O Christmas Tree

One of my favorite things is the glow of the Christmas tree. Something about sitting on the couch in the evening and watching the lights give off a warm cozy feeling around the room. I love driving by houses and seeing their trees lit up in the window. There is something calming about it for me and it makes me a little gloomy when it gets put away for the next year.

 The tree décor is basically the same as last year, with the added exception of a couple new ornaments. You win a prize if you can find them...hahaha.

 Pillow: So Vintage Chic

One of our "tree" traditions is to take the kiddos pics around it. I incorporated last year's pic into my mantel décor this year.

Here is this year's pic.

 I found the skis at Hobby Lobby on clearance. I'm contemplating doing a winter themed mantel after the new year, but my intentions don't always come to reality. Perhaps if I hint at it here....eh, who am I kidding?

 

I'll be Home for Christmas...

If you haven't checked out ThistleBerry Lane Farm, you owe it to yourself to drop by for a visit! Amanda is a super talented lady, and really has a knack for home design. She has recently renovated the guest cottage on their farm property, and now I'm dying to see the farm house when she finishes it! Thanks so much, Amanda, for being a guest poster here and sharing your Christmas cottage with us! 

I'll be Home for Christmas

You can plan on me-

Please have snow and mistletoe

And presents under the tree

Christmas Eve'll find me

Where the love light gleams

I'll be home for Christmas

If only in my dreams.

Welcome to ThistleBerry Farm- we are gearing up to be home for Christmas!

Since this is the first year in the Guest Cottage, decorating has been exciting and challenging. Re-purposing old decorations and finding the perfect spot for them is the theme of this year's creative activity.

The front porch has been dressed for Winter in plaid and berries. The pathway up to the Farm House has not been forgotten- with burlap bows and festive berry wreaths adorning the shutters.

The kitchen has been kept simple and neat- we do a lot of baking during the holidays - so practicality is a must! If it cannot be wiped down....it needs to find another home! White trees paired with galvanized buckets are a cute and inexpensive way to create farmhouse cheer. The vintage basket light fixture is a great addition to the farmhouse kitchen!

This year we had to make a decision about what big tree to put up- (we have 6, but the cottage is too small for all of them) Autumn insisted it needed to be her's. So that's what we did- we used the white flocked tree, added her pale pink and blue ornaments and ribbons, shimmering reindeer, and wrapped the bottom in burlap. We dressed the birdcage with a floral arrangement that complemented the tree.  The galvanized typesetter's basket hung on the shiplap as a shelf peaks out and is a great resting place for a vintage, hand carved toy horse.

The Master bed has been dressed in it's warm woolens and furry softness. Adding texture is a great way to dress a bed for Christmas without being too literal.

The dresser that acts as our sofa table is dressed in crystal ornaments, white flocked greenery and burlap. A simple naked tree branch is hung with gold leafed crystal picks and catches the light beautifully. Santa and his reindeer are tucked away, nestled down in the burlap.

The Sitting Room has more of a vintage feel, with it's collection of antique St Nicks, trees dressed in burlap and pheasant feathers and the gold and brass deer accents.

The leather furniture adds a hint of masculinity, which (according to my husband) the cottage needed.  I kept these trees simple- burlap, feathers, and gold accents. The bookshelves are decked out with the same theme- and I borrowed a page from Joanna Gaines, and reversed the books- The colorful spines of the vintage books were just competing with the Christmas decor way too much.

The Nativity is placed in the window, the afternoon light radiates around it and the figures glow. It is a great way to remember the real Reason for such a wonderful Season! Our prayer for your family is that you invite Him to your home for Christmas.

Blessings- The Dodds

Porch Decor

I love having a front porch and I love Christmas decorations, so naturally I love coming home to a lit up house. It has been in the high 60's and mid 70's here, so it, of course, turned rainy and chilly when I went to take the pictures today. I think the warmer weather helped everyone get festive with their outside décor. We've seen a lot more houses with lights and our street is lit up like a Christmas tree. Ba-dum-cshhhhhhh! ;)

 

My porch kinda transpired into a Christmas tree farm, but I'm cool with that. All of my trees came from yard sales or Goodwill and I've almost concluded you can never have too many trees. Almost. I'm sure everyone around me thinks I'm nuts. Especially my neighbors watching me take pics. Why in the world didn't she do it on Saturday when it was really warm? But, I digress...

 

I had one plaid blanket that I had picked up at a yard sale this summer. However, when Brittany mentioned that Big Lots had them for cheap, I knew I "needed" two.

This little guy also came from Big Lots. He was more than I would normally pay, but since he was the right thing and everything else came from thrifting, I went ahead and splurged. Pan and lantern came from hubby's junk.

As I watched my porch slowly transform into a tree farm, I knew I needed one of our signs from Down Grace Lane. The cabinet, skates, and cream separator are thrifted. The sled is from hubby's junk.

 

 Cooler, lantern, and box...yard sales.

So, who's tired of my yard sale posts? ;) 

 

 

A Little More Christmas....

Is it Monday again already? Christmas is coming fast! I gotta get my shopping all finished up. But first, let me show you a peek into our cozy holiday bedroom... 

I love the smell of the fresh wreath when I'm going to bed. It's like aromatherapy. 

I'm loving the plaid flannel sheets (From TJ Maxx) but Carson says it looks like my bed is wearing pajamas. LOL! 

I made this little pillow, because it's always a great time for a nap, am I right?! 

 The rest of our bedroom is just as simple, neutrals with bits of red here and there.

Hannah, one of our guest posters from a few posts back, really inspired me. I absolutely loved her huge chalkboard, so when I found this big antique mirror at a thrift store, I knew just what to do with it. It makes a great chalkboard for our hallway! This is where we display our Christmas cards every year.  

 I LOVE big statement pieces - it looks more simple and less cluttered than using lots of smaller things.

These pillows are from my etsy shop, The Parsonage Queen.

We have one more special guest coming this week, and you're not going to want to miss it!

Christmas Time is Here

And, if I just got that song stuck in your head by making that my title, I apologize immensely. That song is on my list of "drives me bonkers." <----My hubby will testify to the fact that it doesn't take much to make that happen.

 

We have seen some awesome home tours on here from Brittany, Hannah, and Tricia. I thought about just skipping mine because you've already seen some great inspiration, but alas, I actually cleaned my house for the pics (or, in some cases scooted things out of the way) and I wanted to document the rarity.

 

I'd tell you to grab a cup of coffee with me like millions of bloggers do, but since I'm being honest here, I'd rather go grab a Coke slushie, or a Christmas cookie, or some peanut m&m's, or a bowl of Blue Bell ice cream. Whatever.

 

Welcome to our humble abode, where our budgets are thrifty, the messes are many, the floors are stickier, the laundry is higher, but our hearts are fuller.

 

 

Remember the post about the tradition of taking our kiddos' pic around the tree? The Parsonage Queen created me a pillow to represent that and I. Love. It.

 The plaid pillows and matching throw were made from a table cloth.

 

 Rejoice Sign can be found at Down Grace Lane.

 

I found this spool thingymabob at a yard sale and turned it into a side table for the time being. The lamp came from a thrift store.

 The vintage bicycle basket came from a junk show via my SIL, tree from a yard sale, and books and galvanized tin from hubby's junk.

 I borrowed the basket from my SIL and planned my mantel around it.

 If you've followed my personal blog, you've seen the majority before.

 

Next we move into what I believe is supposed to be a dining room, but we use it as a catch-everything-we-don't-have-room-for-anywhere-else room. To be brief, the piano room.

The frame came from a thrift store, as did the lamps. The wreath is from Dollar Tree and a little scrawny, so I just put it with another scrawny wreath I had.

 The box is from a yard sale and the decorative balls came from Goodwill.

This built-in is also in the same room and holds our Christmas card station.

 

One of my favorite spots: 

It's a place that is walked by all the time, so it is a great reminder of the season's true meaning.

Next stop is the kitchen. 

 Bet you can't guess where I got the wreaths this summer...

Same place I got the Thermos's.

Hot Cocoa & Coffee sign is available at Down Grace Lane.

I love this little spot, too. The lantern and fire truck came from hubby's stash, but the fire truck reminds me of my Dad.

Went all out for my chalkboard this year.

The Coke crate also came from hubby's junk. I think I'm seeing a pattern that hub's has too much junk. Since it's working in my favor, we'll let it slide for the time being.

 

Well, whatever your blog reading treat may have been, I hope you enjoyed it. May it have been calorie free and hip reducing. If it was chocolate, I'll email you my address to share.

 

Hope you all have a blessed Christmas! May you be surrounded by people you love, your hearts filled with His Presence, and your lives filled with joy.