A Winter Wonderland Christmas-Table Top Tuesday

      Every year, I pick a color theme for my Christmas decorating. I've done everything from black and white, to hot pink and purple. I generally know by the time Christmas is over what the color theme will be the next year. I had a plan for this year, but I just didn't "feel it" when the time came to decorate my house. So, a shift in plans and a bit of thought about how I was feeling this year about the holiday changed everything.  I decided I wasn't feeling bright, colorful and cute...I was feeling soft, shimmery and sparkly. I wanted something soothing and pretty (without buying a lot of new things). Today I'm showing you part of my library table at the top of the stairs. Marty makes it difficult to share my tables because I seem to have a cloche or two on most of them that I don't want to show until her cloche party.

     You can see that I started with some silver fabric on the table, topped with live greens. The silver trees I've had for many years, a scattering of Pottery Barn stars and a new little snow clown that I purchased in Franklin, TN. He was meant to go under a cloche, but he wouldn't fit in any of mine.

The ornaments give you a hint of what my tree looks like this year.

     Just a little hint of red in the frame of an old time looking picture. It is hard to see that it also has a bit of sparkly snow on it. Pretend you don't see that tiny cloche...you will be seeing it again soon. I apologize for the lighting in the photos. We have had a series of gray days and this table isn't near a window. More to come...

I am joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday.

Please say an extra prayer for Marty's family

 today...her mother-in-law is gravely ill.

This is the last day to sign up for my

GIVEAWAY!

CLICK HERE!

A Little Christmas Magic-Met Monday

     Like most of you, I spent much of the past few days bringing a little Christmas cheer to my house. Today I'm going to show you the front porch. It was inspired by a Pottery Barn photo, of course my house doesn't look like the Pottery Barn house and I also wanted to use things I already had. I wasn't asking for too much do you think? Before we started decorating, we made a much needed change to our house numbers. The numbers that were on the house were here when we bought the house 7 years ago. They blended too much with the brick and as you will see, they looked ugly. I added the Christmas sticker to avoid posting the full number.

     Imagine how excited I was when CSNstores.com asked me to review a product and I got to pick out new house numbers! I absolutely love them. It was one of those simple changes that really made a difference to the front of my house. They are quality made and my husband had no trouble at all putting them on the house. I wish we had made this simple change sooner. I have been really happy with everything I've gotten from CSN and I'll be having a giveaway from them in the near future...maybe you can change your house numbers!

     Now, for the rest of the porch. When I was looking through my Pottery Barn catalog, I loved the look of one of the pictures. I knew that without buying several new things, I couldn't quite match that look...but, I did use it as my inspiration for using some things I already had. So, we took the porch from this...

To this...

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch today for

Met Monday Please stop for a visit and

see all the creative posts this week.

Don't forget to sign up for my GIVEAWAY!

Click Here!

Progresso Soup Review and Giveaway!

     Several weeks ago I received my first opportunity from MyBlogSpark to review a product. They provided me with a package that included two cans of Progresso Reduced Sodium soup, a Progresso soup mug, and a fitness ball and DVD.

     I am not new to Progresso Soup. We love soup at our house and while I love homemade soups, sometimes it is so easy to just pop open a can for a quick lunch. I started buying Progresso Soups when I did Weight Watchers for a few months many years ago. The taste was good, it was easy to prepare and you could eat an entire can for very few points! I was new to Reduced Sodium Progresso soups. In reading the information provided to me, I found out that there are more than 100 million adults suffering from high cholesterol and that eating Progresso® Reduced Sodium soups may help lower cholesterol when eaten with other heart healthy, soluble fiber containing foods.  

     The "May Help Lower Cholesterol" banner and the Heart Healthy logo can be found on certain varieties of Progresso Reduced Sodium soups, making it easy to find them on your grocer's shelf. Five Progresso Reduced Sodium favorites - Italian Style Wedding, Minestrone, Garden Vegetable, Beef and Vegetable, and Chicken Gumbo - contain hearty vegetables and legumes to provide 1g of heart healthy soluble fiber in every bowl.

     Of course the important question is, how does it taste? I was pleased to see when I opened the can of Chicken Gumbo, that it was loaded with rice, veggies, beans and chicken. I like substance in my soups. It was nicely seasoned, in fact it had a bit of a "bite" to it. Did I miss the salt? I will admit that I'm used to "regular" canned soup which is loaded with sodium, so I could tell immediately that these soups had less salt in them. It was something I got used to after the first couple of bites. What I found was that Progresso has been able to make a healthy line of soups without sacrificing the quality I am used to with their products. If you would like to learn more about Progresso Reduced Sodium Soups (or their other products) you can visit their webpage or join them on Facebook.

     MyBlogSpark and Progresso have generously offered to send a prize package to one of my readers. You will receive the same package I got to review; a large Progresso mug, two cans of soup and an exercise ball and video. This is open to my U.S. readers only.

     Let's keep this simple.

     1. Leave a comment on this post sharing anything you might do to help lower your cholesterol using your food choices. I would love it if you decided to follow my blog, but you don't have to be a follower to be entered.

You have through Tuesday, Nov. 30th to enter

Siesta Key Sandsculpting Competition-How Do They Do That?

     I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been so busy the past couple of days that my blogging has slowed down to almost a crawl. When I have had time to sit down, I can't stay awake. Today is also going to be a busy day, so I was really glad when my dad sent me these pictures last night and I could share them with you. A few days ago, my dad strolled over to the public beach to check out the the sand sculpture competition. I've never seen one of these myself, but I've always wanted to. I am in awe at what these artists can do with a little sand, a lot of talent and according to my dad...a spray bottle of water mixed with a little white glue. I want to thank my dad for his "guest blog"!

Dad said the artist told him that all of these "things" are

pouring out the guy's nose. When asked if that just

evolved as he went along, the artist said "that is the way it works"!

I think this one is y favorite. I love

 the flowers, do you see the ladybug?

The next two photos show the overall winner, Circle of Life.

I think this photo shows you just how beautiful Siesta Key is.

I feel very lucky my parents have been living there for many years.

It is a great place to think of as my second home!

The view from dad's balcony when he got home.

I am going to join The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.

This certainly isn't seasonal where I live, but it is seasonal

if you live in paradise!

Just In Time! Thank You!

     My birthday this year was not the norm. I generally don't make a big fuss over my birthday, but it is usually spent at home and begins with a phone call from my mom (who sometimes lets my dad give a brief greeting). It also generally includes a nice dinner out, or at least carried in. This year on October 29th, I left for Florida to help with my mom's memorial party. There was no phone call from my mom to start the day (dad did call) and dinner was an order of fries on the road and a scone with coffee when we reached our hotel that night (my choice, my husband would have taken me to dinner). Needless to say, I wasn't in the best of spirits as I sat in that hotel room with my laptop. Suddenly I got an email from Joni @ Red Couch Recipes...I won a $65 gift certificate to CSN stores! On my birthday! Call me greedy, but it was such a fun surprise that I perked up! The timing couldn't have been better! I finally took time to spend my certificate a few days ago and instead of buying something for the house, I bought something for me and they arrived just in time for what I woke up to this morning!

     I bought these fun new Lugz boots and after using my gift certificate, I paid $3 for them! They fit beautifully and are so comfortable and warm! Such a fun treat...thank you Joni! I'm going to be needing them today. After getting close to 80 degrees on Monday...today we woke up to ICE!

Ice on the pergola.

Ice on the patio furniture (time to put it away)!

I am joining Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday

Please go visit our hostess and say hello!

Table Top Delight!

     Each year an area furniture store hosts a fundraiser that is all about tables. Just my kind of party! There are always a few tables that are being raffled off for $5 a chance. Of course I never win, but it is fun to dream. I thought I'd share a few pictures, maybe you will find some inspiration. I know that one of them inspired something that I'm doing on my table...I'm not telling which one!

Silver and Blue Christmas

S'more Camping Fun

Winter Wonderland

Mad Hatter

Garden Party

Frolicking Through the Village

Toast to 2011

Country Elegance

Chow Down for the Holidays

Winter Solstice

One Starry Night

Bennington Pottery Holiday

Seaside Shindig

Daisy's

Jimmy Buffet-Margaritaville

Picnic with Ants

Cheers Through the Holidays

Easter

I am joining Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesdays

Be sure to stop in and tell her hello!