Merry Christmas to All

Can you believe Christmas is finally upon us? It's crazy, but there's no doubt about it, the 25th of December is here! I'm so glad to have shared this holiday season with all of you, my new blogger friends, and I look forward to sharing many more to come. I wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday and many, many blessings this Christmas and New Year!

XOXO,

Leslie

5 Minute Decorating Ideas

Contrary to what you are probably thinking, I actually have not fallen off the face of the earth...I've just been insanely busy over the last 4 days and, well, blogging has kind of taken a back seat to holiday craziness.

But today I'm back, hopefully for the rest of the blogging week. And in honor of this special, Christmas week, I thought I'd do my final "Surviving the Holidays" post. This week, we'll focus on last-minute decorating ideas for all the procrastinators out there (like yours truly)! If you're still struggling to get the house in order for visitors on Friday, hopefully this post will offer some ideas.

Blank Canvas

Tie a ribbon around a blank canvas for a modern, trendy twist on holiday art.

Fabulous Felt

Trim some 12 x 12 squares of red or white felt as a frugal yet chic alternative to expensive placemats.

Hear Them Ring

Wooden quilting rings make adorable "chandeliers" for a dining room or breakfast nook. Simply attach two quilting rings together, (one slightly smaller than the other), and hang with clear wire above a table or shelf for an instantly artsy look.

Unpainted Candlesticks

I never considered unpainted candlesticks "chic" until I saw them on realsimple.com. But I LOVE the way these look, especially with the contrast of bright red or white candles.

Bowl of Bells

Tired of poinsettas? Try filling a clear vase with small jingle bells for an appealing decoration that won't wilt.

Knitting Needle

Use knitting needles to "spear" placecards to add an artistic element to your dining table.

Simple Snowmen

Plain, white foam balls and simple, red twine make the perfect modern snowman. Have the kids join in on the last minute craft project for some pre-Christmas fun!

P.S.- Don't fret, Trend Watch Wednesday will return to it's regular schedule next week!

...So Hurry Down the Chimney Tonight

I'm finally back after a 3 day blogging break! Last week was total and utter craziness at work. So this weekend my main goal was to avoid anything that required using my brain or processing semi-complex thoughts...which included blogging : )

Anyway, I hope everyone had an amazing weekend. Hopefully this terrific idea for a "Santa Baby"-themed holiday party will get your Monday off to a good start...

Bright green, cherry red and shiny, metallic details make this party theme so girly and fun. And the feather details on the vases....be still my heart!

Isn't the place setting adorable?

And of course you'll need some place cards with holders. Like maybe these from Beau Coup...

Try serving this drink recommended by Hostess with the Mostess. It's called "That Cosmo Girl" and it looks delicious! Click here for the recipe.

And since you can't have a party without a party favor....try these custom fortune cookies from Beau Coup! Personalize each cookie's message for a favor your guests are sure never to forget!

Stay lovely my Blonde Ambitioners!

Photo credits- Hostess with the Mostess, Beau Coup

Trend Watch Wednesday: On the Bright Side

Hey Blonde Ambitioners, guess what? It's Wednesday! Time for some trend watching.

Are you currently in red/green overload from the holidays? Me too. So I thought we'd have some fun and take it easy on the holiday posting this week. Instead we'll talk about plain ole' home decorating trends. Not holiday decorating, just regular decorating.

Enter bright colors...

Please ignore the magnifying glass with the plus sign in the middle of the photo below...I could not get rid of it, haha!

Bold blues, pinks, purples and limes are kind of hot right now and the good news is, you can mix and match to your heart's content! In fact, if you choose to go the multi-color decorating route, be sure to use lots of different shades and hues, just to keep things interesting.

The number one rule about decorating with color is to have fun. So bring on the fuschia and turquoise...

Stay ambitious, lovelies!

Photo credits: Z Gallerie, Zara Home and Anthropologie

Sparkle and Shine Giveaway

One of my favorite things to do is to give gifts! I love the process of finding the perfect gift for each of my friends and family members. So of course this means that I'll be doing several giveaways this holiday season, all in the spirit of Christmas.

To kick off the holidays, I thought I'd do an ornament giveaway!

From now until December 3, 2009, you can register to win 1 of any of the following ornaments from Pottery Barn! Click here to get closer views of the ornaments, or just refer to the chart below.

From left to right, top to bottom:

Twig Reindeer, Peppermint Sphere, Silver Reindeer, Beaded Snowflake, Mercury Star, Tin (Angel, Dove or Star), Rustic Bell, Glass Peace Sign, Thick Glitter Peace Sign, Thin Glitter Peace Sign, Bird of Peace or the Monogrammable Glass Ball

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave a comment and tell me which ornament you like best- 1 entry

2. Become a follower or let me know you already follow- 1 entry

3. Refer a friend and let me know you referred them- 2 entries

4. Post the giveaway button on your side nav- 3 entries

5. Blog about the giveaway in a post and let me know- 3 entries

All entries must be received by midnight on Thursday, December 3, 2009 (which also happens to be my b-day!)

Tis the season to give, ya'll!