'Cause We Need A Little Christmas!

Hi Everyone! And Merry Christmas!!! I'm joining many others over at Susan's Deck the Hall Party! Everyone is showing off their Christmas decor over there. So be sure and go over to Susan's @ http://thoughtsfromovertherainbow.blogspot.com/. (After you've visited mine of course!;)

Last week I showed you some of my various ornaments. I finally got things finished in the great room and cleaned up a bit around the tree! Many of you wanted to see the whole thing! So here it is!

The star's not as crooked as it looks! I think it's the angle I took it at! I know everyone is doing some fun stuff at the tops of their trees now but I'm just a traditionalist! I love the star at the top of a Christmas tree.

This weekend, before it started raining again!, the DH actually stayed home from hunting and helped me get the yard cleaned up and I got the outside decorated. My oldest son usually puts out a big plastic light up Santa we have and puts some lights out but he's been busy with exams. I got the door done and the mailbox and the little breezeway we have between the garage and the house.

The topiary is an iron frame I wrapped with 3 different kinds of garland! First, a green garland went on and then some holly and then a lit holly garland! The garland above the door has grapevine bells, white hydrangeas and poinsettas with white, green and red lights. You can see my ugly tile floor!!! I made the door basket with a metal basket from Southern Living. Mr. Nutcracker is guarding the staircase!

Just pretend all that wrapping paper paraphenalia isn't over there!! I did the buffet in my entry all in Santas! And the banister garland I've had forever! It's got poinsettas and pine cones and then I dripped it with gold, red and silver bead garlands. You can never have too much bling at Christmas!

I love these snowpeople spelling out JOY! I saw these 2 years ago at Hobby Lobby and had to have them with the trees in a little vignette I made. I took a piece of styrofoam and added some smaller pieces on top to give it different heights then covered it with batting. Hot glued the trees and the snowpeople in place, added the greenery and used the glue gun to make some glue ridges on the batting and covered it with white glitter! I think I've told you I love glitter! Then of course I couldn't stop there! I added glitter to their hats and some on the trees! Do you see the potted trees next to the snowmen? I made those too! The sweet angel trio I've had forever! They're so beautiful! I've used them on the tree and off. This year I nestled them in with the greenery on my mantle.

And speaking of mantles! I've never been quite satisfied with my mantle...but I do like it this year!


I love my manger scene! My set includes the holy family, 3 wise men on their elaborate camels, a shepherd boy (which I bought cause it reminded me of my oldest son), the drummer boy (which reminded me of my youngest!) and a lady with a lantern, (that's me!), I haven't found one to represent the DH yet! I'm sure he'd say he was one of the wise guy's! I mean wise men! (LOL)
My father gave me that angel plate a long time ago! He's been gone now 4 years! It just doesn't seem that long ago! My boss at Curves gave me that beautiful Jim Shore angel last year! The whole mantel is my manger scene and just about every angel I could find!

Well, that's it! My memory card is full! So I couldn't show you the kitchen! I'll have to get a new one and take more pics! This year I added one of Kristen's adorable picture frames!

I'm joining my friend and neighbor Susan @ http://thoughtsfromovertherainbow.blogspot.com/ for her Deck the Halls Party! I missed last week because I just wasn't ready! I still have alot to do today to finish my Christmas decorating. I've posted pictures of a few of my Christmas tree ornaments. Hope you enjoy this little peek into my obsession with ornaments! When you're done be sure and go on over to Susan's blog and check out everyone's Christmas decorations! Susan is one lovely lady inside and out and her blog is just like her!

This year the tree was the first thing I got up! Last year I bought a pre-lit tree from Hobby Lobby after Christmas! We don't get real trees anymore because they effect our sinuses too much! My old tree was the kind with the pole I had to stick each branch in to and then string it with lights. I always used white and colored lights. I had it down to a science! It only took me a whole day to get the tree ready to decorate!!!!! Needless to say I'm a little anal about my Christmas tree! Pardon my french! Did I say that?!?! Anyway, while I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner I asked my 21 yr. old to bring down my tree. We put it together 1,2,3 and voila the tree was up and the lights already done! How cool is that! Okay, so I'm a little behind the times! It wasn't until last week I got around to decorating it. This new tree is smaller than my previous. My DH came home and saw it and the first thing he said was "you'll never get all of your ornaments on that tree!". Well, he was right, so I'm working on the tree in the dining room and the one in the study. Since I knew my space was limited I rummaged thru my ornaments only putting my most beautiful and favorite ones on the tree! I started putting them on the front first. I had also added a star. By the time my DH came home from work my tree was leaning to the front with the weight of the ornaments! We had to take everything off and straighten the tree again and start all over! It's done and I do believe it's my favorite tree ever! Of course I say that every year! I thought I would miss my colored lights but my ornaments actually seem to show up better with just the white! I love Christmas tree ornaments! Did I mention I love Christmas tree ornaments! You know how most of you are dishaholics....while I'm an ornamentaholic! Whew! that was hard to spell! My tree is a mixture of all kinds of ornaments and all colors! Take a look!

Handmade Ornaments!

These are two of my favorites I made. The ball I made 2 years ago. It's decorated with ribbon and various Christmas piks! The santa ornament I made from a kit 2o something years ago! I can't believe it's that old!

Last year I made several of these Christmas flags. I saw the idea in a magazine. Don't remember which one! They're all different. I have three on my tree. I made them out of scrapbook paper, stickers, ribbon, red and white pipe cleaners and small wood finials I covered with glitter. Have I mentioned how much I love glitter!?! I love how you can glimpse my Christmas tree elf! Isn't he adorable?

To your right is a styrofoam ball I covered with sequins and pearl pins of various colors! Took me forever! But I loved every minute of it! The star was a form I got at Hobby Lobby. One side is this pink and green and white with gold accents, the other is gold and silver. I love glitter! Oh yeah, I said that already!

Faberge Eggs!

Oh, I have more! Trying not to make this post too long!

I love these kind of ornaments! Does anyone know what they're called?


Angels!




And Faeries!

The ones on the left are part of my Christopher Radko collection. On the right are blown glass ornaments I actually bought at Hobby Lobby last year or the year before...I can't remember!

Vintage Ornaments!

These are ornaments from my Grandmother's. We used the birds on our tree was I was little! A long time ago!!!

Okay, I'm done! But there are so many more! I'd love to share them all but you'd be here til next Tuesday! I'll leave you with this mosaic and a large Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Marty's Hostin' a Party!

This is my first time to join Marty @ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ for her wonderful cloche parties! I don't have a real cloche! I don't know where you ladies are getting yours but I've only seen a couple around here and they're expensive! But I'm gonna get in on the fun anyway! Marty is such a sweet lady and has the best blog! Be sure and go over to see everyone elses fantabulous cloches! (After you've looked over mine! of course!)

Now this is actually a covered serving dish I got at Marshall's. But I had such fun making

little Christmas vignettes under it!

This one's sort of hard to see. A golden rocking reindeer sitting on a bed of Christmas greenery!





A vintage snowman, trees and a couple of old Japan bunny figurines!

I also used the tip I got from Mary at Mary's Meanderings about using Epsom salt instead of the fake snow!

I changed the snowman out for a couple of miniature wooden santas!

This is an adorable little elf ornament I got last year at Hobby Lobby!

A silver glittered tree and one of the miniature santas. Can you see he's holding a bunny!

The one on the left is actually a music box! (I got my DH's nose in the picture!)

And the one on the right is actually a tree ornament!

Well, Thanks for stopping by and checking out my pretend cloche's! Don't forget to go over to Marty's to see many more!

Sunday Favorites

Well, I'm finally going to join my bestest, sweetest blogging friend Chari @ http://happytodesign.blogspot.com/ for Sunday Favorites! Chari has such a beautiful blog! She is one talented lady, and have I mentioned how sweet she is? Well she is! So be sure and go by and say hi and check out other blog favorites you might have missed the first time around! But before you go I wanted to revisit my very first tablescape! This was March 2009! So long ago! (LOL)

I was just mindin' my own business! I had the day off and was in the kitchen baking a birthday cake for my son, nephew and brother-n-law (they're birthdays are the 11th, 9th and the 6th of March) and I was thinking about all the beautiful tablescapes I had been privy too that morning via Susan at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ and one thought led to another and before I knew it I was imitating Laurie at bargainhuntingwithlaurie running all over the house looking for just the right thing to complete my tablescape! I hope you enjoy it! I really did have fun!

It's a garden theme! I didn't use placemats because there wasn't room and I really love my handpainted table! Can you see the tree branches? There's a wren and nest under my plates! I did it myself! Painted right over the top of an antique oak pedastal table and my husband hasn't forgiven me yet! Recognize the green glassware from Old Time Pottery?! I told you they would go with my everyday china!

This pattern is George Briard and you had to buy it in sets of four because each plate has a different flower! Wasn't I a horrible bride?! It's discontinued now but I have seen it on China Replacements, Inc. And this is gonna hurt ya...years ago I had alot more of it including some serving pieces I had displayed on a wall mounted shelf in our kitchen in our first house and one day I was mopping the floor and I had moved the table and chairs out from under the light fixture... when I raised up from bending over mopping my back hit the bottom of the shelf which pulled it away from the wall and CRASH! Not much survived. Luckily I only had 2 plates and 2 salads up there or I probably wouldn't have what I have now!

Lupinus, texensis or better known as Texas Bluebonnet! Do you see my little butterfly and bunny Sabino glass?

Persicum Giganteum or Cyclamen. See the little Sabino squirrel chewing on a nut!

Viola Pedata or Bird's-Foot Violet. Over in the left hand corner you can see my Sabino garden statue. It's a little cherub holding a bouquet of flowers!

Chrysanthemum Segetum or Corn Marigold

The flatware was my grandmothers. The white chargers are actually plates from Southern Living! I'm trying to collect the whole set! So far I've got 4 plates and 4 bowls. The butterfly napkins were a gift from my dad who was always perusing a good garage sell. I have the tablecloth to match! He found so many great things at garage sales! Alot of junk, but alot of good things too!

Don't know if you can really see. I used a bird's nest and faux violets in my Southern Living toile pots and of course my Sabino glass pieces and a Goebel bird and I had the little garden urn...it was a candle that had burned down and this Christmas I was putting up things and there was this silver ball and the urn and I thought hmmm if I turn it upside down in this urn it looks like a miniature garden reflectory ball! Aren't I just so clever?! LOL

Thanks for taking a look at my first tablescape! God Bless! Now be sure and go over to Susan's to see all the other great tablescapes! I'm going too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's that time of year to remember and to be thankful for all of our blessings!

It's late and I've made the Southern Living Magazine pumpkin pie recipe and my family's favorite rum pie. I've polished the silver and set the table. The turkey I'm hoping is completely thawed! Schedules for oven time are swirling in my brain but I'm just too tired and I'll figure that out tommorrow! (you can call me Scarlett!) I've created a tablescape I'm rather proud of and it's all been inspired by every one of you! I am counting my blessings for my blogging friends! Some of the sweetest ladies I've never met! (LOL!) It is such a blessing to get to share one another's creativities and thusly each other's lives. The ladies I've met are all about beauty, creativity, love of family and home and of God. I am constantly inspired, touched, awed and humbled by each one of you! Thank you! and Thank God for bringing us together!

I know that you all have probably already got your Christmas decorations up and I'm just now getting around to showing you some of my fall decor with my Thanksgiving table! I am having my in-laws over for Thanksgiving. First my sons and I are going over to my mother's assisted living and eating turkey and dressing with her! I'm going to have 2 Thanksgiving dinners! Boy, am I going to have alot of dieting to do after the New Year!

I did the arrangement myself! They're real too!

My china is Marjolaine by Havilland Limoges. I love it! I love the colors, the flowers, the scalloped edges....I picked it out 25 years ago and I still love it! The gold chargers are the one's my mother-n-law gave me. I wanted something different for the Thanksgiving table so I combined 2 wired ribbons and just laid them over the top of the charger and then just folded down the edges!

Look at my napkins! I've had these for awhile! I think I got them at Target years ago! They're ivory with a little gold thread going thru them and gold autumn leaves. There are actually 2 different sprigs that make up the napkin rings. I took some of the ribbon I used on the chargers and just stapled the ends together on the back then just tucked in the leaf sprig and put the acorns on top. They're actually Christmas sprigs I got at Michaels half off!

Here's my close-up Mr. DeMille! My crystal is Wedgewood Majesty. I got the little candleholders at Michael's too. They're Christmas too! And on sale 40% off! There's alot of copper and brown and purple this year for Christmas! Not my style though. I am still a traditional red and green person myself.

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!