Christmas Time Mantel

Probably like the rest of you, I have been busy decorating the house for the season! I can remember in years gone by this time before Christmas just dragging by...s.l.o.w.l.y....!   Where did those days go?  Now days, time seems to fly right out the window.  I do tend to dawdle more now than I did when I was younger and perhaps that's it.  I really have slowed down and just seem to take so much more in.  In any case, I thought I would share some images of our Mantel this Christmas. Every year I do it up differently and this year is no exception. All of the photo's below will enlarge when clicked on.  I really had to resist posting them all BIG!

This guy has been in our family for years on end....I love him!
He plays soft Christmas tunes and his world globe spins slowly...

Jack has laid claim on all 5 of the stockings this year!

A hand painted gift from my son and his wife. This ornament was painted from the inside! Just stunning...

I love Christmas time and all the shiny things to go along with the love you can feel in the air!  I also really enjoy sharing with you my little place in the world, and how it looks and changes with each season.  Now all I need is some snow!  Can you hear my Santa?

Maybe Not So Daring...

Happy end to Holiday break Monday!!  Man, with Jack being off school since November 19th, it feels like it's been a really long Holiday Break!  Along with that holiday bird, came a nice case of a stomach virus for Jack. Not only Jack but a minimum of 4 people in attendance were sick by Saturday! Ahh, and so it goes...*g*

We did manage to get the tree up and decorated yesterday and we all had a wonderful time doing that!

I promised a peek at the new rug, which I called "daring" in my last post.  However, after living with it for a week or so, I've decided that probably no one else would consider it daring and that I have just become boring and non adventurous!

I really like how it looks, but best of all, it's not going to show those doggy foot prints
when he runs past me as I let him in from outside!

Here's another view. This is exciting eh? ;)
Sitting on the sofa is my awesome burlap pillow that I got from Ambers Black Rooster Cottage .  I love it!
I'm thinking she is in the process of re stocking her wares,
so their may not be anything available on line at the moment, but check often as she always has such special things! (Amber, I'm longing for that pendant to be offered! ;)

And for good measure, a bonus shot of the tree! The mantel nor the rest of the house is decorated yet, but Jack just had to get those stockings up!

Hope everyone enjoyed their family time, stayed well and are getting in the Christmas spirit!  I just LOVE this time of year and felt all sorts of excitement as I drove Jack to school this morning and made stops at the post office. It always feels like love is in the air this time of year!

Happy Monday!

Sheree

New Patio Cushions

Remember when I said I had ordered new patio cushions? It was a while back.  They came from Target and I thought I had found a heck of a deal.  
We used them for the first time during Peter's graduation party and by the end of the day they were all flat!  FLAT!  I was so upset. I never had really bought cushions from Target, I usually got them from Local specialty stores like Forshaws or Seasonal Concepts, but I have bought cushions from discount retailers for some odd chairs that we have outside and have never run into this problem.  Anyway, dh said they had to go back, me of course feels like they have been used, tags removed and shouldn't go back.  I lose and he returns them!  Long story short, I ordered new ones from Frontgate and they arrived today!

Nice Sunbrella Fabric that I suspect I will get years of wear out of. Color is called Gingko.

The table while naked

These are made really well and include a zipper for easy cleaning along with velcro ties.

I'm really pleased with how they look and because I was already all hot and sweaty since it's 90 here today, I went ahead and  unpacked the Melamine dishes that I bought in the spring from Target.  I don't normally care for plastic dishes, but Jack and breakable do not go together with flagstone.

Not bad for Melamine eh?

I left them set out for dinner tonight so I need to get off here and get cooking!  Happy Evening Everyone!