WARNING: All posts from here down were written a very long time ago - before I knew what I was doing - I didn't know how to post pictures, and had not discovered and been inspired by the wonderful online blogworld.



IDEA #12
Today spend some time creating your place cards for Thanksgiving Day. Turn on your favorite music, and enjoy this time.

If you have decided not to make place cards for your Thanksgiving meal, then try to take a few minutes to listen to a Christmas CD and look through a Christmas magazine. You might find some great decoration ideas that you can re-create in your own home.

IDEA #11
Today take the time to purchase any items you will need to create the place cards you have planned for Thanksgiving Day (see Idea #9). Tomorrow, we will actually put these together, so make sure you have everything you will need!

IDEA #10
Today think about your front porch. There are many ways that you can make your front porch, door or entry more welcoming. First, go outside and look at your door as a visitor would. Do you need to sweep leaves off the porch, knock down spider webs from the corners, or clean the glass in your door? After you have cleaned it up, then consider buying or making one or more of the following decorations. Or maybe this list will spark some creative ideas of your own.

• A fall WREATH or SWAG to hang on your door (I made a diamond-shaped swag this year for my door - the basic shape is made from two different silk green bushes that I cut into individual stems, then I wired FALL picks of leaves and fruit to the center - AFTER Thanksgiving I will remove the fall picks, and wire CHRISTMAS picks of berries, etc to the center - AFTER Christmas, I will remove the Christmas picks, and wire blue and white "berry" picks to the center for a winter look, and then I can either change it for spring, or make something new
• Pumpkins of different sizes and colors
• Pots of different sizes with mums of different colors, either real or silk (you can usually pick up mums inexpensively at grocery or home improvement stores)
• A fall or Thanksgiving flag
• Garden statues are fun to add to your porch or flower beds and there are so many options out there - animals, little children, old world architectural shapes, bird baths - and you can find options in stone, concrete, metal - the options are endless
• If you have a large, covered front porch you could place benches or chairs and a small table or two, and decorate the table as you would inside your house - just use items that are able to withstand the weather

Go online to sites like www.bhg.com to get ideas for making your front porch welcoming to your family and friends. If you can create an entry that makes you smile, it will also be an entry that will make your family and friends smile.

IDEA #9
Today we are going to plan placecards for Thanksgiving Dinner. If you are not having company, this is still a great idea. A placecard at each person's place will be fun, and make everyone feel special. Your placecards can be as simple as a small card cut from cardstock with each person's name written in your best handwriting, or a pretty script printed from your computer, or you can make something more elaborate. Below is a list of ideas to get your thoughts going.

• A very small potted plant, with a card tucked inside
• Buy tiny frames and write each person's name on pretty paper in the frame
• Attach a namecard with ribbon to a Christmas ornament that each person can keep
• Tie a ribbon around the napkin, thread the ribbon through a hole punched in the namecard
• Fill small bags with candy or chocolates and tie a namecard onto the bag
• Make a wire shape of everyone's first initial and string beads onto the shape, crimping the ends of the wire so beads will stay on
• Buy a small, inexpensive present that will fit each person's interests or personality, and then let everyone try to figure out which present belongs to them

Maybe these ideas will help you think of your own creative way to decorate your Thanksgiving table with placecards. Make your plans today, and we will shop for and create these during the next few days.

IDEA #8
Today do a little planning. The Sunday paper always has a lot of ads. Look through all those store flyers and see what is on sale. Maybe you will spot something that is on sale this week that you would love to add to your decorations. If you find something, set aside a time this week that you can swing by and pick it up. If you do not get the Sunday paper, you could go online to craft/home decor stores like www.hobbylobby.com or www.michaels.com to get ideas and to see what they have on sale. And you could go online to your favorite department store to see what they have on sale. If you like to make decorations yourself, you can find something you like, and go buy the necessary items to make it yourself.

It is always fun to have one new decoration that you absolutely love! Enjoy browsing the ads. Look at wreaths, table centerpieces, candles, candle arrangements, wall decor, vases or bowls filled with fall fruits, fall leaves and picks with fruit or pinecones, etc. There is so much to choose from!

IDEA #7
You might be ready to do some redecorating in your home to create a living area or a bedroom that will make you smile just in time for the holidays.

I ran across this site that sells ebooks that help you learn how to decorate a room that fits your personality and your style. These ebooks can not only help you discover your style, but also help you with the specifics of lighting, flooring, room arrangement, etc.

Go to http://interiors.ayidbooks.hop.clickbank.net

These books look like FUN!

IDEA #6
If you will be traveling at Thanksgiving or Christmas, you will have a lot of additional planning to take care of. Today, start a list that you can continually add to, and on this list jot down anything that comes to mind that you need to do before you leave, or things to take with you, etc. Keep this list handy so you can add to it as things cross your mind. Hopefully this will help prevent that "last-minute rushing around like a chicken" syndrome!

If you will be flying, you might want to check this website: www.tsa.gov
There are some new rules about taking liquids onto planes. If you will take the time to purchase the sizes they accept and pack them the way they explain, you will be much happier in the long run.

IDEA #5
Today, take out and look over your fall placemats, tablecloths, napkins, and table runners. If they need to be washed, do that today. If they need to be dropped off at the dry cleaners, go put them in your car. If you have a set that is only for Thanksgiving day, at least now you can know that it is ready. If you have sets that you are going to use all month, set your table with one of them tonight!

IDEA #4
Today you are going to create the centerpiece you purchased items for yesterday. Turn on one of your favorite CD's and have fun putting this together!

If you have not had time to purchase what you need yet, then spend some time today online looking at hgtv.com or other sites. You can find some great ideas online for centerpieces. I hope soon to have some links on my site to places you can look at Thanksgiving and Christmas decorating ideas. Have fun!