I’m sorry I missed out on the comments again today. I was in “wreath repairing mode!” We had 6 wreaths from church that desperately needed revamping…and so… I worked on that today. I thought it would be easier than it was… Find some new red cording to replace the old that had turned orange, straighten up the horns, fluff the greenery a bit and voila, it would be done… BUT NO… there wasn’t a spool of red cording to be found in my sewing stash, or in Hobby Lobby, or in Joann’s or Walmart! NOT A SINGLE ROLL! I couldn’t believe it! I did find one small spool that had been unwound and was just looped and taped, but it ended up being TOO red and didn’t match the burgundy ribbon. SO… I went for plan B! Gold cording. I did find some of that at Joann’s and snatched it up.
While I was there I looked in the clearance Christmas stuff… 66% off… and found a few picks that I thought might revive the wreaths a bit too.
And I had to laugh as I read Joy’s comments about looking at Susette’s Christmas tree and spying a chair that she thought might work as a prop for the Meadow Girls. Well, Joy, I found myself looking over the VERY picked over wall of ornaments at Hobby Lobby, but decided I didn’t need any more props.
So anyway, this is what the wreaths looked like before… pretty tired looking…
A couple of them had a few berries…
…but all the horns were loose and had to be rewired on the wreath…
I just stacked them up and did a little “Assembly line wreath repair!” :o)
As I got the same thing done on each wreath, I would lay them in my floor so I could see if I was getting them all the same…
And with a little bit of help from me… miraculously, and I do mean miraculously they came out like this…
Here are all 6…
I’ll probably take them in tomorrow and hang them on the windows in the basement… it should brighten the room… :o)
Oh, and I’ll go ahead and share this… I snapped this picture as I passed by Reuben in the chair. Rebecca has a habit of covering him up is she thinks he looks cold! :o) He’s dreaming of doggie treats, I’m sure! :o)
Today we’re going to see things from Laura… I’ll just post what she says about her pictures instead of me trying to tell you…
No dolls dressing for Christmas, so I thought I’d share my German Christmas decor.
The two pyramids (the angels dancing in a circle and the Nativity one as well as the angel with the animals and chapel bell music box were my grandparents. They are from no later than the 1930’s. the boy and girl with the church and tree music box was a gift from my great aunt to me when she visited our relatives in Germany and Switzerland in the early 1970’s.
If you click on her pictures they will enlarge.
This soldier band and angel bands sat on either side of my mom’s piano when it was at my grandparents. We still have that piano, but I have to put things high now to avoid curious kitties. =^-^=
The man with the birdcage is a smokeman. He takes incense cones and they smolder and the smoke comes out his mouth. The angel chime turns around from the heat of the candles All these are from the 1930’s or before. They’ve held up beautifully.
The German gristmill with water wheel is a music box. It sat on my grandparents coffee table as long as my mom and I could remember. My grandfather may have brought it from Germany with him in 1927, but we don’t know for sure. The little figure in front is a chimney sweep. He was always out at Christmas as well. The Hummels were my grandparent’s or my mom received them as gifts in the 1940’s
We always put the little girl with the red candle and nosegay out with the Christ child and angel. the boy with the horn is called “Hear Ye, Hear Ye”. I know he was always out as well. It makes perfect sense as he is announcing the Savior’s birth.
Thank you Laura! What wonderful treasures you own! I’m sure they are enjoyed by you so much! Thanks for sharing them with us!
Now it’s Linda’s turn to share a bit from her house… here’s what she had to say…
We all have seen your house, so you can see a glimpse of mine. I am including a picture of my living room tree, which would be the first thing you see in my house. It is decorated in gold and crystal ornaments.
Linda’s pictures will enlarge too, if you click on them…
The next picture is my new building from Dept. 56. I wanted a simple scene to decorate the living room, so just have the Gothic Farmhouse, the sleigh, trees and a couple of deer. That does NOT stay up all year, unlike the other! I set it on a piece of velveteen and it worked out very well.
Then you would step into the kitchen, the picture after that. Grab a seat somewhere and sit down for something good to eat!
The next group of pictures are my dolls, well, some of them! This is what I have out now, but will change them –again– to their Christmas dresses, including a picture of Betsy by herself, holding her new girl Elf on the shelf from AG! Enough for today, but will send some more later on in the week.
Thanks Linda! How inviting your home looks… Now I know why you are an early early riser… so you can enjoy all your “pretties!”
Okay, everyone, come back tomorrow to see what’s in store from the many pictures I’ve been receiving. If YOU have something Christmas-y you’d like to share… send them to me in an email… since I’m not sewing right at the moment, we can visit with each other in each others homes! (Laura mentioned something about me possibly making one more Christmas dress in one of her comments to me… I don’t think so… I think my year is over…)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, LOTS of pictures tonight!
First of all, Jeanne, you really worked wonders with those wreaths! They should hold up for a few more Christmases now!!
Loved seeing Ruben all covered up. Our little dachshund mix, Molly (born in 1974, so long gone now) loved my polar fleece coat I’d made, and would claim it if I ever laid it on the sofa! LOL I had a scrap left, big enough for her, so it became her “blankie”, and for the rest of her life, at bedtime only, she would whine until I’d come with her to the bedroom and cover her with her blankie!! (Her bed was behind our bedroom door.) She would sleep in her bed other times of the day, but at bedtime, she wanted to be covered up!!
Laura, I loved seeing your beautiful German things. What treasures they are! We Swedes love our angel chimes, also, and I have a set (somewhere!) which I think I got as a shower gift before I got married. I haven’t had it out in ages, though. Should see if I can find it again.
Linda, your home and decorations are lovely and, as usual, I really enjoyed seeing your dolls getting ready for Christmas!!
Thanks everyone!
Dear Charlotte,
Thank you! Yes, angel chimes are Swedish as well. I believe they are common in a few European countries. Oh my goodness, you should really find them. When I do light them, I use different candles. The ones in there are the old twisted beeswax ones and I have no idea if you can even find those anymore.
I really like the Scandinavian straw ornaments as well. Didn’t happen this year, but I’d love a second tree with those, dried apple and orange slices and some simple felt ornaments. Guess I have a year to make that happen.
Do you have a Yule Goat? I don’t know if that’s the same for all the countries, but I’ve learned a lot about Scandinavian customs this year from my Jacquie Lawson Advent calendar. On St. Lucia day they had the procession to the church following the girl with the candle wreath on her head. And a huge Yule Goat showed up on one of the other days. And then there’s a recipe for Glog, which is sort of like Wassail I guess. I’m thinking of making some it sounded so delicious.
Nope, no Yule goat–that was a new one to me (I saw it on the Advent calendar, too). And I might put the angel chimes out, but I would Never keep the candles lit, because that constant “ding-ding-ding-ding” drives me Right. Up. The. Wall.!!! LOL
We never had glog, but my dad used to make Fruit Soup (stewed dried fruits, plus sago, a kind of big tapioca, cooked in water with some sugar and not sure what else). It’s best warm, but good cold, too!
Thanks Charlotte,
Its fun to see a small snippet of what’s happening at everyone’s homes, isn’t it?
I’m glad you enjoyed the pics!
Blessings, Jeanne
Yes, I am an early bird, Jeanne, but so many things to do is what gets me up early!
Those wreaths….., I had to do the same thing with the wreaths our subdivision puts up on the entrance, fix them up and I had 6 wreaths to do. The ribbon was a mess, you can imagine after being out in the elements for roughly 2 months, but I got them done, but no horns or cords involved, just ribbons! You did a wonderful job!
Reuben sleeping there, looks like he has “visions of sugarplums dancing in his head”! So cute!
Laura, your German treasures are darling, and so meaningful for you! I took have one of those smokers, actually mine looks very similar to yours, and also had those brass chimes that revolve. I also have my grandmother’s Hummel figurine, but it is not a Christmas themed one. So you are German and Swiss, as I too, am! Maybe we are cousins!!!
What is so striking in your pictures, is the beautiful piece of carved furniture you have your treasures sitting on! Is that an anitque? Beautiful! Tell me about it!
I am going to change my dolls again, yes, again!, because Santa is coming and they want to be dressed in their Christmas outfits. I managed to get them halfway done, and will do more today. Thank you for showing mty pictures, Jeanne!
Dear Linda,
I have mostly German, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh ancestry. We did the 23 and Me last Christmas and I do have a dash of Scandinavian. It makes sense as all the countries are so closely interlocked. We still have relatives who live in Switzerland. Beautiful country!
We actually have a few more Hummels, but they aren’t Christmas themed. One is called “Doll Mother”. I’ll share some of them another time now that I have a cell phone. Yeah!
The piece of furniture is an antique. It is a Victorian Eastlake style bookcase (circa 1870-1890) . It has the old wavy glass and locks. My dad gave it to me as a Christmas gift when I was a late teen after buying it at auction. I’ve always loved antiques!
The Hummels live in the curio, but all the other pieces I shared live in this bookcase. I can enjoy seeing the Christmas things year round and they can’t get damaged from boxing and unboxing each year.
Hi Linda
I guess we both were the keepers of the wreaths this year!! :o)
Your home looks so beautiful. Especially with the lights on… loved it!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh no! I just discovered that the bottom front cover of the dishwasher was off in the kitchen picture! Michael was doing something under there, and unknown to me, I snapped the picture! Truth be told, this is from several years ago! Don’t click onto the picture to make it bigger! Probably now, everyone will be doing that!!LOL
Yep, you shouldn’t have mentioned it…I too, had to go back and look… :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
LOL, Linda! Of course I immediately went back to enlarge the kitchen picture! 😆 I was enthralled by all your gorgeous copper and never noticed the oops.😉😊 Your doll scenes are sooo good! The little dogs in hats made me smile even more! Molly and ? in reindeer hats, Coconut and friend in Santa hats and is that Clifford on top of the clock?
Jeanne, those wreaths are are so festive now. Are your hands a wreck from working with the greenery? That stuff can be very rough on the hands. Awww Reuben. I always cover Rico up.😄
Laura, all your inherited treasures are in great shape. The generations really appreciated the decorations and preserved them.
Dear Julia,
My grandparents did really treasure the things they had. I know when I got them that they were carefully packed in tissue with cotton batting all around.
Hi Julia
I had to go back and look at Linda’s dishwasher too…
The greenery wasn’t real so my hands are fine!
Welcome back home!
Blessings, Jeanne
Ha, ha, you naughty girl! Doing what I said not to! Oh well, love you anyway!
I got the hats from the Yankee Candle store several years ago, which were supposed to go on the candles when you give them as a gift. Two sizes meant that the dolls and dogs got them. That’s AG’s Chocolate Lab wearing the reindeer hat.
Yes, that is Clifford! My grandson insisted that he go there a couple of years ago, so that’s where he goes!
Jeanne, so often our older Christmas decorations do need refreshing. The wreaths look so much nicer and more cheerful.
Reuben looks all snuggled in his blanket sleeping away. Every doggie we have had, all had blankies one way or another. In the years with our greyhounds, they definitely had blankies because they were all muscle. I covered them often with their blankets during the night.
Laura, your family Christmas decorations speak so highly of your love for family traditions and heirlooms. It’s fascinating to hear about their history. What precious keepsakes. I too, have the brass Angel with the candle heat moves the spinner. It’s a Glockenspiel? I may have misspelled that but that’s what we called it. And I have the original box for it from my parent’s decorations. You have them displayed so nicely and the way they should be. Thank you for showing them to us.
And Linda, what a lovely tour of your beautiful house all ready for Christmas. You have nice touches here and there. Your Christmas tree looks so beautiful lit up – so peaceful and inviting in your living room. I love the snow scene with the house. It reminds me of a Christmas movie called “The Gift of Love” with Angela Lansbury and Lee Remick. If you’ve seen it, you’ll know why your scene reminds me of it.
And it looks like your girls are ready for Christmas. Love the three girls working on cookies at the red table. So cute!
Christmas is my favorite holiday. Every thing about Christmas is so much fun and the reason for the season is so humbling and celebratory. 🎄
Thank you Jeanne for sharing too!
Dear Paula,
Thank you! We always just called them angel chimes or my grandfather called it a Änglaspel (angel carillon).. How nice that you have the original box as well. I don’t have that.
Yes, Paula, I did see that movie! The name of the sled is “Dashing Through the
Snow” and every time I see that scene, and turn on the house lights, it reminds me of “Jingle Bells”!
I just wish the girls baking would do my cookies for me! LOL
Hi Paula,
Would you believe it? I was at the church putting the wreaths up with my hubby’s help and walked out without taking a single picture! Duh!! They did look much better!!
I’m glad you liked Reuben’s picture…he has no idea he is seen all over the world! :o)
Isn’t it fun taking a few steps in each other’s house here at Christmas time?
Blessings ,Jeanne
Laura, I loved seeing your lovely items from your grandmother and others. The BBC (in UK) have a programme called ‘The Repair Shop’ which I saw something of while I was over there and now it is on TV here. It is a group of expert repairers who fix broken items (as sympathetically as possible) that have huge sentimental value to people. It is incredibly popular and the look on people’s faces when they get their treasures back all clean and in working order is absolutely priceless. It is so lovely to have those special items that have been in the family for generations.
Jeanne the wreaths look so much better now you did a great job. I loved the picture of Rueben he looks so cute and comfortable. Sam had an old fluffy jacket that she asked me if I could fix but it was a bit too difficult and a bit too far gone but both the dog and the cat love it. They don’t get wrapped up in it though.
Linda your house is lovely and so are your dolls I just love the way they are baking for Christmas. I will have to do a dolly display next year it is so lovely
It is very hot and dry here. We have had several fires over the last couple of weeks. So far mainly scrub and tussock fires and apart from one shed, no buildings have been lost. (That one was started by fireworks). It is a worry as it is so early in the season. I have to water my pot plants every day. We are lucky in Christchurch since our water comes from underground and so long as it rains on the West Coast (which it does…a lot) we very rarely get any restrictions. It was supposed to rain today but I don’t think it will.
Hi Anne,
Thank you! We can get the BBC, so I’ll see if we can get that program. It sounds fascinating .
HI Anne,
I agree, that program about repairing sentimental things sounds really fun… I’ll have to ask my sister, Cindy, if she’s ever seen that one… She’d love it!
I’m glad you like my wreaths now… They really were in sad shape… but now they are hanging up in the windows with a smile on their faces! ;o)
You’ll have a whole year to figure out what you want to do for your girls and their Christmas display! have fun thinking about it!
Blessings, Jeanne
I usually look back at the day before’s comments and found that the comments I made yesterday aren’t there! I remember commenting on Kathie’s lovely pink tree in her bathroom (my bathroom is so small there is no where for a tree to sit except on top of the toilet sistern!) and on little Riya’s lovely dress. I wonder if I just forgot to hit ‘post comment’?
HI Anne,
It’s happened to me and just about everyone else on here at one time or another… You aren’t alone…I don’t have room in either of my bathrooms either for a Christmas tree… :o)
Thanks Anne,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jack, my chocolate Schnauzer, awoooos at Ruben. 🙂
HI Melody,
Oooooo… a chocolate Schnauzer… you’ll have to send me a picture so I can show my hubby!
Glad you (and Jack) enjoyed the picture of Reuben… :o)
Blessings, Jeanne
That could be it, Anne! It has happened to me many a time. Nice to know that I’m not the only one!
How wonderful that you were able to repair the wreath, Jeanne. They look so nice and festive now.
Reuben looks adorable under his blankie. I always covered the pets also, the Yorkies and Collie Mix, and now the kitties. My Yorkie liked to sink down the cushions on the back of the sofa and wiggle under the blanket she had up there.
Thank you for sharing my pictures, Jeanne.
Your living room is beautiful, Linda. So elegant with the Queen Anne style furniture and your tree sparkles so.
I’m so glad that everyone is sharing their Christmas tress. I’m running a bit late this year getting the tree decorated. I’ve got it up and the lights on, but zero ornaments.
Your little Christmas scene is just perfect, Linda. My very favorite house style is Victorian Gothic. I love the church style windows and all the gingerbread. I could have a house dripping in gingerbread inside and out.
I had already enlarged your kitchen, but yes, was naughty and enlarged it again. I was admiring all your gorgeous copper cookware and the fact you can step onto your deck from the kitchen. I love all the Christmas touches you have in there- bows on the light and on your canisters.
Of course, your dolls are festively dressed. They must be Santa’s elves washing his clothes so he is all ready to deliver gifts. Scarlett, Betsy , and Ivy look so cute in those Santa hats and Coconut is adorable.
Betsy’s dress is darling with the lazy daisy stitches and beads.
Your 1940’s dolls baking cookies is the sweetest scene ever. I’m looking forward to seeing them in their Christmas attire. I can’t believe you manage to dress them twice for the season with all the props and I can’t even manage once.
Thank you Laura,
The wreaths are up at the windows in the church basement and look pretty nice… they could NEVER have been put up the way they were… eeewwweee…
Thank YOU for sharing your pictures with all of us, Laura. I think sometimes my blog becomes a little history corner… where you can learn more than just about dolls and sewing!
Linda is WAY ahead of most of us, dressing her girls in “before” Christmas and then “during” Christmas… She’s a wonder woman at doll scenes! I’m glad you and everyone else enjoyed them.
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh my, Laura, Santa is going to be leaving coal in a few stockings this year! I have almost the same picture without that opening showing, but I myself never noticed it until recently. And then I sent the wrong picture! Oh well.
Actually not everything is showing in my kitchen that I have decorated. You are missing the big hutch, and various other things, but I can’t send them all!
Would you believe we have lighted swags and red bows on the deck with a 4 foot snowman, all lit up just for us? We have the lights go on at 5 in the morning for a couple of hours, than again in the evening! It’s so cute lit up!
We had a lights malfunction with 3 of our trees this year! Oh well, they got fixed, but not too well, and next year will have to be done over. It’s not fun to decorate a tree, then undecorate it, then decorate it again!! My dolls are getting impatient about getting their
Christmas dresses on!
It’s okay Linda… I think everyone got a kick out of going back to see the goof. It’s fine… shows you are human! :o)
You went ALL OUT with your decorating for just you and Michael… I bet he was thrilled that you did, though.
We’ll be watching for those pretty dresses on your dolls soon. Are they excited? I bet so!
Blessings, Jeanne
Good job on the wreaths. They look so much nicer.
Reuben looks so comfy under the blanket. Lucky guy.
Loved seeing Laura’s wooden German/Swiss pieces. We have a similar music box or two, but much newer. Love the vintage ones. The angel and soldier bands are very cute. I have some smaller angels that my mom used to hang from a gold painted manzanita branch in the 50’s. I believe that they are German. I’ll have to take a look if I decide to dig them out this year. Really enjoyed seeing all of the lovely pieces.
Linda’s home is striking. That golden tree, wow. And I loved seeing the Dept 56 piece with all of the wonderful trees. What a great display. And your kitchen is so fun. All of those exquisite hanging copper pots. Could be Martha Stewarts home. I too had to enlarge and take a peek at the dishwasher. 🙂 Love Santa’s laundry brigade. Fun. And the baking girls. Such great holiday aprons for everyone. Love how you decorate. So much great eye candy, but nothing overwhelms. You have the “touch!”
Thanks Jeanne for sharing the fun photos.
HI Joy,
Thanks for the compliments on the wreaths… they do look nice hanging up at the windows… too bad I “FORGOT” to take any pictures of them… oh well, maybe another time…
It was MY pleasure to share everyone’s pictures… wasn’t it fun to take a peek into each others houses?
Blessings, Jeanne
Good job on the wreaths, Jeanne. Gave me a good idea for mine Reuben looks so comfortable.
Laura, what a wonderful collection of wooden figures with such nice family memories to go with them. You are so fortunate to have them. Thanks for sharing them. I, too, was interested in the bookcase. My great-great grandmother was from Pompaple in Switzerland. My son and I visited the village in 2011. Yes, we were stuck in Germany on 9/11. Long story!
Linda’s scenes and dolls are wonderful. She has an amazing ability and the patience to set up scenes with so many details to study. I love the flour on the red tabletop. I like the window treatment in the kitchen and of course the copper cooking pan collection. Beautiful tree in the living room and Christmas village scene. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Susette,
I hope your wreaths can come back to life like these did. I’d say they were pretty much dead and ready for the trash if I hadn’t fixed them. Reuben always looks comfy when he’s napping… that’s his favorite place to sleep in the living room…
Wasn’t this fun seeing just a little section of everyone’s homes… well, a few homes.. .maybe some year we can all send in a picture! :o)
I have just as much fun looking at these pictures a you all do sending them in.
Blessings, Jeanne
What wonderful photos from Laura and Linda.
I loved seeing Reuben napping.
Your wreaths are lovely.
Thank you Dorothy,
I’m glad you enjoyed today’s pictures… There are some really talented ladies in this group and you keep them all in order on the sofa!
Thanks for being here,
Blessings, Jeanne