Christmas Trees & Blog Hop

I know people who have already put their Christmas trees in the 1st week of Nov...I love Christmas probably more than some kids even but we all have our traditions & ours is putting 2 Christmas trees up the weekend after Thanksgiving..We like to enjoy the beauty of the season as long as possible so I understand the people that put them up asap after Halloween.

I thought I would give you a peek inside our Family room to show you 1 of our trees & how we decorate it. (With Old fashion type ornaments)

Here is a glimpse of our 7 1/2 foot Artificial Tree we have in our Family room. It is called a slim tree (it doesn't take up as much room as a regular size tree) it is our "Old Fashion Christmas Tree" decorated with mostly hand made ornaments..some 35 yrs. old, some our adult children like left on this tree so when they come home for Christmas they can relive memories of childhoods past.

I made dough ornaments many yrs ago. I did

not make this one but love it. We have a

mixture of handmade/old fashion ornaments

on this tree. There are many cross-stitched

ones too. These are some of my favorites I

love to reminisce about each year.

I love our mechanical Santa..He has been

a part of our Christmas for many years..

He hasn't changed a bit in all these yrs..

We always have red bows/Angel on top & red/

white fur tree skirt...I love the old fashion

look..

It reminds me somewhat of the

ornaments when I was growing up..Our

tree however was always a Charlie Brown

type for a few dollars..I always thought it

was beautiful..I guess because of all the

love that it received...It looked like the

Rockefeller Center tree to me...My parents

always made things wonderful even if we

did not have as much as others...we have plenty
of love & that made for a wonderful childhood.

Hope this inspires you to even Make some of your ornaments
this year & treasure them for years to come.

Here is the Blog Hop where you get to show all of us
what you hav been making....Have fun & leave comments..

Christmas in July/Aug (Day#4) Family Room

Well we are finally back from vacation (after
almost 3 weeks) & ready to continue our
home tour..Christmas in July/Aug
(Day #4) Family Room...

We start off at the focal point (the
fireplace/w handmade stockings,
wooden handmade Girl & Boy Angels,
handmade wreath/garland w/mini
lights, & homemade cat w/oval
patchwork quilt

Next is our 2nd full-size tree..This is our
down-home handmade-ornaments..mostly tree..
This is one of the Best Frugal buys..I've ever
made.. Reg. Price $200. I think its about 7 1/2'
tall (w/lights included) I got it after
Christmas for $20 @ Target..

It's only 3 pieces & pretty easy to put together...
Love it..as I do with what is under it..our sweet
cat "Ellie"

BELOW: Are blocks that I love to make & sell. Believe, Noel, Joy....

BELOW: This is one of my favorite things

to make/sell...Wise Men Still Seek Him..

on a charger..Self explanatory!!

BELOW: This is a wooden vinyl sign

w/overlay..I love 2 for 1 stuff!!

"Home..Where our story begins"

Isn't that the truth!!!

BELOW: A great little accent for

any room..Vinyl Stackers..w/a bow

to boot! "Happy Holidays" I have

these all over the house with great

different sayings....

BELOW: This is on top of our TV..

a series of Trees I painted white &

put gold glitter/bows on...Then I

had different colored glittered

reindeer's..I love the look..

And Last..BELOW: I love this that

I make/sell...And the stockings were

hung...includes 2 stockings!! For info

on any of the items I make/Sell..email me

@ santasgiftshoppe1@hotmail,com

Hope you had as much fun as I did
showing you around my home & ideas
I shared with you...Let me know what
you think!! We will continue in a few days...
stay tuned...

"CHRISTMAS IN JULY"/GIVEAWAY

WELCOME to "CHRISTMAS in JULY" @ my home.
We are going to start the month off with a "Home Tour"
of sorts.

But before we get started if anyone is here for
the ITALIAN STONE GIVEAWAY Click HERE
& it will take you to enter the Giveaway....

We will be going through the house as if we
were a guest..Consider yourself as my
Honored guest!

So the first thing we see is the PORCH...I really
want people to feel a Warm Welcome as they
approach my home. (Usually there is something
baking in the oven & the smells hopefully will make
your mouth water)...

This Santa I made @ a Beverly's Christmas

Workshop with a wonderful friend teaching us

how to paint them.

A few yrs. ago I was in Target & found this darling

"Welcome to the Warming House" sign & thought

"I know right where that will go!" The Snowmen

caught my eye in Walmart about 10 yrs. ago. & they

are a darling pair on the window sill each year!

The standing Santa alot of us women

made for Super Saturday at church

(when it was August or Sept. yrs. ago) The

lantern I just love because of the English

"Dickens" feel it gives to the porch.

I love cute signs..This one says "Home baked

Cookies", Hugs and Kisses, & "Lots of Giggles"...

And then there's Santa's mailbox which of course

says "Ho Ho Ho"...

Upon entering the house you probably smell

Cinnamon Rolls coming out of the oven..That happens

alot in this home. Then to your right are collections..

Does anybody else have alot of collections that they

have started over the years??? This started out as

my mother's little ski village 40 yrs ago. & now it

takes up 3 long Living room tables.

Do you see the Chalet in the back? My daughters

lovingly got that for me because I really liked the one in

"Christmas Vacation" & everybody should have a

wonderful "Advent" calender to countdown for Christmas!

I love all the village people & the square..

Sorry the next two are so blurry!!!

This is part of my Angel Collection.

I love my Nativity Collections of all

styles & sizes.

I got this Nativity in Australia 35 yrs.ago

And the beautiful velvet angel @ Costco a

number of yrs. back.

Costco was a great place to find the Caroler's I had

always wanted.

Another Caroler only she is holding a light..Would you

believe another find @ Costco about 25 yrs ago?

All my fellow buddy Teddy Bears &

Santa from "Polar Express" Don't you

just LOVE that movie??? Do you have a

"BELIEVE BELL?" I do..I make them to

sell @ my Christmas Boutique & "I hear the

BELL..Do YOU?

I really Love Christmas Trees.
All styles & shapes.

Below is my "Atonment Tree" sharing

the Best Reasons for the Season!
Inspired by a lovely gracious friend who

had one in her house & I thought that was

an inspirational idea!!! The PRESENTS

& GIFTS which are freely given to each

of us are THE ATONMENT, HOPE, JOY,

& LOVE..

This is one of my Favorite & Best Christmas Sellers

I make each year for the Santa's Gift Shoppe

Boutique I have in my home. Little tip: Just place

mini lights behind the glass & you have a beautiful effect.

One of my favorite things to make/sell & have in

my Home all year long...."Christ is the center of the

HOME, a guest at every meal, and a quiet listener

to every conversation." There is Peace & Harmony
more..just having this saying in our home.

I hope you have enjoyed our Christmas Tour

of the first room (our living room) & have gotten

some inspiration for your own "Christmas Home"

(If there is anything that I make/sell & you

would like to order..just let me know by email)

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

REMEMBER WHEN...??? This is a photo of
Christmas Past..around 1961. Barbies,
Shoe Skates, Record Players..some things
remembered...

We always had a Charlie Brown type-
Christmas Tree...Even though you could see
through it's branches (& cost under $3) it was
BEAUTIFUL to me... because of the FAMILY
SPIRIT of LOVE that surrounded it...

Another "Christmas" Memory...Cousins

in N.Y...Dollies: Tiny Tears, Betsy Wetsy...

Below is a Family tradition...Mom's Annual

Cookie Bake for us & the neighborhood kids..

She taught us how to bake cookies (from scratch)

& have the kids decorate their cans...fill them up

with their treasures they made to take home to

share with their families..

And last is the original type "Christmas Village"

(from the 60's/70's) Do you remember those??

with little plastic houses w/lights in it???

It looks a lot different than our Grand "Christmas

Villages" we have now...A simpler time/a simpler village..

These are but a few memories I have of Christmas'
Past..but THE MOST MEMORABLE CHRISTMAS

for me was when I was in another country far away for

(1 1/2 yrs) I was going to marry someone..but decided

against it & had a FEELING I needed to be "HOME

for Christmas" (no matter what) in 1976.

I'm glad I listened to that feeling..because that

was my "Last Christmas" with my Dad...He died

a few months later..unexpectedly @ age 56.

It was the "UN TANGIBLE" precious gift of

"Love & Time" I got to spend with my Dad &

Family...I remember most & Grateful for!!!

***People ask why do you want to have a Christmas

Boutique?? Rearrange your house...all that

time, work, & trouble...

My answer is to UPLIFT & SHARE with the

community...the Christmas Spirit, the wonder

& enchantment of the Season..Things I have been

blessed by my family & growing up with..ideas to

bring families closer together.... free gifts, tips....

Seeing people smile & be happy even with hard

economic times...there's a lot to Love & Share...

WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE

CHRISTMAS GIFT??? (tangible or intangible)

Please leave a comment...We would all love

to hear.....Thanks for visiting!!!!!!