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" .

Christmas Blues

I wanted to share more inexpensive decorating that I did

in my office this week.  Just another "touch of

Christmas" ~ barely noticeable and only $2.

The large hutch in my office is part of the furniture I collected for

a lake house we almost bought.  It was one of the things I couldn't

bare to part with and now holds many of my beach-theme items

and decorating books.



I bought the white snowflakes at Dollar Tree ~ all 6 for $1

and the blue snowflakes were half-off at JoAnn's and

came to $1 for all 3.

I hung them with invisible thread that I taped onto the backside of

the hutch head board.

They look as if they are floating in space and give the hutch a

subtle transformation of snowy sparkle and softness.

I'm linking with Smiling Sally for Blue Monday.

Christmas Mantel

I always love changing things around on my mantel, but never 

more than at Christmas time.  I never liked the wreath that

I've hung over the mantel the last five years and wasn't sure what I

was going to do to replace it.  Then I remembered my Grandmother's antique mirror that I hadn't hung in years.  I got it out, hung it up and it was perfect.

 

Next, I needed something for the middle of the mantel with some

height.  I was thinking some type of candleholders and found these

three at Goodwill for $1.49 each and red candles from

Dollar Tree for $1 each.  This is my idea of affordable decorating.

 

The mantel is balanced by a small lamp on one end and 

an antique looking clock on the other. 

~

My garland is an inexpensive artificial garland, but I spruced it up by adding clusters of red berries, sprigs of glittery red fern, and artificial pomegranates. The pomegranates I purchased this week at Pier One on clearance for only $.68 each.  I found them online and the website tells you which area stores still have

them in stock.  I wanted to use them for Christmas decorating in various areas of my home, so it took me visiting 3 stores to collect the 27 that I bought, but at that price, it was another inexpensive way to decorate.  After attaching everything to the garland, I sprayed small areas with clear "Tacky Spray" and sprinkled artificial snow on it before it dried.

 

 

I change out all the lamp shades in my living room at Christmas to red which gives the room an instant transformation and Christmas look.  I usually leave them on until Valentine's Day to give the room a punch of color through the dreary days

of winter.  I saw this idea at our Saks Fifth Avenue store last year.  I was amazed how simple their Christmas decor was, but all their table lamps had red lamp shades, giving the entire store a very classy look and Christmas glow.

 

 

The last touch is to add the stockings waiting to be filled with surprises.

 

I'm linking with

 Cottage Instincts for "Make it 4 Monday"

~

The House in the Roses for "Show off Your Cottage Monday"

~

Between Naps on the Porch for "Deck the Halls"

~

Dittle Dattle for "Amaze Me Monday"

~

Centsational Girl for "Holiday Home Craft Party"

 

French Hen Farm Barn Sale

Yesterday I met with a group of Ohio bloggers and we attended the

Barn Sale at French Hen Farm.  

It was a perfect winter day with gray cloudy skies and a sprinkling of snow throughout the day.

We got there early, but so did everyone else and once inside you could hardly move.  These pictures were taken after the crowd had cleared a little.

 

There were numerous beautiful chandeliers hanging in the barn ~ some for sale and some not.  I have never seen such a lovely collection of chandeliers in one place before.

 

 

There was the kitchen section with all kinds of baked goods, kitchen utensils and old tins.

 

I personally took home a nice assortment of rusty antique kitchen

baking tins all priced between $1 ~ $3.

 

 Everywhere you looked, there were old and beautiful things

to behold.

 

 

There was lots of glitter . . .

 

 

jewelry . . .

 

and sock monkeys.

 

 There was an endless supply of unique, vintage, 

and beautiful items all waiting to be taken home ~ and

many of them were.

 

And the outside was just as pretty as the inside.

 

I'm linking with

 The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

~

Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

 

 

 

 

 

Versatile Vintage

I'm sharing my very versatile vintage tray that is fast becoming

one of my favorite finds.  Every season I am finding new uses for it and today it is making an appearance as my bedroom
"touch of Christmas".

 

I filled it with an olive~ green glittered tree candle, moss,

evergreen cuttings, pink berries, white Christmas bulbs,

and the last half~frozen pink roses left on my bushes.

 

It sits on my vanity coupled with several other treasured items 

and a picture of my daughter.

 

 

I love to walk into a room and find Christmas smiling at

me, even if it is in a very small and simple way.

 ~

Linking with

Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday, 

 Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for the

Christmas Vignette Party, and 

Liz at Rose Vignettes for Fresh Cut Friday.