Father Christmas...to Father Time

Happy New Year friends!
We rang in our 2011 with a child-friendly 'First Night' in our city.  There were lots of events downtown, culminating with beach balls and confetti being tossed from a building after a 7pm countdown.  We all felt like kids tossing around the beach balls and blowing horns.  
After a long day of taking down Christmas decorations yesterday, I'm ready to start January fresh.  It was melancholy to say goodbye to the reminders of Christmas, but we can hold the spirit in our hearts all year, right?

In October I stumbled upon a simple white Santa figure at a Salvation Army thrift store for $2.  I realized I could keep him around in January to represent Father Time. 
Here he is holding a wreath for Christmas...

I cut out a tea-stained paper image of a clock, glittered the edges and taped it onto the wreath.  Now he is Father Time...looming over the New Year. 

Bon Annee!

White Finds

I hope everyone has enjoyed their Christmas!  It was wonderful here at home, celebrating with our children and family nearby, while sending love across the miles to family in Dallas.  I've still been playing Christmas music and enjoying the joyous celebration.  The only Christmas decor I can bear to take down are the dried up greenery leaves.
Therefore...I don't have any new photos to share.  However, here are some photos from Flea Market and thrift store finds this past year that have found their way into our home.  They're white for White Wednesday and vintage for Vintage Inspiration Friday.
A cute white pitcher with some pink thrown in...

  White plates with lovely detail...

A unique pink and white plate from Brimfield Antique Market...

And lastly, some vintage tablecloths mixed in with some I sewed...

I'm looking forward to sharing more with you in 2011 - decor, projects and unique vintage finds.  Thanks to all of you for sharing your homes and inspiration.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas...

...from my home to yours.  It's been a great first month in blogland, and I want to thank you all for being so kind with your warm welcome.  I wish you and your families a blessed Christmas!

(linking into White Wednesday, too!)

Let me share with you the greeting on this old Christmas postcard shown above:

May Xmas and New Year Joys be Yours

Sweet Memories Bells

ring out for me

In joyous peals

with thoughts of thee

Handmade for Home - Part 2

Hello fellow Christmas elves!  Hope you are enjoying this magical time.  I love seeing all your homes in blogland.  Feast for the eyes!
I thought I'd link into Vintage Inspiration Friday, Show and Tell Friday and Feathered Nest Holiday and see some lovelies at their sites. 
Here are a bit more handmade items around my home for Christmas...

Last year I gathered my vintage rhinestone buckles to make easy ornaments.  I stamped and glittered on tea-stained paper, then cut the image to fit inside my buckles.  Tying some twine around the buckle frame made an instant ornament.  A cinch!  This year I'm displaying them on a new white $8 Target tree (this bargain will do until I find a nice feather tree some day).

The garland was made using a strip of cheesecloth and blue seambinding sewed down the center.  I got the idea from Angela Harris's crepe paper garlands in her etsy store.

 (That's my handsome hubby in the frame with me!)

Have you seen these cute Pottery Barn ornaments?

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn

Thought I'd make some similar ones of our cherubs using crepe paper, tea-stained images of music, glitter and scrapbook frames.  The white wreath ornament is a vintage brass knocker I found at Brimfield Flea Market, then painted white & laced with twine to hang. 

And to show you how inspired I get from your blogs, here's a stocking I made last year based on this post from Heather Bullard.  I made a few of these as gifts.  Pretty easy to sew - I left the edges raw and attached some lace with a twisted fabric flower.  

In May I hosted a fun tea party for my sister's (big) birthday (I won't tell the number...).  All the ladies received a handmade small sachet as a favor.  I decided to use mine as an ornament this year.  Just some simple 2x2" ticking fabric sewed with hand-stamped fabric, and stuffed with lavender.  Still smells good!

I'll finish off with some more vintage items - creamer & sugar used as vases and some fun blue-rimmed plates.

Handmade + vintage = unique!  Have a great weekend!

Handmade for Home - Part 1

Well, I'm envious of you ladies in blogland sharing your true white Christmas snow.  We haven't seen a snowflake yet, and Christmas is nearing...send some our way!
Our living room has been a peaceful and cozy place to share family time, now that it's fully decked out.  I thought I'd share some items in it that I've made over the years.  It gives it a personal, if somewhat imperfect, character. 
Here's the view entering the room.  I sewed the ottoman and pillow covers, and simple white window treatments at various times.  I'm all for sewing projects that don't take too long.

The Country Living magazine had a great article about painting stripes on fabric to resemble grain sacks, so I did that on this table cover next to the tree.  Easy!

"The stockings were hung on the desk(?) with care...".  I made these 4 stockings a few years ago when our children were very young.  Two feminine boots for us ladies, and 2 tartan plaid for the men of the house. 

On top of the desk are some flea market urns, holding greenery and a mix of new and Shiny Brite ornaments. 

Here's our mantel, with simple snow-sprayed greenery and candles.  I made the stockings a few years ago after I fell for similar ones seen in Country Home magazine.  They were easily sewn with linen, satin ribbon and mother-of-pearl buttons and buckles.  The edges were left raw, and greenery tucked inside.

Recently I thought I'd try etching the word 'PARIS' on this glass vase using some craft store etching cream and a homemade stencil.  The result isn't perfect and I learned a few lessons along the way, but it's one-of-a-kind now. 

I found this Holy Family on eBay.  They look so peaceful here...



This book, "White Christmas" by Tricia Foley, is a favorite of mine.  Natural, light and easy decor with homemade touches.  It was published in 1997, but the look is timeless.

A classic ivory knitted stocking (not handmade by me, but I love the old-fashioned feel).

And lastly, old books topped with a handmade tag by PetiteMichelleLouise. 

I'm linking to White Wednesday.  Hope to see you there.  I'll be sharing more handmade decor later this week.  I love seeing all yours out there!

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Happy Friday,
Just a quick post here today.  I thought I'd join in the fun at Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday.  I was so thrilled to find these adorable vintage ornaments today for 25 cents each at my local thrift store.  Yippee!
Have a great weekend!

Tree at last!

We finally put our tree up this past weekend.  I love the smell of the balsam!  Thought I'd link into White Wednesday since most of its' ornaments are white.  Happy Wednesday everyone!

More white in our living room...

The box under the tree is wrapped in some lovely ribbon I got from Michelle at her etsy store.



I put this faux wreath inside a thrift store frame that usually resides in our daughter's room.  Adding some tea-stained paper printed with Christmas carols and some pinecones with spray snow gave the display some varied textures.  The glittered ornament adds some sparkle, contrasting against the burlap ribbon and real greenery above the frame.

Happy White Wednesday, and thanks to Kathleen for hosting!