2012 Blog Review!

I hope everyone had the most Merry Christmas and that you all are looking forward with great anticipation to 2013!

 I have been most blessed this year. Looking through my blog has brought back happy memories of junking adventures with my family and of times spent enjoying the comfort and beauty of a home that we have truly made our own. This year we finally "finished" a four year long (interior) renovation which has been daunting to say the least, so we will spend the winter months resting planning and pinning ideas and inspiration for the exterior and landscape changes that will begin in late spring.

Today's post is an overview of my favorite projects and decorating highlights of the past year. I have put the links to each post so you can quickly scan the old posts if it peaks your interest and you want to see more. Here we go!

January: Embracing Winter's beauty

After Christmas I began removing the reds and greens from my decor, but I wanted to keep the beauty of winter throughout the house. I left any natural objects such as pine cones, fire wood, and  fresh cut pine branches in place, and I simply replaced my colorful bulbs with snowflakes and white and silver bulbs in all my garlands. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/01/christmas-to-winter-transition.html

The fireplace had a rustic charm.  I loved how the old mirror reflected the lights and added interest to the space, so I decided to keep it there all year. 

 

If we must have winter, then please, LET IT SNOW!

February: Antiques Booth Grand Opening!

What a joy it was to finally fulfill a life-long dream of opening a booth of my own last February. It has been financially rewarding, but the whole experience has been worth so much more than money. My family has had so much fun searching for treasures to sell throughout the year and we have made so many new friends. My knowledge and appreciation for antiques has grown and I have received so many intrinsic rewards as a result of having an antiques business. Getting started in February made it easy to create eye-catching displays using a romantic theme throughout the booth. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/02/grand-opening.html





I spent so much time at the booth I wasn't able to do much at home, but I did create a Valentine's Day tablescape. For a centerpiece I chose to use my feather tree decorated with vintage Valentines and displayed in a tarished silverplate urn. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentines-day.html

I also decorated my mantel super-shabby-romantic using Victorian-style Valentine ornaments, old lace, and red beads woven in a winter snow and red berries garland.

 March Madness!

A fellow vendor was putting this dress form in the trash! I had the luck o' the Irish that day!!!! I brought her home and decorated her with antique collars and pearls, and I also decorated her for holidays as the year progressed. Her tarnished bronze patina matches perfectly in our home. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/03/free-antique-dress-form-find.html


Late March also saw the emergence of spring beauty in the garden. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/03/spring-in-garden-part-1.html

April: Easter In The Cottage

 Cottage style and soft Easter hues just go together, wouldn't you agree?
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-time.html

It was during Easter that I started to experiement with adding seasonal elements to existing displays instead of changing everything out and packing away my day-to-day decorations. It takes some creativity to make  this decorating technique work, but its perfect for those of us who love our junk too much to see it go.

In this picture, the tan rim of the little egg holder mimics the tan colors of the antique photograph book, the ironstone, and the muted buttons and marbles. The vintage easter eggs all have muted tones which ties everything together. The effect wouldn't be the same bright plastic eggs just stuck up on the mantel here and there.

I also stopped buying new Easter decorations, and I got rid of many of my mass produced Easter decor other than some plastic eggs that go in the kids' baskets. I began searching for antiques and vintage items that could be used all year but double as spring decorations, such as this beautiful old picture with spring colors and tulips.

In April we also hit all the spring estate sales and caught the first flea markets vendors opening for the season and the result was pure eye candy at the booth!
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/04/antiques-booth-favorites.html

I sold almost everything in this photo, except the bust of David...I had a few months of delusions and actually had him for sale! Now he is safely home, in our bedroom, right beside my bed where he belongs. My husband just laughs at me.



Here is another example of "What in the world was I thinking trying to sell that???" I created this display for the booth and almost sold this sweet little doll. I loved that birdcage too and it didn't last a day in the booth, but luckily the doll didn't sell. She also is in my bedroom now right where she belongs, with David. Decorating is so much fun and I love "playing" with my toys!


I also began experimenting more with my displays at home as the year went and incorporated new styles.
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/04/white-wednesday-april-24th.html

April ended with some fantastic flea market finds too! http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/04/flea-market-finds.html







May: More Flea Market Junk Finds And Antiques Booth Success

Another great find was this fabulous Art Deco Mirror! It was hard to part with her but once again I found that being able to "keep" her here on my blog helped a lot. The lady that bought her was absolutely thrilled and I love to make people happy with my finds. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/05/mirror-mirror-on-wall-whos-fairest.html

 

Fleaing in May also led me to discover these vintage lovely ladies by the artist Huldah. I got lost in each picture and told a little story about each of here : http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/05/lovely-ladies.html


I sold this set on the very first day to one of my favorte customers, Roberta Messner. Roberta  is a contributor to many of our favorite decorating magazines, and you may be familiar with her latest article in the debut issue of Romantic Prarie Style Magazine: "Nesting Instincts." Roberta recently visited my home and I will posting about that soon!

I was sad to part with these pictures so quickly, but not long afterward I found another set of  3 smaller Huldah prints that I brought home and placed on the desk beside my bed. It helped my junk appetite to be satisfied tied over for a while.


By the end of May, roses were blooming outside in my garden and showing up all over the house in late spring shabby vignettes. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/05/everythings-coming-up-roses.html

 
 June: Projects, Junk, and Idea Overload!

As the old Rogers and Hammerstien tune states, "June is busting out all over!"  It most certainly was, and so were my ideas, and so was my basement full of junk! I had so many craft ideas and junk projects to upcycle that I was about to go crazy and loving every minute of it. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/07/busy-embellishing-bottles.html

I was so busy in fact, that I didn't even get a post up, but here are some of the bottles I embellished and posted about later in July. 

I absolutely fell in love with embellishing vintage bottles. I created these to sell at a craft show, but I decided to keep them because I put so much heart into making them and they fit so well with my bedroom decor.

Can't get your old bottles clean? Spray paint to the rescue!
 I gave this bottle the "royal treatment" using all kinds of vintage junk and its my favorite. It sits beside my bed. With David. And the little blonde doll. And the three little Huldah pictures.

 I must admit, my side of my bedroom looks like a booth display. At least I can say the bedroom is full of thrills and excitement! (Sorry, I just couldn't resist!)

July: Feeling hot, hot, hot!

It was actually too hot for me to tolerate much junking, so I used the time to work on some more projects in my craft room or I painted outside in the evening under some shade trees.

In July I finally got on the chalk paint wagon and I am still hanging on! Love, love, love, the beautiful patina and ease of using chalk paint. I make my own so the cost is great too. I started painting everything with chalkpaint and my customers loved it. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/07/celebrating-4th-of-july-white-wednesday.html

Notice the square frame with the oval opening? I used it for a Christmas chalkboard that you will see at the end of this post.

I even discovered that I could paint fabric with chalkpaint and sand it down so that its actually smooth enough to sit on. No more passing up furniture because of the daunting task of reupholstering!

Frenchy Chair makeover---SOLD!

In July we also opened a second "MANTIQUES" booth so my husband could play around with his vintage toys. With his artistic talents he needed no help from me to fill his booth with creative displays.http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/07/come-browse-our-romantiques-and.html

I love those large signs he painted on wood salvaged from our attic reno!


I'm not the only one who decides not to sell things after a day or two.  My husband couldn't part with this collection of vintage luggage either. Now it is stacked at home on his side of the bed  repurposed as a bedside table. Before long our whole bedroom will look like an antiques store if we keep hoarding things!


Further up the aisle at the antiques mall,  my booth was filled to overflowing with the theme of summer romance and weddings.



Meet Grace, (I named her in honor of Grace Kelly) the antique jewelry bust that I bought for use in the booth. I brought her home after a few weeks just because she is simply amazing, and I missed her. Yes, I missed her. I know you junkers know exactly what I mean! You'll be seeing her many times in the future on my blog, and later in this post during the Halloween review.


August: Back To School And The Balancing Act http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/08/pretty-little-post.html
In August it was back to school and I didn't have much time to post. Getting back into the swing of things, keeping the booth stocked, and decorating at home took some creative management of time. My blog was something that had to be put on hold,  but I did find time for one post which featured some more of my favorite little pretties in the house. I had been experimenting more with embellishing bottles and making coffee filter roses. I hope to have some snow days this winter so I'll have time to  make more before Valentine's Day.


More bedside table loot... If I ever get desperate for money I guess I could have a bedroom sale!


 In July I also posted my "Apple Basket Makeover," which turned out to be one of my most popular posts to date. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/08/apple-basket-makeover.html


September: HAPPY BLOGGERVERSARY TO ME! http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/09/one-year-blogger-versary-great-junkin.html

It was my one year bloggerversary, and I really think the post showed the evolution of my style from strictly shabby- French Cottage/Flea Market, to using junk in more creative ways and incorporating elements of Romantic Prarie/Farmhouse. The unifying element that has allowed the evolution to take place without me having to abandon any of the things I previously loved and used rests entirely in one word---VINTAGE.

October: It's the most wonderful time of the year!

October is my favorite month and autumn is my passion, so naturally I put a lot of creative energy into my decorating during that time and in my posts. My autumn garden was so special to me this year and I will always remember how much I enjoyed the morning that I got up early to photograph my fall garden displays. I think it would have to be my favorite post of 2012. The beauty was just unsurpassed and there was a bit of fall magic in the air and excitement for all the festivities that start with Halloween and last through New Year's.
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/10/an-autumn-morning-in-garden.html





Halloween...


All the family felt that this year's Halloween decorations were the very best, but due to a big renovation that was going on in October, I was late posting and I didn't really get to participate in any linky parties, so I didn't get many views of my posts. I will have link up my 2012 posts next year. If you missed it in October and you love Halloween like I do, you may want to check it out now. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/10/its-halloween.html





Who's that girl???  It's Grace! I made her costume from scraps in my craft stash.


I found my first flower frogs in fall! Say that five time fast!


And here is that old dress form, proving once again that the best things in life are FREE!!!!
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/11/halloween-favorites.html


November: Season of Thanksgiving

Thanks to my talented husband, I had a lovely new dining room to decorate for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and although a lot of people skip through it these days, I think it really has a vintage feel about it and  the holiday lends itself to vintage decorating. Maybe its because people just don't celebrate it like they used to and most people already have the halls decked for Christmas but in my house it will always be a separate holiday which focuses on family and simpler times.

 This year it was all about the ironstone. When is it not all about the ironstone with me?






Okay so maybe it wasn't all about ironstone, but I loved how perfectly ironstone worked into the displays.


My absolute favorite Thanksgiving decoration  was this cloche display I created with vintage dolls and a celluolid deer.

Although I was excited for Christmas, I hated to say goodbye to autumn and Thanksgiving, but at least I always have my blog to visit for inspiration.

 http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-home-2012.html

December: It's ALSO The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Christmas in our house was delightful with the new spaces my husband created fpr us. Even though we gained more useable space and opened everything up, the house got even cozier. We have all enjoyed sitting around by the light of trees with warm snuggly blankets, listening to Christmas music while the scents of Christmas filled the air. I will definitely miss all the beauty of the holidays but I am resolved to embrace the majesty of winter and have been collecting ideas on my Winter Wonder's pinterest board like the hoarder that I am.
Here are some favorites from my three Christmas posts this year. The holiday was wonderful and in light of recent world events, the true meaning of Christmas and family meant more than all the Chrismtas treasures and trinkets I could ever hope to find. I hope you also had a blessed and beautiful Christmas season!

http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/12/use-what-you-have-christmas-decorating.html

http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-favorites-2012.html



http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-makeovers.html






Well here we are at the end of December! I hope you enjoyed this 2012 review as much as I have. Creating this post has me looking forward to the upcoming year with lots of decorating ideas. Hobby-based goals for 2013 including improving my blog posts with better pictures and presentation. Friends and family love my blog, but everyone agrees that our home looks much better in real life and I haven't quite figured out how to take pictures that are true to life. This could easily happen by learning to use the super nice camera I received as a gift last Christmas,  instead of relying on my phone and instagram. I still have a week and a half left of break so maybe I'll start practicing.

 In addition, I will be teaching myself to sew with my brand new Singer sewing machine! The one I got for Christmas! In 2007.

Also, I am considering a new blog which will focus more on home decorating, gardening, and styling. I will keep this blog for posts regarding junk adventures, project makeovers, and the antiques booth. I hope you all will follow along if I choose to create the new blog!

Have a great New Year everyone! Come back and visit me soon. I will be sharing a bit about my visit with Roberta Messner and I am looking forward to seeing all that we will create and share in 2013!

Blessings,
Amber

PARTIES!

http://www.commonground-do.com/

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/feathered-nest-friday_27.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed: blogspot/QoLtm (FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE)

http://www.homemakeronadime.com/2012/12/creative-bloggers-party-hop-92.html

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/2013/01/time-travel-thursday-130-talented-time.html

Christmas Projects and Makeovers!

Hello friends! With just a few days left until Christmas I only have time for a short post, so I thought I'd show you some makeovers and upcycles that I somehow managed to work in this month.

First I'll start with my favorite, a Frenchy chair makeover:

I needed a small chair for extra seating in my dining room so I purchased this from a vendor friend at the antiques mall where I have a booth. Its not hideous here, but it needed a makeover!

I have not yet mastered the art of reupholstery and I wanted it finished immediately, so I simply chalk painted the whole thing with a homemade recipe using plaster of paris and a creamy white paint leftover in the basement.

Voila!


Okay so maybe no one will sit in it, but it's fun to decorate and looks great!

I kept adding accents and changing it up the first few days...

Until I settled on using it to display my roses, fresh holly, ironstone, and lace. Love.


And then I moved the arrangement elsewhere and I added more bling...


Okay I digress. Back to the projects...

This is an upcycle of  a vintage "Frosty" Dixie cup that I picked up at an estate sale two weeks ago. It was stained and cruddy on the inside but it was still in great shape and had wonderful vintage winter images on it.

My husband was really wondering what in the world I planned to do with it since the inside looked like "antique mold" for lack of a better description. I didn't know exactly what I would do with it either, but I bought it because I liked it, and that's how I roll! I knew I'd do something with it eventually. I didn't get a picture of mine before I fixed it up, it so I will show you some of the different ones I found on the internet.


When I got home I realized I had some misc. vintage ornaments left lying around so I got the idea to just stuff the cup full of Christmas goodness. I had an empty glass candle holder so I filled it with a little glittery snow and put the cup down in it. The glass not only looks nice, but will provide some protection from the cup getting smashed. I love it!

Moving on...

DIY chalkboards have been all the rage this year and its no wonder, they are so beautiful and add charm to any area. They are easy and just about any frame will work!

I had this frame in my antiques booth for a while, sort of priced not to sell...and boy am I glad it didn't. I decided to bring it home and use it to make a chalkboard, and I think it is one of my favorite DIY chalkboards ever. My husband and I did the lettering free-hand. Pretty cool!





We also made a sign for our porch with our house number by painting a cheap resin plaque from the flea market. Everyone has loved it!

Next I have a couple of faux grain sack projects to show you.

We have had this bench at the foot of our bed since summer. It was a $5 yard sale purchase that I had planned to recover with a shabby-vintage white chenille blanket, but since summer the blanket has just been draped over it. It looked okay, but lately I have been on a French grain sack kick, and once I realized the price of vintage grains sacks wasn't going to work with my "pay next-to-nothing" decorating philosophy, I decided to try painting it to get the same look. I did it for literally nothing, since I had all the materials already.

Here is the before:

Well sort of before. I had already started painting it with the chalk paint. The legs were previously a dark wood.

And after...


Turned out fab! I simply taped off the pattern with painters tape and used a red sharpie. After the ink was dry I lightly painted over the pattern (while still taped) with a rusty acrylic paint color. Now I am wanting to paint red stripes all over the house!
*hint... the key to painting fabric with chalk paint is a good sanding afterward. It will smooth down the paint to feel almost like a soft fabric!

I did do one more grain-sack paint job. I repainted my blah-cheapy bar stools that didn't match the island in the kitchen and have been driving me crazy for 4 years. Simple and cheap update! Well not that simple. Painting bar stools is a pain! But they turned out nicely and the kitchen looks so ready for Christmas now.  Since I have a lot of Coca-Cola items, the red will carry over for all seasons.


Lastly, here is a sweet little antique composition doll that some people would find creepy and dirty, but I think she is just gorgeous. She has been in my booth since summer and no one has decided to adopt her so I figured it was time for her to have her forever home. When I brought home the frame for the chalkboard, I decided to bring her along and dress her up for Christmas. I have realized that part of the fun of having my own booth is "shopping" it from time to time!

 

I dressed her up as an angel with feathers and bling, and named her"Joy." Now she is an absolute doll!

Hope you have enjoyed your visit here and that your Christmas is full of  JOY!

Christmas Parties:
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/holiday-home-tour-2012-linky-party.html
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/
http://maleviksrosentradgard.blogspot.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
http://www.thevintagefarmhouse.com/

Emotional Outpouring and Prayers/Day of Silence

I never could have imagined when I started my blog that something like this would happen. That there would be a day and time that this fun place and space where I escape, this virtual reality that is one of my comforts, could provide no solace or escape from the "real world." Every blog post I have made has been fun and stress relieving. But  no amount of blogging about my junk adventures or decorating accomplishments, or any amount of pinning inspirational ideas can provide  an escape at all.

Looking at Christmas decorations makes me feel guilty. I just want to be with my children but even that seems to upset me, as the awful reality of feeling insecure and unsafe about their future and security becomes almost too scary to face. Christmas will never be the same for those people, but I honestly don't think it will ever be the same for those of us on the outside who feel so helpless because there is nothing we can really ever say or do to REVERSE this nightmare. Our prayers are  with these people but also we should lift each other up, the strangers, the readers, the citizens who are on the outside looking in. We are all affected and we have all had our Christmas spirits darkened and our nerves frazzled.

"GOD be with us all, and please we ask you openly and humbly to be in our presence providing divine intervention forprotection from the dark forces of this world. We ask in faith that you  protect our children and loved ones every second of every day. Please spare us from ever experiencing what those parents and families are going through at this very second that I type this post. Please provide them the COMFORTER you promised. Send the Holy Spirit that comforts them in a way they cannot explain, to ease their sorrows and help them transition into this new and lonely, sorrowful phase of life that you have allowed to come upon them. Provide the strength they need to face these changes and HELP THEM FIND SOME SORT OF PURPOSE IN THEIR SORROWS!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I debated blogging about this at all but how can just post pictures of all my trinkets and treasures as if that is the most important thing in life? How can I talk about Christmas as if its the most wonderful time of the year, because right now, its really not.  A lot of what was most important to me Thursday evening has taken a back seat. My priorities are back in order but I am too shaken up to even be able to enjoy my family or think about celebrations at all.
I have been given a deep sense of empathy and I have had lifelong problems with internalizing the pain and suffering of others. This event has ripped my spirit, challenged my faith, and affected my health. I am experiencing a flare up of Lupus and Fibromyalgia pain as I have cried so hard and lost a lot of sleep over this. But nothing I face can compare to the pain of those families who are living in this nightmare and I pray that any strength I have be given to the victim's families and friends, and indeed the entire community. So many lives affected.

"Lord we need PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TOWARD MEN this Christmas. We need to understand that Christmas message and we just can't feel that peace or believe it is possible unless you intervene in a supernatural way and give us that peace." Amen.

I am participating in the blogger's day of silence tomorrow and I will be putting my creative energies into prayers.

Amber

Christmas Favorites 2012

                                                               Merry Christmas!!!!
Holidays are the busiest time for most people, but especially so for us music teachers! I have several programs and choir performances to direct over the next two weeks in addition to trying to keep up with my antiques business and family Christmas celebrations. I have been decorating non-stop since Thanksgiving and I have finally gotten to a place where I can sit down and find enough time for a small post.

These are some of my favorite instagram pictures from around the house this Christmas. Enjoy!

                                         Welcome to The Ferguson's Christmas home!

 

It really is my old Kentucky home, and it really is a cozy cottage, especially at Christmas. I hope you find it cozy as you read!

        
                                                                       I love Santa. I'm pretty sure.

           And I love vintage Christmas, as I am sure most everyone already knows, (including Santa, which is always good since he can bring me more vintage stuff to make me very merry.)

Here is how I used my vintage Christmas goodies last year: http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2011/12/merry-very-vintage-christmas-sneak-peak_10.html

http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2011/12/two-weeks-before-christmas-open-house.html

             I am going to have to say that this Santa is the epic flea market find of Summer 2012. Did I mention that I collect vintage Santas? Did I need to mention that? Is "collect" the right word?

 

I happen to "collect" Santa's little helpers too!

 

                  I love incorporating elements of Christmas through the ages. This tree has ornaments from the early 1900's-1950 and a few old-world inspired handmade ornaments as well.

           My little boy made these cinnamon ornaments all by himself with only minor assistance from me. I love them! They smell so good and they are dear to my heart!


 Vintage red-rimmed enamelware and plaid items just go together with Christmas. An old ice cream canister adds to the wintry display.

          My magic snow globe reveals whatever Christmas wish I may have.

I am obviously wishing for more grain sack...

 

 
     I call this the "I'll Be Home For Christmas" vignette. I used my grandfather's war letters bundled up with some vintage Christmas stamps and displayed on my beloved Remington 1912 typewriter. My grandfather was a stenographer in the Korean war so I think this all came together perfectly even though it was spontaneous. Christmas magic!



Our artificial tree is over 9 feet tall and its nearly impossible for me to get a picture of the whole thing due to its position in the dining room. This year I changed it up a bit and added a lot more red and a candy cane/vintage theme instead of my browns and amber hues from the past several Christmases. I kept the burlap garland from last year but I added an ivory  tulle garland and I love the juxtaposition of rustic and dreamy textures.


We have two wonderful Scottish Terriers, so you will always find some Scotty accents around the house at Christmas.


This morning I found that my holly bush had finally produced berries. How festive! I created this bouquet. By the evening I had tweaked it even more and added some bling.

Simply Christmas display: The warmth of a candle displayed on an  ironstone platter,  surrounded by old lace and fresh cut pine.

               Oh to have some snow! Since its not looking like we will see any this Christmas, I decide to create a whole wintry white scene on my buffet that will last through February with just a little tweaking. The chalkboard is a project my sweetie and I completed together. Being too impatient to use a transfer or downloadable graphic, I had my artist-husband help me free-hand some of this chalkboard lettering. It is our own design and each of us worked on the different words. I love the old 1800's frame that I found at a flea market for $5.00 back in the spring. Followers may recognize it as the one I had "framing" a mannequin in my antiques booth for a while..I am so glad it didn't sell because it made a perfect chalkboard frame, especially for a "white Christmas" display!

Wishing YOU the season's joy, dear blogging friends of mine! Have yourself a Merry little (vintage) Christmas!


*If this is your first time visiting my blog, I encourage you to check out some of my past posts. This is certainly not one of my better posts in terms of photography and presentation, but I have been struggling to wrap my mind around what we have just experienced. My prayers go out to all those suffering in this great time of tragedy in our country and also in China where a similar event occurred this week. May God's light and comfort be with us all and especially with those families who lost their dear loved ones and may we all find the peace of Christ this Christmas.

Christ Parties:
http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/12/knick-of-time-tuesday-65.html
http://www.commonground-do.com/
http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/feathered-nest-friday_20.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:
http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/2012/12/home-sweet-home-98.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed: TheCharmOfHome (The Charm
 of Home)
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/
http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

Use What You Have Christmas Decorating

Hello friends!

I am finally finished with my holiday decor (you know how that goes...do we decorators ever finish?) but I haven't had a chance to sit down and blog or really get any good pictures, so for tonight I am just showing a few little favorites that I took on my iphone using instagram. Hopefully I will get a better blog post up before Christmas, IF I can ever get off pinterest. Everytime I get on there I get so many more ideas and keep adding and changing and tweaking! It never ends!

Here are pictures of a couple of my favorite small gatherings:

 I really like how this turned out and it was so easy. I  just added some Christmas things to what I already had in my sitting room on these little shelves ( the inside of a $5 grandfather clock to which we gutted, repainted, and added some shelves). I simply put a lovely bottle brush in an antique baby shoe used as a "tree stand," with some vintage tinsel and pearls draped around it. Then I replaced a picture with  a little vintage winter angel gift tag in my antique flower frog. I am loving antique flower frogs right now! I can feel a new addiction forming...

The beautiful little vintage-Frenchy gift tag standing in the flower frog  actually is vintage-French.

My aunt bought this one and several others in Paris in the mid 1980's to decorate our family Christmas packages (I have seen reproductions of these over the years, and its possible that departments stores in the US also sold them at the same time) I was in sixth grade when I received my gift ( French perfume purchased in Paris, "Cabotine de Gres).  It was wrapped in the most gorgeous French wrapping paper. I remember it being off-white and gold,  and I also remember I was captivated by the paper as much as the perfume and I kept scraps for my scrapbook.  A sign of things to come!

"To Amber: Joyeux Noel!" was written on the tag. I have been hooked on vintage-French and Victorian images ever since!

Here is another of the sweet little tags. I do find it amazing that as a 12 year old girl I kept the tags because of their beauty and charm and I have held on to them for 25 years!

Once again on this shelf I just added some wintry things. I love the addition of the little "snow" owl, who had previously been in my kitchen on my year-round miniatures shelf. As I read your blogs I  realized that many of you are doing the same thing I am doing and have discovered  that we can also apply the "use what you have" decorating philosophy to holiday decorating as well. With some creativity I have been able to can come up with unique and meaningful holiday displays without the hassle of packing everything up and replacing my whole decor with common Christmas decorations.  In the future I will be refraining from buying new, mass produced holiday decor and with the exception of some vintage Christmas treasures I find on my junk adventures,  I will be using everyday junk decor in new ways.

If you sit a vintage ironstone pitcher and a silverplate platter on the table after a day of junking in June, do you think, "those look like Christmas decorations?" Probably not, but what could be more perfect than the shades of white and silver which mimic the colors of  winter snow and ice?

I love the challenge of "repurposing and upcycling" my decorating ideas as well as my junk! I used this technique all through the house this Christmas and I think I am enjoying this year's decor more than any other. Hopefully I will get some chance throughout the busy holidays to show you a little more, but for now its time to enjoy YOUR decorating, so I am off to check out your beautiful homes!

Joyeux Noel!


Christmas parties!

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