a gift for you

the ice on the pond this morning announces the frigid air and an excuse to stay inside...



the wrapping has begun and snippets of beautiful ribbons from past presents have been located and are being reused.

a happy opportunity for Kitten to play in the tissue.

as we know, all to well...

it is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

and we forget about the SIMPLE BEAUTY and PEACE which is all around us.

my gift to you is...

a reminder.

and permission...

to slow down...

look closer to what is right in front of you...enjoy the simple things that are nearby.

sunlight hitting the front porch.

handmade angels wrought from only "found items".

such as gourds from my garden, old linens culled from a barn and tallow berries.

unpretentious vignettes.

a stocking made from an old chenille blanket with a cuff made from a vintage table cloth.

another simple stocking with vintage buttons lovingly sewn.

potential crafting items, even the scissors were purchased at a flea market.

reflections of another time.

a slower, simpler, peaceful time.

my gift to you...

is

PEACE

white goodness

i'm still dreaming of a White Christmas here...

please enjoy some white goodness from my home.

after a long weekend in phoenix, arizona...it's good to be back home in tennessee.

the countdown to christmas has now begun here.

i'll still be decorating and tweaking things and feathering my nest until the big day.

perhaps i'll bake something?

i'm so looking forward to my daughter and her hubby moving in this weekend until they are off to oklahoma city for three months and then on to memphis for a new career and life.....

changes are coming. new stages of life and growth.

reasons and seasons to celebrate the goodness.

please join other white wednesday participants at

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

twiggy chandelier

here is a fun project i did recently...

the area here, between the kitchen and eating area, is lacking an overhead light fixture (this house was built in the 70's, i guess they didn't think about these things back then) anyhow, i have tried different lamps sitting on the cupboard, but they usually get in the way as we congregate around this island often.


so i hung a branch from the garden, strung it with micro-mini twinkle lights and embellished with Christmas ornaments.

i haven't come up with a good solution for hiding the cords yet...but i will, cause i just hate those things showing!

also, next time i attempt this, i'll choose a more sculptural branch and spray paint it white,

AND

string the lights on the branch BEFORE i hang it!

oh my aching neck...live and learn.


we are pretty happy with the soft glow it provides this area and may leave it up after the holidays, minus the ornaments.

as most things around here though...

it will eventually

CHANGE.

touches of red for Christmas

for me and my house, a little bit of red goes a long way.

my decor is mostly a neutral palette relying heavily on textures and natural elements.......

but at Christmas time, i love to add touches of red here and there.

an homage to Rudolph's nose...

you can't have too many throws for cuddling.


an old chenille bedspread made into a pillow.


red outside shows well from the street.


the cute little red folding chairs on my porch were bought at a neighbors sale for....



$3 a piece!!


vintage hat boxes found recently at a tag sale for $12 add a nostalgic touch.


i love this southern sentiment on top of one of the hat boxes.


fresh flowers are ALWAYS nice.

nandina berries from my garden.

inexpensive IKEA towels in the bath.

my daughter's sweet baby shoes hanging on one of the trees.

and candles wrapped in birch bark from nearby trees sitting on a buffalo check runner.......

just a spattering of red to warm up the holidays.

and speaking of warming up, i am heading for Arizona for a long weekend with no computer...

i will miss you!!

for more inspiring Christmas Decor...

please visit Rhoda at Southern Hospitality

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/home-for-the-holidays-2009/#more-3424

this post is just a fraction of my holiday decor! please visit my past posts for much MORE Holiday FUN!!

ENJOY and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!