Warm and Fuzzy Snow

I've spent the whole day putting away Christmas

decorations and sorting through things ~ trying as I

do every end-of-year, to get myself organized.

The problem with sorting and organizing is that things

usually get worse before they get better.

~

Along the way and through the clutter, I took

time out to play and arrange a few new 

vignettes for winter.

 

That's the fun thing about cleaning out ~ you come across

things you forgot you had and find new creative ways to use them.

  I'm using my brown transfer ware plate with an arrangement

of artificial evergreens, cotton, and pine cones.

~

Brown transfer ware is my fave and I adore this old plate!  

I got it at a yard sale this summer for $.50. 

I love to display it in any way I can.

 

I love the crackle finish on this urn.  It adds so

much character to the piece and gives it an aged look.

When mixed with evergreens, the cotton reminds me 

of snow ~  only the warm and fuzzy kind.

 

  I'll take my snow in this form anytime.

 

 Guess I'd better stop playing around and get back to cleaning.

I'm linking with

Common Ground for "Vintage Inspiration Friday"

~

French Country Cottage for "Feathered Nest Friday"

~

My Romantic Home for "Show & Tell Friday"

~

A La Carte for "Junkin Finds Friday"

~

Bargain Hunting With Laurie for "Favorite Things Friday"

A Cozy Table

My bedroom is one of my favorite rooms in the house,

especially in the winter.  My cozy bed,

piled high with pillows and a warm duvet is

my favorite place to read, study or watch TV.

Since I am single, it is the one room where I indulge my 

feminine side with ruffles, lace, and lots of pink.

~

I wanted to create the ultimate luxury tablescape 

for one ~ me.

 

Yesterday at Home Goods, I found this sweet little rose

plate that matched my duvet cover perfectly and became

the inspiration for this tablescape.  It is Maxcera's

"Victorian Toile Rose" pattern and comes in a variety of

different pieces.  I chose to only purchase a single salad

plate for $2.99 since I only needed one place setting.

 

 I paired it with my favorite plate ~ my

oval olive~green scrolled plate from Nina Campbell.

 

 

For the napkins, I had two pieces of leftover quilt fabric that 

matched the plates perfectly.  I couldn't decide which one to use, 

so I made one of each and combined them for a more 

luxurious look.

 

 I added a small pedestal mercury glass candle holder

for just a touch of romance and ambiance.

Last summer I found this lovely wooden bed tray at

a garage sale for only $10.  It was love at first sight.  It has legs

that can be extended to elevate it or they can be locked

underneath so it sets flat.

 

I love it's curved edges which gives it personality 

and a sweet delicate look.

 

 

Even though I only set a table for one, as usual, 

Miss Biddy always shows up in time for meals.

I'm linking with A Stroll Thru Life

 for Tabletop Tuesday

~

Between Naps on the Porch

 for Tablescape Thursday

~

How Sweet the Sound

for Pink Saturday 

Christmas Morning Table

 As families change over the years, so have our Christmas 
morning breakfast traditions.

Today I'm sharing a simple Christmas morning

table setting for my daughter and myself.

 Currently we spend a quiet breakfast 
together before traveling to my sister's home to meet up 
with the rest of our extended family.

My table setting is rather subdued colors with the
only punch of color being the red holly berries and red napkins. 
The dinner plate is a soft muted olive green plate by
Nina Campbell with a lovely scroll embellishment
around the edges.  I love this plate because of it's
somewhat oval and oblong shape and I've been
using it frequently since I purchased it this fall.

 
The salad plate is the softest of yellows with

delicate raised dots along the octagonal edges.

The bowl has a sweet sprig of mistletoe in it's center and is called
"Home for the Holidays" from the Paula Deen At Home collection. 

It's real beauty though is the mistletoe and holly berries
along the sides, which you can hardly see. 

I used red napkins to add color to the table and
tucked a sprig of pine and holly inside the napkin ring
for embellishment.

 

I made the centerpiece out of various evergreens and holly

cut from my yard with artificial pears nestled in to

compliment the dinner plates.

 

 

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

 ~ 

Linking with Between Naps on the Porch 

for Tablescape Thursday.

  

 

Sweetest Story Ever Told

Being a very new blogger, I was amazed at what all the ladies 
in blog land did with fall and Thanksgiving this year. 
I could hardly wait to see what creative ideas and pictures
they would share for Christmas.
~
At first I was overwhelmed, but it wasn't long before I felt very empty.
I was at a loss to explain what I felt and didn't understand why
none of it seemed to matter.  Isn't this what I had been
waiting for?  I found myself almost angry without
knowing why.
~
Then I found this video and took the few minutes to watch it.
It changed everything.
~
Please stop over and see the sweetest Christmas

video ever produced by St. Paul's Church

in Auckland, New Zealand.  It is featured over at
Debbie's blog site Love the Decor and
I promise, you'll never see anything sweeter, purer,
or touching than this children's version of Christ's birth.

Jesus is the reason for Christmas.  We can dress up our
homes with all the glitz and glitter that Christmas offers, but 
without Him, nothing else matters.
~
I'm lining up with The Tablescaper 
for "Seasonal Sundays".

Candy Canes & Snowflakes

I set my table today in all red and white making quite 

a bright and cheerful table.

 

 My dinner plates are by Country Living and were 

purchased on clearance at Kmart this fall.

 

 The salad plates are from the Fancy Scroll Collection by 

Sweet Olive Designs and were purchased at Marshalls.

 

 I love the design and texture of the plates when

combined, which need nothing more to adorn them except 

simple candy canes and pretty napkins.

 

 The napkins I made from two fabrics, one side striped

to coordinate with the candy canes and the other side

with snowflakes so they can be used throughout the winter

and not just for Christmas.

 

 

The centerpiece is a glass hurricane globe with a mixture of

inexpensive solid, striped, and snowflake ornaments.

A cheerful table setting to last through the 

holidays and with just a few simple changes ~ all

the way to Valentine's Day.

 I'm linking with Between Naps on the Porch

for Tablescape Thursday.

 

 

 

Vintage Blues

Just a short post today showing the lovely vintage blues

that were for sale at the  French Hen Farm

Barn Sale.

 

Words aren't necessarily needed when

eyeing so many pretties, except maybe

"oohh and awhh".

 

 I'm joining Smiling Sally for "Blue Monday"

~

and

~

Debra at Common Ground for

"Vintage Inspiration Friday".

  

A Child is Born

For unto us

 

a child is born,

 

 unto us a son is given:

 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

 

and his name shall be called

Wonderful,

Counsellor,

The Mighty God,

The Everlasting Father,

 The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

 

 

Linking with The Tablescaper  for

"Seasonal Sundays"

~

with Charlotte and Ginger for 

"Spiritual Sundays" 

~

with Little Red House for

"Mosaic Mondays".

  

    

 

 

 

Where is Santa Now?

I'm not big into Santa for decorating at Christmas time 

since I've always felt Jesus is the reason for the season, 

but this little fellow was a Secret Santa gift and he has always 

had his place in the decorating scheme.  Usually you

can find him sitting on the shelf over the washing machine

dangling his legs and keeping me company while I do laundry.

 

But lately he's been making the rounds and popping up 

in all sorts of places.  One day I found him on top 

of the mantel clock sitting dangerously close to

the lit candles.

 

I've noticed he seems to like high perches because I

found him yesterday straddling the rooster on top 

of the refrigerator.

 

Then I found him posing on the hutch with my

new piece of vintage red transfer ware.  Isn't

it a dandy? 

 I found him last week stuck in one of the 

brown transfer ware tea cups I recently picked

up at Goodwill.  He seems to have "a thing"

for transfer ware ~ a man after

my own heart.

But his most recent escapade was trying to come down the 

chimney, or maybe he just jumped off the mantel clock.

Anyways ~ he landed in a crock of poinsettas

sitting in my fireplace.  At least he had a soft landing.

 

It is hard not to adore this little guy ~ he's

such a character and has won my heart.

Where do you think he'll end up next?

 

I'm linking with Debra at Common Ground for

"Vintage Inspiration Friday",
with Kate at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating 
for
"Flaunt it Friday", and
with Courtney at French Country Cottage 
for
"Feather Your Nest Friday" .