New Year's Tree

I like to change things out after Christmas. I enjoy the Christmas decor while it's up, but then after Christmas, I like to put things away and return to a "winter" theme in my decor. I purposefully chose to limit my actual Christmas decorations this year and focused on just adding bits and pieces into my surroundings. One thing I really love is my New Year's Tree, that I put together a few years ago. I still wanted some sparkle and whimsy after putting away the Christmas things, and so my little tree was conceived. Stark pewter branches are bejeweled with glitter snowflakes, tiny bells, antique watch faces, blue miniature Shiny Brites, and little doves. It's become my way to usher in the New Year with prayers for peace, joy, and God's blessing.

This year I added two new ornaments found on sale after Christmas,

depicting old clocks.

(all other items thrifted from the fleas)

and a vintage clock face.

It's here in the Entry, 

where it's a reminder of a fresh new beginning.

I you'd like to see the original post from December 2009,

 with my thoughts on spending our Time,

 then just Click Here

joining in at these parties this week:

The Dedicated House
Between Naps on the Porch
Cozy Little House
Cedar Hill Ranch
Creative Cain Cabin
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Stone Gable 
From My Front Porch To Yours
Rooted in Thyme
The Charm of Home
Craftberry Bush
My Romantic Home

Thank you all, for your sweet friendships.

What a blessing you are in my life.

xoxo,

Vintage Inspiration: #120 Holiday Review

We're winding down the Christmas Season, but I never get tired of seeing all the amazing Christmas posts. And thanks to Pinterest, we can save these great ideas and inspiration for next year, all in one place. This last week has been full of family here at the house, so I didn't get out a separate post on the Top Three from last week. But here are the Top Three visited links along with some other wonderful  vintage Christmas posts.

Polly at Georgie Emerson Vintage
gives us a tour of her Christmas kitchen,
 full of vintage goodness.

Pam from White Ironstone Cottage

shared her thoughts on "home" for the Holidays.

Julia from Vintage With Laces 
has had a full Christmas season with being a Pet rescue angel.
But she still made time to create a beautiful

Vintage White Christmas

Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns

shares her mom's Christmas Tree art,
 made from vintage bling.

Lynn from the Vintage Nest

has a  precious canvas print of the Snowman Shepherd,
that fits perfectly in this "shabby" old frame.

Carolyn from Aiken House and Gardens

sets a cozy spot for a lovely cup of tea.

Sandi from A Cottage Muse

built a wonderful Christmas vignette around 

her "new" vintage chalkboard.

And my personal fave is this antique dough trough 

used as a manger for the nativity. 

You'll want to click on the photo in Becky's post

at From Generation to Generation.

It will bless your heart with a sweet reminder of the first Christmas.

Thank you, each one of you, 
who comes to link up every week!
Hope you'll join in today with 
"anything vintage or vintage inspired".
Please have a link within your post to be featured.

You'll also want to check out these other Friday Parties

for some more Holiday fun!

And on a blog "housekeeping" note, several of you have mentioned having some trouble getting my blog to load. Back in the Fall I changed over to a dot com address. If I'm on your blogroll, when you click on my link, it's having to route you over to the new address. If you have a minute just change out the old address for the new one, I think that should do it. Thanks for letting me know, don't want to lose you because of a technical glitch. 

OK, do you still have a little "party"

 left in you for this week?

love you bunches,

Can you relate...?

anyone else feel like this?

xoxo,

Christmas Snippets around the House

I've had a few minutes to sneak away today to just put together a few pics; little vignettes and snippets from around the house this week. I'm on my second planting of Paperwhites in the ironstone tureen. These are just getting started. And one of the wonderful candles from Kristen at Ella Claire, the Shoppe in an old grain scoop that I painted with ASCP last week. Holly and yew clippings make it Christmas-y.

LOVE the NOEL Banner she also sent me!

A Birch cone filled with faux greens, and some 

Holly and Ivy on the front door.

Silver basket with old Shiny Brites in the Living Room

Little concrete statue in the Dining Room with crown.

Hallway sideboard with feather tree.

Tarnished silver champagne bucket holds the tree.

These precious clay tags from

Rosemary at Villabarnes became ornaments.

She keeps coming up with wonderful new designs.

Each season I try to do something a little different with the urn on the coffee table. This year I added a small garland to the wreath with faux fruit that surrounds the faux evergreen topiary.

And one of my Nativity pieces; 

this snow globe that's also a music box 

from my husband a few years ago.

Tiny embossed greeting cards designed by my grandfather,

 from his printing shop from the 1930's. I really treasure these.

And on our way home from St. Louis earlier this month, we stopped by Washington, Missouri for a little lunch and antique shopping. I snapped these pics of two lovely homes in the historic district all dressed  for Christmas.

Love the ribbon on this wreath from the The Old Dutch Inn.

We always open presents on Christmas Eve,

 so the fun starts in just a few hours.

Have a blessed Christmas, everyone!

xoxo,

p.s. we'll be having Vintage Inspiration as usual this week

if you'd like to join in.

hope to see you then!