Sunday, December 15, 2013

Old sweaters, muslin, old shirts, twine, buttons, needs and thread ...


So completely head over heels for how this grouping turned out for me this year. I made the stocking last year and added pillows and stuffed hearts this year. Rich, thick, heavy and just a little QUIRKY and I am very pleased!!

















Can't leave out the RESTROOM when you're doing CHRISTMAS.




Specially made for that special spot in the house ...


Photos don't capture the way these stuffed hearts actually turned out. They're so PRETTY and FUN, if I do say so myself.


My large, large, extremely large candle stand that I've had for well over ten years now, adds that "rustic" look, with the fluted heavy glass and the RUST stand. Fill with homemade bars of soap, tags, roping, and a few Christmas balls (Dollar Tree) and I'm feeling right at home - RUGGED!


This metal piece is another I purchased from River City, several years ago.


Just hanging this NEW heart over the edge of that metal and ...


It's looking a little like CHRISTMAS.

(Muslin strip of fabric - plain - makes a beautiful wrap-around-bow for that tall glass candle holder.)

Getting closer and closer to being "rugged country christmas" READY!



I am so excited about this beautiful accident that happened, when in search of buttons for this stocking, I came across these rusted turquoise. What an ADD for color boost. Love it.


Pulled out these ornaments that I bought at an after-Christmas-sale last year and had tucked away in one of the buffets. The gold creates such depth of beauty!!


A top-looking-down upon all the STUFF on my coffee table, where you just saw the antique dolls positions in the forefront. I literally have more Christmas ornaments in these cheese keepers than anywhere else in the house.


Another of those "tucked-away-wiating-to-be-used-for-the-first-time 2012 Christmas balls.


These ... oh, these!! What a new addition to our collection. I found these last year-after-Christmas as well. These ornaments measure only about and inch in diameter. They came in a six inch plastic Christmas tree - loaded. I was SHOKED at how many balls I continued to reach for and pull out of that small package. These bring such a rich, dark glow, along with the reds and bright green we've added this year. Yes, the green ribbon was also a sale from last year.


More of those small, glitter balls that pack a big SPARKLE!


Red and silver with gold. I only got five of these balls. They measure four and five inches, so I placed them over the large window in the living space.


This is our TRUNK TREASURE / TEACHING MOMENTS WITH IZZY HERRIETTE & CO, corner table, spruced up for the holiday!


All decorated with things we had stored away in the garage for a few years.


For several years, I bought so much from that little antique / thrift market The River Walk, in Jenks, OK, that I had to STOP and I have enough STOCK now to go on for an eternity. I used to pick up all manner of gift cards marked down, whenever I would see them and just started a real collection of them. Most of my purchases have been sales and I also bought so much from Dollar Tree, back in the day.


It's so EASY to come up with simple, little FILLERS too, creating those little extra EYE-GRABBERS with small fabric CREATES.


I bought these buckets at the River Walk. There were about ten of them for $1.00 a piece. I couldn't pass them up!



AND ... I bought an entire plastic TUB of antique Christmas, glass balls ... for $5.00 for the entire TUB. All colors and sizes. I have enjoyed every single one of them, as I leave them strewn around the house, all year round.

Monday, December 9, 2013

VINTAGE / RUGGED COUNTRY STYLE - 2013 - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!


Trying our hand at creating new Christmas Stockings - 2013.




As always, we never know what we're getting ourselves into until we actually GET THERE!




Somewhat a VINTAGE / RUGGED COUNTRY style, wouldn't you say?




Some will go OUT THE DOOR in packages and some will scatter throughout our own home for the HOLIDAY!




Bringing CHEER - everywhere!!