Christmas In The Breakfast Room Favorites

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Setting a pretty table in the Breakfast Room or Breakfast Nook is an easy thing to do and it's been my favorite place to decorate over the years. 
Our last house was especially wonderful to decorate because it had 3 angled windows with a view of the woods outside.

I loved hanging a wreath in each window, with a ribbon as a hanger.

My ruby red glasses are ALWAYS displayed on the Breakfast table every Christmas season. 

Can you tell they're my favorite?

I think they go with any Christmas color choices.

Here's the Christmas Breakfast Room last year. Lots of red and plaid! And, of course, my ruby red glasses. 

The table in our Breakfast Room will be set next week and I can't wait. Not sure how I'll decorate it, but I know for sure, that the ruby red glasses will be perfect, however it is set.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pam

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Mason Jar Lid Ornaments

Working on a Christmas craft has a way of putting you in a good Holiday mood. Last year I spied a cute Christmas ornament made from Mason Jar lids over at City Farmhouse and have been wanting to try it ever since.

I already had plenty of Mason Jar lids and the chalkboard paint. I ordered the Bakers Twine, Stamps and Ink on Amazon. The direct links are listed at the end of the post. You'll also need a hot glue gun, which isn't pictured above.

Drawn In By Christmas

I know it's only October 31st and it's Halloween, but ...
Last Thursday Mr. DIY drove up to Pier 1 to pick something up that I had ordered online. As soon as we walked into the door, I couldn't help myself and had to tour all the Christmas displays in the store...several times. 

Am I the only one?

I couldn't help myself. I was like a moth drawn to the light. 

Every display was so cute.

Christmas Porch 2013

Christmas is next week.

As if you didn't know that.

How are you doing?

I mean, 

REALLY?

This week is crunch time and I just finished up my porch, which I totally put together at the last minute so it would at least look Christmasy when we had some friends over. 

I used the same red burlap ribbon to make a bow for the wreath. Then I added a some candy cane striped ribbon, and said:

It's good enough

You know you can make yourself crazy by fiddling with decorating and trying to make things perfect, especially when time is short or at the last minute.

Or is it just me?

Sometime's I just have to say "it's good enough".

You might remember my little blue spruce that I bought last year.

(Yup, I actually kept it alive for a WHOLE year.)

I just added a few red ornaments and some candy cane strip ribbon and said,

It's good enough 

So, if you're a little behind decorating your porch,

add some lights on faux green garland and say:

it's good enough

...fill up a bushel basket with burlap, pinecones, some red ornaments and a sprig or two of faux greenery and say:

it's good enough

Besides, your friends and family aren't coming over to see your decorations...hopefully, they are coming to see you. 

I heard my Great Aunt Lillian say something like that  to my mom many years ago when I was about 12 or 13 and I still remember it today. She and my Great Uncle Vince loved to travel and when they were in town, would drop by. 

I was one of 6 kids, so my mom (and dad) managed a busy household and the house wasn't always neat and tidy and it might have embarrassed my mom a little bit. 

But, my Great Aunt Lillian didn't care what our house looked like, she was coming to see us.

She wanted to see how we were doing and what new adventures we were getting into. 

So, this Christmas season, don't fret about making things perfect...

...make your guests feel welcome in your home and feed them some good food...and have good conversation.

and tell yourself....

"it's good enough" more often. 

...

Pam
joining:
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

Christmas Mantel and Christmas In The Family Room

We finally had some sun yesterday and I was able to take some photos of the Family Room and the Mantel all dressed for Christmas. 

With Christmas less than 2 weeks away (eek! Am I the only one who feels so far behind this year?), I'd better get a move on with the last bits of decorating and shopping. 

Our daughter added red to our Christmas tree this year, so I just went with it. 

I haven't decorated for Christmas with traditional red and green for a few years now, so I was happy to see the cheerful color again. 

Greens and pine cones gathered at the Mountain Cottage and a few Magnolia leaves gathered from our yard are mixed with red sparkly ornaments in a white pedestal bowl on the coffee table.

Warm and cozy fleece blankets and pillows are kept handy in a basket on the side of the sofa.  The Santa pillows are displayed during December and are tucked away during the other months. 

Lots of green pine boughs drape the sofa table. 

Winnie The Pooh has always been one of our youngest daughter's favorite characters. We bought this ornament for her when she was a little girl. 

We added some berries from the Nandina bushes in our backyard  to the pine boughs in a large white pitcher. 

Now, for our mantel...

A few Christopher Radko ornaments are set front and center on the mantel this year. 

I had fun unwrapping all of the peppermint candies and filling up an apothecary jar with them. 

Red and white striped bows were added to the burlap Christmas stockings I made a couple of years ago. They previously had an ivory lace flower and satin ribbon on them. The bow really brightens them up. 

Now that the sun is shining, I'd better finish up taking photos around the house.  I might even finish the porch in a day or so and take some pics. I just have to add some finishing touches to it. 

Will probably be shopping today to pick up some items I can't get online. It's been nice this year to do so much online shopping and not have to face the crowds.

How are you doing with your Christmas preparations? Hope you're hanging in there!

Pam
joining:
Savvy Southern Style
From My Front Porch To Yours

Christmas In The Breakfast Room 2013

I think this is my favorite room in the house to decorate...

doesn't matter the season

It's not a large space and you can't really go wrong with long white flowing curtains, a neutral background and tall windows that let in a lot of light in the morning. 

This year I decorated with traditional red and green. 

I kept things simple with  some red and white candy canes tucked in silver napkin rings.

I've had that mini Christmas tree in the background forever. It's dressed differently every year. 

This year I decorated with pine boughs cut from the edge of the woods at the Mountain Cottage. You will see them all over the house...

I'm thinking my wreaths could use a big bow this year. 

Thanks for stopping by.

I wish I could sit down with you for a cup of coffee or tea, but I'll be working on the rest of the house for awhile.

Seems that every room is 3/4ths of the way finished. 

How are you doing on your decorating???

Pam
joining: 

Savvy Southern Style

Inspiration From Christmas Past

With Thanksgiving being so late this year, I feel like I'm already behind for Christmas.

34 days and counting...it's hard to believe. 

I'd better get busy....

Last year I made some mini wreaths made from cuttings from some holly shrubs in our yard. 

They were truly easy to make and they cost zero, zip, nada, since I already had everything on hand. 

You can find them HERE.

We plan on being home for Thanksgiving, so next weekend would be a great time to decorate the front porch. I still have most of the green cypress  and the tiny blue spruce I purchased last year, so I will be using those along with a few new additions that will be harvested from the Mountain Cottage. You can see last years Front Porch HERE.

 We're  planning on four Christmas stockings hanging from our mantel this year again. Our daughter is going to be spending Christmas with us here in Charlotte. You can see the rest of last year's mantel HERE.

Unplanned vignettes  made with old and new found items are the most fun to put together. It's always satisfying when something turns out pretty. 

...could be as simple as some ornaments and a few pinecones in a footed silver tray. 

Our Breakfast Room is my favorite room to decorate. There's something about a single wreath in each window that makes me smile. 

I love repetition in design. 

and symmetry

and order.

 Even though we don't go down to the basement much, I love doing some simple festive decorations down in the basement family room. Maybe we don't spend much time down there because of the ancient tv and weak internet connection. 

hmmmm, sounds like a project to me. 

Maybe I'll bling up the Easy Stenciled Christmas runner I made a few years ago. A little glitter glams up almost anything. You can read about my Stenciled Christmas Table Runner HERE. 

One treat we make every year at Christmas is Buckeyes. 

We make a whole bunch of them.

We roll them, dip them, wrap them all pretty and give them to neighbors and friends and even save a few for ourselves. You can read how we make them HERE just in case you'd like to make a few of your own.

Just a warning though, eating these will ruin Reese's peanut butter cups for you. 

So sorry.

And after all that decorating, baking, buying presents and wrapping, remember to buy yourselves some pretty flowers to brighten your day. 

So, do you have a plan as to how you'll get everything finished before the 25th?

I have no idea how we'll get it all finished, but somehow we always do.

My attitude these days is whatever gets done, gets done. 

The only thing that matters is celebrating Christmas with family and maybe a few friends.

Have you started your Christmas plans yet?

Pam

Are You Ready? Here Comes Christmas

I know, I know,
It's only Halloween, why am I talking about Christmas?
Seems like Christmas decorations start coming out earlier and earlier every year. 
But...
I went to a store called  BlackLion in Charlotte a couple of days ago to get something I needed for an upcoming project. (more on that later).

It's one of those fun places that has aisles and aisles of individual little shops inside.

It's always interesting to see what's popular.

There were owls EVERYWHERE.

There were a few autumnal displays.

with owls

and quite a few owls in Christmas displays.

Yep, Christmas.

Guess I shouldn't be surprised to see so many Christmas decorations.

After all, there are only 54 days left until the happy celebration. 

I always take so long to get in the Christmas spirit and to decorate for the holidays. 

Maybe I should go back to BlackLion a few more times to get me in the mood because, ready or not, here comes Christmas.

There were silver and gold Christmas displays...

and this incredible all white and silver shop just dripping in icy decorations.

I was amazed and enjoyed all the baubles.

The chandelier was dazzling.

I loved the little pops of red in this mostly silver with a hint of gold display.

Green and gold is classic...

...and of course there were a few red and green trees...

There was even a tree with pink accents.

The wicker chairs looked a little too summery next to the Christmas trees...

even though it's still in the 70's this week.

There was a large backroom that resembled a pickers barn.

Vintage luggage was stacked high. I wonder what wonderful places they've been to in days past.

LOVED this mirror in an old vintage door.

I finally found the little shop that was my reason for driving to the BlackLion.

Those of you who have painted with it, probably recognized it right away. 

I finally purchased my first can of Annie Sloan Chalk paint and some clear Soft Wax. 

I will hopefully be doing a project at home very soon. 

What? not at the cottage, you say?

Not this time.

Spending so much time at the Cottage hasn't allowed me to check anything off my home projects list in awhile. 

I've wanted to do this particular project for 13 years, but it's difficult to paint over brand new cherry wood.

It's not so new anymore, so I'm going to be brave.

Can you guess which room I'm starting in?

(Hint: I'm not brave enough to start in the kitchen)

Pam