Let’s see what’s in store for today!
Linda Gronvall wanted to recreate a dress from the 50’s for her doll, but said it hasn’t happened yet. Maybe she’ll get to it and can share it at a later time…
She said she has really enjoyed visiting the ladies “sublimely decorated homes” but decided to show something decorated slightly ridiculously… her large collection of Debbie Mumm’s penguin set. All of them from her husband… Serving plater, mugs, glasses, dessert plates, and the cookie jar, salt & peppers, sugar bowl (Igloo) and creamer pictured here.
She said the peanut butter and Nutella were added as coping mechanisms for 2020! 🙄 Uh… Yes please! Thanks Linda!
Linda Doyle sent me some more pictures to share… She’s got some of those girls dressed in their Christmas dresses, so I KNOW she’s been busy!
This is what she said about her pictures:
First up is the wreath I made two years ago. I had seen one at Pier 1 that was similar,but too expensive for me, so I made my own, using a little church I got from Michaels and some bottle brush trees, and ribbon.
Next up is the tree in my bedroom bay window with Betsy and Ivy standing there. It is a 3 ft. tree, and I decorated it with sugared birds, pink berries, and white lights. An antique lace scarf from my mother-in-law is around it. I actually call it a winter tree, and put tiny glittery heart ornaments on it for February. Of course, in March, it comes down!
The next is my dollhouse in the doll room. I decorate it with Dept. 56 trims and add trees too. There is Rudolph on the roof, but you can’t see him. Couldn’t get him in the shot! Then a close-up of the front with a nutcracker standing on the porch.
Thanks Linda… You’re house is REALLY Christmas-y and I’m sure you have put a smile on lots of faces today!
Marilyn sent a link to me about the new Maggie Iacono felt dolls… SO if you happened to have received the $$$ from your rich uncle, maybe one of these dolls might tickle your fancy… They really are something to see up close… (The ENTIRE doll is felt! I’ve never seen one in person, only in a magazine and on their website… If you click the link, they EVEN have a “Jeanne” doll! :o)
Well, ladies, I’m out of pictures from you… If you have something you’d like to share during this time when I’m busier than busy, please email them to me and I’ll be happy to share them…
Let me show you what we GOT…
It was just a tiny bit, but look what my sister, Cindy, got in Gettysburg, PA…
That’s it for this Friday…
Have a wonderful day!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Linda Gronvall, I love your penguins! I think my favorite piece is the sugar bowl/igloo. I have a number of pieces of Beleek porcelain, and one of my favorite pieces is a honey dish that looks like a beehive! Your igloo made me think of it.
Linda Doyle, your wreath is lovely–very professional-looking!! You have some serious talent there! I also loved seeing your bedroom tree (with Betsy and Ivy), and your dollhouse. Even the dollhouse is decorated for Christmas! Such fun!!
Marilyn, thanks for the link to the Maggie Iacono dolls. I think I saw one or two at a doll shop (or perhaps a doll convention) a long time ago. They really are lovely, but way out of my price point!!
Snow. Ahh….my favorite winter weather. No snow here in the Seattle area, unless you want to go up in the mountains (and I definitely do NOT do mountains!! LOL). Maybe we’ll have some snow in January. In the 60 years I’ve lived here, I only remember two or three times when we’ve actually had a white Christmas. Last time was about 11 years ago, I think–the youngest grands were still very small, and they are almost 13 and almost 14 now!
So two Linda’s today, and one Marilyn! Since I am the Linda D., I am going to say that Linda G. has the cutest little set of penquins I have ever seen! That is so sweet of your husband to be giving you all those darling pieces! I love that tallest penquin with the little blackbird on his head! Cute!
I have to apologize for what looks like two of the same picture, but it really isn’t. The one of the bedroom tree looks the same but on my group of pictures, I thought the second would show the lace scarf better. It really is a beautiful piece and is very delicate, so i have to be extra careful when putting it around the tree. I have no idea of it’s age, but for sure, I don’t find many of those at Home Goods or Target!!
Good heavens, those dolls! I can’t imagine paying that for a doll, but evidently there are a few people out there who will! They certainly are exquisitely dressed, and the Jeanane doll is so cute! Maybe George hasn’t gotten you your christmas present yet!! I like the first one. I guess I should start saving!! Not really!! Thanks Marilyn for sending that in.
Oh, the snow! Well, here, flakes were falling, but we never got more than a dusting, not as much dusting as you did Jeanne! It looked like someone sprinkled powder sugar all over eveything, but lightly. Nothing on the grass to speak of. Cindy’s place looks beautiful! I just hope they don’t get more that causes problems on the roads! It looks like they live in the country. A very pretty Christmas card scene!!
What fun the penguins are! I’ve never seen them before. I think I see baby penguin salt and pepper shakers. Thanks for sharing them.
Linda is truly a wonderful decorator. Just whipped out that wreath in no time, just a lot of thought. The tree is beautiful, especially with the beautiful lace “tree skirt.” I really had to take a good closeup look at the car to find that the Santa bear is even wearing glasses, just like the real Santa. The dollhouse is so complete and now all decked out for Christmas. Thanks for sending the pictures.
Both you and Deb live in Christmas card settings, Jeanne. The only snow I see is 70 miles away in the mountains while it’s 70 degrees where I live. Between the ocean and the mountains, there are all ten climatic zones. Yes, please send more pictures.
Okay, that does it. We must put up something other than the lighted tree without ornaments. All of the photos are so fun. 🙂
Love Linda G’s Penguins and the accompaniments. Perfect. I’ve never seen them before.
I saved Linda D’s wreath photo because, just maybe I might be able to make a similar one for next year. It’s lovely. Betsy & Ivy are so sweet admiring that amazing tree, and the vintage lace scarf is the crowning touch. So special. That designers touch shows again on the amazingly decorated so cute dollhouse. Wonderful.
So great to see your snow, Jeanne. Looks like fairyland. Beautiful. And your sisters place is magazine cover worthy. Fresh unmarred snow. Lovely.
Thanks Jeanne and everyone for sharing your photos. So enjoyable to view.
And of course, I forgot. Pixie Faire has an adorable free pattern today. A felt kitty. 🙂
Yes, Joy, I saw it in my email and quickly grabbed in before I came her and would forget. Kitty dolls for the dolls this winter.
That should be here.
Linda G.- your collection of penguins is adorable. I like the cookie jar with the little bird sitting on its head. It’s fun to see what different things people collect. I’ve seen collections of elephants, pigs, old and new tins ( like for food items ) , butterflies, cookbooks, jars, unicorns…I could go on and on. Can’t forget dolls either!!! It’s always fun to see the various collections and what prompted those collections. Nice if your husband to get you some of those.
Linda Doyle- great work on your wreath. The church at the bottom with the trees is really clever. It’s like a little country setting on a wreath. I admire the fact you made your own wreath too! Your girls look so pretty in the lights of your tree. They’re all ready for Christmas!
I love your red dollhouse. Dollhouses are so much fun. Yours reminds me of a New England cottage although it could fit in any area of our country. I like the nutcracker standing vigil at the door.
I imagine you can decorate the house for all seasons.
Jeanne, the winter snow fall pictures are beautiful. Being snow birds, that’s what I miss the most about the Midwest and east coast… the beautiful snow fall.
And the Christmas fun continues…
Linda G. I love your penguin dishes. The cookie jar and sugar bowl are my favorites. How sweet of your hubby. It’s fun to see what others collect.
What a lovely wreath, Linda. I do the same thing. If I see something I like, I think how I can recreate it with different items more economically. I almost always end up liking the result even better.
Betsy and Ivy did a wonderful job decorating the bedroom tree. I think I’d want to decorate it all year long with different seasonal miniatures.
Your dollhouse looks beautifully decked out and I love Santa Bear in the car. Too funny!
Those felt dolls are pretty amazing. I like Christen and Kat (meow). I also can’t imagine that people can really afford them.
The snow pictures are lovely. We also had about 2- 2 1/2 . It’s melted off the streets, but it still is all across the branches and so very beautiful
Cute penguins, Linda G!
Gorgeous wreath and pretty tree with your 2 dolls Linda D. Now I would looove to see inside your doll house. The outside is decorated so well!
Here in the South (of Minnesota, haha) all we have is brown. Yuck. I’m putting up some lights in the dinning room that I will leave up till spring. I need sparkle! In my living room there is a little pencil tree that stays out year around. It’s my holiday tree. It changes after Christmas to hearts, then shamrocks, then Easter and spring. For summer I do red white and blue, then fall leaves, which brings us back to Christmas. So of course, in March, it goes nowhere! 😆
Hi Julia,
I have a tree I used to the same thing with… pink lights,wooden hearts and Victorian scrap in Feb, shamrocks and Irish scrap pictures in March, wooden eggs and spring items,
red, white, and blue lights with flags and seashells and Victorian scrap of children at the beach. fall leaves, acorns and those little faux fur animals in autumn, and dried fruit slices, gilded nuts, paper chain, and felt ornaments of stars, hearts, and crosses at Christmas. Some things got shabby over the years and then life got in the way about eight years ago and I stopped doing it. i should revive it because I was so cheerful.
I believe Jeanne had the inside of my dollhouse a couple of years ago. Not sure how to look it up. If I find the pictures on the blog, I’ll let you know.
Since I am pressed for time today, I want to thank all of you for the wonderful compliments!
The wreath wasn’t the easiest thing to make. The little church and trees are held on by a very thin wire. If I glued it, everything would fall in no time, since they have a little bit of weight. The church actually lights up, but I don’t do that. That would be cute inside though.
I do decorate the house for several season,……when I have time! Love the Halloween one!
I like to do things at home, I guess you might say. I’m a “stay at home, play at home, 8:00 sleepytime gal”!!
I found your doll house! It is amazing!
The photos have been lovely to see. I love to see all of them. I’d better not tell Sam about the trees you girls leave up all year or she will want to do it too!
When I first came here nearly 47 years ago I really missed Christmas in the winter but the older I get the more I appreciate NOT trudging in the wet or snow, bundled up in jackets and boots and scarves and gloves and probably trying to hang on to an umbrella, looking for Christmas presents! Sam and I went out yesterday. It was 22C (just nice, not too hot) no coat or even cardigan and sandals. I know you girls probably think I am mad but I loved it and Sam and I had a great time just her and me.
We decided last year that we were not giving new ‘things’ for presents this year, everything we bought had to be
An experience (movie vouchers, restaurant vouchers, special activities)
Handmade
Second hand
Something they really, really need.
So Sam and I went op shopping and we got quite a few really good items. However, we got distracted a little bit by ‘The Christmas Hut’ which is the most amazing place. There was a whole wall full of what looked like the Dept 56 buildings. The brand name on them was Lemax so not sure if they are the same but they were fabulous. Very expensive of course! My mother always said I had a champagne taste on a beer income, and I seem to have passed it on to Sam. By the time we left she had rearranged my lounge (in her head) to accommodate a complete village of lit up houses for next year! So long as I don’t have to do it (and pay for it) she can do what she likes.
I looked at the link Melody sent. Those dolls are beautiful but eye wateringly expensive. For me it would be another $500-1000 for the exchange rate and at least $50 – 100 for postage. I think I will pass on that one. It was lovely looking at them, though.
Baking this morning so must get on. I am taking Caitlin and Ashley to buy a present for their Mum this afternoon. Greg won’t do it, never buys presents for anyone at any time.
Thanks for passing on the information about the Freebie Friday pattern from Pixie Faire, I hadn’t seen the e mail but went back and have ordered it. It is Saturday here but the time difference means it was still available for free, thanks ladies.
Hi Everyone,
I’ve been enjoying everyone’s contributions these past few days. I always love Jeanne’s blog when its filled with photo’s! I’ve been slowly putting my christmas decorations out, with a 3 year old around it’s easier to do when he’s sleeping or out with his mom. The tree is mostly done. I decided this year I’d to put more ornaments on and see if stay on the tree. Dominic loves to remove them. So far so good. He hasn’t broken any yet! Just as I was making some headway in the decorating department I got smack down by my annual winter cold/flu bug. Wednesday here was a sad day, my aunt passed from her long fight with ovarian cancer. My cousin told me she wanted everyone to know she went home to be with the Lord. Then that same day an hour later my 90 lb. Black Lab lunged at my 3 year old grandson biting him in the hand. It was terrifying to watch, it happened so fast and it was unprovoked. Dominic’s hand is bruised and the skin was slightly broken. Hubby made me call the vet to make sure Harley was up to date on his shots (I was pretty sure he was) Long story short the health department is involved and Harley has to be quarantined for ten days. The sweetest thing happened after I put Harley in the basement and closed the door. Dominic went over to the closed door and said I love you Harley. It broke my heart to lock Dominic’s furry best buddy away.
Besides my annual winter cold/flu bug, my back went out yesterday morning making standing and walking most difficult. LOL sorry all I can do is laugh. I know things could always be worse. Thanking God for his many blessings. My aunt is no longer in pain and is home with her Lord and Savior! Amen!!! The dog bite could have been much much worse. Thank you Jesus it wasn’t. My annual cold/flu bug will go away and as soon as it does I’ll be able to get back to Physical Therapy helping with my back issues. Soooo I’m so very much loving all you ladies sitting here on the sofa (hope you don’t mind my heating pad.) Thank you for sharing your story’s and your photo’s it’s brought me much joy!
Hugs
Ingrid
Oh, Ingrid, I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt. You are right, she is free of pain now, and with her Lord. And then the situation with Harley and your little grandson!! How frightening for everyone. It’s good that your little grandson is still loving his furry pal, rather than fearing him, though I imagine you will have to kind of watch when they are together until Dominic gets a little bigger. I wonder what triggered that?! Sorry, too, about your cold/flu bug thing, and hope you will feel better soon.
I found out the older sister of one of my best friends passed away a few days ago, too. Janet had problems with dementia, and had recently been unwell, so it wasn’t a surprise. Still, kind of a shock, since Joyce (my friend) died 3-1/2 years ago. They both are in heaven now.
I am so behind in commenting. I get started in the morning and then get distracted and I notice at the end of the day I never got back to it. I am so enjoying everyone’s holiday contributions. It is amazing to me how some families manage to keep things in such good condition and pass them down through the generations. I’m probably the only one in my family who really likes heirlooms. But handing them down may be difficult because it seems most kids today don’t want to mess with it. My daughter lives in a tiny house with her husband and son and she doesn’t even want the keepsakes from her school days. Sean’s children are my best hope and time will tell on that. Otherwise they’ll probably end up on eBay one day.
Since I used to live in Bethlehem, PA, I keep a close eye on their weather. I can only remember one storm when I was growing up that was like the one they just had. My mother was a nurse and worked the night shift at a hospital on the other side of town. She drove to work in the evening but in the morning could not drive home. She called a cab but that was very slow going and he would not come down into our development so he left her on the road above so she could walk through out neighbor’s yard and then through ours. The snow had stopped but there was a whole lot of it on the ground. My dad had terraced our yard because the road above was so much higher and it was like a swamp when it rained. My mom could not determine where the walk-through area was so she walked off the terrace. She ended up to her hips in snow and she wasn’t a happy camper because she still had a ways to go to get to the house so she was pretty wet and cold by the time she made it. We kids weren’t at all happy with her that day because she wouldn’t let us go out and play in the snow because she didn’t want to have to deal with anymore “wet”. But I also remember the evenings when after dinner she would let us go out and play in the snow by porchlight. Then we would come in and have hot chocolate. Raising my kids here in Texas, I really miss not being able to give them those experiences. They’ve seen snow in Kansas at their grandparents one year at Thanksgiving and the next year in Delaware at my family’s for Thanksgiving and often when we traveled to Colorado, but it’s not the same as being able to “hope” for it every year. By March each year we were ready for it to end, but the next year the anticipation returned and we once again began to “think snow”.
Anne’s cakes are absolutely beautiful. I would hate to cut into one of them. It would be like destroying a work of art. I tried doing the cake decorating thing one year for my daughter’s birthday. It was a clown. I lost patience about half way through and finished up with a spatula. It was a chocolate cake and the crumbs were showing up in the frosting so by the time I was finished the clown had freckles. I decided cake decorating was not my thing.
I love all the gorgeous trees and decorations and all the dollies in their winter and Christmas outfits that everyone is sharing. Still not there yet. But I did get my Christmas letter done this year and will be mailing that and my cards out today. Never got that done last year but I feel it’s more important than ever this year. I finished the final touches on my village so I will take pictures and get them emailed this weekend.
Jeanne, your wreath repair work was superb. I have a couple really nice table decorations I bought a few years ago that the light strings have gone out on them. Each year I say I’m going to get new lights and fix them up but the season comes and goes and they still aren’t working. Maybe next year…
Love the cute little penguin set and the very creative wreath, And the additions to the doll house were a great idea. I want a dollhouse, but I still haven’t found the one I “must” have. Actually I want the one from the museum in Colorado that I showed in the pictures I sent. Now that’s my idea of a dollhouse. I’ve never seen another one like it anywhere.
I was hoping my Magalie Little Darling would be here for Christmas, but I haven’t heard anything from her so far. But I was suffering from dolly fever and went to Doll Peddlar and bought the cutest Blythe. I have been wanting Blythe for a long time and finally succumbed to the temptation. She’s got the cutest shoes and boots. She should be here in a day or two.
Hard to believe Christmas is just a week away. I don’t want to see the holiday season come to an end this year because everyone will start taking down their lovely lights and they have been so pleasant to see.
Dear Jeanne, I enjoyed Linda’s photos, especially the dolls by the tree.
We were supposed to get about a foot of snow in our area but we only got 8 inches. I still have not dug out my car because I am not going anywhere.
This time next week, we will be celebrating Christmas. It feels strange and wonderful at the same time.
I have been binge watching the Hallmark Channel.
Love the idea of a ‘doll room’!