Easy Woodblock Christmas Gingerbread Houses

It seems like each year there's a new trend in Christmas decor, and the Gingerbread theme has been popping up everywhere the last few Christmas seasons. I love Gingerbread houses and Gingerbread Men/Women/People cookies as they are so traditional and geared toward the "kid" in us. I think most of us at one time or another attempted a Gingerbread House or cookies. The fun is in the creative process. Also nice if it turns out cute and actually stays in one piece!!

Giving Thanks in the Holiday Cupboard

Probably most of you are thinking like me; "Where has this year gone?" I don't know why this surprises me because my lifestyle isn't particularly hectic or do I have a crazy schedule. But the weeks go by and I'm  amazed when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around and come knocking on my door. I'm always thrilled to see them, but never really fully prepared.

Bronzed Turkey from Blah to Burnished

I know we all have holiday decor pieces that we've had for years; many of them holding sentimental feelings of family and tradition. Well, I have my share of pieces that are just simply part of the ritual of bringing out Thanksgiving and Christmas decor, but really need a spiff up to make them presentable and up to date.

Old World Nature Inspired Urn

Hi Friends, I'm sharing some of my favorite Fall and Thanksgiving inspiration posts from previous years, along with new posts with some fun ideas for making the transition of Fall and Thanksgiving to Christmas. Here's a magazine inspiration urn I put together several years ago from when I picked up a Victoria Magazine Special Edition, called Victoria Classic French Cottage . 

Heading to the Holidays

Hello Friends, thought I'd just wish you a fun start to the Holidays. So I found a couple of old buddies, living in the moment, that had it all together for the start of the Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. I'm doing my best to ease into both by celebrating Thanksgiving and looking forward to Christmas. Why can't we enjoy it all... real time.

We had a real deep freeze hit us this week with multiple night lows down to the teens, so I think I might be ready to start thinking about Christmas. I'm not ready for red and green, but I'm bringing some nature elements together that will tie November into December. 

I'm twisting my husband's arm for a drive in the country to enjoy the leaves. I remember one Halloween where my younger daughter and her friend Trick or Treated in the snow, but that's it. We usually don't have this cold weather until after November 1. 

Have Fun and Welcome to the Holidays!!!

Cottage ReView: Thanksgiving with Feathered Friends

Hello Friends, Here we go into the slide toward the holidays, so during the next few weeks I'll be sharing some inspiration for Thanksgiving and Christmas as I make the transition from Fall to Christmas.

French Country Dining Room for Fall

Hello Friends, welcome to the Fall Dining Room, where shortly it will make the transition to Thanksgiving. The mini French wagon is joining my Pottery Barn urn this season for a late fall look, that can easily transition to the Thanksgiving holiday with just a few minor change ups.

Cozying Up the Back Porch for Late Fall

We're heading into my favorite time of the year. Late Fall's brilliant color, cool days, and cozy nights have always been the season that renews my mind and heart. I always enjoy the change of seasons; winter to spring is my next favorite time of the year. But the brilliance of the leaves in late fall paints a canvas that undeniably lifts me body, mind and soul.

Late Fall Looks on the Sideboard and Cookbook Cupboard

Last post I shared my hearth room mantel and décor along with a few woodsy friends. I guess you could call this part 2 of the hearth room as the sideboard and cookbook cupboard are actually in the hearth room. 

Woodland Vibes on the Fall Mantel

Hi Friends, welcome to my late October Hearth Room! If you've known me long you know that I gravitate to woodsy, vintage themes in the hearth room and on the mantel, especially during the fall season. Quilts, pillows and accessories all take on the colors of the season to create a cozy space for relaxing and conversation.

Fall Leaves and Tea Time On a Tray

We're here in the sunroom today, which is also known as the Garden Room in the sitting area. This spot is such a great spot for coffee or tea, which is cozy, comfy and full of seasonal color.

Amber Glass for Autumn Displays

 Hello Friends, and all of you who love Fall and all the deep rich layers of this beautiful season. 

Today I'm sharing my Amber Glass pieces and collections and how I use them in decor, and in this case oftentimes in my harvest tablescapes. I only have a few pieces, all of them vintage. My favorite and most used piece is this vintage cake pedestal that I use for displaying vignettes under glass during Autumn. It's the perfect way to "elevate" and highlight small vignettes with a cloche in my dining room décor.

I'm using this pedestal this season to create a fall woodland cloche display with one of my favorite fall pieces; my paper mache squirrel box and a velvet bejeweled pear. I have it sitting here on the dining room table, and for an added boost in height, it's on top of a wooden column riser. Later, I moved this over to the buffet.

I'm not one to use a cake pedestal for cakes; cupcakes maybe, so this is usually how it appears each fall season. A small garland of fall leaves, nuts and berries, and some preserved fall leaves add a bit of embellishment.

Here's the pedestal that I used a few years ago to display a pumpkin in the Holiday Cupboard fall styling without a glass cloche. It worked beautifully along with the brown transferware.

Celebrating Fall in the Holiday Cupboard

In the garden room the coffee/table bench is frequently changing, with small vignettes for the season. Here I'm using a large vintage Amber glass jar paired with a small olive bucket candleholder, bittersweet, a mini pumpkin, and a single pear. Multi-hued fall leaves are all that's needed for an anchor on the table.

Embracing Fall in the Garden Room

Amber glass was first created to be used with contents that needed to be protected from sunlight such as medicine and foods that decompose quicker. Then Amber Glass was used in "Depression Glass" back in the 20's in many colors. This has been one of my all-time favorite coffeetable vignettes. The leaves and the bottle, and the pumpkin, pear and bittersweet perfectly sum up my feelings for the Autumn season.

Here's the bigger view with the sitting area that season.

And another grouping of Amber Glass with my set of vintage Fostoria,  Indiana Glass Cubist drinking glasses. This is a fall tablescape I created back in my first blogging house with a Scottish wool throw and brown transferware for Thanksgiving. This is one of my most read posts, and favorites of Fall.

Nature Inspired Thanksgiving Tablescape

I'm using the amber glassware with some antique Heisey glassware.

Mix and match brown transferware are one of my favorite settings.

I had fun putting together the windowbox used as a centerpiece, using deer shed antlers and fall foliage with pumpkins.

I'll be sharing the rest of my Dining Room later this week.

Thanks so much for coming by.

October Entry With the Snow Owls

I think we all have favorite décor pieces that have some sentimental significance for each season. I bring them out each year, but I do try to move them around and at least be a bit creative by using them in different settings and rooms.

Kitchen Niche with October Whimsy

Hello friends, here's a peek at my kitchen niche for October. This a fun spot in the kitchen that is yet one more flat surface that gets a seasonal update often. You know me, I can't leave a flat surface alone without a touch of some kind of décor.

Cottage Review: Woodsy Kitchen China Cabinet

I'm getting ready to tweak my "Early Fall" Holiday Cupboard, to an October version that has more current seasonal color and vibe to it. When we were living at our last home I didn't have a spot for the Holiday Cupboard, so I focused with seasonal dishes on my Kitchen China Cupboard. I used more dishes than odds and ends, but it was still fun to "decorate" with natural and seasonal bits of bittersweet and leaves.