Christmas love.......................

Thoughts on wire cones.........................

Recall these? 
Actually there are three, one a bit smaller. I picked them 
up at SuzAnna's Antiques a couple of months ago. 
Nobody seems to have an idea as to what they were used for, 
and I've done nothing with them yet, but I plan to use 
them in my Christmas decor somehow!

Dreary, drizzly cold rain, put a damper on outdoor 
decorating when I was in that mode a couple of weeks 
ago - but I shouldn't complain as many of you have 
much more to contend with, such as huge amounts of 
snow and ice.
Now the sun is back and the temperatures are up into 
the seventies, phew, too hot for me at Christmas! 
I need to get out there this weekend.....the cones are 
awaiting - burlap ribbon, white fairy lights, stars, berries 
and holly sprigs, you get the picture, don't you?

A Colorful Christmas..............

.........and you were beginning to think my Christmas 

was all white, cream, grey, silver!

Here are a few more touches of red.

Note, I couldn't throw out the lovely pumpkins so 

am using them mixed with Christmas greens and red 

berries at the front door.

Note I've added a few red glass balls to the 

little tree........they came out and 

grabbed me from a K-Mart sale shelf. 

There were the usual bright red 

 ones and then these, a true deep vintage red. 

Yes, a box of these pretties followed me home!

My pic above is not very good, it's of a beautiful 

glass ornament I received a few weeks ago from a delightful 

friend, Jennifer who lives in Atlanta and came to visit us. 

She is a talented artist making beautiful sterling silver 

bracelets and rings......when not flying the skies 

with a major airline! Thanks again Jennifer, I love 

this ornament.

Below you can see it clearer on the website photo. 

These ornaments are handmade in Atlanta, Georgia featuring 

film negatives in a very unusual way. Go HERE to see more 

of Glaklove's amazing creations.....made in the USA!

My 'Bird in Love' ornament....

with the perfect touch of vintage red!

Christmas in England...................

I'm not going home to England this year,

but yesterday, with a little time to spare (how on 

earth did that happen with Christmas now so close),  

I looked through the photos I've taken 

of Christmas decor about the cottage and 

decided to improve on the English 'cottage feel'

with a wee bit of cheating/editing.

I think receiving Christmas cards from England, 

some depicting authentic country cottages, 

made me realize I don't really have one of those. 

Who am I trying to kid!

This year my favorite card arrived from my cousin.

Cousin David in England gets it. 

He lives in my hometown, we grew up there, spent a lot of time together, and he knows how much I love coming home. Last Christmas Day I enjoyed dinner with him and his entire family. We indulged in everything English, from soup to Christmas pudding, gathered together around a big table in a lovely restaurant on the cliffs above the English Channel. It was the one day of our trip home when the rain stopped for a while and the sun popped out from behind the clouds......it was a perfect Christmas surrounded by special people. It was worth a long journey across the pond and brought back lovely memories of my English childhood.

This year we will be here. The cottage feel is important to me at the holidays. I admit I'm somewhat envious of those at home who will be cozy, tucked into a real country cottage, sipping a pre-dinner sherry, enjoying dinner, munching on mince pies with brandy butter, flaming the Christmas pud', listening to the annual message given by our gracious Queen.........then sitting by the crackling fire, sipping a nightcap, listening to the last of the carols as Christmas fades into the night.

I will soon be baking my mince pies..........we have the Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry ready for a toast - there are two bottles as we don't play Scrooge here - come by and join in. The firewood is stacked and ready to crackle and pop on the hearth, the candles are glowing, the carols are waiting to be played.

Christmas happens wherever one is. 

You can make it happen.

You can dream and remember.
It's etched in stone.

It's in your heart....isn't it?