Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Christmas Gold




Just a few quick pictures from our dining room before all the festivities. :)

I've had the sheer golden tablecloth for several years, but this is the first time I've used it. The dinner plates are Wedgwood, and the salad plates are Noritake; both belonged to my mother. The bone-handled knives and German silver spoons were antique store finds. We never got a sterling flatware set when we were married, but I have enjoyed collecting old flatware. Other collections include tole trays hanging on the wall, and milk glass in the corner cupboard. The cut glass pieces on the painted chest are part of my mother's collection. I guess collecting runs in the family. :)






Saturday, December 24, 2011

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Mosaic Monday: Christmas Gold



It seems that Christmas brings out the magpie in me. Glitter-encrusted faux fruit are nestled in a cut-crystal bowl that belonged to my mother, with a rope of beads flowing over the top. Golden faux hydrangeas sit atop the painted chest in the red dining room in our little red house. Warmed by the southern light that pours into the room, everything shines all the more. It's beginning to feel like Christmas here. How about in your house?

Please note: there will be no Mosaic Monday next week. If I don't see you before Christmas, have a wonderful holiday!

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.
That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1. A Garden of Threads  22. Molly [frolicking felines]  43. Crafty Gardener, Canada  
2. Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook  23. Lorrie  44. Gina, Art and Alfalfa  
3. Kim,USA  24. Cindy @ Custom Comforts  45. Snap @ Twisty Lane  
4. InaSandbox  25. My Christmas Trees  46. rain  
5. Bernie in Australia  26. Dominique's Desk  47. Cass @ That Old House  
6. A Back Porch Departure  27. Black Eyed Susans Kitchen  48. Brenda-DownMemory  
7. Christmas Home Tour  28. Rajesh, India  49. My Little Home and Garden  
8. {oc cottage}  29. Christmas Village  50. A Cupcake Christmas  
9. ellen b  30. QMM  51. Patricia  
10. Pondside - Christmas Memory  31. Milk & Cookies for Santa  52. Cassie  
11. Sands-Becky  32. Christmas in the Living Room  53. Leslie  
12. Lavender Dreams  33. Life Among Mountains  54. Moss Love  
13. Cathy  34. Pat ~ Mille Fiori Favoriti  55. Sall's Country Life  
14. Lavender Cottage  35. Roberta  56. My Third Eye  
15. Rajesh, India  36. Rosie,mygardenhaven  57. Vintage Wonderland Under Glass  
16. A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson  37. Teacup-in-the-garden  58. Special Moments In Time  
17. Yael - HomeGardenDiggers  38. Mary Tingsgrove, KY  59. xmas helper  
18. Riet, Holland  39. eileen  60. aima  
19. Extravagance @ My Place to Yours  40. Life Images by Jill  61. xmas tree  
20. Sweet Nothings  41. Wandering Thought  62. frosty palm tree  
21. The Cottage Wren  42. Gillyweed.. Gift Wrapping  63. NHGarden  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Christmas Reflections



It's beginning to feel a bit more like Christmas here. My good blogging friend Kate told me to do a little decorating, and listen to some Christmas music, and I would begin to feel better. And I do.




My husband brought me four armloads of red and white tulips, and some Godiva chocolates. Oh, how I love this man! Just seeing them as I walk through the room makes me feel better.




My children came home for the weekend, and we started on our Christmas decorations. The old and well-loved traditions help to bring a sense of peace, especially in this year that has, at times, seemed like one sadness after another. And while the sadness is still there, the quiet joy of the season is there, too.




Another blogging friend, Georgianna, told me that quiet reflection is as valuable as festive celebration. So that's where I am at the moment -- doing a little decorating, listening to a few Christmas songs, eating a little chocolate, and reflecting on how fortunate I am to have such wonderful and caring family and friends. Including you, my dear blogging friends. Thank you for listening, thank you for caring, thank you for your comments, encouragement and prayers for someone you have never even met.

Wishing you much love and laughter as you prepare for this Christmas season. xoxo

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Mosaic Monday: Snowy Beauty



While I don't really look forward to snowy weather, I do appreciate how beautiful it can be, and I always hope for a little dusting around the holidays. So I guess I can call this another white Christmas mosaic. I'm so sorry it's rather small. I have to admit that I'm not really feeling Christmas too much yet. In fact, I'm in a bit of a funk. Just thought I'd put that out there. I know that the holidays can be difficult for some people, and that sometimes the stress of trying to make the perfect storybook Christmas instead just makes us depressed. So I'm going to take a moment to look around and appreciate the beauty all around me. I'm going to take one day at a time, and see where that leads me. Hopefully, it will lead me to a merry Christmas. :)

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.
That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1. Gillyweed.. Christmas Fruit Decor  22. Life Images by Jill  43. Roberta  
2. BAD washcloth. BAD.  23. Sweet Nothings  44. Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook  
3. Lavender Dreams  24. Gina, Art and Alfalfa  45. QMM  
4. Rajesh, India  25. Christmas Primitives  46. Dawn Treader Sweden  
5. Black Eyed Susans Kitchen  26. Sall's Country Life  47. The Cottage Wren  
6. Eileen  27. Mountain Breaths  48. The Cottage Wren  
7. ellen b  28. Christmas Sideboard  49. My Third Eye  
8. Lavender Cottage  29. 3 Bloggers Enjoy a C!hristmas Party  50. The French Hutch Christmas Open House  
9. Home is Where the Boat Is  30. the french tangerine  51. Pretty in Pink and More...  
10. My Little Home and Garden  31. Riet, Holland  52. xmas traditions  
11. Pat@Back Porch Musings  32. Lorrie  53. Echarlotte  
12. Kim,USA  33. Becky  54. Twiggy  
13. Mary, MI  34. Rosie,mygardenhaven  55. Crafty Gardener, Canada  
14. Podso  35. Bernie in Australia  56. JBigg's Christmas Carolers  
15. ldh  36. Ranu, India  57. Nature's Christmas Greeting  
16. InaSandbox  37. Très Julie  58. Patricia  
17. Wandering Thought  38. Julie @ Color Chic  59. Leslie's Tree  
18. Cathy  39. Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson  60. Countdown to Christmas  
19. Snap @ Twisty Lane  40. In The Christmas Spirit @ My Cozy Corner  61. Sheila  
20. That Country Place  41. Teacup-in-the-garden  62. Pondside  
21. Pat ~ Mille Fiori Favoriti  42. Tina´s PicStory  63. Holiday Shopping  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Mosaic Monday: White Christmas



First of all, thank you all for your comments on my last post. Your thoughts and prayers are so greatly appreciated! There was a great outpouring of love and support from our church and our community this weekend, as the two families buried their sons. We are all striving to hold them close, and remember them in this busy season. I cannot imagine how difficult it will be for them.

As for my mosaic today, it's a repeat of one from years past. While my little red house lends itself to the traditional Christmas colors, sometimes I feel the need for something cleaner and calmer. Something a little quieter, more muted. Here is my version of a white Christmas. :)

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.
That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful images with all of us at Mosaic Monday!  

1. QMM  21. Life Among Mountains  41. Rosie,mygardenhaven  
2. NYC at Christmas  22. The French Hutch Choirs of Angels  42. Neighbour Goods Market  
3. Carol@ My Painting Room  23. Sweet Nothings  43. Gillyweed...Chevron Patterns  
4. Lavender Dreams  24. Molly (scenes of a frosty morn)  44. Wandering Thought  
5. A Montana Life  25. Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook  45. Crafty Gardener, Canada  
6. Vee  26. Life Images by Jill  46. Rohit Sareen  
7. Eileen  27. The 12 Trees of Christmas  47. Sheila  
8. Black Eyed Susans Kitchen  28. Mosaic: An Indian Bazaar  48. Gina, Art and Alfalfa  
9. InaSandbox  29. O Tannenbaum  49. Brenda-DownMemory  
10. Rajesh, India  30. Podso  50. Pondside - Love, The Gift of the Season  
11. Winter Sideboard  31. dharma owl  51. Early Christmas  
12. Dab of This and That  32. Ingmarie We/Refugium  52. Christmas: Chapter One  
13. Mountain Breaths  33. Teacup-in-the-garden  53. Cass at That Old House  
14. frosty mosaic  34. How to Make a Christmas Pin @ My Cozy Corner  54. Roberta  
15. Cathy  35. Mary KY/USA  55. Leslie  
16. Kim, USA  36. Dawn Treader Sweden  56. Mary, MI  
17. A Garden of Threads  37. {oc cottage}  57. mama g  
18. Old Fashioned Christmas Inspiration  38. Tina´s PicStory  58. Ptat~ Mille Fiori Favoriti  
19. Bernie in Australia  39. Synnöve  59. Fishtail Cottage  
20. Dreamy Blue Bedroom  40. Yael - HomeGardenDiggers  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Please Remember



This has been a very sad week for us -- two young men, who went all through grammar school and high school with my daughter, were killed in a car crash on Monday afternoon. One leaves a father, mother and older sister; the other leaves a father, mother and seven younger siblings. If you can, please remember them, their families, our schools and our town in your prayers. We are devastated.