Holiday Boutique Dates

In addition to my potpourri crafts I have glass ornaments blown in Europe in the 1980's.  These were made as collectibles and have most likely been discontinued.

There are three blue baby carriages for a boy's first Christmas, a number of frosted pine cones, angels, at least one St. Nicholas figure (one of my most favorites), several cornucopias and little purple Santa figures.

In addition, I have fabric ornaments that I made twenty-five years ago.  The fabrics were so much prettier then than what I have seen now that they are really pretty.  Some are hung on a small tree on my dining room table for display.

If you are local, you are invited.  Please contact me through mamm(@)pobox.com (remove the parenthesis) and I will send you my address. And if you are not local, please visit my Etsy store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/margueritemanor .

Please share with friends.  Shop early, shop often, shop Etsy.  We need you.  Thank you so much.

In the interest of fair disclosure, I have edited this post since earlier in the day to reflect the fact that one of my open house times is over and to correct the alignment of my glass ornament pictures.

Last of the Christmas Trees

This post is especially for my grand-nephew, who at age two has discovered the magic of Christmas trees. I want to share mine with him and love the idea of being able to do so through the inventions of digital photography and the Internet. This is such wonderful fun!

This is the last of the little trees, sometimes known in the past as "little, little tree", but the one in the sewing room may actually be smaller. Called last because it was the last to be decorated, and the only one not actually ready by Christmas Day.



A new picture of the crane tree after a friend found one crane that sat perfectly on the top. In Japan, I believe that the cranes symbolize peace, while in the United States, I have heard that Japanese-Americans see them as symbolizing courage and patience.



Finally, a picture of the tree in my office. The ornaments are ones that I made by hand about twenty years ago, which makes them vintage ornaments now. The angel on the top was a a package topper that may very well be forty to fifty years old.



Come to think of it, the tree itself is about twenty years old now, so that makes it vintage.

I love each and every tree for their special symbolism; for the history that each one has and for the way that they have brought Christmas to me this year, even though I can not go out to find Christmas at church. I am grateful for the way that my Mama loved Christmas, for the many ornaments and decorations that were hers and for the friends who have made Christmas decorating a community effort at my house. For the friends who have brought me food and flowers, too, I am grateful. Finally, for that little boy in Arizona who is learning the customs and wonder of Christmas, I am most especially grateful.

Blessings and a joyous and prosperous New Year to you all--through every day of it until we come full circle and are celebrating our Christmas again.

Christmas All Over My House

It was a quiet Christmas at my house this year, with the sound of music for the season coming from my favorite classical radio station. Now I will have to find some tapes and cd's to continue the festal sounds through the season. Too many goodies were made or received as gifts and consumed. (Yes, I do have a freezer and sometimes, it seems, I forget to use it!)

All over the house decorations have come out. First and foremost are the tree and creche in the living room.



The next picture is of the large creche in the living room.



Next is the angel tree in my room.


The small creche, which is over sixty years old now, sits next to the angel tree.



Mr Papa Bear looks on from his usual vantage point with frizzly bear in his lap.



Next is a small tree on Mama's dresser in the room that is still evolving into a sewing space. Amidst the clutter, Christmas has come to this room. Last year this little tree held no decorations. Here it is with its own array.



In addition, hidden away in a bureau drawer in a box that had once held canning jars, I found a collection of vintage (maybe actually antique) candles and ceramic figurines that had been Mama's. What fun to unwrap them after decades of being stored away and arrange them now!



And here along the top of the high bureau are more candles.



The crane tree, a custom I began last year, is set up in the dining room, with a small nativity, a gift from a dear friend several years ago.



There is one more little tree, here in my office, but the sun was shining brilliantly behind it and the picture did not turn out. More to come.

Christmas Pictures

Here are pictures of some of my Christmas decorations. The first one is my main tree in the living room. Some ornaments have been with me since I was a small child and all are cherished; all have stories.



The red bird is one of a flock that decorate the tree each year. I love the red and green colors of Christmas and the hope that the birds symbolize. Even while the earth is fallow, Spring will come and flowers will bloom again.



The next bird is the newest ornament, the one that my sister stitched this year. She has contributed to my joy at Christmas with her patient, generous hand-work. (Now if she can just find a little time for herself in 2009!)



The next picture is a small tree that is decorated simply with peace cranes that my friend, who is a communion minister from our local parish, and I made in 2007. They seem especially appropriate and graceful. The Christmas cactus, a gift from a friend, sits in front of it.



There are two more small trees that I usually decorate, one with angels (the "angel tree") in my bedroom and one with small paper ornaments made by printing some Dover Christmas designs and cutting them out.

Finally, I have an undecorated small tree in my office near the printer and another on my Mama's vanity along with family pictures. Maybe next year, if please God, all goes well, I will decorate them all.

The sameness and yet difference of each year's tree continues to fascinate me. (Some people have told me that I should just have someone cover the tree and then uncover it next Christmas. I think that is funny, but wouldn't be much fun!)

Gratitude is still a major theme for today.