Our Quiet Christmas in the Living Room

                                              Ad-Free Blog

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.

oldnewgreenredo

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.

oldnewgreenredo

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. 

oldnewgreenredo

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

oldnewgreenredo

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!

oldnewgreenredo

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.

oldnewgreenredo

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

oldnewgreenredo

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

oldnewgreenredo

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.

oldnewgreenredo

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

oldnewgreenredo

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

Thanks so much for visiting,

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, 

but I do not receive any $$ from anywhere I shop.

However, the link to my BarberryLane Etsy shop

on the right hand side if you choose to visit for a

Antiques, Craft Supplies, Vintage, Dolls, Mini's, and more. I will be opening an Ebay shop in the New Year. Stay tuned...

  

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

Thank you for your cooperation, 

Sandi 

oldnewgreenredo

Rebuilding Fall with Antiques on the Buffet

I confess, the buffet was a dumping ground for everything in October...medical info, files, mail, pumpkins, seeds, garden folders, it was all there and even with Halloween we didn't use. 

It still isn't 100%, It needs a bit of foliage and lights there...before I take full buffet photos, but it is coming together, so let's look at some of the usual suspects.

First the decor is pretty much where it landed. My antique mirror is wedged in and a permanent fixture at this point. It was in my grandmother's attic above an old bed...circa late 1920's-30's.

 I collect unusual (cheap) pumpkins, either artisan or thrift store. 

The little birds are from Spring, I still have to put them back into the china cabinets.

I haven't used a runner this year...I plan on serving dessert here for Thanksgiving, so the bare tiles (Fall themed birds) are fine. I will add some darker candles, or put sleeves on the white ones. I love the upholstery fabric pumpkin to the right.

The key piece on the right side is this tea pot, a find this year. It's very old---

and dread of all dreads...totally unmarked. The giveaway is the handle is Ebony (steam had raised the grain on one side) as is the finial. The English ones (Sheffield) are made with bakelite handles.

This teapot design has been made in many forms. Because it is unmarked it was either not produced for export (had to be marked for export with origin early 1900's and on) or it is older than say 1900.  I have no intention of selling it so it doesn't matter, I love the design and the lines and the elegant handle of Ebony wood.

Here's a shot all by itself...isn't she pretty with that collar! 

Finally, with online sleuthing I found the same one unmarked-labeled British Colony Bachelor teapot. (so somewhere in the middle east, or India. The craftsmanship is excellent and it is great condition. I'm guessing either India, Burma, or Malaysia which would have a supply of Ebony wood.

My little wagon is frankly full of....a crowd of bottle stoppers from my grandparent's trips to Europe. One is missing a hat which I found separate and saved, not knowing what it was.

They really do look like they have been 'on and off' the wagon...LOL.

This guy looks so unhappy. They are ALL from the 1940's 50's. Carved wood probably from Germany, there are two others similar, the double one has been id'd as Italian.

Some of the corks have disappeared, I can repair that. 

The donkey is my favorite he is animated with the tail as a lever that moves his head and his ears wiggle. He's an Anri design from Italy.

These two certainly look to be German or Swiss and I need to find a new cork for it.

These are harder to find, the first one is pretty common, the fisherman is sterling, so I think it may be Danish...the Duck I couldn't find, at least it is silverplate. They need a good polish, so on the list before Thanksgiving.

A little Oompah-pah music and you could have a party.

On the other side to balance out is another piece of silver.

This large water pitcher is Homan plate on Nickel Silver...I just like the style, the company operated from 1896-1904 before a name change. Stylistically they made some beautiful pieces. This is in need of polishing, which I may do for Christmas, but I like the weathered look for Thanksgiving.

A cutglass bowl ??? used to elevate the pumpkin...I can do better than that. A cork material pumpkin (thrift store) cool texture, my canning ring pumpkin and velvet and beading on the bowl. A sweet Czech creamer from the early 1920's. I have a pitcher for sale of the same pattern. 

Below is our doorstop which is a treasured family piece. It held the doors to the screened porch open at my grandparent's cottage in the 1950's, and the same at my parent's cottage until 1984, when he was packed away. I found him after 2012 in my parent's house when it was sold. 

He's a little dusty and worn, but original...and loved, at least after I give him a bath

'Buster' and I were close friends when I was a child,  and I used to carry him everywhere---he's heavy and has a collar and chain that attaches to the handmade house that sits on the door wedge. I freed him years ago from his chain.  He's a Hubley Boston Terrier from the early 1900's and highly collectible. 

But he doesn't eat much, so he's staying. Some things you have to be thankful for, and he's one of my favorites. 

Next is to really dress the buffet, since I have all this collected. 

It will probably change before you see it again. 

Grins, Sandi

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each AD-Free post.

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

Funtastic Friday

Home Matters

Happiness is Homemade

Craftastic Monday

Love Your Creativity

Handmade Monday

Senior Pit Stop

You're the Star

Really Crafty Party

Metamorphosis Monday

Share Your Style

Weekend Traffic Jam

Farmhouse Friday

Tuesdays with a Twist

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

Thanks ALWAYS for visiting!

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question. Please don't use my photos without my permission.

 Sandi Magle

OldNewGreenRedo

A DIY ELF's Surprise: A Yule Log Centerpiece

Ad-Free Blog

After reminiscing, I made a side comment to my husband the other day....,"Remember when you use to make a Yule Log Centerpiece back when we didn't have any money?" 

Yes, this holiday is all about reminiscing and this is what he surprised me with.

oldnewgreenredo

Since we no longer live in the North Woods of Wisconsin (since 1976, lol)...the local grocery had branches...a little sawing and some greens a few berries and he walked into the kitchen with this.

oldnewgreenredo

It's really huge, but so is our table!!!

oldnewgreenredo

Here's the HAPPY ELF Carpenter! He told me the stories of making Yule Log centerpieces for his grandmother's in N. Wisconsin when he was in high school. Drilling holes in big huge birch logs, and halving a branch to cut for legs. That would be the 1960's...gosh time flies! 

oldnewgreenredo

After moving many assorted candles around, I had enough to fill the wood holders from my dad's old stash of woodworking supplies. And they work perfect with the rustic logs.

oldnewgreenredo

The branches will begin  to scent the kitchen, once they thaw out. The berries are pretty casually put in. We decided a bit of ribbon is all it needs.

oldnewgreenredo

I love the texture on the logs and the branches.

oldnewgreenredo

He raised the branches up with legs made from more of my dad's toy parts. 

oldnewgreenredo

I think it will be perfect...excuse the plastic tablecloth---but it isn't time for Christmas Dinner yet...just wait until Friday when we set the table.! I can't wait.

oldnewgreenredo

NOW---the Most important thing is spraying these branches for the next 5 days! 

Golly, I love my Hunk of an ELF!!!!

Happy Holidays and all the Trimmings! 

And who doesn't love the scent of fresh GREENS!

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each new post.

Thanks  ALWAYS  for visiting,

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

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

Grammy's Grid:All Things Christmas

You're the Star Blog Hop

Vintage Charm

Farmhouse Friday

Metamorphisis Monday

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. Please do not use my photos without permission. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts, or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Sandi