Holiday Gift Wrap Ideas

I thought I would share some of my favorite

Gift Wrapping Ideas

Right now I am loving and using the 

gorgeous inside and out

lidded boxes

Target's  Sugar Paper HERE

I simply wrapped the box up with 

felt cut into ribbons

which is another of my favorite wrapping tips!

I add a tag and slip in some greenery!

Wrapping with

 brown kraft paper

is a perfect way to 

show off some 

vintage cotton ribbon.

I added more

 greenery

plus some vintage mistletoe.

I did one of my favorite wrappings last year.

For Christmas Jeff and I gave

roundtrip airline tickets and hotel stays 

to each of the kids and their spouses

so that the whole family could attend a family wedding in Austin.

So to package the 'unwrappable' gifts

we printed off all of the tickets, printed up info on the wonderful hotel

and

 presented the gifts in

 leather portfolios 

from Anthropologie.

I tied it up with

 vintage string 

and 

added 2  travel cocktail kits

a charm

patches

and 

finished with 

greenery.

For

 gift cards

 I like to put them with 

a small gift to open

to make the presentation more fun.

For a wedding I bought sweet salt and pepper shakers

then put the gift card in as well.

Ornaments

 always make for fun package garnish

especially  when added to greenery from the garden.

I always coordinate my wrapping with 

my holiday decor.

so everything coordinates under the tree.

This was from a year I decorated with silver, greys and pinecones.

Here's another example of finishing off a gift with

an ornament.

I love to finish off  so many of my presents

with a little charm as well!

I hope these

Holiday Gift Wrap Ideas

spark some fun creativity of your own!

Wishing you and yours

a wonderful holiday season!

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

Mental Health Tips to Thrive During The Holidays

~~~~~  I have been writing about mental health during the holidays for years now.

Remembering these tips

has gotten me through challenging years

and

helped me stay focused and present 

during the good years

so that I don't miss any of the small magical moments

the holidays can bring!

I decided to share my tips again

in case they can help anyone else

to savor and enjoy their own magical moments! ~~~~~

*******

As someone who has spent so much time

struggling with anxiety and depression

I have learned some tips

over the years

to not only cope  during the holidays

but to actually 

Thrive During the Holidays.

I am back once again this year with my

Tips for Self Care During the Holidays  

I have been doing various versions of these

for several years now

Starting off the holidays with

parameters and intentions 

have been so very beneficial to me.

I thought I'd share my favorite here

in case anybody else can use a bit of encouragement

at this time of year.

So many years as an adult

I have been navigating

 the search for 

the joys of Christmas

 amidst loss

since my sister died December 12th 36 years ago.

That year I don't think we even had Christmas

but I remember thinking that I would never 

miss the joy of Christmas again

as long as I was able.

I haven't.

So I know all too well how many times

the holidays can  shine such a light 

on just where we are at the time.

What losses we've had

changes that are in process.

In the ten years I've been doing this blog

I have endured many.

But I have learned to acknowledge them

while still making room for the joys 

that have always still come with the season.

I have made peace with giving room

to both joy and grief

and 

the more I do

the joy seems to be able to grow.

Maybe it is with a heart honed by grief and loss

that we are more able to 

see and experience 

the moments of true joy and bliss during the holidays!

So here are my top 

Holiday Heart Tips

to 

Thrive During the Holidays

Red Holiday Suit

It was time to bring out my

Red Holiday Suit

for a trip to 

Disneyland 

with Jeff!

I bought my J Crew suit last year.

I knew the classic lines and red velveteen

would be a style I would love year after year.

For this year's  first seasonal outing

I styled it sporty casual for a day at Disneyland.

Don't let the hight of the platforms fool you.

The sole is made of foam

so they are actually super comfortable!

I took a chance and ordered them HERE on Amazon

I loved them so much I got another pair in black.

I was also happily shocked at the price!

A hat and sunglasses 

are always a must for me

as much for

 style

as for 

sun protection!

A whole day of walking means

a backpack

 is also a top accessory

keeping me hands free and comfortable.

And speaking of hands free

I brought my newest favorite accessory my

 Side Car hat carrier!

With 

a oval hinge clasp

that hooks to a purse of backpack

with 

a clip that holds a hat.

It's really one of those travel accessory pieces

that just is 

the perfect marriage of

form and function!

Jeff and I had such a lovely day

celebrating his birthday 

at Disneyland!

It was also a perfect opportunity

to bring out our holiday suits!

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life

Christmas 2021 Reflections

It's  Christmas reflection time for me.

When I like to gather all my favorite images

and

 memories of my 

Christmas Season.

To hold them tight in my heart.

 

This has been Jeff's project for the last few months.

We are adding some beautiful storage to our side yard.

We have been storing seasonal decor off site for almost 20 years.

It was time to bring it all home.

Jeff even added some temporary decor while he finished the build.

This year's  newest room got some Christmas magic as well!

We were invited on the sweetest 

Holiday Sunset Cruise!

I added a

 Christmas Suit

to my holiday wardrobe this year

and 

it did everything I was hoping it would!

Besides dressing it up

I styled it with tennies and a backpack

It worked perfectly for Christmas Day at the Zoo as well!

Paired the pants with my neutrals and signature necklace!

The suits pieces will be a classic in my 

Holiday Wardrobe 

for years to come!

I also added a 

red tulle skirt

 this season!

Spending quality time with my brother 

was a holiday highlight.

Jeff and I decorated the grave site.

Our visits were quite comforting this year.

Our Christmas Eve family dinner

was everything I was hoping for this year.

Spending time with these two

is always the best!

We changed things up this year

and did

Christmas Day at the San Diego Zoo!

I have become such a proponent of 

New Traditions 

New traditions bring such a lightness

and 

new perspectives!

Embracing and Celebrating

the Life that is here now!

I was actually afraid of Christmas this year

with so many missing.

I was afraid I would completely unravel

and 

ruin Christmas for those I love.

So I made an Intention Everyday

to really focus on the 

Good Before Me

Letting go of 

Comparing

this Christmas 

to years past.

Not  to focus on what wasn't there.

instead ...

Letting little miracles and moments

unfold in front of me

with a heart full of 

so Much Gratitude.

I am wise enough to know

no season is promised to us.

 I know life is short.

It is my intention to 

appreciate, savor and enjoy

it all.

My heart is full.

As always my friends

I wish you love and joy

as you style your life