Packing away the season...

I must admit we are entering into my least favorite meteorological season of the year, that being January through March.  Once Christmas is over, my heart longs for the early warmth of a spring day and to peer out the window over my sink and see the dogwood tree in bloom.

However, such warmth and color are weeks and weeks... and need I say... weeks in the future.  So I enjoy any light which comes into my life right now.  A couple nights ago, I was typing away at the dining room table on the laptop when I noticed the reflection of the Christmas tree against the glass objects on the buffet. 

I had to stop what I was doing and spend some moments just soaking in the sparkle of light reflected... it was as if the light danced on the glass and for a moment I felt as if the world was a little more magical than reality would have us believe.  I felt lost in sparkle.  :)

But it is now a memory as most decorations have been placed back into protective containers, ready for their slumber on garage shelves until Thanksgiving is past come next year.  Only the tree remains full of ornaments and lights, although her hand made angel tree top has been carefully put away, her homespun dress tucked carefully around so she will meet next Christmas without wrinkles.

The house always seems rather stark once the sparkle is packed away.  I will continue to read and sip tea as a candle flickers on the coffee table but it isn't quite the same as the sparkle from the colorful bulbs and the red and the green and the snowmen and the creche and the sweet ornaments and the lights from the tree... all reflecting to me His Light which came in the Darkness.

For many reasons, this Christmas came with an undertone of sadness and melancholy for me.  But it was still full of Beauty to be embraced in spite of... the lack of that which is perfectly desired.

So, I may leave behind the sparkle but the cozy remains to be found in slowly simmering soups and loaves of homemade bread.  A long promised "to read" rests on the coffee table in the living room as I enter the world of Middle Earth and lose myself in The Trilogy... having read The Hobbit but never The Lord of the Rings.  What better way to rediscover a little bit of magic (Narnia magic that is).

I am thinking through my favorite (new to me) books read in 2010 and will soon put them pen to paper... so to speak.  As soon as I can find uninterrupted time to transfer thoughts to paper to keyboard.

Christmas morning on the porch

A somewhat heavy snowfall on Christmas Eve brought about this scene on Christmas morning...

A stunningly beautiful morning!

Note:  All photos are the property of the photographer... that being moi'... and not to be used without permission.  Thank you.  :)

Merry Christmas!

It is time to cook and bake here, preparing ahead for Christmas dinner and our tradition of hors doeurvres or snacks on Christmas Eve night.  The Christmas Eve tradition started long ago, a combination of a busy schedule and a desire to try something new each year (for Christmas dinner's menu is "set in stone"!).

The aroma of ham baking on Christmas morning shouts to us that the Holiday has arrived as much as the last window on any Advent calendar.  It brings with it such expectation of the Feast to come.  Even if there are just three of us as with this year, I have to make everything so it will be Christmas. 

I pray each and every one of you have a blessed Christmas.  Perhaps not perfect or what we really, really wanted (in our case missing family who live far away and those who have passed away).... but still good.

I will be back next week...just taking a much needed break to read and ponder.  :)

Oh, Christmas tree... (Part 2... kind of)

While the outside of the home was cold and a light snow covered that which was already on the ground, I spent yesterday in the kitchen baking pumpkin cookies and making Beverly Nye's candy.  My husband was taking a tray of the cookies to the bookstore and a special box of them to a friend.  He has been working at the bookstore for his usual "end of the semester" week of work... every thing helps!

For awhile, I had Pandora Christmas music playing on the computer but decided I wanted to watch some of the old black and white Christmas episodes of TV shows I have in a DVD set (purchased at one time at Border's for less than $5.00 for a 4-DVD set).  I mostly listened (from the kitchen) to some very old holiday episodes of Petticoat Junction, Ozzie and Harriet, and a couple lesser known shows.

I always find it interesting to watch old shows and see how the culture has changed since they originally were broadcast.  On one episode, Harriet had a beautiful apron on the entire day and the guys wore suits to dinner!  My son has found it hard to believe there was still a dress code when his father attended the University as a freshmen.  :)

Here are just a few more pictures of my tree, it has always been difficult to get a picture which really shows how pretty it is.

In the midst of vintage and nostalgic ornaments, one must have some whimsy... and this ornament shows a guilty passion.  I thought it funny that Stephanie has one on her tree (the less Christmas-y ornament) which represents my son-in-law's enjoyment of coffee.

These are two of my favorites!  Stephanie was still in college when she and I went into a favorite store of mine to admire all the pretty things.  I thought these two beautiful (the picture does not do them justice) and while I was elsewhere shopping, she purchased them for me as my Christmas gift from her that year.

I may have mentioned before that my husband and daughter were at one time known in our home as Deviousness and Cloaker for the extreme measures they took in finding a Christmas gift for me together, hiding it, and then either wrapping it or making a game of having me find the gift in the house... or the garage... or the yard... sigh.  My husband has fond memories of their Christmas adventures.

There are a few ornaments such as this bear on the tree each year.  All were taken off of specially wrapped packages over the years, where I thought them so cute they deserved to reappear on the tree, all they needed was to slip a hook on them... very easy. 

I did something new this year that I really like.  We have only one actual wrapped gift under the tree (the large one on the left which is from the New England Contingent) and it looked a little bare.  So... I had all these pretty Christmas boxes which I store small decorations in during the year and instead of putting them back in their Rubbermaid containers, I put them under the tree.

I just love the way it looks and it shows off the beautiful boxes (all of which came from garage sales, thrift stores, etc.).  As for the snowman on the right, it is on a sleigh with another stuffed dog behind him and when you turn it on, it rocks and the snowman sings Sleigh Ride.  It was a gift from my sister, Bonnie, a few years ago.

I love it.  My husband does not... so we agree to let it sit under the tree if I don't turn it on.  I think he's afraid I might starting singing along with it and, well... you have not heard me sing... another sigh.

Oh, Christmas tree... (Part 1)

I awoke to more snow and another e-mail from the newspaper saying they could not deliver this morning.  At least it is beautiful, as shown in the view above from my front porch.  Looking outside at the snow and listening to Pandora's Christmas music on the computer, as well as ingredients for baking coming to room temperature in my kitchen... lovely.

My daughter surprised me with a new post on her blog this morning, showing some of her Christmas decorating... here.  I realized I hadn't shown pictures of my tree, yet.

This is what I call my Charlie Brown tree as it is just a very cheap artificial tree that looks wonderful when decorated, something like Charlie's tree.  Here is what it looked like last year on the porch, decorated with dried orange slices and homemade cinnamon ornaments...

I had put it on the porch and used another inexpensive tree inside.  Since there was no room to store both, I gave the other tree to Goodwill and kept Old Faithful.

I made the three topper when Christopher was a toddler, never expecting to be using it so many years later.  Some years I put the tree topper Stephanie gave me as a gift and other years a pretty more glamorous angel... all of them theologically incorrect.

When not in use on the tree, the other two take their place elsewhere... usually among the snowmen.

I made this needlepoint decoration when Stephanie was an infant.

The stained glass ornament at the left was given to me by my mother during my early married years, I only have a couple of them left.  The cute vintage girl was a fortunate thrift shop find.  I've been looking for vintage ornaments through the years.

There is a store in town that always sells the most beautiful and unique ornaments... and quite pricey.  In the 1990s, I would often go there for the day after Christmas sales for cards, wrapping paper, and to see what was left of their ornaments. 

I was thrilled to find this one year at half-price (which put it at a reasonable cost).  I love the illusion it gives of a light filled warm and cozy house on the inside with a snowy wonderland outside.  Definitely a favorite!

More pictures to follow...

Why I love my pantry

When my son (who should know better but he is in the midst of finals... so I forgive him) calls to tell me he could use a cake or a pie to take to his bosses' Christmas party... the next day.

I can turn all of the above...

Into this...  

Actually, two trays of goodies with plenty of leftovers for Dad. 

The pumpkin bars were made more Christmas-y with the addition of Christmas sprinkles, probably purchased on clearance last year... or two years ago... they last virtually forever.

This very favorite family recipe can be found... here.  It serves a lot and doesn't cost much (especially if you can stock up when the items are on sale).

Christmas at my house... file under miscellaneous

As I have said before, boxes were pulled out from their home on garage shelves and contents distributed throughout the house to put me in a Christmas-y mood.  I must admit the decorations along with lots of Christmas music has succeeded.  The weather has certainly turned cold enough and we are experiencing a white December.  Lovely... 

I rolled out the cinnamon roll dough this morning, filling the dough with butter and cinnamon and brown sugar and rolling them into swirls of goodness.  I did cheat a bit, using a prepared icing from the pantry shelves instead of my usual homemade version.  Sometimes a girl needs a shortcut.  :)

I have a couple craft-sewing projects I'd like to work on soon but this was all that I was able to do today.  I saw this elsewhere and thought it very cute and so easy it is embarrassing.  I pour salt into my old milk bottles to make them look like milk, all I had to do was stick a couple peppermint sticks in each one.  I love the simplicity.

I also sliced two oranges and have had them drying in a low oven (taken out when I needed to bake at higher temps).  They are just about dried and I'll take pictures of them later.  I love the way something as natural and inexpensive as a sliced orange adds so much beauty to Christmas.

I realized I hadn't shown you my favorite snowmen for they sit out all year long, either on a bookshelf or on top of the yellow pantry.  Stephanie gave this to me not too long after she and her hubby were married, she says it is the two of them.  :)

I need to dust... but I digress.

I show you Miss Victoria's new cozy place the way it was and the way it is...  I have more Victoria pictures to share next week.  Let's just say, she never ceases to amaze me.

Christmas at my house... part three

Brrrr... it is cold here.  I about froze my giblets walking down the gravel lane to the rural mailbox.  Not to mention the layer of ice under the snow.  At least the snow offers traction, it can be a skating rink when the snow melts and then refreezes.

I fixed homemade baked macaroni and cheese for dinner last night and assembled cinnamon roll dough in the bread machine.  By the time it finished, I was quite tired so I let the dough slowly rise in the frig again overnight.  It will very soon be rolled out and transformed into cinnamon rolls.

Today I'll share kitchen pictures and a couple snowmen pics.

Those Christmas bulbs in the hanging basket are just inexpensive plastic bulbs purchased at a thrift store a few years ago.  I figured they were not only light but would be safe if they dropped in the sink if one of the tall men in my life runs into them.  :)

When Stephanie asked if I wanted the rolling pin above, I think there was a split second between her offer and my saying YES!  I had just the place for it, as you can see.  I wasn't certain it would fit on the vintage holder but it snuggled in just fine.

Most of these items stay out all year.  Red makes me happy.  Just a few actual Christmas items here and there make the area more festive.

The two miniature vintage utensils stay out all year, too.  Both of them along with the snowmen window were purchased at the 75% off sale at Cracker Barrel last year.

I've shown you my cookie cutters before and you may have seen Mr. Snowman cookie jar in past December posts.  He is actually musical (plays a Christmas tune when his hat is lifted).  It was a gift from my Jewish neighbor-friend, Sheila... back when our boys were little guys and my cookies were famous throughout our former neighborhood.  :)

My small snowmen are mostly displayed on the hutch in the living room.  The oldest snowmen in my collection are among these guys.

The three snowmen above were hand painted by my dear friend, BB (aka: Belinda, Beebs).  They are displayed even when I don't get many decorations out that year. 

Ummmm... excuse me while I go straighten the pictures around the hutch.  Sheesh...

Christmas at my house... part two

I collected Christmas items from the beginning of married life because I loved turning our home into Christmas magic (Narnia magic).  I would often purchase one item full price each year to add to my collection.  I'd also shop the after Christmas sales for pretty items on clearance and then just tuck them away in the boxes.  The next year, it would be like opening Christmas gifts to myself.  :)

When I had a much larger house to decorate, I would also be looking for Christmas and other holiday items at thrift shops and garage sales, too.  I've long since downsized my Christmas collection, only holding on to my favorites now that I have only a few shelves to hold all of them. Once in awhile, I will still purchase an inexpensive Christmas item at a thrift shop or a garage sale, especially if it is quite vintage-y.

Here are scenes from my family room.  For the first couple of years we lived here, I didn't feel very comfy in this room.  I think I was trying to make it more cottage style (because Stephanie does such a wonderful job with cottage!)  Now it is a combination of my favorite country and primitive items as well as new "stuff" Stephanie sent with me when we visited in October.

This thrift store bench-table holds a collection of favorites.  While the oil lamp, sweet lamb, and birdhouse are out all year, I thought they also fit in well with a Christmas display.

This table shows a little of my snowman collection.  It used to have a rather large oval lampshade and I removed some hardware so this smaller shade Stephanie gave me would fit.  I like it much better.

The feather tree stays out all year long.  I love the look it adds to primitive decorating.

Below are a couple more items Stephanie sent home with me in October.  They were objects which did not fit well into her new home.  Okay, that pretty "window" looked just fine in a corner of her bedroom but she's going to move something else there eventually and I told her it would look great in my house (hint, hint).  :)

 

The "window" usually has a small wreath surrounding the "Faith" sign.  It will return once I pack away the Christmas stuff.  I love the primitive country Santa decoration tucked in the "window".  It was purchased at after Christmas clearance sales last year with a gift from a friend.

I already had the herbs (from my garden) and country stars on the peg "board" Stephanie sent home with me but I added the sweet wreath from Goodwill for a Christmas look.  I've already decided it will stay there even after Christmas has been packed away for next year... one can never have too many deep red accessories in her home.  :)

This room also holds my "soft" snowmen collection.  

I should say that my walls in this room are a soft, cream color (with the slightest of butter yellow tinting).  However, I have to use the flash when I take pictures in this house and it makes it all look so... white.

Tomorrow I'll share what I've done in the kitchen and the rest of my snowman collection.  Now you know why it took me three days to decorate.  I was determined to get in a cozy Christmas mood (it worked).

Christmas at my house... part one

The weekend snow turned our world a lovely white!  This picture was taken after the snow melted just a little but it is still beautiful.

Miss Victoria has a new favorite place for her long winter's naps.  I couldn't find her one morning and imagine my surprise to see a ball of fur on my vintage tablecloths and hand made Christmas items.  There is a heating grate underneath the old sewing machine table.  :)

I especially love the way the dining area turned out this year.  This is the only place I can put up a tree and it is a rather Charlie Brown type at that.  But it is still pretty.

I found the buffet a great place to display Christmas sparkle.  Wonder if that trifle bowl will ever hold trifle?  :)

While inherited vintage items are the very best as they bring with them good memories (hopefully), I also love to take care of another's precious Christmas decorations.

Above, the first picture shows a vintage Christmas decoration which was in my husband's family when he grew up.  The sweet Santa with his sleigh was purchased at an estate garage sale when we lived in Detroit.  I was able to speak with the family of the grandmother who had passed away and whose items were being sold.

This was one of her favorites and now it is mine. The packages are wrapped in real wrapping paper which is now quite old.  They must be handled very carefully but create an authentic (for they are all real) vintage look.

I saw something similar to this candle display put together on a primitive country decorating blog.  That is wheat forming a bed for the candle and the bowl was my mother-in-law's old salad bowl... which I have never used for salads.  :)

For the most part, the items on the this cabinet remain the same but additions were made to make it a little more Christmas-y.

We will visit other rooms tomorrow!