Oh, Christmas Tree

After spending most of the day cooking it’s kind of nice to sit down to PBS Christmas and my lap top to pound out one last post before the holiday. Mostly I want to thank you for being here. I am trying to grow this blog and I always want to present you with beauty and good ideas. Share my passion for living with antiques in hope that it will inspire you to have the courage to go out there and find your own treasures. That being said I would like to introduce you to my Christmas Tree and the lower level. It too is a tree of found memories and fond memories. A family tree that tells a story of our years together. The cheap, the cheesy, the gorgeous, and the hand made, the sublime and the ridiculous all get piled onto this tree. It doesn’t necessarily change that much from year to year but that’s okay. There is something nice about the constancy of it. I rarely buy ornaments anymore as you can see I have plenty!!! This year I was determined to do a different tree topper. This sweet owl has lived on top of my tree now for 3 years. I tried a few other ideas and in the end he flew home and made his nest in the top of my tree again.

I have flooded you with so many photos the last few weeks I just want to share these last ones with you.

In December of 2007 I lost my dad. During that time I hand painted a series of ornaments for my tree to keep my hands busy, The one below is a favorite.

And the rest of the lower levels moments.

The Corner Cabinet with blue and white transferware and a few greens. Antique mirror on the top gives off nice light and the antique wicker tray corrals a few things and gives the piece nice texture.

The infamous doodle dresser I painted a few months ago.

And of course the barn vent. Still love this piece.

Love this old ledger resting on the ottoman with a box an apple and an antique tin baby rattle that is also a whistle. My mom picked it up somewhere and my girls and all three grandchildren cut there teeth on it. The stories of slobber it could tell. It still rattles and whistles!

Mr Wadley the goose holds court over all of the hand carved Santas

He always looks so surprised! Or spooked I’m not sure which. Oh, maybe he’s a Zombie Santa. Yeah I like that it makes me laugh. I added the gilded lantern and the wicker basket because he needed to do something with his hands!!