Hi everyone,
I knew Thursday evening, I probably wasn’t going to be able to get anything together for a post, so that’s why I opted to split Linda’s pictures up into two days. Thank you Linda!!!
This will be our last day of Christmas, and hopefully by me saying that, I will HAVE to come up with something for Spring and move ahead.
I am still not up to par with much… except laying around and trying to nap. I know feeling better is coming, but I sure wish it would hurry up!! Enough on that…
Let’s look at Linda’s pictures for Christmas!
Hi Jeanne,
The first is my living room, or part of it, right where you come in. The Fitz and Floyd plate is new to me, since I got it off EBay.
Here we are all ready for Christmas dinner…paper plates, no less!
A close up of my family room tree. See the sewing machine?
One of my Dept. 56 scenes in the family room that stays out all year.
This one is set in a bookcase, where I have three others. It also stays out all year! Still waiting for Barbara’s scenes!
Take care of yourself!
Love you,
Linda
Thank you Linda! I really appreciate it!
I’ll see everyone Monday, hopefully on the uptick!
Blessings, Jeanne
Linda, your home looks so festive, all decorated for Christmas. Even bows on the chandelier over the dining room table! (And paper plates are just fine….leaves more time for visiting if you’re not having to rinse and stack dishes!
Your Dept. 56 scenes are just lovely!
Dorothy in PA…. you and I are cut from the same mold in at least one respect–camping! When I was growing up, we had to “rough it” when we went out to my aunt’s cabin on Lake Michigan–they had to carry water in from town, and of course the “bathroom” was “out back”!! Years later, the sold the cabin only, and the owner moved it across the ice and down the coast about a mile to a new site, and my uncle built a beautiful home on that site, with three real bathrooms and a nice, fully plumbed kitchen! They lived there until they retired and moved to AZ. Both gone now, of course, but many happy memories.
Anyway, when Ron and I were dating, he started talking about getting a sleeping bag and air mattress for me so we could go camping together (he already had the tent!!), and I said, hm, that would be nice, as long as there’s someplace I can plug in my sewing machine! No, he never bought me a sleeping bag or air mattress!! 😂🤣😂 That was pretty much the end of the “camping” talk, too!
Rosemary, I remember when you could buy that cough medicine with codeine in it, over the counter! It was just sitting out there with the other cough medicines! Then they moved it behind the counter and you had to ask for it, and finally they made it prescription only. But in 1974, when I got married, yeah, it was over the counter. I don’t remember the name of it now, but it did work well. (And I think it was the one with the least amount of codeine in it, but still….times have changed!)
Charlotte, such good stories.
First, I read a post somewhere, someone shared a photo of a boat on the water and stated they could live on it all year (dreaming)
and the only thing that came to my mind was: that would have to be a MUCH larger boat with electricity and plenty of space for sewing.
so just like camping really, not exciting enough to distract me from my fabric. haha
The cough medicine with the codeine is very effective. Sadly very addictive indeed. I do not recall the name but I was prescribed it twice in my early adulthood (when the girls were little and I needed the sleep) Guaiatussin AC and Guaifenesin AC is the expectorant and codeine. I know it does come in several other combinations with codeine. I recall the first time I took it, upstairs, in our bathroom, I then attempted to brush my teeth, within seconds realized I had to get in bed,
I could feel my eyes losing focus. Funny drugs.
Funny, but very effective.
Rosemary, in UK lots of people live on canal narrow boats. George Clarkes ‘Amazing Spaces’ often have canal boat renovations and they are wonderful. I think most of them these days use solar power for electricity. There are also lots of businesses operating out of boats around UK.
I’ve seen some of those boats along the canal when viewing the video on my rowing machine. You can pick where you want to row and I love rowing in the UK. Not to mention they have a huge library for New Zealand and I love rowing there too. Wish it were real time so I could drop in and visit with you. There are a lot of people down near Galveston that have sailboats and are live aboards. They even have busses to pick up the children for school. I would love that but David not so much. He prefers being in the mountains to being by the sea. Our great incompatibility.
Thank you, Charlotte! The “festive” look is gone now, and we are back to the usual things, although I do have a few snowmen here and there!
Yes, I thought paper plates, if I could find any pretty enough, would work just fine, although last year I got the Christmas china out. Maybe next year it will come out again!
While I never would think to take a sewing class g machine on a camping trip, I did take mine to college with me! I just wonder how many girls do that now!😊
Dear Linda, your house is lovely! I always enjoy looking at Christmas decorations.
Are the Dept 56 buildings the ones people used when they ran trains around their Christmas trees? We had a train around the tree but I don’t think we had any houses or buildings.
Thank you, Dorothy! I too, had a train around our Christmas tree when I was little, but ours were Lionel trains. We did have some buildings that were plastic, from Plasticville. Dept. 56 was not in business that long ago, and their buildings are ceramic or something similar. I think some of those trains were a bit too big for regular Dept. 56 buildings. Maybe HO scale would be better.
I grew up with the HO trains. My father always had a set up in my little brother’s bedroom. My brother has those trains now. “Plasticville” brand. That is funny, I should ask my brother if those are when he acquired from daddy.
My hubbs has the Lionel size. They are in boxes in our closet now. Perhaps one day, just for fun we can set some up on our expandable solid walnut (his mom’s) dining table.
That would be a nice diversion.
We always had a train set up under our Christmas tree. When I was very small my dad would set up a putz so the train and buildings was actually about my eye level. Wonderful experience. When we moved away from his family and he had to do it himself it stopped but the train set-up continued. Just on the floor. He had so many wonderful train cars including a milk car where the little man would take the milk cans off the train onto a platform and then put them back on the train. Pretty cool for only being in the 1950s.
That is funny about taking your sewing machine to college. 🙂 I didn’t take mine, but the minute I got home at Thanksgiving, out it came to make an outfit for Pioneer Days. Finished that up quickly and didn’t have to worry about making it over Christmas vacation. 🙂
Your home is lovely. The photo through the mirror is a work of art. Loved seeing all of the great so well placed accessories. The dining table experience is also remarkable. I would have never guessed that those were heavy paper plates. However, I can’t wait to see the china next year. 🙂 Your tree and Dept. 56 displays are enchanting. My Dept. 56 still awaits being hauled down out of the closet. Maybe next year, but the display would never top yours. The homes with all of the trees are magical. Must find more trees around here. 🙂
Thanks so much Linda and Jeanne for sharing.
Joy, I was in a sorority in college, and we had matching dresses with a jacket for special occasions, but we had to make them! Back in those days most everybody had had Home Economics in high school, so most knew how to sew. Imagine that now!
Thank you for the compliments on my home. I have fun decorating, and one reason I go all out is 10 years ago, my home was on a Christmas tour for our church, so I have continued to decorate like it is still on a tour, I guess! I have so many things, and it seems a shame to store them all the time, and not see them every year. I guess being an art teacher formerly, and love decorating things, it just comes naturally to me.
If you have Dept. 56 buildings, you should get out one or two and make a little scene somewhere and just leave it out. I keep 7 scenes out all the time in our family room, and store 3 , that just come out during the holidays. Oh yes, trees make them look real, and I’m always on the lookout for more trees!
I do find Dept. 56 accessories on ebay. There are a few Christmas shops in tourist towns that still sell them.
I had forgotten about the sorority outfits that had to be handmade every year. The sailor outfit just popped back into my mind. Thankfully my mother found a seamstress to sew that one. I learned as much in Home Ec as in scouts. Sad to see it go by the wayside.
I love all your decorations but of course I’m partial to the wonderful scenes you keep up all year. By the way I also have your stream and I have the lake too. At the rate I’m going mine will be up all year too since I’m still needing to take pictures of my new set-up. Maybe this weekend because it’s going to be cold and icy here so being in the house will be a necessity so I might get to some of the things I’ve needed to do but put off for other things. I’m still not on my feet enough to get much done in a day. I’m hoping for a miracle with my new chiro doctor but it seems when one thing gets fixed it knocks something else out of whack. Or maybe it’s just age. But I will be taking those pictures soon. In the meantime I will keep enjoying yours.
Hi Barbara! I am having a hard time finding comments to answer, since some are buried in with other comments. Just found yours now!
That first scene I have with the ski chalet and fishermen’s cabins is the first one I made, and love that one especially. So you have the streams too! I do not have any city scenes, I have mountain villages, and that sort of thing, more of rustic country scenes which go with my family room. I would love to see yours!
Thank you for the compliments!
Linda, I didn’t own my own sewing machine until after I was out of college, and mom’s was in a cabinet, and she was still using it some. However, there was a sewing machine for anyone to use on the second floor of my dorm, and yes, I did make an outfit or two on that machine! There was an iron and ironing board in that room, too, as well as a telephone and a popcorn machine!
Those were the days! That was about what we had also in college and as “technical” as you could get! Our dorm had one telephone on each floor, out in the hall, no less, with no privacy at all. Some girls would take their desk chair and sit by the phone out in the hall talking with their boyfriends, while people passed by.
Bonjour. Alors,moi,j’emportais ma machine à coudre,en Sicile,chez mes beaux-parents…à cette epoque je cousais tout le temps; même pendant les vacances ! Votre maison de Noël est très jolie ,Linda. Ici,tout est rangé,mais il doit bien y avoir encore un bonhomme de neige oublié sur une étagère… Meilleure santé pour,vous Jeanne.
Thank you, Georgina! Everything is now put away here too, but boy, was that a job!
So I see you also sew, and while I used to do a lot of it, these days I don’t do as much, since I don’t need to sew for myself, and I have no one else to sew for. While I still have my sewing machine, it really is hard to get it out and sew on the kitchen table, then to have to clear it off for dinner. If I had a sewing room, I might be sewing more. It is just too much trouble now to make it worthwhile.
Good Morning, I hope you feel a whole lot better Jeanne! The colds this year are hanging on. I do hope everyone in the path of this huge storm is OK It sounds like a doozy! Keep warm! Linda always like seeing your beautiful house! You sure know how to decorate dolls and rooms! Have a good day!
Thank you, Sylvia! My house is not big at all, rather on the small side, so it is easier to decorate. At least I think so!
Linda, once again your photos are just elegant, a Christmas joy. Thank you for sharing them for us.
I have to go to Savanna once more this morning for my 3 month back shot, so will have to see Y’all later. Life is really different than our time in Helen.
Jeanne, I am so sorry that you are not able to be you happy, busy self. And yet it is good that you are resting and not trying to do more than you should. Prayers that your weekend will help you to be much better. Love you!!
Safe travels for both of you. I hope the injection offers excellent improvement. I understand the transition, especially in gloomy winter. Keep thinking about those lovely days. You have treasured memories.
Thank you, Sissy! I never thought of my decorating as elegant, but I’ll take it!😊
Good luck with your next shot. I remember going through that with my knees, before I had them both replaced. Getting back home to real life IS a bit different than vacationing, I will agree!
Dear Jeanne, prayers continue for you. I hope you are continuing to enjoy your “new” TV and all of the stations while you are resting.
In honor of Linda’s photographs, I wish you and the Sofa Sisters Christmas blessings for 2026!
Oh my, Linda, these festive vignettes and the table setting is just beautiful. It reminds me of when I was a child, and all of the special decor we had, and the Christmas dishes. Stunning and beautiful. Your house and your tree, just everything is lovely.
Listening to weather forecasting over the past few days has been crazy, and really not productive. We are getting a huge snow storm – maybe.
I do not care, I just do not want anyone losing electricity, or suffering for that matter! I have plenty of milk, and sewing thread haha and BREAD….:
Yesterday I was outside placing the trash to the curb and a neighbor gave me a huge loaf of home made wheat bread! Her husband works at a bakery. She is so sweet. Her name is Caroline, and she wears piles of makeup and eye makeup. This bread is incredibly good. I need to find some special jam to give to her as a thank you.
I hope all of you are feeling good and content. Here it is Friday already, Thank you dear God for all of you such lovely lovely friends. Yesterday I received news that my dear old friend Teri (I used to call her Teriblossom) went to Heaven. She was only 67. She had cancer. I am grieving and right now kind of angry-ish. She lived in North Carolina and I will send a beautiful loving card. She used to call me Razzleberry Rose, 🌹😭😭 When we are confronted with sad news, it brings out all of the sad news we cope with. I am going to try to be joyful that she was gently gathered up by Angels and taken to Heaven.
Jeanne, I hope this week-end brings improvement for your virus.
Take little rests, but do keep moving.
Love to all of you dear ones
I am so sorry that you lost a friend, and so young. Wishing you joy in your sorrow.
Rosemary, my condolences to you on the loss of your friend. I have lost two in the past few months, and it never gets easier. Keep those happy memories close to your heart.❤️
May the Lord comfort you, Rosemary. I’m so sorry that you lost a dear friend.
Oh, Rosemary, how fortunate you are–I do love a good bread! I was raised on homemade Swedish rye bread, as well as Swedish limpa bread (like Swedish rye but not quite as sweet, and with caraway seeds added), so I do appreciate good bread. I recently discovered Safeway’s “everything bagels” which have a coating with, I think, dried onion, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and–yes!!–caraway seeds. It is SOOOO good, toasted and buttered!!
I am so sorry about the loss of your dear friend Teri. It is hard to lose a good friend, and, really, 67 isn’t all that old. I lost a good friend almost 9 years ago now; she was one of my closest friends, and I really miss her. We shared an apartment for 4 years when I was single, and even traveled together a couple of times, so I know sort of how you feel. My deepest sympathy on your loss.
Thank you, Rosemary! Talking about bread, my next door neighbor makes wonderful loaves of sourdough bread, and gives me some every once in a while. So I happened to have three overly ripe bananas here, and decided to make some banana bread and give it to them. It certainly isn’t as hard or complicated to make as sourdough bread, but they loved it! Now I am craving banana bread, and have no bananas! I did pick up a loaf of sourdough bread at the grocery store, and that is so good with cream of potato soup! And now I am getting hungry just talking g about it!😊
We did remember the bananas but are eating them so quickly I don’t think there will be any left for the bread, or the storm…
nice idea about making Banana bread. I do not have any recent recipe so I will have to google “the best banana bread” 🥳
We have 4 bananas. I will give you two ❤️❤️
Oh Rosemary, you need three to make banana bread! So you have enough for yourself and an extra banana! My recipe is so easy and is so good! If you want it, I can send it to you.
Oh boy, I hope that the weekend brings Jeanne, out of the doldrums of the flu and back to the real world of well, dollies!! Looking forward to seeing what she is planning to make next and which doll will be on display.
Here, I’m still slowly plugging away trying to locate things for the scene I’ve been planning. This is taking way too much time and will probably turn out a mess. It’s difficult as I’ve decided to use the living room couch as a base. Must get this together before there isn’t any space left for me to watch tv. Ha ha At this point, the menu looks like maybe lasagna or cornbread. Hard to tell with that plastic food. A bit of salad and some doughnuts to top it all off. Oh, I forgot that I found a couple of hot dogs as well. Doesn’t seem like a very balanced meal though and certainly will not come out looking like Linda’s lovely presentation.
And on to the weekend. Here, fog and clouds for today, I think. But, it is slightly warmer and 47 right now and climbing. I know that there is supposed to be a big storm and very cold temperatures across the country. I’m hoping that everyone is prepared and that it turns out to not be so bad. I’ll be thinking of everyone in the cold zone. Stay safe and keep warm.
Just had to order a new Epson Ecotank printer. Mine just seemed to up and die. I probably worked it to death. But I ordered the top of the line Ecotank this time (thankfully it takes the same ink I just bought for the other one). Hopefully this time the scanner will come with the printer rather than having to download things to make it work – which I never did get around to doing. It also has the ability to auto feed for copies rather than having to do them one at a time. And it has a 250 sheet paper drawer! It’s amazing the things that make us happy….
A big congrats to you on the Printer. Let me know how it works as the only one recommended anymore is the Epson. 🙂
Linda, I had to laugh because your cookie customer was an old lady with a doll. Look at us now! I am careful with whom I share my doll display. Speaking of displays…your home and Christmas villages are enchanting. Brilliant leaving them out all year. I did not take my Christmas in the City out of the boxes this year because it is so much work and you have to be so careful with all the little pieces.
They are special enough to be on permanent display.
The news stations say we are in the path of this winter storm. I have been chastised by my son for not having a plan if the power goes out. We had long power outages in Louisiana due to hurricanes. It is a different scenario when it is hot, you are just hot and a cold shower feels great. We have food and a gas stove but no heat source. Our neighborhood does not allow outbuildings or sheds so storing a generator in a tiny 2 car garage is out of the question. Hubby’s golf group discussed the merits of whole house generators and agreed that it is not a good return on investment if you only need it for 2 days every 5 years. We are in the southern third of the state so hoping for the best.
Jeanne, get well! Hoping the cold weather keeps you in so you can rest.
My birthday treat next week is supposed to be a visit to the NC doll museum. I will take new photos to share.
Stay warm everyone!
Early Happy Birthday Debbie.
I am looking forward to the photos from your adventure.
With the storm, we are the same, if we lose electricity, well, we will see. Our winter coats are clean and we can wear them.
I am in Northern Virginia 35 miles west of the “swamp” in that L shaped county, Loudoun. We can just hope for the best. What does your son expect you to do? If generators are not an option (for us also not) what does he want you to do? If you move out and go to a hotel, what happens when they lose power?
Kids can be so unreasonable sometimes 🥳😁🧐
Thank you Rosemary! Every birthday is a gift.
I think our son expects us to not depend on him. He is an hour north and would not be any help. His vehicles live outside while the toys and tools are safe in the garage.
You have reminded me of a full length down coat stored under the bed in the guest room. A reject from the fashion conscious of the family. I will be happy to wear it.
I know just where you are. Always in the news. We live in the pines where everyone eats, drinks, and sleeps golf.
Stay safe and warm.
Dear Debbie, what a great birthday treat, a visit to a doll museum! I can’t wait to see the photographs.
Ha, ha, yes, Debbie, look at us now! I’m sure my younger self would think I was bonkers!
Thank you for the compliments on my Christmas decorating. I think if I did put all those Dept. buildings and accessories away, they would probably not come out very often either! If you have small children or grandchildren, which I don’t anymore, it is kind of iffy keeping them out all the time. Sometimes pets too, can get into things and knock them over, but again, none of that here. I remember taking my two children when were then 2 and 3 to visit an older couple who had travelled all over the world and had a house filled with various and probably expensive knickknacks. I was a nervous wreck by the time we left! Thankfully they didn’t get into anything, but you know how curious children are, it was not a fun time for me!
We are too, gearing up for a storm, and have no real fireplace, just an electric
one, which is no good if you have no power. I hope we all get through this weekend in one piece! Stay safe!
Fantastic! Thankyou! Those were beautiful 😍
Thank you Joy Lynne!
Linda I love your Christmas photos.
(I am not sure what is going on with the site or my computer at the moment. It keeps changing the zoom level and I suddenly have the photos from Jeanne’s latest dress! If it happens again I will wait till tomorrow no wait I will have to wait till Tuesday).
An update on the tragedy at Mount Maunganui, 6 people are missing, two of them teenagers from the same family. I think there is little hope that they are alive now but I guess the families will live in hope till they are found. Three other people have died in other parts of the country. My friend’s husband was walking the dog last Sunday and just as he passed a house there was an enormous crash and when he turned around the was a tree that had fallen tight across the sidewalk (see I know some American words, we would say pavement) where he had been walking. Scary.
I have no idea what is happening but I think I will have to go because all these odd things happening on my computer are worrying. See you Tuesday (for me, Monday for you)
Stay warm
Thank you, Anne!
Oh my, what terrible things happening there with people missing, and that horrible tree crashing so close to your friend’s husband. I hope they find the missing people alive.
Yes, we will hear from you Monday, hope your computer gets the “bugs” out,
Running late this morning as first I was meeting my dad for a visit and then had to go to the store in case the massive predicted snow comes true.
Your home looks so elegant, Linda. I love those pretty twisted candles on your hall table.
I’m not surprised you leave your Dept. 56 houses out year round. If you enjoy seeing something you should. That is precisely why all the German wooden Christmas figurines as well as the Christmas Hummels stay in the bookcase and curio year round. Same with my German paper mache Easter egg and Goebel bunny.
Thank you, Laura! I too love those twisted candles. I got them at our grocery store gift shop many years ago and have never seen any more like it, so I take care of those two!
We keep several of our wooden German smokers out all year, why not? They were gifts from very special people and I think of them every time I see them.
A thought on generators. Since we were regularly losing power in the past, we bought a couple of generators. They can be charged in advance and can keep a refrigerator going for a reasonable amount of time. Last time, we tried running an electric heater. It’s a newer model, but still used an enormous amount of the generators power, so we gave up on that. The best use is for the refrigerator if the power will be out for several days. But, at least you could have a light plugged in and cold food. We always make sure that we have a full tank of gas as a great place to warm up is in the car. We have done that many times. But, not inside a garage of course. The generators are small and have wheels and a rolling luggage type handle that makes moving them easy. You can actually keep one in a closet if garage access is a problem. It is very nice to have a lamp on for reading and whatever. And we always make sure that our phones are fully charged for entertainment. The internet can often be out or needs power to work. The generators can also recharge phones. Anyway, thought I’d give a few ideas of things that may work if your power is out.
As to whole house generators, if you have one, that’s great. However, here, they run on natural gas which works well. But, they are extremely loud, give off fumes, and are situated near the house by your natural gas line. This is a problem as with houses usually situated about ten feet apart, the noise can be deafening. You can hear them running blocks away. It’s great if you have one, but if you don’t I’d recommend an absolutely quiet electric generator. If the sun comes out, we have solar panels to recharge them. And they can also be recharged from your car in most cases.
Hope no one has to worry about the power being out this weekend.
I see no reason to be done with Christmas. Look outside. It looks more like Christmas than it did a month ago. I think there’s time for another winter outfit — or one that will work for winter and Valentine’s Day. This weekend a furry coat would look warm and nice.
Went to Wal-Mart today to pick up a few things for the weekend just in case. So did everyone else. Looks more like it does when we are expecting a hurricane. Texas depends too much on wind power and when the windmills freeze up so do we. In 2021 when we lost power the city water pumps went down and we had no water for days. Went to Sean and Dionne’s where they had power and water. I’m going to fill our walk-in tub with water just in case. We have plenty to drink but washing up and flushing toilets could be a problem if we lose water again.
If we lose electricity it will be quite cold in the house but we have plenty of blankets so we won’t freeze. Fortunately this cold snap will only last three or four days rather than the more than seven we had last time.
Stay safe and warm everyone. Just think of our ancestors who lived without any of our modern luxuries (like heated homes) and they made it through. There was a time when I was growing up in PA we had no coal for our furnace for a few days. It was pretty cold in the house but we made it through.