What a year!

 When I wrote my blog post about my word for 2013 "forward" I had NO idea I would not be posting again in 2013! What a year it was! My hubby and I started out the year looking to possibly move closer to our kids and grandson. We spent 2 weeks on a road trip exploring possibilities. At the end of our trip we came home and decided we weren't quite ready to leave the pacific northwest. So we jumped in with both feet and opened a shoppe! 

We spent months researching other shoppes, collecting furniture, and scouting a location. We thought we had a perfect location for a great price, but negotiations with the landlord fell through. We had spent a couple months coming up with a list of improvements, drawing floor plans for the layout and were running out of room in our 3 garages full of product. We wanted about 2000 square feet, but the choices we had were either smaller or much larger. Storage was important, parking a huge factor and an area we could hold workshops or classes. We finally found a really great contender, but it was only 1300 square feet. After meeting with the landlord we were SOLD! He was tearing down the building next door and we would be able to add on another 600-1000 square feet.

The building is new, the original building was torn down and rebuilt with apartments above and retail on the street. The space was an empty shell, so we were able to pick the flooring, the lighting and some of the paint colors. After we signed the lease agreement April 1, 2013 the fun began! We kept busy painting furniture, my hubby built our counter out of an old entertainment center. 

Our window display came from 3 old doors and some leftover decking material. Our wrap counter came from 2 wood file cabinets a friend was throwing away and a butcher block top. With the key pieces in place we could finally start filling it up! We hired my niece Kourtney, who had just graduated from college in Utah as our full time employee and a coworker of my hubby as our part-time employee.

After weeks of painting furniture, unpacking product, and placing everything perfectly we were ready to open the doors! We opened for our first day of business June 1, 2013!

It's been quite the adventure! Many heated discussions, lots of favorite pieces of furniture I had a hard time parting with, but it's been so fun! 

 Lucky for me my employees are wonderful! While trying to keep up with the demand of the shoppe, my daughter was married July 27, 2013.

 I was matron of honor for one of my besties August 31, 2013

 My adorably cute grandson came to visit for the first time!

And my son got engaged on a visit in November! Wedding set for August 2, 2014. I also had visits form my sister and her husband, my brother and his wife, my mom-in-law and father-in-law and my mom and stepdad! It was one of the BEST years EVER!

My word for 2014?

I'll be back soon =)

 Have you started taking down your Christmas decor? I am pleased to say I am DONE. I started a little earlier this year than normal, the day after Christmas.

 For me, it always seems sooo overwhelming every year!

 I like to make a huge pile... to make sure I get everything down from each room. Every year I think... I am going to put everything away ORGANIZED this year! (Hoping when it comes time to put it all up the next year it will make more sense and I won't have a HUGE mess). Every year I get overwhelmed and just stick everything in boxes and call it good. Then of course go shopping for 75% off Christmas decor and wrappings and stick those in, just in the bags, shut the door and call it good.

 We have this little storage space above our garage... well it's not exactly small, just the door is small =) The door is in the hubbys office, behind his desk.

 This is how I left it after putting all the Christmas decor up this year.

 Umm, yep! Way back there in the very back? Ya that would be the FALL decor that didn't get put away in bins either. Luckily I can just close the door and don't have to worry anyone will EVER see it.

 I labeled all the plastic bins this year with what is in the boxes rather than just "Christmas". All the linens are all together, ornaments are by colors, the village is all in the same bins, etc.

 It took an extra couple days of "stuff" everywhere, which I have a hard time with.

 It took me 3 hours separating out ornaments into separate containers by colors, in front of the TV watching HGTV...

the hubby even had to cook a meal (he's making homemade whole wheat fettuccini noodles).

 But it's all been put away...

 and... it's organized! Woohoo!

 I am a happy girl =)

 even the fall decor =)

 BLISS =)
Yes, my one little word for 2012 was BLISS wasn't it? My word for 2013? That will be my next post!
Happy New Year!

 I bought these cute little "Merry Christmas vinyl kits from Groupdealz  (I think)

 The kits came with the wood pieces and the vinyl, I added the paint, card stock and rhinestones from my crafting stash. One is going to my neighbor for a "neighbor gift". She bakes, so I didn't want to burden her with MORE baked goods =)

 I will probably keep one...

Now to decide which one to keep! Ha!

2012 Holiday House tour

 Welcome to my holiday house tour! This year I decided to enjoy the holidays... so I decorated lightly. I have been done with all the shopping, wrapping, mailing and baking for a few days now =) So WELCOME!

 I will greet you at the kitchen door, no one uses the front door! It snowed last night, just for your visit.

 I got this fun vinyl, wasn't sure where to put it and then the light bulb moment hit me when I decorated the kitchen entrance with the snow flakes, I LOVE it!

 In the kitchen I have my gingerbread tree, it also has some fun star shaped vintage tins. Kokos "stocking" awaits Santa to add more treats.

 Some dollar store wreaths, with a simple star ornament and some red ribbon added. The inside of the china cabinet is decorated with some favorite decorations.

 Large brown and white checked ribbon tied in a bow with a small bird ornament adorn the back of each dining room chair this year.

 Ordinarily I am not a huge fan of red, but this year... it just had to be. While shopping with my sister in October I found myself gravitating to Red, Brown and White for my Christmas colors, so I went with it!

 Would you like to stop for a cup of hot cocoa? The cocoa bar is all ready for you =)

 We have been lucky enough this year to have a few house guests, so I added a few Christmas touches to the guest rooms too. A simple dollar store wreath tied with burlap to the bed frame. A snowman on the nightstand.

 The guest bathroom got a few touches too. Another dollar store wreath, some red ribbon and an angel ornament made from an oyster shell.

 My grandmas carolers, a vintage look Santa ornament and a few sparkly red ornaments bring a pop of color behind the toilet.

 My gift wrapping station was just too cute to hide in the closet, so it sits in the corner, patiently waiting the hubby to wrap his last minute gifts. (Which I'm sure he hasn't even bought yet;))

 The master needed a wreath too, this one a much larger one, with a bow of the brown and white ribbon.

 I added a Christmas caroler doll my grandma made for me, and a star shaped box of blue ornaments on top of my dresser.

 The master bathroom got a large wreath,

 and a couple red ribbons tied here and there.

 We can go back to the second guest room now,

my friend Jessica and I each made 3 of these fun vinyl pictures. Each one is different.

 Just a couple more rooms to go... upstairs the media room didn't get a big tree this year, but if you look closely you will see quite a few smaller "trees".

 My friend Jessica made me this ceramic tree last year.  I LOVE it! I Love having it in the media room since we are up here every evening watching TV I get to spend a couple hours everyday enjoying it.

 A couple more of those dollar store wreaths, with brown and white checked ribbon...

 And lastly the hubbys office airplane tree.

 One last look at the living room looking over the balcony.

Come back when you can stay awhile, we can have some hot cocoa or tea... I may even break out some Christmas cookies =)