Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Happy Valley Christmas

So I'm finally getting around to posting some of the pictures of my home as it is decorated for Christmas. This is the tree in our living room. It has all of the fancier ornaments. We also have a tree in our family room that includes the ornaments that have special meaning to our family.


I thought it was pretty funny when my girls commented about how the tree skirt looks just like our Christmas table cloth. LOL! Now that we have a large square table, the Christmas cloth no longer fits. I thought this was a perfect way to give it new life. And I have to admit that I think it looks great. So do the girls. :-)


Look...Mia wants to play the part of baby Jesus when we do the reenactment of that holy night at our family Christmas party. How do you think she'll feel about being wrapped up tight in swaddling clothes? Our long time friends, the Davis', gave us the little manger (that they made) several years ago. It always has a special place under our tree.
And this is what our living room fireplace looks like this year. It's always pretty much the same, except this year I hung snowflakes instead of stockings. I knew that it would provide all sorts of controversy in my home, and it did, but I was in the mood to shake things up a little bit this year. Don't worry...the stockings are still hung. Just not in the traditional way. I'll show you that picture another day.
This is one of my all time favorite nativity sets. My mother made this porcelain creche years and years ago. During my childhood it always had a special place on the buffet in our living room. A few years back I came across it when we were cleaning up after a flood at my parents' home. Since my parents often travel back and forth to their winter home in southern Utah, my mother doesn't do quite as much decorating for the holidays as she used to. This nativity had been sitting in the same box for several year without use so I asked her if I could display it in my home. After a good cleaning it looks as good as new.
This Countryside Wreath quilt hangs in our living room. Michele (Quilting in the Maritimes)and I each made one last fall (2006) during the Utah quilt retreat that I hosted.

13 comments:

  1. What a beautiful tree and fireplace. Aren't cats just the most fun. Mia, seems so comfy in the manger. What a showplace you have. Love the wreath quilt.

    also love the cinnamon almonds, I made them today.

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  2. Hey eileen copied me! I wanted to be the first to post and tell you that I made the cinnamon almonds today!!!They were easy to make and everyone loved them. I took them to my quilt group Christmas Party this morning. I was in a huge hurry and found out that the almonds will work with only 50 min. baking! Thanks for the recipe.
    Diane in Idaho

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  3. Mia! She cracks me up. I'm sure Spike would be in the same position. The other day I heard tinkling glass in the kitchen and figured she must be into the tree or other decorations. I went in there and looked around, and no Spike! Where could she be? I heard a little more tinkling, and there she was, emerging from the bottom cupboard! I love your fireplace--the snowflakes are wonderful! I want snowflakes too! Except now that I think about it, they probably wouldn't show up that well against my white fireplace. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Just beautiful! And you already have presents WRAPPED?!? Ok, you're now my hero -- I'm still working on MAKING mine!

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  5. Oh my - it all looks very inviting. I had to chuckle at the skirmish over stockings . . . any slight variation in tradition is met with great resistance around here, too.

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  6. Hi Kairle!
    I love your Fireplace. The rock and mantle and the decorations. Beautiful. And the wreath quilt is gorgeous. Can I feature your Blog on my Blog? ;o)

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  7. Mia is so cute just hanging out there. Love the wreath quilt and all your decor!!

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  8. Mia looks like the perfect fit for the manger. How cute! I couldn't stop smiling at the picture.

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  9. What lovely pictures of your home all decked out. If I don't put anything else for the holidays, it has to be the nativity set that my mother made years ago in her ceramic days..

    Sorry to hear about your friend and neighbor in the previous post.

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  10. Ooh, everything is so beautiful!! Mia is the cutest - she just wants to be a part of the holiday season, doesn't she?
    That quilt is absolutely gorgeous!! Is Countryside Wreath the name of the pattern? I must have one, too!

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  11. Your cat in the manger is hilarious! They want to take part in everything, don't they? Love your wreath quilt. That Nativity of your mom's is beautiful. wouldn't that make a pretty header for your blog. Everything looks lovely!

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