Saturday, December 26, 2009

Christmas is not over yet...


Merry Christmas Friends!
Christmas doesn't end on the 25th of December...it lasts until Epiphany on January 6th. (You know, the 12 Days of Christmas) I was hoping to have posted the final stop on the tour of our home at Christmas before the 25th, but I ran out of time and had celebrating to do! So I will now show you the family room which is the heart of our home. You will find our fireplace...

with a close-up of the fraction of my Santa collection displayed...

The two new additions this year are the tall whirl-a-gig Santa painted for me by my sister Barb and Mrs. Claus by Lori Mitchell (Love Mrs. C's legs! and plate of cookies)...

I have a large collection of Santa's but only chose a treasured few to display this year. On the bookshelves you will find my deBrecht Russian Santas with their beautifully painted coats...

and some Santas that are painted gourds...

and even a Krinkles Santa by Patience Brewster...


I am very fond of Patience Brewster's work and have collected some ornaments of her design for the tree...



Not very traditional but her quirky style makes me smile! The ornaments on the tree are all meaningful to us and the oldest one is from my Mother's childhood...a wool Santa (now missing a  leg) which always gets hung first...way inside near the trunk. When I was a very small child, he used to scare me but now I look forward to seeing him every year.


On one wall hangs a festive quilt....there is always a quilt on this wall...I just change it out at the different seasons. I love quilts.....old ones, new ones but especially the handmade ones. (This one is not handmade, however...cute just the same)

and below the quilt is my partner in crime and the love of my life, David!

I'm sure by now you're getting very weary of this tour...we're almost finished.
On the linen press is my music box with a village square and a train that runs while the music plays. There are 50 musical pieces in the music box...most are Christmas tunes but some are old fashioned tunes like
 Down By The Old Mill Stream and You Are My Sunshine.
Little people love to watch the train go around and see the lighted tree inside.
There is also the wooden Advent calendar I snagged at Target last year (I snapped this picture several days ago) that held Hershey's kisses for each day,  and a reproduction Snowman box that is new this year. (Ah, Homegoods)

On the entertainment cabinet is a vignette all in white.
There is a white tree candle under a cloche on a cake pedestal, a glittered church, a tall bottle brush tree and a smaller bottlebrush tree in a cloche ornament sitting atop a vase turned upside down. The two angels and the angel tree on the left (sorry, I chopped some of her head off in this picture) are from
the Larkspur Lane series by Silvestri. Lib Cummings-Mead is the artist.

Quite an eclectic mix, don't you think? I've saved the best for last but it's late and I need to get some sleep. I will come back tomorrow and finish with my favorite figures of all. Can you guess?

9 comments:

marie said...

Your family room looks like a wonderful place to be. I love all your Santas and the Patience Brewster ornaments are so wonderful. I think her work is so much fun. I saw several of her pieces at Home Goods this year. I love the little cupcake ornament!

Your tree is so beautiful ~ isn't it wonderful to have ornaments that bring back long ago memories?

And then there's all the new memories in the making...like your Advent calender and the snowman box...bought from my two favorite stores!! I like all the white decorations becasue they carry you past Christmas and are perfect all winter long.

I'll be back to see your favorite figures...I'm pretty sure I can guess what they are too!

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Without a doubt, this is the very favorite holiday tour I've had this year!! No joke!!

I love your eclectic collections and the artistry with which you put together you vignettes.

You have displayed history, personality, texture, color and exercise restraint all at the same time. Will you teach me how to do that????


And I love Lori Mitchell myself!!!!

Mimi Sue said...

Everything is just beautiful. I have so much Christmas stuff that I didn't put out this year either. When I put it all away this year I'm going to edit! My partner in crime's name is David too. Mimi

Unknown said...

Joyce, I am so very happy you extended your Christmas tour. To die for built in bookcases to showcase all your treasures. Your whimsical ornaments are so "you", especially the cupcake in heels! A smile comes to my heart at the photo of your husband. He has the same look my husband has, comfortable in his life. A happy man. Wishing you extended Christmas joy, Elizabeth

Lori said...

I have so enjoyed the tour of your beautiful home! I am so inspired but seeing that Christmas is now over and I'm slowly packing things away now, I'll save these ideas for next year! Thanks so much for sharing.

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

What a treat to come over here and see all the beauty and wonder that awaited. I'm so glad you took all the pics and shared them with us. I'm amazed at the detail on the Russian Santas...they're gorgeous!!!
And I love all the whimsy you've spread everywhere. No wonder we're kindred spirits. : ) I love it all, Joyce. And thanks for sharing the info on the beautiful angels.
Mary Lou

Celestial Charms said...

I've been bedazzled by all the seasonal charm in your cozy home. My eye was drawn to the lace adorning your fireplace mantle...funny the things we zone in on. So very pretty. All of the Santas are beautiful, the Russian ones I particularly like. Everything darling, including your David ;)
Maureen

mimi said...

Oh Joyce everything looks so beautiful. I love your little white vignette--I don't remember seeing those pieces before. Oh and your glitter white church---makes me want to rush right back to Roxanne's and purchase that church. (sigh) Your new christmas tree is so beautiful as well. I love the all white lights :) I am glad you had a special Christmas and I wish you and David a very Happy New Year!!!

xoxoxox
Mimi~

Linda said...

Joyce, I so enjoyed the tour of your lovely home...everything is just beautiful! We always keep everything out until after New Year's also. I love being able to enjoy the spirit of the holiday for a little longer. Happy New Year!

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