’tis The Season | less cake {more frosting}

Goodbye Elf on the Shelf

Authored By: ellie g Author/Writer
December 24, 2011 --10:29 AM

Hello to anyone who feels like reading blogs today!

It’s Christmas Eve, and I find myself FINALLY with a Christmas Tree in the basement. (at least 15 hours of de-lighting work and re-lighting work….ARGH. My poor index finger. I hope it forgives me one day. Oh, and should you see me in person….no I did not get in a brawl with a kitty cat. Those scratched up arms are all credit of a battle with a Christmas tree!)

But….I have to say I’m EXTREMELY proud of how it turned out. Especially considering that I only spent a total of $40 on the ornaments…and did it all with whatever we could find at the stores last minute. (PS….what the heck is up with all the stores being COMPLETELY cleaned out this year? Is it just me? I couldn’t find a strand of lights to save my life!)

Oh…and another shout-out has to go to the tips I got from Emilie on THIS CHRISTMAS TREE PHOTO TIPS post! I set up my little camera, and got a GREAT shot with glowing lights. I can’t even count how many times I’ve tried to get that to work with NO success! Thanks so much Emilie! I can’t wait to take some awesome ones tomorrow with the kids in their Christmas Sunday clothes!

Last but not least, Christmas Eve brings lots of last minute things at our house. I gotta go in and do some baking. Get the Christmas breakfast cassarole ready to bake. Make some orange rolls. Get the wassail in the crock-pot.

But the worst part about Christmas Eve is watching my cute kids say goodbye to their beloved Elf-on-the-Shelf, Roy.

Don’t get me wrong, I ADORE ELF ON THE SHELF! One of the best traditions of all time!

But the kids get SOOOOOO stinkin’ attached to him. It’s heart breaking!

Here’s a couple tips for saying goodbye:

We have contacted the “Elf Hotline” (ummmm….only parents have this phone number. It can be contacted for emergency questions regarding the Elf. Like….what if he didn’t move? —oopsie!— Or, what if someone completely accidently touched him?) They have given special permission for the kids to pick him up on Christmas Eve and give hugs and say goodbye. It is a BLESSING. But be prepared, it frequently comes with tears.
Santa leaves a little gift for our kids under the tree:

It’s a picture of him with our elf, Roy. He leaves a new photo every year. And it’s right in front of our very own Christmas tree. So the kids KNOW Roy went home safely, and he’ll be back next year.

The photo has a special frame, and stays in our son’s room all year.

Yes. They really are THAT attached to him.

My advice, to you, if Santa would like to do one at your house….

Is to find a great picture of Santa. Get a photo editing software.

I have Photoshop…but Elements or something similar would work) And layer away!
I do a lot of changing of lighting and contrast to make it look as best as possible.
The elf photo, I took and cut out with Photoshop as well.

You can send it over to somewhere like Costco or Walmart to be printed out as a photo, or just print it at home with photo paper.

Hope you have an AMAZING Christmas weekend. I’ll be taking a few days off. But I will see you back here next week for an

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUSLY FANTASTIC

LCMF NEW YEAR’S SERIES

You’re gonna love it!!! I promise!

Merry Christmas!

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Pre-Lit Tree…for a reason!

Authored By: ellie g Author/Writer
December 20, 2011 --1:37 PM

Because Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, we will be attending church services. Our church is held at 9am.

9am!

I have a hard time getting there on a regular Sunday…let alone Christmas morning.

I have a feeling I’ll be up most of Christmas Eve.
(note to self: when buying child’s primary Christmas gift with 1,000′s of individual pieces…push “BUY” instead of leaving it in your online shopping cart. That way it’ll get to you before Christmas Eve)

In addition to that there is no way on God’s green earth that we’re getting up to get Christmas done before church. I just won’t do it.

Call me mean….I prefer brilliant….but we’re not doing it.

So…with this change of plans, we decided to hold Christmas festivities in our basement for the first time this year. That way no one is tempted to peek on Christmas morning before church. We have a Great Room upstairs, and there would be no way to get the kids out the door without them seeing everything.

Sooo……we need to festify our basement….on short notice.

We decided that we can’t afford another tree. And we had an old pre-lit one downstairs that shorted out years ago. We kept thinking we could use it if we ever put a tree in the basement.

Another note to self:

(pre-lit trees are made to remain that way, and strongly resist being “un-lit”. For real.)

1,000′s of lights, zip-ties, wires, and various other things later…..my hands are bruised, I have blood bilsters on my fingers, I’ve gone through 2 pairs of wire cutters. And I’m only BARELY starting to re-light.

But I swear to you….we WILL have a new Christmas tree. And it will be lit. And it will have only $25 worth of last minute Wal-Mart ornaments…..

And I swear it will be borderline fabulous.

‘Cause that’s how we roll.

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Authored By: ellie g Author/Writer
December 15, 2011 --6:07 PM

Oh my word.
Isn’t it about time I shared the “official” Ellie G Christmas Decor this year?
I admit, it hasn’t been up as long as I’d like. But at least a week. I dunno what my deal was this year. I prefer to think it was that I am super chill. But the truth is…I can be a bit of a hot mess.

Anyway, I’ve had some requests to see it. And I never pass up an opportunity to buy people’s affections with photos of my fireplace. (you sense that sarcasm…right?)

If you’re a DIE HARD Less Cake {more frosting} fan….you may recall that last year we began to add a new color to our red & silver decor! The fantastic TURQUOISE!

This year, I was just able to expand on that new color and add some new stuff. Mainly my focus was brand new fillers for the arch above our mantle.

Do you see where “Roy” the Elf on the Shelf is hiding today? In my stocking!

I am DYING over the red travel case I scored for 50% off at the Hob Lob. It’s for SURE my favorite addition. Well….the turquoise reindeer is pretty awesome too. And the brand new BELIEVE PRINTABLE is pretty awesome there too.
Okay. I love it all. And I might sit and stare at it for good measure.

You might recognize that little houndstooth frame from Valentines Day last year. It’s served me well for the 4th of July and now Christmas. Don’t feel like you need absolutely new things for every single holiday. Be smart with your money AND your time. This little puppy does triple duty. And I LOVE him!

(PS…..that tree used to be gold…and thanks to a friend I’ll show you this week….he’s now a sparkly red!)

The tree hasn’t changed much. We got a few new ornaments. Mostly turquoise. And yes….we are still living with the “no ornament cost us more than $1.99. And most were under $1. Now it’s a quest. I refuse to ruin it. That fab turquoise burst? $0.97 at the Walmart. Not kidding.

And speaking of how I’m cheap…..

Check out these awesome modern additions to one of our walls.

Plastic chargers from Target.
$1.50 each.
Now a row of ultra modern wall decor. Attached with 3M Velcro strips.
Can you say “LOVE?”

More cheap…a collection of glass candy dishes. Granted…..no candy. I’d eat it. But I love how the light shines into them. 90% thrifted. About $1 each.

And what does that fab frame have in it?…….

It’s a bright turquoise addition with a bit of the ending of “A Christmas Carol”.

“Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew…

And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us. So as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, every one.”

And there’s kinda not a single thing I love more than the idea of “keeping Christmas well”.

It’s amazing.

Hope your house is filled with love, and festivity!