Trunkful (or Boot as Sharon would say) of Goodies

Like Bettie was saying in yesterday's post, we took off early Saturday morning for a day of thrifting...thought I would share my "loot" with you gals too...I was primarily on the hunt for items to use on the outdoor tree I'm putting on the patio this year especially bird or woodland themed items...won't this birdfeeder look cute nestled in the branches?

Notice the flannel backed tablecloth? I'll use that for a weather resistant tree skirt..... the North Pole ornie in the bag? thought I would attach to a birdhouse I already own and add to the tree? the little red boots could hold goodies for the birds as well...the elf was a real steal...I plan to use that in the kitchen to hold snacks/goodies..the photo folding screen? Stay tuned for a cute holiday idea I plan to try this year.....if you've never tried thrifting...you really need to give it a try...you can find some amazing deals at times plus it's the ultimate way to "go green" and save some green at the same time.

What to do - what to do with all these new finds???

Took a short drive with sister Gayle to a small town south of where we live and came across five neat thrift shops. Lots of goodies were found among loads of stuff, placed there for thrift shop seekers and we were at the top of the list. If you live near Roxboro, NC - google thrift shops or consignment shops and you can venture out to this type of treasure hunt. It's fun, really affordable and you can always plan on picking up something different. As Gayle mentioned in an earlier post - think OUTSIDE the box - Check back later for a post to introduce some of these finds - used in another setting.

How to make Christmas Tree Napkins

I received an email for this pattern from Nancy's Notions but was unable to share the video with you but it's very easy to whip these napkins up in a flash.....To make the Christmas Tree napkins, cut two circles 14" diameter in coordinating fabrics. For ease in sewing I place something 1” smaller and mark outer edge with marking pencil or pen. This will assist when you are sewing a round circle – you need to keep it EVEN. With right sides together, sew all around and leave an opening for turning. Trim edges close to stitching and make slits every few inches. Turn and press. Slip stitch opening, making sure to keep it even and round. Now for the fun part and when you will see the Christmas Tree literally come to life before your eyes – Fold 1/3 toward you on your favorite side of fabric – Turn circle to the right and fold 1/3 again, then back to the left to make tree shape. Press – and place at your table setting. So cute and I bet you’ll be the first one in your circle to have these complimenting your Christmas table this year. Enjoy

Thinking Outside the Box (or Shoe)

An easy way to bring some holiday cheer into the kitchen is to think a bit outside the box and incorporate holiday pieces into your decor...I keep my utensils right by the stove and thought this Santa shoe would be the perfect vessel for holding them...this same shoe could be used in the bathroom to hold guest towels or even used on the tablescape with a bowl to hold food...try thinking outside the box shoe and see how many ways you can think of using the same item. For fun, tell me some other ways I could use the Santa shoe in my holiday decor....

Introduction to Christmas with a simple brunch

Table is set for four - possibly a breakfast brunch or perhaps a generous serving of an excellent Christmas Coffee Cake with whipped cream and your favorite brew of coffee. Why not start your Christmas shopping with several of your closest friends and kick off the season or perhaps schedule some local tours.

Happy Thanksgiving and Let the Decorating Truly Begin!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving. I started decorating a teeny bit last week and thought I would share a little bit of my mess with you...so far I've finished one Gingerbread Display in the dining room....The most time consuming task I typically have is putting my village up. I took temporary leave of my senses and decided to set it up on the hearth in the den this year. If you'll notice in the photos below my hearth is wider than most and in a semi-circular shape; and not that high off the floor..I have a vision so trust me; in the end it will look okay but right now it basically looks like Christmas threw up in several rooms of my house. I'm the type that works on several things at the same time so I'll work on the village a bit, put in a load of laundry...paint some on my salvaged Goodwill elf...go back to the Village, etc...I thought you might enjoy seeing the Village and other things I'll be doing in the various stages..so pleased understand this is NOT the final product...

Is this not the most hideous thing you've ever seen?????? someone (should be shot in my opinion) painted this sweet elf PINK and BLUE!!!! who does that? I'm trying to rescue the poor thing by painting in traditional red/green...Keep coming back and you will see him later nestled amongst my Christmas books on the built-in book case in the den. I have decorated those shelves for the holidays in every manner you can think of and was really stumped for something different this year...and  my friend Barbara suggested doing an elf/book thing. PERFECT I thought and recalled this sad little guy languishing on the shelf in my basement.

Here's a shot of the hearth....here's where the fun begins and I use all kinds of lifts/props to achieve a truly 3D effect. If you're just setting your villages out in a straight line formation; I would encourage you to use some varying heights...it will make an amazing difference.

Here's some of the buildings I'll be using in my Village...I must tell you I use a variety of sizes/brands/etc and not so concerned with using just Dept 56 pieces...I have pieces from Goodwill and the dollar store in addition to the pricier Dept 56

Now this Dept 56 piece was bought strictly for the name of the boarding house owner...Miss Mae! and the person with that middle name knows who they are (I won't spill the beans) so this one's for you!

Here's a few shots of my dining room table...did I say DINING? a good thing we're eating with Mama today because this is EXACTLY what my dining room table looks like on Thanksgiving Day...can you imagine such a mess?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

This is such a special day!

Hope you all have a lovely time!

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