Sideboard Inspiration

We're counting down the days now  and I have a few more things that I want to share. I made a quick stop here at the sideboard on the  Christmas House Tour, but I wanted to show a little more detail.

This lantern is one of two matching that I bought this year.

and it was the inspiration for my sideboard.

I wanted a serene "Jeanne D'Arc" feel to the entry and Living Room.

This little bottle brush wreath

 and the bubble print portrait of Mary are separate,

they just happened to fit together beautifully.

 (sorry for the glare of the overhead spots)

I also found these wonderful moss covered pinecones 

and a battery operated candle to add to the lantern

with my Mary and Baby Jesus statue.

A few of my favorite vintage postcards and an ex voto in flower frogs.

I found this wonderful Madonna of the Goldfinch print 

in this chippy frame a few years ago.

Here's a little information about the painting:

Madonna of the Goldfinch by Raphael or Raffaello

Renaissance Art by Raphael Sanzio or Raffaello

Madonna of the Goldfinch, Madonna del Cardellino (1505). Artist: Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) or simply Raphael or Raffaello. Madonna of the Goldfinch is a vintage Renaissance fine art religious portrait painting. The Virgin Mary is holding a book, with identifies her as Sedes Sapientiae ("Seat of Wisdom"). The goldfinch is a symbol of Christ's future violent death. The young Saint John the Baptist offers the goldfinch to Christ in warning of his future.

This captured the feeling I wanted this year,

serene and spiritual.

Just a few more days...

hope you have a wonderful week!

xoxo,

Tuesday Treasures at My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia

Primp your Stuff at Primp 

House Party at No Minimalist Here

Milk Carrier Paperwhites

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

A little more with Paperwhites...

For me, Paperwhites are just the embodiment of a natural theme for Christmas. I usually buy about 75 to 100 each year of the Ziva variety and have them planted in containers between Thanksgiving and Easter. This year I was behind schedule in getting them ordered, so they didn't arrive until the week after Thanksgiving.

I love using vintage containers for them, from soup tureens to just stacking the bulbs in peat pots. However you do it, there's an instant feeling of Christmas.

I love candles, and have one burning almost every day, but the thrifty part of me hates throwing away a perfectly wonderful glass jar. I saved them for awhile, not knowing for sure what I wanted to do with them, but after a "clean out" of my stash this summer, I just had 3 from this season to use.

I like using pea gravel and a little potting mix with my bulbs. I just like the way it looks rather than seeing the roots...just me. Then I cover them with some moss to hold in the moisture. I Didn't get that far with these.

The main thing is just to cover the bottom third, otherwise the bulb will rot. So into the candle jars with a little burlap ribbon on the outside, and then into the milk carrier. 

Keep in a bright window. In order to keep the stems from getting too long and falling over, you can water with a mix of rubbing alcohol and water in a 10/ 1 mixture. Not too much alcohol, just enough to stunt it's growth. (so many jokes for this...but I'll refrain)

I wish I'd been saving my candle jars earlier, in order to make a full carrier of them. A lttlle faux greenery will have to do for this round. I imagine I'll do another set in January. (I'm saving my candle jars now!)

Here they are this morning, after my camera made it back.

here's a link to using an alcohol solution to keep them manageable.

A super easy little project, you can use any jar, or jars and put them in a grouping, no carrier needed, just have fun with them. I buy mine from Blooming Bulb, but you have to order early. They also have a huge variety of Fall Bulbs and lot's of gorgeous "green" Christmas ideas.

I'll be linking up with:

Between Naps on the Porch

A Stroll thru Life

Coastal Charm

A Time to Create

Cherished Treasures

Dittle Dattle

Savvy Southern Style

Faded Charm

www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

xoxo,

Christmas Kitchen Kitsch

What better place to be "kitschy" than in the kitchen?

I found this little stack of drawers this year...

and it was just the right fit...

for a few little homeless reindeer and trees...

How's you're Saturday going,

Are you getting a lot of Christmas-y "things" done?

Hope this put a little smile on your face...

xoxo,

Just to let you know...

...that I have a few more 

of these picture charm pendant necklaces that I just listed

 in my Etsy Shop.

Old St. Nick

front

back 

"Believe" Santa

front 

back 

If you order quickly, I can get these in the mail next day

so they could be there in time for Christmas.

thanks everyone!

Be sure to use the WINTER2011 code for 15% off on all items.

And Hey...

Vintage Inspiration Friday

is still going strong,

Just scroll down if you haven't linked up yet.

Have a great weekend,

xoxo,

Vintage Inspiration Friday # 68 Inspired by Paperwhites

I discovered Paperwhites about 8 years ago and I've been smitten since. My Christmas decor leans to the "natural" most of the time, and nothing says "Christmas" to me like paperwhites. Some people find they are heavenly scented, others just the opposite. But however you feel about their scent, I think we all agree they are beautiful...and super easy to create a big impact wherever they might be.

They are at home in an elegant setting.

You can dress them up or down, 

depending on the container and the surroundings.

and equally gorgeous in an old crate or bucket

En masse they are amazing...

So many different containers can be used, vintage or new

Mantles or centerpieces

A beautiful addition to your Holiday decor.

Check out this article in the current Southern Living Magazine

for some how-to tips.

(All photos above on my Paperwhite Board at Pintererst)

A few years ago I found this wonderful large blue transfer soup tureen,

and as it had no lid, I bought it on the cheap.

I don't guess I have another photo of this container in full bloom,

not sure why, but it was wonderful!

Here's one of this years containers. 

This photo was taken about a week and a half ago,

and today

I had forgotten about the matching green transfer platter,

so it's now holding the paperwhites in the soup tureen.

More on Paperwhites this weekend!

Let's see what was happening last week at the party!

If you missed this post from Home is Where the Boat Is.

you absolutely have to go visit.

My favorite kind of tablesape; Garden Inspired!

Elaine at Sunny Simple Life painted a wonderful bookshelf white

and now it's in the kitchen holding some fun Christmas decor.

Jennifer from Town and Country Living

takes us on a walking tour to share some wonderful Historic front porches.

If you don't know Jeanine from Chippy Shabby,

then Hey, where have you been?

This girl is tops in fabulous vintage displays.

Go check out the wonderful Christmas fun.

Jessie from A Cozy Cottage in the City shares her vintage

holiday decor on a wonderful mantle display.

My sweet friend Kate from Salvage Dior

always has the most amazing things in her space at Country Roads.

Pop over and check it out, you'll be in heaven!

And Donna at the Decorated House

has me in love with her wonderful Christmas mantle.

Each week just gets better!

Thanks so much for taking the time to join the party,

you all are THE most talented people in blogdom!

Grab the image for your sidebar if you'd like,

we still have a couple more weeks of Christmas fun.

and please have a link to Common Ground within your post.

I'm joining in with LaurieAnna's Farmhouse Friday

French Country Cottage for Feather Your Nest Friday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday

Stuff and Nonsense for Fridays Unfolded

2805 for Potpourri Friday

Holiday Hugs and Love,