottom half of the tree.  But they love it.  🙂

Perhaps one day we’ll have another tree that the designer and I can decorate simply together…for now, one constantly decorated tree means more magic and excitement.  Except the back of the tree (that they usually forget) where I took this simple photo:

Wishing you all a wonderfully magical holiday season! xoxo ~ katrina