Transferware Teacup Christmas Tree

Who has their Christmas tree up and decorated?
Not me. 
I am just getting my Christmas decor out but thought I'd repost my tree from last year that I decorated with red/pink transferware teacups.  There are about 50 teacups on the tree. In addition to the teacups I used a variety of collected red ornaments, garlands and ribbons. 

I have a recurring theme of birds throughout my house and they've made it to my Christmas decor too.  Some birds are tucked inside the transferware cups.

Some birds are clipped onto the tree branches.

 Grandma Judy sent Ashton home with a collection of bird ornaments she's saved for her, so those were added to the tree as well. 

I love the color amber.  I have several strings of amber colored lights.  My favorites are old fashioned, real glass bulbs in a pine cone shape.  Don't you just love the glow of twinkling Christmas lights?

As I did when I was a child, I still like laying on the floor and looking up at the Christmas tree. 

I have some more teacups that I might try to add to the tree this year, or maybe I'll decorate a green tree with brown cups.

I can't wait to get the house decorated for Christmas!

I'm joining some of the following:
The Tablescaper
French Country Cottage
No Minimalist Here
Funky Junk Interiors
Blue Cricket Design
Between Naps on The Porch
Dittle Dattle
Amaze Me Monday
Savvy Southern Style
Show and Tell Friday
Very Merry Vintage Style 

My Uncommon Slice of Surburbia
The Shabby chic Cottage
How Sweet The Sound
2805

Happy Thanksgiving

“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some”

~Charles Dickens~

Last Minute Table Details ~ Natural Elements As Place Cards

Need ideas for last minute place card settings?

Natural elements at a table are beautiful and can make for elegant, if not refined,  place cards, as evidenced below.

 (photo, Martha Stewart)

(google images)

(photo, Better Homes and Gardens)

Photo, That Country Place

(photo, MarthaStewart.com)

I LOVE this idea...like a little pomander!

(photo, the design file)

(photo, byStephanieLynn)

(photo Family Circle)

The options are absolutely endless!
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Shabby Apple Dress Winner is
comment #3
Trena S.

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings!

~Eric Hoffer~

May we all learn to count our many, many blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Joining in at  A Stroll Through Life, Between Naps on The Porch, Share The Love Wednesday and Wow Us Wednesday

Decorating with Vintage Clutches

For as long as I can remember I've displayed these vintage, beaded clutches that belonged to my Grandmothers somewhere in our home, usually in the powder room. 

I enjoy having things around that remind me of my Grandma's and I like to think about the different places and events they'd carry these little hand held purses to.

I am really sentimental when it comes to these things. Are you?  Do any of you have a little collection of purses that you like to display?  What, if anything, do you display in your home that belonged to your Mother or Grandmother?

The powder room in this house is small and has no cabinet or shelf space at all so I decided to hang them on the wall with a grouping of framed pictures.

Above the toilet, I have a pretty barley twist cabinet and I've got a little reproduction purse that hangs from the handle.

I plan to show you around this powder room later but didn't have time tonight,  I'll show you al linside the little curio as well...one of my very, very favorite pieces of transferware is in there!

Joining:

BNOTP

Faded Charm

WOW

Dittle Dattle

Mod Vintage Life

Knick of Time

Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes~

Shopping at Novica

Have you all been buying Christmas gifts yet?  I have!  With six kids I make a running start beginning mid-summer. 
 Have you heard of Novica?  Novica is associated with National Geographic and provides artist and artisans around the world a global platform to express their talents and spur creativity.  The site is full of hard to find, unique items that only the Internet infrastructure can allow access to. 

Recently my sister-n-law Monica and I took some of our kids out to Yolotti (self serve frozen yogurt), to which I am now an addict of the Red Velvet cake flavor, and Ashton and Trevor played this game, Oware, with their cousin Lucy.  The three of them had such a fun time playing this so when I saw it on Novica I decided it needed to be part of their Christmas.

Oware is one of the oldest games in the world.  It is a game of skill and strategy designed for two players, challenging mental agility and alertness. The objective can be briefly described as "counting and capturing beads" and there are no chance factors in it. The player's strategy entirely depends upon the ability for reasoning and counting. 

I have wanted to start a collection of walking sticks for some time.  I have one all by itself in an umbrella stand in my entry.  Novica has a nice selection, including this Eagle carved one.  

Accessories like these women scarves would be on my table to!  You know I love using stuff like this on my tablescapes!  I have both of these paisley scarves on my wish list. 

 I found that if you don't buy what you like when you see it, you might come back and it's gone! I had picked out this adorable leather bracelet as one of Kalyn's Christmas gifts and put it in my shopping cart.  A week later I went to checkout it was no more! =(  Kalyn would have loved this!  Sorry KK!   Sorry to me to...I would definitely have been borrowing this from her! 

My second choice for Kalyn was this turquoise color leather bracelet. But guess what?  It's sold out to!  So if you see something you like, snag it while you can!  Not to worry though, they've got over 2000 choices so I'm sure I'll find something KK will love.

If you saw my husbands wallet you would not believe what sad shape it's in.  We bought his current wallet on our first trip to Idaho together 20+ years ago.   Since then he has sewn, glued, taped and even stapled his wallet back together.  He says it conforms to the shape of his buns (he has none!) and he doesn't want to 'train' a new one.     I would like to buy this one for him though... if he'd just give it a chance...honey do you like this since I KNOW you're reading this post?

There's even a zippered pouch for those pennies I can't let you toss aside.

Novica offers a huge selection of items from decorative items for the home to tableware to jewelry.  I've had my eye on some of the glassware for months!  The selection of hand blown wine glasses and barware is gorgeous!

Can't you see these tortoise shell glasses at one of my tables?

(hint to Shawn)

Go check out Novica.  'Tis the gift giving season and there is something for everyone here.