Friday's Favs....Simple Christmas Centerpiece

All over the blogosphere the theme word for this year's Christmas decorating seems to be "simple".

I'm on that bandwagon, too.

I want my home to look beautiful, but peaceful, 

in this season that can become so hectic that we lose the meaning of the whole thing.

My Christmas centerpiece fits right in with the "simple" theme...

an old berry crate,

a vintage pitcher and bowl, (Universal China's Woodvine pattern),

 with some greens and holly clipped on an outing with the grandkids,

a couple of votive candles,

some jingle bells and Ho!Ho!Ho! spheres,

and a glittery, little church ornament thrown in for good measure,

all sitting atop a simple, homespun kitchen towel.

I can just pick up the crate and move the whole shebang
when the grandkids need the table for their coloring.
Simple!

When the greens begin to dry out, the grandkids and I can just don our rainboots 

and walk to the nearby woods and clip some more.

(But first, I do have to convince my grandson, with his overactive imagination,

that our little patch of city protected woodlands here in our neighborhood

most likely is not infested with bears.)

When Mama died she had one little bowl of the Universal China that I now treasure.

Over time I've picked up a few more pieces here and there while out thrifting.

Simple, homey, cheerful...

I'm lovin' it!

Well, it's almost Friday, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and 

a BLESSED weekend!

 
Also linking to Jennifer Rizzo's Fabulously Creative Friday

Fullness...

The ladies from our church had our annual Christmas dinner and gift exchange 

at a local restaurant last night.

The evening was full of fun and laughter.

Then, in the middle of the night last night, I had to get up and take a Pepcid

 because my stomach was full of spaghetti with extra mizithra cheese.

There are two Christmas trees in our house this year, 

one upstairs for the grandkids to decorate

 and one downstairs in the living room.

Christmas decorations are here, there, everywhere,

and though I tried to keep things simple this year,

the house is full of signs of the season.

I pencil in the dates on my Dayrunner calendar of Christmas parties and dinners

and then enter them in on my iPhone calendar, 

and sinc the events that involve the church with the church calendar,

and though we are very conscious to not overload people with too much to do this time of year,

the December calendar is still full.

Each time I go grocery shopping I pick up a few things that we will need 

for Christmas baking 

and for Christmas dinner.

This way I don't have the extra expenses all at once, 

but can peck away at the list little by little.

The pantry, the refrigerator, the freezer are full of the promise of feasting to come.

Our house is full with my daughter and grandkids staying with us, 

and the grandkids fill the house with laughter and squabbles, 

with crayons and paper scraps and a refrigerator covered with their art.

Soon my son-in-law will join us in time for Christmas,

and on Christmas day all of the daughters and sons-in-law and grandkids will be here,

and the house will be even more full...

of laughter, and mess, and gift wrap, and food, and dirty dishes, and love.

Everywhere I look there is fullness, 

except in people's eyes.

I see the emptiness that betrays the condition of their heart.

They've feasted on the food, 

and decorations, 

the parties,

 the friends and the family

 and nothing fills the emptiness.

And I know about walking around empty while fullness surrounds me.

This year I started December by accepting a challenge from a friend.

A friend who was overcome with depression and anxiety for three long years.

His life was changed when he began to start his day with God,

not with a list of 

"I must read this today"

and 

"I must pray for this today"

but with sitting in God's Presence with worship music on,

an open Bible,

an open journal,

and connecting with God in relationship.

He wrote a book* about it with a 40 day challenge to try meeting with God in this way.

I began the challenge December first.

And I am feeling the fullness of Emmanuel,

God with us,

God with me.

In the midst of all this fullness,

my heart is full,

and that is what matters most.

Still following,

*Life Changing Prayer by Dr. Mark Jones

Christmas stairway...

When you enter my home, the stairway to the bedrooms is visible on your left.

I like to decorate the stair landing since it's one of the first things you see.

My antique trunk is topped with my Mama's old suitcase.

It's filled with Christmas greens, pinecones and jingle bells.

A vintage book about a little girl from Maine, (which is where Mama grew up), is propped in the suitcase, along with an old fashioned card that I framed, depicting a girl ice skating.

Above the antique trunk and suitcase hangs a french bread cooling rack,

 at least that's what I was told it was.  

I found it at the Goodwill quite some time ago, for under five dollars.

Hanging on it is an old grainsack and french towel that I bought in Maine and a few other old linens.

A garland made with fabric holiday ribbon and wool felt snowflakes top off my simple decor.

Simple-that's my decor theme this Christmas!

Still following,

The grandkid's tree...

When I knew that my second born daughter and her family would be staying with us until their trip to Ghana in February for the Homabenase well project, I knew I wanted my two oldest grandkids to have some special things at "Nana's house" just for them.

So, in the only space in the house that I could think of that would work, my home office,

 I let them have their own Christmas tree, completely decorated by just them.

The presents under the tree are gifts they've bought to give to others.

This morning, as I go into my office, turn on Handel's Messiah, and open my Bible and journal for my quiet time, the tree shining there in the corner, blesses, not just them, but it blesses me.

Still following,

sharing at Emily's for Tuesdays Unwrapped

And so it begins...

It's the first Sunday of Advent, and now it's the mad dash until the BIG DAY.

Except I'm refusing the mad part and the dashing part.

 I'm determined to 

walk in peace, 

enjoy this season with my friends and loved ones, 

draw nearer to God 

and 

continue to notice and count my blessings.

*************

I’ve taken the Joy Dare.

I’m counting one thousand thanks in one year.

I hunt for thanksgiving using the prompts Ann gives us each month.

If you are interested in joining in, click the link above or at the bottom of this post.

I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little black journal…

#2518-#2538

3 gifts preparing-

-decorating the tree

-touches of Christmas here and there around the house

-quieting my heart to prepare Him room

a gift handmade-

-homemade noodles for a big pot of turkey noodles to share with the whole family

a gift held-

-youngest granddaughter

a gift happy-

-her first birthday

3 gifts in community-

-sharing prayer requests

-working through difficulties together

-rejoicing together

3 gifts red-

-old red Tonka truck

-little red mittens that my girls used to wear

-a red  sweatshirt type top, (that my Hubs gave me as a gift years ago, and which he evidently forgot about),  that the Hubs said he really likes when I wore it recently

3 gifts astonishing-

-God's love

-that Jesus died for me

-that He never gives up on me

3 gifts white-

-white lights on the tree

-white wool snowflakes

-fresh, white pages in my new journal

3 gifts bright-

-candles glowing

-morning sun before afternoon clouds and rain

-the way my grandkid's smiles light up their whole faces

Gratefully yours,

Christmas Mantel 2012

The Christmas decor linky parties have begun!

It's time to show you this year's Christmas mantel.

As you can see from my mantel last year, I went for a more simple look this year.

Three things made me choose to simplify.

First of all, with the wooden cubby on the library table next to the fireplace, 

I don't want things to look too overwhelmingly busy and cluttered in our living room.

Secondly, my missionary daughter and grandkids are staying with us 

until their trip to Ghana in February.

So,  I want our happy, busy and full house to have an atmosphere of calm and peace, 

even in the way I decorate.

Lastly, I notice that lately I am very much drawn to the "less is more look" of Nordic design, 

and wanted to adapt a bit of that design philosophy into my own home.

As a result, much of my usual Christmas decor stayed in the totes in the garage, 

and I tried to use "just enough", to bring in the warmth of the holiday.

Glitter letters purchased at Walmart spell NOEL and hang from a naturally arched branch,

above a mirrored window.

Pinecones hang on the mirrored window from simple, but festive, ribbon.

Three tiny cypress trees bought at the grocery store were placed in zinc containers on the mantel.

Mercury glass votives are nested in some fresh greens clipped in my back yard.

I think I'm liking my "less is more" mantel!

Still following,

Jeremiah 31:3

I'm so thankful for God's everlasting, unfailing love.

Aren't you?

Still following,