Merry Christmas Collage Tour

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Dinner

It's time to dust off the dishes that have been in place on the table for weeks now and start to think about what to serve for Christmas dinner.  Will it be a fuss or no fuss dinner?  As I was pulling out cookie and candy recipes and searching for some good ideas for dinner it occurred to me that I had a sweet treasure in that basket.   Precious handwritten recipes from family and friends filled my basket and I realized  how blessed I have been  to have shared so many lovely meals and desserts with so many along the way.   

Christmas on the lanai

 The weather has been so nice it's hard to believe this is December and Christmas is only 10 days from now.  I have been playing with some fresh greenery on my potting bench.  My husband made it for me with bits and pieces we collected and I just love how it turned out.  

 This time of year we have an abundance of red pepper berries along the fence row and I just love them in the planters and tucked here and there.  However did you know that ants love them too? That's not faux snow on the bench but cornstarch which I heard was non toxic and would kill them.  Well it hasn't worked yet.  

 I learned another lesson too.  Plastic lanterns and candles don't work well together not even for a very short time.  I kept smelling something and it melted the top around the bow.  I was just trying to burn the candle  down just enough to add a battery operated votive in the burned out place.  

 So I pulled it out and I put it here.

 I found this sweet vintage red bird picture at a garage sale and the girl almost gave it away to me.  Her mother-in-law had given it to her and she did not like it and it appeared she didn't like her mother-in-law either.   

 And keeping me great company is our dog Sunshine.   We get our daily dose of vitamin "D" around here.

She is the sweetest dog and we love her so much.

So for now I am going to take a hint from my dog and REST more.

Christmas wasn't meant to be this hectic!  

Joining the party 
Be Inspired at Elizabeth & Co
Savy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday
Coastal Charm Show and Share

Love's Glow

I love the dining room in the old house for so many reason.   Mainly because it holds so many of my favorite treasures from my Granny.  The rose picture was in my Granny's dining room and her china and crystal sparkle around my table. There wasn't a better place in her home than around the table.  She was an amazing cook and dinner was as pretty to look at as it was delicious to eat.  

Unfortunately I didn't get her fabulous cooking skills.  I have her sweet handwritten recipes and each year I  make my very best attempt to place before my family something holiday worthy that would make my Granny proud.   The one thing they ask for every year is her orange, apricot jello.  ha! I am so happy that it's easy to make. And even though I could make it often throughout the year I don't to keep it special.  So here's to memories of Christmas dinners past and to all the love around the table which I believe makes everything, even my cooking taste good.

Christmas time around the Shabby Old House.

 Here are just a few pictures from around the house.

I hope you enjoy.

I'm joining Debra from Common Ground's Come as you Are Party.  
Check out all the beautiful homes there!

Fresh greenery

This was the only home on tour that let you take pictures and I didn't find out until I was on the way out the door.  What I loved about this beautiful home was the use of fresh greenery and fruits throughout.  Isn't the garland on the stair rails beautiful.  I found myself wanting to plant evergreens and boxwoods everywhere just so I can clip away at Christmas time.  I have pinned away several pinterest ideas too.

I hope you will visit my board.

Pretty Christmas Porches

 Last Saturday was the Christmas Tour in Eufaula and although you are not allowed pictures of the inside of the homes I will share pictures of some my favorite porches.

This one is my neighbors.  I love the pop of red off of the gray.  Although it was not on tour it is certainly pretty.

 Flags were proudly hung on so many homes.

 I just loved this home.  The use of fresh greenery was stunningly displayed throughout.

 Aren't those grapevine swags incredible?

 A beautiful home from front to back.

 I hope you have enjoyed this mini tour.

Decorating for a man

My hubby has been so very accommodating to all my, shabby, Victorian, feminine ways of decorating.  Soft pinks and whites and blues and lots of lace and roses have graced our home for years now and he hasn't ever fussed about it.  He's embraced the, "Happy Wife, Happy Life" motto like a champ.   And although he might not admit it to his friends he enjoys HGTV's Fixer Upper as much as I do.  Recently I began to change our  a few rooms in our Florida Home to a more farm house feel by using more architectural elements in our home.   The old door was from my Father's farm.  When the farm sold the new owner allowed me to take some wood from the failing building.

I did a post on that here.  It was a dirty job but every year since the old door is like a soothing embrace from my father at Christmas time.  I miss him so.  And although it was my mother that made Christmas time so special,  my father had his ways too.  From fussing meltdowns  every year over a crooked Christmas tree stump to his annual donning of his red plaid shirt those endearing memories surface every year with a mixture of love and emotion.

 As I look at this little barn wood shelf from the farm a certain  Joy floods my heart when I think of the these very special men in my life. 

Sunshine and Garland

Moonlight and gingerbread yesterday,  Sunshine and garland today.

Welcome December!