It's Beginning to Look (and Sound) A Lot Like Christmas

It simply isn't Christmas without Bing,and the Chipmunks remind me of my childhood - I only wish I could get a copy of the original cartoons featuring the Christmas music!! I also love Steve and Eydie's Christmas album!
I love listening to all of my Christmas music while I decorate or bake. I am a freak about Christmas music. I think at last count I had 85 CD's, and that isn't counting the 78's, LP's, and cassettes that I have, not to mention the vintage sheet music and music books! I can't get enough of it! I thought I'd share some of my particular favorites.



We had the Kingston Trio album and we listened to it every year when we were little. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest Christmas albums ever. I LOVE it. We also had this same Harry Simeone Chorale album and it brings back memories, as well. The classic version of The Little Drummer Boy. Beautiful. What else did we listen to back then? The Ray Conniff Singers! Listening to them makes me happy anytime.
And a few more favorites: Classic Grinch, Charlie Brown Christmas, more Conniff, and who doesn't love The Beach Boys Christmas album?


I hope you are taking the time to enjoy YOUR favorite holiday music!

Happy Birthday to Walt

The wonderful Mr. Walter Elias Disney was born on this day in 1901. Is it just me, or did we all kind of feel like he was another Grandpa? I truly felt a great sense of loss when he died. After all - he was in my living room with me every Sunday night, wasn't he? I loved him so much that I have this picture of him in one of my favorite vintage art deco frames sitting with my group of family pictures! ( The Santa hat was just for fun today)

On another note - we are finally going to get our tree later this morning. We used to always get it on December 1st, but I wasn't ready. I'm still not. So - I'm not even at this point yet:



And this is the point at which I aspire to be - soon!



Wish me luck!

The Christmas Pageant

My kindergarten class circa 1961. My teacher's name was Charlesteen Drain. I adored her. Mona Vanderlinden and I are the two blondes in front. I'm on the right. All of my life I have loved singing.


And Mary Engelbreit's version. A lot of similarities! My mom was a teacher, and one year I gave her this card in a frame. After she died, I found it and now every year I display these two side by side.

Christmas Sequins

Pretty in (hot) pink.



Sparkling in pastel pink.



I just think these sequin and bead decorated felt cutouts are gorgeous! I know some people may think they are tacky or gaudy - not me!

Lavender loveliness.



They remind me of my childhood and the treasured stockings our mother lovingly made for us. I love using these in my decorating. The one at the top is backed by Target polka dot paper, the other two have Martha Stewart K-Mart wrap behind them. More pictures of these pretty handmade (and a lot of work!!) items to come. Why? Because I LIKE them! Oh, yeah - said that already.

Vintage Christmas Deco Style

Just one of my favorite old Christmas cards. I'm really trying to work on my decorating, but even if it's just to share a vintage image, I wanted to post.
Oh - and Happy Birthday to my friend Debbie today!!

All That Glitters is Silver and Sparkly

I mentioned previously that I love art deco style. And I'm really drawn to black and silver or chrome to go with my vintage deco picture frames and antique vanity table items. Within the last month or so, I've found a few things. ( I THINK you may be able to click on the picture to see it enlarged - that may help. I am really sorry my photos are so bad - hopefully I will improve as this blog goes along!) I love the picture inside the Sinatra Christmas CD I got at Target. The disco ball mirrored ornaments were from OSH - they came out to just about a dollar apiece for the set of 6. I set one on top of a pressed glass candle holder from a thrift store. Sparkly! The little black shoe is an adorable ornament from Target with a vintage look. It will not be packed away after Christmas! I found a set of clear hand blown glass ornaments at a thrift store for $1, and set one of those atop another glass candle holder "pedestal". Then there's a sequined and beaded oil lamp ornament - it was silver and black- had to have it! It is sitting on top of a pretty ceramic bank in the shape of a vintage shoe - yep, silver and black. That was from the Hallmark store, a birthday gift from my husband (that I picked out). Sitting with them on top of the small white cake pedestal (thrifted, too) are some gorgeous art deco mirrored earrings in red, silver and black - another thrift find. Oh, and the little silver deer perfume bottle was $1. In the back on the right are silver ribbon ornament hanger loops from Target. So, it's not all Christmas,
but they just ended up on top of a dresser before being distributed elsewhere. If I could deck my halls exclusively in art deco style vintage or new Christmas stuff, I probably would. ( But I have too much other stuff!)

Vintage Christmas Bells

My sister Tina gave me these adorable vintage Christmas bells for my birthday. I adore them , and the cute little original box they came in. Makes me think of the Christmas song I like by the same name. It's Patti Page singing with a children's choir. Do you know it?
"The Christmas bells are ringing, the holly's at the window pane. I hear the children singing, it's Christmas again...."
Also in the photo - an old box of ornament hangers I found at Goodwill in Modesto for 29 cents, and Frank Lloyd Wright designed Christmas cards from a thrift shop for 50 cents. Now, those are the types of things I like to find! Hmmmm- that reminds me of another favorite song - So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright - such a beautiful song (Simon and Garfunkel). A LOT of things remind me of a song. Have I mentioned that I also love to sing? Don't even get me started....

Making Christmas Bright

I'm loving the combinations of bright colors in all this stuff I've found in the last couple of weeks! Gift wrap,tags, and ribbon from Target, and wrapping paper from Martha Stewart at K-Mart, along with great cards from a thrift shop. I guess the cards are for next year - this year I decided I had to make them (see previous post) - right - like I didn't already have enough things to work on!
I like to have tons of choices when it comes to making wrapped gifts look gorgeous - I'm the only person I know who REALLY gets in to wrapping - ask anyone who knows me! I love vintage wrap, new wrap, all of it, and curling ribbon and bows in all colors. I mean, I'm really kind of a freak about it. My husband said - "Heidi never met a wrapping paper she didn't like". Well, I'm not sure that's true, but, you get the idea! Maybe I'll post a photo when I get my wrapping station set up this year.This picture is only some of the most recently purchased stuff. I didn't NEED to even buy any wrap this year.
It all looks so pretty together, though!

Christmas Cards/More Pretty Postage

As I said in a previous post, I love using vintage postage stamps if I can. So, this year, I'm using two or three old stamps to make up 41 cents postage or more on my Christmas card envelopes.
I had cards already that are supposed to be a photo frame, but I didn't have a photo I wanted to use, so instead, I took some of my favorite vintage cards and made color photocopies and then I used those instead of a photo. That's what I'm working on this weekend, and I'm happy with how they're turning out.
What do you think?

Sequins, Felt, and Birds

I've got a thing for vintage treasures decorated with sequins. And birds. I collect lots of different bird things. The pillow cover shown in the background was found at a thrift shop- so much work went into that! I just threw in the little wooden bird pin and the little embroidered mitten clip because they are so cute. I found the sequined swallow pins on Ebay earlier this year. I'm just fascinated by the amount of time that was spent on these crafts. Starting with the felt Christmas stockings our mother made for us when we were little girls, and now in the present day, I can't seem to get enough of these vintage handiworks! I will be sharing more that are Christmasy in upcoming posts.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Well, the huge bird is in the oven. Lots more to do! But I just wanted to wish the most wonderful of Thanksgiving Days to everyone!!
And a happy turkey to ya!

Happy Birthday Marlo!

Just wishing a very happy birthday to the wonderful Marlo Thomas. It's hard for me to believe she is 70. I still think of her as the lovely young Ann Marie. I LOVED the show, and I had a MAJOR crush on Donald Hollinger (as played by the late ,extremely talented Ted Bessell)
Some of the TV stars from back then had a big impact on me, and she was one of them. I still adore her, and Sally Field- and I also totally loved Elizabeth Montgomery. I am still interested in seeing everything they have ever done, and I'm really enjoying Sally Field in Brothers and Sisters.

In The Kitchen

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My sister gave me the cutest apron for my birthday made out of this great fabric. I love the checkerboard floor, the chrome table and stools - everything!
So - how about it?? Let's all get together with our fabulous retro housewifey aprons on, and cook up a storm!

Our Holiday Potatoes Recipe

When we were growing up, our mother made a lot of things from the fabulous Farm Journal series of cookbooks. Think farm wives and country cooks - who could do it better?! One of our very favorites is the recipe for Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes. Nothing else will do for our family holiday dinners. We all LOVE them! I have made them using light or fat free sour cream and cream cheese, and they turned out fine. They are easy to heat in the microwave - just keep stirring them at intervals to be sure they are heated through evenly. The best part is that they can be made ahead. Trust me, they are delicious. Try it, you'll like it!

Two Little Elves

I found these two little elves earlier this year on the same weekend in neighboring towns. The total paid for the pair was $7.50. The first one was in a thrift shop for $2, and when I found the second - well, I mean, he had to come and live with his brother, right? The one with the tree stump is a planter, and the other a figurine. Cute little guys!

Thanksgiving Table

This was our table a few years ago. I haven't taken pictures yet of this year's decorations. The turkey platter shown here is one that has been in the family. Hand-painted in Italy, and a lovely addition to the table.

P.S. Dizzy kitty is back home. He's mad because we won't let him out, but apparently a cat fight got him into this mess. He has a 2 inch long stitched-up gash on his scalp where the abcess was. We're lucky it wasn't worse. Don't really want to take any chances.

Dizzy to The Doctor

My Dizzy Kitty had to go to the vet yesterday. He had an abcess on the top of his head. They say he is doing okay, but he has "kind of a big hole" in his scalp. Poor kitty. I get to go pick him up this afternoon. That's good, because we sure miss him. The house really isn't the same without him in it! We don't like it one bit.

Farewell Friend

A friend of mine died last week. I only know because it was in the paper. She had been living in Contra Costa county, but I didn't know that. The last time she moved, I never got her new address and we lost touch completely. She was 97 years old. Her husband died in 1992. When I was a waitress, they used to come in for a late afternoon dinner. We talked and got to know each other, and I believe they came to think of me as the daughter they never had ( they have one son). They invited me to their home for dinner. She gave me the little set of cookie cutters on the card in the photo. She had her cookie cutter collection on a huge door-sized display with the shapes outlined showing exactly where each one went. When they moved in to a senior living apartment , they GAVE me their piano! I had mentioned how I took lessons as a girl , and missed having a piano, and wished I could learn to play again. They were so sweet and generous to me, and I remember that when she would send cards, she always addressed them inside with "Heidi Dear". I loved that.
Janet Dear, I loved you . I will miss you, and I miss our friendship. I'm so sorry that we lost track of each other.

Turkey Postcards

Just wanted to share with you a few of my favorite antique Thanksgiving postcards. I love using my vintage postcards in my holiday decorating. The images and colors on these old cards are beyond beautiful, don't you agree?

Pretty Platter

I found this pretty turkey platter a few weeks ago in Jamestown. I thought the price was reasonable in an antiques shop. I wandered around the whole store thinking about it, sort of trying to talk myself out of it. "I already have two turkey platters", I said to myself. "But it's a pretty one, huge (20 in. wide) - appears to be vintage (Vogue of Calif. USA on the back), it's in good shape, the price is fair", myself said back. Well, in the end, obviously, the side of me that knows how I am won out. That's the side that has been SO sorry in the past when I didn't get something, and then couldn't stop thinking about it after I got home! You know how that is - IF you are able to go back, it's usually gone.
My new platter looks beautiful with my turkeys and other Thanksgiving decorations, and yes, I am happy I brought it home!