Warmest Winter Greetings

I thought I'd share a few pics of the house decorated for Christmas.
We go out to the tree farm every year and cut down our tree......but now that Taylor is 4 she just couldn't figure it all out. She was a little upset that we actually had to chop it down. So after a few tears we loaded it in the back of the truck and took it home.
This one is just over 10' tall and it's a little wild.....I prefer a more shapely but the family was getting restless so I had to just pick one.
And after hours of wrapping little white lights around and around I filled it with my collection of old glass ornaments.....I added 50 more this year.
I hit the jackpot at one of the local antique malls : )

Some of the ornaments are from my Grandma and some are from my husbands Grandma.
And then I just keep adding more every year. Eventually I'll end up with a 20' tree just to hold all of my ornaments.
Oh my goodness....if my husband heard me say that he would pass out : )

My little mohair teddy is still keeping watch over the green velvet pinkeep.
And I've just added sprigs of greens here and there.....my old redware pitcher is holding a bundle. And I don't put any of my garden stuff away....I love it too much. The pitcher fits perfect in the old trellis planter until I can fill it with potted tulips in the Spring.

And this is my plain-jane tree in my office. It's so sweet....I don't want to do anything to it.
I started collecting old feed sacks this summer....I hang them on the walls and I have one bunched up around the base of the tree. So fun.
I planned on cutting them up and making some sewing bags and pouches but now I don't know....I guess I'll just have to collect more for those projects.

And I have a whole collection of these silver platters. After Boxwood & Berries Jeanne took Maggie and I to the best antique shop.....it was to die for. I started picking up these platters as I walked around and before you knew it I had a nice little collection.
So....I lined them up across the mantel with some old mercury glass garland, a few sprigs of greenery, bottle brush trees and a few little deer....and ta-da.....this is my Christmas.
I never decorate the same way from year to year so the silver platters decided the way this year.
We're having a laid back Christmas here on the homestead.....no frills....just twinkle lights, old ornaments and some fresh greenery.
We're getting the shopping done early so we can spend a few weeks having fun with the kids......boy they grow so fast.
Taylor loves to help in the kitchen and we have lots and lots of cookies and candies to make.

I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted. My website drama seems to be taking over.
I have some new dates on my 2010 calendar I'll share with you soon. Jeanne at the Country Sampler is thinking about doing a fun little Spring retreat that I am so excited about. I'll let you know as we figure it out. So far we've been talking about doing some stitching and some finishing work along with a few other fun little projects to get you fired up for Spring. Boxwood & Berries was so fun this year....I can't wait to get back up there to play again : )

And I just finished up a fun little Pinkeep pattern I'll share with you tomorrow. The finished piece was so popular and I had so many requests for a pattern ....I graphed it out today and I'll put them together tomorrow.

Until then......stay warm my friend