Just have to share!

We had professional pictures taken of the kids just after Thanksgiving and this is the one we chose for the Christmas Cards.

Stocking Stuffer Ideas - a few of my current faves

I've recently found a couple of great products that I thought I'd share with you. (In case you're looking for some last minute stocking stuffers!)

Cover Girl's LashBlast mascara - drugstores approx 6.99

I've been reading in several magazines great reviews about this mascara but it took looking at 3 different stores before I finally found it. It's pretty new so I don't know if the issue was that not all stores have it in stock yet or if they're just selling out that fast. The wand is big and a bit hard to get used to initially but I really like how it works!

Bare Escentuals - bareVitamins Prime Time Foundation Primer - approx 21.00

A friend who also uses Bare Escentuals products recommended this primer and I think it works great.

Sonja Kashuk - Kashuk Tools Bristle Hair Brush - 14.99 at Target

I read reviews about this brush a while back and had to try it. The reviews were comparing it to the very pricey Mason Pearson brush and raved about how great it worked. It's from the Sonja Kashuk line at Target and although it too, took a couple of trips to different Targets to find, I have been using it for a few weeks now and am impressed. In fact, I've received several comments on how soft and shiny my hair looks, it just feels healthier after I brush it.

MAC lipglass - Lustreglass in Lustrewhite - approx 14.00

The color featured in the picture above is not the color I've been using but all of the MAC Lustreglass shades seem great. The one I'm using right now is Lustrewhite and it's the perfect neutral lip gloss. Instant Gold is one that I'd like to try as I have a friend that uses it and it really looks good.

The HomeGoods Store

I just love Marshall's HomeGoods store. I could spend hours just milling around there. Here's a find from my last 2 hour trip to the store. I have a little Santa collection going and I love how he has a vintage look and was only 7.99!

Misc Projects in the works

Busy as usual around our house with Christmas shopping, decorating, celebrating and a couple of projects underway in the midst of it all.

One of the projects we've been working on is an old dresser my Mother gave us that she had in storage which will be in Aidan's room. We decided to paint the dresser in a dark brown color called 'Burnt Tile' by Valspar at Lowe's. I picked this color based on a changing table Lowe's featured in their Creative Ideas magazine.

Taking a 'before' picture was a bit of an afterthought. As you can see, the 'before' picture was taken after work was underway! Sorry, some of these pictures are a bit blurry.

I already painted the dresser in these pictures but as you can see the bottom had a scalloped edge which, although it would have been cute had we painted it white, we decided the dresser needed a cleaner line with the modern brushed nickel hardware and dark brown color.

This picture is a bit blurry but as you can see we pulled the front scalloped piece of the dresser and replaced it with a piece of wood handsome hubby routered to create a beveled edge to match the rounded edge on the top of the dresser.

And ta-da! Here is the finished look! I'm very pleased with how it turned out. The mirror will be hung above the dresser and I have yet to put my decorative touch on the top but I'd like to get a small brushed nickel lamp (I LOVE lamps!) and a few other accessories added soon.

Handsome Hubby also built the dollhouse bookcase which I've talked about in previous posts. I'm finishing up painting it and hope to have it done and pictures to share by the end of this weekend. It's really turning out cute!

Since I have some vacation time to use up before the end of the year I am taking tomorrow off to do some running around. I have some Christmas shopping to do and then a hair appt. I'm trying to work up the nerve to cut some of the length off, maybe to my shoulders but there's a good chance I'll chicken out once I get there. I just need to do something different with it.

Tomorrow night we're going with some friends to see a theatre performance of A Christmas Carol. We plan to grab a bit to eat beforehand down at the Plaza which is just beautiful this time of year. I'm really looking forward to some adult time.

More updates soon!