THE WHIMSY OF CHRISTMAS...

 

Only two weeks left before Christmas. 

 It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and

 you are just about two minutes away

 from another Christmas song.

  Really?

  I'll try not to indulge!

I didn't say

 I wouldn't share a quote though:

"Christmas magic

is silent,

You don't hear it - 

You feel it.

You know it.

You believe it."

 Kevin Alan Milne

To be truthful 

our dining room is not overly used 

but, at Christmastime, 

mostly because of the red walls, 

it is a favorite decorating venue. 

 I suppose those red walls

 played right into my hands! 

 Starting with the table, 

which is a find from many years ago. 

 It started out life in a boardinghouse for miners.

  We bought it from a woman

 whose family had run

 that boardinghouse.

Santa and his Mrs.

 are in the process of loading up the sleigh 

for his midnight ride.  

There are a few festive boxes 

already packed and 

Mrs. Claus has an armload 

of gingerbread men to 

add to Santa's sack.

The little tree is

 without its usual flags this year. 

 Just to change up things a bit 

from previous years. 

 It feels a little less colorful

 but charming just the same and 

the Santa paintings still add

 a little patriotic spirit.

Bitty Morsel and Gertie

 are joined this year by

 Olde Scrooge and The Jolly Red Snowman. 

 As usual 

they have a wagon load of cheer

 for America and

 this time Bitty took her timepiece 

so they wouldn't be late.

The stoneware crocks 

have been moved elsewhere and

 replaced with pretty transferware china 

just for the Christmas season.

Our beautiful 

gifted sign from the kids 

still shines out its personal message 

over the settle bench.

 As true to us now

 as any other time 

of the year.

As we move on,

 our first peek of the little kitchen tree,

 bright and merry,

 in grand competition with

 the Ikea baking station.

Things aren't too much different 

in the kitchen this year.  

Partly due to not being able

 to go out shopping and

 partly due to the fact 

that I am always happy 

with the outcome

no matter what.

The mantel shelf 

is a perfect spot

 above the little red stove

 for the collection of Santas, 

mostly made by me 

throughout the years...

... the stove provides 

warmth for sharing a meal 

with a friend...

...and a little chair

 is perfect for 

sitting and dreaming.

Here is where I 

will introduce to you 

my newest paint by number painting 

that I finished just in time. 

 It is a new company I found and 

it has some cute folk art patterns.  

I have one on order

 that might have something to do with

 the crows, cherries and tiny red high heels! 

 This one depicts

 two crows sitting on a bowl of apples and

 it is from them 

that I took the direction of decorating 

for the kitchen table.

Place settings of Christmas cheer 

next to a centerpiece of a bowl of apples and

 a wooden pie that two different crows perch upon. 

 Greens and a sprinkling of Nandina berries

 from the garden 

complete the scene.

I hope you enjoyed

 your travels through 

a whimsical Christmas Cottage 

where...

...teddy bears ride

 wild ponies...

...where mischevious mice

 are being jolly

 in a tiny rocking chair...

...where a cast of odd characters 

from different holidays

 become one with 

the spirit of Christmas...

,,,where an autumn hued bouquet

 dares to infringe

upon  Christmas...

...where a little yellow bird, 

wearing a Santa cap and a holly-leaf tail, 

can perch beside 

pretty porcelain...

...and where you can partake

 of a piece of a 

chocolate cottage cake 

 on pretty holiday plates

 in the dining room...

...and still indulge in a slice of 

Black Birdy Pie

 in the kitchen.

May you always have 

hope and whimsy 

in your life...

..and may you always 

wish upon stars.

Stay Smart

Stay Well

and

Wear a Mask for all the Christmases to come.

...Judy...

Stay tuned next week

 for the special finale

 of Christmas.

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda