I've Been Busy...

The house is all dressed up for Christmas!

I'm all worn out!

Time to go sit and put my feet up..maybe watch a Christmas movie or something.

Here's a peek at what I've been up to.

The tree is done.  It's a skinny one, but it's stuffed full of ornaments!

New coffee mugs for Bill and I from Mandy.  Such a good daughter!!

My favorite little truck, complete with tree.  Both are tiny....the truck is just over an inch long.

Did you have one of these plastic nativities? I did, when I was a little girl.
Now I have them as a big girl too!

I found the festive Kleenex box at Target.

A sweet wintry scene...in my kitchen!

More tree....more "stuffings"!

Have a wonderful day!

It's only 16 days until Christmas!

Three Rooms

This is the entry level of my home....three rooms....about 550 square feet.  When the whole bunch is together this is where the action takes place.  The living room, dining room, and the kitchen.

I really wanted it to be a very festive space this year.  So I filled it with Christmas decorations. 

 

 

This space is behind the front door. Up until a couple months ago it was filled with a small china cupboard. I wanted there to be room for shoes and coats so we made some changes.  I found this aqua cabinet at Homegoods...love this color!  Behind the doors are books for my grandchildren.  There's a shelf beneath the doors...I'd like to add a couple baskets to it.  It'll be a great space to corral the 'stuff' my family sometimes leaves behind after visiting.

 

 

I bought this 'shoe tree' on our recent window shopping trip to Ellicott City.

I think it's the sweetest little shoe!

 

 

This is the living room...this is also where the little guys eat dinner during our family get togethers.  We set a table up between the couch and the loveseat for them.  Gramma (aka me) usually eats at the kiddie table too! 

 

The star that you see in the photo above is in our family room...it's down about seven stairs.  Our house is a split level. Four levels...each about 550 square feet.  The stairs going up lead to three bedrooms and two bathrooms.  The fourth level is beneath this living room level.  My craft space and a storage room are down there. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

As I mentioned, I filled these rooms with decorations.  If I wanted it displayed I found a space for it!!  Bill made it a little more challenging by bringing home three large Poinsettia plants.  But I managed to squeeze in everything that I wanted to. 

 

 

Our dining room is my favorite space....probably because we spend a lot of time in here with the whole family.  The high chair (cleverly camouflaged by a Poinsettia) has been a regular part of this room for almost five years.  It's destined to be a family heirloom...I hope.

 

 

 

 

Don't you love my vintage Christmas card bunting?! 

Katie & Mark & Charlotte & Lulu gave it to me for Christmas.  I love it!!

 

 



Anyone notice the blue painter's tape that I used to hang the bunting?  Oops!

 

 

So sorry that I didn't get a better photo of the kitchen.  The stove is next to the refrigerator, and the sink is opposite the red framed bulletin board.  It's a small kitchen...and it's quite amusing and very cozy when it's filled with all the cooks and bottle washers in the family!!

There's a window over the sink with shelves on either side.  You can see a tiny bit of one shelf in the photo below (on the left).  Cheery Santas filled with English Boxwood decorate the windowsill...and the Rosemary tree smells so good!

 

 

I bought this tree this year...couldn't resist it!  Standing nearby is one of my very favorite squirrels. Love his sweet face!

 

 

Here's a photo of the whole bunch...it was taken during my mom's visit last June.  She'll be visiting again in February....'cause she wants to meet great grandchild # 12!!

 

Hope you enjoyed a peek at my three favorite rooms in the house.  They look pretty good when they're empty...but they look the very best when they're filled with the people I love!

 

 

Happy Winter!

Happy New Year's Eve!

Be Safe!

See you next year!!!!

 

 

 

Mandy's Christmas Home

This was Amanda's second Christmas in her new home.  She has it decorated in such a fun way...and adding Christmas decorations to the mix makes it even more fun!  She spent the night at our house on Christmas Eve...when I went to pick her up I took some photos to share.

 

 

I love this area of her living room. She changes it up seasonally. The bulletin board is my favorite part of this display. All the lyrics and phrases are hand written by her.  If you visit, you have to take time to read it all.  See those little reindeer with the Santa hats?  Mandy's Aunt Sharon made those for her years ago.  The buffet in this area was given to her by my co-worker Joan. Mandy painted it with chalkboard paint...every now and then a message appears on it.

A pig with a bauble...the bell in the background was painted by my friend Patricia.

 

 

Mandy picked up this china cabinet when an antique mall near us closed.  It almost matches the buffet.  It's a great spot for all her sports and game collection paraphernalia. 

 

I think this must be her version of Hank.

 

 

 

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree.....love her white tree.  Yesterday, she bought some new shiny baubles to add to it next year. 

 

And yes, of course, there is a Mickey head ornament on her tree!

Yes, the wall is covered in tennis rackets...and right now they are decorated for Christmas.  The chair was a happy find on Craigslist...that's where the dresser/entertainment center also came from. That tree makes three in this one room!

Mandy likes to make "chalkboard" art....this is one of my favorites.

Charlotte and Penelope think this is the best display - it's in her guest bathroom.  When they visit Aunt Mandy, she lets them pick a color and then she paints their nails!

Another of her chalkboard art pieces.  The feathers were an "after Christmas" purchase last year.  

I made the Santa pillows many, many years ago. It's so nice to see it in a good home.

My father-in-law made this awesome coffee table...it's one of Mandy's favorite furniture pieces.

Here we are in her kitchen.  I didn't have time to take many photos in here...but here's a peek at the window above the sink.  I'm a little envious of her deep window sills!! : )

 

She can put all kinds of things on them, including this crate that she used as her advent calendar.  She added one red ornament a day until Christmas....such a clever girl!

 

 Hope you enjoyed a peek at Amanda's home decorated for Christmas.  Maybe someday I'll show a better peek at her kitchen, plus the bedroom (with her handbag collection) and her library!