Christmas at home

As promised, here are some photos of my Christmas decor.  This year I decorated in silver and white with hints of gold and red.

I'm never sure where to put our village so it changes from year to year.  This year I chose to put it under the tree ~ my favourite spot so far.

This is my living/dining room.  I saw a wreath hanging from a mirror on the Pottery Barn website and decided to try it on our antique mantle.  It's hanging by a suction cup and actually fell down today for the first time in a month {it's back up for a few more days}.  I lit the candles on the mantle just after I'd hung the wreath to see what the whole effect would look like.  I smelled something like burned plastic and noticed that I'd scorched my wreath!  A few quick fixes made everything right again but I didn't light the candles a second time.  :)

A few details ... vintage postcards, bottle brush trees {bought on Etsy} and a vintage bottle brush wreath.

I hope you've enjoyed a peek into my home this Christmas!  This week I've been taking a bit of a break, relaxing and catching up on reading and watching dvd's.  I can hardly believe that 2010 will be over in just a few more days.  Thanks for being with me through 2010 ... I've made many new friends this year and I'm grateful for both old and new.

Happy New Year to you and your families ... best wishes for 2011! xo

Christmas Wishes

As I write this I still have baking and wrapping to do but I'm confident that everything will be finished by Christmas Eve.  It looks like we'll have a white Christmas ... there's a light dusting of snow on the ground now and flurries are expected Christmas day. 

May your day be filled warmth and joy as you celebrate with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

baking day

candy kisses

I discovered candy cane kisses this year ... let's just say I can't stop eating them!  :)  I've always preferred white chocolate and these are delicious!

Are you ready for Christmas?  I'm not!  Next year I'm promising myself that I will NOT try to decorate, bake, shop and wrap in the span of four weeks.  This is a recipe for insanity!  {You can remind me that I said this next year when I'm trying to get everything done in four weeks.}

So, tell me ... what's your best secret for staying organized over the holidays?

winter's arrival

Last night we had our first real snowfall.  We've had flurries but this time the snow stayed on the ground.  We've been lucky ... huge amounts of snow have been falling all around us but thankfully we've been spared.

I haven't taken many photos lately ... these gray bleak days don't afford much light ... but today I decided to head outdoors to photograph the snow.  It wasn't long before I remembered why I don't like winter photography ... it's C-O-L-D!!  A few quick photos and I was more than ready to head back to the warm car.  Expect to see a lot of still life from me until the warm weather returns.

poinsettias

I went to the garden centre this morning to buy a poinsettia and was glad I'd brought my camera along ... so many beautiful poinsettias!  I ended up buying a white one again this year.

This weekend I'll be doing some baking and hopefully finish decorating. I enjoyed reading about what you love (or don't love!) about winter earlier this week. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend filled with the spirit of Christmas!

december

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire ... it is the time for home. ~ Edith Sitwell

While I'll be the first to admit that winter isn't exactly my favourite season, I enjoy the indoor warmth that winter brings.  I like lighting candles each night before dinner, having quilts and throws everywhere to wrap up in when I feel a chill, and enjoying comfort foods like soups and stews.

The weeks leading up to Christmas tend to be busy ones.  I know my "to do" list grows longer every day.  This year I'm going to try, really try, to slow down and enjoy the journey instead of rushing through the preparations.

Tell me what you enjoy the most about winter or what you love most about the days before the holidays.

Happy December!