My Family

I absolutely love my side of the family. They are great people and always fun to be around. I love my husbands side of the family too. They are neatly aged that some of Eric's uncles are actually his age or a little younger. It makes for awesome best girl friends for all us ladies. We moved back to Michigan purposely to be closer to the big family. Eric and I have been away from them for several years and the Holidays were just not the same anymore. I know I don't blog here often, but our family means more to me then anything else. Over the weekend was the family Christmas party. Last year we made it up to surprise Eric's mom for Christmas. She was over the roof excited to see us. Seeing family smile takes away any pain you may have been feeling before. Any doubt in your heart...gone. A family members smile cures all. Anyways, this year we had a theme "Christmas Morning". All who were willing showed up in Pajamas, we feasted on coffee and breakfast food, and opened presents. I couldn't help but excuse myself a couple times and cry. We are finally back in Michigan, with our beautiful family, not missing birthdays or holiday dinners. We get to watch the kids grow and perhaps sometime soon start our family and our business.

Jina (Eric's mom) came to visit from Florida and attend the party. Days leading up to the party she stayed at our house and helped put up our Christmas tree and decorations

Before leaving for the family Christmas party, we snapped a photo in front of the tree. The lighting is terrible, but still a great shot.

Here I am with Jina, Jackie, and Andrea

Not everyone could make it to the party, but having as many as we did is always like having a big family reunion. That's Jerry & Jeannie in the front holding hands, the grand parents of it all. 

And because we are who we are, we took a goofy photo for giggles. 

After the party we drove to Jeannie & Jerry's with a few other family members and "watched" football. AKA everyone play on our phones and look at the photos from the party. 

Jina and I realized we had yet to take a selfie together. I know I've said this before, but Eric's mom is my best friend. Her visits are never long enough and she makes everything good and hopeful. (The exact reason we got matching tattoos years ago! ~Ruth 1:16 Wherever you go, I will go, Wherever you stay I will Stay)

This man... Love 

The next day I sat on the couch and soaked in the weekend of memories, with the most perfect cup of coffee in the most perfect cup from Jina. 

Like I said before, I don't blog as often as I would like too. I probably write a short story, poem, or prayer daily but sitting down to publish those thoughts are very hard for me to do right now. However, this is something bigger, and something more. When you get those moments to soak in family and memories, do it! Don't allow anything or anyone to stop you from that. People come and go in life, family is forever. You never know when that will be ripped away from you. So I tell you dear readers, keep ahold of your family, don't be that person that regrets not being with them. More importantly don't be that person that enables someone else to stay away from their family. 

Christmas Recap

I tweeted @flemingavenue yesterday that cashmere, Victoria's Secret & Kate Spade were good to me this Christmas, but what I ment is Eric was good to me this Christmas. Because of the reason for the season, our Savior- this entire 2011 has been good to us - more on that later.

After work, on Christmas Eve we spent the evening with Erics mom, step dad, and step sister. They were making dinner, while his step sister made desserts. Put it this way, my diet was completely left in the car while at dinner.

First we had the worlds smallest cupcake, filled with peanut butter. YUM

  After dinner we had the worlds largest cupcake, made from scratch with real strawberries. It was FANTASTIC! 

We captured a photo on Christmas eve after we stuffed our faces.  

Also, the in-laws hooked us up with an awesome espresso machine, fully equipped with a coffee grinder & and cup and saucer kit. Based on the second photo, and several attempts later, I've mastered a pumpkin cappuccino, with extra foam. 

Now, on to Christmas morning. While I prepared cinnamon rolls, Eric broke our christmas eve's gifts for some hot espresso. We exchanged gifts, and watched movies. My husband knows me all to well & hooked me up with some great gifts. The cashmere scarf was an excellent surprise and I'm in love. He also got me a set of measuring spoons I have been eyeing. Why do I love thee? Let me show you. 

BTW, this is the best smell ever. I was pretty excited to unwrap this, not to mention this box has glitter on it. Did you know that Eric has a glitter phobia? Eric also got me a few other things, including a much needed hard drive. Thanks babe! 

**Photos are all mine, taking with instagram...enjoy**

Holiday Fashion

Yes, it is true, this is pure AWESOME! I cannot wait to go shopping because I want all of this! Lucky for me I already I have the clutch, cardigan, dress, belt, earrings and necklace. Still need fancy shoes, glitz polish, and something for my fingers and wrist, oh and some blue shadow and pale pink lip gloss. 

Christmas Playlist

The question of the hour is, what are your favorite Christmas songs? I have several, but every year my ringtone is set to the following...

But how can we not resist Michael Buble's beautiful voice?



And finally and song that really gives you goose bumps! I love me some rock and roll!



What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? These are just a few of my favorite ones!

Panel Gift Wall

It started with a few panels I painted on the wall, with clean modern lines. The intention was to hang 3 black a white photos per panel, but since I can't decided on what photos to hang, or the frame itself, the panels are left un touched. While I had all my christmas decor laying around in a big mess on my dining room table, I decided to turn the panels into gifts. Tiffany gift boxes to be exact! Though I don't personal own anything by the glorious jewelry company, I enjoy the creations with much love. 

Since the gift boxes are just a temporary set up, I wanted to be sure to it was an easy clean up. I used frog tape painters tape to be sure that when I remove the ribbon, I won't take paint with me. Then with hot glue, I tact on the glitter snowflake to the layered ribbon.

Pretty, simple, and totally re-doable next Christmas! 

Snowball Glitz

Get it? Snowball Glitz, ballroom blitz? Ok so that may not have been as funny as I was hoping, but at least you have some 70s rock to listen to while you read, though Christmas music may be more appealing while reading about my glitz snowballs. 

Supplies Needed:

     Flat matt wall paint

     decorative cheap balls 

     paint brush

     plates, paper towels, newspaper

     protective gloves

     epson salt

     fine grain iridescent glitter 

First I attempted to hand paint each decorative ball, but realized I don't have enough patience, but the paint brush came in handy later. I decided to dip each ball into the paint (wearing gloves), and then using the paint brush I worked through the paint while it dripped off back into the paint can. 

After almost all the paint dripped off, I sprinkled the salt and glitter mixture abundantly, then placed on a paper plate. Keep the paper towels handy because the salt works some chemical magic and the water will separates itself from the paint compounds. Kind of messy so bloat the water so it doesn't soak through the plates, or mess up the snowballs. 

After they dried overnight, I assembled them in a goodwill serving bowl, with fun silver ornaments, old painted pinecones from a few years ago, and placed in the living room mantel. Also known as living room storage. 

Christmas Tree, oh Christmas Tree...

When we first moved to South Florida, we brought nothing, and nothing included all of our lame Christmas decorations left in storage in Michigan. Since we had family staying with us during Christmas, we decided to pick up a tree, and I was happy to pick up a simple, and cheap find from the Target dollar spot. It's nothing to write home about, though I am certain I did in 2009, but I dig it.

See! It plugs in nicely and fits perfectly on top of the wrapped gifts. Hey, the gifts are still considered un the tree! I got a little crazy with the wrapping in 2009. Ok, back to the story, in 2010 we posted a lovely picture on Facebook of our tree, and the in-laws caught a glimpse. Next thing we knew we had house gifts, and christmas gifts of christmas decorations. I can't complain, the tree is right up our alley, and it was fun watching Eric and his mom set it up. She came bearing other lovely decorations like silver ornaments, garland, and an awesome snowlike tree skirt to be used year round. I love this tree, it can easily be stowed away during the off season, and no pine needles! I was never a fan of a "real" christmas tree anyways. Heck, it is the 21st century my friends, were making our own rules on the avenue.

It is pretty certain, if you look closely that Stella loves sitting in front of the tree, or she loves to have her photo taken, never the less, the tree rocks my socks, and the cats can't climb it. Stella makes sure that her presences is known.

The above photo was spiced up on instagram, follow me at flemingavenue. Merry Christmas my friends!

Glam & Glitz Center Piece

Can I just say that I am UBER impressed with my center piece. I lucked out and didn't buy a single thing for my center piece. So even if the center piece isn't impressive, the fact that I didn't buy anything for it this year IS uber impressive. 

I started with 2 trays from the target dollar spot, that I spay painted 2 years ago black. Then I centered and unscented clearance candle (from Target), in the middle of some snow drift candle holders that I made last year (mod podge brushed random goodwill vases then rolled in an epson salt and fine grain iridescent glitter). I had some Target dollar spot ornaments I laid around the candle holders, and then some large pearls from a costume jewelry necklace I broke last year. I'm glad I saved the beaded because my Christmas center piece went from glitz, to glam and glitz!    

Downtown Walk

The downtown scene in a town right outside ours its pretty fantastic. Our town doesn't have a downtown unless you consider Red Lobster and Target "downtown". For a town to have a proper downtown it must have boutiques, shoe repair, ma & pa breakfast places, and non-franchise coffee shops. The ma & pa breakfast place in this particular downtown is owl theme, so I'm a bit optimistic that its the best. I do love a good porcelain owl. Anyways the following photos, spiced up with the best features of instagram, are from a nice hand in hand walk on a crisp Florida evening. I know the phrase "crisp Florida evening" sounds like an oxymoron, but it does happen once in awhile. We took full advantage of the dark sky and cool breeze. The palm trees does throw it kind of off though.  

The town did have a christmas tree lighting the day before, but we skipped out to avoid the crowds. The tree is pretty amazing huh? 

Foam Modern Tree How To

From this post here I had intended on making one candy corn displays,, but never got around to it. I'm pretty glad too because yarn textiles don't really fit into the home decor here at the apartment. If your looking for a simple modern craft for the holidays, this one is for you.

Supplies Needed:
     2 foam cones
     Flat matte wall paint,
     Sponge brush
     Fine grain glitter
     Pearl flower pins

First start by using the sponge brush and paint the foam cones all around. Before the paint dries too much, sprinkle on the glitter. I only did enough so that when you move the cone around the light you can see it sparkle. Who doesn't love sparkles?!

If your significant other is anti-glitter, tell them to get over it, because glitter will sparkle around the work space for all the holidays. ;) I let the cones dry overnight then put pearl tipped flower pins all around it. I had considered attaching a silver glitter goodness star to the top, but I love how modern and simple it looked without it. Sometimes less is more, even during the holidays.

Finally a little peek of what it looks like in the living room. Pardon the grainy, bad zoomed iphone photo, but you get the hint. 

Christmas 2011 Inspiration

My color pallet for the holidays is: Teal, white, silver, black, and beige. 

Elements for the holidays: Stars, glitter, trees, snow, snowflakes, snow globes, ice, ice skates. 

Who is ready for the holidays? Pardon the rush in Christmas decor, but we had thanksgiving early this month while my husbands brother and wife and children were in town, my clock is all messed up.