~Valentine's Decor~

Heart found here.

Ribbon found here, and sent to me from Cali!!  Thanks so much, check is in the mail:)

A Tad Bit of Valentine's Decor

I don't go all out for Valentine Decor.  Sometimes I don't do any at all.

For some absolutely adorable crafting fun go here.  Tutorial is great!

And just might get you into the Valentine card making mood!

Since my china cupboard needed a deep cleaning I had The Teenager help me with that on Saturday.  When we got everything back in and I had arranged it well enough to do for now I added just a couple touches of red and hearts.  The heart picks are vintage, I picked them up at an antique shop somewhere.

The detailed Annie Oakley card was from a friend years ago and I kept it.

This little valentine was purchased at McMaster and Storm when their Brick and Mortar was still open.  It makes an appearance almost every February.

(egg from my sister - via Andrea Singarella)

Technically an egg and labeled an Easter decor item, this made its appearance early.  It's pink so it fits right in with any Valentine's theme.  And it's cheery.  Cheer is desperately needed right now.  It is gray and gloomy outside.  (If you will notice I spelled it 'gray'.  If you are very astute and know me very well at all you will recall that I spell it 'grey'.  I like that spelling better.  But since I don't like what it looks like outside I am spelling it 'gray'.  Yes, I'm going crazy)

61 days till April.

Natural Decor

This was another after-Christmas find I bought while my sister was still here.

Gotta love those 1/2 off sales:) 

Adorable little drawer pulls out.  Now what should I put in it?

Would you display it open or closed?

What would you do with it if it were yours?

Taking the drawer clear out you could stand it on end and fill use it as a vase.

That was the suggestion of the shopowner.

Anyway, it adds some texture to my lacking-for-inspiration decor at the moment.

(67 days till April)

Some Winter Decor

Just because I love decor!

Sweet little birdy, just waiting for Spring!

 

Just because it's quirky.  And I like it.

Birch runner, rolled up.  I want to find something to wrap this around but haven't happened upon the perfect inspiration yet. So for now it's rolled up neatly in my scallop-edged ironstone bowl.

Vintage mortar and pestle from an old school.

Dining Room shelves

Deer Antlers.  I need some of my own - these are borrowed. 

Anyone finding some that they want to donate to the 'cause' you would be my BFF!!!

I love that the dried hydrangeas from my Mom's plant still look nice:)

Lotus blossom, crown of thorns and tiny sheep.

And more antlers.  (these are borrowed too)

Sanctuary Decor

So I know Christmas is over and it's high time to move on!  I for one am way past Christmas and thinking about Valentines.  And Easter.

But I never got the pics of our church sanctuary posted so here they are.  Bear with me for one last Christmas post:)

Poinsettias in the most beautiful shade of pink.  I like them so much better than the traditional red.

Not the best photo but the best my ailing camera could muster.

The wall of our sound booth.

There are double doors here and they both had a wreath.  I somehow managed to not take a picture of both of the doors when they were shut.  Maybe because they are rarely shut?!

And for on top of the piano up front I bought this nativity here.

It might have to go somewhere in my house next year though!

Helping a Friend

I love decorating my house.  And I especially love decorating for Christmas! 

This year I had the privilege of helping a friend dec out her home.  ( I actually had the privilege of helping more than one friend but I only got pics of this one)

The first thing we decided was that the wall above her fireplace needed a new paint color.

She was the one who mentioned painting it.  I just encouraged her to do it:)

The insiration for the color was this cute little end table.  She painted this for her photography studio so she had the paint.  Why not add a pop of color?!  It's only paint and a very small wall.  It can be repainted when she gets tired of it:)

So while she spent about 10 minutes painting the wall I worked in her basement.

This table you see as you walk down the steps. 

Basement sideboard.

Shelf in the basement kitchen.

And the finished mantle.  She added lights later since I had used all the working ones in the basement.  It looks darling all lit up now!

Centerpiece for dining room table. I just love this!  Might have something to do with the fact that it' white?!  She had made the paper ornaments.  I just love them:)

Cupboard in living room.

She had made this banner too and I thought we had to use it somewhere.  I really like it here.

Another cupboard in the living room.

(excuse the poor photos.  still no new camera.  add that to the list santa.)

Beautiful Nativity

Inside of Cupboard

This was one of my favorite spots!  So fun.

I adore Willow Tree Nativities. 

Cupboard in the kitchen.  Wish I'd have got some close-ups of some of the stuff inside.  It is really cute.  See the adorable puppy on the top shelf?  That's my kind of animal - no mess, no fuss!:)

And another paper ornament that she had made.  We added the cute vintage ornament to it with hot glue.  We set the large pear in her kitchen bay window.  It looks fabulous:)

It's fun to work with other peoples stuff and make their house look festive!

Decor

Our tree.  $16 from Meijer.  The only one I found that didn't have cheesy ornaments already on it.  And while I knew I could take them off it seemed silly to be paying for them.  So I was very happy to find this one with no ornaments on it.  My girls were delighted to have a tree to decorate!!

I was delighted to find a way to use one of my new urns.  It just seemed so sad to me to have them tucked away unseen till spring.

The white cupboard just doesn't work very well in the living room anymore now that we have the piano.  But I haven't found a way to get rid of it yet.  Anyone interested?  I'd sell if for what I paid for it - $90.  I love it and I hate to give up the display I have with it but it just isn't working.  I've got an idea that will work - once I find a new home for this one!

Fontanini.  Love.

Boxwood starts.  These have been so fun to decorate with!  Have to water them but it's worth the effort:)

Notice my couch in the background!!!  I FINALLY got it slip covered and I'm liking the look of my living room much better.  It's much easier to put up with the cupboard that doesn't really fit - till I find it a new home!

Painted branches.

I found this Baby Jesus at The Little Shop in Verona.

The cool tinsel was from Target this year.  If they still have it get some.  It's worth it!

The ironstone bowl I found at Betty's Antiques.  I was rather excited about it!

White ornaments were also found at The Little Shop in Verona.

The weekend of their Christmas Walk Open House was a VERY productive shopping trip for me!

26 inch wreath made by 'Consider the Lilies'.

She does the most beautiful work and her prices are unbelievably reasonable!

'David' found a new spot for the holidays.  He never complains about being moved around.

Brooding and silent, he's quite the catch!

My living room now.  I want to reupholster the chair to the right.  And eventually reupholster the couch.  For now it's SO much better.  And it's so long!  Wonderful for naps - not that I ever take one of course.

Vintage church and clear ornaments stuffed with shredded antique sheet music.

Metal Nativity from the days of  'The Clay Pot'.

I really miss that shop!

Tiny trees.  I love trees!

White Nativity.  I got this one for my birthday back in May - from my Mom.

We found it after Christmas last year on sale.  Glad we got it!!  Thanks, Mom:)

Bowl full of cute ornaments.

'In the Cross of Christ I Glory!!'

Another shot of Baby Jesus.  Just 'cause He's so cute!

Porcelain white flower candle holder that's never held a candle.

My stairway.  I've missed having something hung on it.  But garlands are kind of a mess and I haven't done them for a few years.  This year I've gone all out with the burlap stuff!  It's been so fun.  It drapes and molds, and tucks, and folds, and is just so cooperative!  LOVE!

I made some ornaments earlier in November out of old music paper, crafting paper, and old maps.  It was too early to decorate for Christmas at the time but I was in the mood so I made ornaments.  I didn't end up using very many of them myself, but I took some of them to a friend when I helped decorate her house.  I'll share some pics of that sometime soon too.

My cupboard in my sewing/craft/school/computer room that holds crafty stuff got straightened and then got a few added Christmasy touches.  Nothing fancy but it was kind of fun.

A little quirky but I like it:)

Shelves in my sewing/school/craft/computer room.  These were about the last thing to get decked out so they kind of got the leftovers.  But I worked on it for awhile and I like it.

So do YOU decorate for Christmas? If you didn't notice I kind of enjoy it:)  I got to help 2 friends decorate their houses this year, helped decorate our church sanctuary, and am planning to help another friend next week.  Want help?  Give me a call!