I posted a few weeks ago about looking for Christmas stockings. I found some adorable stockings from Horchow by Krinkles. The only problem is they were $65 a piece. I didn’t think we needed to spend that on the Christmas stockings.

I definitely wanted stockings that were playful and young-looking because my tree decorations are bright green, purple, blue, pink, red, and yellow. Our stockings needed to be just as youthful.

I found the stockings below at Pottery Barn Kids and decided to order 5 of them. We’ll use them when my family stays at our house for Christmas. It was easier to buy a few now and use two for the dogs and not have to search for matching stockings later if we ever decide to have children.

We got two of these in the stripe pattern. One says “Todd” and the other says “Erin”
We got these in the Santa pattern, snowman pattern, and reindeer pattern

The stockings arrived yesterday and they are wonderful! They’re as long as my arm and are so thick. I wasn’t sure how great the quality would be since they were only $19.00, but I love them and I am so pleased with them! The corduroy detailing on the character stockings is so cute and the blue Santa stocking is my favorite.

I just saw the cutest DIY project on Southern Living’s website. I’m not a huge DIY person. I decorate my own house, but I don’t make the items that I use to decorate my house.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get a 2 1/2 year old Golden Retriever to lie down calmly on the front porch and agree to not chase any passersby?

Now for the winners! Congratulations to those who submitted the following 5 photos! I loved your stories and your images! I’ll be emailing your Blurb codes to you soon!

submitted by Nina

submitted by Kim

“The details behind the picture… a week before I accidentally found out about his plans to propose and Johnny skillfully came up with a web of lies to throw me off his path. By the time the night of the proposal came around, I was so down and almost depressed to think that I even hoped he would be proposing that night. I thought our night was over (we were celebrating an early Valentines Day)… when we were strolling around in Old Town Pasadena. We were walking through this courtyard and on the big screen that is against one of the shopping buildings (used to play old movies during the summer time), he stopped me and asked me to look up. ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Louis Armstrong started playing throughout the courtyard and a homemade video started playing on the big screen. It was a short clip of me as a 3-year old dancing around… followed by bold words “This is a question for Kim.. from Johnny”.. and then a series brief clips of my closest family and friends holding up signs saying “he promises to love you forever” “he promises to love you unconditionally” “he promises to take you back to your innocence”… “but only if you say yes” “say yes!” “yes!!” “say yes!”. The video closes and Johnny gets down on one knee to propose! I think it is completely appropriate to use this as the cover since I plan to put engagement, planning, and weddign pictures into the album. Everytime I think back to this night, I am overwhelmed with joy!! “

submitted by Randall of Happy For This Moment

“As a born and raised Florida “cracker,” I love the beach. Maybe not the sunburn, the sand in your car or sticky feet but a cool breeze along the water while watching the sunset here on Florida’s golf coast cannot be beat. A comfy beach chair, a great book and a handful of your favorite shells is a great way to spend a relaxing Sunday evening. I’m getting married in exactly 40 days and then moving to St. Louis with my fiance leaving my dearly beloved Florida behind. I would make the attached photo the cover of my Blurb book and fill it with many photos of my wonderful Florida life. It was taken by me on Bonita Beach in Bonita Springs, Florida in July 2008.”

Even if you didn’t win, you can still purchase a gorgeous book from Blurb.com. Many of you want to use them as gifts or keepsakes. Some wanted to use them as guestbooks for their upcoming weddings. I want to make some cookbooks for Christmas gifts.

submitted by Southern Daze

submitted by Renee Rendler-Kaplan

submitted by Wearing Mascara

submitted by A Guy, A Girl, and a White Fluffy Dog

submitted by Pretty Bride

submitted by Monogrammed Teacher

submitted by Wandering in the Desert

submitted by AEO

submitted by Allison and Paul

submitted by Liz

submitted by Sweet Carolina Bride

submitted by My Cup Overflows

submitted by Well I Do Declare

submitted by Tales of a Northern Belle

And last, but not least, of the runners up…

my blog twin, Mojito Maven