I was busy over the weekend getting my Christmas tree set up and decorated and then I moved onto other areas in my living room and dining room. One place I especially like to decorate is our fireplace. It’s this big old monstrosity of a thing that used to be really ugly. It might look okay in my picture, but in person it was horribly dirty, it had cracks and there were several random red bricks that just stood out like a sore thumb!
Please note: If you click on any of my pictures, they will enlarge somewhat…
My sister (who is incredibly good at decorating!!!) convinced me to convince my hubby to paint it white and it’s been “heaven” ever since.. no more ugliness here! When Cindy came to visit me and we started the project, we noticed the walls above the fireplace were sort of bowed out…
“No problem,” said my sister… “we’ll just take the paneling off and see what’s underneath” … Well it turned out to be some really old carside trim underneath and she, being the good decorator told us to paint it… almost the same color as it was… a bluish gray. So we did!
The nice thing about being the “photographer” is you miss out on doing a lot of the work! :o)
And finished…
The new painted fireplace makes a great place to display my hubby’s collection of nutcrackers. He’s been collecting… (rather, I should say, “we’ve” been buying for him) them for years and years and now has 36 in his collection… and see that package under my tree… 3 guesses as to what it is…you got it!
I know my Christmas-y living room is more colorful than lots of people like, but it makes my hubby happy to see all his “guys” displayed and remember the stories associated with them.
Starting down on the right side of my hearth, we have these guys…
On top of the stove are 4 more… the 3rd one is a veterinarian nutcracker that my mom gave him years and years ago…
The 2nd one is a doctor one he got last year after making it through his bladder cancer treatments and then getting 2 great reports from the pathologist!
The ones on the left side of the stove…
In the beginning when “he” first started “collecting” them, we just got him ordinary ones, but as his collection began to grow, we started looking for the ones that were more distinct looking.
Okay…now onto the top of the mantle…
The BIG guy on the far left was given to him by my sister and it’s a real German nutcracker. He’s got “papers” and is very heavy. He’s pouring a little “bubbly” and has a neat face!
The littlest ones go under my mantle mirror and are just as fun…
Okay…now you’ve seen his nutcrackers… how about my dolls?
Hmmmm… I have 17… he has 36 (plus)… something doesn’t seem right here! Of course I guess if you figure how much my dolls cost compared to the price of his nutcrackers, it evens out…or I’m guessing I’m still in the lead!
Thanks for letting me share with you HIS lovelies and MY lovelies…we are both happy with our collections!
(…and just a quick reminder… the red plaid dress on Rebecca ends on Tuesday evening…click here to see it.)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings and Merry Christmas,
~ Jeanne
Happy Monday morning to you, Jeanne! What a festive collection of nutcrackers your hubby has! The great thing about a husband having a collection is that you can always find something fun to get him. I can see why his collections won over yours, your dolls looks a lot like mine do, mostly naked. The poor dears keep losing their clothes.
HI Cindy,
Yes, they are pretty festive looking, aren’t they? It’s fun getting them out each year and displaying them… I have a shelf around the top of my kitchen and sometimes we put them on there, but I like them best on the fireplace.
My poor dollies… standing and waiting…that’s all they do! Except bring a smile to my face when I look at them.
I got a notice from you on my phone about your new post with Talyssa so I’ll have to look at it on my computer to see the details larger.
Blessings and Merry Christmas, ~ Jeanne
What a beautiful home you have …like the doll clothes you make, your home is done up perfectly including the decorating you’ve done. The nutcrackers are so interesting and probably very fun to collect. Glad your stash are dolls though!
Well, Paula, my home is a little to be desired, really! There is no flooring and my kitchen has never had anything done to it except some peel and stick tile put down and the walls were painted just as they are… not the greatest… but someday the rooms will be finished…
I DO have 2 finished bathrooms! YAY!
Thanks for looking at my hubby’s nutcrackers!
Yes, I’m glad I get to “collect” dolls and leave them out all year long!
Blessings and Merry Christmas to you, Jeanne
Jeanne, thank you for sharing your Christmas home with us. I really do love all the nutcrackers your husband has. Each is so unique. This is a post I have been able to show my husband as he also appreciates this type of collection. We have a few nutcrackers from years past so we do display them at Christmas time as you do.
Your beautiful dolls stand with smiles on their faces wait to be chosen for your next sewing project. They are a cheerful crew!!
HI Jeannie,
I’m glad you and your hubby got to share a moment with our nutcrackers. They are fun to display and sit around!
My dolls are patiently waiting for the next holiday and hoping it will be their turn to get up on the cutting table. Sadly, I’m guessing, I’m through for the this year. I was hoping to make a few more, but I’ve got family coming in and was hoping to have a small party at my house. I have some baking to do and I don’t think sewing is going to fit in. It’s a bit sad for me when I realize this each year.
Thanks Jeannie,
Blessings and Merry Christmas to you and your hubby,
~ Jeanne
What a nice collection. I have way more dolls than hubby has with his Transformers, Star Wars and guitars, but he says if it makes us happy, why not! 🙂
HI Christine,
Dolls for you and figurines for your hubby…it’s nice we can all have what we like, isn’t it?
Merry Christmas Christine,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, what a wonderful job you and your hubby have done with that fireplace! It is so unique and you have truly made it look like a custom job! I love the way it is decorated with all the colorful nutcrackers and that gorgeous tree next to it! How can you two be anything but happy seeing that everyday?
Unfortunately, my hubby seems only to collect fishing supplies, lures and tools! Nothing pretty that I can use for Christmas—or any time, for sure!
Is that you painting in the picture? You mention taking pictures means less work for you, but who took that one if that was you?
Thank you so much for letting us see your lovely home. It certainly does reflect a loving and wonderful marriage! Blessings to you in this Christmas season!
HI Linda,
Thanks so much for your compliments on my fireplace. It’s funny…after we painted it and got it all nice and pretty, we haven’t used it one time since! The damper is kind of messed up but my hubby said it could be fixed. We COULD use it if we had to, but he knows it makes me happy to have it all clean and nice so he says it’s okay not to use it.
Maybe you could hand fishing lures on a little tree for him somewhere in your house… sounds kind of funny, but it might work… does he have a “man cave?”
That’s my sister, Cindy, painting. She LOVES a good project and she certainly got her hands full on this one! It was such a transformation when we painted it, for days I was just awestruck at the difference and how clean it was. Now I just need to get some flooring put down and we’ll be set. Actually, I’d LOVE to paint the ceiling white, but haven’t convinced my hubby yet on that one…
Our house is an 1892 that we are fixing up. My hubby and I did major renovations on it when we bought it 10 years ago…all new windows put in, new front door, new everything in both bathrooms, but slowly, we are getting things done. It’s not what I’d necessarily call “lovely” but it does have “charm.” I try to make it homey and quaint if that’s possible.
Thank you for your kind compliments on it though.
Blessings to you Linda and have a wonderful Christmas,
~ Jeanne