Last week, I laid out my plan for the new year and it was all about simplifying my life. I outlined the ways I was going to streamline my decor, my diet, my exercise routine and my daily plans. I even mentioned my budget, as an aside.

My mom always said that it's not polite to talk about money, so I added it with a bit of trepidation. After all, I don't usually discuss finances on my site, unless I'm telling you how much I didn't spend on something.

I'm kind of cheap when it comes to decor.

Valentine's Day banners are one of my all time favorite home decor crafts. It's funny, I'd never made one before I started blogging, but since then, I've been compelled to put one up every year. There's something about them that just makes me smile.

However, if you ask me why, exactly, I don't think I could give you one specific answer.

A few years ago, I looked around my home and realized that much of my beautiful decor was choking me. Decorating had always been my passion, but suddenly the volume of accessories and accent pieces felt overwhelming and I decided that a lot of it had to go.

I wanted only my very important treasures and the lovely lines of our cottage to stand out. I was tired of things falling on me when I opened a closet and I didn't want to spend my entire weekend dusting anymore.

Nope. I was done with all of that.

Hello friends and Happy 2019! I have something a little different to kick off this new year and I hope you enjoy it.

Today, I'm joining my creative partners from our Upcycle Sharin' Facebook group for a challenge where you could win prizes with values up to $150.

Well, folks, it's hard to believe, but we've come to the end of another year. What's even harder for me to believe is that this is my sixth...yes, sixth...Exquisitely Unremarkable wrap up. And even more unbelievable is that today's installment is the 500th article I've published.

500. Yikes that's a lot of words...

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With each Christmas that passes, I seem to simplify my holiday decor a little bit more. Gone are the days of ornaments stuffed in baskets and Santas on every surface. I'm done wasting precious hours setting it all up, taking it all down and dusting it all in between.

That doesn't however mean that I'm a decor Grinch.

On the contrary. I still love to decorate my home for Christmas. I'm just a whole lot more discerning now.

When I was a little girl, Christmas decorating was the highlight of the season. Our everyday home was transformed into a holiday wonderland full of tinsel, lights and great anticipation. 

My brother and I would rifle through boxes of red and green, peeling away layers of newspaper to uncover sentimental favorites, while my sisters assembled the tree. 

It was a lovely time that I can still recall in great detail, even though I was less than a decade old. 

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While my Christmas shopping may be just about wrapped up, my husband hasn't even started. Sound familiar? 

He usually asks me what I want around the third week of December and shops on Christmas Eve. He's very efficient. 

This year in preparation for the big question, I've been gathering my ideas, because rather than a sweater or something from the jewelry counter, I'm asking for a bathroom update. 

Romantic, huh?

 

Today I have a tale to tell about the perils of decorating ~ the difficulty of getting something in your head, but being unable to find it. While it's not a dangerous story, although I did prick my finger with a needle, it is one that starts out with frustration.

It does, however, have a happy ending.

But let's get back to the beginning, shall we?