Christmas Mantel | New Stockings

 

This year, as always, I created a Della Robbia style mantel. This one has greens, fruits, pine cones, seed pods, and berries. 

But this year's mantel has a new addition . . . actually three additions because I finally got around to making new Christmas stockings! 

I have planned to make stockings for years. The first year we moved to Pineapple House, I bought a coverlet style throw for the material to make them. But that Christmas came and went with no new stockings made. Since then, the throw has actually been used as a throw and it was used as a tree skirt a couple of times, but it was not used for Christmas stockings.

But this fall, on one of my antiquing forays with Barbara, I found a green coverlet patterned stocking! Finding it was the impetus I needed. I purchased it and used it as a pattern to make two more from the red throw.  

(I had a little "help.")

So on our fifth Christmas here at Pineapple House, we finally have Christmas stockings to hang on the mantel! 

You know how misery loves company. 😉 Do I have any fellow procrastinators out there? Are there Christmas projects that you intend to do year after year? How have you found the impetus to start and/or finish them? 

A New Tradition | Our Tabletop Christmas Tree

 

I have had the idea of a tabletop tree in the back of my mind ever since I saw this inspiration photo many years ago. (You may remember me talking about it last year.)

Country Living magazine ~ December 2008

My thought was that we would down-size our tree after our last child left the nest. Until then we'd continue to put up the full-size tree with our family ornaments and the children's own personal collection. (We have given each child an ornament every year, and as they leave the nest, they take their ornament collection to their own homes.)

But, my last child at home (19-year-old Bekah) loves house-y things as much as I do, and she said, "You don't have to wait for me! Go for it!" 

So we did! 

It was the year to make a change.

This was the year that my mom gave me this Shaker style table, a beautiful piece that has been in our family for generations.  It seemed the perfect place to set the tree, in front of our big picture window. 

I had bought some faux cranberry garland last year at a local country store. Once upon a time (literally once) I strung cranberries to make my own garland, but it took for. ev. er. and the berries shrank on the string. Of course, they wouldn't keep from year to year and I couldn't see myself taking that much time every year so I gave up on that idea. I have had some red bead garland in the past, but I decided that I wanted some more realistic faux cranberries for my future tabletop tree (and then the "future" became this year!), so we went out after Christmas last year and found these. 

I have had the popcorn garland for probably thirty-five years! (You may remember seeing it on the kitchen tree at The Farmhouse.)

I dried some oranges to hang . . . 

. . . and tied strings on these pomanders.

~ Christmas 2019 ~

At Bekah's suggestion, we put our new tree in an old crown crock. Ron rigged up something to hold it steady . . . a big block of wood (corners trimmed to fit into the round container) with a hole drilled in the center (not too big or it won't sit straight, but not too small or the "trunk" won't go in). It's great to live with a handyman who finds solutions to our decor dilemmas! 

And there we have it! 

I may add some gingerbread cookies (or I may not). I may add some clip on candles (but I haven't even ordered them yet). Our punched tin star topper was too big for this tree and I haven't found another that I like. 

But the most likely scenario is that the tree is finished for this year. It will look even better when there are some more packages on the table and under it! 

Are we officially "old" now that we have a tabletop tree? Maybe so, but we are quite happy with our little tree! 

From the Antique Store | Six Finds and a Bonus!

A few weeks ago (eek . . . it was actually in September!), I showed you some things we purchased on an antiquing outing, along with how I chose each item, what it cost, and how I planned to use it. Some of you enjoyed this little "behind the scenes" kind of post and asked for more, so today I'll share the treasures I brought home on Friday when my friend Barbara and I visited two antique stores. 

{one} green-glazed yellow ware bowl

This was my favorite find of the day. I have a pair of reproduction green bowls that I use all the time, but this one is authentic . . . and big! I considered it a good price at $22.00. I can easily picture this bowl heaped high with the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes next year, but for now it is on my kitchen counter filled with apples. 

{two} a pair of star candle holders

These little candle holders were only $2.00 each, and I can use them anywhere, singly or as a pair. Today they are on my kitchen island holding beeswax tapers.

{three} pewter chamberstick candle holder

Pewter always catches my eye! A chamberstick is a piece I did not have and it was only $5.00. I put it on the desk in our bedroom. The desk is going to be replaced with a bookshelf in the future, and then I'll find a different home for the chamberstick.

{four} a pair of tin molds

These look like cookie cutters to me. But they would make ginormous cookies and the label said "molds" so we'll go with that. They were $4.00 each. Barbara said that her mom had a pair just like these hanging on the wall of the kitchen in her former house! I thought about hanging them, but I'm not sure where. I put them in the pie safe in my kitchen, but they probably will not stay there. If I were to leave the doors open, they would be fine, but with the doors closed, you can hardly see them. And I can't leave the doors open because the pie safe is in a narrow traffic path between the dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom. So it's back to the drawing board on these. 

Molds on the middle shelf . . . 

. . . molds on the top shelf . . . 

. . . molds with the door closed. (Where are they?) 

{five} brown transferware plate

I love brown transferware! I have a nice collection Friendly Village dishes and a set of dessert dishes in another pattern and a few serving pieces in more patterns. But I rather like the "collected" look, so I decided to bring this lovely plate home to use as a serving piece. It was $7.00. 

old bowl alongside new-to-me plate on right

{six} Putz sheep

I have to say, I'm not sure whether this little Putz sheep is an antique or a reproduction, but I'm happy with him and his price ($8.00). 

{BONUS} lunch at Barbara's house!

After shopping, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, a special Christmas dessert, two cups of coffee, and lots of time to talk. It was a delightful day! 

I know you'll enjoy a few peeks at Barbara's lovely table and her beautiful home dressed for Christmas . . . 

Barbara is a dear friend and time with her is a gift! 

Thanksgiving 2020

We were blessed to gather our four households to celebrate Thanksgiving! 

Here's a quick peek before we turn our calendars over to December . . .

printable placecards from Nora Murphy Country House

This year’s “servants “: Maddie, Bekah, and Kristin 

Behold Our God

 

Yesterday, we made pies and sweet potato casserole and made place cards, all while singing along with our Thanksgiving playlist!

There have certainly been some hard things about this year, and your year may have been much harder than mine! But when I behold Him -- when I consider His greatness and His goodness -- I cannot help but praise Him!

Who has given counsel to the Lord?

Who can question any of his words?

Who can teach, the one who knows all things?

Who can fathom all his wondrous deeds?

However you're celebrating today, I hope that you are able to pause and behold our God and praise Him. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you, my friends!