Lots going on.....

I got in a little trouble with my daughter when I posted my vintage Christmas. The night before, she had sent me pics of her vintage ornaments on the tree. My mom had the red and blue ornaments on her tree for years. Then she passed them on to me and my daughter took borrowed got them from me when she got married. 

She has been decorating this past week and called me Sunday to see if I could make her a no-sew runner for her bar. I had this piece of material and wasn't using it for anything. It made a nice runner. I love her Santa and her centerpiece is gorgeous. Her first craft item she made herself last year. 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it or not, but I am getting a routine going with my Pyrex collecting. So far, if it was a good deal, I would buy it...whether I liked the pattern or not and I didn't worry if I would use it. I am glad I did that. Because now, I have some pieces that I am going to try to trade. I joined two groups on Facebook for Pyrex traders and posted the pic of my little bowl that doesn't have any matching bowls with it. I have the mixing bowl set of these and this was a Cinderella one I picked up this summer for a couple of bucks that I don't use. 

I had also picked up this carafe that I have never found a lid for. I only paid $1.49 for it. 

So I put them in the Facebook trade group and within no time I had traded them both. I traded the little bowl for the second size up of the Cinderella bowl. I am beyond thrilled because I've looked for some of these all summer. I want the entire set in this Colonial Mist pattern. Here's my first piece. 

I traded the carafe for a Pyrex pie plate. But not just any Pyrex pie plate...the flamingo pink one. I am so thrilled about this that words cannot describe it. Flamingo pink is very, very rare in my area. When she offered it up for trade, I snatched it up. 

I am very thrilled with my trades. I'm heading out to the post office to mail the trades off today and will be watching diligently in my mail box every day till my new items get here. I wanted to share my birthday card with you all that my Sunday School class gave me. 

It plays island music when you open it up. Isn't it cute?

Some vintage Christmas

One thing I love about Christmas are all the memories you find when you unpack your goodies. I have several things in my collection that are, I guess, what nowadays we refer to as vintage. I just know that we have had them a long time. I thought I would share some of my memory items with you today.

My favorite Christmas item and the one that I have had the longest is about 50 years old. My Mamaw Eden took me to town on the bus when I was around 5 (give or take). We always went to McCroys Five and Dime. On this particular trip she bought me this little poinsettia basket for 10 cents. It is the first thing I set out every Christmas. 

My Mary and Joseph from Home Interior many years ago.

Another favorite Home Interior piece is my Santa bank. 

This set of angels is one of my favorite Christmas pieces. It, too, was Home Interior. 

And my last Home Interior to share is my little mice. There were cats and dogs too, but I gave those to my kids when they each got married. 

When Allen's grandmother passed away, she had a box of ornaments that she used every year. Hubby got them and they are the first ones we hang each year. Most of them are Shiny Brights we believe. I had never heard of that name until I saw them over at Thrifting Sisters in one of her vintage posts. I'm hoping she will stop by and let me know for sure if these are Shiny Brights. Hubby was born in early 50's and he remember them always being on the tree. Most of them even have the original hooks.  

More of Granny's ornaments. 

And all of Granny's bells. Wondering if these are Shiny Bright as well. 

These are some of my favorite vintage ornaments on our tree. 

These are some ornaments I have had since my first Christmas tree when I got married. Some I bought, some came from Mom. Not sure how old some of them are, but the ones I bought would be 35 years old. 

I have been so excited that I have vintage Pyrex that is Christmas"y". I love the snowflake bowl.  

What favorite vintage item to you put out at Christmas?

Weekend Wrap Up

What a full weekend! I am exhausted this morning. I need a weekend to catch up from my weekend. It started on Friday when I took part of the day off to go shopping with Hubby. We did pick up a few Christmas gifts so at least we got a start. Check out the really big storage bag that is soon-to-be-released from Thirty-One. It's awesome. It's coming in handy right now to put presents in until I can warp them. 

When we got back home, I made my Reese Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle that I seem to end up making for every dinner or function I get invited to. It is in high demand. 

Hubby and I bought some lights to put on the little tree on the curb. We may do some more outside decorating, but not sure. We are almost at the end of a cul-de-sac so not a lot of people see our lights. And on the back side we are at an angle so you only see them coming from one direction IF you glance over that way. So not sure about anything else, but we did want the little tree lit. 

Friday night was a Christmas Party hosted by the three local Directors who have "adopted" me into their fold. I was so excited to be invited. 

We had some really good food. 

Some chips and dips.  

Some cheese, crackers and fruit. 

Some little sausages in pineapple and brown sugar and some meatballs in barbecue sauce.

Some awesome dessert. 

Then we played Dirty Santa and the laughs were on. Lots of fun and everybody ended up with an awesome gift.

At the end, we posed for a group picture to commemorate the party. What an awesome group of ladies. I am so blessed to have them in my life. I'm the "grandma" of the bunch, but when I'm with them, I feel like I'm about 30 again. 

Saturday morning was the Christmas Parade in Sevierville. One of my grandsons was riding in it with his baseball team so I went with my daughter. Saw lots of the girls from church in the Sevier County High School band. 

Our church had our newly decorated float in it.  

Hats off to a great job by the float committee.

My grandson, second from the left was happily waiving as they went by. He was more excited about riding on top the firetruck than he was by actually being in the parade. 

After that, I did a little more shopping and then went on home to finish decorating for Christmas. I was very happy with how my table turned out. I put my pine cones in a basket in the middle of the table since my little place mats have a Snowman woodsy look to them. The brown of the pine cones contrasted well with the little bit of brown in the placemats. Thanks again to my granddaughter, Alexis, for remembering to bring me some pine cones. 

This little shelf is going to be my "seasonal" item that I decorate every season. Here it is with the Christmas decor on it. 

A man I worked with made these for me around 20 years ago. I have a little window sill that they fit perfect in. This may have to be there new home every year. 

These are three of my favorite pieces for Christmas. The Santa on the left is Home Interior, the little tree was a birthday gift from my mom a couple of years ago and the other Santa is one I love because of his pipe. 

After I got all that done, it was time to tackle the tree. I always hang some of my old ornaments first. This year, somebody decided to help. 

This is one of my favorite ornaments. It belonged to Hubby's grandmother. (Stay tuned for further posts about ornaments this week.)

I am still old fashioned on my trees. A hodge podge of ornaments, lights, tinsel and good old fashioned stick-to-you-when-you-get-too-close icicles. I cannot see me ever giving up my icicles. There are way too many childhood memories attached to them to every quit putting them on my tree.

My daughter surprised me Saturday before the parade by buying me a new tree topper I've had my eye on. My living room is mostly Santa stuff so I wanted a Santa for my tree. Isn't he gorgeous. 

Then Sunday came and more fun and excitement. Next week is our Pre-K Sunday School class program It's a GRAND Christmas that we are putting on for the grandparents. Here is our live Nativity. Mary with the little blue headdress is my granddaughter Shelby. She had wanted to be an angel all along but at the last minute yesterday, her and her little friend Megan decided to swap out and Shelby wanted to be Mary. I'm pretty sure it was because she wanted to be closed to the baby doll in the manger. 

Then we did the Christmas Story and they got to help tell the story of Jesus's birth with a little nativity set. We have so much fun in our class. 

We always have snack time so it was not unusual for there to be a table set up with plates and snacks. I never really paid attention to it until the teacher said it was time for a snack. Then she proceeded to tell the kids we were having a birthday party. It was a surprise for Miss Janie and myself. Both of us have December birthdays. We were so surprised. We had a huge chocolate chip cookie and the kids got to put on icing and sprinkles on to decorate their own. 

I got a Visa gift card which is going in the New TV fund. We finally settled on one we want. It is a 32" LED and even has a built in DVD player. Hubby and I have decided that will be our big Christmas present to each other this year. I can't wait to get it.

Guess you can see why I need a weekend to rest up from my weekend.