Christmas Tag Swap

The Burton girls were at it again with a Christmas tag swap. We wanted to do the swap early enough in December that a) we would be able to put up our tags for Christmas decoration, and b) Our Sis who is currently lining in Australia would get hers in time for Christmas. I think we made it!

This year our Christmas theme was more of a color scheme. The theme was Winter Whites. Our tags were to focus on white, cream, silver, gold, and sepia.

I made a banner with the Christmas tags and strung it across my piano for the holidays. I love the look of these tags. They turned out beautiful, and look great displayed together.

A few of us have already had some great ideas for next year’s theme. I’m already excited. Thanks ladies!

-Lynnae

Christmas Tag Swap

This year the several of the women in my family had a Christmas Tag Swap. The theme was ‘The Music of Christmas'”

I was nervous about a swap when everyone is so busy, but at the same time I loved the idea of the Christmas theme, so we dove in. We did have to be forgiving and let the deadline slip a little bit, but that’s the nice thing about swapping with family.

All of my tags were variations on one of these two vintage pictures. The back reads “Merry Christmas Darling”. I was going to go in a different direction but with my husband gone, all I could think about was Christmas couples and being together again. (As I mentioned in a previous post he was at an Army Reserve training and because my blog is public I don’t like to mention when he is gone until he is home again.)

In the swap were several sisters, my daughters, a sister-in-law, nieces and my mom. Almost as fun as getting the tags was decorating with them.

 

-Lynnae

Leavenworth, Washington

Last week my daughter’s middle school choir took a trip out to Leavenworth, Washington. It’s a old fashioned Bavarian themed town a few hours away, nestled in an Alp like setting in the Cascade mountains.

I was a chaperone for the activity. We had a couple hours to eat and shop before the choir needed to ‘warm up’ (in sarcastic quotes because they sang outside and it was freezing).

My little one and I trying on hats in the hat shop.

Oh! The Christmas cheer!

Lovely store windows.

Inside The Gingerbread Factory, a cute little house just off the main street.

Plain gingerbread men labeled ‘Skinny Dippers’.

“Your days are numbered, Snowman!”

Once the hypothermia set in things really got silly.

The choir singing at the town square.

And a very special visitor at the end of the day- Saint Nicholas.

After posting a few of these pictures on facebook I was accosted with family asking why we hadn’t taken them to Leavenworth before. It’s a great place, and now I think we’ll have to take more of our visitors out there. Ever since a visit to the Scandanavian town of Solvang when I was very young I’ve loved the idea of themed towns. In fact it would be fun to travel across the US visiting all the quaint and kitchy foreign themed towns along the way.

But back to Leavenworth. It’s lovely in the spring and summer, but this was the first time I’ve gone at Christmastime, and the visit was just the thing to get those Christmas feelings flowing!

-Lynnae

The Holidays are in Full Swing

I have a few more things to post about before Christmas.

First of all, we finally got our Christmas tree last week. My daughter came home from college on Friday and tonight she hung up her ornaments. Our tree is quite a mixture of ornaments and colors.

Some of my daughters were saying how they would like a ‘designer tree’ with a theme and color palette. This makes me smile, because I used to feel the same way, but those same little  girls would have felt very sad a few short years ago if I wouldn’t have allowed them to help decorate the tree with their treasures. I would love a fancy organized tree, but I’m sentimental, so it will never happen until my husband caves in and lets me have two trees.

If you missed my earlier post of other Christmas decorations around my house, here is the link.

Growing up my parents would let us each have a new ornament every Christmas. Some were store bought and some years they were handmade. I have a stuffed bird that came from patterns printed on fabric in the 70’s. One year we drew pictures on round lids from liver containers and shrunk them ‘Shrinky-Dink’ style in the oven. That one has been lost, but growing up in a large family that had to share a lot, that little shoe box full of ornaments was precious and I still put most of them on my tree.

  I hope someday my girls will treasure their old ornaments too.

 

I tried a new fudge recipe this year that I really like. This batch was ‘mixed nut fudge’ – all the fun of mixed nuts, now in fudge, which is something my body needs anyway.

I also got my fat book back from the swap I participated in at Thrifty Miss Priss. Here is a glimpse.

 

 

This was my page. I didn’t want to post it before everyone got their books. Participating in this was a lot of fun. There was so much talent and effort put into the pages, and my picture collage doesn’t do it justice. Once I’m not so busy I’ll finish the cover. 

Lastly, I won a fabulous prize from the Where Women Create Christmas giveaway! I am so thankful and overjoyed. If you want to see the wonderful necklace I won click here and look at ‘the ninth day of Christmas’

Extra arts, crafts and decorating really kept me going when I was discouraged recently about my foot not healing well. But I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot and  I have so much to be thankful for! My family, the birth of Christ,  and all of you - friends, family, and those I’ve never met.

Merry Christmas!

-Lynnae

Incredible Paper Garlands

I just saw the most exquisite paper garlands over at SecondSister Suaviloquy. I just had to share them with you. Visit her site for more of her charming paper decorations.

-Lynnae

Silky Christmas Stocking

This isn’t a tutorial per se, its more of an idea based on a loose theme of a vague concept….

I had the idea to use a vintage slip to make decorative stockings.

I traced a leg shape onto the folded slip. I cut four to make two stockings.

I wanted to fold the lace over, so I sewed them wrong sides together, except for the top near the lace, which is right sides together. This should start at least an inch below the lace, since it will be covered when the lace is folded over.

Then I used the bodice of the slip to decorate the toe area. I liked the way the ribbon was hooked inside so on this one I used the wrong side of the slip, and left the ribbon. I liked it so much that when I used extra ribbon for a hook I left the adjustable part of the strap intact. This all depends on how much you want it to look like a slip. I thought it was very dainty, though in this house it won’t be out in the living room, I assure you.

I still feel like they need some more embellishment, either with extra lace from the slip, or other things I have around. Some millinery flowers or pearl buttons would be lovely. About now my family thinks I’m a little crazy, but it was such a fun idea I just had to give it a try!

What do you think?

-Lynnae

 

Christmas Home Tour

Here are a few photos of Christmas around my house. After you visit mine, tour more homes by clicking the link at the right.

Welcome ! 

This is my living room. I have a collection of Santas on my piano.

 

 More of the living room and entry.

  This is our family room.

I had to clear out some of the Rockband instruments and other game things for this picture, but I still see a few I missed. Grandma made the candles on the top shelf, along with the stockings and nativity. In the 50’s she began making stockings for all her children, their spouses, grandchildren, spouses, and so on. She has made dozens, if not a hundred.

 This is a nativity that my grandmother made.

 Breakfast Nook

I can never stick with the same color scheme from room to room.  My breakfast nook is light and bright and cheerful.
Many more Christmas decorations were made by my Grandma. She would work all year on ceramics for her grandchildren. And she has a LOT of grandchildren!

I hope you enjoyed your tour of my home! Merry Christmas!

-Lynnae