Christmastime At Home

I think we are finally home. We have been adding Christmas touches here and there between trips, but I think we are free now to get down to the business of making our home ready to welcome guests.

We have a smallish place that gets filled to bursting with our large family during the holidays. So glad for that! But it can pose some real challenges to fit everyone in comfortably, so I am always on the search for more space.

I am loving the green wreath of welcome in the tiny front hall. This closet door used to be a wood finish, and painting it white made the small entry feel so much bigger. 

I let go of a ton of furniture this year that had become unworkable. Heavy club chairs that took up too much space, pieces that needed work, and things that I liked to look at but that were not really comfortable anymore. It was hard letting things go! But it made life so much easier.

Our decorating is somewhat different every year. I think I get tired of things. But these twiggy trees that were in the shop last year are feeling festive in this small space.

I have lost a lot of white for now, but everyone who sits in that smallish (not new) recliner loves the comfort, and some of them have gone right to sleep! Haha! And I was able to gain more space by getting rid of an ottoman. Win, win.

I keep most of my accessories year 'round (like this Santo) that get a dressing up for Christmas. Books are in stacks everywhere, and we live with them like some of you live with pets! Something that you love and want to accommodate.

I buy these short church candles by the dozen. They are cheap from the grocery and add so much cheer! They go everywhere. The dining table, the coffee table, the mantel. I don't like to deal with candle wax. And they look so much better half gone than the tall ones. (Easier to light too.) They are lit all day when it is overcast. And they light up my vintage garland too!

Loving the punch of red this time of year. . . .

This splendid girl visits at Christmastime too! She is an original oil painting with her lovely red curls and brown eyes, and needs to be seen up close to be appreciated.

The mantel is simple this year, and the hearth kept pretty clear for fires. You maybe can't tell that the chair is pulled a bit out into the room.

I also removed my bigger coffee table and two smaller scatter tables from this room. The tan window shade was replaced with a white one too, which breaks up the wall less. 

The hearth doesn't change much, but got a cache of antlers this year.

It's a challenge to keep the fireplace sort of free for use, and also nice to look at. The tin tile cover is easy to remove for a cozy fire.

This pine cone garland goes up early and comes down late fall through winter.

The felt pillows are new from Home Goods giving us more Cabin than Cottage this year.

The hutch has a start, but the dining room table will get a fairly constant Christmas rotation for the duration. It's the most used space in the house! Right now it's a perch for vintage ornaments. Everything goes in and out from here, and soon will be filled with more meals than you can count!

I have sold off much of my vintage ornament collection, but these are still bringing me some cheer this year. I like them right in the box!

This is my new coffee table/office/media manager now. A tiny primitive work bench with a lower shelf for magazines and full of holes. Go ahead and put your feet on it!!

I hope you are having at lot of the fun kind of busy these days. It all goes so fast! Our people will come in waves. And it's all about the people.

So nice to have you visit!

 Come back anytime!

Have a great weekend and a Happy Christmastime!

Jacqueline