Making A Mess

I took down my Christmas tree and decorations today. Boy what a mess I created.

You know how you start something and it just snow balls? Well, as I was putting away the decorations, I decided to organize they closet they go in. Then I thought, why not organize them all? So....

Three empty closets later, my house is a total disaster. I need to by more storage bins. I also need to make a trip to the thrift store to donate some items. This is all part of my lightening up this year. Does anyone else have items in their closets that have not been used in 4 years? My new mantra is....it I don't use it in a year, it is gone. Unless it is family photos or heirlooms. I think that will help me not make so many impulse purchases.

I have a secret too!! To find out what it is, you need to go over to my Lavender Hill Studio blog.....

Welcome Home,

Penny

Lighten Up

As this year gently closes and the new one is ready to begin, I have been doing a lot of thinking about changes I can make to create a healthier, richer life.

I plan on lightening up....I am going to try to eat healthier...more fruits, more veggies, more organic. I am going to start an exercise routine that includes aerobics, weight resistance and flexibility.

I am going to lighten up my list of commitments. I will probably even lightening up my living environment.

This is really not a resolution for the new year, but a new way of being. I will let you know how it goes :-).
Welcome home,
Penny

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am taking a blog break until the end of the year. It's time for me to focus on family and home. I wanted to take this time to wish all of you a wonderful Christmas. May you days be filled with warmth, joy and laughter. See you all next year.

Welcome Home,

Penny

Fun With A New Friend!

Guess what I did yesterday? I met a blogging friend! Gretchen of Birds Nest Cottage lives about an hour away from me near Greenville SC. We have been visiting each others blogs and emailing back and forth for some time now.

So yesterday, I drove to Greenville and met Gretchen at one of my favorite antique malls. Gretchen is so much fun! And after spending about 5 minutes with her I felt I knew her forever!


After hitting a couple of antique malls, Gretchen took me to lunch at the most wonderful restaurant. It had tin ceilings, little rooms filled with tables and great food.

They also had a really pretty Christmas display and I took Gretchen's picture in front of it. Do you see her Santa pin? Gretchen collects Santas...You will have to go visit her blog and see them! Below is another shot of the restaurant

After lunch we went to a great garden art place. It was filled with glazed pots, statues, gazebos, fountains and more.

Look at this sweet cherub. Now I wish I would have bought her.

But, I did purchase this fun country French rooster for my garden! Can't you just see it filled with a pot of ivy? As the ivy grows it could be trained around the rooster to create a topiary.

Gretchen surprised me with a sweet gift too! A Yankee candle that smells like Christmas cookies! A sweet Santa pin, a little pad of paper and of course a birds nest!

Thank you again Gretchen! I had the most wonderful time. I am looking forward to doing it again.

Welcome Home,

Penny

The "Fairy" Tale Continues...

The first Friday of December my town, Hendersonville, has an annual event called Old Fashioned Hendersonville Christmas. All of the merchants stay open and have hot chocolate and cider, cookies and cheeses and sales galore. Choirs stand on street corners and sing, Father Christmas walks around passing out candy canes and you can take a ride in a horse drawn carriage. We try to attend every year. This year we were suppose to spend the evening with friends, but that event got cancelled, so we were lucky that we could go to this holiday festival.

Remember a couple of posts ago, I showed you one of my Christmas Fairies? I said I had a small collection and someone wanted to see the rest. While downtown Friday, I picked up one more and it was 20% off!


I love the pile of packages on the head of the one above (click the pictures to enlarge for wonderful detail).


The little guy above has the funniest look on his face.



The one above was the first one I ever purchased.

Above is the one I showed you a few posts before.

And this one above is my newest! He is called the Toy Fairy and has a drum hanging from his hand.

They all are climbing the Christmas tree ladder on the side of my tree below.

So there you have all of my five Christmas Fairies. I might need to get a taller ladder if I keep collecting these :-).

Welcome Home,

Penny

The Whole Room ...

I have had a few requests for "full" shots of my home. I have posted full shots in the past, without Christmas decorations. So here are some more full room shots. Pay no attention to the bookcase in the above picture. I am getting ready to rearrange it and add some holiday decorations both on the shevles and on top.

The first picture below is not a full shot. This metal rooster is on the top of my wine cabinet. The full shot will follow.

Below is a picture standing at one end of my living room. You can see the wine cabinet on the far wall and into the dining room on the right of the picture.

The next two pictures are of my dining room.

Below are pictures of my living room. It is really hard to get full shots and the lighting is not that great this time of day.

So there you are....some full shots of my living and dining rooms..

Don't forget to check out my latest post at Home Goods - and if you have time I would love it if you left a comment there!

Welcome Home,

Penny

Joyeux Noël

My Christmas decorating this year is turning out to be a little bit country...French Country that is...

I have my beautiful toile stockings that Rhonda from Farmhouse Style made for me last year.


One of my favorite ornaments...this sweet blown glass rooster...

and some fresh holly on my dining chandelier...Well I am not so sure that the holly is French country, but it just sort of has that look, don't you think?

I am even doing a French country table setting for a dinner party I am having this season - to see that and read my newest Home Goods post, click here.

Welcome Home,

Penny

A Little More Decorating

Yesterday I took a walk in the woods around our home with my trusty garden clippers and a tote. I filled the tote with pine cones, evergreen branches and holly branches.



After adding a few more touches, like the red ornaments, candles and bronze birds, my back to nature Christmas mantel was complete.

I hope all of you Christmas decorating brings your comfort and joy....

Welcome Home,

Penny

Do You Believe?

Do you believe in fairies? How about Christmas Fairies?

I have a collection I started a few years ago, of Mark Roberts Christmas fairies. They all look different, and I think when my back is turned they just might come to life! To see more of these whimsical fairies click here. You can click on the picture to enlarge for detail.

Welcome Home,

Penny

p.s. my internet is working, yeah! I will be around to visit all of you soon.