{Holiday Party}

Well hello.
How are you!?!?
I have been super busy with Simple Daisy custom orders!!!
Thank you ... Thank you...Thank you!!!
I know I am super happy that SeaLaura ordered a really cute custom necklace! I can't wait for her to get it:) 
I can't even tell you how happy it makes me to make happy jewelry for you!

HAPPY.

Just take a look at this sky.
From last year.....but looks exactly the same this year!
GREY....

See that's why it makes me so happy to close the blinds...pour some vino....turn on some music and get busy creating beautiful jewelry!
 Makes me forget that winter's actually happening:)

We had our annual holiday party this past weekend!
I love this party.
fun...friends..food and a wee bit too much wine! Makes me very happy!

I thought I would show you how I doll things up for a holiday party!
Here's what I wore......

Dress.....Target
Boots...Payles
Jewelry....Simple Daisy!

{pretty.simple.fresh}    yes!?!?!?
And our home.....
decked out in turquoise and silver.

and the living room.
I think it's pretty cozy.

Oh and I made the most tastey peppermint martinis and white chocolate peppermint covered pretzels.
I would say....they were a hit!!

And just in case you're into videos.....here's one:):)

Nevermind.....it wouldn't upload!?!?!?

Check it out on Simple Daisy's Facebook page....if you're interested!!!!!

Life is...

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfil it.
Life is a sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

- Mother Teresa

{coastal christmas}

Well hello!!
Glad you all liked my goofiness in the snow:):)
Your comments always make me smile!!! Thanks for taking the time to leave little pieces happiness:)
And you know: when life gives you lemons.....you've got to make lemonaide!
Or in my case...when life gives me grapes....I make wine:):)
Of course....in typical Indiana fashion right after that snow it's been in the upper 60's and GORGEOUS all week.
Which is much better then the snow! But it was fun to goof around in it!! I really do appreciate the first snow!

Which puts me in the mood for our annual winter break vacay.
this time it's Puerto Vallarta.

{ps...the photo's from Key West last Christmas}
So if you have any have to check out recommendations....please send um my way!

Mimosas and sandcastles on the beach Christmas morning for me!

But even though i'll be gone for Christmas....we always have a big holiday shindig and since it's only a couple of weeks away I thought I better get busy transforming our home into a Christmas wonderland!

Who cares if Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet!

I am nowhere near done....let's just say....flour and salt will be in my future!!!
Stay tuned!!!

Oh and stay tuned for a lovely give-away on the day after turkey day!!!

Sometimes you can make the simplest of certerpieces out of things you already have!! This one came from everything I had on hand!! Yippee...
I really did tell myself...no turquoise this year!
I love those natural white & green christmas themes i've seen on the shabby blogs.
But I just can't do it!
I LOVE turquoise and I love glitter!! And really Christmas is one of the few times of the year when I can get away with the glitter!
So why not, right!?!?! 

Are you an early Christmas decorator or do you wait until Thanksgiving!?!?! I say...do what makes you happy...but maybe wait until after Halloween:)

Have a super happy weekend!

Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart. ~ Unknown

{Have yourself a beachy little Christmas}

Hi everyone!!
Merry Christmas~
We just got back from KEY WEST and had a super marvelous time!!

See these smiles....
We were in pure bliss:)
Plus everything was just so Christmas=y....I really loved all the lights everywhere and have definitely decided to spend my Christmases somewhere tropical and happy:)
Even the trees were decorated so cutely:) {is that even a word?!?!}I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas morning wherever you are!! And you can bet i'll be sharing more of my happy photos of Key West in the weeks to come!! Take care and have a happy day!

"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour." Unknown

{Oh, the weather outside is .....}

frightful. But the fire is so delightful. So let it snow, let is snow, let it snow.

Brrrrr.....I am sure if you live anywhere within the mid-west you are feeling the effects of this HUGE winter storm!! So I decided to come home and enjoy the evening. I let the dogs play outside and then came in to enjoy some vino, sit in the hot tub and enjoy some yummy pizza!! Oh and I definately enjoyed it in my dining room with my honey and the candles lit!!! Even the little reindeer are cold and snowy~

At least my house is starting to look like christmas with the twinkle lights and snow~

I just made sure to sit extra close to the fire tonight:)

And I drank my vino sitting right next to fire...that is after I got out of the hot tub:)

I love to sit in the hot tub when it's FREEZING out!! Soooo relaxing:)

If you didn't notice...I made new pillows for my dining room!!! I LOVE them!! I think it's just the pop of color it needed!! Now I am all ready for my party this saturday:)OH and you know I love my vino!! well, here is the perfect way to use those extra reisling bottles I have! {maybe you have them too} I used them in my holiday decor. I painted branches silver and then hung simple ornaments on them!! Simple and cute~

Anywho......

I love pizza and thoughout my mission to get healthy...I have learned some tips and tricks to make naughty foods into super healthy foods!! I now make my pizzas from scratch and I roll the crust SUPER thin so that I can enjoy more of it without the extra calories:) Now.....I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I have gained a "tiny" bit of weight since winter has come on...but, guess what, it's OK!!!

Winter is super tough for me...no matter how happy I try to make it!! I live in carb city during the winter. Recently, I have started trying on my summer clothes to make sure they still fit for KEY WEST next week....I now must FACE it, that some of them are too tight:) That's winter in the mid-west for you~

After the holidays it's GAME-ON again for me!! Time for the last part of my fit and healthy mission!!

Sometimes things take a little longer than anticipated and that's just fine! I think as long as you have a goal and your moving towards that goals, even when you backslide, it's OK!!

How are you fairing with this WINTER STORM.....that is, for the not so lucky people who DON'T live in Florida:) Hope you are staying warm and cozy wherever you are:)

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination." Jimmy Dean

{winter fun}

Hi there...
Just thought I would share a couple photos from this past weekend!!
Remember how I said....I am DETERMINED to get out there and enjoy winter?!!?
Well this past weekend....my huband, myself and our friends bundled up and went up to St. Joe, MI to watch a dog parade!!
Silly, huh?!?!? But it was SOOOO much fun. In fact, we might try and enter our dogs for next year:) but they would probably act up too much~

There was every kind of dog you could imagine! They were all sooo cute~
Of course, we had to watch santa come to town in the fire truck~I don't know what it is but parades just really make me feel like a kid all over again. There is just something so magical about them and well, when they include dogs it's even more fun:)

My friend and I being silly with the snowman.I tell you...if I didn't know any better i'd say we were long, lost sisters. I love her because she is always just as silly as I am!!
Notice Lake Michigan in the background....I think there is just something so wrong about looking at water when there's SNOW on the ground!!But then again....a little vino and a frosty beer and all is ok again:)

Hope you all have a super happy week!! Remember life is short...so get out there and ENJOY it:)
"Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down." unknown

{woot....woot}

Hello there....
This past weekend my camera broke....boohoo...but, today my sweet husband ran out to buy me a new camera!! Awww....thanks honey!
Anywho, it's not the DSLR I really, really wanted...but it's a SUPER upgrade from the camera that broke. So, I am HAPPY. Plus....good things come to those who wait, right?!?!?


I was tinkering around with it today and thought I would share how I christmas ified...my front porch...

I was sticking with the turquoise and silver theme I have going on inside....
Here's a little wreath I made last year or the year before {I can't remember}. I think it looks perfect on my blue front door.

I like to put cute things in my planter boxes during Christmastime...I think it looks better then plain dirt:)

Oh and here's a cute little photo I took while I was trying to learn about my new camera..

I think I am going to be super pleased with my new camera!! Can't wait to take some foodie photos!! YIPPEE!!

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

We did some fun things but I didn't have my camera, so I can't share!! Unless.....my friend sends me copies of the photos on her camera!! **hint, hint, Michelle***

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means you've decided to look through the imperfections." unknown

{Happy Monday}

Happy Monday to you all!!
Had a great run outside and then came in to do a little
p90x!! It's still 50ish degrees outside and so I try and soak up every little bit I can get! :)
Running outside beats the treadmill ANYDAY....woohoo~
This past weekend I started doing a little Christmas decorating.
Is it WRONG that I listen to the 80's hairband station while i'm doing the decorating?!?!? I am SURE most people probably listen to Christmas music....but then I have never been accused of being like MOST people~

I'll give you just a little sneak peek. Turquoise, silver and glitter is the theme this year~

Of course, you can never go wrong with twinkle lights either! I love them and they make me feel super happy~I am NOT afraid of silver paint and glitter! I just love these little reindeer....they were just the brown paper mache reindeer that I spray painted and sprinkled glitter on! Simple and cute.
Oh and I did add a little Amy Butler fabric scarf to keep them warm and toasty.
The little tree on my bar....I know you are shocked to see wine corks on it:)The dining room table so far......
I enjoyed a MOST delicious dinner there this evening. Stay tuned because i'll be sharing the recipe on this Friday's Fresh Friday post! Oh and you'll be so happy to know that I actually took the time to measure out all the ingrediants I used so that I can give you an ACTUAL recipe!
I promise you won't be dissapointed! Or at least I hope you're not:)

Hope you have a super wonderful evening:)

"Take into account that great love & great achievements involve great risk" dalai lama

{wheat grass}

NO...not this kind of wheat grass~ OR...this kind of wheat grass~
I am talking about THIS kind of wheat grass! :) Pure health in a can. It's a super easy way to get a nice dose of greens for your day~

I make a healthy shake in the morning with a little bit of this....and whatever else I feel like throwing in!

Lately my shakes have been.....wheat grass, plant fusion, blueberries, half a banana and some ground flaxseed!! What a GREAT way to start the day:) Go ahead and whip one up yourself! You WON"T be disappointed~

These shakes make me really feel like i'm doing something GOOD for my body~YUUUMMMMM~~

Have a HAPPY sunday~ :)

PS....how are your Thanksgiving Day plans going?!?!? I can't believe it's just around the corner! Geesh....where does time go?