The Tree and decorations...

This ceramic tree has been decorated and undecorated by the grandchildren every time they come by.  They love moving the little lights around just like their daddies did.

We've had this slim tree about 12 years.  I put the feathers in the top this year and it looks a little like a tepee to me.  Don't ask me why but I like it.  There isn't any special theme to our tree.  It has a lot of my ornaments from my childhood and a lot of ornaments that belonged to my mother.  A lot of the bulbs are probably 60-70 years old.

 



I've decorated the top of my new hutch for the holidays.  I love having lights everywhere.

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen

Christmas - Command Central...

During Christmas the guest bedroom becomes the staging station for gift wrapping, package accumulation and craft finishing.

Of course when I told you I was done shopping last week, I'm never really done.  I could still shop until Christmas Eve if I see something.

The ironing board works as a great wrapping station and I can sit and watch TV at the same time.  Probably more Lifetime Movies than anything else.

  

That basket on the floor under the sewing machine is filled with sewing projects to be completed.

I have several shadow box projects to complete too.

 
 

You'll notice I still decorate this room because when the family comes over on Christmas Eve it will look like it is waiting for guests.

I do have a lot of things wrapped.  I still give each one of the big and little kids a bag that goes in their Christmas stockings.  I think I have more fun looking for those little things than for actual presents.

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen

More Santas...

 

My hutch is always decorated with Santas each year.  I look for Santas all year long but this year I didn't find any to add.

The one on the top left my sister-in-law LuAnn made for me.  The Santa with the twigs was one that belonged to my mother.

I added gold bulbs to my Baldwin Brass candlesticks.  I saw those on someone elses blog and thought it looked great.

Nicholas suggested over the weekend that I should fill this Santa's bag with candy.  So what else could I do?

Only one Christmas card in the basket so far.  I'm trying to get my Christmas letter organized so I can send out my cards this weekend.  I try to put photos of all the kids in my letter and I hope to take those on Saturday night.  We're going out to eat at one of Nicholas' favorite restaurants on that night for his 7th birthday.  They sing Happy Birthday and at the end of your service when they bring the cake they say "Yee Haw".  The kids just love it! This is about about 4th year in a row of going there and it sure beats "Chucky Cheese".

I just looked at the calendar today and realized after tomorrow there are only 14 days till Christmas.  Next week will be cookie baking time after I buy pecans.  Do you all bake cookies?  Pecan tassies are a family favorite and the other ones we love are Italian pizzelles with anise.  I've made those since the boys were in pre-school and it just doesn't seem like Christmas without them.

Our family gets together on Christmas Eve and unfortunately this year Noelle (she's a Pediatric Nurse) has to work.  We usually get together, stuff ourselves with steamed shrimp and canapes for a couple of hours and then open packages.

We'll probably get together with Chris and Elizabeth on Christmas Day for a breakfast casserole and then have them to dinner late in the afternoon.  They only live one mile from us and I always save a few presents to take over in the morning.

Then the football will begin. 

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen

 

Blogging at Christmas...

Okay, it's the same space I always blog from, but it is decorated for the holidays.

I love to add garland and ribbons to my chandeliers.  At night with the dimmer turned down low it looks so soft and pretty in here.  (That's if I pick up all the crap I've spread around during the day.  Magazines, books, mail.) Mr. Bird Nest says he can always tell where I've spent my day by where my piles of stuff are.  Worst of all...he's right!

I always put little snowmen under this tree.

This tree is one of a set of three that I use throughout the house.  They are easy to store and the grandchildren love that we have at least a little tree in each room.

This is a replica of an old-fashioned feather tree with more of my Santa's underneath.  I've had this tree about 25 years so I guess both of us are close to being antiques.

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen

My first face to face visit with a fellow blogger...

This is Penny from http://thecomfortsofhome.blogspot.com and
http://lavenderhillstudio.blogspot.com/

Penny drove to Greenville today for us to meet, antique and have lunch.  She is every bit as sweet in person as she is on her website.  If you haven't checked out her mosaic talent, look at her website.  

Penny is cute as can be.  I look like I could be a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  It's all the steroids I take for my RA.  I know excuses, excuses.

We had lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in Greenville's West End.  Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert.

They had this set up in the front of the restaurant.

I thought I would spare you seeing another picture of me.

 

They had this cute little chair on the steps up to the restaurant.

These are the only two things I bought.  I'll probably hang the plate on the wall somewhere and I can't pass up a cardinal for bird nest cottage.

We stopped at the garden center where I got my pineapples for my posts.  Wait till you see the cute piece Penny got there.

By the end of the day I felt like I had known Penny all my life.  She's a sweetheart.  I look forward to seeing her again.

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen

Have I mentioned that I collect Santa's...

I've been collecting Santa's for about 25 years.  I've learned to be selective because I just don't have a big area to display them but many of them invoke very special memories. 

The Santa on the left I got from my daughter-in-law Noelle's mother.  He just makes me smile. 

The other three were handmade by someone locally.  My friend Linda who passed away 7 years ago this month, gave me those three.  I can't tell you what they mean to me.

The artist who created this used to have an annual Christmas show and sale at her home and Linda and I went every year.  He stands about 36 inches high and is carved of wood.  The artist has passed away and I miss seeing all the beautiful things she worked on all year.

This Santa came from Japan.  When Rick served in the Navy in Japan for 5 or 6 years he sent me this one year for Christmas.  Of course, he is really special and one of my favorites.

The Santa with the Christmas bulbs and teddy bear with blocks my boss Tom gave me one year.  He is another favorite.  Both the boss and the Santa.

There are more I will display on another day but tomorrow I have something special planned and I'll tell you about it on Tuesday.

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen

Freddie came to Nana & Papa's...

Nicholas and Chloe came to spend Saturday with us while their Mom was working and their Dad was hunting.  They helped us decorate the Christmas tree and then they all had dinner with us.

Nicholas' first grade class has a teddy bear named Freddie who gets to visit each students home for a weekend.  This was Nicholas' turn so Freddie came along.

Nicholas and Freddie had fun checking out the wrapped presents.

 Freddie and Nicholas took a little nap.  (Nicholas was faking his sleep.)

Freddie helped Nicholas and Chloe ice cupcakes we made.  *Note to self - don't make red velvet cupcakes when the kids are going to lick the bowl.

Since we always do arts and crafts when they come over, Freddie helped paint tree ornaments for Christmas.

Nicholas had to write a story about Freddie's visit and then put pictures in the notebook. 

Finally, Freddie got to meet Santa and Nicholas' Webkin "Bamboo" while he was visiting.

Thanks for reading,

Gretchen