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Monday, December 19, 2011

December 19, 2011 [my year in review]

well, it has come to my attention that i don't really give my blog enough love. so in the new year, i hope that i can change all that. if you read, here-here! hope we can be friends. i am embarking on a new life, a new weight loss [over 100 pounds] a new love from the UK and a whole new outlook on life and what matters most; my art and my friends.

enjoy the holidays and I'll see you all around in 2012... meantime, here is a sampling of 2011 from my home to yours.


Holidays for me have always been a mixed bag. Having such a huge split family i have found it almost impossible to buy gifts for everyone, so i stopped a long time ago trying. i used to make gifts but that even became a source of great stress for me starting long about october 31st. i have a large family of 7 brothers and sisters, twice that in nieces and nephews, plus a growing number of friends and other people we are supposed to "buy for." when i separated from my fiance this past year, i decided i was going to make food gifts, but quickly found myself eating much more than i should of that. another lesson learned.

finally i settled on creating a holiday home that welcomed me, my daughter and whomever might want to drop in. i do not do christmas cards and only this year have i ever had just one single gift under the tree for myself. while it's all been a whirlwind change for me, living alone, i am not sad. in fact, the simplification of christmas has made me much more giving in spirit.

so i wanted to share my house with you all. it's not a perfect planned christmas cottage as it was in my mind back in october, but it has been fun to transform my small little 1000 sq ft cottage into a wonderland for my daughter, the dogs and myself.


i had a bunch of these knick knack shelves in the garage studio but wasn't using them, so i put them to work in my dining room housing the santas and elves and a few deer. i painted and constructed the "MERRY" sign. that strand of lights is very vintage.


this white tree once had a rotating base and a disk light under it, but has long since died. i cover it literally with all my plastic antique ornaments. the table is covered in some new and old stock, random elves from the 40s, 50s and 60s, German candle clips in mint packs, shiny brite ornaments, vintage light bulbs mercury glass, plastic santas and tinsel. not much eating will get done on this table, but it's a good place for my collection.



my bubble light and bird tree. this is on my island/counter by the kitchen. i added lots of painted mushrooms [a total steal from pier one after easter since those mushrooms were ugly green and yellow and orange, NOT red, i had to fix them up.] so now i have a lovely Swedish garden christmas-land.


this is a shelf with my deer and reindeer collection. i normally have my vintage ceramic planters here, but i love this grouping by the tree during the holidays.

a quick peek into my library piano room. i'll have more images of this room in my future blogs as i changes from tie to time. it's the girliest room in the house. i love to sit in here and play piano or read in the pink wingback chair resting in the opposite corner [not shown] that was a great gift form my bestie, emily. she really knows my style.



living room...



AND MY WEIGHT LOSS.......



Amazing weight loss thanks to my gastric bypass, my present to myself for this year. it has been a lot of hard work and TON of ups and downs. it has become a focus to stay healthy and a struggle not to make food the sole "purpose" in my life. each day i just set out to stay hungry for things like creativity, love and friendship. i hope i find that balance. something having this kind of surgery cannot teach us is how to enjoy food and life without over-consumption. we can do it, but the surgery, while helping *lose* weight, doesn't teach the hunger we all have, especially compulsive over-eaters. I try to figure out that simple blessing some people seem to be born with; grace. for me, personally, it is a hard lesson to sink in. I'm doing well, though, and finally resting at a comfortable and healthy size 8 jeans, it's my goal to remain here.


next up My kiddo:
Walking on our local trail with the dogs. We have adopted this one crazy blue eyed jack russell and chihuahua mix, named veruca, whom we lovingly refer to as Pooka. she is a MESS and a half, you guys. she's recently taken to not walking on her leash and prefers to be carried around don hikes like a little baby. but she has become my loyal companion. even more so than my chihuahua pedro. she's rotten as all get out and i love her dearly. she's my little shadow. My daughter has become so creative and loves to dress up in funny things, just like me. we wear a lot of stuff on our heads. today i wore her native american feather head dress she made for school in Barne's & Noble book shop, just because. we're a couple of odd girls. :)


I hope you enjoyed the tour of 2011 with me.
all my best,
Kelly

2 comments:

Kelli @ The Loss Cause said...

Your house is beautiful and you look amazing! Way to go, girl!

Kelly Price-Colston said...

thank you!!