I can’t believe we’ve been here a year! Here are some top projects of 2010 here at 320 Sycamore:
I am trying to go through pictures and organize, DELETE a ton, and get the rest ready to upload to our family scrapbook blog (which has been so severely neglected these past few months) Here are some things from December I want to remember:
Mater giving baby Jesus a ride…
When I was growing up, our church performed Handel’s Messiah as a gift to the community each year. When I was a senior in high school, I was able to play my violin in the performance. I was thrilled to be part of something I had watched my grandma, my aunt, and my mom perform in every year growing up. During a rehearsal, as we practiced the Hallelujah chorus, something happened. An incredible feeling of warmth and love came over me, and I couldn’t see the music through my tears. It is not a quiet song, and I don’t think anyone noticed a violin player in the back had stopped playing.
I had heard the song dozens of times before, but that night I knew what was being sung and played was more than just Biblical words set to an amazing score.
It was truth.
That Jesus is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. The Savior of the World. My Redeemer. It is the greatest gift I have ever been given.
Merry Christmas to each one of you~
I told you all when I showed my silvery Christmas vignette that I wasn’t finished tweaking.
I saw this idea in a Pottery Barn book: putting pictures in apothecary jars with some snow and silver ornaments. 
I saw this idea in a Pottery Barn book: putting pictures in apothecary jars with some snow and silver ornaments.
Here are some tips for hitting after Christmas sales. We were in the middle of moving last year, so I didn’t post much about it, but I may be able to give better heads up this year.
*try to think ahead. Make a list now of things you were wishing you had as you were decking the halls this year: timers for lights, extension cords, miniature light sets, lighted trees for your front porch, address labels, how many Christmas cards, a storage bag for your tree, wreaths, bows, etc. so you know what to be on the lookout for and you will kiss yourself next year when you don’t have to go buy it at full price!
* Lowes begins their holiday clearance early…like now. My store is 40% off all holiday right now, and may go 50% right before Christmas. They have always gone 75% the day after Christmas. We got an awesome artificial tree at 6 a.m. the day after Christmas in 2007. It is my favorite store to hit early on December 26.
*If there is something you really want, buy it when it first starts going on clearance, save the receipt and if it is still around when it gets more deeply discounted, you can buy another, and then return it right away with your first receipt. Then you won’t be kicking yourself for not getting it if they are snatched up right away.
* Target goes 50% off the day after Christmas, then 75% off right about a week after that, and then around 6-8 days after that it goes to 90% if there is anything left. Every store is different. You can call every morning and ask to be connected with seasonal or find a teenage worker who doesn’t care and see what he can tell you about what the markdown schedule might be that week. :) Let’s be honest, there isn’t anything I really *need* in terms of holiday decor, but I like to see what I can do with items left at 75-90% off.
These trees were left at Target 2 years ago at 90% off. They were sad and chipped, no wonder they were left.
I gauge my time in existence by the top of milk cartons, so I had a little panic moment when I was in Kroger last night at 10:47 and saw this:
You mean the milk is saying Christmas is over?? I’m not ready yet!
You mean the milk is saying Christmas is over?? I’m not ready yet!
Here are a few more pictures from around the home for Julia’s Holiday Home Tour!
This is the B1G1 Amazon Alpine Wreath! (If the deal is still going on, you add any of the Haven wreaths or garland to your cart, and use the code HAVENVIP at checkout).
This is the B1G1 Amazon Alpine Wreath! (If the deal is still going on, you add any of the Haven wreaths or garland to your cart, and use the code HAVENVIP at checkout).
Borders Books has a printable coupon for 50% off of one regular price item in their store (good thru Thursday)
****************** JcPenney Wednesday deals are up…none of the codes I found have been working. If you find one, let us know what it is. I was contemplating that Cindy Crawford throw, but the reviews aren’t too hot…anyone have it?
JcPenney Wednesday deals are up…none of the codes I found have been working. If you find one, let us know what it is. I was contemplating that Cindy Crawford throw, but the reviews aren’t too hot…anyone have it?
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I’m late! For some reason, I had Nester’s party marked for Wednesday, but it was Monday. So, I’m barging in 2 days late :)
adding in:
I know *a lot* of you love Bare Escentuals from your favorite things.
Right now, when you enter code ELVES at checkout, you’ll get
1. Free shipping on any order
2. Deluxe Sample of Flawless Definition Mascara
3. Deluxe Sample of Flawless Definition Volume Mascara
... Some kits are as low as $7 right now!!!
2. Deluxe Sample of Flawless Definition Mascara
3. Deluxe Sample of Flawless Definition Volume Mascara
... Some kits are as low as $7 right now!!!
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We got 2 Tennessee plates!! Karla was so kind to send us this one:
and Brenda from Chattanooga sent us this one
oh, and that’s not all. She sent me 5 Chattanooga choo-choo train whistles for my kids. They *love* them and I love them when they blow them down in the basement :) Thank you so much, Brenda!
Our tree isn’t huge or fancy or all coordinated. But every year we pull a hundred memories out of the ornament box when we decorate. The breakable ornaments are put up top, everything down below is fair game for the kids and they get shuffled and moved all over and the garland gets messed up, but that’s the way we love it.
We went to a fake tree when we moved to Lubbock, Texas there wasn’t an abundance of fresh pine trees. Oh, how I miss the smell!….but don’t miss watering, worrying about it catching on fire, vacuuming pine needles… 
thank you Natalie for letting me know about this one:
Bath & Body Works has a $10 off a $10 purchase code right now: F102785
Shipping for me was $5.95
**Remember to add 5 of the cello gift bags with ribbon and gift tags to your order…they are free!! :) ***
I just clicked over to the gift sets, and sorted by price lowest to highest. Some great options!
Are you finished holiday shopping yet? No?
Let me see if I can help you out. Here are a few that caught my eye…
C9 Champion Women’s 3 in 1 Cold Weather Target Jacket
$19.99, plus Free Shipping today only!
Reg. price $59.99
Choose from two different colors.
10% off coupon code: JUH5H3OD
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The SAK Silverlake Bucket
Price: $59.00 + Free Shipping
•Sakbuster Price, Regular Price $159
•14.25"L x 4.5"W x 13"H Drop: 12.5"
•Exterior: Leather, Trim: Polyurethane
•Interior: Nylon
•Adjustable strap - can be worn as a shoulder bag or crossbody
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Michaels has a 50% off one item coupon here.
Good through Monday 12/13
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JcPenney Wednesday Deals are up! Use TOYTIME OR 2BMERRY for 15% off. (JCP codes are weird in the outlet. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.)You can usually get free shipping if you choose to ship to the store nearest you.
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This is one of our very favorite games:
And it’s a fantastic price: $9.99
a tip for your Christmas books: when you get new books, write the year on the inside cover, and have your kids write their names and ages. It will give your heart a little stab when you open them up year after year and see how they’re growing, but you will cherish it and they love to see how they “used to” write.
In other news…we got snow and it feels much more like Christmas~ Wahoo!
Happy Monday~
re-post from last year: PB ran out of them super early last year, but it looks like they are back!
I saw these paper lantern stars in PB Teen and fell in love. They were $12 with free shipping, so I thought that I might get some for Christmas since we don’t have a room with an electric guitar, a furry beanbag, or a karaoke machine at the moment. Usually I’m trying to copy Pottery Barn, but I couldn’t pass these up for this price.
They came like this:
You just bring it out like an accordian and tie together.
When we moved first moved to Viriginia we lived in a hotel for a week while we were waiting for the final closing on our present home. I didn’t know anyone, it was crazy cold outside, and we got sick of the hotel room really quickly, so I went on a daily trip to the Chick-Fil-A playland and then to Target with my boys while their sisters were in school and my husband started his new job. This was the beginning of January, mind you, so of course all the Christmas kept getting marked down…and I scored big time. Big tubes and buckets of silver balls were $1.25, mercury glass eventually went 75% off, you get the picture. :) Thus, the abundance of silver this year….and the start of a wonderful relationship with my Target here.
I found this bell wreath at Goodwill for 75 cents:
A coat of silver spray paint and a gray ribbon, and she has a new life!
(I thumbtacked the ribbon to the underside of the dresser overhang)
Happy 1st Day of December~rabbit!
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