Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Ghosts of Christmas Past.... Photo Album...

Now that Christmas 2011 is behind us.. today I walked around the house and decided I really wanted to remember the decor this year... so I took a photo album of the things I liked the best... and thought I'd share them here with you...

My Nativity, pared down quite a lot this year... just the creche, angels and sheep... along with a few newly bleached white bottle brush Christmas trees (an idea I ran across on Pinterest)... set under glass in a cloche where French birds normally reside in my office... but I really like it here, on the kitchen counter during Christmas dinner...  
My great mercury glass candle stick find at the Antique Mall in Seguin... only paid $16 for the set of three... then added red candles and snowy white Epsom salt... I'll be changing to white candles for the New Year celebration and then leaving the candles on the dining room table all year round!
My hot drink bar (another Pinterest idea) complete with cocoa and candy canes, vintage Holt Howard Santa candle huggers, peppermint tree from Hobby Lobby, holiday melamine plates from Target and a lighted Christmas tree...
I adore vintage Christmas candle huggers!
Kitchen niche, usually reserved for wine glasses we've collected from various wineries...
set aside to make room for my vintage Santa mugs and those bleached bottle brush trees... this was another Pinterest idea!
I bleached so many trees white, I put them everywhere... including as bottle tops in my kitchen window.  Candy and I found the little Santa hats at Blue Hills in Geronimo a few weeks ago.  I thought they would fit perfectly on wine bottles... but they were a little too small... so I made the one I bought a "bottle cap"... hehehehe...pun intended...
This year I played with putting many different items under glass... here, a candy dish with a tiny creche and a Cupie doll standing armless amongst Christmas trees... and see my sweet little Holt Howard Angel candle huggers...
I admit having fallen in love with old sewing cabinet drawers... I love them, but I've had no idea what to do with one... I purchased this one for about $10 at Blue Hills on my most recent shopping trip with Candy... It had a pretty blue knob on it when I bought it, but I traded that out for this fancy green glass knob purchased at Hobby Lobby... Here, I've used my drawer to display this years Christmas cards... now don't ask me what I'll do with it after Christmas... 'cause I don't know!  But if you have any ideas for me... share them with me here!  I could use the help!

and I don't know if you can see her wrapped around the white candle at the back of the drawer... but it's another candle hugger... this one is Mrs. Claus...
My garden art, Freddie Flamingo, is sporting a polka-dot Christmas ribbon... Freddie was meant for our camper when our daughter gave him to us for Christmas last year... but he's stood in the living room ever since... with a ribbon of the season as his only outfit!
My Paper Whites have begun to bloom finally.. I think I started them a little late this year... but I'll enjoy them through the new year and beyond... I brought twigs from the yard to stake the tall stems, and I love the way they look!
Last, but certainly not least, my vintage 1960's aluminum Christmas tree, complete with stand that turns and plays "Jingle Bells" and two rotating color wheels (Ricky like to "go big")... This was my Valentine's Day present in 2010 from Ricky... that man is full of romance!
and while I know that my decorating mentor, Sarah Richardson, said this season, she would never decorate her tree in green and red ornaments... my tree was a big hit at our Christmas Day family & friends get together... and I love the way it looks all decked out in bright green and red... it looks like... well... Christmas!

I hope that each of you had a joyous Christmas, and I wish you a safe and Happy New Year...
at

15 comments:

  1. c. JoyDecember 27, 2011 at 9:03 PM

    Love the tree. I like Sarah Richardson, too, but let's not go nuts here. It's Christmas. Yours looks like it was wonderful.

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  2. clustresDecember 27, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    I especially love the way you did your nativity. I think I have all the stuff and I'm going to try to make mine look like this next year!

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  3. CandyDecember 27, 2011 at 10:21 PM

    What fun and great idea for remembering favorite things.
    LOVE IT ALL!!!

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  4. Sissie's Shabby CottageDecember 28, 2011 at 5:37 AM

    Hi Dixie,
    I'm stopping by to see how you are doing and to say hello. I have been visiting off and on but it's been awhile since I left a comment. Haven't forgotten about you though.
    I love all of your pretty Christmas decor. I just finished putting mine away and the house looks so bare!

    Happy New Year to you Sweetie.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  5. farmhouse-storyDecember 28, 2011 at 8:14 AM

    your christmas photos are wonderful, dixie:) happy new year to you!

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  6. AnonymousDecember 28, 2011 at 11:00 AM

    I love your silver tree! My son and his wife were lucky to inherit her grandparents silver aluminum tree and she just simply rest it in a large silver pot with no ornamentation at all. It looks very pretty that way too. And your nativity is gorgeous! and I love your huggers too. I haven't planted my paper whites yet. Guess I better get started. Happy happy New Year.

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  7. bjDecember 28, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    {{{{{{ DIXIE }}}}}} I was sooo glad to see you had stopped in. I've missed you, girl.
    I love this post...full of memories.

    I used to go with Mr. Sweet when he played golf in Sequin and I spent the whole time shopping. Always found some great things....
    xo bj

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  8. Miss Gracie's HouseDecember 28, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    I LOVE how you set up your nativity!
    Happy New Year!
    Rene

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  9. CathyDecember 28, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    Dazzling and delightful decorations. I hope I can find my candle huggers they were hiding this year. Great idea to take photos.

    HaPPy nEw Year!

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  10. red.neck chicDecember 29, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    Oh my gosh Dixie... you would never get me out of your house! LOLOL

    The candle huggers are SOOOO cool! And the santa mugs? AUGH! Awesome!!!

    Seriously... you would have to kick me out of your house. LOL! But when I left you would have to check my car 'cause I might have to take the awesome Christmas tree. ;-D

    All of it is BEAUTIFUL!!!
    robelyn

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  11. Joan JDecember 30, 2011 at 1:23 PM

    My husband desperately wants one of those aluminum Christmas trees. Perhaps that will be his birthday present in 2012, now that I've seen yours and realize how beautiful they can be. Love love love the candle huggers!

    Happy holidays to you and yours, Dixie!

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  12. UnknownDecember 30, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    FAAAAAB-U-Louuuuuuus !!!
    I adore the swirling silver tree and it plays music ? Oh My I want one I want one...I love stuff like that so much! Yours look s great with the red and green pretties too !
    Glad I found your blog today.

    - KAT -

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  13. The Quintessential MagpieDecember 30, 2011 at 4:59 PM

    Dixie, I love what you did with ther tree. I think it looks just like Christmas! Christmas IS green and red. Sorry. No changing that. Other colors are permitted, but green and red say Christmas to millions the world over.

    Enjoyed looking at all of you goodies. Those bottle brush trees just look adorable. Good job!

    I'm dropping by to wish you a belated Merry Christmas (though we are still in the 12 days of Christmas) and a Happy 2012!

    My computer is up and running, YEA, and I am waiting for a bit to get a new one. Will try to make this work in the interim.

    Sending you much love across the miles...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  14. outjunkingDecember 31, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    A tree with out red and green I agree. It's Christmas! or was..
    Happy New Year,
    Lisa

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  15. outjunkingDecember 31, 2011 at 5:17 PM

    A tree with out red and green I agree. It's Christmas! or was..
    Happy New Year,
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete

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