Blog Parties

Friday, December 30, 2011

A look back at my China Hutch

Did you enjoy my year of mantels from yesterday? Well today I'll share my china hutch for the past year.

We will start off with my winter hutch.

I just started decorating strictly for winter in the past couple of years. It's a great transition from Christmas when it is still too early to decorate for Valentine's Day.

Speaking of Valentine's Day....

Here is my "Love & Cherubs" hutch.

In March you have to decorate for St Patrick's Day. Especially if you have Irish blood in your veins.

I'm feeling a wee bit Irish.

Then April rolled around and we all know that Easter is coming. But it came late in the month this year. Which gave me plenty of time to get ready.


Welcome to my Easter parade.

For the month of May and June my hutch was more neutral. With birdhouses and birds.

I called this one "The Birds". Luckily these birds don't attack like in that Hitchcock film from the 60's. That one still scares me.

In the middle of June I decided to get patriotic.


My "Red, White and Blue" hutch.


Seems by the time I decorated for Summer, it is more than half over. That is why I left it up for all of August and all of September.

School starts here in August, so I couldn't decide if I should decorate for "School or Summer". Looks like Summer won. But then, thinking of school gives me a stomach ache. So it wasn't a hard decision.

Next came October and Halloween.

And my "Trick or Treat" hutch. I usually start decorating for Halloween in September. But I didn't start until a week or so before Halloween. I really need to stop procrastinating.

Next came November and Thanksgiving. Each year I keep thinking that I'll go straight from Halloween decorating straight to Christmas. But I just love, love, love Thanksgiving.

"Be Thankful I still decorate for Thanksgiving".

And finally we have reached December.

I was so original in naming this hutch. I called it.......Are you ready?.........Are you sure?....

My "Christmas hutch". Aren't you amazed I can think up such fabulous titles?

I don't know what is up with me. I can't seem to get out of my funk. I thought for sure by Christmas I would get into the Christmas spirit. But no!

I did finally get a Christmas tree up. If you can call it that.

I just ran out of time to decorate it.

My family thought it was pretty funny.

The best part is that I don't have to take down a tree this year. More time to shop.




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Thursday, December 29, 2011

A Year of Mantels

Dear 2011,

Where in the heck did you go? You went by so quickly. I hardly even knew you were here.

But I know you were here for 12 months. I have the pictures to prove it.

Well, I can prove 11 of the 12 months from my mantel.

Exhibit 1: January

I actually had 2 different mantels in January. First was my New Years Mantel.

And then I did My Winter mantel. This is as close to winter as we get in SoCal. Brrrr! I can feel the cold.

Exhibit 2: February


My mantel full of LOVE. This was the month I was feeling the most "crafty". I had BHG.com contact me about showing my mantel on their website. But the procrastinator in me never responded to their email. So you aint gonna see my mantel there.

When I am ever going to learn not to procrastinate? Maybe in a few years. I have time.

Exhibit 3: March

It's good to be green aka: St Paddy's day mantel. At least I'm pretty sure it was since there is a lot of green.

Exhibit 4: April

Easter mantel. Easter came late in the month this year. I actually had a couple of different versions of this mantel. I had lots of time to keep tweaking it. This was my first attempt at growing wheat grass. It won't be my last.

And yes, there is still a lot of green on this mantel. But the rabbits and the word "Easter" kind of gave it away that it was indeed my Easter mantel and not St Paddy's day mantel.

Exhibit 5: May

My late Spring mantel. I only had this way for a couple of weeks. Since I decided to decorate for Memorial Day.

Hence....

Exhibit 6: Late May, Early June


Memorial Day mantel. The flag in the box belongs to my hubby. It was the flag that was presented to his mom at his dad's funeral. His dad is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.

Exhibit 7: June through middle of July

Old Glory. My 4th of July mantel. I only had to tweak it slightly from the Memorial Day mantel.

Exhibit 8: The end of July, August & September

Ode to Summer mantel. I was pretty "crafty" with this mantel as well. Love the "Summer" banner that I made with a road map. My rusty mermaid usually sits out by the pool. But she had to be on my Summer mantel.

Exhibit 9: Late September through October

Spooky Halloween Mantel! One of my most favorite holidays. And probably the one I decorated for most this year. I was really in a "Spooky" mood this year.

Exhibit 10:

"Give Thanks" Thanksgiving mantel. Yes, I decorate for Thanksgiving. I usually host Thanksgiving at my house.

And finally Exhibit 11: December

Bottle Brush Christmas mantel. I really wasn't feeling Christmas this year. At least you can't tell from my mantel. I really like how it turned out. And the fake snow globes were fun to make as well. I just didn't get any really great photos of the mantel. I'll have to try & take some more before I take it down this weekend.

So take that, 2011. I just proved you were here for 12 months. If only I had done a "fall" mantel in September. Then I would have had all 12 months. But I loved my "Summer" mantel so much, I couldn't bear to take it down. Plus, September is usually one of the hottest months of the year. So I wasn't feeling the "fall". Only "summer".

I just wish you had taken your time this year. Not be in such a rush. I wanted to enjoy you a little longer.

So now that 2012 is almost here. Can you please tell 2012 to slow down. She needs to stop and smell the roses. Plus, then I won't get old so fast. You know how we woman hate getting old.

Plus it is time to start the cycle all over and put up a "winter" mantel again. Hopefully I'll get some motivation to do it this weekend. But knowing me and my lack of motivation right now. I'll probably just go shopping instead. Or maybe I'll stop and smell the roses and try to turn back time.



P.S. Come back tomorrow & I'll share a years worth of my china hutch. That is, if I don't run out of time.

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas Everyone!

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!

And in case you forgot the reason for the season.

Enjoy a few photos of my nativity.

And normally I would give credit for the freebies I find. But since it is now 2am on Christmas morning, I am just too dang tired to do so right now. I may come back tomorrow & give proper credit for the above Subway art.



I hope you can take a little time today to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.


Saturday, December 24, 2011

My Christmas Glitter House Village



It is now officially Christmas Eve Day!

It is 1:25am in SoCal. I just returned from shopping at Walmart. Still lots of people. What kind of person goes Christmas shopping at 1am? ME, that's who. Still better than it would have been earlier today or tomorrow.

At least I am officially done. I now need to start wrapping. But I think I'll try and get a few hours of sleep first.

I did finally get photos of my Christmas glitter house village.


I purchased all my houses a couple of years ago on clearance from Grandin Road. They usually have great prices when clearing out their seasonal stuff.

I think I only paid about $5.00 for each house. They were originally like $20-25 a piece.


I just got the white picket fence from Kohl's online on clearance for $2.00 after my discount. I did most of my Christmas shopping this year online. Got free shipping from every store. And the best part about shopping online. You can do it in your Jammies. And even in the middle of the night (if you are so inclined to stay up late like me).


I added a bunch of bottle brush trees that I got on sale at Michael's the other day.

I added a bunch of angel hair I found at the thrift store. I love this stuff. Reminds me of when I was a child. It does say to be careful as it is spun glass.

I found this vintage angel a couple of weeks ago at the thrift store. She was in a box of vintage ornaments that I picked up for 75 cents. For the whole box. Most of the ornaments were trashed, but I found a few treasures. Like this angel. Isn't she so sweet?

Look, a cloche within a cloche.

This was actually an ornament I found a couple of years ago. I am a sucker for anything that looks vintage. I just don't like paying vintage prices. That is why I usually by vintage reproductions. Or vintage style.


Every village needs a church.


I added a couple of vintage wooden soldiers to guard the church entrance. They were found in the 75 cent box of ornaments from the thrift store.


And we must have a little red schoolhouse. The bottle brush tree on the left is vintage. I found it last year in Phoenix at an antique store. Got it for a dollar.

The "Merry Christmas" sign on the cloche is an ornament from Target (this year).

The last house in my village.

A vintage sled ornament (from my 75 cent box of ornaments)

And finally another group of bottle brush trees under a cloche. These trees were clearance items from Grandin Road a couple of years ago. I love the green color of these trees. I wish I had purchased another set. You can never have too many bottle brush trees.

A final look at my village. There are holes in the bottom of each house. I sometimes place a battery operated tea light candle in each one to light them up. But this year I was too lazy.

I finally got up a few strands of lights outside. I had found 3 sets of vintage C9 colored lights at the thrift store. All of them worked when I plugged them in while inside the house. I put up 2 of the 3 sets last night (all by myself). I just couldn't reach the peak on the garage. So I asked hubby to put up the last set today while I was at work. But tonight when I turned them on, the set hubby put up won't light up. Boo hoo. So the lights didn't turn out so well.

But you should see my Christmas tree!

That isn't my Christmas tree. Those are the trees from my Christmas village.

Here is my Christmas tree.

OK, you caught me in a lie. This is last years tree.

You will just have to wait for this years version . I still haven't put one up. And tomorrow is Christmas. I'm still debating on if it is worth the effort at this point. Probably not. This will be the first year in 53 years that I haven't had a tree. (I'm trying to guilt myself into putting up a tree).

The good angel (put the Christmas tree up) vs. the bad angel (too much effort) is waging war in my head. I'll let you know who wins.

Until then, Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!



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