Rocking the Red

I have just about finished all my Christmas shopping and wrapping…good thing since it looks like Christmas will be here in three days whether I am ready or not.    I am linking to the Merry Rednesday party @ It's a Very Cherry World because I just happen to have lots of red going on here in my home right now.

Not only is the red going on in my home, it is going on…on my feet.  A co-worker gave me these comfy spa socks for Christmas.    They are scented like peppermint.     Too bad  scratch and sniff isn’t available on the internet yet.

                       

Enough of my sweet smelling feet.    Moving on to the red sisal tree in my den.

Earlier this week while doing some Christmas shopping I got caught up a little too much in the season and bought myself a few things for Christmas.     I do my best shopping for me when I am supposed to be shopping for others.    Does that happen to anyone else?   The red mercury glass candleholder and the large red striped mercury glass ornament were my gifts to myself.

Another purchase for me….a small tin sign.    I couldn’t pass it up…it was on clearance for 99 cents at the neighborhood drug store.

Another drug store find…this cute little red bird votive holder.    He was 50% off so for the price of $3.00 he flew home with me.

The red apple swag in my kitchen was an after Christmas buy at Michaels a few years ago.    The red rope lights that you can see a portion of in this picture are hung  throughout our kitchen.     If the kitchen had been clean, I would have taken a picture of the lights on top of our kitchen cabinets but it isn’t, so I didn’t.

My final red item is this set of Mississippi cocktail napkins.     They will be a present for a childhood friend of mine who no longer lives in Mississippi.    She lives way up in the state of Washington so we don’t get to see each other very often.    Each year I get her something that is Mississippi related to remind her of home.

It’s crunch time and I may not have the opportunity to blog anymore before Christmas so I would like to wish each and every one of you a truly blessed Christmas.

Marlee

And all through the house…

It has been a beautiful sunny day here in Mississippi and I was fortunate enough to spend it with family.    My husband’s sister and her family were in town so we celebrated Christmas with them this morning.     My hubby cooked us a wonderful brunch….two quiches – a grits quiche and a spinach quiche.    He also fixed country fried potatoes which are red potatoes boiled for seven minutes with the peeling still on and then fried in a big skillet with onion.     Very yummy.     For “dessert” we had a cranberry pecan bundt cake from Sam’s.     I couldn’t believe how moist and tasty it was…a real hit with the crowd.

But enough of that….on to the reason for this post….a tour of my holiday home.     I was still putting the finishing touches on the décor a few minutes before my guests arrived.     I keep looking at all the wonderful blogs out there and become inspired by what I see and make changes every day.    I have actually changed a few things since they left.     Let’s get started in my dining room.

This is a pic of the china hutch I inherited from my aunt.   Sorry for the poor quality of the picture.     My camera sucks and so do my photography skills but that is not going to stop me from taking pictures.   HA.

A close up of the top of the hutch.    I love how the mirror has aged and wouldn’t consider having it re-silvered.

The antique sideboard and mirror also inherited from my aunt.

My dining room table with a view of the tree in the dining room and a partial view of the angel tree in the den.    Somebody really needs to iron that tablecloth.

The tree in the dining room.    Check out the cute photographer in the mirror.

A few Santas from my collection.    I tucked some fresh cedar behind them.

This is where I got the cedar….from this huge tree in my front yard.     My hubby has lights strung on it and it looks beautiful at night.     If I had a better camera, I would be able to take a picture of it at night.    {Santa, if you are reading this, I would love a new camera for Christmas}

Nativity sets in foyer.

Vignette on demilune table in foyer.

Moving on to the den now for a peek at the angel tree.   The tree is on a rotating base and I love to sit on my throne in my chair and watch the angels “fly” by.

The mantel…you can see the top of the angel tree and the portrait of Santa in the reflection of the mirror.    My mantel theme this year was Peace and Joy.

A close up of the left side of the mantel.

And a close up of the right side of the mantel.

Santa keeps his eyes on us while we are in the den.

This is the Santa portrait that you saw in the reflection of the mirror above my mantel.     I love how my angel tree is reflected in the portrait.

A portion of my Christmas village that is on the bookshelves in the den.

Another view of the village.

The nature themed tree on my sun porch.   The camera did not catch it’s true beauty.

The woodland Santas and gnomes under the nature tree.

A close up of the larger woodland Santa.    I love his fur trimmed cape.

One of my baking Santas in the kitchen.

And the other baking Santa complete with 10 lbs. of flour.

Martha Stewart glitter houses on a shelf in the kitchen.

Another shelf in the kitchen.    I meant to tie a ribbon on that pear and forgot.

I shopped the house and yard to make this arrangement….used clippings from the cedar tree mentioned earlier in the post and clippings of holly leaves and berries.   The pine cone came from a neighborhood park.     I have about six pine cone trees in my yard and they don’t produce pine cones so I have to forage the neighborhood if I want a pine cone.

My Christmas pitcher on top of the kitchen cabinets.

Christmas platter on top of the kitchen cabinets.

And the Christmas plate on top of the cabinets.      The snowman vase, Christmas pitcher, platter and plate were all created by Gail Pittman who is a Mississippian.     She has designed for many celebrities including Faith Hill and Oprah Winfrey (also Mississippians), Katie Couric and Paula Deen.

If you are still reading this, I thank you very much for staying with me til the end of this long post.     I hope you have enjoyed the tour and will come back and visit again.

I am linking to Funky Junk Interiors.

Marlee

My Favorite Ornaments

Hello friends!  Today I am going to share with you pictures of my favorite Christmas ornaments.       Now that most of my shopping is done and the packages are wrapped, I am really beginning to get into the spirit of the season and hope that you are also.

This is a picture of a section of my nature tree which is on my sun porch.   You can spot a red bird, sparkly gold deer, and a gold acorn if you look closely.   White pinecones and white snowflakes light the tree  with gold plaid ribbon and grapevine garland running through it.

Pictured above is St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment.   He is one of my new ornaments this year and has found a home appropriately on my nature tree.     Love his crackled finish.    It’s hard to tell from the photo, but he is holding a bird in his hand.   I also have a St. Francis statute outside in the garden.

This cute little pinecone elf was found at World Market last year.    He reminds me of vintage ornaments that I remember and cherish from my childhood.     Each year we had a set of little pinecone elves on top of our piano.    I often wonder what happened to them.

Love the Christmas cap on this cute little white bird.

My birthday is in December and my sister always wraps her present for me with an ornament as part of the packaging.    She knows how much I like birds so this year I got a red bird.

My angel tree, which comforts me,  is in the den.    In this pic you see a white angel with lacy wings, my angel wing garland, a mercury glass ornament which I bought this year at Wal Mart and the white pearl colored ornaments.    The angel tree is on a rotating base and I love to sit and watch the angels as they “fly” by.     Quite the stress reliever for me.

Another white angel.

This white angel takes on a pinkish tint when the lights hit it.

I guess you have figured out by now that the majority of ornaments on my angel tree are white.

I bought a few acrylic snowflakes this year and love the way they reflect the light.

I drink a lot of hot tea so when I saw this cute little glittery tea cup, I had to have it.

Last, but certainly not least, is the fiber optic angel topper who watches over us all.

What about you….what are your favorite ornaments and do you add to your collection each year?

Thank you for visiting!   Please come back soon.

Marlee

I am linking to all these wonderful, fun parties that are loaded with inspiration.    A special thanks goes out to the special ladies who host them.

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Holiday @ French Country Cottage

Christmas Open House @ Coastal Charm

Holly Bloggy Christmas Home Tour @ Shabby Chic Cottage

Share the Décor Party @ No Minimalist Here

Favorite Things @ Bargain Hunting with Laurie

Holiday House Tours @ Hooked on Houses

A Humble Beginning

Wow…it’s been rush rush rush these past few weeks and I haven’t done much blogging.    I have missed it and intend to remedy the situation right now.     Lynn at Happier Than A Pig in Mud is hosting a Reason for the Season party and I am happy to share my nativity sets with you.

My honey and I purchased this set of porcelain nativity figures at a Christmas shop in the Smoky Mountains about 20 years ago.   Being the handy guy that he is, he built the stable out of leftover materials.     The roof is cedar shingles and he used two sticks from the yard to hold the roof up.     This set holds a special place in my heart.

A close up of the Baby Jesus….the true Reason for the Season.

My glass nativity set in the background is sitting on a mirror behind this ornament.    I couldn’t get a good picture of it but I love how it sparkles in the light.

The two white and gold ornaments came from Cracker Barrel a couple of years ago.     I bought several and gave them as Christmas gifts to my sons’ Sunday school teachers.

This cute little nativity set came from The Dollar Tree and you guessed it, it cost $1.00.      These were gifts to Sunday school teachers also.

A panoramic view of my nativity sets….they sit on a dresser in my foyer with a string of white lights backlighting the display.

Thank you for stopping by.

Merry Christmas!!

Marlee