Lazy Girl's 10 Beloved Christmas Movies - The Lowdown On My Faves!

 I know you all have your favorite holiday or Christmas movies, I was raised on some true classics, so here is my list of movies I enjoy during the holiday season.  Also, it should be noted I am not a big fan of remakes, even if the older film isn't as relevant today I like the originals.  Click the video image to watch, rent, or purchase (affiliate links).

10. November Christmas - a Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas movie starring Sam Elliott and John Corbett.  You can rent or buy this on Amazon Prime Video.  Video description from Amazon - With the support of his small town, a father's wish for his very sick daughter is realized. I randomly came across this a few years ago and have watched it every year since.  Come on, who doesn't love Sam Elliott!

9. The Holiday/Love Actually - Yes I did it, I listed two movies in one spot - may happen again in this list.  The reason I did it with these two movies is that for me I ALWAYS think of both of these movies together for some reason.  I am not sure why, maybe it is because they both involve locations in the UK during the holidays in parts of each movie.  I just tend to watch both these movies at the same time and enjoy them the same amount. Both are available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, video descriptions from Amazon are below:

Love Actually - From the makers of Bridget Jones's Diary and Notting Hill comes the ultimate romantic comedy about love's delightful twists and turns, starring some of Hollywood's brightest stars.

The Holiday - From writer/director Nancy Meyers comes a romantic comedy about two women on opposite sides of the globe who swap houses only to discover that a change of address can really change their lives.

8. The Gathering - My mom and I love this one, we always make a point to watch it each year.  Ed Asner plays an excellent Scrooge father to a family whose matriarch Maureen Stapleton brings their family together again at Christmas.  Ed Asner will make another appearance in this list below.  Amazon Prime Video information - Edward portrays Adam and Maureen as his estranged wife Kate in a beloved holiday classic that celebrates the tender power of forgiveness and the profound gift of family love.

7. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - This movie always makes me smile, starring Loretta Swit, if you are thinking where do I know that name from think Hot Lips Houlihan on MASH.  This movie is only available for purchase on DVD, I remember watching it on TV as a made-for-TV movie as a lil kid. Amazon Prime Movie information - Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H stars as Grace Bradley who inherits the job of running her church's Christmas pageant when the woman who usually does it breaks her leg. Grace is indifferent about running the pageant. While she doesn't want one more thing to do, she also understands that she is needed, and so she takes on the challenge. And a challenge it is sure to be! Not only does Grace inherit this disaster, but it gets worse when the Herdman kids - all six of them - decide they want to be in the Christmas pageant as well. (DVD Purchase only)

 

6. One Magic Christmas - This was a Disney movie my family watched when I was little.  I love Gideon the guardian angel in this one.  Amazon Prime Video information - Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen gives a solid performance as Ginny Grainger, a young mother who rediscovers the joy and beauty of Christmas, thanks to the unshakable faith of her six-year-old daughter Abbie and Gideon, Ginny's guardian angel.

5. Mame - with Lucille Ball (1974 version) - This is my one exception to the remake rule, this is a remake of an older version, but the older version doesn't have singing, and this movie has one of my favorite Christmas songs - We Need a Little Christmas, my mom also loves this one as well, can you tell we have similar great taste?! Amazon Prime Movie information - Lucille Ball stars in this film of the blockbuster Broadway musical that tells the story of the flamboyant, unconventional and, above all, glamorous Mame.

4. The Christmas Card - Another Ed Asner Christmas movie, he is much less Scrooge-like in this one.  This is one of my niece's favorite Christmas movies, and I am a fan of it for sure, it is a newer Hallmark Christmas movie. Amazon Prime Movie information - Home on leave, a soldier visits a small town and falls for the woman who wrote a Christmas card to the troops. (DVD purchase only)

3. The Christmas Story/Christmas Vacation - Here are two classics that are on repeat on so many channels every holiday season, they make me laugh and smile, you must watch the original non-edited versions!

The Christmas Story - In this holiday classic, Ralphie, a young boy growing up in the '40's, dreams of owning a Red Rider BB gun. He sets out to convince the world this is the perfect gift.

Christmas Vacation - A family's Christmas plans go wrong. - Personal note this was a lackluster description just watch this movie and quote it all season long.

 

2. White Christmas - The classic Christmas movie.  I remember my mom and aunts acting out the sister's song/routine when I was little and all watching this movie together, even though they all lived states apart.  It has stuck and my sisters and I now all watch it every year and also embarrass my nieces and nephew with the sister's song whenever possible. Amazon Prime Movie information - Two talented song-and-dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business.

1. It's A Wonderful Life - Another great Christmas classic with another special guardian angel, Clarence.  Thank goodness for those guardian angels.  Amazon Prime Video information - After George Bailey wishes he had never been born, an angel is sent to earth to make George's wish come true. George starts to realize how many lives he has changed and impacted, and how they would be different if he was never there.

Honorable Mention - As an 80's kid I enjoyed a bunch of made-for-TV Christmas movies, I recommend giving these a watch if you have a chance.

Babes in Toyland, The Christmas Toy, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and the Island of Misfits, Charlie Brown Christmas

Lazy Girl Loves

 Happy Holidays folks! I hope this season of happiness and joy with friends and family or whomever you hold dear in your life (those fur babies) is treating you well.  I know it can also be a hard season for many, you are in my thoughts and prayers, if you are depressed, feeling anxious, or just not feeling right please reach out and ask for help.  It took a breakdown for me last Christmas to get some mental help I needed and it has given me more tools to work through the last year.

I wanted to post on some items I have really been enjoying over the past year, some you can gift to those in your life or maybe think about saving for in the coming year.  Also some podcasts I am listening to right now, books I am reading, you know just items I am enjoying and thought you might too! Tis the season for sharing.❤

Here we go, in the things I love department, my yard cart, trust me this is a true lazy girl purchase.  I traded in my two-wheeled wheelbarrow and got this yard cart pictured below (loaded down with my Christmas decorations).  I just NEVER used my wheelbarrow the tires were always flat, it was cumbersome and even with two wheels, it was a pain.  This yard cart is GREAT for hauling items from the shed to the house, from my car into the backyard, or even just loading it up with debris from around the yard during fall clean-up.  It is really easy to maneuver and I couldn't be happier.  It is linked below if anyone wants to check it out, but personally, I have used this already more than I used my wheelbarrow in 10 years.  Don't worry though that wheelbarrow is living a great second life on a little goat and chicken farm outside of town.

Gorilla Cart - Walmart Affiliate Link

The next item I am loving especially for the holidays, and because I love candles plus supporting small businesses, are my candles and home goods from HENRO.  Kristin is a great follow on Instagram.  She does a lot of DIY home improvement projects and I just love watching her home business grow.  Their candles smell amazing and they have so many other products from other small businesses throughout the US, her goal is to support a small business in every state in her shop.  If you order use code LGL10 for 10% off at checkout and you can access them via my affiliate link below.  Thank you for the support folks, and yes I make a very small commission off any purchases, and appreciate you for supporting my blog and HENRO!

HENRO Company

A few other random items I have really enjoyed this year, a plant I purchased from Proven Winners - Pyromania™ 'Backdraft' - Red Hot Poker - Kniphofia hybrid.  I have wanted a red hot poker plant for a while, ever since I saw them in the Garden Answer's YouTube video.  Which if you don't follow Garden Answer on YouTube just go give Laura a follow now, she is great and I have learned SO MUCH about gardening, flowers, drip irrigation, all the things.  I received this plant in very late July (we are talking the 31st of July) and planted it right away, it wasn't even close to blooming, and this plant bloomed not once but twice before it froze.  The first time it bloomed there were multiple bloom stems, and I was just so impressed with the colors every day I would look out my kitchen window.  If you want a fun plant to add to your garden this coming year, I recommend Kniphofia.  

My last item is the new addition to my little family, I adopted another dog in early October, Stryker has fast become part of our clan, and is keeping Bohicket "Bo" busy every day.  They are roughly the same age and size and Stryker is just taking in all the love and cuddles he can get while learning how to be a puppy.

Stryker and Bohicket "Bo"

Now on to the books and podcasts that have kept me going while I drove for a little Thanksgiving vacation and took some time away from technology to just read and disconnect.

Two podcasts have really had my attention lately - The Sharon Says So Podcast which always makes me feel smarter after I listen to it and gives me those brain-tingle moments.  I have followed Sharon online for a little while and am a proud governerd, she is great at raising money for a good cause and explaining everything about Government in a way I understand.  Her podcast is a great listen for anyone wanting to learn about anything and everything.  The Murdaugh Murders podcast is my second podcast lately that has me hooked, it is like a made for tv movie that takes some twists even a tv writer couldn't come up with, and it is real life.  Mandy Matney does a great job investigating the Murdaugh family, I really just can't believe how corrupt and shocking this whole situation is and there is more to come.  Every episode something else is revealed and more charges continue to get filed.  Give it a listen you won't be disappointed. (Click on image below to subscribe)

Last but not least Sharon offers a book club online every 4 months (there is a new one starting in January sign up is the end of December, give her a follow on Instagram at @sharonsaysso) I signed up as I have been wanting to read more and one of the books selected was "The Woman They Could Not Silence" by Kate Moore.  It was an eye-opening, inspiring, astounding book about Elizabeth Packard who changed how women with mental health issues or who are committed to asylums were dealt with in the late 1800s.  We also got to meet the author of each book we read and listening to Kate speak about Elizabeth and the research she did for this book, well that is what someone who has mastered their craft looks and talks like, it was a gift to be able to listen to that zoom call.  If you get a chance to read this book I highly recommend it, if for nothing else than to appreciate how one voice changed so much in a time when many thought a woman's voice wasn't meant to be heard.

Paperback Link - Amazon Affiliate Link

I hope you all have a great holiday season and have enjoyed a few of the random items that I enjoyed throughout the year.  Happy Holidays folks! 🎄

What has this Lazy Girl been up to this summer?

 Hi folks! I know it has been a while since I posted, time got away from me this summer, spending time with my folks and family who were visiting from Oregon and California.  I was also working on some projects around my house and yard.  I had a concrete patio poured in early May, followed by a sprinkler system install later in May.  I had been saving for both these projects for a very long time and they finally came to fruition and I LOVE every bit about both of them.  Most of this summer when I needed a break and was outside with Bohicket "Bo" my pup tossing a ball I could be found on my favorite purchase to date, my hammock from Walmart.  This is more like a hammock bed in that I haven't fallen out of (yet) and it is very stable.  

This hammock is currently on sale at Walmart and linked below, feel free to check it out for next summer and get a deal.  It is only available in the green color, but that is great it will blend in with your grass landscape, right!  Just click the image for more info peeps.

While I make a small percentage on sales used through my code, these are items I have used and trust.  I use them in my home or everyday life, and no amount of commission is worth compromising your trust.  Happy shopping!

As you can see I really did spend a lot of time on this hammock during the summer, and actually planned my whole garden order for next spring/summer from my relaxing position in the shade.  Gardening was somewhat successful for me this year, some of the plants worked out, some didn't.  We get hail every year so that doesn't help in the gardening department.

Have a great weekend folks, more blog posts to come!

Making My Own HeadBoard

I have wanted a headboard for my bed for a while now, but the cost of one was slightly unreasonable for me.  Plus I didn't want to purchase one I couldn't change out and was stuck with until the end of time.  This all lead me to making my own headboard out of foam board from Home Depot.  You can get the 2'x2' foam board from any home improvement store, I just had a coupon so it was to Home Depot I went to get mine.  

I read an article on Pinterest about this process and the person there used duct tape and foam board for their headboard.  Here is what I can tell you, do not use duct tape to attach your fabric and batting to the foam board, it won't stay.  I used an old blanket my new puppy chewed on and fabric from Joann's to make my headboard and the duct tape was a massive fail.  The only thing it stuck to was itself.  That saying you can fix anything with duct tape and baling wire, I am beginning to only partially agree with it, the baling wire part.  I can fix anything with a brad nailer and yardsticks lately :).

That being said I put the blanket I cut down for my two pieces of foam board and the fabric on each piece of foam board and attached it to the back with hot glue, and during this process considered buying a cordless glue gun in the near future.  No more power tools Carrie!  Then I made my tufting buttons using a button kit, which was my favorite part of this project it was so much fun and the buttons turned out great using the same fabric I used on the foam board. Btw if any of you want back loop or flat buttons like this out of this fabric let me know and I can make you some and will gladly send them to you.  I have extra fabric and buttons.

Now it was time to attach this to the wall, first I tried the option listed in the article I read, large and extra strong Command picture hanging strips, they didn't work at all, don't waste your time.  Then I tried double-sided carpet/rug tape.  I love it for so many items in my house but that only worked for a short period of time.  So it was back to brad nails and yardsticks.  These worked perfectly I was able to nail the sticks into the foam board without issue and then I just nailed them into the wall and everything is working great.  I owe this solution to a dear friend of mine who suggested it and I already had all the items needed for it.

Overall I am very happy with how this turned out and it was a lot cheaper than ordering a tufted headboard online.  I have included the items I used below.

2 - Foam Insulation Boards $6 each $12 total 2'x2'

4- yardsticks $1 each $4 total

Fabric, button making kit, and batting if needed from Joann's or similar store, prices vary

Also yes I know the picture above the headboard is now off-center, it is centered on the wall, not the headboard, and such is life right?!  Thank you for all the support folks, and happy DIY'ing.

Micro USB Cables - Do We Really Need More?

I recently bought some motion-activated LED lights to put next to my dog door (yes my new puppy is VERY spoiled) and under my upper kitchen cabinets.  I really like the ones I got, except for the fact that they came with yet another micro-USB charging cable.  I seem to be collecting these at a rate that is slightly disturbing.  

I have been thinking about it, does anyone else have a stash of these cables?  Wouldn't it be great if you could get a rebate when purchasing an item that has a micro-USB charging cable and you don't need it, or at least make a check box available saying please don't include charging cable in the shipment?

I just feel like I have enough clutter in my life and can only charge one or two devices at a time usually, why not get some sort of credit or at least have the ability to say no I don't need any more of these cables in my life, thanks but no thanks.  What do you all think??

Have a great weekend folks and I have linked the motion-activated LED lights below if you are interested.

While I make a small percentage on sales used through my code, these are items I have used and trust.  I use them in my home or everyday life, and no amount of commission is worth compromising your trust.  Happy shopping!

Making a Coffee Table Out of an Ikea Cabinet

Recently I posted on my social media accounts that I turned an Ikea cabinet into my coffee table.  I wanted to post about my process for doing that, why I decided to do this instead of buying a new coffee table, and what I learned about myself during this process.

I wanted a black stained lift top coffee table that wasn't open-bottomed, so my dogs couldn't run underneath it and had storage for items such as games and remotes.  The one I wanted online was $400+ and that was a no-go for me.  So I began looking online for options and found an Ikea cabinet that was the right size, and Ikea had furniture feet that would work in the same color.  Below is my list of items ordered from Ikea for this project all in the color black/brown.

1- Besta Frame Cabinet $65
2 - Hanviken Cabinet Doors $25 each $50 total
2 - Stubbarp Furniture legs $10 per set $20 total
1 - Besta Soft Closing Hinge set $15

I had to have this shipped to my house, which I will warn you now shipping from Ikea is A LOT!  I have an Ikea a few hours south but I just wasn't in a place where I was able to make a trip down and the items I wanted weren't in stock there either.

The cabinet did have some damage when I opened it so I contacted Ikea and they refunded part of my shipping fees which was very helpful in this process.  It wasn't a large amount of damage but when you pay for shipping you expect items to not be damaged in transit so I figured it was worth calling and letting them know and seeing what they could do for me.  They were very easy to work with, the only downside for me was the refund took over a month to post to my credit card.

I started in on the project by flipping the cabinet upright and attaching one of the cabinet doors, my plans all along were to keep one of the cabinet doors attached as it was meant to be to the cabinet, and then attach the other one as a lift top lid.  Then I started in on what would be the bottom of the coffee table and reinforce it with some 1X3 lumber I already had from a previous project.  The bottom of the coffee table was the back of the cabinet and was a little flimsy and needed some backing if I was going to attach the coffee table legs and store items in the coffee table.

Then I started adding some texture to the coffee table to sync with a tv console electric fireplace combo I already had.  For this texture I used yardsticks.  I have been using them a lot around my house lately because they are inexpensive and easy to work with on a DIY basis.  (pics below are of my TV console and the yardsticks attached)

One item I can tell you is that I would use the yardsticks from Menards and not Home Depot if you have both stores in your area.  Mainly because Home Depot makes their yardsticks with the SKU and their branding stamped into the yardstick and it is much harder to cover up and paint over.  It was fine for me though because I wanted a rustic look and covered it up with wood filler and then sanded it down a little but didn't mind if certain parts shown through.

I then attached the final cabinet door with the lift top table hinges I ordered off Amazon that are linked below.  This went a lot easier than I thought It would I really like that I can still store items on this side of my coffee table I don't use often like board games, and lift the top of my coffee table off to eat or work on my laptop, like right now :).

From there I primed and painted the coffee table and attached the legs by drilling through the added base, I just painted everything a matte black again for cohesiveness and it needed to be painted again because of the yardsticks, the wood filler, and the general marks from constructions.

I realized during all this I don't like the painting or poly process, which I did put two coats of poly on after painting to make sure this coffee table will stand up to use over time.  The painting process just stresses me out, trying to get the brush strokes out, make sure I am doing everything correctly, waiting for it to dry, it all isn't for me.

Overall though I am very happy with how this turned out, the money I saved, and the project overall, gave me something to do mostly indoors in the middle of winter.

While I make a small percentage on sales used through my code, these are items I have used and trust.  I use them in my home or everyday life, and no amount of commission is worth compromising your trust.  Happy shopping!

Fear of the Unknown

Recently at the end of January, I went snowshoeing with a great friend of mine.  You might be wondering why I am writing about this almost 3 months later, because I am behind on blog posts and also because I wanted to take some time to think about the experience.

I was very intimidated to go snowshoeing, it was something I had never done before and for me, fear of the unknown can be debilitating.  I said yes let's do it and my friend made it extremely easy, worked out my shoe rental, where we were going, and when, picked the trail, I just had to show up. 

My friend made it so easy, so my first piece of advice when trying something new, find someone who has already done it and is willing to share their knowledge and be their friend, ask them for help.  We drove in the Wyoming weather to Green Rock trail, which was lined on both sides by everyone taking advantage of the weather to snowmobile.  There was a parking lot there for non-snowmobilers where we parked and the snowshoe trail is right off the parking lot.  You pay a $5 fee I believe to park for the day and there are backcountry bathrooms in the parking lot. You may want to bring your own tp in case they are out. 

We got ready, took some peanut butter whiskey shots of courage (I highly recommend Skrewball Whiskey shooters) and started on our way.  The trail was great, the sounds of the nearby snowmobiles quickly dissipated though I will never deny others having fun in the snow either, enjoy yourselves peeps.  My friend was a great guide on getting started and how to walk, use the poles, etc.  Now to the nitty-gritty, was it difficult, not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be, my stance was a little wider than I thought it would be but not uncomfortable at all.  Was I sore the next day, not nearly as sore as I thought I was going to be, I pictured myself being immobile but I was minimally sore the following day and the day after that even.  Did I fall, yes once at the beginning, I stepped wrong into a patch of loose snow and it caved in on me, but it was easy to get up and you know what, it happens.  What is hard to get the snowshoes on, not really you step into them and pull them tight. Once I saw my friend help me put them on the first time, I feel like I could handle it myself going forward. 

I loved this experience and it has taught me a lot, work with my fear of the unknown, try new things, find friends who help me with the new things I want to try and enjoy the experience.  Overall, I will for sure go snowshoeing again!!

      

Below are some items that really helped on my first snowshoeing trip, including hand and foot warmers and wool socks.  The hand warmers worked great in my gloves that had pockets for them. 

While I make a small percentage on sales used through my code, these are items I have used and trust.  I use them in my home or everyday life, and no amount of commission is worth compromising your trust.  Happy shopping!

            

Self Care and Cleaning Out the Cobwebs

 Welcome to 2021 folks! I hope the holidays were what you wanted them to be.  I spent mine with my immediate family and am very grateful to live in a state where we can travel to see each other and that we got to spend this time together as a family.

Now that the new year has begun, which if you are wondering, nope no resolutions here, I am more of a mantra or phrase for the year person; I have been cleaning my house and trying to purge a little here and there.  Everyone has their method, The Home Edit ladies are great, I just watched the minimalist show on Netflix, some good ideas there, Marie Kondo also some good take-aways, I just go with what works for me.  Which is mostly I go into a room have a bin for items that don't belong in that room, then dive in clean everything and think about what I have used and haven't over the past 6 months to a year.  As far as my wardrobe goes I go through it and take out items I don't love, but much of it stays, because I have my winter hibernation I am going up a size (or two) wardrobe, and then my it's summer and I am going to try and be outside so may drop a size wardrobe.  I try to think of other purposes for items that have out lived their stay in my house or life, more on that coming soon hopefully in an up-cycle project.   Overall though I try to go into each room with a set number of items I would like to get rid of from that room, doesn't matter how, trash, donate, recycle etc.  Then I go through everything and try to declutter the room and my life a little along the way.

I know those of you reading this are probably asking how is that self care, but the less items I have the less I have to worry about maintaining, cleaning, or just generally taking care of these days.  That makes me less stressed overall, so this new year cleaning is a form of self care for me, it helps remove some (maybe not all) of the physical and mental cobwebs from the last year.

I wanted to mention some of my favorite cleaning products that I use time and again when I need to get my house clean and also feel decent about the products I am using.  First is Branch Basics, which is a plant and mineral based cleaner that I use it comes with a concentrate and you mix the concentrate with water at varying levels depending on the water line in each bottle to tackle your cleaning chores.  I also use it for my laundry detergent and it works great along with their oxygen booster for those loads that need a little extra help, like workout clothes.  YES! I am going to have more of those in the laundry again soon.  I am putting this here more to hold me accountable, lol.  I recommend their starter kit if you are interested in purchasing their products, the bottles are reusable, and the kitchen cleaner did a great job on my oven this weekend.

For $10 off your order please feel free to use my referral link - Save on Branch Basics

Another item I posted about previously that I am still love is the cook-top cleaner I found on Amazon.  It still does a great job on my ceramic top stove.  I hope both these products help you in your new year or spring cleaning endeavors.  Happy cleaning folks!

While I make a small percentage on sales used through my code, these are items I have used and trust.  I use them in my home or everyday life, and no amount of commission is worth compromising your trust.  Happy shopping!