~Of Bluebirds Roses and Christmas~

2011-10-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors a few houses down put all these lights up every year. I noticed yesterday, that they are already putting them up for this coming Christmas!! I'm sure it's a lot of work for them, but their house is by the main road, and many enjoy their efforts every year!
:)
Share the joy!!

2010-11-23T11:47:00.000-08:00

Check out my new Christmas blog. Also, have fun looking through the archives here :)~ Christmas in My Memory~

Is now Christmas in my living room.......

an old-fashioned, vintage, cottage-style Christmas!

2010-10-29T15:33:00.000-07:00

Sweet Little Netting Angels in Pastels

Picked up at the Flea Market/Antiques Show for a Song :)

2010-10-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

~ I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas~
Angel Candle Climber

Christmas House

Wow, I am really starting to think about Christmas and how I will decorate our home this year! I am getting excited, and have gathered some more vintage treasures at sales over the summer, such as these pink items!

2010-10-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Was I the first to wish you that this year? :)

I am getting sooooo excited about Christmas, which is now less than three months away!!

Here are some recent finds..... vintage feather Santa, mercury beads, and an unsilvered ornament.

2009-12-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

Have you been good, the way you should, every single day?
Just wonderin' :)

A photo of my dad with a vintage card that says "Merry Christmas, Grandfather"....

2009-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMASTIME

is Here!!

2009-11-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Sweet little angel in a house

Found some vintage Christmas goodies at my favorite shoppes yesterday...... A little angel in a glittery house, and shiney red green and silver bells, with an old wrinkly ribbon declaring "Merry Christmas".

Little glimpses of Christmas popping up here and there....

2009-10-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Vintage Christmas Goodies Some recent Goodwill finds!

I am really gearing up for Christmas decorating, how about you?!

2009-08-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

The Future Mrs. FrostyThere's going to be a wedding soon -- we brought home this vintage light-up snowlady to be paired with our Frosty. I think they will make quite the lovely couple.

(from the World's Longest Yard Sale)

2009-08-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, we travelled parts of the World's Longest Yard Sale, and these are some of my Christmas finds!!I'm always thrilled to find vintage ornaments....

This sweet little bell says "Merry Christmas" in Spanish.

Mrs. Santa will hold your place at the holiday table!

A happy little pinecone elf!

And the jolliest ol' elf himself, Santa!!

A Christmas tree pin.....

Pretty mercury glass beads!!

It's getting about that time to be thinking of Christmas decor for this season!! :)

Visit my regular blog today to see another Christmas find!

2009-07-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Christmas in July

Check out my regular blog for a giveaway I'm having this weekend.

http://www.bluebirdroses.blogspot.com/

Leave a comment there for a chance to win this little tree I created! It's never too early to think about Christmas!!

2009-06-29T12:31:00.000-07:00

Here Comes Santa Claus!

I found this vintage Santa at a yard sale recently.

Always thinking of Christmas!!

And, as you can see from the sticker, he was quite the deal at $2!

2009-06-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Christmas Goodies!!
I'm always on the lookout for Christmas goodies, especially during summer yard sales. Today, I found these yummy-smelling candles for a dollar each -- they are brand new --

in the scents of *Christmas Cookie* and *Gingerbread*. I like the "sprinkles" on top of them.

Other recent finds include these vintage Silver Bells.....

Old bulbs in the shade of robin's egg blue, and lots of shiny reflectors.

Oh yes, an extra reindeer for our rooftop Santa, but he's waiting in the garage. :)

2008-12-30T19:35:00.000-08:00

It Was a Wonderful Christmas

Family gathered 'round, a fire in the fireplace, and It's a Wonderful Life on the television......

sharing good food, stories, gifts and laughter......

I hope your Christmas was wonderful too!!

I will keep this blog open, and probably post here and there throughout the year, as I do love to think about Christmas year-round. Christmas treasures that are found during my yard sale and auction jaunts will be shared as well!
I will probably start back up with more regular postings sometime in the fall.

I'm so glad you have joined me here; thank you for all your lovely messages!

2008-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

2008-12-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

Ready, Rudolph?

Ready, Santa!!

2008-12-19T15:13:00.000-08:00

A dear friend sent a Christmas present that included this gorgeous vintage Christmas box. I must say, it's one of the prettiest I have ever seen!!

2008-12-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

A little angel bell wishing you Merry Christmas in Swedish!!

2008-12-16T20:38:00.001-08:00

When I was a little girl, we had the "45" record of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". I could not understand why on earth someone's Mommy would be kissing Santa. Quite scandalous!!

2008-12-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

I'm Rudolph...... Hi !!!!

Vintage Christmas delights -- a Rudolph pull toy, and some Santa tins, beneath the Christmas tree.

2008-12-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

Ornaments on the tree.....Beaded Candy Cane.....A Santa I painted many moons ago (very amateur, but I like him :) An ornament from our "First Christmas" ~ 1998

We always bought an ornament for our cats, and now this is a sweet way for Boomer to still be with us at Christmas-time.

Andrew liked bears when he was little; I think we bought this one when he was about two.

Thrifted netted angel.....

I've always loved Barbies!

In honor of our musically-talented son Brad.

Just a few out of hundreds of special ornaments.

Hope your Christmas season is going wonderfully!!

2008-12-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

I bought this sweet little box of miniature ornaments at my favorite antique shoppe. The 0rnaments aren't original to the box, as it states they are plastic, and these are glass.

I thought the box was sweet enough by itself. The ornaments are a nice bonus!

2008-12-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

Merry & Bright

One of my favorite Christmas books, filled with lovely photos of vintage-style decor!

2008-12-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

Little Becca and Brother Mark

This was taken at my Aunt Marge's house. She often had our family Christmas party at her house. I LOVED her aluminum tree!! It had a color wheel, and I thought it was just about the coolest thing I had ever seen!!

I bought a 4 ft. vintage aluminum tree at a yard sale a few years back. I don't have a color wheel (well, I did have one, but haven't found it since we moved! :)

We do place the tree on a vintage rotating musical stand though!

2008-12-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

Vintage Santa ornament and package decorations

2008-11-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

What's this? Santa and his reindeer?

Wait -- just who are those reindeer?None other than the world-famous Radio City Music Hall Rockettes!!My youngest, Brad, and I went to see them the night before Thanksgiving, as they stopped nearby on their tour.How fun to see them in person!! They did many festive costume changes...... Rag dolls.....City Tourists... Toy soldiers (marching in perfect precision, of course)....

And .... Santa Claus!!They used a 3D backdrop screen that made it look like the 24 dancers were never-ending!!
It was so Christmas-y and FUN!!

My favorite photo from the evening is the one below though..... no dancing, just a quiet reflection....

It was so beautiful!

2008-11-25T18:08:00.000-08:00

One of my vintage Christmas houses, displayed in the china hutch in our dining room this year.

2008-11-24T12:42:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008 The Santas are arriving.......
The tree is up, and there are two very curious kitties inspecting this Santa Claus.....

Let the Christmas Season Begin!!

2008-11-21T20:11:00.000-08:00

N ~ O ~ E ~ L

2008-11-20T21:21:00.000-08:00

It snowed here today!! Just a light coating, but it's so pretty!!

Here's an ornament I bought a year or two ago ~ it's new, but made to look vintage.

2008-11-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

Yes, those were all my trees in the previous post!! And here are a few that got left out!! They don't have lights on them, so aren't fully decorated, but I like them anyway!! The bottle brush tree in the top photo is one of my favorites ~ it is lightly flocked and was a yard-sale find one year.

2008-11-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

~O Christmas Tree~

What is your favorite kind of decorated tree?

Traditional?

Sugary Sweet?

Simple?

Themed?

Victorian?

Pink?

White?

Vintage?

I like them all. Different trees for different rooms. But, if I had to pick one, it would be our family room tree, shown in the top photo ~ this tree holds treasured ornaments spanning many years ~ my favorites being the ones fashioned by my little boys' hands.

For me, it just doesn't get any sweeter.

2008-11-13T16:32:00.000-08:00

~The Christmas Kitchen~

Our kitchen for Christmas features gingerbread men and sweet shoppe decor.
A small tree that I've had since I was a teenager (though it was decorated differently then, as my bedroom tree.)
Gingerbread boys and girls hang out atop the Sellars cabinet.

This was my very first attempt at a gingerbread cottage, a couple of years ago. It was really fun!!

The kitchen is such a special part of our Christmas memories. Lots of holiday baking and family togetherness. These pictures are from previous years; as I haven't decorated the kitchen for Christmas yet this year.

Thanks for the comments on my vintage nativity in the previous post. Somehow I knew you would appreciate the "imperfect" perfectness of it.

2008-11-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

Away in a Manger.....

This is my vintage nativity as it is displayed in our living room now (the photos should all be clickable to enlarge).
I have collected these pieces through the years; they are not a matching set.Some of them are chalkware or plaster, a few even plastic.

I placed a star "bulb" on this candleholder, to represent the star that guided the seekers to Baby Jesus.

Sweet little Baby....

Rejoicing angels.....

I love the way Joseph can't take his eyes of off Baby Jesus, and Mary looks so happy and adoring....

2008-11-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

Vintage Christmas Seals Found this package of old Christmas stickers recently.....
I think this little angel, declaring "No Peekin' 'Till Christmas" is my favorite!

Santas and snowmen were also included.

2008-11-08T09:02:00.000-08:00

Living Room

~ A Pink and Cream Christmas ~

This is our living room for Christmas last year. It had a very romantic feel. Some of the ideas I will use again, but I always switch things up a bit from year to year.

Other rooms are were traditional, but the living and dining areas were among those that hosted more pastel tones for the holidays.

I am beginning the transformation for this year's Christmas!! Stay tuned!!

2008-11-06T12:52:00.000-08:00

Pretty Christmas Papers I bought some Christmas goodies today, and one of them was this box of vintage Christmas wrapping paper.The Santa box alone was enough to reel me in, even if it didn't hold some great old wrapping paper!!
Happy childhood Christmases.....
Lovely vintage images....

Merry Christmas Memories!!

2008-11-05T19:45:00.000-08:00

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I am so anxious to begin my holiday decorating. I have actually done a couple of small things, like put the little pink tree up in the bedroom....... but haven't really begun the transformation yet. I usually put away a lot of the "regular" decor and replace it with CHRISTMAS decor!! Soooooo fun!!

How about you? Do you pack things away to make room for Christmas, or do you just add your holiday pretties to your existing decor?

2008-11-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care....
Above is our family room fireplace/mantel. (The stockings were new the year I took this photo; so please pardon the folds in them! :)
Christmas stockings are one of my favorite Christmas items, because they hold such happy memories for me.One of the Santa stockings pictured here is my childhood stocking. My mother bought a set of them years ago when we were little, and then recently gave them to my brother and me. I was fortunate to find a similar one at a yard sale, so that I can hang two of them together.

We always had an orange in the toe of our stocking. That was a tradition that my mother brought from her own childhood. Back in those days, their stockings held fruit or nuts, and that was their Christmas present.

I am so excited that it will soon be time to hang these stockings once again!!

2008-11-03T14:54:00.000-08:00

A basket is transformed for Christmas, with Santa, poinsettias, and a sign declaring "Joy to the World".

2008-10-31T19:41:00.000-07:00

"Home for Christmas"

Pink & White Vintage House

2008-10-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

~Vintage Reindeer & Garland~

2008-10-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

What do you wish for?

Another thing I collect is vintage Christmas corsages, particularly pink ones. Here are a few of them, along with a glittery WISH! :)

2008-10-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

Vintage Christmas Lights

Love the graphics on this old box!

2008-10-27T18:14:00.000-07:00

White Feather Tree, Vintage Christmas House......

2008-10-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

Santa Welcomes You to Toyland

Motion Santa & Mrs., and caroling child..... I also have an elf ~ hmm, wonder where he is? Busy making toys, I suppose!

(the sign at their feet says, "Santa Welcomes You to Toyland")

2008-10-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Christmas Stockings

I have such happy memories of Christmas stockings ~ it was the first thing we got to "open" on Christmas morning. (I'll share my childhood stocking in a future post.)

Though I make & sell Christmas stockings, I could not resist buying these from a fellow crafter on eBay. They are made from vintage *His & Her* linens. They hang in our master bathroom, as the decor in there is pink and lavender.

2008-10-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

Vintage Ornaments

I have a weakness for vintage Christmas ornaments. When at a yard sale, auction, etc., I gravitate towards them. I have hundreds and hundreds of them (probably close to a thousand, actually), yet I still find myself drawn to them.

If they are worn, all the better. They have been loved in another lifetime...... seen Christmas Eves and mornings and children's eyes bright with excitement....... lovingly wrapped up each year to be treasured again in another....... I like being caretaker of these memory keepers.

2008-10-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

I bought another Christmas tree yesterday. Did I *need* another tree? Well, let's see..... we now have..... about 15 or 16 trees. But this one is PINK! (yes, I already have two other pink trees, but they aren't flocked like this one :)
It's only 18 inches tall. It's so cute!!

2008-10-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

Angel Tree

A little Victorian angel tree we had in our bedroom one year. I put some little dolls around the base of it. I like having different themed trees in each room. :)

2008-10-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Christmas Bedding

I like to change out the bedding for Christmas too!! It just makes everything so cozy!! I changed out the picture above the bed the year this photo was taken -- we now have a much larger picture I leave up year round (pink roses), so this little Santa had to find another spot to "hang out". :)

2008-10-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Vintage Snowmen

I have a collection of vintage snowmen. Many years, I have placed some of them on a little "snowman" tree, along with some newer pieces. This is one of my favorite photos of them.

Here you can see the tree beside our china hutch in the dining room. Our Christmas dishes are in the hutch, with more of the vintage snowmen displayed with them. Some of the larger snowmen are on top of the hutch; snowmen plates in the plate rack.
A closeup of the tree, though it's not really crooked -- it was just the angle of the photo!! :)

2008-10-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Cabinet tops, all decked out for Christmas. (That was the year we actually put up removable CHRISTMAS border all around the kitchen!! You can see at the top of the photo here. I think I want to use it again this year!! :)

2008-10-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

Vintage Angel & Postcard

2008-10-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

Vintage Christmas Bells on the tree....

2008-10-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

More Vintage Santas

Some ceramic, some candles, some salt and peppers, little bells, light-ups, etc. A few reindeer and bottle brush trees mixed in for good measure.

2008-10-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

A small collection of vintage "stuffed" Santas and Night Before Christmas Books wait under the tree.

(some of my photos were taken with my old camera, so the quality is not as good)

2008-10-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

It's a Wonderful Life

My favorite Christmas movie (and probably my favorite movie in general)..... This movie can put me in a Christmas mood any time of the year (not that I ever need help getting in a Christmas mood!)

Jimmy Stewart is my favorite actor, probably because of this movie. I love the quaint little town of Bedford Falls..... the lights, the snow falling...... the way he comes to realize that he has a good life, after all.

I have a sign that I keep up year-round, but it's shown here as a part of our family room Christmas decor (top photo). I also have this ornament of a scene from the movie.

It really is a Wonderful Life, isn't it?

2008-10-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Christmas Lights

I love using the big old nostalgic bulbs on our house (C9's and C7's). They are the ones I remember from my childhood. I like light-up Santas, snowmen, candy canes..... as you can see from the photo!!

When I was a child, my parents didn't put up lights on the outside of our home, but I LOVED driving around and seeing those who did.

Do you put up outside lights at Christmas? Outdoor decorations? Candles in the windows?

2008-10-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

Do you decorate your rooms the same every Christmas season? I often switch things up, sometimes even the colors of the room.....Above is a photo of our dining room last Christmas. But look below to see the same shelf (before I painted it pink :) in the same corner, but with a very different look, holding some of my vintage ceramic Christmas pieces, in traditional red and green. I'm already thinking of what colors I'll use where, etc. I "mentally" place things and decorate long before I do any physical placement!! :)

2008-10-12T09:45:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas!! I am just delighted that so many of you have visited already, and that you are excited about Christmas too!! How wonderful it will be to talk about Christmas with all of you kindred spirits!! :)

Today being Sunday, I thought I'd share this little church. This is the first village piece I ever painted. It must have been about twenty years ago. My mom and I bought them at the craft store, and decided to paint them (we were both quite the beginners at the time, but we'd try about anything!!) I love little villages; it's like looking into a magical perfect world!! Here's another piece I painted later, it's Mrs. Claus' Sweet Shoppe! Mmmmmm........

I wanted to comment on your comments about my first Christmas photo I shared below. When I was a little girl, I would look at that photo and think how Santa looked so odd -- I thought the red part of his face that peeks through the beard was his MOUTH and those jingle bells on the hat were his eyes. You see it? Kind of weird looking, eh? (sorry, Santa, you KNOW I love you!! :)

Oh, I also want to mention that I might post more than once a day, some days. I get kind of carried away when it comes to Christmas!!

2008-10-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my very first post on my new Christmas blog!!

I love Love LOVE Christmas, and find myself wanting to post about it ALOT. Some people (probably not those of you reading this, of course) don't like to even think about Christmas before Thanksgiving. I am NOT one of those people!!

So I made this place to talk about Christmas, and post pictures of Christmas decor, share Christmas music..... I will actually begin decorating our home for the holidays soon, but until then, I'll share photos of *Christmas Past* :)

Well, it doesn't get any more "past" for me than this photo of my very First Christmas with the Jolly Old Elf himself. I think this might be the only picture I have of me with Santa, though he and I have remained friends to this very day.