Joan's Christmas Tree 2019

Joan's Christmas Tree.

I traveled up to Maryland to spend a few days with my cousin Joan during the past Christmas holidays. It was great fun. Of all the many Christmas trees that I enjoyed this past year, Joan's was the prettiest.  It was decorated with handmade ornaments that made it very special, and the vintage snowflake white lights added to its uniqueness. 

Star-shaped white lights. 

Joan had crocheted many of the ornaments, making different shapes of snowflakes. 

Crocheted bell.

She even crocheted the angel for the top of the tree. 

Crocheted Christmas angel tree topper. 

Two of the ornaments I recognized as ones that my Mom had crocheted some years ago.

Mama's crocheted Santa.

Mama's crocheted stocking. 

The pretty framed cross-stitched ornaments were gifts from Joan's daughter Robin.

Two of the ornaments were ones from Westmoore Pottery made by Mary Farrell.

Westmoore pottery snowman.

Westmoore Pottery Christmas tree. 

Yes, in my book Joan's tree wins first prize among the Christmas trees I saw this past Christmas.

Gadding About at the Dollar Tree

Everything one dollar. 

Most of our Christmas stuff (including the tree and the ornaments) is stored at Chatfield in Shelby, and I'm not able to get there before Christmas, so I'm having to make do with a few things I can pick up here and there in order to decorate this year.   I don't want to spend a lot of money to duplicate what we have stored at Chatfield.   So I'm trying to find a few simple things without spending too much. 

At Bed Bath and Beyond I found a couple of small prelit trees that will do.  Dollar Tree often has Christmas ornaments so I popped over there to have a look.  It's surprising what one can find at Dollar Tree.  Here is what $10. bought---everything there is $1.00.

A dozen Christmas ornaments---six gold and six silver. $1.00 Decorative cupcake liners. $1.00

Pack of plastic storage containers 3 for $1.00.  2 packs for $2.00.   I'll fill them with spiced pecans for Christmas gifts.

I was surprised to find Cracker Jacks.  I loved those when I was a kid.  I will use a box as a stocking stuffer for each grandchild's stocking.  3 pack for $1.00.  2 packs for $2.00

A Selfie stick.  That is for me to take group selfies at our Christmas festivities.

These aluminum sheets will come in handy for holiday baking and gift giving.  Even works nicely for wrapping small gifts.

Who doesn't need batteries during the holidays?  I wonder how these will last compared to the Energizer Bunny ones.

I have a couple of small books I need to mail as Christmas gifts.  A good bargain here.  The pack for $1.00

You can see I did quite well with the $10.00 I spent.  If you have a Dollar Tree or Dollar store of any kind you might should check it out.  Happy shopping.

Casey's Christmas-Themed Bridal Shower (Part One)

Gifts for the bridal shower under the tree.

When I was planning a bridal shower for Casey who is marrying my grandnephew Adam, I decided to use a "Christmas in October" theme.  I think it was fun for everyone---especially the bride-to-be.

The invitation specified the Christmas theme and asked guests to bring a gift that could be used at Christmas.  Well that could be almost anything actually.  But many did bring Christmas y things.

The Shower Invitation. 

Christmas decorations were used throughout our Chatfield house including a decorated aluminum 1950s Christmas tree.

1950s aluminum Christmas tree.

When the bride-to-be arrived, I presented her with a corsage that was pinned on by her grandmother, Margaret.  The corsage included a crocheted Santa ornament that had been crocheted by my mother.  Casey never knew my mother who would have been her great grandmother (by marriage), but she will have an ornament made by her. 

The corsage adorned with a Santa ornament made by Granny Greene.

Casey's grandmother pins on the corsage. (Photo by Peggy Rhyne)

At our house on Christmas eve, we always play what we call "Dirty Santa" also called "The White Elephant Game".  As an ice breaker, we played this game at the shower.  I  bought and wrapped the gifts---Christmas ornaments.   For picking numbers to decide the order of play, I had each guest choose a small box that contained a numbered Westmoore Pottery ornament that could be taken home as a party favor.

Each box contained a tiny pottery ornament with a number to determine the order of play.

Westmoore Pottery ornaments. (www.westmoorepottery.com)

 In turn each guest opened a "Dirty Santa" gift based on her number, and ornaments could be taken away from someone rather than choosing an unopened gift.  Several of the ornaments did change hands.

Wooden birdhouse ornament. (Photo by Peggy Rhyne)

More Christmas ornament gifts.

Everyone had a lot of fun with this game. 

Refreshments followed the Christmas theme:  Lottie Lane Fruitcake (homemade), spiced pecans (homemade), fruit kabobs, cheese florets (Southern Supreme) and hot spiced apple cider to drink.

The food. (Photo by Kelly Cabaniss Snellings)

Lottie Lane Fruitcake.

Table set up on screen porch.  (Photo by Peggy Rhyne)

After refreshments, Casey opened her gifts.  (To be continued.)

The Owl Tree at Logan Trading Company

I've already lamented that Christmas decorations are up all over town, and it's not even Halloween, but I was taken with a "bird" tree, mainly owls, on display at the Logan Trading Company the other day when I was over buying pansy plants for our window boxes.  I just had to snap a few pics of some of the ornaments on the tree.

The "bird" Christmas tree at Logan's.

In flight.

This owl is rather mean looking.

A sad owl?

Oh wise one.

This one reminds me of Hedwig. 

Although many of these ornaments were awfully cute and I do love owls, I did resist the urge to buy one.  Dan and I are trying to "declutter".  Adding another Christmas ornament to our collection isn't going to help.