Our Own Little Forest

It's Three or More Tuesday with our hostess Tam @ The Gypsy Corner as well as Deck the Halls @ Thoughts From Over the Rainbow. So today I'm sharing the Christmas trees around our home. For years my husband and I bought a fresh tree at one of the local Christmas tree lots. It was the typical ritual of pulling various trees out of the stack, holding it up to check the symentry, fullness, height, etc. Once selected there was usually a bit of drama associated with getting it in the trunk of the car and securing it within since the size of the tree no longer allowed the trunk to close. When we returned home my husband would saw the end, secure it into the tree stand, and bring it into our home to a spot where we had invariably moved something out to make room for a tree. Well, about ten years ago, we finally joined the ranks of those with artificial trees. My husband, now with sap free hands, appreciates the change!

A Trio of Alpine Woodland Trees

(Click to Enlarge Photo)

Actually, I never thought about how much easier it would be to decorate an artificial tree as well as being much more economical. At the time ten years ago, fresh trees were becoming more and more pricy. It was also a hassell to move the furniture in order to make room for a full size tree. By chance one day, I spotted a set of three Alpine woodland trees. They were graduated in size 3', 4', and 5'. I figured they would fit perfectly on the seat of the bay window of our living room. I purchased them, set them up in the bay window, and now they are known as "our little forest of trees".

Slender 9' Tree in Dining Room

(Click to Enlarge Photo)

Since that purchase, Christmas decorating at our home has become hassel free. We simply pull the trees out of the attic, set them up, decorate them, and presto. . . the tree, or rather trees are done! In fact it so easy that a few years ago we also began putting up a small table top tree on the sun porch, and this year added a large slim tree to our dining room. The dining room tree holds an assortment of shiny glass ornaments made in Europe for American companies. Our little forest of trees in the bay window has company, and we now have more branches on which to hang our favorite ornaments.

Small Tabletop Tree with Roosters and Hearts

(Click to Enlarge Photo)

The small tabletop tree on the sun porch is the "Rooster Tree". One day I realized that I had quite a few rooster ornaments and decided to use them on a tree of their own. At first I just used a simple metal tree, but a couple of years ago I began using a little larger tree to accomodate the roosters as well as some of my "folkart" pieces. This year a thoughtful friend gave us this Santa riding on a rooster. All the pieces on this sculpture are vintage. It is made by Gloria Becker.

Gloria Becker Soft Sculpture Santa with Vintage Toys

Riding Wooden Rooster

Katherine Collection Lion, MacKenzie-Childs Glass Drop, John Toole Egg

Most of the ornaments on our trees are those that have been gathered through the years. Many are gifts from former students, friends, or family. Some are handstitched needlepoint ornaments that I've made through the years. It's an electic assortment, but all hold special memories!

Following are some ornaments from our trees . . .

Jay Strongwater Baby Elephant

Ceramic Cow Made by a Friend

Handstitched Needlepoint Ragady Ann Ornament

Handpainted Tin Rooster Ornament

Old World Santa, Katherine Collection Lion, MacKenzie-Childs Fondant

Handstitched Wool Snowman, Williamsburg Artist

MacKenzie-Childs Truffle

Handpainted Ceramic Rooster

Golden Wishbone Ornament Made by My Mother-In-Law

German Handpainted Handblown Glass Heart From My Mother

Miniature Soft Sculpture Rabbit (1 " Tall)

MacKenzie-Childs Glass Star

Ceramic Rooster

Ribbed Glass Heart with Glitter

Handstitched Needlepoint Humpty Dumpty

Silvestri Boy

John Toole Glass Pear

Jay Strongwater Rooster

Frosty the Snowman

Brass Tree

Glass Rooster

Old World Glass Heart

Katherine Collection Rooster

MacKenzie-Childs Bon Bon

Katherine Collection Monkey

Patriotic Tin Rooster

Patience Brewster Rooster

Old World Santa

Three French Hens Box

Glass Rooster

Thank you for stopping by today. Please leave a comment below before joining Tam @ The Gypsy Corner for Three or More Tuesday and Thoughts From Over the Rainbow for Deck the Halls.

Childhood Treasures

Miniature Handpainted Bell

Another Vintage Christmas Monday, and this one takes us back to the 1940s-1950s. This little bell hangs on our Christmas tree each year. The tiny 1" porcelian bell is handpainted and simply marked with the words "Japan" on the inside. It was tied to a Christmas present that my husband received as a young child. My mother-in-law had kept it and hung it on the family tree each year. She gave it to us for our tree the first year we were married. It has the sweetest little sound, but more than that it holds the sweetest of memories. It is obviously a small trinket but my mother-in-law valued this little bell enough to keep it safe all these years so that her son could have it for his family Christmas trees years later.

Plaster of Paris Santa Dated 1940

This little Santa figure is another Christmas piece from my husband's childhood. The paint is chippy and flaking off here and there, but then it does have 1940 imprinted on the back rim of the base. So at close to 70 years of age, I think this Santa looks pretty good! This little guy was one of a pair that was among my mother-in-law's Christmas decorations. One of my sisters-in-law has the other. The Santa figures are made of plaster of Paris or gypsum plaster. Curious as to why this is called plaster of Paris, I googled and found the answer in Wikipedia. "A large gypsum depoist in Montmarte in Paris is the source of the name." I have many Santa figures that have found their way into our home through the years, but this one and the one featured below are very dear to my heart.

Plastic Santa Light Cover, c 1950

The jolly red Santa above is from my childhood Christmas trees. When I was a child the Christmas lights that we placed on our trees were large colored blubs. They would get hot and were both dangerous to touch and a fire hazard. I much prefer the tiny white lights of today. Not only are they much safer, but I prefer the tiny sparkle of the white lights as they glisten through out the branches of the tree. You can see in the photo below that this Santa was meant to attach to one of the large bulbs as a type of shade. When the lights were on, Santa would glow from within as he hung on the Christmas tree. I recall other such shades in various forms on our tree, but this one was always my favorite. My mom gave it to me after I married. You can see that he, too, is a bit worn. I always have him out during the holidays. The two little mice figures by his side are a bit newer. They were given to me in 1973 by the aunt who made my pink Christmas stocking that I shared here last week.

Back of Santa Light Cover, c 1950

In this photo you can see where this little guy could be attached to a light bulb on the string of Christmas lights. Such a simple piece of plastic that reflects the joys of childhood Christmas trees.

Thank you for joining me today for Vintage Christmas Monday. Please leave a comment and tell me about something that hung on your childhood Christmas tree. Then click here to join Joan @ Anything Goes Here to see more vintage Christmas treasures.

The Elegance of the French Court

Louis Nichole Christmas Ornament - 1983

Our sweet hostess, Beverly of How Sweet the Sound has asked that we share a favorite holiday decoration this Saturday. Well, selecting a favorite from our ornaments is like asking me to select a favorite niece or nephew. They are each and every one very special and bring their own unique joy. That said, I took camera in hand and focused in on something PINK.

After all it is Pink Saturday! So here for your pleasure is a little mademoiselle chat dressed in her finest pink ruffles and frills and a berribboned chapeau. You can see from her proud face that she thinks she is the "cat's meow!"

Louis Nichole Christmas Ornament - 1983

Her gentleman friend, monsieur chien, is ever so elegant in his waist coat and bow tie. I think he looks rather dapper and distinguished.

This charming dueo was added to our Christmas ornaments in 1983. They were part of Louis Nichole's Louis XVII Heirloom Collection. Even the little tag that was attached to each one is elegant.

And I love the description within:

I hadn't given this pair much thought other than to delight in their presence on our Christmas trees for the past 26 years, but with this post I decided to google Louis Nichole to learn more about the talented designer who created my cherished petite chen and chat. As a retired elementary teacher, I was amused to read that he is a former kindergarten teacher who built up an international brand in only ten years. The Louis Nichole web site is filled with photos of his work: homes and gardens, home furnishings, tabletop, dolls and collectables, Christmas. He is one very talented individual! You can visit his site here.

As always, I'm delighted you stopped by for a visit. Please leave a comment below so I know you were here. Then check back in with Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound to see what others have shared for this special Pink Saturday.

Celebrating Magnolias

Stately Old Magnolia Tree

The Magnolia Tree

By Patricia Neely-Dorsey

There's a majestic, old magnolia tree,

That stands in my front yard;

It's a tree that's grown there for ages,

And whose beauty you can't disregard.

She spreads her branches quite nobly.

She stretches her arms so commandingly,

As if certainly crying out to be seen.

She's the center of much activity,

And I know a squirrel family lives there;

I'm sure she affords them much comfort,

For her branches don't ever go bare.

There's so much that's gone on around her,

I'm sure that so much could be told;

But she keeps all her secrets well guarded,

And simply remains a sight to behold.

Welcome to another Outdoor Wednesday with our hostess Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer. It's been cold and wet here of late, so not exactly the kind of weather that makes me want to be outside. Instead, I've been keeping busy indoors decorating my Christmas trees and adding some holiday cheer around the house.

A friend brought over a big sack of magnolia leaves freshly cut from a large magnolia in her yard. I used them to add some greenery to my mantel for the holidays. The leaves of the magnolia are wonderful with one side a shiny green and the back side like a luscious suede. The contrast of the green with the warm brown tone is a lovely touch to bring indoors during the winter.

We don't have a magnolia tree in our yard, but there are many in our neighborhood. The one above was planted in the 1930s. It is one of my favorite trees in our neighborhood. Majestic in stature, it towers high above the home, and every spring this tree is covered in huge white fragrant magnolia blooms. Original owners of this home were Ben and Augusta Goodfriend, proprietors of Goodfriend's Specialty Shop, a local women's ware store. The Italian Renaissance Revival style was designed by Page Southland Page and was completed in 1932. Goodfriend's Specialty Shop was always one of my favorite stores when I was a student at the university, and I remember the Goodfriends as a warm and friendly couple. As was custom in the south, the Goodfriends planted this magnolia the year they moved into their new home. No doubt Ben and Augusta Goodfriend would be pleased to know that their regal magnolia continues to thrive and is a tribute to their southern hospitality.

The poem above, The Magnolia Tree, is one of many beautiful poems written by Patricia Neely-Dorsey. Her book, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia, is a delightful read as Patricia takes her audience back to her southern roots of a simple life growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi. Patricia's poetry gives one a glimpse into the southern way of life as she celebrates the south and things southern. Click here to visit Patricia's web site to read more about this talented "Mississippi Magnolia" and her book of poetry. This little book of poems would make a special holiday gift.

(Click to enlarge to read about the author.)

As always thank you for stopping by today. I truly appreciate your visits and comments. Don't forget to visit all the other Outdoor Wednesday participants listed @ A Southern Daydreamer.

The Stockings Were Hung....

It's Pink Saturday and for the month of December Beverly has asked us to share a response to a weekly theme. This week we are to share a childhood memory of a special holiday.

I suspect that as a child I considered every Christmas a special holiday, but I do remember when I received this pink stocking. I was one of four children, and one of our aunts hand beaded each of us a special Christmas stocking one year. Each was made of felt and adorned with sequins, beads, and little jingle bells.

My stocking was pink with a baby blue cuff, and my name was spelled out in sequins and glass beads. I thought it was the most beautiful Christmas stocking I'd ever seen. I was so excited at the thought that Santa would fill it with goodies just for me.

Santa was even right there on my stocking toting his bag of toys. My aunt had beautifully appliquéd different figures on each stocking, and meticulously outlined each appliqué with shiny glass beads.

The Christmas tree on my stocking was filled with sparkly sequins to represent ornaments and more sequins sprinkled across below and on the little packages under the tree.

On the toe were two shiny jingle bells positioned on a blue strap so they would ring when the stocking moved. We didn't have a fireplace and mantel, but we always hung our stockings somewhere in the living room near our Christmas tree. Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve, and we woke to delights of surprise on Christmas morning. There would always be two or three gifts from Santa for each of us children along with something that we all could share and enjoy as a family. I have vivid memories of rushing into the room on Christmas morning to find my gifts from Santa. One year it was a little red cash register, another my beloved teddy bear, and some years it was a special doll. My stocking would be filled to the top. Santa always filled it with an apple, an orange, nuts, a big peppermint candy cane, other candies, and some special gift. Sometimes there would be coloring books with a new box of crayons, a paint set, or perhaps a book of paper dolls. As the years passed and we became teenagers, Santa continued to fill our stockings. He always knew just what would make us happy! My stocking was my favorite part of Christmas. Today this little pink stocking has lost its luster of my youth, but it will always be special to me. I appreciated the love that went into making this treasure.

My husband and I continue the stocking tradition with a bit of a twist. We don't wrap gifts for each other to have under our tree. Instead we fill each other's stockings with presents. Our stockings are larger than the pink felt stocking of my childhood, but still it is a challenge to find things that fit within these special socks. I often find things through the year and save them for my husband's Christmas stocking. Our tradition requires a bit of creativity as well. Sometimes there might be a clue that leads one of us to something too large to fit within the stocking. One year my stocking was filled with lots of old, costume jewelry, but when I pulled out the last piece it was a beautiful strand of pearls. Wonderful gifts can come in small packages!

Thanks for visiting today. Please leave a comment below to let me know you stopped by.

And a big thank you to our hostess Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for organizing Pink Saturday each week. Be sure to visit all the other participants who've left a post today sharing a childhood memory about a special holiday.

Don't forget to stop by Anything Goes Here on Monday for more Vintage Christmas.