Last weekend was my big open house and I had planned to take a bunch of pictures...but got so busy as you can see...that did not happen. Today was not much better as far as busy goes...but it was one of those days when you just feel good about life. I sang at the Arbor today with Rhonda and the rest of the gang. It was so much fun to be on stage again. We did
Breath of Heaven and
Heirlooms for the Arbor....we did it last week at Rock Mills. I had to leave when we went down for preaching because I had to be in Atlanta at 1:30ish to sing for the nurses party in the Transplant wing at Emory. I left and hustled straight to Atlanta...via Rock Mills. I had directions in my hot little hand....and noticed that the directions called for me to go Hwy 34 straight....not take the by-pass...well the by-pass cuts off a good bit....so I decided to go that way....WRONG MOVE....about half way down...there was a wreck. That added about 15 minutes to my already close ride.....I finally made it to I-85...and just before the airport....there was another wreck......it looked like it just was not going to be my day. Then a song came on the Country Christmas XM channel called a Christmas Carol....and it made me cry. I got lost trying to get to the hospital...had to call Amanda....and finally made it...with time to spare. We began singing promptly at 2....in a little alcove just off the nurses station on 8E. The nurses decorated the table and brought out food. I knew this was a nurses party...but I thought it was for them....it wasn't....it was for the patients in the Transplant wing and their families. We sang for almost two hours....Randy even came over from Hope Lodge with Amanda and it was so much fun singing. I got home about 5...and believe me....I received such a blessing today. It was so much fun singing for the patients and the staff that care for them. When I got home I decided I would invite you all into my house for Christmas. I hope you enjoy the visit.
Here is the dining room table. My dear friend Jo made the centerpiece for me. We bought the stuff when we went to Perdido Key back in November and she whipped it together. It is so gorgeous. The green glass is Forest Green and the pattern is Charm. I love the dishes because they are square. The chargers are red. The table cloth is a Walmart holly one....because my white one did not fit the table with the leaf in. The holly dishes I bought at Family Dollar a bazillion years ago. They were 10.00 and I bought two sets and some completer pieces. My glasses are called Forest Green and the stem is called Boopee Swirl. I love the green glass.
The flower arrangement has poinsettias and magnolias in it. There are two of each...green poinsettias and red magnolias....and they are sparkly. The hurricane globe we found at The Pottery Barn in Foley. We had already bought a clear hurricane globe at Trees and Trends....but this one was so perfect.
What I liked the most about the hurricane globe was the two matching candlesticks. For the open house I used them on the buffet. Now they are on the table. I am having company for dinner a couple of times next week and cannot wait to seat them at my dining room table.
The buffet looks kind of empty today. Last Sunday it was laden with goodies. I had a Death by Chocolate punch bowl cake, a Paula Deen Gingerbread Pumpkin and a Strawberry trifle. The empty platters you see were filled with mini quiche and cheese straws made by my dear friend Deborah. She is a caterer and I work for her sometimes when she needs an extra hand or two.
In the hallway is one of my favorite things. The manger scene. I love the one here. It is a Willow Creek. I love the faceless statues. I get such joy putting it out each year. I also have a Santa Claus this year complements of my friend, Laura Lee. She wanted me to use him for the open house and I actually thought I was going to have to pat down some of the ladies to keep them from taking him home with them.
In my music/living room is a small tree with music notes and ornaments from places I have been. It also hold the Shiny Brite ornaments I discovered at my moms.
The den houses the memory tree. It is full of old memory ornaments and ornaments that friends and students have given me over the years.
This cross is from one of my students this year. His name is Jaime and I love this cross. The gold/silver and glitter just make it beautiful on my tree.
The church is from Carol and Jeff. There is a funny story here. WE gave our congregation this very same ornament. I thought I had bought enough for me to have one too....but we had some extra people on the Sunday we gave them out and I did not get one. When I went back to get another....they were gone. I was delighted when I opened up the box and found this red church nestled among the tissue paper.
The angel to the left and the cross to the right were from Betty Jean and Larry. They go to our church in Rock Mills. She told me I did not have to put the ornaments on the tree if I didn't want to...I could not wait to get home and place them in just the right place. The little boots are from one of my teacher buddies, Kristen. She brought them back for me from Russia where she taught this summer. The red bow is one of three gifts Frank has placed in the tree for me. Do you know how hard it is to keep from opening those bad boys?
The domed nativity was from Cilie and Keith Towler. We live in their front yard....or they live in our back yard....but I love this ornament. I am a nut for nativities.
Samantha, another teacher buddy gave me this beauty on Friday. We had our coffee/lunch bunch present swap before we left school. Is it not stunning. She also gave me a Wooden Wicks candle that smells divine.
Robert gave me the Christmas Story Cross today at the Arbor. It is a cross that tells the story of Jesus from birth to death and I had to share it with you.
In the three bedrooms I have small trees perched on furniture. Two of them are decorated in blue and one in red.
The guest bathroom tree is a bargain I picked up at the Family Dollar. It was only 5.00 and I thought it was cute. Santa sits in their too. He is one I have had for years and don't even remember where he came from.
Our bedroom houses the red tree and I put some little gifty looking things at the base.
I bought this angel for a tree topper last year....but she was way to big for any tree I have. So this year she became a shelf ornament and I put her in the guest room on the lingerie chest. Her skirt has a scene by Thomas Kincaid on it.
The last of the tiny trees actually has a star and tree skirt. It is sitting on the desk in the back guest room where the angel is.
My candle was a find last year way after Christmas. By the time I bought it they almost paid me to take it. Just kidding...it was 85% off. I found it in the back room of Kirklands. I love that place. I love to just go in and smell.
Each door down the hallway is adorned with a shiny wreath. There are two green and two gold. We keep the doors closed when we are not here to keep our little doxie from leaving us prizes we don't want.
At the opposite end of my hall is Santa hanging around collecting Christmas cards. We have a bunch more I just haven't had the time to put them on Santa. Mary found this....she bought herself one....and as we do...she bought me one too. We love doing that....you get one....and I get one too. I hope you have enjoyed your Tour of our home as much as I enjoyed giving it to you. I would love to see some of your homes. What do you do for the holidays? Do you have special ornaments? Do you go all out....or are you a simple kind of decorator? Leave me a comment and tell me about your homes. Happy Sunday!
