Our lower level room is where all our celebrations happen.  It’s also become the place where the grand boys watch tv, play their switch, and use their imagination.  I just realized this room has come full circle and that makes me smile.  

 I have collected Blue and White Staffordshire for over 30 years and it is a great source of joy no matter where it lands.  A small mirror and chandelier inside the corner cabinet adds a bit of whimsy and helps lighten up a dark corner.  

I kept things pretty simple in the cabinet and just worked around the collection.

The barn vent is always a fun one to decorate.  A wreath with pretty blue ribbon and a House of Haden vintage Santa dangling for dear life always makes me smile.  Love the way the shadows show off his star and moon.  The 18th Century trunk is home to a collection of Santa’s carved by a beloved family friend.  They are fun and eccentric and I’ve enjoyed embellishing them over the years adding a wreath here stuffing a fuller back pack there.  Blue and white sugar bowls on corbels house a bit of greenery.

A Pottery Barn lantern holds my favorite of Toms Santa’s, a skater in mid stride.  It always makes me smile.  A very fancy frog plops on top of a stack of books as at home here at my house as he was in my moms.

I brought this Kittinger 1920’s sofa from my parents house.  The legs have the most delicious hand carving.  I have plans for this sofa I just haven’t gotten to it yet.  The Queens Head Tavern Sign is very pretentious for my humble home but I like the element of surprise she brings to the room.  The husband just noticed tonight that I had moved her, a month ago.  Surprise! Go figure

 A collection of Charles Dickens from my Great Grandmother holds center stage in an antique wicker suitcase with world travel stickers and of course more Transferware.  

Love this door, well it was a labor of love after stripping 12 layers of lead paint.  More on that later

  Barn Siding completes this room and acts as anchor for the reproduction Tennessee Pie Safe.  Things are a bit off kilter here to make room for the Christmas Tree.

 The little bookcaseI built to accommodate my ever growing collections.  More on this space later. 

 So after this very interesting year we’ve all had I will leave you with my favorite quote from Maya Angelou “Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”  I think we all need to Breathe, just Breathe.

I thank you for stopping by and wish you all a wonderful Holiday.  

Shelley