Cedar Displays and a Fraser Fir
I am so glad you all enjoyed the delightful adventure we had, gathering cedar...please know that all trees being cut down, were along fence rows and were needing to be cleared.
Please join me, as I take you along my journey of decorating our property with the portion of cedar we collected....
I brought out a wonderful piece, crafted by my talented mother-in-law.....
...Santa, looking through an old, old window.... I added the cedar swag, ribbon, and the little nest I had found the weekend before, in the friendly cedar tree.
I played around with my daughter's sled, some magnolia branches and came up with this display for the front porch....
I have discovered, a sprig of evergreen, pinecones, burlap and gingham ribbon make anything festive.
Even the Tulip Poplar Inn....
I removed the pumpkins and hay from atop the urns and added branches of cedar and magnolia. I created big bows from a 6" wide satiny wired ribbon....
As the sun was setting fast... I moved the garden cart to the side of the house and filled it with the blue berry laden boughs and a grapevine wreath...
In its place, I brought out the vintage firetruck the grand children have enjoyed driving around back...
I then created a swag of magnolia and cedar to place over the front door...
It's all beginning to come together...and as I am walking inside, completely exhausted.... a woman pulls into our driveway. She introduces herself, tells me she lives close by, and just wanted me to know how much she and the others in our area have appreciated all we're doing for this little house. I told her, this is our dream house...how long we have wanted a sweet cottage to love and tend to, decorate and enjoy!
Made my day, to say the least...and I slept like a baby that night.
Saturday brought the perfect weather to work on the back porch, for we enjoy this as much as any of the rooms in the house, and make it into a cozy, festive entrance....
I wound floral wire around the cedar boughs attaching them to the railing, added a string of clear lights, gingham ribbon and a gold mesh ribbon, as well.
I then try my hand at creating a sweet little vignette using the child size wheel barrow from England and the giant pinecones I purchased at our local craft store...
The baby buggy was next...an antique spotted by sister-in-law Mechelle...
I used artificial greenery for this display...and gave little Bushky Bushybottom his own sleigh to pull a tiny tree. (Xavier has named the squirrel after Jeri Landers' character in her book, of same name.)
Whilst I work, diligently, Xavier is working diligently, as well...he even asked for work gloves, too, as Grammy is wearing hers...
He is helping Big Daddy stack the firewood close to the back door....cold temperatures and snow flurries will be on their way, soon.
By that evening, we are pleased with the results of our efforts....
Inside, a festive table setting is prepared...I always imagine that Tasha Tudor would enjoy dining with us....using golden Yarrow, a red turkish table cloth (the kind she favored), and the blue willow dishes...
and the hutch, that was painted Modestly Peach, this summer, has had Christmas decor added, that blends beautifully with this unconventional color scheme...
Please join me, as I take you along my journey of decorating our property with the portion of cedar we collected....
I brought out a wonderful piece, crafted by my talented mother-in-law.....
...Santa, looking through an old, old window.... I added the cedar swag, ribbon, and the little nest I had found the weekend before, in the friendly cedar tree.
I played around with my daughter's sled, some magnolia branches and came up with this display for the front porch....
I have discovered, a sprig of evergreen, pinecones, burlap and gingham ribbon make anything festive.
Even the Tulip Poplar Inn....
I removed the pumpkins and hay from atop the urns and added branches of cedar and magnolia. I created big bows from a 6" wide satiny wired ribbon....
As the sun was setting fast... I moved the garden cart to the side of the house and filled it with the blue berry laden boughs and a grapevine wreath...
In its place, I brought out the vintage firetruck the grand children have enjoyed driving around back...
I then created a swag of magnolia and cedar to place over the front door...
It's all beginning to come together...and as I am walking inside, completely exhausted.... a woman pulls into our driveway. She introduces herself, tells me she lives close by, and just wanted me to know how much she and the others in our area have appreciated all we're doing for this little house. I told her, this is our dream house...how long we have wanted a sweet cottage to love and tend to, decorate and enjoy!
Made my day, to say the least...and I slept like a baby that night.
Saturday brought the perfect weather to work on the back porch, for we enjoy this as much as any of the rooms in the house, and make it into a cozy, festive entrance....
I wound floral wire around the cedar boughs attaching them to the railing, added a string of clear lights, gingham ribbon and a gold mesh ribbon, as well.
I then try my hand at creating a sweet little vignette using the child size wheel barrow from England and the giant pinecones I purchased at our local craft store...
The baby buggy was next...an antique spotted by sister-in-law Mechelle...
I used artificial greenery for this display...and gave little Bushky Bushybottom his own sleigh to pull a tiny tree. (Xavier has named the squirrel after Jeri Landers' character in her book, of same name.)
Whilst I work, diligently, Xavier is working diligently, as well...he even asked for work gloves, too, as Grammy is wearing hers...
He is helping Big Daddy stack the firewood close to the back door....cold temperatures and snow flurries will be on their way, soon.
By that evening, we are pleased with the results of our efforts....
Inside, a festive table setting is prepared...I always imagine that Tasha Tudor would enjoy dining with us....using golden Yarrow, a red turkish table cloth (the kind she favored), and the blue willow dishes...
and the hutch, that was painted Modestly Peach, this summer, has had Christmas decor added, that blends beautifully with this unconventional color scheme...
On Sunday afternoon, Husband brings home the first fresh Christmas tree we have enjoyed together...
and I realize, this is the Fragrance of Christmas...
As water is added, and the branches relax over night, I begin decorating the tree...
With the tree reaching almost 10 feet in height...I am able to enjoy spacing the cherished ornaments, that they might be viewed and appreciated individually. I also realize, there is room to add the children's stockings, a favorite vintage Santa card,
a loved doll and book from childhood...
the hand painted ball from Austria...
the wooden Katie Wolfhart ornaments from Germany...
and even the first homemade ornament I crafted, after setting up housekeeping in 1980, as a young bride.
I had made so many of these, but over these many years, I was surprised to find one in the depths of the box of old ornaments.
Scout believes I might need her help unwrapping the Old World Christmas ornaments...especially the Yorkie....
Tearing up tissue paper is what she does best....but how can this Grammy stay upset...look at that face...
Eliza's tree is arranged in the kitchen by her wood stove, a string of lights for decoration, and a cooling rack of gingerbread treats....she's a happy little mouse....
With the Christmas music playing on the stereo, the fragrance of the Fir, I was compelled to commence baking....
Biscuits were in order, as I was warming up a portion of field peas cooked with a ham bone....and after perusing Susan Branch's book Autumn, I found a recipe for Farmhouse Biscuits....perfect!
My first attempt at "made from scratch" biscuits...I was so excited!
I then moved on, to fill the need of my sweet tooth, to Molasses cookies....using Sorghum Molasses.
Rum Truffles would follow, and all would be placed on the doilied cake stand, alongside my mother's delicious pound cake with dried fruit and nuts. Visitors enjoy a little treat, when they stop by...
I am finally seeing the light at the end of the decorating tunnel....
And it is then time to say goodnight...
It is hard to sleep, knowing that an enchanted fairytale exists in the next room...but...I eventually succumb to slumber.
The only thing that has been missing, in all of our preparations for the season that is Christmastide, is a fire in the fireplace...
Smoke billows into the room, at every trial run....what to do....
Tuesday morning the grate arrived. I could not contain my excitement, so the box was opened, directions read, everything in place....
Voila...we have fire...
Forever, and a day, I have longed for this...living in a little cottage and warming my hands before a cozy fire at Christmas. Do you see the Tasha Tudor collection of Christmas books in the basket, there...all of them depict this very scene...but in a log cabin. We were not meant to have a cabin of logs, but we have had the precious gift of a Victorian Cottage. How blessed we are.
So, this morning, after awaking to a chill in the house, I made haste to the wood pile, brewed a cup of coffee, retrieved my little Scout, and began our "knittin' time"....the time this little girl loves best....
She snuggles down for her nap...
And all is well, here at Rose Water Cottage...
and our prayer is that all is well at your cottage, villa, mansion, or humble abode.
May God bless you, as we enter this season to celebrate the birth of His Son....our Saviour.
Always~
Grammy Christie