These photos were taken as we celebrated the first Sunday of Advent. Are you all ready for the blessings of the season?
Since this photo, Mr. Fan has disappeared, and I put up a teacup tree, which is still in progress. Pardon my planner corner! I am into the lovely, fun, helpful, and therapeutic world of planners... the journaling kind.
None of the main portion of the house is ever really dark. With my mother's fear of the dark, we leave on almost all the lights. My dining room turned bedroom is the only exception, and even it has much filtered light through the big double doors..
Mother has collected all the little house ornaments from Hallmark. She has them all, I believe, 36, maybe? I know I definitely tried anyway. These are the longest running series Hallmark has ever done. On a couple we have two because I used to be so frantic I'd forget or not be able to get one that my friends always helped me out. They are hanging on our buttercream tree...
I had really considered just doing the houses and maybe heart shaped ornaments, but when I got out the box, I heard all this oohing and ahhing... M old favorites were so excited to see me, and I just know it would have broken their little hearts to be left in that ornament box another year while somebody else got to spend Christmas with us... so I used them all... I very well have a box or two of sad ornaments up at my old home... Such memories cry out for attention in each little one.
This little painted ornament came to life during my years in college. I bought those kits to paint by number and gave them to my family for Christmas gifts. Those and the decoupaged ornaments were done, sometimes, underneath the covers with flashlights because I didn't want to keep my roomie awake through the night, my favorite time to craft.
Today is December 1, and I no longer feel much ahead of the game. I do think all my gifts are purchased and many are wrapped. The decorating is mostly done because despite the clamor, several totes are hushed in the closet. Too much daily to-do's is keeping my life simpler.
Take care and I'll be back soon! Merry Christmas in the wings to you and yours.
Whimsy and Hugs!
1 comment:
Oh, the joy of that house tree! All those precious little dwellings, each with its own history and memories---the small one there, with the two knee-pants boys and the little dog, and that pillared one, with the air of stand-off, but quite welcoming and warm when you're invited through those doors.
What a TROVE, and what history in the simple acquiring of a complete town's worth.
I, too, can hear the muted clamor from upstairs, for we have but one tree this year---kindling a hilarious exchange between daughter Caro, whose work schedule and health have allowed for little "getting ready" for the holidays, and sweet DDIL at the Thanksgiving table on Sunday. They went into this great bidding process, with Caro jokingly raising the stakes higher and higher for putting the tree together THAT VERY MINUTE while help was in the house. The hysterical laughter and the witty ripostes gave the air of dining at a stock-exchange, and was one of the funniest meals i think we've ever enjoyed.
The words "college fund" and Disneyworld were involved, and last I heard was "A HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS!!" before they got out the old tree-box and skirt. C. and I put on the ornaments and ribbon on Monday afternoon, limiting ourselves to Pink, Pearl and gold, with great cascades of gold lame' ribbon. So decades of left-behind homemades and store-boughts and gifts and whimsical finds linger in the great almost-clear lugs and old boxes with the scent of cedar and clove. Hope for next year.
So glad to see your beautifuls, and to share in your BRIGHT.
rachel
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