'TIS THE SEASON - THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE KITCHEN...

  

Christmas time
 when all of the candles shine...

Christmas time
 when all of the treats are sweet...

Excuse Me - please...

Could you tell us
How to get - how to get to:
Gingerbread Street?

With sincere apologies and thanks to:
Sesame Street

'Tis the Season

 when all good little boys and girls 

are asking the same question 

and it is not

 a hard question to answer...

...just follow Rugby and Robin

and your nose

 from the dining room

 leading into the kitchen,

 all dressed up with the sights and aromas of the holiday season 

with love,

 from our home to yours.

Welcome to 

the Christmas Cottage Kitchen:

Now that you have seen what is new

 in this year's Christmas Cottage Kitchen,

 I will lead you around the room 

with very few words

 as everything you have seen before,

 but I hope that you will be

 as excited to see it all again 

as I am to show it to you. 

 I truly have to say 

that if I only had one room to decorate,

 I would love it to be the kitchen.

"I wish we could put up 

some of the Christmas spirit in jars 

and open a jar of it every month."

Harlan Miller

Some excitement

 at Holly Farms this Christmastime...

 ...if the Cottage

 and the little red kitchen stove 

had babies 

they would look just like these

 sweet little holiday cottages 

that I found on Antique Farmhouse. 

 The minute I saw them 

I knew it was

 a match made in Christmas heaven...

 ...it even persuaded 

the little elves from the 1960's

 to come out of hiding 

and hitch a ride on a Christmas chick

 all the way 

to Gingerbread Street. 

Of all the Santas in my world 

this is my favorite.  

Except for the real one, of course. 

 He has been broken 

and pasted back together again, 

but then so has the real one! 

They are each just a little stronger for it.

 

"Twas the night before Christmas

 so sayeth the book,

 not a creature was stirring, 

excepting the cook."

Author Unknown

I think this is
 my all time favorite Christmas project. 

 The painting of this little house,

 as if it were made of gingerbread,

 brings the biggest smile to my face 

every year when I see it

 for the first time.

I hope you enjoyed 

your trip to Gingerbread Street 

and I look forward to being back next week

 for the grand finale of the season.

  Hope you will join me then.

...xxoJudy...

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Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

'TIS THE SEASON - CHRISTMAS COTTAGE SITTING AND DINING ROOMS...

 

In my mind, 

the sitting room is undergoing a major transformation. 

 I don't see the blue walls anymore. 

 I know there will be a different color in the not too distant future

 but until that happens,

 this room that lives larger than almost any other room in the Cottage,

still deserves the best that Christmas has to offer.

  

We used to put the Christmas tree in the front parlor windows

 for all that pass by to see. 

 For the past few years, 

 we have placed it where it can be enjoyed

 from our usual perches on the sofa in the sitting room. 

Because the tree is smaller this year, 

less is more on the game table.

Because we had Thanksgiving earlier this year, 

that left Santa more time to relax before the big rush. 

 Here he sits in his easy chair with Mrs. Claus by his side. 

 He has his boots on and his bag of toys at the ready

 in case he has to spring to his sleigh, 

to his team give a whistle 

and be off to fly like the down of a thistle.

With the fire going and a hot drink on the side table,

 this is always the most comfortable seat in the house.

"There is no place more delightful 

than one's own fireside."

Cicero

I am reusing the autumn pillows

 and I just happened to have a Christmas one that was more orange than red. 

 The black goes in well with the sofa color

 but Christmas next year, color wise,

 will look a little different in here.

"Our little household angels, 

White and golden in the sun

 Greet us with the sweet old welcome

 Merry Christmas every one!"

Louisa May Alcott

"Lo - now has come the joyful'st feast 

Let every man be jolly

 Each room with ivy leaves are drest

 And every post with holly."

George Wither, 1660

We get a peek of the little patriotic tree in the dining room. 

 As in the other rooms there is not much different from last year 

but it looks festive 

and I hope you can tell

 as it is a rainy, dark

 and gloomy day outside 

so the light is not exactly perfect.

We had Thanksgiving early because 

Tami had to work on the day 

and now we are having Christmas early because Jacenda 

has to work Christmas day. 

 This schedule actually makes it a little better for the travelers 

as there isn't as much traffic then.

 

 I wanted to bring a little blue into the scheme this year, 

so I set the table with 

our everyday dishes, 

 dinner plate:  Churchill, Willow 

and my mom's everyday dessert plate:

 Royal Staffordshire, Cathay

 along with my old ruby glass goblets... 

...and everyone's place setting

 is the star of the show.

"The light of the Christmas star to you, 

the warmth of home and hearth to you."

Sherryl Woods

The old blue Santa is a throwback

 from earlier times 

but fits in nicely 

as part of the centerpiece 

along with a few small 

gingerbread house make-overs.

I hope you are all getting into

 the Christmas spirit. 

 It is the most wonderful time of the year...

Until next week 

when I hope you will join us 

in the Christmas kitchen...

...xxoJudy...

As is their usual contribution to the Christmas spirit around here, 

Bitty Morsel,  Miss Gertie, Olde Scrooge

 and the Jolly Red Snowman 

are pulling their wagonload of trees

 to the town square

 for the enjoyment of all.

"Friendship is a precious gift, 

to give at Christmas time,

 a cherished gift, 

a measured gift

 that last through all time."

Author Unknown

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Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda