Christmas Cheer from our Home to You!

 Several different blogs are having a

Christmas celebration to display Christmas home decorations.

It's such a fun time of year, so I'm joining.

I have plans of taking pictures of my mother and possibly mother-in-law's houses later this week,

so come on back if you'd like to see more.

(Moms, if you're reading,

take this as your warning.)

They both decorate so beautifully

and neither have blogs,

so I'm going to become a blog reporter and go out on a mission

(with my three little side-kicks tagging along to keep the Grandmother's entertained).

 A view of half of our living room

which has now become Violet's school area.

(That's what the table is for.)

One of my favorite ornaments on the tree and a great idea to make:

my mom made these for each of my kids

(well, except Lillie; we need to get updated)

This cupboard behind the school table was my husband's grandfather's.

He used it to store carpentry tools.

It now houses school supplies, craft supplies, school books, gardening books, music books, toys,

and probably a few hidden treasures from my kids.

Every home should have one of these!

I love decorating the top of it:

This is my favorite snowman.

It looks to be made of paper mache.

It was a gift from my dad some years back.

He always buys the sweetest gifts.

This old wooden lantern was inherited from my husband's other grandfather.

It's an antique farm lantern that was used to go to the barn at night.

What is Christmas without the whole reason for it?

The nativity celebrating the birth of the Savior sits on a window sill in the living room.

This is our fireplace in the living room.

(If you are new to my blog, you can see more of it and our other mantel if you click here.)

Our kitchen is pretty simple.

I have this old wooden spool from a local weaver that I've decorated and put a glass candle dome and candle on.

Little snowmen that were a gift from my oldest sister dance around the base.

This also sits on our table.

It keeps my son entertained while I get meals ready.

There is a train whipping around through the tunnel.

There it is.

Of course, the kids all have picked out which penguin is each of them.

This plastic sleigh with Santa sits above the sink on the island.

I found it at the charity second hand store and one of the reindeer is missing an antler but it was only 99cents.

I try not to make Christmas about Santa.  I tell my kids that he was a man that was kind and helped poor children long ago and the story became a fairy tale.

They seem to bump into this guy everywhere we go lately,

so I don't mind if they want to pretend.

If I'm good,

will you clean my house for me while I'm sleeping, Santa?

(I guess I still pretend sometimes, too.)

What's Christmas without a seasonal bathroom...

and what better than gingerbread men to do the job?

These gingerbread gourds I painted were for a craft sale

and decided to keep a few for myself.

My Mom painted this wooden one for me sometime before I had children

and a husband,

and responsibilities,

and appreciation for all that a mom does.

"Every time a bell rings..."

Can you finish the quote?

Our basement where our woodstove is happens to be where we spend much of the winter:

On one side is my laundry room and this side has the television where the kids watch videos.

I also use the basement for my work:

sewing machine, painting, crafting.

Deer heads and skulls keep me company when everyone is sleeping;

but I'll happily enjoy their pretty faces here rather than the living room.

No offense, my Farmer.

  You know I love you and appreciate your hunting abilities.

(I'm just glad we don't have to decorate the walls with cow and pig heads as well.)

Christmas cheer everywhere...

Even Cherry and Leopard enjoy the lights.

SURPRISE:

My Farmer told me I should do another give-away,

so if you leave a comment,
(maybe about your favorite Christmas movie...
or anything you want to say)

I'll enter you to win my mini snowman.

 He was made out of a paper clay that I make.
(It's actually clay and newspaper pulp, so he weighs more than store-bought paper clay).

 I painted him and covered him with glitter so he looks frosty.
He's still drying a bit, so his colors (like the candy cane he's holding) will show through a little better when he's dry.



 He's little

but gives lots of wintery cheer.

I'll leave the give-away open until Saturday.

Linked to: Christmas Home Tours at The Nester

and to: Kelly's Korner
and: Hooked on Holiday House Tours
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Tracy's Trinkets and Treasures
and A Stroll Thru Life: Table Top Tuesday
Hooked on Houses: family room holiday tour