Welcome to The Marketplace: Just a little more for Christmas!

Hello Everyone, how's the Christmas Shopping going? (I'm not quite finished yet) A few weeks ago I won a great Give Away from Kristen at Ella Claire, the Shoppe. I used my gift certificate for an insane amount of the wonderful Cinnamon Mocha Candles. Don't they look edible? Well, they smell that way too. So I just wanted to say a big Thank You, and invite you over to her shop.

And Kristen knew how much I love her banners, so she sneaked this into the candle shipment. Thank you Kristen, I have it up on my mantel, hopefully pics coming this week!!

Here are a few of the great links from last week. 

Silver Plated Footed Compote

from The Penny and the Pearl

Vintage Christmas Light Bulbs from

Shabby Love Designs

Paper Rosette Bows

from Counting Your Blessings

Let It Snow Wooden Sled

from Follow Your Heart Woodworking

Resting Cow Lidded Butter Box

from Nancy at English Transferware

And Jessica is in the Sponsor Spotlight today with her fun little shop,

Scrap Eco Chic

Retro Vintage Santa Coasters

Kitchy Christmas Santa Face and Hands

Inspire Me Bundle of Pride and Prejudice Book Pages

And in just a few weeks we'll all be thinking Valentine's Day!

Valentines Day Posie Set of 4

Thanks Jessica!

We've had a super turnout here at The Marketplace these last several weeks. Hope you'll continue to come by and link up all your great Etsy and Online Boutique items. Next week we'll take the day off since it will be Christmas Eve and there will be family fun going on. So be sure and make a mental note to come back strong on New Year's Eve for some more shopping fun. This linky is for items that are FOR SALE ONLY. Link up to three of your items, hopefully with a direct link to the individual item. Thanks so much for coming by to link up and shop!

And thank you for all the congrats on the last post, I appreciate you all so much. What a sweet and generous group you all are!!!

Remember the links are open all week, so drop back by throughout the week to see what new items have been listed. OK, time to shop!

xoxo,

Thank You...

 Romantic Homes Magazine...

for the wonderful acknowledgement and honor

 of being included in your

 January 2013 publication.

 I always love finding new blogs and seeing old friends

 in the "Site Seeing" feature.

And a special thank you to Contributing Editor of Romantic Homes,
 Beth Livesay!

See you all tomorrow for

xoxo,

An Old Friend Visits for Christmas

I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine that came to visit in the Dining Room this year. He usually lives in the Family Area downstairs, but he's making an appearance in a special place to help us celebrate the joy of the Christmas Season.

My parents were antique lovers from the beginning, so when they found this wonderful wooden horse, it was already "vintage". He was a gift to me when I was very little. I think I may have been placed upon him only once, and after that they realized he would be better suited to being admired than ridden.

I took these first photos this morning 

and added a little sprig of holly to dress him up.

Don't you love his happy little smile?

Love the rusted little bell on his reins, 

and his perfect white chippy "coat".

He has an honored place here in the Dining Room,

 on my old metal plant stand.

This is an old wedding certificate I found this Fall at the Festival of the Ozarks Antique Show. It makes me sad that this isn't with their family any longer, but I will enjoy it for them...

This time of  year as we celebrate Christmas, we realize that it holds a special place in our hearts for family, joy, and peace that only knowing Jesus can bring. Not only knowing the little baby that was born in a manger so many years ago, but knowing Him as our precious Savior, Comforter, and Friend.

I'm joining in with these wonderful parties this week:

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm

TTT at A Stroll Thru Life

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Knick of Time 

Cowgirl Up at Cedarhill Ranch

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

The Charm of Home

Sending the Spirit of Christmas your way,

xoxo,

Vintage Inspiration #118

We had such a great turnout last week, and I think it was the largest ever on Vintage Inspiration! Thanks so much for coming by each week and sharing all the ways you use "Vintage". I'm always in awe of all that you do, and especially at Christmas. Decorating with "vintage" just brings out the best during the Holidays. Here are just a few of the wonderful links from last week's party:

Come for a visit at Carola's wonderful Boxwood Cottage;

truly magical for Christmas.

Susan from Must Love Junk brings together 

a wonderful display in her Hall with great vintage pieces.

Kimberlee at The Fancy Shack has a Christmas Living Room

all decked with beautiful neutrals. Even the pup fits right in!

Shenita from Embellishments found a wonderful way to display her nativity, placed inside a lovely crown. What a perfect symbol of the reason for Christmas.

Megan from Restoring the Roost is going "plain and simple"

this year using greenery and vintage touches.

Love the vintage tablecloth!

And Elizabeth from Just Following Jesus in My Real Life

created a wonderful centerpiece from an old tote

 using a vintage bowl and pitcher.

I also want to share a link today to a great company here in the US that makes the most amazing chef knives! New West Knifeworks. They contacted me awhile back about doing a review for them, and I happily agreed. I've been cooking for more years than I want to admit, but I've never made it a priority until this last year when I've had to revamp our whole outlook on what and how we eat, due to my husband's health. Let me tell you when I opened the package from this company I was so excited. This knife is a work of art. I've never had a quality set of knives before, so this one was a real treat. What had I been missing all those years?!! I use it for most of my meal prep now and it's cut my time in the kitchen down, plus been a real joy. Wow, I feel like I should be on "Top Chef"! So I wanted to give you the link to a great Give Away they have going on right now. Go check out their site, I can guarantee you'll learn a few things about food prep, and there's still time to think about those special Christmas gifts. Thanks guys, you've made my year!

Click Here to Enter the Give Away

While you're out partying you might want to visit

 these great parties for some more Holiday Cheer!

Hope you'll join in today!

Link up to three posts current or golden oldies, that celebrate the Holidays; recipes, DIY, decor, Christmas traditions; anything vintage-y and Christmas. Please have a link back to Common Ground to be featured.

 Have a wonderful weekend, Everyone!

xoxo,

Top Three from Vintage Inspiration and a local Shout Out

So much great inspiration last week at the party,

 so now's the time to share the Top Three most visited links:

Mary from Home Is Where the Boat Is sets a table

 celebrating a Gardener's Christmas out on her porch.

Julie from Idyllhours  shows off her wonderful 

Red Transferware in her corner kitchen hutch.

And Sally from Salmagundi has her Hoosier Cabinet

 decked out with wonderful family pieces from the farm.

And on a local note...

if you live anywhere near Springfield, Missouri,

Grab your girlfriends or hubby, 'cause...

You'll want to enjoy celebrating the Christmas Season...

with a visit to Robin's Vintage Suitcase 

and lunch at the Vintage Veranda.

Your destination for a great afternoon or fun filled weekend.

Click Here for their Facebook Page

This store is packed with so much Christmas fun!!

Hope you'll come back tomorrow ready to party at

 Vintage Inspiration.

xoxo,