My Dining Room at Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is one week away!

I don't have all the wreaths on the windows

(looks like that won't happen), and

the dining room table is not set -

but there's plenty of time for that.

I am trying out lots of silver and white this year in the dining room.

Unfortunately, it doesn't photograph well (maybe that's the fault of the photographer!),

but it looks good in person.

I tried Debbie's (@Confessions of a Plate Addict) sheet music trick

on the candles.

I used a mix of mercury glass, gold and copper.

Christmas in the hutch......

Greenery, pears, votives...

I added a little red to the table....

along with my hurricane candleholders - a wedding gft from my sweet Grammy

41 years ago!

I spray painted them Heirloom White for a fresh new look!

My mom's milk glass compote is in the center of the table.

Still enjoying my burlap runner.

Such a bargain to make - $7!

Hope you have a peaceful week before Christmas.

I'm joining :
Susan @Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Marty @A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda @Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Kim @Savvy Southern Style for Boring to Better

Blessings to you!

Linda

Christmas Nostalgia

Christmas brings out the nostalgia in everyone, doesn't it?! I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday, and Susan at Thoughts from Over the Rainbow for Deck the Halls.

But first let me show you a little Santa collection I have. They are all made of different materials and have different themes, but last year I was so glad to get the "builder" Santa in honor of my building Hubby.

Now I can really appreciate a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with a theme, but I've gotta tell you that our tree is a pot pourri of all sorts of ornaments....gifts from friends, ornaments collected during our children's childhoods, ornaments from special events we've attended, etc.

But today our tree metamorphed a little from yesterday! We have had to move my dear mother-in-law (91 years young!) to assisted living and the past week has been spent going through her things and divying them up among the family.

This red ball came from my MIL - see the string holding it? It is a VERY old ornament from Germany.

I bought over a dozen of these crocheted ornaments (made by little old ladies) from my children's preschool about 30 years ago.

First ornament I bought at the birth of our daughter in 1972.

Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict brought a half dozen of these little bears to me from a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France.

My MIL bought this little angel in Rothburg, Germany 30 years ago.

A VERY, VERY old ornament - probably 70 years old from MIL.

Another delicate ornament from MIL made in Germany.

This tacky red mouse has hung on our tree for 40 years! Not sure where it came from, but we would be sad if he got lost!

A very old flocked ornament (my favorite as a little girl) from the 50's.

Another 30 year old ornament from Rothberg, Germany.

The next ornament is not very pretty, and the colors are not very good for Christmas, but the story is great - it was made during World War II. All glass was being used for the war effort, so ornaments were made of plastic at that time. So this ornament represents that unique and special time of the "Greatest Generation". .....also from MIL.

Last, my precious Willow Tree nativity. I put it in front of this oil painting. To me, the landscape reminds me of what one would expect in the Holy Land. The painting was a yard sale find and the nativity a cherished gift from daughter.

But the event it represents is what Christmas is all about - the birth of Jesus - salvation for those who believe - hope for the world - a light in the darkness.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and pray that you and your family will know God's true peace and joy now and in the New Year. Blessings, Linda

A Christmas Mantel and some Treasures

I'm joining Susan @Between Naps on the Porch for her wonderful Met Monday and Susan @Thoughts from Over the Rainbow for her fun Deck the Halls event.

Don't you love it when you accidentally do something you like? Well, I was putting some Christmas balls on the tree and sat one in one of our children's baby cups - liked it so much, I put one in each cup! It took 10 seconds!

There was a time when I didn't like shiny Christmas balls. Anybody out there remember the 70's and all that wooden stuff? You'll see some later. Anyway, I really like the way they look.

My mantel has meta-morphed from my blog header to this:

I have a thing for lanterns.....and reindeer!

And the famous stockings!

Now this little horse is very nostalgic - got it in 1972 while expecting our first child.

And this one we got in 1974 when expecting our 2nd child! I want to pass them on to the kids, but the tree just wouldn't look right without them.

I do have a Willow Tree manger scene that I dearly love and proudly display. However, I always get out this one and put it down low. I bought it about 38 years ago at Woolworth's - anyone remember that dime store? I thought it would be great for my children to play with - you know, a hands on experience.

One manger scene from Woolworth's - about $5.00

Your grandchildren playing with it....telling Mary that it is Joseph's turn to ride on the donkey - PRICELESS!

Happy decorating! Be sure to stop by both Susan's for some great ideas. Thanks so much to these 2 gals for hosting these events. Linda

Christmas Bargain Redo

It's only 3 days after Thanksgiving and 2 days after black Friday, and we are getting ready for Christmas! I'm sharing 2 Met Mondays projects. Thanks to the ever faithful Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting this event.


I'm also joining Susan (@Thoughts from over the Rainbow) and her party to Deck the Halls.
(Is it okay that my halls are outside this time?) This event will take place on Tuesdays between Dec. 1 and Jan. 5. Be sure to stop by her site.


First project - thanks to Debbie at Confessions of a Plate Addict, I have bigger blog pics - woohoo!
Second project - while thrifting with Debbie, I found a pair of topiaries that needed some love (or did she find them and reject them first??). Anyway, they had good "bones".



I sprayed them with silk plant cleaner and they looked much fresher. Then I put them in white planters that I already had, added lights, and a red bow.

Here is the fall porch with leftover ferns from the summer. Before....



After.......

By the time I finished, the sun had gone down, so I had to use the flash (that's a no-no, isn't it?

Happy Monday, and be sure to check out Susan's Met Monday post. Linda

A Christmas Tradition

I have a tradition to show you, and I'm linking up to Kathy at Kathy's Cottage for Handmade Holidays. Be sure to check out her site for some other ideas.

Before I show you a Christmas tradition, look at this camelia - isn't it beautiful! This is the first year our camelias are blooming, and if you don't have any, you might want to plant some!

Well, anyway, about 50 years ago my mother made stockings for us that looked like this.

The red corduroy stocking has felt appliqués on it - no kit - she made it up.

Here's a view from the top.......

to the decorated tree......

to the happy snowman......

To the holly leaves & berries on the toe.

I made one for my hubby when we were dating (and filled it with homemade cookies!).

Then as our children were born, I made them each one.

When they married, I made one for each spouse. All these stocking continue to hang at my house. My mother has also made a few more to hang at the married kids' homes, and now I am busy making 5 more for grandchildren and son & daughter-in-law.

We have added presents under the tree.....

and a cute little mouse.

So this is what his keeping me soooooo busy! Each night I have to sew. I have 5 stocking in various stages and my goal is to be finished by Thanksgiving (call me crazy!)

I don't think my mother had any idea at the time she made our stockings that it would become a tradition, but it has.

And, mine has been used! Each Christmas I looked forward to a REALLY big candy cane - about a foot long, and life savers, along with an apple and an orange and some nuts in the toe of the stocking. My own kids would have none of that! They had to have chocolate and candy bars, etc. Oh, well, times have changed.....but NOT THE STOCKING!

I'll bet someone will do a Christmas Tradition Blog Party - that would be fun to read all the traditions. I'm rushing the season a little, but only because it takes LOTS OF HOURS for each stocking! Gotta run.....gotta work on another stocking! Linda (p.s. I've had some great recommendations for cameras....I'm on the hunt....sick of mediocre pics.....or is it the photographer's fault??)