Holiday Trappings?

What is it about this time of year that makes me feel like I have to turn into Martha Stewart?  I mean right now as I type, I'm folding a magazine into a Christmas tree!  Seriously, I really am.  Why do I feel the need for my house to turn into a picture perfect scene fresh out of the pages of a Pottery Barn or West Elm Magazine?  I think it all boils down to one word.  Pride.   I hate the feeling I sometimes get when I walk into friend's house and I start to covet the things they have and mumble about the things I don't.  For shame.  Seriously, I'm 40 and need to get over it.  I'll work on that for next year, promise.  So back to Martha Stewart, which I'm not, let's just make that real clear, what do I do? I  compensated, since I can't afford a bunch of fancy decorations I  tried to be crafty. 

 Found these cute, cute 3d snowflakes on my new time waster website, Pinterest. (which is fantastic by the way, but that's a whole nother post)

A better view.

 Our little Christmas village. These are the results of all their efforts shown below.  Yes, there are only 6, I didn't make one, I was busy making scones. (see photo farther below)

 You know it's a fun family activity when your 18 year son is late to class so he can finish his "masterpiece."

 Nibbling the graham cracker down to just the right size.

 See!  Yummy scones. The fried fattening kind, with cinnamon sugar, or nutella and whip cream! Definitely ate too many of those.

 Sweet Pea helping her Papa with the decorating.

 Little A's finished product.

 Liv's house, that she dreamed up during her Science class that day.

Who needs fancy decorations when you have home made ones!!  No photo of my Christmas tree made out of a magazine, I realized after I started that I need a magazine with more pages in it.  So I'll attempt it again tomorrow.