Monday, December 9, 2013

Sentimental Christmas Decorations

Sentimental decorations are the best, don't you think? They bring back fond memories of Christmas past, especially friends and family we've lost. I added two items to my Christmas decorating this year, both inherited from my mother-in-law. Her Norfolk Island pine is now a Christmas tree for my sewing room. We gave her the little tree one year for her December birthday. The tiny lightweight ornaments include a thimble and thread spool painted with Santa faces.

Her adorable lighted Christmas Village, which was displayed on their hearth every year, now resides on the sideboard in our dining room. There's a church, station, hotel, school, shops, house, barn, and lots of little people, animals, cars, fences and trees. I love the handmade accessories crafted by my father-in-law: twigs painted with white to simulate snow covered trees, a mailbox, and a sleigh.

I'm still keeping my simple decorating rule, using only my favorite things like my cute ceramic Santa bears, the iron tabletop tree, and quilted accents. It doesn't take long to put up or take down our Christmas decorations, but there's something festive in every room.

The freezing rain and ice that accumulated on our pine trees early Sunday morning brought down a dozen fairly large limbs. We'll have to get out the tractor today to drag them down to the burn pile, but not before I cut lots of pine branches. Nature provided easy access for me to create fresh arrangements for the house.


"Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under a tree."  ~ Charlotte Carpenter



Labels

1930's 1942 1969 accountability Accuquilt adapt adjust adventure advice affirmations amazing anniversary antiques Art Deco attitude Australia autumn baby quilt balance batik beach beauty birthday blessing bliss BlockBase Blue Wren Bogie bonus breathe brightness candy cat challenge change chevrons chocolate choice Christmas closet clothes clutter coffee color contentment cooking cottage cotton crafts Craftsman crazy creativity crochet decorating design designs distraction DIY downsizing drama dreams drunkard's path Elna energy EQ8 excitement expectations fabric fall family Featherweight feed sack Fifty flexibility flour sack flowers flying geese Flynn Quilt Frame focus fool free motion free spirit freedom friends fun furniture garden Granny Hill Granny Rose Grasshopper grateful gratitude Halloween happiness hexagon imagination independence insight inspiration intuition inventory Janome joy karma laughter lessons letting go life lists little things love magic mama Memorial Day memories milestones modern Mother's Day motivation Mustang nature opportunity organizing paint paradise passion patience peace perception perspective positive energy productivity purple quilt quilting quotes rainy days reflection refresh relaxation remnant renew resolutions responsibility restoration retro rhythm Rocketeer routines ruler quilting satisfaction scraps sewing sewing machine simplicity simplify Singer Singer 99 Slant-O-Matic 500 snow solitude Southern traditions spring stitching strawberries stress sugar sack summer sunshine thankful Thanksgiving Thoughts tiger oak traditions triangle tropical prints Universal useful valentine vintage violet waiting weather winter wisdom wishes yard sales