I’m sorry I didn’t get but one “general” comment made on yesterday’s post. It was down toward the bottom. Deb and I were very busy helping my mom with some things… I will get some of your comments answered and taken care of… soon!
Did you ever wish you could do something someone else does? Have a talent that you see in someone else? Maybe you’d like to paint, or build furniture, or know how to knit pretty little dolly sweaters…whatever it is, most people wish they could do something more than what they know.
WELL…today I wished I could play the piano. My little sister (sorry Deb), my younger sister and my mom and I were in Deb’s car driving around helping my mom with some things. Deb had her phone set so that when her car started this most glorious, soothing, calming piano music came over her speakers. We did a lot of stopping and starting today so we heard it plenty of times, but I never once wanted to listen to anything else. It was the new “middle” section of her Wayfaring Stranger song that she is working on. If you thought you liked it the other day…just wait. I think I could put the music on and listen to it all day long and not tire of it. I told Deb to send me a new link when she gets the middle connected to the front and the end! You’re going to love it! She is so talented!
BUT… 4 days ago I wished I could decorate like my older sister, Cindy! Oh, my goodness…this girl can decorate like Deb can play the piano. These pictures you are going to see are nothing less than what you’d expect to see in Better Homes and Garden’s magazines… or ever nicer magazines than that. She does her decorating so effortlessly and knows what she’s doing… (that’s what gets me… I don’t know what I’m doing!) This is my sister’s house being decorated for Christmas… she is phenomenal if you ask me… Her little vignettes all over her house are so cozy and homey and just fill her house with love. All I can do is *sigh!*
Think maybe my sister must be a snob or some uppity person who is super materialistic? WRONG! Cindy is as down to earth and friendly and GENEROUS as probably anyone I know… If you were at her house and said, “oh I love that angel”…. look out, she just might give it to you. She went to an antique shop up in PA a few days ago and when she got there they were having $1.00 Day Sale… so she got all these fun trinkets and more to decorate with. I hope she won’t mind if I tell, but she spent $57 and got $1400 worth of stuff! Okay… who’s jealous? (well, maybe not jealous, but sorry they weren’t at the sale?)
She was thrilled at what she got and shared some of them with me… and of course I wanted to share them with you! SO… let’s get started!
This is Cindy’s front door… decorated with magnolia leaves in the center… from MY tree. I sent her a big box of them a few days ago because she can do ALL kinds of fun things with them… the leaves were my only contribution…all the rest comes completely from her…
Don’t you just LOVE this next picture? Her neighbor died and she bought her baby grand piano… I LOVE this shot! Her son did her coffered ceilings…love them too!
Cindy painted the picture in the background of this next picture. It’s the downtown area of Middlebury, Vermont.
She even got this big angel for $1.00!!!!! The wings were broken off, but do you think that stopped Cindy? :o)
She has also been making the favor gifts for her hubby’s company’s Christmas party. Remember last year she made the Steampunk Birdhouses? You can see them HERE. Well, this year she is hand drawing these Chalkboard pictures on slabs of wood. She has to do FIFTY! When she sent me this picture, I think she had done 18.
You REALLY should click on this next picture to see her chalk drawings up close! WOW! I want to see all 50, don’t you?
See what I mean… I think SUPER TALENTED just isn’t enough to describe her! I just wanted the whole world to know about her and how blessed I am to be your little sister! (ahem… younger sister, that is!)
Thanks for letting me share,
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
All THREE of you are very talented, each in your own way! Cindy is a remarkable artist, Deb is a gifted musician and you are an amazing sewist!
Thank you Shara,
Today Deb and I are putting our cooking skills to the test….we are making V-8 soup, turkey chili, spaghetti sauce and black beans and rice for my mom to put in her freezer. It’s so cute to have little individual servings all lined up in the freezer. I want to go home and do it for me!
Thanks so much for your kind words!
Blessings, Jeanne
Okay, I’ll bite–what is V-8 soup? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that one!!
Hi CHARLOTTE,
I missed your comment about the V-8 soup. I will try and remember to give you the recipe. It’s so easy and one of our favorites.
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh how absolutely BEAUTIFUL Cindy’s Christmas decorations are!! She certainly knows how to do it! I love the view with the piano and the angel in front of it by the window. It reminds me of my Aunt Betty. She bought a beautiful, black Steinway Concert Grand piano and had it in her living room too. It took up about 3/4ths of the room, but was just gorgeous! Does Cindy play? I love the coffered ceilings too! What’s not to love in these pictures?
I love how she decorates to go with the character of the house. So many people just stick Santa’s and snowmen here and there and figure it “works”! Her colors, symmetry, and embellishments all go so perfectly! I absolutely LOVE the front door! She must have a large, stately house, for sure! I love that wreath with the “Illinois” trimmings, Jeanne! So nice of you to help out with that.
Those favors are just fantastic! I could go on and on, but I have to stop now and start baking cookies! We’re in for some cold days ahead, for sure!! Thank you for giving us a bit of Christmas Cheer, Jeanne! Cindy should have her house on a Christmas tour!
Hi Linda and thanks for your compliments to Cindy! She trule is an artist in everything that she touches.
I like the piano picture too. Cindy doesn’t play…but Hanna has just started taking lessons.
Their house is a big Colonial style with columns out front.
I do love her favors this year…they are probably my favorite…but I did like those Steampunk birdhouses last year.
Thanks so much Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Once again I’m left to second every word of Linda’s Comment. What a talented family your mother raised. I can’t believe those items Cindy bought were $1 each. Someone is giving away Pennsylvania’s heritage. There’s no telling what the angel with the wings is worth. It looks like a folk art wood carving. Everything certainly went to a lovely home. The pictures do belong in Traditional Home or Architectural Digest. So glad you shared them with us. Amazing!
The decorated wood slices are going to be a real hit at the luncheon. Thanks, Cindy.
Hi Susette,
Cindy told me the angel was originally $289.00.
Yes, Traditional Home was the magazine I couldn’t think of.
I can’t wait to hear from Cindy what everyone thought of them.
Thanks Susette,
Blessings, Jeanne
Your biological family are ALL talented….aren’t we glad that we’ve got you in our neck of the woods to enjoy the TALENT that you share with us each day that you post? Thanks for sharing more of your family’s gifts. It is so fun!
Blessings.
Hi Becky,
I truly am blessed and WE are blessed. We do have fun when we all get together. Oh how I wish every family could be blessed as we are.
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, what a treat! Being a magazine freak who loves nothing more than looking at decorating makes this such a wonderful post. Cindy’s home is just lovely. Amazing in fact. And the party gifts are so creative. Love the wood slabs with the chalkboard and Cindy’s special artwork. I want the one with the car and tree on top! My talented niece used similar wood slabs under the centerpieces of flowers at a recent get together. Guess I had better find a couple as they are so useful.
Wish I had talent like Deb, Cindy, and Jeanne. Your mother must be so proud.
Thank you Joy,
Yes, Cindy is certainly a wonder when it comes to anything decorative. I love those slabs that are painted with chalk paint and then decorated. I hadn’t noticed the one with the tree on top of the car but it’s one of my favorites too.
Blessings, Jeanne
What gorgeous pictures. You and you sisters each have a wonderful God given talent.If I recall correctly your brother paints and plays the guitar, right?
Love Cindy’s front door with the huge sugar pine cone and magnolia leaves, those are both great for decorating. She could change the ribbon and leave it up longer after Christmas, I would. The chalkboard picture are lovely. The Christmas tree one is my favorites. Look like the German feather tree. my great aunt had.
It’s getting very cold here as well, 18 degrees for a low tomorrow noght… brrr. I agree with Linda, time to start baking Christmas cookies.
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much for all your sweet comments. It is fun for me to see first hand all the things Cindy can do. I love it when she shares pictures and ideas with me.
It’s been cold here today… I’m not ready for winter-is weather.
Blessings, Jeanne
So much talent in your family, Jeanne. Cindy’s home is just lovely and very talented in decorations. She made them in such a way, they aren’t obnoxious like what a store would do. Very quiet, subtle and my oh my, so interesting and beautiful.
Loved seeing the pictures, thank you. You are all so talented.
This year in our house, one old tree ornament got broken, slipped out of my hand, and one ceramic angel crashed on the floor – she didn’t even make it out of the storage room!! I’m grateful I have a lot of old ornaments and old decorations to still enjoy.
As usual in the past few years, I’m not putting out a lot since we leave shortly after Christmas.
Hi Paula,
I love seeing Cindy’s house and always enjoy her new pictures. I’m glad you enjoyed them too.
I’m sorry you broke your special angel this year. I hope you have plenty to make up for her.
Thanks so much Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Your December blog posts are like The Twelve Days of Christmas, Jeanne, bringing us a little bit of Christmas cheer everyday! Cindy’s decorations are simply delightful, and her home looks so inviting. She has created the wonderful warm ambiance of an Old World Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas. My favorite is the angel vignette on the piano. Her chalkboard plaques are charming, too. They have such a rustic elegance to them.
Like you, Jeanne, I could listen to soothing piano music all day long. Deb’s refrain of Wayfaring Stranger was beyond lovely, and I can see why you never tired of it on your errands today. I’ll look forward to hearing the entire arrangement sometime soon. I’m serious about buying a CD of Deb’s music! How about a Christmas album? ;o)
Your siblings are incredibly talented, Jeanne, and what a beautiful thing it is that you support and admire their gifts. But although you are quite humble, you mustn’t forget your own God-given gifts and the joy they bring to others, your siblings included. I’m sure they are equally proud of you, and your momma deserves a heaping dose of praise for nurturing you all so well and teaching you to have hearts of giving.
I’m so glad your sisters are there to help you run errands, make decisions and stock your momma’s freezer, and how nice that you can have a bit of fun in the process. You are blessed with a wonderful family with whom to divide the work and double (and triple) the joy! Thank you for sharing all their gifts with us. May the blessings you all give to others return to you a thousand-fold!
Thank you Anne,
I love the way you write and enjoy your comments so much. I appreciate your kind words about me and my siblings. I truly am blessed to have been born to such a wonderful family. I love my sisters and brother dearly and have such a sweet bond with them. When we are together we truly are together!
I was talking to Deb again today about making that CD….I’m hoping she gets one made soon.
Thank you so much for your sweet card…it was so beautiful and made me think how grateful I am to have friends like you looking out for and praying for us… You have beautiful handwriting too! :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
WOW!!!
You’re all THREE talented!!!
Love those chalk drawings!
Thank you so much! We appreciate your kind words! Glad you enjoyed the post!
Blessings, Jeanne