Christmas Dollhouse and Purple Poinsettias and the perfect Nite Cap

The French Dollhouse has become a Christmas centerpiece since it moved

to the antique table in the living room. I stuffed it with twinkle lights and its

been the most amazing and cheerful thing to have greet us each dark wintery morning.

A dollhouse tour was a big hit on my Instagram page, and its 

available under my highlights if you want to see the interior.

This year we don't have a full size tree, as our spaces are stuffed to the gills waiting on the lake house to be built and delivered next spring. Its like having two pounds of chocolates in a one pound box, all the wonderful antiques and new additions slated for New Hampshire added to our existing things.  So the wrapped gifts are shoved them under the table to be opened by our small family pod of 4 on Christmas morning, this dreary and downsized Covid year.  

All is merry and bright, well it is calm for sure. 

 The quiet Christmas spirit is alive and well and each morning hubs and I 

gather in this room with our coffee and the twinkling lights and the pups by the fire.  

Why this dollhouse all dressed and lit for Christmas may become a new tradition.

Its a magical touch with a nod to the best of childhood Christmases.

In the dining room, where purple transferware reigns, I always try to hunt down the elusive purple poinsettia.  And there has only been one place I have ever found them....at Lowes!

Set in a punch bowl, this purple painted and glittered poinsettia is the perfect Christmas decoration,

along with a few glittery purple snowflakes I found at Walmart one year with Reeve.

A bit of greenery and a dash of snowflake...

One fun new thing~hubs purchased this 12 Days of Christmas collection from Crown Royal. 

 Each day you open up a door and out pops a unique flavor of whiskey.  

We aren't even whiskey drinkers, so I was surprised to see him bring this home, but it

has been great fun to split a tiny crown bottle each night until Christmas!

My favorite is the Salted Caramel, and hubs likes the Vanilla. 

There are six flavors in all.

And the perfect glassware is from this glorious antique Tantalus set bought at auction last year.

It is French and fancy, just how I like things! 

 So it adds a bit of fun in this not as much fun year.

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy New Year,

and along the way figure out a few things to add a bit of JOY.

Celebrating in our homes this Christmas

Well its already December! I've been busy with family life during these COVID times.  

I think its more important than ever to try to make our homes a refuge as well as a place

of family fun and celebration.  The facts of the virus cannot be ignored, and staying healthy is 

at the top of my list. So how about making our homes more cheery and take an extra step to 

make things feel more special?  Sometimes it feels a bit depressing not to spend time with 

others or eating out at our favorite places with friends, so lets make home life more special.

A big antique blue transfer-ware platter sits on my island holding holiday snacks.

 The college kids, Scott and Kai, love to grab and snack, as does hubs.

This is an easy way to add grab and go things your family enjoys.

Tiny oranges, nuts, candies, and homemade cookies are some of the revolving treats. 

A cute Rosemary Christmas tree from Whole Foods adds a bit of Christmas magic.

Adding greenery, ribbon and baubles to your everyday surfaces makes for a festive feeling!

The tiny french clock with its blue and white flowers looks extra special nestled in the greenery.

In our living room there isn't a lot of room for a Christmas tree, so I used a faux

Nordic tree I had last year and put it in the corner, covered in antique multi colored bulbs.

 A tinsel tree with tiny mercury bulbs in green and blue is on the antique center table.  

Our decorated mantel in blues and greens goes with the color palette in this room.

I know I skipped right over Thanksgiving....

here I am putting it all away with the help of Sylvia.

The week before, I had taken a Covid test and upon getting results, I drove up

to Maine to see my greandchildren.

They are getting bigger every minute, and Reeve couldn't be a more loving big sister

to Harry, who is always smiling it seems.

We always pick up right where we left off, and it comforts me to know, 

she loves me as much as I do her! This grandmother gig is a fabulous thing!

Living in rural Maine is proving to be ideal for my son's family, 

where they are learning to run a farm together while they raise their kids.  

We enjoyed the outdoors and collected pine cones while Harry conked out from the fresh air.

I always have an arts and crafts idea when I visit Reeve, and creating a pine cone garland

was this visit's adventure.  After collecting them we spray painted them with gold paint and 

then glued them onto a peppermint stripe butcher twine to hang in their windows.

A few days pass quickly, and soon I was off in my Jeep headed back

 to Massachusetts to prepare for Thanksgiving at home.

We celebrated with two of our sons, one college roomie, 

one fiance, one brother and one mother in law....we all got tested the week before the dinner, 

and wore masks (except while dining), and social distanced as best we could, 

keeping our windows open to make this is safe as we possibly could. 

An idea of making it extra special despite the small gathering 

inspired me because of these trying times.

 I decided to hunt down antique turkey plates for the big meal, and was 

lucky in finding a set of 7 dinner plates from a man whose father ran a turkey farm 

decades ago.  This man, now in his 80s, was selling off things, so I felt especially

lucky to get them. Each of us had a different antique transferware turkey plate.

After Thanksgiving the boys were in the spirit and we all got going hanging

lights and getting little trees put up around the house.

Hoping you all stay safe and find ways to get through these difficult

and isolating times.  Add a little extra effort in your decorating and I think it will be 

appreciated by others, and soothing to yourselves.

After the Nordic tree was decorated, I spotted the boys wearing 

their Santa flannel pjs in the living room admiring the tree. 

I can't tell you how cute that moment was!

So, in the works for our Christmas at home, 

we plan on having a Christmas PJ and movie night,

along with a tree trimming party for four in our family room! 

Make your holiday plans with

the ones at home, and make it memorable!