holiday cheer...

So my friend Tracy calls me up Sat telling she was just at the wholesale market & they had tons of Christmas decorations and stuff out. She said that she saw some things that she knew I would love-she was so right!! Thanks Tracy!! We went Sun; her hubby was nice enough to take us.

It was so funny...because we stopped at this one booth that had all this glittery wire decorations (stars, trees and such)-I was in heaven!! We spotted this gorgeous bottle bush tree...keep in mind they ALWAYS up the price on foreigners-way up. Truly, even with the high prices they give 'us' it's still a steal. But we want what the locals would pay if we can talk them down. Well, one girl tells Tracy the price for a small star-about 30rmb=$3--steal right...no it should be cheaper!!! So we tell them will think about it so we can see what another vendor is charging. We get the next vendor down to 16rmb=less than $2...I was willing to pay that...but we want to go back to the first place, they had the gorgeous bottle bush trees...and another girl tells us a higher price than before for the small star...which makes Tracy mad and we try to walk away because they are running up the price...and Tracy tells them that the other vendor will sell them for 16rmb...well, the manager of the booth hears the fuss & comes to see what's up...we then become their "friend"!!! He is willing to sell us the smaller stars for 10rmb=$1!!!! Then prices start falling on everything we ask about. My eye was on the silver glittery bottle bush tree that they first told us was 220rmb=$22-we fell out when they first told us that & they wouldn't come down...now they were coming down...I was firmly saying 100rmb=$10...they didn't want to go that low if we only bought one tree...I told them I wanted two...they still tried to get me to pay a little more-but I was firm!!! And they wanted to make as much as they could from us so they gave in-YAY...aren't they just gorgeous?! So at this point I have the two trees & I bought 10 small silver & gold glitter stars...then Tracy makes me want the glitter reindeers-so I get two of those for 65rmb=$6.50...then I start thinking about how nice the huge star would be on my mirror-so here comes another fight!! We have to wait about 20mins for them to get more trees & reindeer...and they are trying to get us to buy more & more...I asked how much for the huge star...they say 100rmb(I think, I know it was high)...no way was I going to pay that much...I say 45rmb, they say no 85...then 75...I say 40rmb, I always go lower which can make them mad...but they rather take my first price...they still won't budge on taking 45rmb-so I say no...Then they say 65.... I go up a bit to 50...we haggle a bit more and agree to 55!!! I am mad at myself now...I should have said 30rmb for the huge star so I could have bought 4more...I now need 4 more...I think I need to go back!! So Tracy & I walk away with two trees, two reindeer, I had 10 small stars-she has 5, I have one huge star-we were very happy!!

i will just add a few white candles in different sizes to the mantel & the smaller stars once i figure out how i will hang them...

there is so much glitter all over my floor now, lol!!

i still need to get a Christmas tree so I can hang my apples & pears from...but i do like them like this here...

these are the small stars we bought...I think the 'believe swag i'll have hung from a wreath i will have made to go on the outside door...

and the reindeer with my older decorations & trees i bought 2 yrs ago from a market here...this is right in front of the door...

this is a little album I did for the latest Garden...I just love this...I was so afraid of this 7gypsies album that I have had for over a year...not sure what to do with it...so I was happy that i took my time to make this...

I used lots of the new MM Christmas line...love the foil stickers so much...and a few Hero Arts holiday stamps....

the full album is in the garden!!

is that the good times print atop the green cabinet? wow, i love the fusion of decor you have going on! only YOu can pull it off so well!

the trees, pears and apples look good! very pretty!

Posted by: stephanie | Friday, November 16, 2007 at 01:00 PM

love your style Keisha, but love your ernie barnes print, even more (smile), have loved this artist ever since i bought the marvin gaye "i want you" lp,(yes i'm that old, now have it on cd), it's my ambition to have a couple of signed prints to decorate my new house, keep up the wonderful scrapping.

Shaulean (UK)

Posted by: shaulean | Friday, November 16, 2007 at 10:47 PM

lol, yes, steph & shaulean..i only wish it were a signed print...maybe one day!!!!

Loved your calendar idea at 2Ps, and promptly bought 4 to make them for my 2 sisters, my mom, and myself, of course :D

Posted by: Angelia | Friday, November 16, 2007 at 04:35 AM

you will have a ball with those calendar projects Angelia!!!

Ok Keisha,

Since this is the season for wishing and dreaming, I thought it may be fun for some of your readers, including you, to post links to their DREAM scrapbook studio. I will go first. Other than yours of course :), I really admire this space:

http://heatherbailey.typepad.com/heather_bailey/2007/02/the_studio.html

Keisha, please reply with a link to your DREAM scrapbook studio for all to share.

I think this could be FUN!

I love to DREAM!

ChanelD!

Posted by: ChanelD | Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 01:43 AM

oh, chanel....yes, that'd be my TOP FAVE room too...my friend Anna showed me her blog months ago...and i was so in AWE...her style blows my mind!!! i had been wanting a chandelier...but it would be too much of a hassle to do it here....and Jenni Bowlin's is so cool...love her antique touches...

keisha, do you use actions for your pics, if so which ones? thanks

Posted by: stephanie | Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 07:50 AM

nope, steph....i ahve tried...but can't for the life of me figure out how to get them loaded in PSE3...so i gave up...maybe if i get CS...

LOVE your decorations! Have to ask - have you started your Christmas Cards? I love your style and wanted to see what you were coming up with (only if you wanted to share)...

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving :)

Posted by: Christina | Monday, November 26, 2007 at 03:52 AM

i am trying to make those now, lol...thanks christina, so be on the look out!!

so i got Kiela dressed for a few photos...which is usually about 300-400...when i called her she said "awe, do i have to take pictures?"...i had to pay her in a reese's cup!!! i'll have to wait until the weekend to get Mira to take a few photos for me...by the time she is home from school the light is not so good...

Comments

[laura vegas]

1.

love all that silvery christmas goodness you have going on there! and so fun to hear how you got your deals. i'd be terrible at that ... i just pay what is asked! lol!

[Christina]

2.

LOVE LOVE LOVE how you have added to your decorations - you have such a great eye for decorating! Super cute pictures of Kiela -

[angie]

3.

Lovely pictures and garnments. It's always a pleasure to visit your blog.

[annaEdavison]

4.

Ahhhh Keisha...your decorations are mouthwatering...Such Fabulous Treasures! and loved your haggling story...gave me the giggles because all it took to get your goods is SO worth it--even at the "foreigner" prices! ....the big star is the hit of the SHOW & so are the trees! Miss Kiela is SO adorable in her little boots..What a cutie! :)Anna

[annaEdavison]

5.

Ahhhh Keisha...your decorations are mouthwatering...Such Fabulous Treasures! and loved your haggling story...gave me the giggles because all it took to get your goods is SO worth it--even at the "foreigner" prices! ....the big star is the hit of the SHOW & so are the trees! Miss Kiela is SO adorable in her little boots..What a cutie! :)Anna

[Lisa]

6.

These are adorable pictures. Love your little girl's boots too. Those holiday decorations are awesome.

[stephanie]

7.

tfs! everything looks so good.

[Liliana Ferrer]

8.

hahaha Keisha you have me cracking up here! Just reading about your experience with the vendors reminds me of how they are out here in New York. If you go to China Town or any vendor pretty much in NYC i always have to argue my price cause they think i'm a tourist and love to sky rocket the price. But good for you for getting your prices fixed to what you want and the place looks beautiful!

[Gabrielle]

9.

Hi Keisha...I have been following your blog for quite some time.. Well when I saw your post of the Wendy Addison stuff...I have been debating since last year to get some...well after seeing yours I bit the bullet and ordered the Merry Christimas at Bayberry Cove along with some of Charlotte Lyons things. So it doesn't end there....I end up going to a store called Paris to the Moon, a artsy-collagy store in So Cal. on the weekend and get more glittery things then head to another store and pick up a few more..I was on the look out for Bottle Brush tress..just kind of plain ones so I can do them up a bit...and here you have two....I'm jealous. I did pick up a Vintage silvery tinsel tree...so...se what you started? I love silver with, not a big fan of gold. Anyways I love your style and I visit your blog everyday...but this is the first time I have said, "HI"...

[Molly]

10.

Oh Keisha! Your house is just gorgeous, as always! I love it all, you are so lucky to be able to get all of that, and so cheap, too! :D

[Sue Tonga]

11.

Oh Keisha, your Christmas display is absolutely gorgeous! Can I please come shopping with you?

[Tiffany]

12.

Love your decorations! I love the holiday season!

[Colleen E]

13.

So glad you're a PSE user (I just updated with PSE 6)...I'd love to know what frames you used on your photos (with swirls & scrolls). Got linked to you from Christy!
xo thank you!!!

[Heavenly]

14.

Beautiful decorations! Love 'em

[Holly]

15.

I love your decorations and scrap work too of course! SUch a great clean style that pops.. I do have a question.. Those huge words believe and wish... Where did you get them? I am now needing them now! hehe

Thanks!

[Paola Norman]

16.

love everything you do, you have great style, wish you would post more often, do you ever make 2 page layouts?

[Paola Norman]

17.

Keisha, I forgot to ask in the post above, how do you get those beautiful digital frames that you sometimes add to your photos that you post? They look great and I would love to try it..thanks so much!

[Aleida Franklin]

18.

Oh my goodness your place is amazingly beautiful. Love it all. Your girls are gorgeous!

[Monicaa]

19.

Oh such lovely stuff! I hope to be able to fins such things when I get to Japan next Summer!

[Peg Graham]

20.

Keisha- You are my home decor styling guru!

So beautiful! So fabulous! LOVE IT ALL!
Crate and Barrel should come visit your house and take photos for their catalog now!

Happy Holidays!
hugs-
Peg

[Carla]

21.

Oh Keisha,
love your house and holiday decorations. Everything is so pretty. Please, please tell us where you got your digital frames from cause i think we're all dying here to know...

[nia]

22.

oh my heck everything you got is magical..so so amazing. LOVE the stroy of how you got an awesome price on everything...hooray!

[Rita Weiss]

23.

I so want to hang out with you keisha!

[Shealynn Benner]

24.

Keisha! I am a new visitor to your blog! I just saw the "Believe" sign/swag. Where did you get that? It is SO awesome!!! I want one! ;) LOVING all of your stuff! Thanks for inspiring!