Can't Make Up My Mind

Decorating in December is a lot of fun. However, I keep changing my mind about where to put different decorations. For instance, I had this set of ornaments hung near the kitchen entry.

Then I moved them to the hall tree. May need to add a few snowflakes to go with the icy wreath.

Might try another wreath in this spot.

Decisions, decisions!!

Lucas has a birthday on the eighth. He asked to put up the calendar so he could put up the "dog in the stocking" ornament on his date. 

 The bookcase is an overcrowded assortment of houses, trees, snowmen, angels, and figurines.

This pair of snowmen are favorites because someone took the time to make and accessorize them. Goodness, they were purchased a long time ago! I tend to hang on to things for sentimental connections to memories.

Looking Ahead

This is the earliest and fastest I've ever decorated for Christmas. Some of the decorations are repeats from last year because I liked them so much.

Today when Lucas came in after school he said he wanted Christmas to be right now. I spent a few moments explaining to him that anticipation is the best part of the holiday season.

 I love decorating our home for the festive gatherings that will soon be here.

I am pleased with the Alex Blum prints on the mantel.

Sadly I lost the angel topper I've used for years when she crashed to the hard floor and broke into several pieces. I tried to reglue the parts but was only able  to save the wings. 

The brass deer are on top of the piano again. I repeated the garlands on the mirror. Love this look!

These heavy ornaments are nestled in one of the dough bowls.

Memories

Some are wonderful, others are sad. But there's always something to be thankful for. I set the dining room table for twelve, and we had eleven at our Thanksgiving meal (Corkey, Joseph, Gunner, Nicolas, Lucas, Jason, Garrett, Chance, Jeff, Jasmine and me). Sure missed the ones who live away in Texas and California.

 Our youngest dinner guest

Lucas, Gunner, and Nicolas are sweet kids and don't mind my requests for pictures.

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it's time to anticipate Christmas.

I've been able to decorate this week, and treasured objects and decorations are filling up spaces for enjoyment throughout the holiday season. Here's a peek at the first ones I displayed.

Holding Back

I really want to start bringing out all the lovely trinkets and decorations for Christmas. However, I'm waiting. But today I did move things around in one of the guest bedrooms and tried out three small objects in the child's play cabinet.

I am sure I will experiment with displays many times before finalizing them.
Looking through magazines and viewing Pinterest and Instagram posts usually sparks ideas, but since I plan to use what I already have, it will be hard to come up with fresh looks. We shall see...

Meanwhile there's Thanksgiving to enjoy and blessings to remember.

                                                        Happy wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Comforts of Home

When it's cold, wet, and snowy, home is a cozy place to be.

I have been changing up a few pictures and 

other decor, trying to clear some spaces for

later decorating.

The corner cupboard ended up in the apartment bedroom. There's not a space for it in the main house. I keep it for sentimental reasons. 

A painting of mine that I actually like is in that same bedroom.

I cannot imagine losing all possessions as many in the California fires have.

I am in the middle of a very good book. Thanks, Mary, for sending it my way.

This was the front of a card, and the frame was a wedding gift from

my brother Ron and his late wife Carolyn.

Beautiful things often have memories

of wonderful people.

Strange Attraction

For years I kept a large Alex Blum print of a bookstore. In and out of storage it acquired a small tear. With its noticeable flaw I decided it was time to part with it and sold that framed print from my booth. Well, as you know from an earlier post I was gifted a smaller Alex Blum print of an antiques shop from a dear friend. I started to regret letting my other print go. So I put Alex Blum prints on my eBay watch list. After many months one turned up. The starting bid was one dollar, and to my utter surprise I won it at that price. Shipping was six dollars so my seven dollar purchase arrived today. For now I'm displaying the two prints on the den mantel.

I really don't like the man figure in the prints, but do love the bookstore and antique settings.

I have them placed on the mantel to hide the awful vents I've talked about before. I'm already pondering how can I decorate this mantel for Christmas. 

Are you Christmas decorating before or after Thanksgiving this year? I am making myself wait, but I do understand why others want an early start on the beauty and sparkle of holiday decorating. 

Colors of Fall

Sometimes a simple painting turns out better than expected.

These colors are favorites of mine.

Truthful Words

When actor Burt Reynolds died, Sally Field made this statement about her friend.

"There are times in your life that are so indelible, they never fade away. They stay alive, even forty years later. My years with Burt never leave my mind. He will be in my history and my heart, for as long as I live."

This rings true for me whenever I remember my children's birthdays. Their dad and I shared a young love that didn't hold up through the years. But we were blessed to have two beautiful children.

 I want Ryan and Lauren to know what joy they added to our lives. Although our marriage ended, we experienced together the wondrous thrill of their birth and early development. Today our firstborn is 40! 

Saying Good-bye to October

Yesterday was a warm and lovely fall day. I took a few pictures from my own yard.

The passage of time bothers me. It never used to go this fast.

I heard on the news how some people are decorating early for Christmas because they want to enjoy their holiday home decorations longer. Just the thought of pulling out plastic tubs and other boxes to decorate for December tires me out. But I love to do it. Just hope I can feel motivated when the time comes.