Let it snow!

We had 4 snowfalls in one week with a rainy day in the middle that melted much of the first two snowfalls.  With the snow we received Friday and Saturday  I think we got more than 20 cm. (8 - 10 inches)!

I took a few pictures of the snow Saturday evening.  It was so pretty - like a snow globe - falling gently from the sky. 

This is our front porch/deck.  We usually put our Merrimack chairs in the

garage for the winter but winter came too fast.  See the big flakes falling?

Hubby couldn't wait to get the snowblower going!

Our picnic table on the back deck.  See how it's bare underneath?

The snow fell straight down and through the umbrella hole in the center

of the table to make a tiny pile under it.

Sunday morning it looked like a winter wonderland with the new snow,

beautiful blue sky and brilliant sunshine.

I love freshly fallen snow that coats the tree branches and boughs don't you?

You can see that I have a new look to my page.  I've been playing and discovering

all the different colours and combinations and thought I'd try this one. 

I found the pale blue to blah.  Please tell me what you think.  I value your opinion.

Have a wonderful week!

Blessings,

Pamela





Christmas Tree

It is another snowy day here and  it is so pretty!  It snowed lazily all day yesterday - about 5 cm. - and it has been snowing since late morning today.  This is the fourth snow fall in a week and it's still November - very unusual for us as we usually have rain or just plain old cold weather.  However, it is very pretty and it looks like a snow globe out there!

I put up the Christmas tree and decorated it yesterday while the snow fell.  I sure was exhausted at the end of the day!  Won't you join me for a tour of our living room?  It's my favorite room and I use it every day.

This is an artificial tree that we purchased in 1986 because our son

had allergies to real trees.  It's getting a little worse for the wear and loses

almost as many 'needles' as a real tree but it still looks pretty all dressed up.

I have to rearrange the living room to make room for the tree so I switch around

two of the chairs.

I use an old quilt with the back side out for a tree skirt.

I love our new window - the bare trees give us a pretty view in the winter.

I added a bit of 'frosted' grapevine and a crystal prism to the

chandelier to give it a bit of sparkle.  I got the chandy

for $2.00 at a yard sale and spray painted it.

This is looking into our kitchen from the front stairs.

The oak table is my 'island' as there isn't room for anything any larger.

It is solid and very old and was painted that old green before.

Now, I wish it was still that colour.

We are planning on a total kitchen reno in the new year!

I can't wait as it will be white, shaker style and I'll have

a dishwasher!!  I've never had one in 33 years of marriage!

This is a little wood box that I decided to use for a centerpiece

on my kitchen 'island'.  I used lace chair arm protectors, old

mason jars, and a bottle brush tree sitting in a bowl.  I need to cut

some pine to fit in around the bottles but it's all snowy.

This manger scene is ceramic and was given to me one
Christmas by my mother.  The gold angel on the left was given to me

in 1962 by our neighbour when I was 12.  When you wind the base

it plays Silent Night and she turns around.  The picture is

from an old Christmas card sent to my parents in the early 60's.

The tiny angel has nylon wings and dress and a china head. She

was a gift to me in the 60's as well.

This is the bookshelf by the front stairs.

This is a 'feather' tree with vintage glass balls on it.

Well that's a little tour of our living room and kitchen all dressed

for the holidays.  I think

I'll have a seat and enjoy this view and relax for a bit.

I hope you are enjoying the weekend, perhaps decorating, shopping,

playing in the snow, or taking in the Santa Claus parade in your town.

Thanks for stopping by again.

Blessings,

Pamela

more Christmas

Dining table centerpiece.  The snowflake on the candle chimney has

a magnet in the center.  If you place the magnet back on the inside

of the glass it will stick anywhere on the glass!  I found these at

a local decorating store - Wheaton's.  So cool!

This is looking at the back of the magnet on the inside.

This is one on a silver bowl.  Isn't it pretty?

This picture is from the late 1800's.

kitchen windowsill ~ vintage balls, bottles and Santa boots

A bottle brush wreath in the kitchen window at the 'blue hour'.

A group of 3 trees on the back deck outside the dining room window.

I have LED lights, snowflakes and blue/gray unbreakable balls on them.

That's all for today.  I have a few more to show you once the tree is

up and decorated.

I hope my friends in the United States are having a blessed

Thanksgiving celebration!

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Pamela

autumn's bud

A little over a week ago, before the snow came,  we had a lot of rain followed by

a cold snap.  I was wandering in the yard and found this hydrangea

plant with a bud and frozen water drops.  I don't know why it budded

this time of year but I thought it a pleasant reminder that even in

the dead of autumn life can spring forth, perhaps in preparation for next spring.

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:7

Blessings to you today.

Pamela

sparkly, silver and cream

I am linking to White Wednesday at Faded Charm.

I am quickly getting in the Christmas decorating mode and re-did my china hutch last week.  We bought this china cabinet, hutch, table and six chairs from my hubby's aunt about six years ago.  It is American made, in the colonial style of very solid maple in a pine finish.  I would love for it to be ivory or cream coloured but that will never happen.  To 'cover' the shelves of the hutch and make them look lighter I use vintage white runners or doilies. 

For this Christmas I decided to use vintage items I have on hand that are sparkly, silver and cream with a touch of green.

This is the cutlery tray I painted this summer.  It was originally a dark stain

and I had in mind this look for my Christmas ornaments when I painted it.

The reflectors, trees and balls are vintage as is the linen runner.  The white pearl

stems in the back are newer as is the JOY hanger.  On the far right are two silver birds

with long tails that are salt and pepper shakers.  I don't know the history of them but

they are from my grandparents home.

The silver 'sweet meat' or candy dish is antique with a vintage ornament

and two antique napkin rings - one silver and one glass.  The brown and white

bone plate is from an antique shop.

This pretty green bowl is Chinese and very old, the platter has no markings and the two

creamers are pressed glass.  The glass hummingbird is minus a wing.

This shelf holds silver salt and pepper shakers, a silver baby cup with a

bottle brush tree in it, and a silver platter.  The cream and sugar set on the

right side are Sand Land from England.  The candle, wreath and plate are new.

See the silver reindeer?  It is probably from the 50's and is plastic.

The ceramic tree was made by my mother-in-law.

The top of the cabinet has twinkle lights in a cream berry garland which stays

up there all year around.

The large bowl is irridescent, hand blown, glass.  The brass candle stick

is antique as are the 'tea leaf' pattern ironstone dishes (out of view).

So, there it is.  My dining room is finished -  for now.  I am always tweaking

things and moving them around but it will basically be like this.  I love

how the sun shines in the window on to the china cabinet

making the silver and sparkly things  twinkle in the sunbeams.

I'll have a few more things to show you later this week.

I think our tree will be going up in the next couple of days.  I have

seen a lot of Christmas trees, outdoor decorations and lights already up

and turned on.  We had snow Saturday and about 5 cm. today and it looks very pretty

but there is rain in the forecast so it may disappear.

I'd like to wish my readers in the United States a Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Pamela

the memory of an old Christmas card

My mother saved two Christmas cards from 1950, the year I was born.  These cards are very special in that they are money cards.  Do you remember receiving money cards as a child?

Each of these cards has dimes and these ones are the

ornaments on the tree,

although one or two are missing.

And money still doesn't grow on trees today!

             

In Canada, Hallmark was once called Coutts Hallmark.

The front of the second card - ornaments with little flaps concealing dimes.

So cute!

10 cents.  I wonder what it's worth today?

Sweet sentiment.

This card is from Rust Craft.  Donna, at Funky Junk Interiors,

would like that. :-)

I love the cute stickers on the envelopes.

I was looking for Christmas cards yesterday and you know, some of them

aren't very pretty or cute like the vintage ones.  I guess I'm getting

old - er and want to 'relive' the 'good old days'.  A lot of my decorating

for Christmas is with vintage things and my decor, in general, is with

the older, vintage and antique things passed on to me. 

Sentimental me and the memory of an old Christmas card.

I have most of my Christmas decorations up and will put the tree up either

next weekend or by December 1st.  There is snow in the forecast

for this afternoon and next week along with some rain so I'm hoping the

snow will 'inspire' me to get the tree from the attic and the trimmings from

the basement and put it all together to enjoy for the next several weeks.

Our choir is joining with a few other choirs this evening for a fundraiser

for the local Christian radio station - 96.5 JOY FM - with beautiful Christmas music.

This will be a great kick-off to the Christmas season!

And I see snowflakes falling outside the window right now!!

Have a great weekend.  Thanks for visiting with me.

Blessings,

Pamela

old books

Don't you love old books?  I have a couple few that I inherited from my mother and grandmother.

Mum always kept these books in the picture, in this old wood box with dividers built in. 

 I don't know what the original use of the box was but it is very solid and may have

been part of a desk at one time.

Mum also collected old eyeglasses.  I like these 'pince-nez' with the leather case.

I think they must have been very uncomfortable to wear though.

This is the outside of the box.  Yes, that is original homespun on the spine of the end book!

Several of these books are old school readers such as The Royal Readers and

New Brunswick Reader.  They are old and falling apart but I like them.

I know this next fact will date me ~ ahem ~  but when I was in early

elementary school we had the New Brunswick Readers.  They were  probably

newer editions of the ones I have as I don't recognize any of the stories

in these older ones.  Of course, we had the Dick and Jane books in Grade one and two (?)

My memory on the exact years escapes me (ahem - it does that you know!). 

 I do wish I had a copy of a Dick and Jane book.  They are hard to come by these days.

old books ~ old friends

Blessings,

Pamela