A Feather Tree in a silver bowl and Ancestry pursuits

A Feather tree is one of the most charming Christmas decorations.  

It is considered one of the first artificial Christmas trees.  Made originally

in Germany from dyed goose feathers, it found its way to the USA, brought

over by German immigrants that settled in Pennsylvania and Texas.

Love this old feather tree with the tiny gate around it!

My feather tree is a vintage feather tree that Martha Stewart

 produced for her Kmart line.

I picked it up years after the fact on eBay.  

I would love to find an antique Feather Tree one day.

Speaking of immigrants, I have been tracking down my husbands side of his family roots.

Ever since we started binge watching the STARZ series, Outlander, which we LOVE,

we have become interested in finding out if hubs is indeed Scottish as well as Swedish.

The Outlander hero, Jamie Fraser, is from Scotland.

You will want to be Scottish if you watch this show, or you will want your 

partner to be, haha!! Jamie is the sweetest, bravest, sexiest Scot in all the land!

Mr. Maison Decor's father always told him he descended

from Scottish bloodlines, and his mother's lineage is pure Swedish.  

We decided to do the Ancestry DNA test as well as put together his family tree.

So far I am not finding any indication there is a Scottish connection.

 It remains to be seen, but I have enjoyed putting the pieces together to see where the family

lines are leading us on this discover of his roots. This family photo shows my husband (on the right)

next to his mother, and his older brother, both dressed up for Thanksgiving dinner. 

 Their uncle carves the turkey, and the table is set to the nines, complete with place cards.

The old documents are numerous and at ones finger tips when you join

one of these online search groups.  Much of it is free as well, until you head

across the country's borders, then there is a charge.  Above, William Chalmers is found on 

a record, and that is his great grandfather.  He always believed his great-grandfather 

shared the same name, Charles Herbert, that his grandfather and father, 

brother and nephew share, as the name has been passed down for generations. 

 So we are already learning things very quickly,

and we hope we find some Scottish roots on his dad's side!  

I know many of you have explored your family trees

and its quite interesting, isn't it? 

His mother's side is proving to be very pure Swedish, and

I guess you can tell by this old photo of (front to back) his mom,

his grandmother and uncle.  My pretty mother in law still lives

in that very same house, where my husband grew up, 

and its right next doors to our house. 

But now, back to Christmas....

The winner of the Lynch Creek Farm wreath giveaway is Penny Carlson!

Congrats Penny!!

 I know you will enjoy your beautiful Lynch Creek Farm wreath!