Merry & Bright.

The top two photos here are not mine. But I am making it my personal challenge after yesterday's post to blog as much as I can through the rest of this month. Even if it's just simple stuff like links and photos of different things that are inspiring me this holiday season.

I am really enjoying how so many people seem to be crafting and creating handmade things the past couple of years- and one of the things I keep seeing all over the place is cute garlands. The scalloped one you see pictured would be sweet hanging up on a mantle in holiday colors/print. You can find the link and tutorial right here. I'm adding that to me "want-to-do list". =)

Right next to the garland on my list is to make some chocolate-covered marshmallows. I know my kids would like these rolled in sprinkles or drizzled with chocolate or even covered in red and green sugar. Nothing says Christmas like sugar on top of sugar...right?! It's the time of year for indulging. Or is it bulging? Ha! Either way, I thought these were cute and fun and if you want you can follow this link and buy them online and have them shipped to you or your friends right here!

I did find a few quiet minutes early in the morning the past couple of days and I pulled out some of the coffee sleeves I've been saving all year long and cut up some patterned papers and then added some ribbons and a few other little things and voila! Little coffee sleeve albums- just waiting to be filled with tiny pictures and handwritten notes. Hopefully I will have them wrapped up and in the mail early this week. I may not be getting all my Christmas cards written, but I am going to spread as much Christmas cheer as I can. Maybe I've even inspired you to save your cup holders and turn them into something fun to pass on this Christmas too. They'd make great gift tags or even cute garland if you strung a bunch of them together and added letters to spell something like "Tis the Season".

Here's to making the season merry and brighter!