common ground

Friday, December 7, 2012

Vintage Inspiration #117 Gifts from the Heart

Time for another Vintage Inspiration. I know this month will just fly by...and I know you all feel it too. There were so many wonderful links last week, I could feature all of you. Today I want to share one outstanding post that just personifies the joy of giving at Christmas.

Syliva from Sylvia's Simple Life shares her wonderfully made
"Gifts from the Heart".

If you don't know Sylvia and her beautiful blog, then you'll want to take this opportunity to visit. Each post is an amazing experience, and you feel like you've spent a moment just sharing her world. Here are a few photos from her post from last week, each one makes you feel like you're flipping through the pages of a magazine. The following images are some of her yummy recipes that we might gift to special people in our life.

Enjoy...

Thank you so much for sharing your recipes, Sylvia!

And here are a few more of the wonderful links from last week:

A traditional Christmas DIY Cranberry and Bay Leaf Garland

from Angela at Number Fifty-Three

A Rustic Christmas Gingerbread Vignette

by Carlene of Organized Clutter

Jean from Ruby and Arthur

shares her antique collection of beautiful and delicate
die cut calendar tops.

And a Tree Farm Inspired Sign Wall

from Courtenay at The Creek Line House

I also want to share some Christmas goodies

from one of my "Sweet" Sponsors,

Sweet Magnolias Farm.

Lots of fun Farmhouse Goods

just in time for Gift Giving

Bless Our Nest Burlap and Lace Tablerunner

Christmas Flour Sack Kitchen Towel

Women's Justin Black Leather Cowboy Boots

Thankyou, Abbey and Sara!

Hope you'll join in today with "anything vintage or vintage inspired". And since we're celebrating all things Christmas, please feel free to link up to three post of anything Christmas, including recipes, DIY, decor, traditions, and great finds for the Holidays. Please have a link within your post to be featured.

If you're in a party mood,

then here are some other fun Friday Parties to visit:

Have a great fun filled weekend!

xoxo,

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Top Three from Vintage Inspiration

Hi Everyone,

here are the top three from last week's party.

We had a great turnout,

thank you so much for joining in on the fun.

My sweet friend Julie from Idyllhours, found herself in a vintage ornament dilemma, would she "simplify", or would there be just "one more tree". Julie has a stash of vintage Christmas that will make your head spin...these amazing pink beauties just have to be admired!

I'm always inspired with Kate's decorating and photos. You'll want to see all that's going on in her amazing Christmas Kitchen from Kate's Place. Bread boards and Plaid wrapping paper are just two of my favorite things!

And Trisha from Glass Slippers is dreaming of a vintage Christmas with her wonderful vintage ornaments and Christmas decor. Love this little vignette with a great scale and bottle brush trees!

Thanks so much for joining in last week...so much Christmas fun!

Hope to see you Thursday morning for

Vintage Inspiration

Hope you're having a wonderful week,

xoxo,

Chalkboard Cheater...

OK, I'm the first to admit that there have been several other gals who have beat me to posting about finding a way to do a "faux" chalkboard. It's not that I don't love real chalkboards and respect the huge amount of talent and patience that goes into creating those amazing works of art. It's just that this year, decorating for Christmas has been a rush job in every sense of the word.

So I just had to resort to cheating...

Above my sideboard in the hallway is a perfect spot for a chalkboard. I wanted that look without all the work. sounds bad...but Hey, I just love all the ones you all are doing out there. And then there's the fact that I hate to think about all the hours put into coming up with a fabulous creation, only to have to wipe it down the week after Christmas!

So I just bought some black foam board at Michael's and then proceeded to enlist the help of my sis and her trusty Silhouette Machine.

I think it's pretty good.

Maybe not the real thing, but I love the look.

I bought the chalk markers, so hopefully at some point I can try to create a more "realistic" one that actually resembles a chalkboard design. But until then, I can pop this one out and then beg my sister to make me another one...maybe one that says "Happy New Year". Have I told you what a great sister I have?

Yep, she's the Best!

(she reads my blog, too)

For some great Chalkboard Inspiration

Click Here for my Pinterest Page

I'll be joining in these fun parties this week:

Savvy Southern Style

No Minimalist Here

From My Front Porch to Yours

Don't forget to check out all the fun shopping over here

at The Marketplace.

It's live all week.

Just scroll down to the next post.

xoxo,

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Marketplace: Let's do some Christmas Shopping

Hi Everyone! Ready for some shopping fun?

I think most of us have a handle on our decorating and now we're ready to get down to business with the shopping. I know I still have more to do...

so let's take a peek at some great items from last week!

Scripture Gift Set from Proverbs

from Sweet Home Treasures

Vintage Paris Silverplate Cafe Cup

from Garden House Studio

Box of Vintage Christmas Ornaments

from Upon a Dream Designs

JOY Christmas Tree Painting

from The Old Post Road

And today I wanted to share some of the fun Christmas items that

Sheila from Tattered Goods has in her wonderful Etsy Store.

She has a 15% Off Discount, so just click above to get the code.

Handmade Christmas Stocking with Ruffle

Handmade Flour Sack Tea Towel

Christmas Baking

Handmade Flour Sack Tea Towel

These make great Hostess Gifts

Wouldn't a row of those stockings be wonderful

for your Farmhouse Mantel?

Hope you'll run by and check out the Shop!

OK, time to link (up to three) of your individual items to your Etsy Shops and Online Stores. This linky is for items that are FOR SALE ONLY. Please link to the individual item if possible. You don't have to have a blog to link up, but if you do I'd love you to be a follower and grab the above button for your sidebar. The more people that know about The Marketplace the merrier! And remember this linky stays live, so you can check back throughout the week to see new listings.

Have a great week everyone,

and thanks so much for linking up AND for shopping here!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Christmas Mantel

I think my roots are showing...

my traditional decor roots that is.

I wanted to "Simplify" my Christmas decor this year, and I'm not sure I really did that. But as I was pulling things out and trying to get some inspiration about where I was going in the Living Room, I just knew that I wanted it to be different from years past. I let my "white" be the backdrop, and went for some greenery to liven things up.

I've kept the basics in here; my mirrors, vintage book bundles,

Wolff Pottery vases, and lamps.

Here are posts of the last two years mantels.

Click Here, and Here

And if you want to see

what it looked like in the beginning of my blog,

just click Here

(just a warning, things look really different)

I wanted a preserved Boxwood Wreath, but haven't been able to locate one, so I improvised with a basic faux greenery wreath and wired in some faux boxwood sprigs. (Oh, I know where some are on the Internet, just not willing to fork out those prices)

These topiaries that I made about nine years ago

have come back from the lower level family room decor.

And I found this wonderfully simple "Noel" sign at Leola's this year, letting it take center stage. I think a lot of us have wanted a more "simple" approach to our Christmas decorating, this year. I love decorating for Christmas, but putting it all away is the downside for going all out. Maybe I'm somewhere in the middle.