Happy New Year 2011

Wow ! Another year has come and gone...

They just seem to fly by when you get a few years on you.( like me )

Only five months ago I started blogging , and let me tell you I would have never thought that it would be possible at the beginning of 2010 ...

But I am amazed at what I have learned in the last five months , and all of the amazing ,terrific ladies I have meet here in blog land.

The inspiration is unending , and I can't wait everyday to see what you girls are creating and the projects you are tackling.

Thank you to those who follow me and offer your comments and encouragement .

So God bless you all in 2011 , May you prosper , have good health , and most of all love in your life .

YOU ARE THE BEST !

Sharon

I Won !

Yes ! I won something !

This little package came in the mail yesterday.

From Deb at A Fine Feathered Nest .

I love packages... And inside was this lovely little pin keep...

And an extra little bag of goodies

A cute vintage swan treat cup , a tiny ballerina , a gift card and some little posies.

Soooo sweet Deb , Thank you !
He will have a treasured place beside my sewing machine.

It was the calm before the storm...

Christmas Eve morning. Yes a day ahead of time.

When you have blended families you have to share kids at Christmas , this year two of them had to go to " others " for Christmas day , so we did ours a day early.

The two laundry baskets are gifts my daughter brought over. The two oldest are passing out gifts. We hand out gifts then everyone digs in.

I can't figure out what my daughter-in-law is doing with her hands in these pictures.



And then there was the mess, Nick got a new pair of insulated work pants, he put them on over his pj's.
There are those hands again.

Next comes cleanup, four garbage bags later you could walk through the living room again.

Reed is watching from the bleacher seats with Auntie Pam and Uncle Ken.

Ahh .... the fun of putting new toys together.

Wouldn't be Christmas without it !

We had a great Christmas !

And as it turned out it was a good thing it was a day early.

I spent Christmas day in bed all day with Vertigo.

I have no idea what causes it, once or twice a year I get it. The Dr. gave me some pills for it , and they knock me out. Later that night I was fine again , just tired , and now I'm back to normal , ( if you can call it that .)

Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut or maybe The Nutcracker Suite

Today we are taking a walk up the hill to my sister's house.

Notice whats in the middle of the wreath on the front door ?

This is the beginning of her Nutcracker collection.

None of these nutcrackers are the expensive German kind, they are just cute and different ones picked up by her and the people who love her. They have come from all over, and she has them mostly grouped according to "species".

(I'm warning you , there are a lot of pictures.)First up we have the snowmen...
There is only one Mrs. Santa.

But lots and lots of Santas.

Then there is the elf nutcracker making more nutcrackers.

And on the antique shoe rack , mixed with all the grand kids and great nieces and nephews

is an eclectic group of guys.

On top of that are Mr. and Mrs. Reindeer.

Atop the hutch there is royalty, and patriotic ones.

Even the Christmas tree is covered in them.

Over on one of the end tables is Mary , Joseph , and Baby Jesus .

Under that is a small group put there for the grandchildren

to play with.

A drummer boy music box nutcracker.

There are even nutcrackers on the throw pillows.

Salt and Pepper nutcrackers.






And last but not least is a choir of Angels on top of the grandfather clock.

You don't want to be a nut in this house !

Thanks for going on this nutty little tour with me.

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful and blessed

Christmas !

OX OX

Sharon

New slipcover

I'm so excited , just in time for Christmas , and after waiting nearly 7 months , my new sofa slipcover has arrived !

This is the before .

A very comfortable sofa , just not shabby chic .After

Doesn't it look nice and crisp and fresh ?


I keep the throws on the back cause that's where my dog likes to sit.
That room divider is actually two bi fold doors attached to the back of my hutch, because I don't have enough wall space for my hutch , or a place to store it when I'm not using it. That poor hutch has been in the kitchen , bedroom , and the guest bath.
Anyway here you can see how small and cozy my living room is.
I love , love ,love the white slipcover , it pulls everything together and gives it the feel I've been looking for , so happy if finally came in time for friends and family on Christmas day.



I am really late , but I'm adding this to Faded Charm's White Wednesday.

Christmas Past ,Present , and Future

Past

This is Christmas 1951 , I was three , almost four, my sister was seven. It was still dark out and there was sleep in our eyes.In 1954 I was seven , my sister eleven , with my Dad , waiting for the big day.

1957 , that's one of our cousins, my sister is a teenager now , and I think she is so cool.
Look at the excitement on my face. Do you remember the Glasswax stencils we used to put on the windows ?
Wish I had that crinoline slip now.

This is 1973 , my daughter had just turned one year old in Nov. , it was her second Christmas , but the one we found most exciting , although we had to wake her up because we were so excited to see her reaction to what Santa brought.

1981 , my son was two and a half.

Present
2010 , My littlest grandson is eleven months.

The excitement is back .

Even the older two grandchildren are excited about what his reactions will be this year.
Yes! Christmas really is for and about children.

Jesus's Birthday, A party held around the world !



Future
The future is our children and grandchildren.
Believe !

Merry Christmas !

White Nutcracker

I have a nutcracker collection that I didn't bring out this year since I used all white and naturals this year, well except for a little bit of pink.

My sister knows I like them so she came over the other day bearing a gift of this cute little white one , She said she saw one like it in a magazine , so she went to Michael's and bought a unfinished one and painted it white. Didn't he turn out cute ?So I put him front and center on my mantel.
Thanks Pam ! I love him !
I'm going to link this with Faded Charm White Wednesday.
Hop over there and take a look at all the white posts.

A few more signs of Christmas

Sorry I haven't blogged much this week, I have been fighting with a cold and it won .

But I'm feeling better today , and that's good , and just in time cause I'm sitting with my grand kids tonight while their Mom and Dad go to Dad's work Christmas party.

Here is a shot of my littlest , and # 1 on the cute meter, Reed.

Looks like he is waiting for Santa .Anyway , here are some more signs of Christmas at my house.

In the kitchen I took all the junk I had hanging on the pot rack light fixture down, and added some greenery and some red ball ornaments I had left. It makes the island look festive .


A little fun with Photoscape...

In the entry way I just brought in the overgrown pine like plant that I got years ago, and added some snowflakes.





I like the winter feel of it !

I keep saying I'm done decorating , and then I add one more thing...

Do you think this will go on all the way up till Christmas ?

Have a wonderful weekend you all !

PS


By the way I made some changes to our Etsy shop .

Now all the prices include shipping , and you can pay with Paypal.

She did it again

Cindy Adkins from I Owe it all to Him did it again, this time she featured my Christmas mantel on her blog.

She has a great giveaway going on over there , and she has some wonderful 3 dimensional and paper art in her Etsy shop that you can get to from her side bar.

Here is a hint at some of the wonderful things she does.

Cindy has become a treasured blog friend to me, so please go check out her blogs and tell her I sent you .

I Owe it All to Him

Cindy Adkins Whimsical Musings

Thank you Cindy !

Leola's , I could live there !

Yesterday my partners in crime sis Pam and buddy Billie had a girls' day out shopping. First we went to a craft fair in Nixa , Mo. Then on up to Springfield to get in a little Christmas shopping , the traffic and the crowds up there on a Saturday were awful. So then we headed back through Ozark to go to one of our favorite stores of all time "Leola's Vintage Home and Garden".

The first time I walked in the doors at this shop I told Pam "I could live in this place. " It has so many things that I like. The owner Jan from Summer Sundays is the nicest and most fun person. This is her.The store is full of Christmas decor right now, mixed with wonderful antiques and vintage stuff,

Lots of Pink and green and

WHITE.

Look at the music sheets tied with twine to the lighted branches, and the umbrellas hanging from the ceiling all over the place.










Love these candle sticks !

Lots of vintage Christmas...

I found this old book on a top shelf with knives stuck in it, as if marking the good spots .

Old bottles festooned with vintage Christmas labels...

And this wonderful PINK feather tree !

Lots of eye candy...

I thought this was cute ...

Oops ! Not so cute this way. LOL : )

There are so many wonderful vignettes , too many to photograph them all .

You'll just have to stop by there yourself to see.

It's in a little strip mall behind Lambert's right off of highway 65 in Ozark.

Tell Jan I sent ya !

You will LOVE it !