~Happy New Year!

Thanks to all of you who have come by in the last year and been so sweet and such great friends! Your notes, messages and emails have been such a treat and I have enjoyed every single one.

See you next year!

I wish and hope for each of you

a New Year of

Perfect Health, Abundance, Peace and Happiness!

~Christmas Eve, Joyful Wishes, Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale! Etc..

It's Christmas Eve already! With all the snow I've seen on the weather channel, it must really seem like it to many of you.

Nothing new on the table this year. I've had everything for either a long time or at least a couple of years. My lovely old Irish linen napkins on the "wrong"side where I kind of like them. I'll move them to please other another time. The plates were a surprise that I had forgotten about. I should have been using them for the last month but decided they would be pretty for a little dinner.

If you wander by here on your journey of home tours or just playing tourist in Blogland, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and PEACE in the New Year. Maybe we can create Peace in the World one person, and one family at a time.

My heart is filled with Christmas Joy even as there is an ache over the war that wages on beyond our sight and sound. War is evil, said a wise and wonderful Noble Peace Prize winner. Very seldom ever necessary and always evil. I pray for the young soldiers so far away from home this HolyDay , their families, and for all the people there.

May You Be Filled with Joy and Peace!

Merry Christmas, and Peace On Earth
to Men of Good Will!

~Christmas Joy, Happy Sunday

Happy Sunday!

A little Christmas in the morning room. The mercury glass Santas and Snowman are newer, but have a great old fashioned look. Sweet Daughter thinks it's funny that she is represented by the little snowman since she towers over me by 5 inches. But of course if you are a mom, you know they are always your baby.

Closeup of the cloche, bell jar, filled with lime green ornaments with a few red tossed in as well. I found a couple of the rhinestone snowflakes and love their sparkle and vintage look.

Vintage ornaments have such a special look. I've seen some amazingly beautiful collections in BlogLand. Mine is small. Some of them look quite old, even though I'm not an expert at dating them. But I love the touch of age they add when used with newer pieces.

~Snowflakes & Silver, Christmas Joy Saturday

Snowflakes found their way into the family room as well this year. The mantel is dressed with more snowflakes and everything is silver and white with touches of gold and evergreens. I found the snowflakes at Target early in the season, and got them quickly before they were gone. They look better in the halogen light than in the living room's natural light where I used the snowflakes that I made from wood forms. Those were prettier in that light.

I've been thinking of doing this room in more whites and neutrals so I wondered if I would miss color on the mantel this year. I'm not sure if I miss the color, but I do love the snowy, wintery feeling of it right now.

It's cookie day at our house! We will be baking my favorite chocolate chip cookies and some white chocolate macadamia nut ones to take to my in-laws. That's if I can hide enough from Sweet Husband, because he loves those, too.

I'm trying to take a few breaks now and then to go on the Home Tours, from both Tracey's site and BooMama's. What wonderful homes, people and decorations! It has been such a joy to visit each of you. And it makes me wonder, are you making cookies today, too? And are those little presents all wrapped? I'll be doing some of that the next day or so as well.

Thank you to each of you for sharing your homes, and for taking the time to post a comment here. You are so appreciated!

Happy Saturday!

~Friday, It's Almost Christmas

Do the days go by more quickly the closer it gets to Christmas? I think so!That's if you are already grown and have lots to things to do. If you are 5 or 6 years old, the days go very slowly waiting for the big day.

Christmas is my favorite time to really enjoy my love of religious icons and symbols. I've been looking for an older Mary statue for a while. During the trip in November (for my birthday) to Renninger's Extravaganza I was so happy to find this beautiful one. The couple who sold it to us had done a lot of buying in Europe and wasn't sure if it was from France or Belgium. Whichever, it's perfect. I love it with the antique keys, tarnished silver pot and newer silver hearts.

Sweet Husband just brought the fantastic blooming Christmas cactus in the other day. I totally forgot that I had set it outside under some other plants last year. What a great plant. Forget about it and it will be ready a year later, with no freezes, of course.

Hope you are having a wonderful day!

~The Morning Room Christmas Tree

Have you seen Christmas trees that are just so perfectly designed? Well this is not one of them. This is pure sentimental whimsy, silly. We put all of the fun and totally lovable ornaments on this little tree. We have everything from lovely silver framed family pictures, which some are waiting patiently to be put up still, then there is fake candy, and Nutcraker guys, Santa, bears....everything old fashioned and whimsical. It makes me laugh and makes me cry. Pictures of my wonderful Dad whom I miss a lot, the Darling Daughter when she was little, me at about 3, those kinds of things. A silly, tender little tree which is so much fun.

You know I love snowmen and snowflakes. Aren't these guys cute? The snowmen were found one year apart at Marshall's most likely. They look old already and suit this little area perfectly. I still look for cupcake and tart ornaments in blown glass, they are just so cute.

OK, that's all that was on the camera. Just a little bit more to come.

It has been so much fun to join in the Holiday Christmas Tours. Thanks for coming by to visit.

~Thursday, Christmas Joy 2007 Gingerbread or Pictures?

Although I had fully intended to take the rest of the pictures, yesterday Sweet Daughter called and asked if we could make gingerbread men cookies after she got done with work. Well, of course we can. Since I had no recipe I went searching the internet, settled on a 5 star review and made the dough. I don't eat gingerbread, my chocolate chip cookies are next!

So no picture taking time yesterday. But before I go run errands I snapped a quick one of the wicker chest which holds the table linens in the living room decorated for Christmas.

I usually buy things in three's for Christmastime, because my little family consist of three! So you will see three antique keys, three hearts and three beautiful earth crystals. I love things from nature.

The bird's nest I use often, but always at Christmas. Several years ago Sweet Hubby came running in the house quite excited over his find. A sweet bird's nest tucked way inside the Christmas tree he was trimming to bring inside. I found a tradition on line that it was a sign of goodness to come. How wonderful!

That year I put a couple of birds, one of each of us, and an egg for Sweet Daughter. She was not sure she wanted to be represented by an egg! Funny girl. *Although I did mention it before...She decorated most of the tree this year. I unpacked and talked about each ornament. She humored me and pretended she had not heard it all before. Sweet!

More pictures to come. Have a Happy Day!

~Christmas Joy Wednesday, Holiday Home Tour

Merry Christmas, from our Home to Yours!

Thanks for coming by to visit. Tracey at Notes from a Cottage Industry is hosting this online Home Tour. Thanks Tracey for such a fun idea!

I'll be posting new pictures each day until Christmas, so you are welcome to come back often and see what's new.

Each family has not only traditions, but within those they have their own decorating style that makes them happy. Each tradition and style of decorating is so special. I love to see the trees, wreaths, ornaments, cookies and whatever you chose to be a part of your Holiday celebrations. This is our home, and we are very happy to share some of what makes us happy with you.

Because it was a Snowflake kind of year, I made these pretty large snowflakes, all glittered in silver and gold with different images in the center. Family members wanted a couple of them and I decided to use one on a mirror on the living room mantel.

This mantel has kiwi/lime green beads, acorns & ornaments, intertwined with evergreens. There are silver glittered snowflakes and a large crystal one beside the little silver bucket filled with ornaments and lights. The large lime green ornaments were found at Bombay a few years ago and are wonderful for bringing in the same green, and the large mercury glass ornaments from Z Gallerie reflect light in such a beautiful way.

I once found the cutest little glass rabbit ornament for $6. When it was broken I went on a search for another glass rabbit. That began our love of Radko ornaments. The first ones were rather expensive, so there was only one added each year. Then the tree fell down! A few of the Radko's took the fall badly. Should we just stop collecting them. Or....shall we tie the tree to the wall each year. Ah, let's go with the second choice.

One of our favorites for a couple of years was small houses.
This is one of those. Kind of like small doll houses in blown glass.

This time of year, when the work day is done, we often just sit and look at the tree and decorations in the living room. It doesn't matter if the ornaments are new or old, although we do like them to be glass. The heart of our Christmas decorations is always right here, the tree, mantel, a table or two and the Crèche all find their place here each year.

More pictures tomorrow. Hope you enjoyed visiting!

**EDIT: Welcome to those from BooMama's Tour List!

I just saw that one and added my site to it. **

~Christmas Decorating, Just A Little Bit

The days leading up to Christmas are so precious, and yet somehow I over booked, over worked, over whatever it all. To slow down and try to enjoy each day, I quickly (is that slowing down?) took a few more pictures. I really didn't do as much this year. I wanted less stuff but it didn't really make it less messy to just get everything out to try to pare it down. Oh well.....maybe next year. I am determined to have less stuff.

It's a Snowflake year! I have lots of them everywhere, silver or white mostly. I've loved them for a long time and started collecting some beautiful white porcelain ones around 1984. I've been looking for a potter who makes them ever since, but no luck. If you ever know of any handmade ones, please let me know. But they might be too difficult to ship. I've broken 2 or 3 of the ones I had.


I hope all of you are able to take some time to slow down and really be in the moment of this Holyday Season.
(( Rhoda, I thought that last picture was big. I'll try to do better. :) ))

~Monday, The Winner is.....

Congratulations Rebecca! Be sure to go visit her site.

Email me your address, and it's on the way to you.

Thank You to each of you who stopped by. As you can tell from how late in the "day" I'm writing this, today was busy, with out and about stuff. But I did try to snap a couple of pictures. And here's one anyway.

My feeling this year to embrace red. Although it's in a dash here and there. I haven't used red in a couple of years, so it was new and fresh again with my kiwi/lime green.

This arrangement is on the table in the living room. It is similar to what I did last year, with purple and green. When I found the old picture, I wanted to use the same silver and jar again. I changed the ribbon on the large ball, but didn't think it was worth taking the picture again! I'll post a picture or two everyday this week to catch up a bit!

(Dede, that print is available at my Esty shop. Thanks for asking.)

~Friday, Christmas Joy, GiveAway

Oh it's Friday again! It sure came much quicker this week.
I've made some 5 x 7 inch prints of the Christmas Silhouette for gifts this year since everyone loves it when they see it in person. It reads Merry Christmas 2007.

Just leave a note on this post by Sunday Night and I'll draw a name out of the cookie jar and post the winner on Monday.

If you have Christmas pictures on your site, please let me know. I want to see what you have done to bring the Joy of the Christmas Spirit into your homes! And I don't want to miss a one.

Today's assignment for me, is to take some pictures. I sure am late at getting these things done this year. At this rate I might not get cards even in the mail. See you all later. But I hope to have some new Christmas pictures up to share very soon.

~Christmas Special at Etsy Shop

Through Thursday, Dec. 13, as a Thank You,

I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on all Orders $49 and Over.

This will give you a nice savings

depending on the size of the order.

I'm trying to beat the last minuet Post Office rush!

New in the shop, one of my Art Collages. I remember falling in love with Italian Art & Architecture while studying. I never got over it. It still is my favorite. No matter what came before this period, or after, my heart stayed right here.

Note to DD: The gold charges were purchased new about 5 years ago. I'm not sure where they came from, but most likely not expensive. I have not seen any quite like them since at a decent price.

~Happy Monday, The Winner Is....

Mrs. Wilt ...such a cutie name to use, from The Sparrow's Nest!

Glass Christmas Ornaments, Snowman and Thumper

I really thought there would be no outdoor lights this year. Everyone around here is just overworked this year and even the lights seemed like just more work. So I was not going to let it bug me too much. I didn't even whine a bit about it. But then, out of the blue, Sweet Hubby got out the ladder! So it's not as many as in years past, but at least the icicles are hanging down with dancing lights from the eaves as they usually are.

The inside is still waiting for me! Waiting for the boxes of art stuff to get out of the way, and put away. Which is about any minute now, I keep promising.

When my Sweet Daughter was in high school or early college, she and her best friend came over and wanted to decorate the Christmas Tree. They had a ball, and kept saying....Mom is going to change it. They came in the next day and checked it high and low. I didn't turn the tree around like the episode on "Friends" but I had kind of rearranged. And they noticed every single thing!

This year, I got the lights all on, and yes, Sweet Daughter wanted to decorate. Just to give me some Christmas Time. :) She did an excellent job! But she was sure I'd change things. She came in from work the next day, and I only had to confess changing to ornaments, they just needed the space the other one was in. I actually left it alone!

You cannot image how strange this tale is unless you've lived with a designer who measures everything and almost carries a level on her for a hairclip! I love the tree as it, more because she took the time out of her busy schedule to do it along with me, while I unpacked the ornaments and talked about them all for the upteenth time.

We have been collecting Radko's for over 10 years. Not just for the name but because we love the old fashioned look and quality of them. I know I haven't been shopping much when I realize I haven't bought a new one at all this year.

Wish me luck in my battle with the boxes and messes around here. I am determined to win even if it takes putting a POD in the driveway!

~Friday GiveAway, Christmas Joy

It's Friday already so it's time for another little Gift from me to you.

Yes, Rebecca, I thought this would make a great ornament, too! This would be lovely on a tree, a gift, a door knob...all those places you have thought of to decorate. It's 2.5 inches wide, 5.5 long, 7 with the wired ribbon hanger. So cute!

Leave a note by Sunday night, but you know I sometimes get to the computer late on Monday morn. Don't worry, I always toss those names in as well. For those of you who posted yesterday and early today, you will get your name put in, too. It's Christmas, let's spread some good cheer!

Happy Friday!

~Thursday, A Little More Festival Decorations

Here are a few more pictures from the Festival of Trees this year. I still need to go through them and adjust light and resize. I'll post more later.
It's always fun to get a little inspiration from these events. I am eager to see what all of you are doing for your decorations. I love this time of year!

~Monday and the Winner is....

Congratulations Linda! Note #3

Please send me your address to
DecoratedHouse at aol.com and I'll send the gift out to you!

I will have a few of my Monogram Foil Tussie, Cones available for the Holidays.

You can order them in either silver or gold with your choice of letters. The dangling goodies on the end vary, crystals, snowflakes, stars.

You can add red to the medallion as well. I think that looks great.

You can see more pictures on Etsy, and also see one that has sold with JOY on it if you like that better. Limited number available since I'm going to stop working on the shop and try to enjoy Christmas before it flies by!

How's your Christmas decorating coming along?!! I always forget it is a bit of work isn't it? I'll forget about the work part in a couple of days though, I always do. The tree is up in the LR. We were lucky and found a noble fir among the fraizers again this year at Lowe's. I think it's too much trouble to grab the few that get by them. They were almost twice the price at Target but I was going to go back there if I couldn't find the noble somewhere else. They are such beautiful trees. I think they are much easier to find anywhere north of us.

I will be so looking forward to seeing all the trees and home dressed for the holidays with the BlogLand in such full swing now. So many more places to visit now. But so little time to get to all of them!

Have a wonderful day! Thanks for coming by.