My Christmas village - also away from little hands. DD#1 is going to help me put some fluffy stuff on the front of the shelf to make it look more like snow - I can't climb a ladder yet. DD#1 and I built that shelf!!!!!!! I designed it and put it up all by myself. DD cut the boards, used a nailer (contracter doing some work on a closet in her house let her borrow the nail gun - wow did she have fun) and I finished it off with paint. Eleanor
My Nativity scene. Eleanor
A candle display on a table. Eleanor
We have had these carolers forever and have to put them up every year. We have a few items in other rooms but these are the main decorations. Eleanor
edit - Noticed when I clicked on the image to enlarge it how well the faux finish shows up. I did a sponging on technique on these walls. I removed the wallpaper several years ago and the walls were a mess. The person who hung the paper put the paste right onto the walls - ugh!! I ended up using spackle and sanding on most of the walls - I bet I covered almost 75% of the wall area. The only way I could paint the walls was to do a faux finish. The whole process took me weeks and was an awful mess but I was happy with the end result.
This message was edited Dec 2, 2007 7:44 AM
Fixed my tree! Still embarrassing but hopefully a little less tipsy!! Eleanor
Eleanor:
Don't be embarrassed by your little tree. I think it's darling. It reminds me of the very first Christmas after I got married. We were so far from home for that year, and all we could afford was a little tiny tree that we stood on one of the living room side tables.
Thanks for that memory.
Kat:
I love that story about your neighborhood!! Please keep sharing more about that event. It may be something that I could organize here in the frozen North in order to add to our local Toys for Tots program. Did the organizers have to get permission to hold this event?
Yay!!! Now this is my kind of thread. I looooooove Christmas decorations! I collect ornaments. Usually start decorating the day after T'giving, but my little cleaning fairy was coming on the weekend and I thought it would be nice to have the house clean first. Then I was working on writing DG articles and then...well, stuff happens.
I'll post when I have something to show. In the meantime, I'll enjoy everyone else's pics.
Eleanor, your caroler's are adoreable! and your tree is sweet. do NOT apologize for it. I like the shelf for your village, too. I never know where to put mine.
Kat, I can see why you are 'treed-out'. I would go absolutely nuts decorating your gorgeous home, though. So much room! and that wonderful staircase!! Your Santa is fabulous.
Very nice Eleanor. Hope to get a lot of decorating done today.
Help!
Dear SIL just opened the boxes of holiday decorations!
Jan, what kind of ornaments do you collect? I love vintage (40's, 50's) anything!
Kat, I love your lanai photo, it looks so warm and friendly!
Eleanor, you brought back a memory for me, too! I remember my grandma (in the 60's) had one of those white table-top trees. I was in Big Lots this past week, and they actually had a bright red fake tree. It was so different, I almost bought it - but I knew my dh would've kicked me out of the house for that!!
Oh yes - the old ornaments are so much nicer than the junk they make today.
Grammyphoeb, I am a professional faux finisher and muralist, and I wanted to tell you that your wall finish looks fantastic. Great job!
Beautiful pictures, everyone.
I also collect vintage Christmas stuff..I particulary like the "atomic" style from mid last century. Also, I love the old clear plastic ornaments- icicles, stars, snowflakes, etc. I'd say my holiday decor is a fifty fifty blend of old and new. I'm kicking myself because I saw a fantastic vintage star tree topper on Ebay and waited too long to bid on it.
Here are some of my vintage things..except the tall tree in the middle.
The mantle
The tree
And my doggies, just because.:)
Gorgeous, Noreaster! And I love the doggies, too!
Wow....where to start? Such fun postings to catch up on here today. Candyce, I'm so glad you started this thread!
Kat - fantastic job on your lovely lanai......and I, too, enjoyed your Toys for Tots story......it's great to like your neighborhood, huh?
Eleanor - Your little tree is adorable.....and I LOVE how you are displaying your village. What a great idea! Even before you mentioned your faux painting, I thought your walls looked so nice....I also like the color you chose. Great job! I have several of the angels that are part of your nativity scene....that's really nice! You've done quite a job of decorating considering your surgery!!!
Noreaster - love your vintage decorations! Your tree is smashing! And your doggies are wonderful! I'm sure they love wearing their costumes for you! LOL
I agree! Love the dogs. Were they good this year??
They love posing and wearing costumes as long as there is food involved ;). My older one, the Reindeer, doesn't have a naughty bone in his body. My younger one will probably be getting coal in his stocking for many years to come!
Thanks everyone for being so excepting of my little tree. Louise - I have to confess that I decorated before the surgery otherwise it wouldn't have gotten done!! Thanks for the compliment on my walls. Noreaster - thank you for the compliment on my painting and your decorations are absolutely beautiful. Love the dogs. I love the Nativity scene that I have. When I retired the other teachers that I work with gave me a gift certificate to a place I'm not allowed into cause it's a bit expensive. I preferred one to Wal-Mart, Target, or Penny's but they wanted to treat me to something special. I went through the store over and over again and said to DD#1, there is nothing here that's for me - everything is too ritzy. Then I saw the Nativity scene and fell in love with the style of the figures. Eleanor
I love everyone's decorations! This is a great thread Candyce, thank you for starting it.
I have to confess, the dogs are my favorite! Hee hee
I love the dogs too. Thought I'd make some progress on my house today but I hurt my back putting the sink and toilet back yesterday after the tile work. Bummer! Wonder if my cat will let me dress him up.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photo's - you have such lovely homes and decorations as well. I love the idea for the chandelier.....I am making a lot of mental notes....I will post some as soon as I can.
Victor, I have seen cats in Christmas hats and it's always hilarious...I guess 'indignant' would be the expression that comes to mind when I look at their faces. You should try it, just for the photo op. Sorry you hurt your back. I'd love to learn how to tile so that I could re-do our bathroom but neither my husband nor I know anything about plumbing, so it's a deal breaker.
Just one more picture of Seamus, the world's sweetest, most tolerant reindog.
Ok, you guys have inspired me! I vow to like up this neighborhood of Scrooges yet again. I started putting up outsied decorations and lights while fighting 13 inches of heavy wet snow. I'd shovel my way to a tree or bush and string lights on it. It may be a bit hodge-podge this year, but it will be bright! (as long as the snow doesn't cover it). I just finished my last craft show yesterday, so I have time to PLAY.
Here is my favorite Santa for the year. Of all I made (16) I like him the best. Maybe it's because he's doing what I'd like to be!
By the way, I absolutely LOVE the dogs!
jylgaskin - love the Santa!! You made that???? WOW, it's so beautiful. I haven't seen you around the Northeast Forum before. If it's your first time here welcome, welcome, welcome. If you have been around, I haven't seen you cause I don't pay attention. Glad to have you posting here. Eleanor
Thanks Noreaster.
Noreaster, are the icicles on the mantle vintage? And your tree topper is stunning!
Thanks Sue. The icicles are a blend of old and new...you can never have enough icicles!
The tree topper is vintage- here is a better view of it.
jylgaskin,
Welcome to the NE forum and that is one beautiful Santa!! You made him?? Out of what may I ask? You are very talented, by the details on Santa it looks like it may take a bit of time to make him. Do you sell them or just do it for fun/gifts?
I never thought that this thread would be so inspiring, and so beautiful!! It is the thread I look at first each day now, as I just LOVE holiday decorations, and I LOVE to see what other folk do to decorate.
And, it sure beats getting bundled into a cold automobile on a winter's night to go look at all the pretty lights around town.
Pixie. Making Santas and Fairies is what I do for a living. They are made of polymer clay and sometimes it is sooo hard to sell them! Mostly I do ebay, but at Christmas time I do 5 shows around the area.
I actually started making them almost18 years ago in Rode Island. We had seen a porceline one in NYC and I just fell in love with it, but could in no way afford it, so I made one out of paper mache. when I see photos of it now I cringe. It was so bad! But over the years I got better. It's pretty cool, I get to keep Christmas all year looking for things for the Santas and doing the designs, but then when September and October roll around, nobody sees me for days. My husband slides food under the door of my studio and waits for the first show for me to come out.
Now the shows are done and I just need a break in the snow to get my lights up. We have about 18 inches right now.
Here's a santa I just sold this morning, You Florida girls should like him!
I love fairies and buy on ebay...what's your ID if you don't mind me asking?
Jyl Gaskin (I know, not very creative)
Really amazing work, jylgaskin....hard to believe that's polymer clay- it certainly looks like porcelain or something like that. I love the one on the Flamingo!
Here are a few beginning shots. These are the only lights I put up outside - only because I have to do them myself! The railing and door lights are actually red and green - don't know why the color didn't come through.
I found you.....love the baby, can you tell?
Oops! Wrong photo. The above is in my kitchen - the candle holder is called a "schwiboggen" from Germany. My daughter's tea set came from the Hearth Song catalog a few years ago. It has pics of little Christmas elves - they're storybook characters (I forget the book). My kitchen tree goes up every year - it has those mini vintage looking kitchen utensils (Seasons of Cannon Falls) and other stuff. I love my lamp! The glass is nicely cut and very heavy. The shade is red/white checks, with red velvet trim. Matches my vintage red/white/cherries kitchen well!
Here's the front door.
I love these hand towels! I got them at K Mart a few years back, and was lucky to find one of each deer. I put them on this ladder in the bathroom every year.
