Merry Driftwood Mantle

One of the projects I spent way too much time on this holiday season was my fireplace mantle decor. It was calling out for some attention and it became an ever evolving creation over a few weeks –  much like a painting that is worked and reworked until you just must stop.

I had fun though and would like to share the evolution.....

This "before" shot was taken after removing the print that usually resides over the fireplace and replacing it with the convex mirror I inherited many years ago. See me in the reflection? The goose is a sentimental reminder of Christmas Past.

And now the games begin! Fresh greens and very large grapevine wreath added....

Driftwood of many shapes and sizes placed.....

Grapevine balls were so tenderly placed (one fell off and was immediately snatched up by Mr. Willy the dog)  but after much review, the mantlescape was getting a bit heavy....

Less is more so the saying goes, so off with the driftwood & remaining balls, replace judiciously.

Lights were added at some point! Fantastic cheap string on a TIMER from Walmart!!!!

Did I mention I couldn't stop? The last addition (almost) to my Christmas Mantle Project were drilled cut tree ends strung with jute....like stockings hung by the chimney with care....

Wait, maybe just a little more?

A little glitz was necessary, right?  I placed the silvery, sparkly coiled branches sparingly and......

the starfish jumped right in afterwards!

The Christmas Goose stands watch. Merry Christmas to all and may Peace find all who are in need.

A Silvertip Christmas

For many, many years I have wondered where to get an old-fashioned Christmas tree. You know, the ones that people dub as "Charlie Brown trees" and have very few branches? I am not talking about a wispy twig found in the woods or a tree that is edited, with branches trimmed out. No, this special tree would be one of movie star status, one that we see in the movies of old...

Here in the movie "The Bishop's Wife" with Loretta Young, Cary Grant, and David Niven we see THE TREE! That's it!!! That's the one I want! Loretta buys the tree in the first scene and it is decorated in a "heavenly" fashion by Cary Grant. 

And this year I found it.

I was surrounded by my trees in fact! It was hard to contain myself at times working in the nursery at terrain. Here I had a good week or two to choose my tree and take it home before they sold out. Seems other people liked these "designer" trees as well, although I still thought of them as just old fashioned and nostalgic.

The California Red Fir, commonly referred to as a "Silvertip", grows on the high mountains of northern California and southern Oregon. Hollywood prop departments of old most likely chose the trees that were readily available and used them in our favorite Christmas classics.

After taking great care of my tree for 2 weeks outside, the day finally arrived to bring "her" in. She was placed in a spot of honor after moving a few pieces of furniture. This living room is also "old fashioned" and not the sprawling family room that most people call home for their Christmas trees!

The starfish topper was one I made a few years back using three stars (3 wise men?), a twig and some red berries. It fits my beachy home decor perfectly and it was the first adornment added to my Silvertip lady.

With just the lights, she is becoming a beauty...

and she sparkles with the addition of ornaments! Mercury glass ornaments collected over the past 3 years, some old glass favorites, a bit of rust with some found bell bargains, glass icicles and some button garland...presenting, my lady the movie star.

Reflections from the lights bounce of the glass while the rusty bell ornaments and button garland add a bit of antiquity...along with a burlap tree skirt awaiting the gifts to come.

And now we wait and welcome this magical holiday!

Creative Christmas

For the last 5 years, I have given my children a check along with just a few gifts for Christmas. But being a creative creature, I cannot just hand it over in an envelope. No, not me, not in my nature. I MUST brainstorm myself into just as much stress as the shopping would have caused in the first place! But it is so rewarding and I love it so the tradition carries on.

Somehow, I came up with this idea this year. These are called Monkey Fists. I made them! I bought the materials, watched a youtube video and sat down one night, took a deep breath and gave it a try.

Here, watch this....monkey fist video. Success!

Then in Illustrator, I wrote my copy and designed the gift.  Unfortunately, with zero time left, the printer ink was very low and they just barely printed! Oh well, the faded, rustic look had to do.

With boxes put together, shredded filling, the knot and the check (of course) went inside.

And this was Creative Christmas 2011! I know they appreciate my effort and will always remember my crazy way of handing over the checks.

Past years included 2007 The Jingle Jar (an empty apothecary jar to save pennies, along with a bell to jingle), 2008 The We'll Leave the Light On (with a painted cut out of our home), 2009 My Little Angels (with a Dirt Devil vacuum), and last year - 2010 Money Doesn't Grow on Trees (with a t-shirt printed with our family tree and all the names we could find going back a few generations).

White Christmas?

Wishing for snow here in Connecticut may sound foolish after last winter but I still have that old fashioned image of Christmas in my mind. We did not have snow here but a little white on the shore was just what I needed to wrap up the wonderful weekend I enjoyed with my wonderful family this Christmas!

The Christmas Eve Eve dinner with my husband, children, future daughter in law and silly little Sally was just the best gift I could receive. Following the lobster dip tradition (oops, will post tomorrow pix of that) they gathered for one of the last photos taken with my trusty old Canon PowerShot.

The old faithful camera's flash does not work and only one setting still even takes photos! Amazing I have been able to use it at all and actually post to a blog. Here is a kiss gone wrong from Sally and a bit of iphoto work to get the shot to this publishable point. Love it though!

Goodbye to my old Canon. Photo is clear, sharp and makes this old friend look better than her years. Photo taken by none other than.......

my new camera for Christmas!!!! Thank you Pappa D!!!! This photo taken by old faithful doesn't do my new friend any justice. Jealousy here????? Anyways, I have a new camera now to learn and take care of in sickness and in health. There may be some shots from the old gal in my archives that make their way into upcoming posts but I am so excited to have a complete and functional camera again.

And so we walked. I received a handful of seaglass from each daughter, scooped up while I was fiddling with settings on my gift. The perfect end to a perfect Christmas.

Tree Cutting Sunday!

Today we went a tree cutting to my favorite, completely non-commercial tree farm in Easton, CT. Everett's is the name and it is like going back in time. Friendly family members sitting around the pot belly stove to stay warm offer you the saw to cut your own tree along with their smiles. No crowds, no parking lot attendants and fresh air you can enjoy in solitude, almost! A few other families, that's it!

We always look for a Blue Spruce and we found a lovely one this year! The farm is a quintessential, Norman Rockwell-ish Christmas experience! Do I sound overly enthusiastic? Go there, you will see!

We found the tree quite quickly this year but I must say, the outfit Pappa D wore to cut the tree may have been a factor. The day was sunny and about 40 degrees. For me, that warrants a few layers, a hat, a scarf and some gloves.

To others, namely my husband, the day was just like any other beach Sunday...with shorts & flip flops!

My job is the lights....and then the rest of the family gets involved.

 
A beachy bouquet of greens from the tree and some backyard shrubs add an extra touch of greenery!

And the Snowmen watercolors I did many years ago come out of hiding.

Minimal holiday decor but all very meaningful....just the way I like it.