Few pics of soon to be Christmas Past

We had a smaller gathering than expected Christmas and that was fine as we all had a great meal and exchanged gifts.   I had quite a bit of food left over and thankfully a lot was taken home by ones that wanted leftovers. 

Little rabbit on the mantle scene borrowed from early toys of granddaughters play animals.

I found these little poodles at a thrift store.   I love them here in the snow with their expressions. 

I found this buck at Beales few years back with little forest animals on his back

Carolers from a thrift shop and the tree too. 

I am putting more pictures of soon to be Christmas past of my Living room tree soon. 

New Year is almost here. 

Happy Christmas and New Year

 Christmas around my home on Christmas day and after.

Genevieve made a variety of cookies and this peanut butter with Hershey kisses were one of several. 

Chocolate chip

I have put most of my decorations that I have had time for this year on You Tube

I just posted one of downstairs and will be posting upstairs in a few days or less.

Little Christmas

 Wow, the time has flown and I am still shopping.  I need to get things ready for dinner next week but with birthdays in between among other things that unexpectedly came up, put me behind.

My winter mantle.  I cannot not find my deer so maybe next year.

Styrofoam tree form I glue bits and baubles on. 

 Garland is glued in blank spaces to fill.  I may add some little lights to it. 

I added packages and little drums. 

Tree in den

See the fairy doll in right side of tree? 

I made her about 15 years ago.  She has yarn hair, and I painted on her face. 

Cutting the arms and legs from fabric then stuffing and attaching them took some time. The arms and legs move so to be posable. 

The little pointed nose was a doozy to stuff also.  I may try and make another pattern I have. 

I have been making cones to fill
This one is paper with white felt glued to it along with tinsel and a pipe cleaner as hanger

The little silver balls are glued on

Hope to be back the next day and a half to have more of my decorations in living room

First Christmas Post

 November was a busy month with Moms 103 birthday then Thanksgiving and at the same time with Thanksgiving being so late this year, I started putting up the tree and some decorations earlier than normal.  I think I will even start earlier next year having everything ready to put up and have the trees where I want them to decorate.  I used to put this stuff up in no time, now I am much slower than ever.

 Mom 103.  We took her to a pizza restaurant.  She loves pizza but saw clam chowder on menu and wanted that.  She had some pizza too.

Mom said she can't believe she is 103

short clip of her blowing out three candles

my Christmas tree in living room

Few decorations in dining area.  The owl picture my daughter painted, not sure how many years back but I like him so here he stays. 

Close up of tree in dining area.  I put some dried flowers from my garden on  here along with roses I received from husband and children

Sunflowers I grew this past summer

My twenty dollar lamp I found at a thrift store.  I have in dining area also.  I have an elephant one that I am needing a lampshade for.

I gilded the large pear-shaped gourd from my garden years back. It sits with the pears I purchased from hobby lobby and gilded also.  Messy and sticky to do but I still like how pieces look afterward.

We had to purchase a truck this year.  Car, it's been a year.  They don't last forever.  We get quite a bit of mileage from our vehicles, thankfully.   We didn't buy them new, but new to us.

Hopefully another post in few days.

Some pictures of Lewis Ginter

Snapshots of Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens here in Va.  A visit with husband and Grand daughter Genevieve.   I see many changes here since we started visiting here years ago.  Not the same sparkle or spirit felt for me anyway.   

This year I want to visit Longwood Gardens Christmas and see some Christmas trees decorated for the season. 

Genevieve stopping at the bridge walk to see the reflections in water.

Inside the conservatory is a little thatched roof cottage that was decorated with wildlife, mostly owls which we love to see. 

You can see a gnome sitting in the chair having a meal it looks to be

short little clip of inside cottage

On our way into the library to see what is in there 

Very fragile villiage made of twigs, dried leaves and flowers

Tree adorned with dried flowers from the gardens.

There were daffodils and hydrangeas.

Beneath the tree were packages adorned with dried florals

two pictures made to look like a pair of windows to the outside.

I didn't get a great close up of the flowers on tree but this arrangement hanging on the wall were some that were on the tree.

This was our visit for this Christmas season decorations at Lewis Ginter.

Not as many as in the past but pretty still.