Showing posts with label vintage ornaments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vintage ornaments. Show all posts

Thursday, December 23, 2021

From our Home to Yours


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Our Home isn't a showcase, it's small by todays' standards, it isn't new, it isn't full of all the LATEST TRENDS. 
When I started blogging, I promised myself I would stay true to myself. We have Vintage-which really means OLD stuff, LOL, a few NEW things, definitely a lot of GREEN gardening and recycling, and some REDO...fixing what might otherwise be thrown away.

As children of Depression Age Parents...this is the way we were brought up!

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Entering our home--this is the first thing you see. Our sons' two hand plaques from 1976, and our grandgirl's  from 2016. Our home is about Family and friends.
The small angel picture was a gift from a crafter I did shows with. We would often share a hotel room, or even camp-out in the van together to save expenses, for years.

My mother and grandmother kept a home as museums, except for the kitchens. Nothing was to be touched...admired but not touched. 

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Our home, I hope, is more welcoming. I move things around, and I display items which mean something to us.  And everything is able to be touched and used.

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Our holiday mirror display---really a hodge podge, but a curated hodge podge.


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The Fish is my husband's favorite ornament. The bells play continuous music when plugged in, I know we have had those since the early 70's. The horse was handmade by a friend, the reindeer was a gift in need of serious repair job. She is sweet and had been dearly loved, but was in need of rip repair, and an eye, and lots of love.

The brass box is an Arts/Crafts movement piece I picked up maybe 40 years ago. 
The small house is an exact match to our first home in N. Wisconsin. It was a drafty 3-story limestone monstrosity, which we never could quite afford to manage to totally restore---! It was gorgeous though, but a nightmare money pit.

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This stocking was a Hallmark item, Grampa (Hubby) came home with---and plays "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". The ears flap up and down...and you just can't help but smile when it plays.

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These items are up all year round...I forgot the holly sprig and ribbon I put on the old car horn, found in my grandmother's stash of stuff. (From an early car in the 1910's or so, possibly my great-grandfather's.) The wall is uneven and the mirror had to be hung on a stud, so I have to constantly adjust the balance of items here. 

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This guy is one of a trio of pieces of assembled Vintage put together by a crafter. It makes me smile. The bells were vintage(60's) in a goody bag in a thrift store. I strung them on some green string...just so cute. 

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I love vintage images and old postcards. I have them here and there in the house.


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This little girl I found in a thrift store for $.99. She was broken and her packages had separated. A little hot glue and she's so sweet again. Singing from the Julbok, or Christmas songbook. She's probably Swedish---
but carries a cute little elf (Nisse) too.
She's ME, white hair and all.

Around the corner is our Victorian China Cabinet. 

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This is when thrifting becomes an illness...I bought several at thrift stores and Hubby brought a few home, too. Massed together they are quite fun. I love that these are all the traditional Nutcracker faces. The Majolica Biscuit jar is filled with greens and one poinsettia, and of course lights.!

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The television cabinet has brass candlesticks, some snow and lots of North Pole Polar Bears. Royal Copenhagen bears were gifted from my grandmother early in our marriage (50 years or so ago).

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The white porcelain RC Ermines play in the snow. And a thrift store Snow Baby reads stories to some ducks/penguins?

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Of course the North Pole has to have Santa...this is automated and recites the entire, 'Night Before Christmas.' The reindeer move, it's adorable...another thrift store find for $6.99, it's too much fun and we will play it on Christmas Even.  I filled my stoneware pitcher with greens of ivy and pines, and some snowballs.

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The shelf above the TV has lights and an elf---I have 4 of these made by a crafter and they are just mischievously tucked here and there in the living room.

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I have one girl and 3 boy elves. The ceramic and porcelain dogs are from left: paternal grandmothers', small Terrier was in my grandfather's things, right Spaniel was my maternal grandmothers' and the white Scotty was at my parent's cottage. Not sure where he came from. The Vase is Royal Copenhagen and was my grandmother's. 

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Well it's time for me to move back to the kitchen. I have lots of cooking to do.
The Christmas Pig, has to be cooked, the rice pudding, red cabbage, stuffing, yada, yada, yada!!!

I've already made stuffing, and now have to start on vegetables. We have a refrigerator repair man coming tomorrow---and I can't count on having a space to work. Our fridge is at the end of the island...and well, that's  where we all stand when working at the counter, in front of the fridge!

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Hope everyone has a marvelous Holiday. I'll be taking some time off to play with dolls. You can reach me at my doll blog: 
and Blessings to you All!

Sandi, from OUR Home to Yours!

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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.


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 










 

Friday, December 17, 2021

Christmas 2021: Part 2 Tree and Buffet

Christmas in Chicagoland consists of brilliant sunshine, or dark gloom, making photographing a challenge. Waiting for that medium light is a challenge. 
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We are passive solar which means our windows are all on the south side, with overhangs that shield the windows during the warmer months, but let the full bolt of sunlight in during the winter months. 

Our new windows don't go to the floor like the old ones, but that is a plus. 

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The tree is centered and in it's Victorian 'crib' on wheels. That was great for decorating all around the tree.

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Ornament on the left is from family in the late 1800's. 
Last year we only put 4 boxes of ornaments up---what came up the stairs is what went on the tree. This year the idea was to go through everything and cull...IMPOSSIBLE.

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Rudy was my hubby's childhood favorite.
We only put on the vintage, glass and favorites...so it is jammed. 
Fifty-three Christmases and inheriting ornaments really makes it hard.

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We have half a tote of glass snowmen we didn't even touch. An entire tote of wooden carved Santas, a tote of Santa statues from all around the world, A tote of un-breakables, and multiple totes of village houses and accessories, that we never even got close to having room to put out????

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Each year I would buy a box of glass ornaments, or something unusual, as well as an ornament for every person. Well we inherited my parent's and grandparents also.

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There are memories attached to so many. The striped blown glass ball was from an artist I sat next to for 4 days every year at an art show. We became great friends and I bought one every year!

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I'm a total sucker for gnomes, fairies, and mushrooms.

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The wax angel on the left was a replacement for my grandmother's which melted.
The fairy---I found maybe 10 years ago. 

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Hubby has contributed too, Rudolphs and some of his great grandparent's Victorian ornaments. We have two of these Santas...amazing the white fur is over 120 years old.

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The tree is full all the way around---how can we part with any????
We are going to see what the kids want....maybe NEXT year, lol.

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More memories and traditions.  The china cabinet is filled with family Royal Copenhagen and Bing & Grondahl porcelain and figurines. I just add traditional red candles and a few baubles. 

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Red candles are traditional in Danish homes---and I have kept up that tradition.

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I will use these dishes for our Christmas Dinner.

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My family was working folk in Denmark, farmers, fishermen, or cabinet makers.

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My mom was partial to the children figurines, while my grandmother had more adult ones and birds.

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We have so many serving pieces.

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I deep cleaned everything for Thanksgiving so they are ready to go.

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Hans Christian Andersen wrote the 'Snow Queen', 'Steadfast Tin Soldier', 'Thumbelina,' 'The Little Mermaid', and so many more fairytales that are part of Christmas traditions everywhere.

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On the buffet, I used family and thrift store found Silver, some polished, some not! Amazing that people gift sterling pieces to thrift stores and they sell them for under $10.

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I've added some silly fairy folk, and little lights with some vintage ornaments.

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All spread over a 'Turkish' weave 1800's tablecloth.  It has just that wonderful deep red color and the right amount of tint to make the old items really popl

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The centerpiece is my largest fairy. I sold these in my store in the late 1990's. And of course kept one. she's sweet and like all the fairies is pose-able with wonderful fly-away hair.

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Such a face....he's just too much fun.

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This 'Pige' (small girl) was one of my mom's favorites. She holds her apron open all year long to catch something magical.

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Grandmother's silver candlesticks with the mini multi-colored lights just sparkling.

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From our home to yours, I am wishing you Happy Holidays and Traditions. 
Do enjoy family and friends, safely! 

coming soon

Part 3: Bedroom and Hall

Part 4: Rest of the Living Room

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.

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 



















Sunday, November 27, 2016

Christmas Past Projects and Fun

I've only been blogging for one Christmas season, but thought I would 
share a few of last years posts.

DIY Christmas Tree Shaped Topiary
We made an ivy topiary from a tomato cage. This year it has filled out so much, 
can't wait to put some fairy lights in it for the holidays.

Inside I shared some DIY cookie trays.
DIY Making Tiered Cookie Trays

Loving vintage I tried a NEW/OLD Christmas Tin Tree. 
This was great for hiding real sweets in over the holiday season.

Vintage Christmas Tins Tree


My family traditions and my inherited Copenhagen porcelain.

Christmas Traditions and Copenhagen Porcelain
My family traditions and the blue and white porcelain in my china cabinet.
Vintage Christmas Kitchen
Christmas in the old kitchen.  Goodness, I hung the Jule Nisse stitchery to hide the ugliness of the  beat up cabinets. How short is a year after a remodeling?



Vintage Christmas Kitchen
Christmas pig noshing down on acorns with vintage everywhere.

Vintage Christmas Kitchen
A child's apron, I was 8 to 10 when I received this from my aunts in Denmark.

Granny's Ornaments
I was on a hunt to replace wax ornaments of my grandmother's. Gurley wax ornaments.

Vintage DIY Terracotta Gingerbread Village

We toured my Christmas village made with terra-cotta houses, and vintage ones.

Wonderland Express at Botanic Gardens


Wonderland Express at the Botanic Gardens

We went on a tour of the Chicago Botanic Gardens and road the Wonderland Express.
DIY Barbie House moving in for Christmas

Decorating the DIY Barbie House for Christmas had to be the MOST fun!
Junkin Finds for the Front Porch


Decking out the front porch for the holidays just before the storm.

Cushions for the Front Porch
Vintage tablecloths into cushions
Junkin' Finds for the Front Porch

Making an arrangement for the holidays, focal point for the front porch.


Just in time, 
Mid-November 2015-a year ago---in Chicagoland, those are pumpkin lights, not Christmas lights! 

Better Watch OUT! 

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 or posts. 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!




Sandi