My Year in Review

I always enjoy reflecting on my year.  It always amazes me at how much I've done in a year. 

2017 brought many fun outings and trips with family and friends! 

Post-Christmas Blues Gotcha Down?

I don't know about you, but I get kind of down after Christmas.  I plan and plan for months...shopping for just the right presents, wrapping them all up, put up decorations, planning my Christmas menu...etc...etc..  Then in a blink of the eye, the presents are opened and the food is all eaten.  The Christmas tree looks sad without the presents underneath.  Then comes the dreaded task of taking down the lights, trees, and decorations and boxing them all up for next year.  It is surely enough to get most of us down!

So how do you beat the post-Christmas blues?

Well, I've got a few suggestions....

A Gift NOT Under My Tree

Every year, there are lots of presents under the Christmas tree...wrapped up in pretty paper... tied with ribbons and bows.  As Christmas approaches, I miss my Mom and Dad even more.  I'm reminded of two precious gifts that you can't place under the tree.  One is the gift of the Baby Jesus and what He offers to each of us...if we will just reach out and take the gift. 

Another gift was one that I received just days before my sweet Mother passed. 

Love Came Down at Christmastime

Love did, indeed, come down at Christmastime.  The CHRISTmas story brings tears to my eyes every time!  I think of Mary in her "predicament" and how hard it was for her...engaged to be married , still a virgin but "with child"  and I think of her trust in God through it all!  Then I think of Joseph and his "predicament" and truly see him  as a Hero with very little credit.  He could have bowed out but he didn't!  Thank goodness for his faithfulness.  Then comes baby Jesus...King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace...Emmanuel...

Glory to God in the Highest!

Tom and Jerry

I adore Tom and Jerry!

No...I'm not talking about the cartoon characters, Tom and Jerry...although I have to admit they are pretty cute too!

I mean the 19th century Tom and Jerry Christmas drink.

Christmas Dessert Table

source

Traditions have always been important to me...we had many traditions when I was a young child, especially at Christmas, that I hold dear to my heart today!  When I had a family, I started Christmas traditions of my own.  However, when your children grow up and have families of their own, those traditions can change.  And now at this season in my life, I am starting new traditions once again...and that's ok.

This year, my kids will arrive Christmas night.  We will have our "Christmas" on the 26th.  We will all gather at my oldest son's home for an early dinner and gift exchange.  That evening we will gather at my new home for dessert, light hors d'oeuvres and drinks.  So, my quest for inspiration began.  In my previous post, I shared Christmas goodies that are a must for my dessert/hors d'oeuvre table.  I wanted to share some new ideas that I have found that have inspired me.  I hope something will jump out and grab you for a little Christmas inspiration!

So let's get started...

Visions of Sugar Plums...

I don't think I have ever eaten a sugar plum before.  I've always liked the vision that I've conjured up of "visions of sugar plums" in my head though.  However, for these following Christmas goodies, I don't have to conjure anything up....I already know how yummy these treats are...and I look forward to them each Christmas...

Cherry Date Nut Balls...

oh these are my very favorite!!!

My Christmas Home Tour

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  Oh how I have waited and anticipated decorating my cottage for Christmas.  I can't even begin to put into words the feeling I have for the first Christmas in my cottage!  I am beyond giddy.  It's been a long two years after the divorce, but I am stronger and happier than I have ever been!  I've hung in there when times got tough, relied on God, and here I am...in my very own home that I got all by myself...with God's hand in it all the way.  Boy, it feels GOOD!

This was the first thing I put up this year....the vintage ornament wreath that I made a couple of years ago.  It makes me *HAPPY*

And I even have one on the inside of the same door.  :)

So without further delay, let's get to the tour of my cottage all decked out for Christmas!

I Love Lucy

I grew up watching Lucy...and yes, I love Lucy!  However, that's not the Lucy I mean.  The Lucy that I'm talking about is my furbaby, Lucy Lou.  She's a cutie!

Cottage Sweet Cottage

After two long years, have my own home again.  One year in an apartment and one year in a rental house was enough for me.  God has truly blessed me with this cottage.  His timing is perfect, and getting this precious cottage when I did was no different.

After several months of looking at houses, I am in a dream cottage! 

I had looked online almost every day until it got close to July when I'd be able to buy a home.  Around June, I began to go see homes with my realtor.  My cottage came on the market before I was able to buy and was pending one week after it was placed on the market.  However, I just knew this was my house.  As July approached, after looking at a few homes in person, the cottage came back on the market due to the people's finance falling through. 

I will remember the day I first saw my cottage in person for the first time.  I literally squealed as I walked into the place.  I KNEW it was mine...and it WAS!I thank God for opening and shutting doors as He saw fit....because now, I have the perfect home for my two pups and me!

Thanks for stopping by.  Please do come back again soon...and maybe even leave me a little comment!

Counting my Cottage Blessings,

Positively Perfect Puppy Party

I'm a week late posting but definitely wanted to share my sweet Emmy's puppy party.

Spring Break: Week One

I love having TWO weeks for Spring Break!  This year, my first week coincided with my grangirl's spring break.  So, I rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge.  After riding up curvy, swervy roads, we found our wonderful cabin complete with game room, loft, and hot tub.  With just being minutes from town, we would travel into Pigeon Forge each morning, and spend the day eating, shopping, going to shows, and super fun attractions!  At night, we played dress up, dolls, etc.  It was the best time together!  If you ever find yourself in East Tennessee, you need to spend sometime in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area!

A "Two Seater" Spruced Up For Spring

So the other day, my bestie and I did lunch and then prowled around some antique shops.  We chose to do both in a small neighboring town.  It was a nice little outing...even though we had to drive back home in a torrential rainstorm!

Spring Is In The Air....and Around the Cottage...

So this marks the second week of spring break.  My first week was spent in the mountains...in a cabin with my grangirl.  The cabin was cozy, we hit lots of fun places, shopped, and ate lots of yummy foods...but the weather was anything but springtime weather!  All in all, it was a fabulous time despite the cold and snowy days!  I'll share that soon in another post.

Upon my return from our mountain getaway, the temps were still a bit cool.  However, there has been lots of sunshine on these chilly days...and I was ready to make Chippy White Cottage a bit more springy....So....out came the bunnies...the colored eggs...birds...and big blooms!  Would you like to take a peek?  I kind of thought you might....

Easter Bonnet...With all the Frills upon it

I remember always getting a new dress for Easter...many times it was made by my mother, who was an awesome seamstress! I loved playing dress-up as a little girl!  I would always get my momma's and grandmother's old hats and purses for dress up and fashion shows.  I would dress up in outfit after outfit...gowns and hats, and carry the wonderful old hand-me-down purses.

Gallery Wall...New Concept?

"Gallery Walls" are all the rage...I decided that I wanted to create one in my living room.  While choosing just the right pieces, I thought to myself...this really ISN'T a new concept at all!  Off and on all my adult life, I had created something similar.  I started looking back through picture albums (you know those things that hold photos before camera phones and digital copies...lol) and I found photos of several "gallery walls" from the past.  It's kind of like in education...ideas go and come back around with new names for them....I think that's the same thing here.

Weekend Crafting

Last weekend was the flea market, and this weekend I put some of my treasures into projects.  Anytime I am working with anything chippy and white, vintage millinery flowers, or dolls, I'm a happy girl!  And when the project calls for all of the above...then I am over the moon!

When I found this chippy white frame last weekend, I initially had a different idea in mind for it.  However, things just led me in a different direction when I got out all of my treasures.  So, after gluing vintage millinery flowers, a white rusty heart & key, a sparkly "LOVE", and a Frozen Charlotte to this wonderfully chippy frame...here are the results...and I have to say, I LOVE it!

It fits into my Gallery Wall (that I'll be posting about soon) just perfectly!

I'm Linking To.....

PINK SATURDAY

INSPIRE ME MONDAY

BUSY MONDAY

AMAZE ME MONDAY

MONDAY SOCIAL PARTY

OVER THE MOON PARTY

CREATIVE MONDAY

Flea Market Finds: Worth The Wait!

You may remember one of my posts from last month about not getting to go to the flea market due to weather...Well, my bestie and I made it to the Nashville Flea Market this past weekend...and it was worth the wait!

We are always there for a few hours and find some good treasures.  However this month, we found an unbelievable amount...and we closed the place down!

Would you like to see some of my wonderful. treasures?  Oh, I knew you would say, "YES!"  So let's take a look then!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Stop and Smell The Roses

I love roses...and I love the way they smell.  I especially love the meaning of this saying. Unfortunately, I don't set aside time just for doing that and nothing else! 

We all have full plates at one time or another...sometimes we can't seem to ever get those plates clean!  Many of us are multitaskers much of the time!  But stopping and putting all aside for just enjoying the things around us in important!  Even if you have to "pencil in" time for "smelling the roses" we need to do that!

I love my home....it's comfy and cozy and full of love with my two pups!  After a long hard day, I have a wonderful leather recliner sofa to plop down on to watch a little tv. I have a nice cozy bed to snuggle up in at night! I have decorated my little cottage to my heart's desire.  I rearrange and redecorate often because that's just who I am and what I love.

Handwritten Letters... A Lost Art...

I've been into interior decorating since I was a young girl.  My taste has changed over the many years...decades...but I've always had a LOVE for OLD things!!!