Christmas in the dining room

I spent all day yesterday listening to football, re arranging, cleaning and decorating the family room/dining room for Christmas. I don’t post many pictures of this room because it's so hard to get a good picture. (poor lighting). But some of my favorite things are in this room, my old farm table, my beautiful Hoosier cupboard, my ironstone collection, all my crocks and yellow ware bowls. . . I just wanna share them with you. Please don’t judge the poor quality of the photos. If anyone has any advice on how to get better pictures with no natural light I would love to hear from you.

 

There is a lot to look at, tons of pictures. I have a list 10 miles long of stuff I have to do to get ready for Christmas, so I decided to do the entire room at once and be done with it. Blogging takes a lot of time.

 

Enjoy !

 

 

 

I kept it all simple and natural. We’re spending Christmas at my daughters this year, so I didn’t put a tree up. I have a small Charlie Brown tree in the living room, that’s going to be it this year.

I just got this HUGE coffee pot. I’m a sucker for all things enamel ware, especially black and white enamel ware. I love it stuffed full of cedar boughs and pinecones, I can’t wait to fill it with hydrangeas this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have had the adorable leaded glass cupboard for a very long time, but I have struggled what/where to use it. I decided to turn this nook into my message area. It actually hides a door that has the water meter inside. I dread the day I have to get into the closet. . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.  ~d

Decorating for Winter

Boy, 68 degrees on Saturday and 12 degrees on Sunday and it only got worse as the week went by. I spent all day Sunday cooking, baking, grocery shopping and acting like a pioneer hunkerin down for the storm.  My day came to a halt when my stove caught on fire. Yip, probably the scariest thing that’s happened to me. So just when I thought I could stay in out of the cold, I spent Monday shopping for a new stove. I cant say I’m sad, I hated the old thing anyway. I just wish it would have happened at  a better time.  I had cinnamon rolls that needed to be baked, a chicken roasting in the oven, and the worse part is I had just spent hours cleaning it.

I got a bad case of cabin fever being stuck inside all week.  I refuse to drag out the Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean I can’t throw out the fading mini boos and bring in some fresh greenery to liven the place up. I did some winter decorating.

I have come to realize my choice for decorating this time of year is more for winter than Christmas. I usually get a small tree to pot up in a pail or bucket and hang the stockings. But that’s about it. It makes it easy when Christmas is over, I can enjoy it until its time to stock up on tulips. . .

I just love this homely little wreath. I got it from a local vendor at the farmers market this past summer. It kinda grows on me.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And once again, the mantel. I have said it before and I’ll say it again. . . it’s hard to photograph due to the angle. I have had these turned architecture pieces for several years. I just never thought to add them to the mantel. I like the height and their chippy crusty texture.

 

 

Until its time to hang the stockings, I decided to hang some vintage mittens. I love mittens, especially homemade knitted ones.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last. . . my new stove. . .
 

 

Sending {{{warm and fuzzy’s}}} stay warm my friends. . . ~d

 

fluffin’ for fall

We have had the most beautiful fall weather. Here in Montana we don’t usually get to enjoy Indian summer weather. Generally we go from hot summer to brief cooler temps right into shoveling snow.  It’s such a gorgeous time of year. I secretly wish it was like this year round.

I’ve had a yucky cold and haven’t felt like doing much but sleep. Today I finally decided to do something productive besides make me a cozy nest on the sofa.

I started cutting back the flowers in the yard, trimming bushes and raking leaves. . . again. . . My old fashion yellow rose bush is putting on a pretty display so I brought some of the colorful branches in to enjoy before they disappear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I brought out the tan and brown tones to compliment the fall colors. I’ve always been drawn to the neutral colors, they go with everything. I’m thinkin those little transfer ware dishes will be on my Thanksgiving dinner table. 

 

 

 

 

I go to great measures to hide outlets and cords. The huge ironstone pitcher, from my mother, does a good job hiding the one that is in the center of this wall.

 

 

 

 

It’s getting to be blanket weather. I scattered a few of my blue ones for a little color. I have to admit blankets have been my best friend the past few days.

 

 

I don’t like to take pictures from this angle because of the wall A/C unit. I haven’t figured out how to hide it (yet) so I guess it is what it is. That’s my shadow, Rossie, sleeping and photo bombing, as always.

 

 

 

 

I finally caved and switched out the display box for this awesome advertising crate. My husband is a welder so I am attracted to anything steel. I found this at a yard sale for a buck. . . it’s been hangin out in the basement holding pillows and blankets, the ones the Grands use for makin forts. . .

 

 

Keeping it simple, I used some collected poppy seed pods and dried pomegranates. The old yellow ware bowl came with the house, it was my husbands Gramma’s.  A gift from my mother in law when we moved in. It’s perfect for displaying fall collections.

 

 

 

 

The area with the A/C is the front porch (AKA the doggie dorm) Their toys, food and water are kept here, due to lack of space anywhere else.

 

 

 

 

The aprons and cow print in this photo came from Christine at 1817farmhouse. She has a sweet picture trail gallery where she sells her goodies, a lot are handmade by the talented Christine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last up is the mantel. Just a little sprig of field cotton and a white punkin’ is all that’s needed.

Real Simple Style

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stoppin by. ~d

 

 

 

 

Happy Halloween.