I’m totally nicking this idea from Gertie, and doing a roundup of some photos and memories from 2009. I thought it would be a fun way to wrap up the year and get ready to celebrate the New Year!
December 2009
[ click for a larger view. ]
I thought you all might like a little peek into a new addition to my little vintage magazine collection! I had been unsuccessfully trying to win a few issues of “Seventeen” for the past months on Ebay; it seemed like every one I tried to buy went way out of my price range. So I’m super excited that one finally ended up in my hot little hands! lol. This one is from August 1949, and has a lovely overview of high school and collegiate fashion for that year. Enjoy!
[ velvet dresses always seem the height of luxury this time of year! ]
[ sweaters and pencil skirts... always a classic. ]
[ I love the plaid beret and amazing coat! ]
[ such a sweet design with a wing collar. ]
[ the fabric looks amazing! ]
[ interesting, over-sized pockets were very popular at this point. this skirt sports some fun ones! ]
[ swanky shoes! I'll take one of each, please--especially those saddle shoes! ]
[ mr. freckles: one of the few photos I took Christmas morning before my in-laws arrived! ]
I hope you all had a lovely holiday! Thank you so much for your holiday emails and comments! We’re in recovery mode around here right now; cleaning up the last vestiges of unwrapping gifts and after the massive amount of cooking done on Christmas day. We had such a lovely Christmas! As usual, I’m just a little sad that it’s over already; I’m planning on keeping my decorations up at least a little while longer to make the magic last!
[ mr. freckles investigating his first Christmas stocking... ]
I have a few posts scheduled to go live over the course of the week. My in-laws are going to be visiting for the rest of the week, so we have a bunch of plans lined up that take me away from internet access for long periods. hehe! (Not a bad thing, considering I’m glued to my computer most days!) So I think it’s safe to say I’ll “officially” return to the blogworld January 4. Until then I’ll be visiting with family, knitting in my free moments, reading some books gifted to me, and eating too much candy (Sailor Husband stuffed my stocking with chocolate this year! Sure knows a way to my heart… lol.). I hope you have a fantastic week and New Year, friends!
I just wanted to post to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I’m probably going to skip posting for a few days; my in-laws arrive tomorrow, and then we have some weekend plans with them. I shall hopefully return by Monday though.
Thank you all so much for your lovely comments about my Christmas preparations (and the “pistachio dress” post)–they have truly warmed my heart and helped me get in the holiday spirit. You all are the sweetest, kindest friends! I hope you all have a lovely, safe, and blessed holiday!
While my mother emailed me regular updates over the weekend about the big snowstorm that dumped on the northern portions of the East Coast, Sailor Husband and I were busy creating our own version of a winter snowstorm! I have to admit, one of the wintertime things we both miss the most in Florida is snow. I don’t miss shoveling it, or having to deal with bad traffic due to snow, I miss the magic of a snowfall. So we did a “Florida version” by hanging a bunch of white tissue paper pom poms (tutorial on Martha here) and snowflake ornaments (courtesy Target after-Christmas sale, a couple years ago). Capturing the magic it adds to the space in a photo was difficult; but every time I walk into the room I smile and feel a little like wintertime has visited us!
I also wanted to show you some other pictures of things that have been tweaked or gone up around here for Christmas! (More photos here.) The gingerbread house was finished (I based it on this template), and I have to admit, I am so excited about it! I did a little dance after I finished it. hehe! I was going for a “Hansel and Gretel” look; encrusted with candy! Sailor Husband keeps asking when he can eat it. lol! (If you’re interested, here’s the page I found on making the icing “icicles” that hang from the front roof.) It’s right next to my little white feather tree that is bedecked with the cupcake ornaments, so I’ve dubbed this the “Sweets Corner”.
These are the $1 tinsel wreaths that I made. I wanted a trio of wreaths for a long wall in the dining room, but couldn’t find any within my budget, and wreath forms at the craft store were just as pricey. So I picked up three packages of silver tinsel garland ($1 each), and made my own wreath forms from wire coat hangers and rolls of newspaper taped over top. Once the tinsel was wrapped around, you’d never know it’s humble origins! The bows and mini ornaments were added for a bit more embellishment.
Finally, our beautiful tree! Being matchy-matchy is reserved for my small feather tree; this one is decidedly more eclectic. Sailor Husband and I have rather sizable collections of ornaments that we’ve been getting since we were babies, which makes it fun to decorate the tree and tell stories. This year, we were able get our live tree from a group that gives active duty military members fresh cut trees for free. I feel so blessed!
Are you all ready for the holidays? We have a bunch of stuff left to do (clean and tidy up before my in-laws arrive), prepping dinner for Christmas day, and generally making sure things are as ready as they’ll be. I’m just trying to remind my OCD self that things don’t have to be perfect. After all, Christmas isn’t about meticulously decorated gingerbread houses, delicious cookies, or a perfectly wrapped gift, is it? Have a lovely Tuesday, dear friends!
