elf on the shelf :: 27 ideas

mr. bean made his second annual debut at our home this year. he was greeted each morning with squeals and smiles when our kiddos would find him in new spots. {my older kiddos rolling their eyes at me. it happens. they grow up.} sometimes he would surprise us bearing gifts and sometimes causing mischief. there’s something so fun about the power of imagination during the holidays, this little guy adds wonder and excitement to the entire month.

in pictures, twenty-seven elf on the shelf ideas:

{all photos by me, Jane Rhodes, via my account @see_jane on instagram.}

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christmas

we have this rule: no one is allowed down where santa delivered the goods until everyone is awake. everyone goes down together. this rule has never been broken.

so, here is sela and kj, obedient children as they are — standing at the top of the stairs trying to see as much as possible, and almost dying from the pain of waiting. waiting for their older sisters to wake up and get out of bed so they can go downstairs {insert: kiana moaning from her bed about how tired she is, each time sela sneaks in and tries to wake her up…}

this is new: santa footprints… because our fireplace was hot, he magically had to use the front door.

…but the real magic unfolded about a billion fold when all of the smiles start to appear:

{these pictures are blurry because when children are pulling you by the legs and arms to get your attention, mom! hurry! look at this! look here! momma! it’s a little challenging to be taking pictures at the same time and get them in focus. plus, lets be honest, christmas morning is usually a bit blurry to the memory.}

family christmas brunch:

we spent christmas afternoon/evening with friends at this charming new england home:

sela was so excited about christmas dinner, it was hard for her to sit down.

so, she stood next to her chair {eating. and dancing.} at times…

we returned home at the end of the day, and all i kept thinking was, today is absolutely my favorite day of the year. xo.

{photos by me, Jane Rhodes}

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christmas eve

sushi. holiday cards. good friends. good food. traditional christmas jammies. snuggles. cookies for santa. apples for the reindeer. movie: christmas vacation while playing crazy eights.

a new tradition: sitting around the tree sharing our favorite memories of 2012. my favorite memory: the moment we were all singing country songs driving around crescent lake in washington on this road trip. amazing: every one of my kids shared favorite memories that all had to do with spending time together as a family. no favorite toys. no favorite video games were mentioned. kj was almost in tears because he wanted to be back in cabo with his dear friends.

my heart was smiling.

{all photos by me. i was given a new-to-me camera for christmas!!!! and i’m still trying to figure out the white balance, so please be patient with my yellow pictures.}

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merry everything!

friends…enjoy today, and tomorrow. take all that gushy gratitude and festive cheer and make something of it. share what you have with others.

from our family to yours, merry everything! xo.

{photos by blue lily photography}

Posted in christmas, family pictures, husband, jane, kiana, KJ, myla, sela | 2 Comments »

Luke 2: 8-11

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

We don’t all observe the same traditions, enjoy the same dishes, or even call these winter holidays by the same names, but surely we share an appreciation of how these months pull us together. cheers to that.

-words via nathan williams, editor of kinfolk magazine.

if you are interested in using the noel printable, you can find the free download here.

to make:

punch two small holes in the top, thread ribbon through the holes to tie the print-out to candy canes with a simple bow. then, i hang the candy canes on a little tree for display. you could use this idea, or hang the candy canes across a string or twine between two points on a garland. you could also make them into bookmarks. cheers to a glorious season. xo.

{photo by me, printable created by lovely lindsay for seejaneblog.}

Posted in christmas, free downloads, free stuff | 2 Comments »

holiday home tour

we decked the halls! keeping with my thanksgiving/winter mood, i wanted everything cozy mixed with some festive-holiday cheer, if you are still in the midst of decorating your homes, here are are six tips…

tip #1: if you don’t have a chandelier, pot rack, or stairwell to hang decorations on – use a small rope or twine, attach to the corners of your window moldings with a tiny tiny nail, and hang items on the rope. you can also hang the rope/twine across a wall with the same philosophy. this works great for stringing stockings, wreaths, pomanders, or any christmas ornament that you can attach the ornament with ribbon or string – even a traditional hook! {as seen in the picture above.}

tip #2: layer your garlands! mix textures, colors, strings of lights, and use more than one! try making a homemade pom pom garland to add to what you already have!

tip #3: decorate areas of your home you wouldn’t normally think about decorating. for example: the kids’ play spaces!

tip #4: add festive yarn-wrapped letters to your mantle, or on a shelf.

tip #5: mix your everyday/all-year-long home decor with your holiday decor, this gives your home a more balanced-lived-in look.

tip #6: add a little festive touch to each room, keep it simple by adding a holiday dish towel, seasonal plant {re-potted little trees!}, or mini-trees in open corners of your home. try christmas-scented soaps in the bathrooms. small touches make a big statement.

you can snoop just a little bit more in previous posts here, here, and here. xo.

{photos by me, Jane Rhodes}

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DIY: yarn-wrapped letters

hey friends! i have a very simple, DIY holiday craft for you today. this idea could be used in so many ways! using brown kraft letters, i chose to spell “merry” and wrapped the letters in ombre-style yarn colors. then, i displayed the finished letters on our fireplace mantle.

you could use the words: joy, frost, noel… omgoodness, the list could go on and on! or! you could use the first letter of your name, or! choose a different time of year – say, valentine’s day and do love, sweet, heart! {see what i’m saying: endless ideas!}

for the full do-it-yourself-tutorial, head over to Mom’s Best Netowrk today! i am now a contributor for Mom’s Best, and you’ll be seeing more posts via MBN on a monthly basis. watch for a re-launch of the site in January!

you can find kraft paper mache letters at most craft supply stores, and the land of nod! yarn-wrapped letters would make a great gift for this time of year too. choose a friends name, or the first initial of a last name to add as a gift topper! be creative! xo.

{photo by me, Jane Rhodes}

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