Our Quiet Christmas in the Living Room

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While we are hosting Cookie Day, we won't be hosting any Christmas festivities. So our Living Room is a bit low key this season. Which is fine. I dragged up two totes from the basement selected from a few others and did some simple decorating in both the living room and kitchen (last post).

Our lovely Lithuanian Wall hanging is reminiscent of a snow tossed sea during the winter. It stays on this door all year long.  Hats and mittens are dried on it's tails and sides and two strings hanging to the right and left. Below, not seen, are the bags and boots that collect by the front door. Our closet is tiny and it's easier to dry boots/shoes on trays.

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I picked a few Christmas favorites for the TV buffet. Our Snowy Polar bears and Ermine that are sculpted in porcelain from Denmark. A hand painted 'Father Christmas' and a Fisherman Santa. The Snowman globe holds fun prompts for Holiday charades...which I hope to play after the cookies are baked. A starlit moonlight scene painted by our grand on a frame blank is tucked on the shelf by the fisherman and is always out.

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The sweet porcelain angels are from my art from holiday show days...and each is different and handmade. They are singing on a sweet runner from Denmark. 

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It's a cozy foreground for watching Christmas Movies. Way better than the NEWS...ugh!

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My spoon rack is displaced by a Sinter Klaus stitchery from my Great Aunts in Denmark. The grain sifter holds a Eucalyptus wreath...soon I will find the perfect ribbon to put up---next time I visit my craft room disaster.

The sign below very typically describes our small family---we are just 8 here in Illinois...with everyone else scattered in Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri.

Our Boys!

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This photo is from 1976-7, our two boys on Christmas morning. Hard to remember them this small. It was a surprise gift one year from my son and hangs all year long on  the closet door in the Living room.

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The buffet is simple this year...with Nutcrackers, old pottery with a crazy plant and snow.

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The Candles are battery, but the cabinet lights are very inviting at night!

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An old 'Swedish' wooden tree with candle holders is in the corner. I haven't found the right size candles this year. I might have to go to World Market to find some. 

Nutcrackers were a fun way to bring some color and consistency here.

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I haven't done a thing in the porcelain cabinet...this year so far. 

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So Far Mr. and Mrs Claus aren't Ho-ho-ho-ing yet, but you never know. 

Our little tree is up, but the sunshine is too bright to try and get decent photos, and we are keeping the drapes drawn to protect Hubby's new Eyes...

which are 20/20 now except for reading. YAY! 

I'll post the rest when we have it PULLED Together, I love when a PLAN come together...

What kind of plan can you have after 57 years? 

Hugs and Happy Holidays, 

 Sandi

What are you baking for the Holidays!

 I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

Metamorphosis Monday

Craftastic Monday

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OldNewGreenRedo, is an ad-free blog.  

I do not endorse or receive any $$ for any products I may use. I enjoy showing how I use products, 

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Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi 

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Christmas Nostalgia and Whimsy

I've been slacking on posting this year. I've been slow at everything, and decorating has been a month long...snail's pace process. The buffet is always a centerpiece for our home.

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When you have Grandchildren you decorate for them. Usually this buffet has the entire village up, but this year, I went with a snow and our favorite things theme.

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Unpolished family and thrift store silver softly reflects the lights. The white weasels are Royal Copenhagen from my family's collection. 

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A dapper mouse ski's on the snow, while Santa floats in a boat.

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A sugarplum fairy, vintage trees, a plastic scene, an old chalkware Santa, and mice all occupy my buffet forest.

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Two polar bears nestle under a dome, while birds, shelter below.

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The Nisse elf (representing Scandinavia), is one of an old series of Santa's around the world, issued by Carson Pirie Scott in the 1990s. I have several. I have two Rudy's, one from my husbands grandparents, and one from mine.

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We can pretend it is Rudolph and clarice.  The Ty baby, is the Grand's and she always wants it in the decorations.

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Mama Bear and baby, play in the sparkling snow---they are Royal copenhagen from my family.

The sweet bird, is one of the last gifts I gave my mom.

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Back in the forest, a sweet fairy does her magic.

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Only a few feet away is the Christmas tree. This is the first year with all glass ornaments in quite awhile. We downsized the tree last year, and it has wonderful open spaces to showcase our collection.

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In an Antique fenced stand, a few toys lurk before presents are banked around the tree.

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My 19th Century spinning wheel, has a few decorations. I still have elves to find that will play on this.

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Hoping your Christmas is filled with Nostalgia, Whimsy and Love. 

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be sharing at these fine Parties!

Amaze Me Monday
Share Your Style
Share Your Cup
Home and Garden Thursday
Thursday Favorite Things

Sandi

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Wonderland Express at the Chicago Botanic Gardens

This is my GREEN post for the Holidays!

One of the great pleasures of living near a metropolitan area are cultural attractions. We are members of the Chicago Botanical Gardens in Glencoe, Illinois. The gardens themselves are exstensive and year-long events are always interesting for all ages. One of our annual excursions is to the Wonderland Express, these pictures are from 2013 but we will go next week.

Here is a natural Christmas tree in the tropical room. The Orchids were in full bloom, as we made our way toward the Wonderland Express

If you want to know more... go to Chicago Botanic Gardens.

The hall where normally long lines of ticket holders wait, are decorated by local groups in specific themes. This tree had elves, peacock feathers collected from the garden's peacocks.

I love the gingerbread decor---including all the blue stars for our Jewish Friends Chanukah celebrations. Truly all the exhibits at the gardens are family friendly, young, old and older!

 

Here is a culinary sampling of of Gingerbread houses in the lobby.  Complete with a Choo-Choo.

 

I loved the banking of the poinsettias and all the trees...so cute, 

but this IS NOT the WONDERLAND EXPRESS.

Inside a darkened room....came the sound of choo, choo, choo...and clickety clack of the Wonderland Express weaving it's way overhead, below and all around you-- through forests and prairies, over bridges above ponds and in tunnels through the miniature city. I never did get a picture of any of the the engines...lol, because they appear in and out of the displays, and you hardly know where they are going to show up!

Here and there are all natural materials Chicago landmarks. Everything in these displays are live or were live...everything is REAL GREEN product!

Pardon the pics, but it was a dark room...the snow is a combo of glycerin and soap---and fell continuously throughout our experience and then disappeared. So those dots on your screen are real---FAKE--snow, but natural, lol.

Miniature poinsettias edge the real-life-like forest.

ALL the buildings are built of nuts, pods, bark, wood, grasses and other natural materials. It's really astounding the detail and the natural coloring can still project the concrete jungle of Chicago.

Museum of Science and Industry with the Planetarium to the right...love the crossroads here and all the blooming or about to bloom Kalanchoe.

Museum of Natural History

Here is a distant shot of Navy Pier...here set on a pond instead of into Lake Michigan...Love the pines.

 

The multiple trains went overhead, all the structures were made of real branches, logs and twigs. The room itself is surface in all wood so the setting was perfect.

The gurgling of the streams and ponds were the substitution for our beautiful lakefront. Here the Lighthouse guards the pond.

Landmark building John Hancock Building built in the 1970's. The X structure allows the building to sway in the wind instead of staying rigid. I have been on the 94th floor when it is in full sway---of almost 20 feet, LOL. You don't feel it, but the curtains hang straight while the building moves around them...weird.

 

The Chicago Tribune Tower 

The Pilgrim Baptist Church

 Rockefeller Chapel on the University of Chicago Campus

One of the many trestles...overhead. I love the branches and trees lit everywhere.

Here is a great model of the Robie House ==Frank Lloyd Wright, Oak Park. Here you can gather the scale---of the exhibit from the people, which is huge and yet the houses are really in miniature.

The Old Chicago History Museum

 Fourth Presbyterian Church

Old City Hall

Prudential Building---

Old Chicago ---Oak Street

More Old Chicago

 Old Saint Patrick's on Adams

Newberry Library

The Chicago LOOP--buildings are not to scale to each other or geographically correct...left is the water tower, far right the Hancock building.

The Picasso "Lady?" Sculpture from Daley Plaza. She looks much better with blooming Kalanchoe around her than on a bunch of concrete.

Here is the out of scale Water Tower ---the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, Navy Pier-Crystal Palace and the Michigan avenue Bridge. The Water Tower is one of the only surviving structures from the Chicago Fire in 1871 and is the key anchor on our Magnificent Mile Michigan Avenue shopping district.

Wrigley Building Clock Tower...middle, to the left in back the Marina Towers, to the right the Chicago Board of Trade behind and the Chicago Merchandise Mart in the front right.

Out in the lobby, the theme and overflow continues...just beautiful.

Afterward, one more quick pop into the Tropical room---and I wish you a Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas from a GREEN and red,  Chicago Botanic Gardens, Sandi.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own or I am in possesion of the originals, 

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or products used. 

Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Thanks always for stopping by during this busy season--I appreciate any and all comments and I will try and answer any of your questions.

Linking to these fine parties:
Inspire Me Tuesday
Metamorphisis Monday
Something to Talk About Link Party 

The Scoop
Tweak It Tuesday
Let's Talk Vintage

Grammy's Grid All things Christmas

Sandi