Saturday, December 27, 2014

Decorating for Winter with Bottles...a DIY

I love decorating for Christmas by mixing it up with winter décor. When the holidays pass, you still have lots of décor to admire for the long winter ahead.

This year I just had to try making what seems to be the newest trend in DIY.

 Bottle brush tree jars.



Luckily I have a wall of shelves in the basement filled with vintage mason jars and saved condiment bottles. I just have to save everything that may have a use. This time it worked out perfect.

All you need are some wide mouth bottles, packaged "snow" from the craft store, good quality glue, some bottle brush trees (I got most of mine from Walmart), some figurines and a few kitchen utensils. I found some snowmen at Walmart and assorted deer at Michael's. At a new store in my area I found a display of great animal figurines, all 30% off! I got a deer, a bear, a squirrel,  and a bunny.

This bottle is a honey jar with a white lid.

 
I took a spongey glass cleaner, slightly damp, and ran it around the inside of the jar. When I poured the snow in some of it stuck to the sides. I then used my kitchen tongs to hold the trees by their tops and place them inside with glue on their bottoms. I did the same for the snowman. Then I added some more snow to settle to the bottom.
 

I finished the top off by gluing white glitter on it. Tie a plaid ribbon around the top, and done!
 


The second bottle got the same treatment but was finished with a piece of burlap, twine and a jingle bell. For the bottles with colored lids, I painted them ivory and then glued the white glitter on top.

You can find great mason jar bottles at the Dollar Tree for a $1 if you don't have them around the house.

I love this little bunny and paired her with a white tree and a green tree. I found the cute tinsel trim at JoAnn's for around the top.




 
I wanted the bear to look like he was in a winter wonderland so I paired him with three flocked white trees. He is at home in a vintage mason jar with a zinc lid.
 

 
 
He fits right in with my winter wonderland scene on the top of my cupboard.
 
 
 
The one that was the most exciting for me was this cookie/cracker jar winter scene. I saw one on one of the many blogs I visit and it was one of those "aha! I can do that, I have that jar" moments. It took all of two minutes to put it all together. I didn't glue anything down because the inside is large enough for things to stand on their own. The center tree actually fits up into the recess of the lid.
 
 
 
 
 
My most favorite one of all is the one in the first picture. It is a pepperoncini jar, and because it is so tall and skinny, only one tree would fit. I had wanted to do the upside down version of these bottles and it worked perfect for that. The tinsel trim around the lid finished it off.
 

 
Such an easy, simple DIY that adds some winter charm to your home. These will stay out until March in my home, when Spring finally starts to emerge in Upstate NY.
 
 
AnnMarie xoxo
 
I am linking up to these great blog parties:

 
 
 
 




Monday, December 22, 2014

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

I first published this post a year ago. I love this Christmas carol and how some of the trees magically  sparkle so I wanted to post it again. I added my new vintage red tree and my husband's Dr.Seuss/character tree.
 
 



 O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How are thy leaves so verdant!
Not only in the summertime,
But even in winter is thy prime.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How are thy leaves so verdant!




 O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!
For ev’ry year the Christmas tree,
Brings to us all both joy and glee.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Much pleasure dost thou bring me!





 O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are thy branches!
Not only green when summer's here
But in the coldest time of year.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are thy branches!




 O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How sturdy God hath made thee!
Thou bidds't us all place faithfully
Our trust in God, unchangingly!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How sturdy God hath made thee!




 O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tiny light,
That makes each toy to sparkle bright.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
Thy candles shine out brightly!

 

A Very Happy Christmas to You and Yours!
 
AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up to these great blog parties:

Amaze Me Monday
Make It Monday
A Return to Lovliness

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

This Boy Can Run!

He's number 2 on the right with the goggles.
I apologize up front for the blurry pictures....not an easy subject to photograph with a point and shoot camera!
Man cannot predict what God has in mind.

A true statement when it comes to my son Michael.

Sixteen years ago the doctors at the hospital told us that our 1 pound 10 oz son, born a very, very preemie (their term back then) would never run. He was born at 28 weeks with mild Cerebral Palsy in his legs and tone in his arms. My husband asked about whether his new son could ever play baseball, his favorite sport. The answer was no because of the complications of his disability.

Little did we know that he would grow up to live and breathe basketball.

And not only know all the stats of all the teams in the NBA plus the stats of all the players, but that he would get on the court himself and continue to work on his game 3-4 times a week.

Going for a basket. 
He has proven the doctors wrong many times over the years. And after last Monday nights' game, I'd say he has found the way around his disability. He got a lot of minutes play time in each quarter of the game, scored a basket and nailed the two foul shots he took. He ran back and forth on that court more times than I could count and he ran it fast.

He doesn't have to wear the ankle to knee braces anymore that he did as a little boy. He is not in any Occupational or Physical Therapy anymore either. They told us that his disability would never improve and never get worse. That he would have to find a way to adapt to it and work around it.

He did. And you would never know that this smart, lovable 16 year old has any physical limitations on his life watching him play basketball. He has the Lord on his side who has a plan for his life that no man can interfere with.

He puts all he's got into playing too. Always ready to defend, hands up to catch a pass, eyes peeled for his next move.


His size 11 LeBron James sneakers may have a little something to do with it all (wink,wink)!


AnnMarie aka Proud MoM xoxo

I am linking up with these great blog parties:

Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party
Share Your Cup Thursday
Freedom Friday with All My Bloggy Friends

Thursday, December 11, 2014

A Very Vintage Christmas



I look forward every month to sharing on the Every Room in the House Blog party on Nancy's blog, A Joyful Cottage.


For the month of December you can join in by choosing the room for the Deck The Halls theme.

I have chosen the parlor in my Victorian home to link up.


I decided that since I am such a vintage junkie, I wanted all my Christmas decor to be true vintage this year. I had some vintage already and I found some new treasures to add. I am so excited about the red tree I found and posted about here. I had wondered if I could decorate it with my victorian ornaments, that usually go on a white tree. I think so!

Before

After



While out picking one day I came upon this wonderful ceramic set at one of my favorite thrift stores. I am always looking for things to sell in my Etsy shop, but when I saw this I knew it had to go on the mantel in my parlor. It is way too heavy and fragile to ship anyways!





I made the wreath several years ago and with a little revamping, it completes the scene. I added my JOY banner that I found on Etsy last year and added a pearlescent string of pearls, woven in and out of the four ceramic pieces. A lighted pearlescent garland makes a pretty illuminated back drop.




I put my white "Nana's" tree on the top of my book cupboard this year. I found this beautiful, unique tree with the round multicolored bulbs last year at a thrift store in a box marked "Nanas Tree".


The angel is from the 50's. She is a tree topper with a gold mesh dress, a paper mache head and is holding a plastic poinsettia.




On the window seat to the left of the red tree is my look-alike Putz winter church scene and to the left of that is my nativity that I have had over 20 years. It appears in different places each holiday decorating season, but I always find a place for it.




The side table is perfect for my kitschy nativity made of plastic. I just love the vintage, hand painted messy look of it and it fits great next to my ceramic tree that is so unique. It is hollowed out in the back with a bulb that lights the multicolors in the front and casts a shadow on the wall in the back.



I did not know what to do with my round table between the two wing chairs. I didn't want to block any part of the window seat but the room needed more light despite the lit up trees and the garland. I love the look of decorating with a vanity mirror so I put my small pink Victorian lamp on a small rectangular mirror and then added the vintage beaded safety pin tree.



At night it helps to light up the whole scene. The abundance of snow from the nor'easter that made it's way through our area adds so much charm to the scene.


This is the first room you see when you enter from the hallway......I wanted it to be as inviting as possible while keeping the character of my Victorian home.


Happy Decorating!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up at these great blog parties:

Every Room in the House
Let's Talk Vintage
Thriftasaurus
A Return to Lovliness
Creating Christmas Link Party
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Pink Saturday
Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
A Bouquet of Talent Party
Thrifted Merry Christmas Blog Hop
Masterpiece Monday
Make It Monday
Show and Share
Vintage Inspiration Party
Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party
Home and Garden Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Feathered Nest Friday
Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Thankful Heart

I woke up to this beautiful winter wonderland this morning with a thankful heart for all that God has blessed me with. 


After three years of blogging I can say that I am so thankful for all of my faithful followers and those I have connected with in the blogging world through their wonderful blogs.

Thank you for your visits and comments. I treasure  each one!

Happy Thanksgiving!

AnnMarie xoxo

P.S. Anyone want to come to dinner in Upstate NY? We have enough food for 10 people and there are 3 of us!! You can see the winter wonderland in person!

I am linking up with these great parties!

Share Your Cup Thursday

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Vintage Finds Under the Tree

and oh, what a tree I found!


I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked into the three floor antique emporium and there it was. Red and fabulous! It only took two minutes to find someone to help me take all the ornaments off so that I could buy this tree.

Last year I decided that since I am such a vintage junkie, shouldn't my Christmas decorating be too? I started replacing my hum-drum newer Christmas decorations with vintage ones, wrestling with myself with each purchase whether to keep it or to sell it. This is the busiest time of year, right?  Let's just say last year I kept more than I listed to sell!

That is when I found this fabulous vintage silver tree (the sparkle is magic!). I already had all the old silver balls, angel ornaments and garland, bought at a garage sale that summer, just because.


And I found this one too....


But this post is not supposed to be about trees, it's supposed to be about the vintage finds under the tree!


My little town in Upstate NY is known for the four corner churches in the middle of  town. There is one huge, historic church on each of the four corners at the intersection of Main and Maple. Three of the four have rummage sales in the Fall. You can find me up near the front of the line to get in at each one of them.

For those that may not know, a rummage sale is where the church gathers donations from it's members and then sells them at ridiculously low prices. One church does not price anything and at checkout you are offered one low price to pay for all of your found treasures. With two sales down and the last one to go, I was there the first day, 5th in line. The ladies in front of me were a group of friends in their late 70's, chatting away. I plan on thrifting till then too!

The church had posted pictures online and one of them was of a Red Riding Hood cookie jar. I figured it would be reasonably priced, even though they go for $200+ online. I made a beeline for it and it was marked $50. A great price, but one I was not willing to pay that day. I made my way around and found some really great stuff.






I loved the candlewick tree skirt and the old wallpaper brushes in their original box. I thought the double boiler and the baby vase were too good to pass up and the black tin box turned out to be a great find. It dates to the late 1800's, early 1900's and was probably a document or deed box. I saw one at an antique shop with separate tins inside to hold spices.


Another flocked baby deer was a real keeper to go with my woodland scene on the top of my old cupboard.


I love the color of the two garden forks I got!


And the 1940's mint green baby seat was too chippy and unique to pass by.


I also could not leave Timothy Tortoise there, a McCoy cookie jar......


or this great Lincoln Beautyware chrome canister set.


I was very happy with my great finds and at how thrifty I was for the amount I spent. But I couldn't stop thinking about that Red Riding Hood cookie jar.


So the next morning was the last day of the sale and I was hoping for a discount on it. My husband tagged along because he likes to find thrifty things to give away at our community theatre. We walked in and were handed a large paper bag to fill for $2! I filled it with Jesus, Precious (the name of the print of the little girl), two nice books, a couple of small ceramic trees, two 1940's children's hangers, an Avon bubble bath ornament, and a hand crocheted shawl. My husband filled it the rest of the way with some vintage books and knick knacks. We split the $2. What a deal!


I almost forgot about the cookie jar because it wasn't even there. I had to ask and when I did I found out that the owner of it knew of it's value and did not want to sell it at half price on the last day so she took it back. Good for her because I might have gone for it at $25!

It was after this great two day rummage sale that I found my red vintage tree while out shopping with my friend Bonnie at some Holiday Open House events at local gift shops. We went to four open house's that day. I actually bought some stocking stuffers for my grandchildren but could not resist getting another baby doe, this one porcelain, made in Japan. I am keeping her and she has a place of honor on my parlor mantel...


I am 99.9% sure that I am keeping my red tree. But what to do with it? Decorate it with just white lights? Red lights? Or maybe it will be my new Victorian ornaments tree to replace my too small white one.


What do ya think?

AnnMarie xo

I am linking up with these great blog parties this week:

Thriftasaurus
Let's Talk Vintage
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Treasure Box Tuesday
Show and Share
Vintage Bliss Tuesday
Vintage Inspiration Party
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Home and Garden Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Bouquet of Talent Linky Party
Feathered Nest Friday
Make It Monday
Show and Share