Bows and Greens

Now that Thanksgiving is over, most of us turn our thoughts to decorating the house for Christmas. One very simple way to make your home look festive for Christmas is to tie bows on things you already have in your home. Every year I dress up my brass candlesticks. Lampshades, chandeliers, doorknobs can also be made festive with a bow too. When we had cats we would tie a bow around their necks. They never liked it much but they put up with it! I put bows on baskets and fill them with greens and pinecones.

Greens are another simple way to brighten up your home for the holidays. Any greens from the garden can be used to decorate your home.

Just put the greens in a container you like. If you don't have any greens in your garden, there are lots of quite real looking greens you can buy at Michaels or A.C.Moore at 40% off. That's where I got these. Just by putting them in one of my blue and white pots, the exisiting arrangement on this table takes on a festive look.

What do you already have around the house that you can use to decorate without having to spend much money? Look around. You'll be surprised!

Hugs, Rhondi

Thankful

I am thankful for a lovely Thanksgiving day yesterday. It was very quiet with just 2 of our kids being able to come, but we still had a great time. We went for a walk in the woods , watched a movie, put up some decorations outside and ate a wonderful meal. Here we are just before we sat down to eat. I just noticed I left my apron on! It was a very mild afternoon so we took advantage of the weather and put up these big 10" balls on the dogwood tree in our front yard.

They really sparkle in the sun and even at night they provide a little interest.

The day after Thanksgiving I am still feeling very thankful.

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday Thanksgiving

I am thankful for so many things today, but most of all I am thankful to the Lord who has been so good to my family and me. I am thankful that we are all in good health and our needs are provided for. I am thankful that I have 4 wonderful children, 2 great daughter in laws, 3 awesome grandchildren and one very sweet and kind husband.


I am thankful that I have a roof over my head, clothes to wear and food to eat.


I am thankful for all the wonderful friends I have had over the years, both old friends and new ones.


I am glad that we have one day in the year where we all remember to be thankful for God's many blessings on our lives.



Don't forget to click on daisy on my sidebar to see others who are posting for Thankful Thursday.


I hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving day and that it is a time of thanksgiving for all of you.

Rhondi xo

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving it's just the four of us. Only 2 of our kids are able to be here. Even so I still like to make the table look pretty and festive. I polished the silver plate serving dishes. Polished the brass candlesticks Got out the crystal.Starched and ironed the napkins. I found these at a garage sale and they had our initial on them! I set the table with the good china that belonged to my mom. Picked some berries and holly for the center of the table.Lit the candles. And everything sparkles!Tomorrow there will be turkey and all the trimmings. We have so much to be thankful for.

Rhondi xo

A Delightful Morning

I headed out to the shops first thing this morning to get a few last minute things for our Thanksgiving dinner. It was one of those beautiful sunny mild days we get in winter here in North Carolina, which is one of the things I love about living here.

My first stop was The Dollar Tree where I got these red plates. Aren't they great? There were also large bowls and mugs too and cute wine glasses with white snowflakes. I resisted and just got 8 plates. By the way, notice my apron has cherries on it? I forgot about it yesterday when I was photographing cherries! My next stop was Wal Mart. I thought it would be busy but it wasn't and the lady who was at the check out was singing Christmas songs and was just as cheerful as could be.

As I was heading home, I passed by the nursery and saw their "half off pansies" sign. I am really late getting pansies this year and thought I had missed my opportunity. So I was able to get all the pansies I needed for much less than I usually paid and they were bigger than what I usually get too.

I was back home by 11:15. A delightful morning full of bargains, sunshine and cheerful people.

I hope you find some sunshine and cheer in your day today.

Rhondi xo

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Do you ever find that all of a sudden you have a collection of things, without intentionally collecting them. On the weekend I bought some fabric with cherries on to use for trim on some pillows I'm going to make.

As I was putting the fabric away this morning I saw some other cherry fabric I'd bought a while ago. Then it hit me: I have an unintentional collection of cherries. So I made a little vignette of all my cherry things for you to see.

A candleholder (50 cents at Goodwill) which is trimmed with one of my favorites patterns: black with white dots. Actually I love polka dots in any color!

Cherries on a glass carafe. Also 50 cents at Goodwill!

Cherries on a plate. $1.00 at Goodwill. Cherries on a purse. The label says Kate Spade but I don't know if it's real. Anyhow it was on $1.50 at Goodwill. Cherries on fabric.

More cherries on fabric.

More cherries on fabric

Cherries on a little flower pot trimmed in another of my favorite patterns: black and white check. I also like red and white check and blue and white check! I think I got this at a garage sale for $.50 or $1.00.

Now that I have all these cherry items will I be on the lookout now for more cherries and want to add them to my collection. I don't plan to, but I do find cherries very cheerful and might just end up acquiring some more. Unintentionally of course!!

"Life is just a bowl of cherries." What does that mean anyway?

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

It has turned quite cold here in the last couple of days, so the furnace has been on a little bit more. I am thankful for a warm house, a house that protects us from the rain and wind and cold. I am thankful for warm clothes to wear when I have to go outside in the cold.

I have said this many times before but I am thankful for all the wonderful friends I've made since I began to blog. Yesterday was my one year anniversary of starting this blog and I am thankful for how you have enriched my life.

Here is a list of the others who are posting for thankful Thursday. I wonder what they are thankful for today.

POSTED FROM HOME

JUSTIFIED JOURNEY

ROSES AND STUFF

QUINESSENTIAL MAGPIE

HIP CHICK

REFINING LIFE

11TH HEAVEN'S HOMEMAKING HAVEN

LIFE IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD

TRULY SERENDIPITY

HOPE TREE STUDIO

A TALE OF MAGICAL MEMORIES

MOM'S MUSINGS

BACKYARD NEIGHBOR

A SHELL IN YOUR POCKET

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

A Year Already!

It was a year ago today that I began blogging and wrote my first post. So it's time for a celebration. I've rescued the last flowers from the garden just before the frost got them and set them on the tableI've set out my Dainty Blue tea set.

Here's a cup for you

Everything is ready for us to have a nice hot cup of tea and a good chat.Thanks for a wonderful year. You are the best and I am so glad that I've gotten to know you and can call you my friends.I hope you can stay for awhile and have a cup of tea with me and eat some of that beautiful cake.

Rhondi xo

Weekend in the Mountains

Our friend's boss owns a wonderful log home in the mountains and we got to spend the weekend there. It sits at the top of a mountain and the view out the window is spectacular especially when a rainbow appears in the sky!

These 2 views are from a trip up there in the summer when the leaves were green.

The views are framed by these amazing windows.This is the main living area.

A view of the huge beams in the ceiling and the amazing railing handmade from trees from the property.

A balcony off one of the upstairs bedrooms.A close up of the wonderful craftsmanship in the railings.On Sunday morning the sunrise was spectacular.

There was a little dusting of snow overnight.And the morning was topped off by delicious french toast made with cream cheese, crusty bread and warmed fruit with pecans sprinkled on top.Just like the sign said: "The Mountains - Just another day in paradise!"

What a wonderful weekend.

Rhondi xo