What Will 2014 Bring?

 

Each year we look ahead in early January and hope for the best.

The best in health.

 

The best in prosperity.

 

 

 

Family.

 

 

Relationships.

 

 

 

A better connection

with our Creator.

 

A hope for something greater than ourselves.

 Security.

 

We received a nice little gift

already this year...

A snow storm!

 

Our postal lady decided to venture up

our big hill. She soon regretted it.

 

Luckily, the hubby was able to

help her out. Salt and a little

muscle to the rescue!

 

Sometimes ,all we need to give,

is a bit of ourselves.

 

Sacrifice. Humanity.

 

Love for one another!

 

What do you hope to find in the coming year?

May 2014 be a year filled with

daily blessings and the vision to see

God's grace and beauty even in our trials.

 

 

Linking with Pink Saturday...

at How Sweet the Sound.

 

 

 

A Little Snow, Ballet Class, and Three Cheers for Toaster Ovens

Snow is falling outside but we are warm and cozy tonight!
 
Somehow I don't mind a snowfall when we are in for the evening. No need to worry about driving in it, and even if we had plans, we would probably cancel them

Photo Credit Walmart.com

 

 

When I think of being "snowbound" I think of baking yummy treats. Our oven has not been repaired yet but so far I am learning to use a Toaster Oven for things like artichoke dip (New Year's Eve) and chocolate chip cookies! Plus, chili in the crockpot. These little things do wonders ...we are wondering if we really need our oven at all with the handy dandy appliances as backups.
 
Now that Christmas is behind us and we made it through two birthdays and a holiday dinner without the oven, I am wondering how long until I take the decorations down. How about you? Are you a "leave 'em up for a while" kind of a person? Or , are you the "It's a New Year, Fresh Look" type?

I like to leave mine up for awhile .... but usually by the middle of January I have put them all away, for fear of accidently leaving them up near Valentine's Day!
 

I do have a new adventure coming up .... my Dear Hubs gave me six months of ballet lessons! Whoa! I have not actually taken a ballet class since college. About ten years ago I took part in some jazz classes that actually landed me on stage for a Christmas Show, but ballet?  I'm a bit nervous.
 
Look for updates on how this is going in the near future!  Let's hope I don't break a leg! Yet!
 
Stay warm and safe....to all of my readers in the North East.

For Auld Lang Syne: Happy New Year!

Will you stay up late enough tomorrow night to hear the tune to Auld Lang Syne?

Did you know it was  drafted in 1788

 by Scottish poet Robert Burns?

 

What does it really mean anyway?

 

If it is about reflection and looking back....

then I'm sappy enough to go along with it!

 

Even though we are ending the year without our oven

(It died two days before Christmas Eve,)

I can only look back upon 2013 and count my blessings.

 

How about you?

 

May your acquaintances not be forgotten,

your home be filled with love,

and may the Lord bless you and keep you...

 

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Thank you for your kindness, friendship, and support!

 

Here's to 2014!

 

 

The National Christmas Center: Oh What Fun!

Yesterday we took a little side trip to an enchanting museum... the National Christmas Center.

Please bear with me as I try to recreate the scene without any of my own photos. I forgot to bring the camera! (I am using the museum's website shots.)

First, let me say how much fun and what a delight this tour was! The different exhibits which I will share with you below have so much detail and beauty.


This is the first exibit you see as you walk in past the ticket booth.

A vintage 1950's living room with all of the "trimmings" of the time period.

The bicycle, the TV, the framed "light" painting on the wall, the shiny brite ornaments, and all of the other Christmas décor, fresh out of an episode of "Happy Days."

 

 

Then you enter a room of "Christmas Around the World."

This was one of my favorites. I enjoyed reading about the Swedish, German, Russian, English, Italian, and Turkish Santa Claus traditions. Did you know that Santa was Saint Nicholas from Myra, Turkey? He was a generous soul who wanted to give to the poor and needy children.

 

 

 

This room was also amazing and without my camera,

I cannot show you my favorite items in these

glass cases. There were "end of day" ornaments

which were made by putting what was left of the

colors into one last production which created a beautiful

mixed ornament.  There were Christmas china sets,

doll houses, hand blown glass toppers, you name it!

 

I could have stayed in there for hours, but Bebe was getting bored!

 

 

 

Next came this awesome, awesome ....really awesome

exhibit! I had seen it in one of my old Christmas Victoria Magazines.

(I save all of the Christmas issues of my favorite magazines and store them with the Christmas decorations...then browse through them for inspiration.)

 

 

It is a "fake" WOOLWORTH store with ALL KINDS of Vintage

Christmas goodies of the day!!! Such fun!

 

Here are some more pictures:

 

 

 

 

There were bottle brush wreaths, trees and little Putz houses.

Old tinsel, packaging tape, ribbons, stockings, ornaments,

candles, Santas and more!

Amazing!

 

 

This was a 1950's "Night Before Christmas" display.

Inspired by a vintage Coca-Cola ad.

 

The kids are peeking in on Santa as he loads the

stockings with toys.

They don't leave milk for him, but instead, a COKE!

 

 

 

Loved the vintage video running in the old TV!

 

 

This was a very very large display of vintage trains.

It is so much bigger in person, with about four or five

layers of trains running through tunnels, etc.

The hubby would have loved it!

He was away on a ski trip. That means I'll have to go again!

 

 

 

 

This was the entrance to Santa's Workshop.

The animated animals were amazing.

Reminded me of a neat display put on by a

restaurant we used to go to as kids, called

Zaberer's in Wildwood, NJ.

It closed long ago. Maybe the animals

were donated to this museum.

The image of Santa way at the back is made

up of many many many quilt tiles and placed

together in colors similar to a counted

cross stitch piece. It was really neat!

 

 

 

More details of elves making toys, dolls, nutcrackers,

letters from kid's to Santa, you name it, it was in here!

 

 

 

 

Then came the "Art of the Nativity "

 

Breathtaking, moving, inspiring displays.

 

 

 This is a life sized nativity that had been in storage since the 1920's. One of the Marshall Field's flagship stores used it to decorate it's store for Christmas. It was given to the museum by Target Stores. Simply a wonder in all of the grandeur.
You really can't get the feel for it as this photo is a panoramic and it not three dimensional. I highly recommend it if you are in the Philadelphia/Central PA area.

 

Following more displays of the nativity was a walk

through of homes and buildings that were similar to

what Mary and Joseph were surrounded by in their day.

Note the Roman Soldier on the left.

 

And appropriately so the tour ended with a beautiful

version of Mary holding the baby Jesus, wrapped

in swaddling clothes.

 

Beautiful, just beautiful!

 Then last, but not least, the gift shop!

We of course, HAD to bring something home to give as gifts next year and to remember our trip to the National Christmas Center!

 

Hope you enjoyed your visit as well!

 

Linking with Pink Saturday

at How Sweet the Sound.

 

(And thanks for the shout out, Beverly!

I had the "most clicks" again!)

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas to all...

and to all a good night!

 

 

A Mini Christmas Home Tour

For we need a little Christmas!

Right this very minute...

We need a little Christmas now.....

 

 

Just a few lyrics from one of my favorite

songs to listen to while getting out

all of the stuff....

you know, the boxes and bags.

And more boxes, and bags!

 

 

Take a little trip with me

as we peek inside my

home this Christmas...

 

 

 

 

This is my mantel.

I love using this easy to

use, pre-lit garland from my

days of working at QVC.

Easy peasy and it looks great!

I added the poinsettias.

 

 

 

These are "new to me" nativity figurines.

(The reason for the season!)

 

Purchased from Four Sisters In a Cottage.

 

Love it. It was made in Italy.

I try to add a little something

from all sides of my family's heritage.

The stable was from our previous set and

worked out great for the "new" vintage pieces.

I just started the nutcracker

collection. I have five of them now.

Not old, just collectible.

 

Also an homage to my days dancing,

and my love for the Nutcracker Ballet.

 

Silver trays are so festive during the

holidays and SO easy to use.

Almost anything looks good on them!

 

I like to add little touches here and there.

 

The little wooden stackable

set (Santa, snowman and tree)

were bought for Bebe at the recent

Nutcracker show we went to see.

Many of the dancers were from

a ballet company in the Ukraine.

Some of the dancers had

friends and family from the Ukraine

there, selling their crafts to raise

money for the ballet.

 

 

These cuties were in my hubby's

Christmas collection. I think they

were given to him by my MIL.

 

Sweet!

 

I received this glass cloche and

pastry stand at our wedding.

It is fun to use it for a Christmas

display!

 

 

This tall, antique mercury glass piece

has been for sale in my shop...

no one ever buys it so I get to

keep enjoying it every year!

 

Hoping to add to the collection...

the angel is new.

 

....and apothecary jars in the kitchen,

filled with vintage candy colored

glass ornaments, to go with

my LuRay dinnerware collection.

 

One of our trees....
I've had this one for

 seventeen years!

 

 

These were also in my

hubby's collection.

Adorable!

I could put a candle in each one

but I don't.
I barely have time to decorate

and keep up with everything else!

 

But, hubby's birthday is Christmas Eve

so maybe I will use them as cake

toppers this year.

Shhhhh! Don't ruin the surprise!

 

 

Our entry way.

Another easy peasy swag from QVC.

 

The photo in the whimsical frame was taken by

me in about 1996 while visiting Chicago

for a shopping trip down on Michigan Ave....

(wow, it was cold!)

My friend and I were so cold

we kept popping in to different

buildings to get warm...

and that is when I found

a beautiful Christmas tree and

snapped the photo.

 

Memories are fun, especially

 during the holidays!
A time to remember, look back,

and reflect... and to count our blessings.

Hope you enjoyed my mini Christmas home tour.

 

I like to mix the old and the new.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Linking with Pink Saturday...

at How Sweet the Sound

and

Fabulously Creative Friday

with Jennifer Rizzo

and

Be Inspired Party

at The Common Ground

and

Feathered Nest Friday

at The French Country Cottage.

 

 

Office Makover: Day 152

Yes, I am still working on my office.

Uh studio.

No, make that craft room.

 

It is an ALL PURPOSE ROOM!

Remember these photos I shared

on the blog?

 

I was hoping to run back

to Home Goods and buy the

white glass door cabinet below?

 

Sadly, it was gone.

 

 

The rug is working out great

and my makeover chair is still

a favorite of mine in here.

 

The style of lamp I wanted

and the skinny wall art, not so much.

 

But the expandable rack is finally up!

Which brings me to today's post.

 

I was tripping over this stuff, which

was laying around while I tried

to find the perfect furniture.

 

Since the "perfect" piece

has not found me...I decided

to start hanging these.

 

So glad I did!

 

I think I started working on

my APR (all purpose room)

back in July which brings me

to about day 152 of an

unfinished redo!

 

It will happen.

 

Besides, it is the holidays!

Time for fun and time for cheer!

 

Hope you are getting all

of your hustle and bustle

out of the way so you can

enjoy the reason for the season. 

 

I have to share my new nativity set

with you in my next post!

 (This is not it! LOL)

 

Most of my presents are

wrapped and under the tree...

We just have house prep

and cookies to make.

 

I like to be home for Christmas!

 

Enjoy your day!