Merry Christmas from our home to yours! We LOVE this time of year, especially as we wait and prepare for the birth of our Savior. We've been reading through Good News of Great Joy every evening, and it has turned our heart towards Him this Advent. We paid a couple of dollars for the book, but the electronic version can be downloaded for free online.
The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we drove north to Wolcyn Tree Farms to get a Christmas tree. We have been going there for years, and their trees are beautiful. This was pre-snow of course. Now there are about 8 inches on the ground, and the temperatures have dipped below-zero for the last week and a half. Winter has arrived in all of its splendor!
In between a busy work-stretch, out-of-town guests, and some traveling, we have finally finished decorating the house and are finding some time to rest and take it all in.
The front porch was enjoyable to decorate as always. Throughout the seasons, it changes every couple of months. So this winter, I pulled out the old sled and reused the egg basket/wash bin/milk can from spring and summer. New this year to the winter porch scene are the old pair of red skis from Papa, a wooden box that has been turned into a wood box, and a little Charlie Brown tree from my parents' field.
My grandpa has a sign that says Pray For Snow, so I thought I'd make one using the same phrase for the entryway.
See that pair of skis and bamboo poles? I learned to ski on them when I was two years old. The lantern came from Decor Steals. I am in love with this website and have purchased a few fun things from it in the last couple of months. One of the convenient things is their referral process. If you refer someone to the website, and they create an account using your referral, you both get a $5 credit which equals out to free shipping!
Here's a quick view of the Dining Room thanks to the iPhone. I made several pennants this fall, and they are hung around the house. The JOY TO THE WORLD pennant is my favorite. One of the last projects I worked on was the O Come Let Us Adore Him sign. I realized after the fact that I should have either purchased a larger board from Home Depot or painted Come Let Us on the top line and Adore Him on the bottom line to make it easier to read. Oh well. For this year, it works and maybe I'll repaint it next year, so it is more readable.
From start the finish, the Christmas tree was a multiple day process.
Day 1: Purchased the tree, brought it home, and it stood in the garage.
Day 2: Brought it inside and put it in the stand. Added lights and garland.
Day 3: Ornaments.
But it was worth the wait. This country-loving girl loves it. Snowy Owl on top, burlap wrapped around, and a galvanized wash tub from my grandparents' farm. The husband was a little confused when I dragged the galvanized tub in and wondered how exactly the tree stand was going to fit into it, but after it was all said and done, he just shook his head. I think it has grown on him though. :)
Day 4: The Nativity. Up until this year, I didn't have a creche, but dreamed of having one made of old barnwood. My uncle, aunt, and mom came up with this design using barnwood from my grandparent's farm. This may be my favorite Christmas decor of all.
Someday, we hope to have a real fireplace, but until then this makeshift mantle works. I used an old piece of barnwood for the shelf. A mini-Poinsettia and a lantern has been added since then, but it's become a nice little corner for our stockings.
This sign hangs over our bedroom door. In a few words, it describes our winter lifestyle in a nutshell.
As a follow-up to my last post, I have been busy painting and sewing these cute pillows for a few customers. They have been fun to create, and I hope they have added a festive touch to their homes. Thank you for your business!
Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
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