Ornament Love

I have always loved ornaments
as I pull each one out of the box
it sparks a memory
of days gone by

We decorated our tree last night...

but on Friday night
I went over to Mom's
with an ulterior motive

I helped put up her tree
and then we decorated it together
as it has been many years
since I have done this with her...

when we opened the box
I was in vintage heaven

I knew that Mom had some old ornaments
but I did not remember how many


these are the ones that I was thinking of...

they are teeny tiny

Mom loves teardrops
and she has old ones

and new ones too.

~*~*~

I left with 2 boxes of keepsakes
and they mean so much to me
because not only did they belong to my parents
but my grandparents too
some from each side of the family...

I remember these ones
from way back
she let me take one of each

the little orange one
belonged to my grandmother
it is tiny
and is covered with satin threads

I scattered them around the dining room
on plates

and in pitchers


plus I added more to my big hurricane vase
so it went from looking like this...

to this...
much better
don't you think?

Have a wonderful week!
xo

Festive Friday

It's Friday
and I am once again doing the
"Happy Dance"


I adore week-ends
I love sitting over morning coffee
catching up on TV shows
watching movies
and maybe even getting creative
and getting stuff done


This week-end will be a busy one again
I am hoping to get everything done
before next week-end
so I can curl up
and watch some much loved
Christmas movies


I have found some
festive photo's on line
that I just need to share...

an all natural centerpiece
I bet it smells as yummy as it looks

pine cone perfection

candy cane confections

these little bottle brush trees are the best
they remind of the ones that Mom used to have


&
Happy Hanukkah
to all who celebrate

xo

pictures were found here and here and here

Oh Christmas Tree

Tonight we brought in the tree
2 nights ahead of schedule
because the weather man says
15-25 cm of snow tonight

so in it came
and it is sitting in the living room
naked
and cold

as I was laying on my belly
watering it
I flipped onto my back for a minute
and just stared up into it

it smells like the woods...

duh ~ yeah

but more than that
it smells like my Dad
after coming home
from working in the woods
cutting down trees
to sell to our neighbors
over the Christmas season

so tonight it will thaw a bit
and have a good long drink

so over the next 2 nights
I can add the lights
so it looks something like this

well
not quite like this
but
I love lots and lots of lights
you get the picture...

then on Sunday
with Christmas music playing
and maybe a glass of eggnog

we will decorate it
and then sit back and enjoy it

as it is one of my favorite parts of the season

xo

Fa La La La La

Wow ~ what a busy week-end
but so much was accomplished
I want to pat myself on the back

Saturday was a go go go day
~bottled wine
~grocery shopped
~made manicotti for supper
~got our tree
~changed the bed
~decorated the house


I soooo needed a nap ~ but it was not in the cards
and speaking of cards
I do have to get those in the mail this week
eek!

Sunday was a slower pace
but busy just the same

we woke up and saw this out the window...
so pretty and it was our first snowfall
pretty good for us
and it makes it feel so much more like Christmas

*~*~*

I had my Mom here all week-end
she had surgery last week
and is on the road to healing
but I did not want her to be alone
so I scooped her up on Saturday
and brought her here
that way I could feed her
and keep an eye on her

she had a nursemaid though...

this one never left her side
we were like ghosts to her
for 2 solid days
the only time she paid any attention to me
was at meal times
she was too funny...

Happy Monday!
xo

Forgive the pictures
I have been playing with Picasa!

The Christmas Cactus

The Christmas of 2000
was a very special one
although we did not know it at the time

it was the last Christmas
that we would spend with Dad
as on New Years Day he had a stroke
and then passed away on the 6th of January.

on that final Christmas
he bought Mom a Christmas cactus
one night when they were grocery shopping
she fell in love with it
so he picked it up...

this little cactus has flourished
and a year ago she started one for me
from the one he bought her

although mine has never bloomed
it still brings a smile to my face
and a little ache in my heart
when I see it

a couple of week's ago
I met Mom for a little shopping
after work

before we parted ways
she asked me to come to her car
and out of the back she pulled
my very own

It is white with a whisper of pink
it was in full bloom
and I love it

Round & Round

Tonight I will get a delivery

a couple of round items

will be left on my doorstep

I like to support this group

and get my wreaths from them every year

they are you average 

everyday

evergreen wreaths

with a big red bow

and some berries added in for color...

here

these are similar to the ones

I hang outside

they are traditional

and I am all about traditions.

My eye has been drawn

towards many different wreaths this year

this one is from Canadian Living

and there has been

 a huge array of this type

around the net this year

here

 

this one is different

very pretty ~ metallic

I love it...

a little touch of whimsy

here

can you say red

my favorite colour

and the fire just makes this one

so inviting...

 

here

I love this one

all natural

 

very simplistic

and another fire

all you need is a glass of wine

and a good book

 

I have always liked these little 

jingle wreaths

and this one from here

is just cute... 

 

here

this one is for Lissa 

once I saw the starfish ~ I knew she would love it

another one from here

loving this with all the silver urns 

another ornament wreath

and a girly Christmas display for sure

vintage display

and this one is for Maggie...

It has been a busy week

and I have not had a lot of time to sit down

and read and comment

but...

I will catch up over the week-end.

Thank you for all the lovely comments you left this week.

It means the world that you have taken time out of your day

and read my words and look at my pictures.

I hope you have a wonderful week-end!

xo

A LIttle Sweetness

I thought 

we could all use 

a little sweetness today

it has been a busy week for me so far

and this was suppose to be my free week

ha ha ha

 I truly hate complaining as I love this time of year

 

it's the running around

lack of sleep

trying to get everything done

I don't enjoy

at least my baking is done

thanks to the cookie exchange

you know I came home with...

shortbread cookies, peanut butter balls,

peanut butter fudge, cherry surprises,

chocolate coconut balls,

2 kinds of cookies 

and

peanut brittle.

can you say yummy!

on Saturday night

I went to a craft/antique fair

took my camera

and did not take a picture

nope

I did come home with 6 cupckaes

and a dozen mini cheesecakes though

and one gift that wasn't for me

yeah!

the cupcakes prompted this post

because I am sure they

are still with me

yup

there they are

on my hips!

Maybe I should have stuck with these ones instead

or even this one

hope you are having a great week!

xo