It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

It's now looking like Christmas throughout the house!
It was a luncheon with a few rug hookers yesterday & everyone enjoyed the atmosphere of the season & the Christmas home tour.
Now it is your turn, I hope you enjoy your visit!

                                Ring the knocker to hear "Baa Humbug, Merry Christmas!"

We have not had any snow that has stayed yet & as of December the 6th, it is very odd with no snow.

          Bill has put together this winter vignette & I've dressed Lucy in her Mrs Claus outfit.

It is so nice to have a covered porch to hang a wreath that will not be totally exposed to the outdoors.

                            The potting shed has had some decorations placed on it too!
                                              Let's go inside now, shall we?

When you enter through the front door, look up, look way up!!

The front foyer has the glass mezzanine & Bill has hung some evergreen from the metal posts.

                    A Nutcracker awaits the arrival of those that take the elevator to the second story.

                      A head-on view of the second story elevator with the nutcracker outside.

                               A view looking down,  from the second story front mezzanine.

And we're back on the top of the mezzanine, the glass gives a real open feel to the area above.

                 An angel awaits in the guest room for our family in Alberta to arrive for Christmas.

A large round vintage mirror holds a winter playground to view. It sits on the glass dragon table in the library sitting area.

The original mezzanine has some special Christmas pieces in it. This was Nicholas' rocking chair where he was very young & had his 'timeout time' rocking in it. It was a gift from his great Aunt Isabel when he was born.

I've been finding old Christmas memories as I've been unpacking more boxes. This doll was gifted to me many years ago from my mother-in-law Eva. It has a windup key that allows the doll to rock her baby when it is wound. Christmas is memories of our loved ones.

The photo in the back was taken 17 years ago, it was my fathers last Christmas with us. Then in a Christmas book, I found this photo of Mitchell holding Boris Loree on his first Christmas in 2005!
It gave me a great idea for Baxter Loree & Bridget Loree, I'm going to have Mitchell & Nicole hold them whilst I take a photo of them wearing Santa caps. I hope it works out & if it does, I'll be posting that photo!

              I hung the Christmas Bargello upstairs this year. It really works in that space! And can be viewed from the great room too!

 Since the London furniture has arrived, there is no room for the hanging Bargello there now!
Eva's corner unit holds the Jim Shore collection that I have here.

This rabbit was from Liz, several years back & Nicholas found the Canadain Santa for me a couple of years ago. The snowperson with the nautical theme is just right for here!

We are now down the last of the stairs & are entering the great room. This room holds the giant Christmas tree that Jocelyne helped me bring home last year & again helped me get it set up for this year. It may very well become our annual thing! LOL.Thank you, my friend!

                                        This tree really is a thing of beauty, it looks so real!

                                                     See how tall it is, it goes to the next story!

Come & sit down whilst I take you around the room. It is really beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 This sweet piece my new find in an antique shop in Chatham, what a find for $5.00! It even has a barber working on a client inside the shop! Look through the window!

 Bill placed Santa & his reindeer onto of the old oak  TV unit. It has moving parts when turned on!

The new grey/white Santa & tree, a gift from Kathleen, is nested in the corner by the fire box.

 Grandma & Granpa Richardson's canvas painting has their Christmas bells hung on it. When the middle bell has its string pulled, it plays music. Fond memories of Bill's childhood.

A grouping of Christmas memories of ceramics made by Mrs Maday & an old Christmas music box that was Eva's, Bill mom.

                                                Fun Christmas photos from Christmas' past.

  A rainy day today as the nutcrackers stand on guard in the window sill. I like rain, you don't have to shovel it! lol

The house will have more bits & bobs added to it before Bill & the kids come home on the 22nd.
I just love Christmas & the joy that happens every year, if you just believe!
Now let's go into the kitchen/dining room.

                                           There's a place for you to sit down as I tour you around!

 The horse towel holder has on of the Santa caps that I'm going to put on the pups for their first Christmas with us. The tea towel is an April Cornell with the shortbread cookie recipe on it. I have yet to make a batch of those cookies...maybe this year I will!

 This is Nick the Reindeer & he sings & taps his foot to 'Don't worry, be happy'. The pups want to shred him, so he's on the counter for safe keeping! lol

 I took this photo early this morning, before sunrise, the lights really brighten the area around the dining room table.

 The table is now ready for Christmas entertaining... it was great yesterday have several fellow rug hookers for a lasagna luncheon around it. So much fun & laughter had by all.

This is the table this morning! Round two on trying to get the Christmas cards finished! lol

 This is the view under the chandelier, it has apples, pears, & red berries. I found a piece of fabric that Christal quilted up for me & it looked just like the decor around the lights!

Some things are just meant to be!! The backside of the table topper is done in black & re buffalo check, with red/black piping. I'll show it for the Christmas Eve dinner.

 Joycelyne gifted me with this beautiful poinsettia, it was 14kt gold electroplated in Ontario. She saw it at the Moncton Craft show & thought of me! Thank you, it is beautiful!!

I took pinecones from our property & wired them onto the wreaths I made from the faux evergreen garland. The Santa has a ring of fruit around his head.

                                          The large kitchen mirror comes to life with the lights!

The pantry has been decorated too!!

                          The stained glass poinsettia piece was made by me many years ago.

 Bill brought this wee wooden tree home for me from Germany this year. It comes apart & stores flat, how IKEA is that! I just love it!

 Diane, a fellow rug hooker gifted me with this spreader knife, it lights up when turned on, very festive!

 I purchased this snowman from a local artisan a few years back, he is just wonderful! I love snowmen, maybe because of childhood Frosty The Snowman. lol

 I've decorated the bedroom for Christmas, just the top of the canopy bed though.
See that lump under the white quilt?

 Here's a closer view, it's Mr Boots, he sleeps under that cover every day! He likes to be warm & cozy.

                                    I love holly at Christmas time, so I accented the canopy with it.

 Suzie, my Missouri USA friend gifted me with these horses this summer, I just love them & Heather made me this wreath last year & it fits so well in the bedroom decor. Heather is a neighbour & friend with such wonderful knowledge of gardening. I have been taught a lot about gardening from her.

                        Yes Suzie, I will think of you, my American friend,  when I look at these horses!

                               I thought of Bill as soon as I saw this metal sign! XO

                                    The Santa mat can be found in the laundry room this year.

 The stained glass piece that I had made for the London washroom, fits horizontally in Bill's washroom & is complemented with a stained glass & wire wreath.

                          I finally got cushion covers made for the dressing room swivel chair.

 Recognize the chair, Margaret? It's the one you gave us in the 80's, it was black, I painted it white but through the years the black is showing through. I just love the height & movement to it when I'm putting on my shoes. My balance just isn't what it use to be.

 And these two will turn one year old in a couple of weeks. They are so different in looks & in personality! They fill each & every day of my life & I couldn't image my life without them.

 Well, I hope you enjoyed your tour through the house & had a great time visiting.
Maybe you got a Christmas decorating idea from one of the photos?
I'm just glad you came!

Merry Christmas, enjoy the season. I find this one goes by so fast! Then the long winter & the waiting for the spring thaw. I don't think that it is going to be too bad this year, we have only had rain so far but sooner or later we will turn the corner & have snow, wind, & ice, in other words 'winter' will be upon us. I still love to see each season evolve.

As it is said, 'This too will pass!'

Merry Christmas!
Cynthia

PS Sorry for the tarty posts, life just gets in the way! LOL