Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Christmas Party Wear

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Dress: Vintage | Belt: Vintage | Shoes: Thrifted (Michael Kors) | Earrings: c/o Happiness Boutique 


Christmas is just around the corner, and with it comes a slew of Christmas parties, family gathering, holiday celebrations, and New Year parties. When it comes to parties, especially around this festive time of year I am always thinking about the perfect ensemble to wear to any holiday gathering. If you remember this post, I talked about finding happiness in the little details of outfits, and this festive Christmas look takes all of that into consideration. 
I always love pulling in shades of the season into my looks, so this green vintage dress seemed like the perfect piece to pull out for a holiday party! Since the dress is green, it was only fitting that I paired a red belt with it to give it a more "christmasy" pop:) With all the colors of the look, I chose to play it simple, yet classic for my shoes and opted for this FABULOUS pair of Michael Kors nude block heels that I found for $8 at Goodwill......seriously my best steal ever! 
However, nothing quite pulls a look together better than jewelry, and I am completely obsessed with these gold double ball drop earrings from Happiness Boutique......absolutely so classic and they give me so much retro inspiration I could seriously wear them with everything, but party wear is their true calling! 
From classic heel and gold ball drop earring, to green dresses and plaid bows, this look has everything I need for a Holiday party, or Christmas Tea, or really whatever fancy "christmasy" thing I feel up to trying:)

Oh, and did I mention Happiness Boutique is offering all of you lovely readers 10% off with the code minniemuseblog until January 20th, so if you need some fabulous earrings for a special occasion you should browse their vast array of styles. 

- Madison

12 Christmas Movies You Need To Watch

Monday, December 18, 2017


It's officially a WEEK until Christmas so I am all about getting into the Christmas spirit and packing in as many Christmas traditions and bucket list items as possible....especially when it comes to movies! Many of these Christmas movies I don't get to watch every year because time gets away from me and life gets busy, but all of them hold a special place in my heart because I remember watching them when I was growing up, settled in with a cozy blanket, cup of hot cocoa, and a crackling fire nearby. I thought it would be fun to share my favorite Christmas movies (that are not Hallmark....shocker, I know) with you all in case you need something to watch this week:) 

  • It's A Wonderful Life - Nothing gets more traditional than this classic black and white movie about the story of George Bailey and his journey to realizing the impact his life has on everyone around him (I actually got to see this as a play at Silver Dollar City a couple of years ago and it was amazing!) 
  • Elf - I didn't watch this until two years ago and I was laughing so hard the entire time! It's not only a classic, but the perfect Christmas comedy about a Christmas obsessed Elf, and you can't help loving Christmas and Santa after watching it. 
  • White Christmas - This might be one of my favorite movies of all time and probably my favorite Christmas movie (WHAT....not a HAllmark....LOL...I know) but you can't help falling in love with the songs, dances, clothes and noteworthy cast in this classic Christmas film. 
  • Polar Express - (I am actually watching this right now as I write this) But I love this movie because of the Christmas MAGIC! The songs, the hot cocoa, the train, the golden tickets, EVERYTHING! It makes you BELIEVE in Santa, and Christmas Magic, and Elves, and Magic trains. 
  • A Christmas Carol (1984) - It took me so many years to watch this movie (our parents thought it would scare us) but the story is so symbolic and makes you think about life....the past, present, and future and the choices you make. Charles Dickens was a brilliant author and this classic and popular story brings the importance of Christmas giving and thankfulness to life on screen. 
  • The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) - If you love A Christmas Carol, this is the movie about how Charles Dickens created his most popular book and changed the spirit of Christmas in peoples hearts FOREVER! Dan Stevens plays Charles Dickens and the movie is seriously BRILLIANT! 
  • The Holiday - So this might not be the most traditional Christmas movie, and it really isn't even that much of a Christmas movie, but Christmas time always seems like the perfect time to watch this movie. This move centers around the lives of two women who decide to swap houses for the "holiday" and meet people they never expected to meet that change their lives forever....and can we all agree that the scene where Jude Law puts on his glasses is like the BEST MOVIE SCENE EVER! 
  • A Christmas Story - This is truly a classic! "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!" is such a popular phrase from this movie. I remember my parents showing this to us as kids and finally understanding why everyone quoted it so much. (WARNING: there is a bit of language in this movie, so if that isn't your thing you might want to look it up or skip it)  
  • Christmas Vacation - This movie is a classic Christmas comedy that has everyone laughing at the over abundance of lights, the surprise in laws, the cat in the box, cat food in the jello, fried Christmas tree and so much more! (WARNING: This movie does has some language and a few suggestive scenes) 
  • Dr. Seuss's The Grinch Who Stole Christmas - I didn't watch this movie all the way through until this year and it is actually a really good movie.....I understand now why it is so popular. The story of changed hearts, and Cindy Lou who believes that there is good in everyone is a heartwarming tale. 
  • Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - This was my favorite Christmas movie growing up (before I discovered Hallmark Christmas movies). I love Susan and her relationship with St. Nicholas and his impact on all the characters, and on the entire city of New York and the best part of the movie when the judge profoundly states: "Now, if the government of the United States can issue it's currency bearing a declaration of trust in God without demanding physical evidence of the existence or the nonexistence of a greater being, then the state of New York by a similar demonstration of the collective faith of its people, can accept and acknowledge that Santa Claus does exist, and he exists in the person of Kriss Kringle!"
  • The Nativity Story - a very POWERFUL movie that brings to life the Christmas Story of Luke 2 and takes us into the chapter that holds the true meaning of Christmas in Jesus Christ's birth and his simple, yet divine entrance into the world!  
What is your favorite Christmas movie?

-Madison

Cozy Christmas Wear

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Sweater: Faded Glory
Leggings: Target
Socks: Target


I LOVE anything cozy, especially to wear around the house this time of the year. It is no secret that I LOVE Christmas, and as is such, I make the most of every opportunity to wear anything remotely having to do with Christmas:)
At home I dearly love to wear the coziest and comfiest clothes I can find, so this time of year my go to is usually leggings in a Christmas print paired with a Christmas sweatshirt, sweater, or Christmas shirt along with a pair of fuzzy socks.....nothing gets more festively cozy than that!
Something about December and the cold weather makes me want to cozy up with a mug of cocoa or coffee and a warm blanket to enjoy a book or watch a show on Netflix, or work my way through my LONG list of Christmas movies. 

What is your favorite cozy wear?

-Madison

Christmas Bucket List

Thursday, December 7, 2017


Ahh.....Christmas Time! This is definitely my FAVORITE time of the year/holiday. Sure, I love fall as a season, but Christmas has so many characteristics that make me LOVE it the most! There are decorations, music specifically for Christmas and winter, crackling fires, Christmas lights, books, movies, treats made only once a year, traditions, and an overall magic that hangs in the air. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! With my undying love for Christmas and the winter season I put together my ultimate Christmas bucket list composed of my favorite childhood traditions and activities that I like to do every year at this time. Hope you enjoy!


What are your Christmas traditions?
Do you LOVE Christmas?

-Madison

GIFT GUIDE 2017

Saturday, December 2, 2017



It's that time of the year....CHRISTMAS TIME! While Christmas time is truly about the GREATEST GIFT OF ALL coming down to earth and being born in a manger, we still hold to a tradition over the course of history in giving gifts to those special people in our lives. However, gift giving is sometimes more stressful than it should be, so I put together a gift guide to share a few of my favorite gifts for your best friend (mom or sister), beauty lovers, and any guy in your life. I had so much fun putting this gift guide together and found a number of great gifts I would love to give! Hope you enjoy this and maybe even find something for a special someone:)

FOR HER


BEAUTY PICKS


FOR HIM






MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-Madison 

My Favorite Hallmark Christmas Movies

Saturday, November 25, 2017


If you know me you know I am OBSESSED with Hallmark movies, especially Hallmark Christmas movies. If I had cable I would definitely watch Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 24/7 but since I don't, I pick a LONG list of my favorites to re-watch each year and always make sure to catch the newest originals (there are 33 new ones this year). With that being said, I thought I would share some of my FAVORITE Hallmark Christmas Movies full of heartfelt stories, fuzzy feelings, predictable moment, cheesy beginnings, and pure happiness + Christmas spirit. So get ready, grab your favorite snacks, a bowl of popcorn, a cup of tea, hot cocoa, or coffee, chocolate (its a must) and any junk food you can find! Put on your sweatpants, your coziest sweater, your fuzzy socks, and if you have a cat invite them too (trust me, they love it) and get ready for a Christmas movie binge......(p.s. don't forget to click the pink links for movie trailers):

  • Love At The Thanksgiving Day Parade: A must see movie and not just because I am practically the girl in the story. This movie was probably one of the most influential movies in regards to my love for vintage because the main character wears vintage throughout the movie and I even went out and bought her white hat after watching it:) It follows the story of wrong first impressions and mutual respect and understanding. 
  • Princess For Christmas: Ugh....I could gush about this movie for days! If anything let me throw out that Katie McGrath and Sam Heughan are the two main characters, so if that doesn't sell you then the fact that it is the story of an ordinary girl and a guy who just so happens to be a prince should. Full of fairytale perfection and just the right amount of drama I watch this movie multiple times each Christmas and even own it on DVD!
  • A Royal Christmas: Why not continue the royal Christmas movie theme with this heartwarming tale of a girl who isn't like by the mother and a prince who stops at nothing to be with the woman he loves, despite what others think. I love this movie because Lacy Chabert (Mean Girls) stars as the lead opposite a dashing prince and the movie actually starts out with them together, which I love. 
  • 9 Lives Of Christmas: Maybe it's the fact that this movie has two cats as supporting characters, or the sweet love story, but this is definitely one of my top Hallmark Christmas movies and a Purrrfect holiday romance! 
  • Bride For Christmas: She has left 3 guys at the altar, that is, until she met Aiden; but what she doesn't know is that he made a bet with his friends that he could get a girl to fall in love with him before Christmas.....but you will have to watch it to see how it turns out:) 
  • My Christmas Love: I am a sucker for best friend love stories....you know, the ones where the guy is in love with the girl but she totally doesn't see it until it's almost to late and then she realizes what was right in front of her all along....yeah, that basically this movie plus a whole lot more of Christmas cheer! 
  • Matchmaker Santa: Santa always has a way of showing people what they never thought to see, and this movie is full of two people discovering that the person they have been waiting for is right next to them. 
  • Crown for Christmas: Another royal Christmas movie that is just as heart warming, if not more. NY maid gets hired as the governess for the Kings daughter only to find there is more that awaits her at the castle. 
  • A Boyfriend For Christmas: I think this was one of the first Hallmark "chick flicks" that I saw and is definitely a few years old (or more) but the storyline is still a classic in my book. Santa once again brings two people together in a sweet and romantic story. 
  • A Christmas Prince: Okay, so this one isn't actually a Hallmark movie, but the story line fits perfectly as if it were one. This movie is a Netflix original this year and I LOVE IT! I kind of have this thing for "royal Christmas movies" (if you haven't noticed) and this one is perfection. Moral of the story is that what people assume about others isn't always who they really are. 
  • The Christmas Card: This is a Hallmark classic and the sweetest story. Girl writes soldier a Christmas card and he travels to her town to find her, only to learn that she has a boyfriend and is getting engaged.......you will have to watch it for yourself to see what the ending is. 
  • Christmas With Holly: Toy stores, fairies, and Holly, a little girl being raised by her two uncles. Holly hasn't talked since her mom died, but her life is about to change for the better as a special toy store owner enters her uncles life:) 
  • Hitched For The Holidays: This movie follows Lesson #5 learned from Hallmark movies "don't pretend to be engaged to someone unless you want to eventually end up together!" Full of crazy families, traditions, and two different worlds but one perfect ending, this movie is funny and heartwarming all at the same time! 
  • Naughty or Nice: Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill) stars as the crazy girlfriend who REALLY wants her boyfriend to propose, but life doesn't go according to plan and it takes a mix up of her last name and Santa's Naughty or Nice list to show up in her mail to change things up a bit. 
  • 12 Gifts of Christmas: She can pick out the perfect Christmas presents, so when she is hired by a handsome executive to help him with Christmas presents for his friends and family its only fitting that they spend time together. 
  • A Christmas Kiss (netflix): On repeat ever year for me, this movie follows rule #1 learned from Christmas Movies "Elevators are match makers, and if you kiss in one it is fate!" Holiday parties, The Nutcracker, Charles Dickens, and jealous girlfriends this movies is a must for me and you need to watch it too! 
  • Let It Snow: Dislike on first sight turn is how this story starts, but it soon turns into something more in this fun Christmas movie with ice skating, skiing, holiday traditions, The Feast Of St. Thomas, and families reuniting. 
  • A December Bride: What do you do when your fiance marries your cousin and your are invited to the wedding? Remember lesson #5......just keep that in mind for this movie! Oh, and did I mention it stars Daniel Lissing from When Calls The Heart:)  
  • Karen Kingsbury The Bridge Pt. 1 & Pt. 2: (a Hallmark Movies and Mysteries movie event) Truly heartwarming, this two part movie is one of my favorites to watch every year. The Bridge is a special book store owned by a special couple, Wyatt and Molly are two college students who meet on their first day and develop a close bond, but life has a plan of its own and things don't always go according to plan. However, even if paths go separate ways, life has a way of bringing them back together! 
Are you a fan of Hallmark Movies?
Have you seen any of these movies?
What is your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie?

-Madison 

Post-Christmas Snapshots

Monday, December 26, 2016

  

 This Christmas season truly has FLOWN by, just like it sadly does every year; but alas even in its ending it still holds many memories and continuations of past traditions that as always make it my FAVORITE time of the year! 

I have tried to savor every moment of this season by capturing it in pictures, baking cookies, throwing parties, wearing Christmas sweaters & all the red I can get my hands on, sitting by the fire, sipping cocoa, watching MANY Hallmark Christmas movies, staring at sparkling lights, wrapping presents in pretty paper, eating more sweets than I care to admit, and humming (more often singing) along to my favorite carols and Christmas songs.

We had a wonderful Christmas with our family. Our biggest Christmas celebration is always on Christmas Eve with my Dad's side of the family. This year we did something a little different.....instead of our typical Christmas dinner we had a HUGE breakfast spread for dinner! My Paw Paw's (my dad's dad who is 97) favorite meal is breakfast so we decided to serve that this Christmas Eve. With that, we all decided to wear matching pajamas by family since we were eating breakfast, which was extra fun and comfortable. After we ate,  we opened gifts, played white elephant, and then went on to play our traditional Bingo game on all the retro bingo cards we have collected over the years.

Christmas day we drove home to have our own family Christmas and then we headed out later that evening to drive down to Galveston to stay with my Grandparents in a condo for a few days. After that we will then head home for a day and then it is off to camp at our family farm for New Years.

I know the rest of this month will fly by, so I am trying to soak in the last bit of 2016 and the December season. However, I have decided that I might just drag out Christmas for a few more days in January.....

How was your Christmas?
What was your favorite memory from Christmas?

 -Madison


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