Tuesday, December 13, 2016

A SIMPLE COTTAGE CHRISTMAS...










Welcome...

We are so happy 
to have you stop by 
for a bit of 
simple Christmas cheer.





There is nothing complicated 
about the decorations this year. 
 We took down
 about 20 or so boxes and, 
maybe, 
used 2 or 3 items 
from each.






Maybe this will be the year
 when the hoard collection 
will be refined
 and 
wouldn't that be grand?!











Let me show you 
how we are enjoying Christmas 
this year
 with a few pictures and
 fewer words. 

(After reading this post over, 
you might want to be prepared 
for more than 
a few pictures!)















The Captain and Kai
 left to buy dog food and
 came back with this 
gorgeous, huge
 pointsettia.





The old gray mare,
 dashing through the snow, 
with the three Gingerbread boys and
 their bounty of pinecones. 

 My dad 
made the sleigh for me
 many years ago and 
I made the 
wooden horse.





























Here are two more 
of the pillow covers
 I purchased from Amazon:

 Left, Merry Christmas, $2 
 Right, Have a Merry, $3.

I think 
they are well worth 
the price...






...and, yes, 
I did put pompoms 
on this other pillow..
much to the 
Captain's dismay!





















This is a pillow cover from
 Miss Mustard Seed's Society6 collection.
  I just love it 
on the guest room bed and
it has inspired this
 little vignette...





I made the
 paper mache Santa 
many years ago, and 
the ceramic rocking horse 
as well.












I showed the parlor mantle
 in my last post 
saying it was what 
inspired the 
tree this year...









Here is the tree 
without the lights on.

 My only regret is
 that I sprayed it lightly with snow 
and only managed to turn it
 a sickly gray. 

 The Captain and I, both,
 wish I had left it just natural. 

 It is a Noble fir, 
about eight feet tall.

 The smell from the tree 
permeates the whole house
 and is just wonderful. 

 But, 
everything considered, 
it does have 
the most beautiful glow about it 
when the lights are 
turned on...















~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I hope you enjoyed 
the Cottage Christmas tour 
and now I'd like to thank
 all of you for your kind birthday wishes
 for Jake, 
and let you know what 
he is up to now...





He returned 
from Spain and Italy 
and brought us this beautiful water color 
of the Vatican. 
 I can't wait to frame it 
and I have the perfect spot
 picked out for it.






Now,
 he is in Spain again. 

 The photo above 
is one he sent 
during his lay-over in Sweden.

 Jacenda 
will be finishing up her classes this week
 and then they are off to 
ride camels in Morocco, 
and who knows where else!

 They will be back home 
just in time for Christmas.

 Oh, to be young again!!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~






As you probably have figured out by now, 
we are doing some extended work 
in the kitchen.

 I said 
I wasn't going to share until 
it was all done, 
but...just like I can't wait
 until the Captain has 
pounded the last nail,
 I'm pushing him 
out of the way 
so I can start to decorate!

The photo above
is one that I took
 a couple of years ago
of the large kitchen window 
where I had the old slate blackboard 
and my swanky swig collection.

 Here is that same window now...





I am anxious
 to have it done. 

It is going to be 
quite a
 transformation.


...Judy...






Sharing today at:






























































24 comments:

  1. Judy, Nothing dull about your family's outings. I love your beautiful home. Is the blue chair by the fire the Captain's? I loved all your wonderful crafted things you made. The poinsettia was so nice. I love shutters at windows. Wishing you and your a blessed Christmas. xoxo, Susie

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  2. So beautiful christmas decorations!!

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  3. My goodness...where to start. Well it all looks enchanting, what a wonderful statement your house makes on the joyfulness of the holiday. Just fantastic!

    And, thank you for giving me the idea of using an old frame for a wreath - so creative. I have one that I have been trying to decide how to use. Now I know.

    Looking forward to seeing the kitchen remodel.

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  4. Hi Judy - just beautiful, from start to finish! Looking forward to seeing what's going on in the kitchen. Jane

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  5. Your home looks beautiful, Judy! I like seeing how it looks from outside...very sweet. Your Christmas decor is very classic and I love how it is part of your decor and not a replacement for it.

    Happy Holidays, my friend!

    Jane

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  6. Hi Judy,
    Wow! You've created a Christmas home full of wonder. Little touches everywhere that draw the eye and make you smile. I love what you did with your embroidered piece.
    Enjoy your day, sweet friend! xoxo, T.

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  7. Judy, your home looks so charming. I am lost in your pictures. There is something in every shot that catches my eye and if given the chance, I would shop your rooms! ;) Lovely!!

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  8. I love you cottage lovingly decorated for Christmas. I did a lot less decorating this year too. It feels good, plus, I won't have as much to take down and put away. :-)

    Happy Christmas holidays ~ FlowerLady

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  9. Wow! Lots of Christmas going on at your house. Judy. You have paid a lot of attention to detail there and it shows. Great job...the whole house looks festive. xo Diana

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  10. It sure DOESN'T look like you only used a few of your decorations! They are in every nook and cranny and corner! Just beautiful and magical... and I wish I could wander those rooms in person. I'm going to go back and take another look as I'm sure I missed things. I love your amazon pillow covers.. and the rocking horse pillow is my favorite! I too love rocking horses and your ceramic one is a beauty. Everything you did is done with so much thought. Do you have to remove alot of your "normal" decorating items? I just don't have room on any surface, unless I take it away so I can add Christmas things. It's just alot of work. It must have taken you days to do this! I've enjoyed every bit. I love the porch with the outside balls... the dried hydrangea down the hall..... reindeer, Santas, plates of blue....ribbons, bows, to name a few.....even the "dusty" tree is quite right....your entire home shines with a magical light!

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  11. Oh WOW ... your home is beautiful and everything is perfect. You really outdid yourself on your decorations......

    The outdoor picture is amazing - so welcoming.

    I can hardly wait to see the kitchen and I know how you feel.

    Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful Christmas decorations with us.

    Merry Christmas to all.

    Hugs,
    Mary

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  12. Lovely Christmas decorations and you tree shimmers, very pretty. You have done lots of Christmas decorating and all looks so wonderful. I didn't put up half of my decorations this year. I like it this way better too.

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  13. Judy, you have done a lovely job decorating with "just a few things." I am quite struck on your rocking horse as I do have an affection for them. I used less than a quarter of my decorations this year but that's OK. How wonderful you are getting a new kitchen. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  14. Hi Judy, what a treat to visit your gorgeous Christmas home. Everything is perfect so cozy and warm. I just love your style. You are such a talented decorator!! I know you are excited for your new kitchen. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in the new year! xoxo

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  15. Hi Judy,

    Your home is loaded with cottage charm!! I love all the vignettes! I know what you mean about all the boxes; I feel like a bomb has exploded here at the moment. ;) Your grandson looks to be having a marvelous time exploring the world -- yes, to be young again indeed.

    Thanks so much for your visit today, and thank you for giving us the Christmas tour of your home. I love to peek inside of others' homes at Christmas time. :) I can't wait to see your kitchen reveal! Wishing you a blessed Advent weekend!

    Hugs,

    Denise at Forest Manor

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  16. Judy you home could not look any more cozy. I love the sleigh your father made, what a precious treasure. And the horse you made...I am very impressed. Love the tree both with light on and off. The snow looks pretty in the pictures. Can't wait to see your kitchen all done. Every corner of your home is beautiful! Have a great weekend enjoying the fruits of your labor! XO Barbara

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  17. Your home is just beautiful Judy! Such a warm and romantic holiday feeling. Love it!

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  18. Hi Judy, your home looks lovely. The tree looks so beautiful. Beautifully decorated for the season. Love the water colour. Merry Christmas to you.

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  19. Judy, you home looks so pretty all decorated for Christmas. I love your tree! It really is stunning. You have some beautiful decorations all through your home (even though you didn't use them all - lol) I can't wait to see your kitchen renovation. Have a wonderful Christmas holiday. Hugs. Pam

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  20. Hi Judy, loved seeing all of your decorating throughout the house! You know your parlor is always my favorite, and the tree is magnificent! Also the sleigh that your dad made and the mare are wonderful, I didn't realize how large they were until I saw the full dining room table view. So nice!
    Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas!

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  21. Your house is wonderful It is so cozy It would be nice to see in person
    I will post my decoration this week .Did not do so much ,been gone too much

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  22. Judy,
    I so love your beautiful cottage but it is especially stunning at Christmas time!! You have it decorated beautifully!! Every year, I say i am going to cut bak and decorate less so I take everything out and look at it and try to find things that I can "live without". It never works because I truly do LOVE everything I have!! LOL!!
    I did manage to give some decorations to my great niece who will gladly take anything that I want to give her. But sadly, I went shopping and only bought more!! It is a sickness, I know!!
    Everything you have is beautiful!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  23. Precious. I love your vintage looking Santas. The centerpiece is amazing.

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  24. It's so beautiful. I love it all. The cottage looks great. Merry Christmas to you Judy and Happy New Year.

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy