christmas came early...

Do you remember when I told you I won Maria's giveaway over at Dreamy Whites?  Well I received my beautiful gifts this week and it was like Christmas came early...

Loving the color of the velvet ribbon!  I hated to open them but of course I did...

There are two beautiful stockings and a gorgeous table runner made from antique European grain sacks!  She also sent me a sweet little lavender filled sachet as well as a dried bouquet of lavender...

Thank you so much Maria!!  Would  you like to see where I put everything?  I thought, just for the holidays, the table runner would look sweet under the tree in my Paris Hotel Suite...

Then I put the little sachet with the brown paper packages tied up with string (secretly hiding a few of their favorite things)...

I made tags out of scraps of sheet music from other projects as well as adding some sparkly snowflakes to the packages.  The music side of the tag is displayed but when you turn it over...

 It shows who the gift is for!  My family thinks these brown paper packages tied up with string are just for show ~ hee hee!  The wonderful stockings are hanging from my Santa stocking holder...

I have the lavender in my craft room with all the treasures I am collecting for my kitchen mini makeover after the holidays.  Now these lovelies aren't the only thing I won from Maria ~ I also won a beautiful wreath from Wintersteen Farms!  Again, Christmas came early for me...

Jim helped me hang it on the beautiful old mirror I put over Santa's entry way...

Isn't it beautiful!!  It smells beautiful too!  I was so excited I had to go and light my candles...

I think it is the perfect finishing touch for Santa's entry way...

Of course I had to take pictures the next day when the sun was shining...

Pretty ribbon for hanging and pine cones to save year after year...

Thank you again Maria and thank you Jeff and Kelly from Wintersteen Farms ~ your beautiful hand crafted wreath is helping me celebrate the season!

Thank you for stopping by today!  I hope you can visit Debra at Common Ground where she is celebrating Vintage Inspiration Friday!  Have a wonderful weekend!!

baby it's cold outside...

That is what my husband said as he left to go to work this morning.  Well, maybe not so nicely at 6 am, I took the liberty of changing his words a bit!  I have some errands to run today but I would much rather stay home...

And sit in my big comfy white chair all wrapped up in my new chenille throw from Pottery Barn...

I finally used the gift certificate I won over at Cottage on Rosewood (thanks Ginger!).  The weather people keep mentioning the "s" word ~ snow.  I saw a few flakes yesterday but really no big snow fall in sight.  I would love to see a snowman or two around the holidays but I guess these will have to do for now...

I bought this one after Christmas last year.  His hat is dented and needed to be glued back on...

The crepe paper ruffle needs to be fixed at the bottom too.  My winter frolic snowman I picked up at Marshalls this year...

I think I see another collection forming!  Oh and did you spy that cute little jar...

I also finally used my gift certificate to Anthropologie I won from A Beach Cottage (thanks Sarah!).  It was my first visit to the store and I loved it!!  I picked this jar for the graphics and the color.  It is a candle and smells like angel food cake!  I am going to be giving my kitchen a mini makeover after the holidays and thought this would fit in my vision perfectly.  As I said I have some running around to do this morning.  My first stop is the shop so I can tidy up, add some new things and bring home a few book bundles so I can pretty them up them with my new french script stamp...

Your welcome has been (how lucky that you dropped in) so nice and warm...I simply must go (but baby it's cold outside)!

You know where I'll be later, all comfy and cozy visiting Kathleen and all her guests for White Wednesday!

whispering hope...

For Linda's Nifty Thrifty Tuesday I thought I would share some vintage sheet music I picked up recently for 50 cents a piece...

Beautifully aged little booklets with pages of possibilities...

Did you know that gloaming means twilight...

Twilight sounds more romantic, don't you agree...

I have been hoarding collecting a lot of vintage sheet music lately and finally found one with a beautifully illustrated cover...

Finding this treasure came at a perfect time.  The time has come to reflect back on 2010 and look forward to 2011...

I am always hopeful that my year ahead will bring good health and happiness to my family and friends.  This morning I am whispering to you, my new blog friends, my hopes that the year ahead is a good one for you and yours...

What are your hopes for the new year?

Thank you for visiting and have a wonderful day!

dear santa...

I am joining Debra today for Vintage Inspiration Friday!!  Last Friday when I had a small gathering at my nest (again, always a good time with you girls!) I put together this little vignette to display by the bar set up...

I have pared down my Santa collection over the years and I just kept a few that are really special to me.  I bought the one in the middle at the first craft fair I ever did with some of the money I made that day...

I found this next Santa out treasure hunting with my Mom, we both loved it and of course there was only one.  My Mom purchased it saying we would share him ~ I was the lucky one the first year...

This last old Santa is probably my favorite...

Pretty heavy for a little thing, I think he might be cast iron...

I never could find any markings or have never seen one like it.  I think he is just wonderful and it was a gift from my husband...

I wonder what he will get me this year.  Which makes me think...

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!