Blogging Has It's Rewards (Awards, Actually....)

Somebody pinch me! (Well...not literally.)

In less than a week I have been blessed to receive not one but TWO blog awards from some really incredible fellow (sister) bloggers. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The first award, called the "Sisterhood" award, came from sweet Suzie Naso who's blog is called My Sid Dickens Addiction (too funny!).

For those who may not be familiar with Sid Dickens, he is an artist who creates the most beautiful decorative dimensional tiles that have a cult-following

(KIND OF LIKE THE BEENIE-BABIES ADDICTION OUR KIDS HAD YEARS AGO -- ONLY THIS COLLECTIBLE IS FOR US GROWN-UPS!).

Aren't these tiles incredible? And trust me, these designs are only two of countless (thousands?) that Sid Dickens has created over the years.

So, Suzie thoughtfully passed this "Sisterhood" award on to me. Aww....Suzie, THANK YOU, "Sis!"

In the spirit of now passing on this award to other very deserving blogs, here is a listing of some that you really must visit -- they are truly part of the "sisterhood of bloggers" and you'll be very happy to discover them if you haven't already:

1). Heidi from DREAMS INTERTWINED - We sort of found each other through Etsy (don't get me started -- I should start another blog called "My Etsy Addiction"...). I purchased some things from her Etsy store and then began following her blog and I found she also follows my blog! See there -- sisters! :)

2.) Andrea from EVERYDAY BEAUTY blog -- this blog is absolutely gorgeous. I'm so drawn in by the design/colors/etc...And she always has such unique crafting ideas, etc. You may know her online store called One Hundred Wishes -- yeah...another fab addiction to start...

3). Jeanne from A BUSHEL & A PECK blog -- oh how I've loved getting to know this "sister" in blogging. More and more that we have in common continues to be discovered and her blog is a true joy. Its also been fun being "Facebook Friends", too! Jeanne has an Etsy store as well and makes such beautiful aprons and picture frames...you must check it all out!

4.) Tracie from MY PETITE MAISON - this is one dreamy blog -- I am officially in love with her huge but sweet white dog, too. This blog is like being in a fairy tale land...click over and see what I mean...

5.) Lis at LA MIA CUCINA -- If you love to cook (or just love to look at goreous foods someone else has cooked) you MUST visit this blog. With a focus on Italian fare, this blog never fails to make me want to head straight to the kitchen and get cooking. She makes everything look so yummy and so easy!

6.) Carol of RAISED IN COTTON - Wow. My oh my oh my...I love this blog and I love her store. 'Nuf said.

7.) Ruthann of WARM PIE, HAPPY HOME - I want to just step into my computer screen and into her kitchen/home. If anyone has actually achieved the ability to step back in time to a simpler, kinder life, this incredible woman seems to have done it. You will absolutely love this blog.

8.) Cindy at MY ROMANTIC HOME - What a pretty, pretty blog with the lovely picture of her creations and her romantic home -- and Cindy is another Etsy shop owner (uh oh, again with Etsy!). Please take a moment to visit both her blog & her Etsy site!

9.) Lidy at FRENCH GARDEN HOUSE blog - Well, my new friend Lidy and I are "sisters" in another way this year...we were both included in the Feb. 2009 issue of Romantic Homes magazine's listing of their "Romantics" for the year. She was the first person to congratulation me -- by email, on Christmas day!! We have really connected and her blog is beautfiul, as is her heart and soul.

10.) Jamie of SIMPLY ME ART - Okay, I'm admitting it, this is ANOTHER Etsy store owner/blogger...I promise you, I do not spend every waking hour on the Etsy site! Really!

Her jewelry creations are totally unique and have that wonderful vintage/funky appeal.

Well, there you have it. My 10 nominees for the "Sisterhood" blog award.

If you're on the list above, won't you take a moment at some point soon to bless some other well-deserving sistahs out there in blog-land? Its as easy as 1,2,3!

Here's all you do:

1. Put the Sisterhood image/logo on your blog -- be sure to link back to the person who bestowed this award on you somewhere in the post (that would be me...). :)

2. Nominate about 10 blogs which possess the spirit of blog "sisterhood", linking to each of them within your post as you mention them.

3. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

Thank you, again, Suzie!!!

____________________________________________________________________________

Just last night, I received another blog award, this time from Heidi of Dreams Intertwined (listed as #1 up above as one of my choices to receive the Sisterhood award). I had already designated her blog to receive the Sisterhood award in planning for this post, and low and behold last night she contacted me to tell me she was passing on an award to me! Now THAT'S amazing! :)

Heidi passed along the Este Blog award, awarded to bloggers who invest in the PROXIMITY of space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. Wow. Thank you, Heidi! That is SOOOO sweet! :)

Listed below are my nominees for this wonderful blog award:

1.) PAINTED WHITE BY ALICE - Wow. One talented lady. A shop, design services, and a great blog.

2.) Lisa of URBAN FARMHOUSE blog - Lisa was also included in this year's Romantic Homes listing of "Romantics" for 2009. Her blog and store are incredible eye-candy and I so wish I lived closer to her store!

3.) My dear friend Jackie Cate of WREN'S NEST - I think I first discovered Jackie through Flickr and being involved in the "Shades Of Inspiration" photography group. We are also Facebook "friends" and just "friends" in general. I love Jackie's sense of style -- we both adore all things French -- and her blog is always full of gorgeous photos and ideas.

3.) Tina from CHERRY HILL COTTAGE - WARNING: Do not got to this blog if you are hungry or on a diet! I am going to burn through an ink cartridge just printing recipes from this incredible blog!! Thanks, Tina!

4.) Molly of PARIS MARKET blog - Molly has taken photos from her European travels and transformed them into the most beautiful designs on tumbled marble tiles (of all sizes) and even transferred the photos onto gorgeous calf skin handbags made by generations-old craftsmen in Italy. If these sound familiar its because early last year I discovered Molly and her wares and have been offering them in my shop! See the tiles HERE and those fabulous handbags HERE.

Well ladies -- just like the "rules" for the Sisterhood award, please find a moment sometime soon and pass this award on to some other deserving blogger out there, linking back to this post as well as to your nominee's blog.

Thank you for BOTH of my awards. Who's luckier/happier than me? NOBODY!!!

Number Pillows, TONS of New Items....Get Comfy...This One Could Take A While.

{SLIDE SHOW BELOW! IF NOTHING SEEMS TO APPEAR, REFRESH YOUR PAGE}

We've got your number! Number pillow, that is.

I am beside myself right now (bursting at the seams, actually) with my very own creation, another new range of pillows I've playfully dubbed the "Mathematicus" pillow collection.

Actually, it all started when I photographed our big 2' square burlap pillow next to a "number" pillow I had personally (a gift to my daughter for her graduation from a friend).

The picture on our site that "started it all".

I put the little #34 pillow in the photograph just for fun and because I loved the contrast between the textural quality of the burlap and the finer, contemporary look of the number pillow. That was all it took. I began getting calls and emails asking if I sold the #34 pillow in the picture. I knew I was on to something and the rest, as they say, is history....

These new pillows have been in the works for months now and apparently the timing is perfect, because all we're hearing about in the decorating-trends world is how "big" graphic designs and NUMBERS in particular are going to be in decor this year! SCORE!!

In fact, a few issues back, Romantic Homes magazine did a whole feature on the coming trend of numbers in all manner of home decorating. I couldn't believe it when I saw the feature, since I knew what I already had in production (the number pillows) -- I was thrilled to see that for once maybe, I was almost ahead of the curve! ;)

There are three fabric/color styles for the three numbers we offer and they coordinate quite well together -- which is good because if you haven't already figured it out, when placed together, the three pillows "equal" 123456. How about that?

Probably the most modern/casual pillow is the white denim #34. A step "up" might be the khaki linen #12. The most "formal"/handsome/dressy pillow might be the menswear fabric #56.

They are each real work of art and extremely well-made. I was so fortunate to have a master-seamstress agree to work with me on bringing my vision for this collection to life. Thank you SO MUCH, Karen!! :)

And definitely take note: the numbers are not merely printed on, they are expertly and beautifully embroidered onto each pillow. Yet another way we took these pillows up quite a few notches in detail.

Its no secret that I have a real "thing" for numbers -- they're scattered throughout my home in any number of forms and places. No real rhyme or reason to them, I just can't seem to get enough of their bold, simple but strong statement in a room.

French Bistro Plates (featured as an editor's pick a few months back in Romantic Home mag!)

In any given room in my home you are inclined to spy perhaps vintage price tags of all kinds, antique metal numerical store signage, etc. I even took one of the vintage price makers and placed it in a teeny-tiny gold frame that wasn't in use. No reason. Just because.

So, if you have a passion for grahic style and numbers in particular, please, please don't delay -- these are already selling fast (and they just hit the site this past weekend!).

Also, The Beautiful Life will be "setting up shop" at a huge local women's show in a couple of weeks and we plan to bring the new pillows to sell there -- and we fully anticipate not coming back with any -- so again, not to be "alarmist" but....I'm just sayin'.... :)

Its been SO long since I did a post about new inventory and now I almost can't remember what I've told you about and what I haven't, so I'll try to cover as much as possible here, but for a peek at it ALL, just click here: new intro's to the store:

CAPRI BLUE CANDLES: Incrediby FAB new scents were purchased and we added the much-requested "Chub" size to the line-up. You simply MUST check them out! The new scents are Havana, Blue Jean and Tuscan Sun. We also (FINALLY) restocked the cult-following-popular "Volcano" scent. Its all good! No, its all great!

VALENTINE'S BINGO CARDS (regular size and mini-packs):

Cute, cute, cute! We sold out of all our Christmas-themed BINGO cards like these and just for a limited time (and in limited quantity) we have the new Valentine versions. They're perfect for kids' Valentine parties and crafts! The little mini-cards are perfect little gift tags but I LOVE the idea of using them to write sweet little notes on to tuck in your child's (or hubby's) lunch!

Great assortment of cute KITCHEN TIMERS disguised as Espresso machines, coffee pots, toasters, and even a pepper mill!

Brand new crop of some really excellent FRENCH BISTRO APRONS!! Oh boy do I love these! Right down my alley, as they say, from the incredible linen fabric to their bold bistro graphics. There is a half-apron that is just like the really long ones worn by bistro-workers -- perfect for protecting the pant legs! The fabric and color-tones of these new aprons has a sort of natural, more organic feel. They remind me of vintage feedsack designs! LOVE THEM!!

A new batch of our extremely popular SANTOS HANDS -- the small "Petite Pairs" have been restocked (and are already almost gone!) and we added a new style called "Plucking Hands" so named because one of the hands looks like its plucking something. Cute!

New jewelry (some GORGEOUS NECKLACES, perfect for adding a fresh look to your wardrobe),

a new HANDBAG MADE FROM RECYCLED TIRES (yes -- you read it correctly).

Let's just say THAT item is flying out the door and it is probably one of the coolest things I've ever seen. The purse is roomy, its comfortable, and its durable (its made of tires, for heaven's sake!). I used mine (okay, I confess - its really my daughter's, but what's her's is mine, right???) this past weekend when I went "antiquing" because I knew it would hold all my "stuff" and could be slung over my shoulder freeing up my hands for more important things--like buying!! Plus, we all know junking/antiquing is done in some of the not-so-cleanest of places so you don't want to bring a handbag that can't take anything dirt-wise. Again, we're talking recycle tire innertubes, here...a little dust and dirt mean nothing to this purse! :)

NEW RIBBON COLLECTIONS, MURANO GLASS ITEMS, BAMBOO PENS (the Twig Pens have all sold out now), GREAT COCKTAIL PICKS (think SUPERBOWL!), COLORFUL FRAMES MADE FROM RECYCLED GLASS BANGLE BRACELETS, and some old favorites are back in stock such as the RECYCED-WOOD FOLD-UP CUBBY-HOLE ORGANIZER and our FRENCH BURLAP MARKET BAG and giant 2' square BURLAP PILLOW COVER (the very one that started the "number pillow" craze!).

Honestly, there is simply TOO MUCH to list -- head over to our New Items page! and you'll see it all.

There is also a Valentine's Day gift ideas page for you on the site, as well. Not an exhaustive listing of gift ideas from the store, but enough to get you started. :)

And guess what...there are still things yet to be photographed that aren't even up yet!

I still need to decide what we may just hold back & not photograph and simply bring to the show to sell, and what simply MUST go up on the site (since I'd hate to hold out on you!).

Could there be a more fun "job"? I put it in quotes because for the life of me this just never feels like work! :)

I had a customer call me from Wisconsin (Hi, Denise, if you're reading this!) one night at close to midnight my time and I think I startled her by actually answering the phone that late. There I was, in my office "working" (again, the quotes). I just simply love being there, love being around all this cool stuff and honestly, I feel sometimes like I'm just "playing!"

We chatted about Santos Hands and other things and it was wonderful visiting with a customer -- even that late at night. So who knows, if you try your luck one late evening, you may just find me there after-hours yourself! If I'm there, I'll be happy to visit! :)

Well, this is as much as I can fit in for now....between buying, photographing, shipping orders, and preparing for the our booth at the coming show, who knows when I'll post again. Just keep checking the site - if we've added it lately, it will definitely be on the New Items page!

PSSTT! Don't miss out on the savings on the NEW YEAR'S CLEARANCE page!

Your Friend,

Ruth Harsham

My "Romantic" Life...Thank You, Romantic Homes magazine!

Thank you, Romantic Homes magazine!!!

Oh how life can surprise you!

I got the surprise of my life when one afternoon last September I was contacted by my favorite magazine, Romantic Homes, telling me they would like to include me in their February"Romantics" issue.

You could have knocked me over with a feather. And of course I said YES! :)

{I was SO happy that one of the pics they chose to include was one with our sweet black Lab, Nicodemus, in it! }

The issue has just come out and I got my copy in the mail today -- what fun to not only see the little blurb about moi, but to be in the company of some really special people!

There were quite a few chosen this year and the list is quite diverse! I was familiar with all but just a few and it was so wonderful to read about the ways they try to live "romantically".

In my typical style, I submitted WAY more photos and WAY more written copy then they could EVER use, and their finished product is just wonderful, I think.

Just for fun, here are some of the pics taken for this feature that didn't make it into the mag...

{On the left, a chair next to the front door, on it are some of my prized antique diaries and ledger books. Just outside the glass you can see one of our cats, Tigger. On the right are some of my vintage wooden shoe forms...I have quite a few of them and I suppose its now time to stop buying more. Ya think?? :) }

{Just one of my many dress forms -- this one is made of a cardboard-type material and is pretty fragile. I love how the paper is aged to this mellow, golden tone. Like the shoe forms, I suppose I've reached a level where I don't need even one more of these. Until another must-have shows up somewhere!!! :) Just a note: I know NO ONE who is this size, by the way. The waist measurement on this form is must be about 10 inches. Crazy!}

{An old rattan desk situated in our dining room next to one of the massive old doors in this room -- these doors were actually one of the main selling points of this house for me.}

The idea behind this yearly feature is to cull from various and diverse individuals those ideas and ways of life that exemplify "romantic living". I had many notions about living beautifully and it was a real pleasure to have a chance to really give this topic some thought...

As the Romantic Homes article stated, my store's "motto" is 'Elegant Essentials & Sensible Luxuries' - meaning simply that even things essential to daily life should also be beautiful and elegant; and the luxuries we allow ourselves don't have to break the bank, since a luxury is not defined by its price tag, rather bythe enduring beauty it brings to our daily lives.

Think of it -- you reach for a notepad to jot out a reminder for yourself or to add eggs to the shopping list - why not reach for a lovely pen housed in an antique French mustard jar and a beautiful pad with brightly colored paper? You can pour dishwasher detergent from the cardboard box it comes in, or you can scoop it with a silver scoop from a vintage enamelware box (see, even doing the dishes can be "beautified!"). When you finally settle in for the evening with a stack of great magazines to peruse, why not fill the room with beautiful music instead of the cacophony of the TV? Fill the air with a beautiful scent from a gorgeous candle & enjoy hot tea from a lovely bone china cup.

Each one of these in itself is a small detail, but together they equal abeautiful gift you choose to give yourself that day. These days our minds run 100-miles an hour all day. If we never give our thoughts a chance to stop, and be collected in beauty, we're simply not living, we're existing; nothing could be more unromantic.

The more you incorporate beautiful expressions of living into your daily life,the more easily entertaining, even on the spur of the moment, will become. You will already have a stock of beautiful napkins, silver will already bepolished, and beautiful china will be readily accessible rather than somethingyou have to hunt through a closet to retrieve.

Here is a twist on the Golden Rule: "Do unto yourself (and your family)as you would do unto company." And believe me, when you do have guests in, they will definitely notice the ease and grace with which you host them and it will be apparent that this is more than just an occasional practice foryou - rather, a way of life.

Think of your home as your large-scale "inspiration board" -ever-changing and alive. You're in charge of what's on display, and the current trend-of-the-moment just really doesn't matter.

So what if others don't seem to appreciate the items you've chosen to collect:

vintage men's shirt collars displayed beautifully in the laundry room
next to laundry soap dispensed from a gorgeous glass apothecary jar; displays of wooden shoe forms and charming vintage dress forms;
a lovely bowl brimming with antique skeleton keys and a scattering of
chipped enamel watch faces.

The things you love and are drawn to reflect you, and in your home that
is all that matters. Your very soul will sing when everywhere your eyes fall
in your home there is an object of beauty and meaning, dear to you and you
alone; souvenirs of a life beautifully lived.

I just love the words of
Cary Grant in one of my favorite movies, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Home:
"A house is like a fine painting. You buy it with your heart,
not your head. You don't ask 'How much was the paint, and how much
was the canvas.' You look at it and you say, 'It's beautiful... I
want it.'
And, if it costs a few more pennies, you pay it and gladly, because you love it
and you can't measure things you love in dollars and cents."

The painted
and stenciled floors throughout the house are quite scarred from years of very large dogs running on
them. 

The vintage windows are drafty and not at all energy efficient. 

And
the floorboards creak and are anything but level. 

And yet, these are all
things I love about my home. 

My home, like many others, is far from perfection, but it is just right for our family.

After all, you kind of have to extend a
bit of grace to an old "gal" who is 118 years old -- she's earned the creaks
in her joints, the scars in her finishes, and the sagging foundation (as have many of us!).

Fill your home with things that you see the beauty in (even if others
don't grasp what you see in them). Rescue a vintage typewriter and
display it prominently, perhaps with a love letter or verse tucked in the roll
mechanism. Collect antique diaries (I do) and slowly read through the daily
chronicling of the life of someone who lived 100 years ago. Oh, how they
reveal how differently we live today (and we could learn a thing or two from the past!).

Oh! Before I forget, I wanted to let you know about a few shop-update things:

Our huge 2-foot square burlap pillow covers & giant burlap market bags are back in stock. They sold out SO quickly before and we now have them back in and ready to ship!

• 
  
  Our new supply of the French metal bottle drying racks is in, too! These were a huge seller before the holidays and we finally got some back in the shop and ready to go!
  
  
  
• 
  
  There are new items that are going to be up on the site soon (just need to take pics) such as some INCREDIBLE French aprons -- bistro-types with great graphic qualities and done in a fabulous line-type fabric, that you will LOVE!!
  
  
  
• 
  
  Some gorgeous black/white French "Eiffel Tower" napkins and kitchen towel sets (if you like the ones we had in pink and in turquoise you'll adore these -- just wait!).
  
  
  
• 
  
  Drumroll....Our own exclusive "Mathematicus" pillows are almost done and will be available to ship in the next couple of weeks! We chose three complimentary fabrics/thread colors and three different numbers (12, 34, & 56) for the number pillows and when purchased together, it will look like 123456 when laid out together! Trust me, initial reactions to the pillows that have been completed have been overwhelmingly POSITIVE and I have a feeling these are going to be a huge hit! Coming SOON!
  
  
  

Well, thanks so much for letting me tell you about my "news" of being in the Feb. issue of THE MOST AWESOME mag out there -- get your copy today! Better yet, if you don't already have one, get your subscription! I've never been disappointed with even one issue in all the years I've read it...you won't either!

Yours Beautifully (and I suppose now "romantically", too!),

Ruth Harsham

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH OF YOU!

TODAY WE TAKE FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES...HOPING YOU

WILL, TOO...WITH NO CARES OF DIETS, CALORIES, OR FAT-GRAMS...OKAY???

PROMISE???

JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I ADORE GETTING TO KNOW EACH OF YOU THROUGH THIS BLOG -- WHO COULD HAVE IMAGINED WHAT A NETWORK OF REAL FRIENDS WAS WAITING TO UNFOLD OUT THERE IN BLOG-LAND!

THANK YOU, ALSO, FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL YEAR OVER AT THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE.COM -- YOU ARE THE REASON HAVING THE STORE IS SO FUN & REWARDING!! :)

ALL MY BEST TO YOU!

~RUTH HARSHAM~

Merry Christmas! Won't You Join Me For A Cup Of Coffee & Stay A While? The Decorations Are Sparce But The Joy Is Plentiful!

PLEASE COME IN!

I WAS HOPING YOU'D STOP BY!!


[Step through our front door and come in for a bit, won't you? The French enamel sign says "Tout Va Bien" which means "All Is Well" -- never a more perfect message as you enter...]

Its FINALLY begun to 'look a lot like Christmas' around my own home. For weeks I've enjoyed the sights and decor of your homes via your blogs and each one has been a true feast for the eyes!

[Above and below are photos of the table in our living room next to the tree...the vintage ornaments in the silver tray are very dear to me...I remember putting them on our tree as a child each year and even then they were so fragile and to be handled very carefully. They originally belonged to my father's parents and somehow then we began using them on our tree when I was growing up (that's my dad in the photo under the glass on the table in the picture below). Now they are here at my house and I place them all together in a tray or bowl each year since there are so few of them left now. This is the one time when color, style or flashy flair don't mean a thing -- the main thing these ornaments bring is memories, love and a very warm feeling whenever they are brought out each year. ]

I've enjoyed your pretty snowy "villages" set up on window sills, glittery baubles and garlands hung from every nook and cranny, treasured mementos from years (sometimes generations) past lovingly displayed...It has been just delightful being able to "peek" into your homes and feel as though I'd actually stepped through your front door out of the wintry cold and come for an afternoon visit. Thank you so much for the time you've taken to not only do all the beautiful decorating, but to also capture it all in pictures and put it out there for us to enjoy!

[Below is the first thing you'd see walking into our front door, on the hallway cabinet...most of what's there is there all year, I just quickly grabbed a pillar from another room and added wired mini-garland and a brooch that belonged to my husband's grandmother. I nestled it among some pine garland and arranged a bird's nest with things that were already right there on the cabinet all year long. Done!]

I wish I could have each and every one of you into my home for an afternoon -- complete with hot coffee, tea, cider, cocoa, chocolate (lots of it!), Christmas cookies and candies of course -- and just visit with you.

[Above is a favorite Christmas kitchen towel with the entire song "The First Noel" printed on it. The two little faux Christmas petite fours are some that I've had for probably almost 20 years! I simply placed this on our kitchen table this year with all the things that are always there anyway, and that was that! ]

I'd treasure hearing your stories, hearing the room filled with laughter and then even (as we women can be prone to do) share a tear or two. We each have a unique position in life and no matter how each of us goes about our lives on a daily basis, I truly believe if we could bring all of it together in a room at once, we'd be utterly amazed at what we truly possess as women and how truly influencial we are in the lives of those with whom we live.

[Above and below is the dress form project I did over the summer -- "she" started out as a brand new, not-so-special form (white fabric body) and following the directions many of you have seen online, I painted her, aged her with antiquing glaze and voila - she is now known as Joelle and she stands in our front hallway just inside the front door all year long. Her accessories change throughout the year depending on my (her) mood, but for now she's wearing whatever I found in the few boxes I brought in from storage... And she wears them well, don't you think? (Oh those French women -- they can look good in ANYTHING they just 'throw on', can't they?) ]

This past year may have seen many changes for you -- good and/or not so good -- but no matter how bleak things may appear from time to time (or for you, perhaps for a very long time), there is always, always hope. Hope embodied in the celebration of Christmas truly does endure for the rest of the year -- as it is a hope that is not affected by economics, politics, or crisis of any sort. This hope is the one and only truly unwaivering constant that can be counted on.

The more this is focused on, particularly this time of year, the less all the "fluff" and "stuff" of this season matters.

[Below is one of our Christmas cards that I love so much, I framed it in an otherwise unused mirrored frame. At the last minute, I placed it in the tree...immediately I knew it was right. The tree symbolizes Christmas, but a tree also enters into why He was born...thinking toward Easter and the cross... Amazing. Actually, its amazing love.

This truth has been "brought home" to me this year more than ever. It had really bothered me that I was almost three weeks "late" getting my house decorated and even now it is done very sparingly. (Last year almost 10 trees, this year one small one!) I began to think that at this point, "what's the point"? Since in just a couple of weeks it would all have to come right back down. Then I realized, who cares if it isn't done to a caliber of Macy's or Saks? Even the smallest effort (and this year I do mean small!) imparts that beauty, that feeling of warmth and meaning that the season is all about.

[Above you'll notice the clock faces in the tree -- guess where those came from?? Remember Fabulous Fifi's recent garage sale?? Well I went since I'm only an hour away and she GAVE these to me! I had admired them in the pictures of her home on her blog and there they were in her garage sale -- I knew that if Ididn't leave with anything but those, I'd be happy. And she ended up just giving them to me. Thank you, Fifi. I just love them. And I love them in the tree! I'll always think of Fifi when I see them. How fun! ]

It's been kind of like one of those life-challenge questions you hear, that are supposed to get you thinking about what's important: "If your house was on fire and you could only grab an arm-load of things, what would they be?" Well, this year, decorating-wise, it was the same thing: "If you have only a few hours to decorate and that's it, what will you bring in from storage and what stays packed up this year?" The resulting "finished product" has been interesting...not over-done, and only the things I really, really love and love to look at. And the funny thing is, compared to all the effort that went into the display here at home last year, I'm telling you -- I'm sold on "simple"! :)

[The tin winged box in the photo above has a paper stamped tag in it (because I couldn't find anything else small enough to fit!) and it usually hangs all year long on one of the knobs on our victrola player. While I was decorating the tree, I turned around and there it was, hanging on the victrola so I snagged it and placed it on a branch. I do love this box, though. Its so unusual and I often think of all kinds of dreamy little mini-scenes I could create inside it....]

[Reading through antique journals and dairies gives you a real sense of how complicated our lives today have actually become! Maybe we really haven't "come a long way, baby" after all!]

[The photos above show antique, very time-worn day books (old versions of Day-Timers) and ledgers. Oh my, how I love these books...they are sooo old and sooo worn that the pages literally disintegrate and crumble in your hands. Their aged, brown good-looks are perfect, stunning in fact, with the sage green irridescent taffeta fabric used as a tree skirt (a fabric remnant purchased at least 15 years ago for next to nothing!).

I noticed the books just lying in another room while I was putting the Christmas decor around the house and I snapped them up and headed straight for the tree...I love them there!

To some these old, broken down books may look like garbage --something that you couldn't even imagine paying good money for -- but to me they are beauty in its highest form. They have been used by someone so long ago I'll never know them, but that person's writing endures on those pages and is there for me to peruse and enjoy, dreaming of what it must have been like in his/her day...You can't "buy" that kind of dreaming. Yes, I paid for the books, but the dreaming and wondering...priceless.]

So, for every extra tree that doesn't get put up (usually in a room no one even goes in), there is that much more time for sitting with a loved one over coffee or tea. For every garland I choose to LEAVE IN STORAGE, I exchange that for a few more moments to just sit and breathe...

[The photo above is a shot of part of my dining room table...nothing except the glittery grapes and the candle holder with silver candles was added for Christmas...not exactly your traditional Christmas looks or colors, but then, not much around the house is. ]

So, as you may have guessed, I'm taking in the beauty of my "Charlie Brown Christmas" this year with new eyes and you know what? I think our buddy Charlie knew what was up all the time... Simple is better. Way better.

[Above are view from two rooms -- on the left is the tree as seen from the dining room looking into the living room at the front of the house...our one and only tree and a pretty thing she is, huh? The picture on the right is looking through the dining room back toward the family room -- where we do most of our living. In fact, its funny that I didn't even consider it when taking these pictures so quickly, but I now can see the yellow throw we use on chilly nights piled/bunched up in a heap right in the middle of the couch... (you probably would never have noticed it, but I sure did when I was uploading these pics!) Yep...we really do live in this old house, and the camera caught a perfect example of daily life here -- a throw casually pitched on the couch after a long stay in front of the tv... perfect. ]

Who knows...perhpas next year I'll be totally ready for the gazillion trees and garlands again.... maybe next year we'll go away for Christmas and I won't decorate at all! (NOT!) But all I know right now, today, is this: I wish you all -- each of you -- the best, best Christmas ever. Your circumstances being whatever they are, may you stop for a moment or two, take a deep breath, and look around you....when you boil it all down, it truly is 'A Wonderful Life', isn't it? And there isn't anyone on earth who really, truly has it "better" than you....

Merry Christmas!!

You are loved,

Ruth