Saturday, December 29, 2012

The End...........

............this will be the last 2012 Christmas pictures from me. Just a few more made on Christmas day.


 
I used the same table runner/napkins/centerpiece for Christmas day as for my Gifts From the Kitchen Brunch.
 

 
That is wild-coffee berries in the vases instead of flowers. I went out in the backyard, still in my gown, early Christmas morning to get the berries, thinking no one would see me that early, on that day but, wouldn't you know, along came a neighbor returning from a very early walk! And, yes he saw me because he waved.


 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
An appetizer/dessert table. Baked brie with cranberries, nuts and syrup topping, spiced pecans and a pecan pie.  The red velvet cake was still in the refrigerator. I am just now realizing, everything had pecans!
 
 



My daughter and son-in-law and our good friends, the Simpsons.
 
Everyone that ate at my table this day had to have their picture made wearing Santa's fancy hat.
 
 
 
And, now it is time to blow out the candles until next year. A little sad, isn't it, when it is all over. I love Christmas time and try as hard as I can to make it nice. I hope the good spirit of Christmas will continue on through the new year for each and every one of you.
 

Thursday, December 27, 2012

It's still Christmas week.......

...........so, can I show you the rest of Christmas in my bedroom and baths. I have more pictures than should be used in one post but, need to wrap up the Christmas scene here in my little house!

 
The pictures pretty much speak for themselves so I will stay brief with the words.
 

 
I had offered the red pillows (which no longer work with my new sofa) to my daughter but she didn't need them. When it occurred to me that they might look good in the bedroom at Christmas, I was kinda glad I still had them.

 
 

 
Lamp table on the right side of the bed.
 

 
The old oil lamp was used in my family when I was a small child. I don't know how long they had it before that.
 

 
 

 
Not a very impressive picture but, the arrangement in the small vase has a lot of sparkle when you see it in person.
 
 
 
It's difficult to get good pictures of things in front of a large mirror! I decided the lamp reflection is better than me looking back at you in the mirror.
 
 
 
I had some Christmas jewelry out on the dresser and thought it would look nice in this post.  The scarf pendant is a recent gift from my dear friend, Lynda. I love it! The snowman pin is from another good friend.
 

 
Something I bought for myself which I am going to enjoy very much. It has way more sparkle than what shows here.
 

 
Also on the dresser - a glass bowl of large and small ornaments.
 

 
I realized this year, sometimes a wreath with nothing on it can be a good look.
 
 
 
 Across the room.

 
 

 
 

 
This is another thing that loses it's shine in the photograph.

 
 
On the wall in the sink area.
 

 
 

 
On the counter top.
 

 
Also on the counter top.
 

 
 
 
 
Now, moving to the tiny hall bathroom.
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
Ending with a touch of Disney on the linen closet door.
~~~~~~~~~
I may show one more small post of Christmas to include the table at Christmas lunch.  If I can get it done before New Years Day.
 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Festive in the Living Room....

.......Time is drawing very near for the big day! I hope everyone is 'very near' ready. I am trying to do some quick posts to show more of my decorations before Christmas, hoping someone has a little time to look. The first pictures are actually in the foyer........


 
And, I have to say once more that this whole area is dark on a sunny day so it doesn't matter whether it is daylight or night it is hard to get good pictures. On the little table here is a small metal terrarium -   I found this at a very good price (on sale for 40% off plus a 20% coupon off of my total)  when I thought I had been appointed to supply the centerpiece for a tea table for the Rose Society which would have been raffled (the centerpiece, not the Society).
 

 
I must say I was glad to find out someone else was doing the centerpiece as I was going to have a hard time giving this away.
 

 
This has turned out to be one of my favorite spots in my decorating this year.
 
 

 
I have had a "lurching" Santa who shows up in a different location every day. So, one morning this is where I found him.  He has had a spot on my facebook status once a day for days!
 
 

 
Moving on into the room and stopping at the end table next to to the sofa and love seat, you see a white tree, a metal reindeer and a "sweater" vase.
 

 
One day back in the fall I headed to Good Will on a mission to find a red sweater for the purpose of making a covering for the vase which I already had. 

 
The only red sweater I saw in the whole place was just perfect!
 

 
Here it is with a burning candle inside.  For safety, I would never burn a candle in here unless it is contained in something else first - like the metal piece of a tea light candle or a votive in a little holder.
 

 
I was going to be so happy to find a red sweater to use the cuff to make one candle vase but, look what it had on the front!  It worked great to make a small snowflake pillow.  Snowflakes were to be somewhat of a theme for me because I had bought table linens at Target the day after Christmas (1/2 price) last year, with snowflake designs. So, when I saw this big snowflake, red sweater I didn't have to deliberate, even for a minute as to whether it would be going home with me!
 
 
 
While we are near the pillow, I will show you Santa's new dress-up hat I made.  I saw one similar to this one on Pinterest and knew I wanted one.  I already had the piece of brown linen and easily found the white, soft, fuzzy fabric and ribbon and trim for the bow. After I got it made I asked myself, what are you going to do with it? My answer, I don't have a clue!  So, it is just here on display. It fits my head and I suppose paired with the right outfit I could wear it or, maybe not.
 
 
 
With the other cuff I made this cozie for my coffee cup.  Look who got comfortable here!
 

 
Along with the snowflake table linens I got five of these large yarn balls with snowflakes.  Put them here with a little greenery, and various size silver bells. Bells seems to be my secondary theme.


 
A David Tutera (going to one of his shows in February. YAY!) slim battery taper was the finishing touch.  I have had my eye on a set of two of these candles for a long time but they were kind of expensive so that day when I could use my 40% coupon off a regular priced item and the 20% more, I decided I could get them.
 
 
 
I have not been putting up a big tree in this little house lately but when I saw the top hat topper I had to have something to put it on! I brought this fat, short, table-top tree out of the garage and managed to squeeze it into the corner here. I got it set up on the floor and decorated and in it's fat shortness it looked ridiculous. So, I moved it over closer to the t.v. and then realized I had no way there to plug in the lights. Took it out on the back porch and put it on top of the table and decided that would never "do"! Brought it back in to the original corner along with a plant table off of the porch and while not ideal, I could handle it that way. But, by that time, the poor thing looked like it had been in a battle. The first time I tried to pick it up I forgot, you can't pick up a two-section tree by the top part!!! By the time I got it back to the original spot, I had to gather up balls from all over the place.
 

 
Just love the top hat! Which, by the way, was 40% off and 20% more!


 
 
 
 
I brought this antique sled out of the garage to use in the house for the first time. And, there he is again.
 
 
 
The white desk is totally full of Christmas.
 

 
 

 
Top left shelf.
 

 
Top middle.
 

 
Top right.

 
 

 
Middle left.
 
 
 
 

 
Middle right. NOEL is my favorite for this year. I also saw this on Pinterest.
 

 
Bottom left.
 

 
Bottom right.
 
 
 
Oh, I change my mind, Charlie Brown's little tree might be my favorite.
 

 
Top hat, NOEL, little white terrarium, Charlie Brown's Tree, sweater pillow and cozies, snowflake yarn balls?? I don't think I have a favorite this year.
 
 
 
I almost forgot to show you this snowflake extra large bath towel  (yep, Target - half price). It makes a nice "throw" for here at the end of the sofa.
~~~~~~~
I am staying home the day after Christmas this year. Don't need to be seeing any more bargains!