Christmas Tunes

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The tree trimming always marks the beginning of "Christmas Music" season in my house (I know we start kinda late), and while I was going through the large number of cds and tapes we've collected over the years, I thought I should do a lineup of my most favorite Christmas albums and the memories attached to them...

-My earliest Christmas memories usually make me think of this album. I remember driving around looking at lights with my family in the car with this in the background. Favorites are Breath of Heaven, The Night Before Christmas and Emmanuel, God with Us.

-A new favorite is James Taylor's cd. His voice instantly takes me back to childhood. I loved discovering this album of old songs covered with his unique sound last year. The best are Winter Wonderland, Go Tell It On the Mountain, River, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and Some Children See Him.

-You just have to hear "Chestnuts, roasting..." and bam! It's Christmas time. I love Nat King Cole's voice and this cd is him at his best. Favorites: The Christmas Song, O Little Town of Bethlehem, The First Noel, O Holy Night, Caroling Caroling, and A Cradle in Bethlehem.

-Didn't expect to see this one, did you?...SheDaisy's christmas album was played over and over the first year we got it on the drive to my grandparents house in Alabama for the holidays. At the time, my family and I lived in Texas. It was a loooong trip. I feel for my poor father now as I look back. Best tracks are Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells, Tinsel Town (and Intro to Tinsel Town which is the scariest thing ever and really shouldn't be associated with Christmas), and the ghost track How Can I Keep From Singing.

-This one is a no-brainer. Linus reciting Luke 2 is one of the few times the Gospel message is brought to network television every year and the music that Guaraldi wrote was perfect! My favorites are My Little Drum, Christmas Time is Here (vocal), Skating, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Christmas Is Coming.

-Sarah McLachlan's album was a more recent acquisition, but it's still a very good one and I have many Christmas memories attached to it. Favorites: Happy Xmas (War is Over), Silent Night, and Song for a Winter's Night.

This cd has been called a score for Christmas and it truly is like a movie soundtrack. All of the orchestrations written by Michael W. Smith are gorgeous and emotional. The best ones are It's a Wonderful Christmas, Song for the King, and Audrey's Gift.

I saved my absolute favorite for last...Harry Connick, Jr, the Michael Buble-esque warbler of my mom's generation. I grew up listening to his cds, but this Christmas album is so different and special and jazzy. It's doesn't seem like Christmas without it. Every song is good, but my favorites are When My Heart Finds Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, What Child is This?, Christmas Dreaming, I Pray on Christmas, and What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Silver and Gold

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Did I just put a song in your head? Here are some new additions to the shop!

SILVER

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& GOLD

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-Song

Farrago Friday 12.6.13

Apparently, a storm's coming. Don't get stuck outside like Chewbacca. Stay warm.

Thoughts: Over the last few days, I reveled in my beautiful Thanksgiving weekend with great friends and ate up all the leftovers. Saw Catching Fire twice since it's release... so much better than the first one. It was basically the book come to life. Felt blessed by the business coming through my shop. Caught a creative spirit somehow and began making lots of the pieces I've considered making for a while. I've also been pondering what I talk about on my blog. There are a lot of topics I just stay away from and politics is one of them. It's been hard to keep my mouth shut. Maybe I should stop trying?

 From the week:

-Wish this was still for sale at No. 6 Daily

-In case you couldn't beat the Google Dr. Who game from last week and it's bugging you..

-Doing this...

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-Committed to each other for 81 years...the oldest married couple in the country! So cute!

-Doesn't get better than NUTELLA hot chocolate.

-Helpful tips on orchid maintenance

-I have had WAY too much fun with this Pinterest board dedicated to all my favorites onscreen:

-I really want to make this...it looks delicious! Spicy Fish Taco Bowl...

-Hopefully, everyone out there will find it in their hearts to be kind to Carrie Underwood after her live Sound of Music performance last night...she had big shoes to fill. The vocals didn't suffer, but the acting did, even though I'm pretty sure she cried for real at least two times. 

-Song (love this!)

Cyber Monday

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Hey! It's Cyber Monday! I'm running my sale through tomorrow in case any latecomers forget... Just so you know, the free domestic shipping is being given through refund because I can't offer a percentage discount and a shipping discount with the same code.

Click here to get shopping!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Mine felt spread out over the entire weekend, which was awesome! Now that we're into December, people can officially begin singing Christmas songs and dressing like the Beatles in the pic above. George is a cutie, isn't he? :P

My Thanksgiving List

    

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Prepare your stomachs for filling and warm up your voices for merrymaking! Hopefully, your Thanksgiving will be spent with people you love and good food. As with every Thanksgiving, there should also be a large amount of thankfulness.

This year, I feel as though I am just getting a grasp on what being thankful means. First of all, the thanks is directed to God alone since He alone is responsible for life. I believe that thanking Him is all about humbling ourselves enough to recognize our need for God's provision and then allowing ourselves to express gratitude to Him for it. We can't do that when we try to have control over everything or when we refuse to take responsibility for our mistakes. I invite all of you to let go of control, own up to your mistakes and seek the freedom and refreshment that come when you remind yourself that you can't live without Him and that He has freely given you life in abundance. I'm writing a "thanksgiving list" this year of just a few of the many things that make my life more abundant and for which, I am thankful...

My Thanksgiving List:
-The winter wonderland outside my window
-pecan pie
-the freedoms protected under our nation's constitution
-parents who hold me accountable
-orchids
-new socks
-doctors who want to help
-P. G. Wodehouse
-a sister who understands most everything that comes out of my mouth
-frozen custard
-divine matchmaking (the only kind)
-singing
-friends that stick around and don't have to ask before eating your food
-the guys who drive around spreading salt on the roads
-a business that's working!!!!
-deep south family who are always there
-jeans
-Black Mountain, NC
-that man at the postal place who's always friendly and patient
-knuckle band-aids
-avocados
-Pinterest
-long phone calls
-redemption
-hands to make with
-the people who suffer the most and yet still show everyone how happy they are to be alive

Remember to thank the One who gave you absolutely everything this Thankgiving!

~Anna

Shop News - Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale

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I really want to take the time today to let you in on just a few little things going on with BGD.

-The big holiday sale is coming up! I'm very excited! This is the first year I've done this. At this time a year ago, BGD was just a thought. It amazes me to think about that...

-I just ordered a bunch more gold elephants for this necklace that sold out last week! We have elephants!

-I've been working on my photo shoot backgrounds for pieces. It's been important to me to have overall consistency and a branded look in my photos, but figuring out the best place in my home to shoot them has been difficult. I have finally landed on something very natural! What do you think? I'm going to be re-shooting a lot of pieces this week.

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 -It means the world to me to receive messages like this from customers:

"This necklace is very well made, wonderfully unique and absolutely perfect! I was hesitant to order it because I have extremely sensitive skin and often times have trouble wearing anything around my neck, but I have worn it for almost a week and so far there have been no problems :-) This necklace is beautiful and I adore wearing it - I will be ordering more things from this artist in the near future! Thank you!" -Heston

-I'm getting ready to add sterling silver and 14k gold initial charms to my inventory. You will be able to buy them by themselves or have them added to a gemstone or charm already in stock! It's something I've wanted to do for a while!

-A few newbies with a real fall feel:

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-A song for you...

Farrago Friday 11.22.13

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I'm so glad it's Friday! I love the approaching days of "who knows what" and the opportunity to get a little more sleep (here's hoping that actually happens). I also enjoy sharing my mishmash of links and photos from the week with you! Here you go:

-True words...

-Free Chalkboard Christmas Gift Labels and Tags. I thought I would wait until December to post this link, but lots of you probably do things like this early, so you're getting them before Thanksgiving!

-Are you right or left brained? :) Take the test.

-From Target. It went on my Christmas list...there's an emerald green one in the store, but I couldn't find it online. 

-A spin on two old classics: Pecan Cheesecake Pie. Yum!

-How to Care for Winter Clothes (wool, cashmere, velvet, down)

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-Best days for holiday and Christmas shopping

-A beautiful and easy idea for fall brownies! 

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-Oh, how well I know the feeling

-Song

Holiday Decorating: inspiration from Orchard House

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I'm really excited about decorating my home for the upcoming holidays! This year, my desire would be to have Christmas decorations that make me feel like I'm in the 1994 version of Little Women (w/ Winona Ryder & Christian Bale) by using natural, organic things like fruit, white flowers, and live greenery. Here are some examples:

image from country living

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image from Veranda 

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How are you decorating for the holidays?