For those of you who know me, you know I love back roads, old barns, open fields and taking photos. You probably also know I love Christmas. I love it for all the usual, sentimental reasons - family time, making memories, watching the grandchildren's wide-eyed with excitement, carols, church cantatas, Christmas lights and right up near the top of my list ....decorations.
My five year old granddaughter asked me last week why I have so many 'Christmas things" and the answer was simple...because Grandma loves Christmas and I've been collecting 'things' for a long, long time, almost 42 years. You've heard of crazy cat ladies, well I'm the crazy Christmas lady. I strip my house bare of it's everyday decor and replace almost all of it with Christmas decor. After all that work, wouldn't it be a waste to not share it? My home is certainly not blog worthy like the big-time bloggers' homes. In fact, I just took a blog tour of one of my favorite bloggers,
My Life on Kaydeross Creek and immediately felt a little unworthy of sharing; I just love her style and thrifty ideas. I hope you'll take a peek at her holiday home. It's positively drool-worthy! Anyway, I love my little home and all the fun things I've collected over the years as well as a few new things this year, so come along on a little Christmas tour, Welter style.
On my front door this year, I reached into my crafty past and fashioned my own new door wreath. Easy peasy, a metal ring, two sprigs of frosted pine from Michael's, a couple leftover sprigs of greenery from the Speckled Hen a few years ago, a homemade bow and voila.....a simple but pretty greeting for visitors.
In the foyer we and guests are greeted by a beautiful Shelly Broughton original painting, gifted to me a few years ago by a dear, dear friend. Our Christmas tree, again this year, sits in John's old (over 60 years) Radio Flyer wagon. I feel like somebody's watching me...do you feel it too? Pippa kitty, ever present.
I love my view outside almost as much as my view inside.
I am always a little challenged when it comes to decorating my mantle. Making that task even more challenging is my interest in changing it up each year. That required a few purchases this year (again, the reason Grandma has so many Christmas 'things'). I already had my beautiful Shelly Broughton gnome paintings from last Christmas, and my Magnolia Home wreath. I knew those would be the focal points but I needed some trinkets to add more interest. I also knew I wanted the color scheme in this room to be white and silver to match the tree. I added a few pieces from Hobby Lobby, the beautiful glass vase and pine from the Speckled Hen, as well as the white glittery foliage on the right end. I bought the gorgeous white and brown twig tree and ball at Bluebird Home Decor, a silver rectangular bowl from Marshall's for my fancy glass balls and finally I was satisfied with the result. It's not as pretty as Maureen from Speckled Hen could have designed for me, but it's close. Here's a close up of some of the details.
Above a little tribute to my mom and the big guy himself, the Saratoga Santa, and me and a Troy Santa, long, long ago, circa 1956. We're big believers and still hold a special admiration for Santa.
Above, my mother-in-law's antique sewing machine provides another display surface. Seems to always be a shortage of those. My revolving photo gallery features some favorite winter scenes.
It seems someone is waiting for Santa.
On to the Family Room....below....beautiful bookcase was a treasure find a few years ago at Second Chance Barn in Granville, as was the window above the couch. The little desk in front of the window where I can enjoy my morning coffee while birdwatching was this year's acquisition - also from Second Chance barn.
We have our own nativity but this year I was the lucky recipient of my Aunt Helen's hand-painted set. Aunt Helen (my mom's sister) was a ceramicist back in the day. She's gone now, but my mom's cousin passed this down to me this year and I'm thrilled she did.
Below my beloved Hummel village from my Mother-in-law and a ceramic tree my mother painted.
Above on my kitchen counter, an enamel platter painted by the talented Terri Littlefield. Greens and jug from the Speckled Hen a few years ago. Below in my dining room, an important reminder, not just at this busy and sometimes stressful time, but whenever life gets messy...."When in doubt, look up."
Below my beautiful handmade snowman by Jennifer Searles of Jena's One of a Kind Creations. Sled is another piece of Terri Littlefield's. Merry Christmas sign....Speckled Hen. Sources listed at the end of the blog.
A little elf counting mice on the tree.........
Again...some old and some new. The red crackle glass jar - a hand-me-down from my mom for many, many years ago, topped with a candle ring (Speckled Hen again). In the line-up of Santa's, the red shiny Santa was my dad's when he was a kid....probably 80+ years old. I love it all - the old and the new and the marriage of both to make the holidays colorful, memory-filled and hopefully memorable for the grandbabies. It seems like a bigger chore with each passing year, but in the end, in all the exhaustion, it's worth it. Someday I'll have to settle for less, much less probably, but for now I'll savor my Christmas extravaganza while my mind can still remember the history behind each piece. One day when I can no longer do it, when I'm old and feeble, I hope I can once again savor each sparkling ball, each white mouse, each village accessory in the homes of my daughter and grandkids. I hope their memories of my Christmas decor stay with them all their lives and inspire them to make their own Christmas magic.
Thanks for coming along for another Welter Family House Tour.
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Hi Gail! Thank you so much for such kinds words!! I love your collection of Christmas decorations and how you put everything together. Your photo tree is adorable and your barn pictures are gorgeous! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful, Gail. Merry Christmas. Linda Miller
ReplyDelete