Monday, December 24, 2012

Christmas Decorating With Thrift Finds

On this Christmas Eve, I wanted to share some little glimpses of decorations in our home. I just didn't have the time nor the energy to get all of my vintage Christmas decorations out this year. So I really simplified, and decorated minimally , using mostly "thrifted" finds found during the year - things that had not yet been packed away.
 My favorite thing may well be this ceramic lighted church - I have never seen another like it. Sorry I don't have a photo of it with the light on inside, showing the "stained glass" windows lit from within. It's so pretty though; the perfect shade of blue:
I found these Santas and the sweet candle holder at the thrift shop near where I work:
The beautiful little plate below was a birthday gift from my friend Jamie, and I thought the pyramid shaped modern style salt and pepper shakers looked like trees:
That may not exactly be a manger for baby Jesus, below, but He  looks so sweet with the hand painted wood figures of Mary and Joseph I found that I couldn't resist putting them all together:
This ceramic tree was filthy when I found it at a thrift shop for one dollar. It didn't have a base, but it looks pretty good atop one of my lamps after I removed the hurricane chimney. I am always so tickled when I find vintage figures like the angel and the pine cone snowman - especially when they only cost fifty cents or less:
A closer look at my two little treasures:
I simply fell in love with these next two large figures, and while they may not look "Christmasy" to you, I decided that placing them with my ram brought to mind the carol lyrics "There's a star in the east on Christmas morn........Leave your sheep and leave your lambs;  rise up shepherds and follow. Leave your ewes and leave your rams; rise up shepherds and follow..."
I found an incomplete canister of Tinker Toys, but luckily there were just enough pieces for me to fashion a little makeshift Christmas tree with them:
And I decided to decorate it with hand painted wooden ornaments - mostly bells and my favorite little birds:
I spent a fair amount of time one day last week scouring every inch of one of my favorite thrift shops, and I was ready to leave empty-handed (having found nothing at all that I couldn't live without). On my way out the door I saw that while I had been shopping, they had just put out these three adorable little musician/carolers, so I had to bring them home! It didn't hurt that all Christmas items were 50% off that day!
Hope today finds you singing a few of YOUR favorite Christmas carols; and that you have yourself a merry little Christmas eve!

8 comments:

Lorlore said...

Those little Carolers are adorable!!!! Just waitin' there for ya!!!!

Unknown said...

As I opened my Christmas boxes to decorate, I realized I have almost nothing that was manufactured less than 30 years ago! LOL And I love it that way. :)

Merry Christmas!

Diane said...

Cute! Cute! The Tinkertoy tree is too clever! Merry Christmas to all you girls!

Tami Von Zalez said...

I would say 90% of my decorations are thrift shop finds. You truly scored with the ceramic angel musicians.

Wishing you many blessings.

farmlady said...

I would have never thought to make a tree out of Tinkertoys. What a great idea.
The post is charming.
May the New Year bring you and your family many blessings.

Tina Dawn said...

Love them all, wish I could see them in person. Love T

yosemite faith said...

you didn't have the energy this year? looks like you did pretty well.....

beachgal said...

The holiday dish you called a 'little plate' is part of a holiday coaster set - that was a very popular pattern in the later 40s (after WWII) and into the 50s - I have a set still and many in my family and friends circles had them as well - the sweat from a glass made them not all that practical, but most folks used the disposable paper coaster inserts in them --