Vintage Christmas - Part II

I haven't started much Christmas decorating yet .

I never start till after Thanksgiving, although that usually means Thanksgiving night.

Not this year , just can't get motivated.

I've got all the fall decorations put away and one tree half decorated,

but that's about it.

Oh, except for a few outdoor displays.

I don't like to do that when it's cold and it's about to get real cold real soon around here.

That brings me to a word I really like ~

KITCH

We are big into vocabulary around here ! LOL

Kitch -noun

something of tawdry design, appearance, or content created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating taste.

Or in other words , tacky.

Now some will and do think plastic lawn ornaments are tacky,

and I agree some are.

However I think it's all in how you display them.

I kinda have a thing for vintage , which you well know if you read my blog at all.

Ok, these are borderline , vintage... but I love them.

Pinterest inspiration ( of course )

I prefer snowmen.

However I do have one Santa.

I missed out on an awesome santa complete with sleigh and reindeer at the thrift store.

I had already paid and was on my way out when I saw it.

Of course I was running late and thought I would get it next time.

Cause who besides me would want a faded plastic Santa with sleigh and reindeer?

I guess someone did , when I went back it was gone !...sigh

anyway....

Now my version,

I promise, someday I WILL learn to take good pictures.

I meant to get a picture of it lit up at night.

Didn't happen....

I got these little guys at the thrift store for $2 each!

Score!

Lit up.

I really love it.

So what do you think ?

Kitsch or tacky?

Love or hate ?

Leave me a comment...

I WILL get started on those trees tomorrow ...

REALLY ....

Linking up to these fabulous blogs :

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

http://abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com/

http://www.vwbblog.com/

Vintage Christmas

I haven't done much ( almost none ) Christmas decorating yet.

My plan was to stay home today - NO Black Friday shopping.

Yea, that didn't happen.

Em wanted to go , so of course Mom had to go with.

Meaning : NO decorating got done today.

We are meeting friends tonight .

Tomorrow my crazy family comes to my house for our Thanksgiving.

So , I might get much done tomorrow either.

I have gotten some inspiration from Pinterest though.

I collect vintage Christmas ,

I have for quite a few years now.

Mostly Shiney Brites .

 Never heard of them ? Really?

Well then, you have never been to my house.

They are kind of an obsession for me.

I am a nostalgic person.

They remind me of my Grandma's Christmas tree when I was a kid.

As a matter of fact, my first ones came from my Grandma and my Mother-in-law.

I love finding them .

 You just never know where.

I found some at a garage sale this summer.

My friend Deanna even sent me some she found in a thrift store while she lived in Idaho !

A little history of Shiney Brites~

Until World War II most of the glass Christmas ornaments were imported from Germany and Japan.

With the coming war inevitable ,  America's biggest importers of glass Christmas ornaments, Woolworth's and Max Eckhart & Sons ( owners of the Shiney Bright Company) asked the Corning Company to produce  glass Christmas ornaments with their patented machine previously used to make light bulbs.

In 1939 they began producing the first American made glass Christmas ornaments.

Of all their buyers, Corning sold the most to Max Eckhardt’s Shiny Brite.

He made Shiny Brite Christmas balls and decorations throughout the war. Shiny Brite had innovative solutions to problems brought on by rationing. When metal paints and varnish were unavailable, he began banding balls with slim lines in light shades.
Shiny Brite was the leading maker of glass Christmas decorations by the end of the war. They began making ornaments decorated with vibrant hues, which reflected the vivacity of the post-war era. The traditional metal tops were once again used, this time bearing a proud stamp declaring that Shiny Brite ornaments were U.S.-made. The boxes they were packed in, too, were marked “American Made.”

In 1962, Shiny Brite stopped producing Christmas ornaments.

In 2001 Christopher Radko purchased the rights to reproduce glass ornaments under the Shiney Bright name. Even the boxes bear a strong resemblance to the originals.

My big tree is decorated with all Shiney Brites.

I have glass bowls filled with them.

 I have never been brave enough to do this with them though ~

 I just can't bring myself to put glue on them !

Last year Emily told me my tree looked like a " Grandma tree" ,

Good.

That's exactly what I was going for !

I promise to post  pictures as soon as I get the tree up and decorated !

Here is a new idea I pinned ~

Yea, well , time will tell if I get this done !

Stay tuned for Vintage Christmas Part II coming soon !

Linking this post to :

http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/



Is it a vegatable or a dessert ????

Today , we had a little pre-Thanksgiving with Hubby's siblings and parents.

It was a wonderful day.

We don't take time to get together often , so it was fun to have them in the Trailerhood.

However, I did something stupid.

Something you should never do when you are having company.

I made a recipe I had never made before.

A friend of mine had made it and I loved it, so i asked for the recipe.

I got lucky, it turned out !

So I thought I would share it.

WARNING : this is not , I repeat NOT a low fat super healthy recipe.

Yes it's squash , but it will have you asking , " Is it a vegetable or a dessert?"

Seriously!

Start with a butternut squash , not sure which squash is butternut ?

It looks like this-

I got really lucky and my good friend Linda ( who grows much better veggies than me ) shared her harvest with me !

You want to cook it ( I cubed mine and cooked it in the microwave) and mash it.

Set it a side.

Cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar.

Beat in 2 eggs , 1 can evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Stir in your mashed butternut squash.

This mixture will be REALLY thin,

Pour into a greased 11x7 baking dish.

DISCLAIMER : I did not use a 11x7 pan , I used my beautiful Rachael Ray baking dish ( without the lid)

Cause it's just so pretty !

Bake uncovered  at 350 for 45 minutes.

Combine :

1/2 cup rice crispies

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

2 Tablespoons softened butter

Sprinkle on top of casserole and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes ( till bubbly)

My plan was to take a picture of it in my beautiful baking dish ...

but I forgot.

Family came and everything got busy and...

no picture :(

Bad Blogger!

But seriously, if you like squash , you will LOVE this.

I think you might like this even if you don't like squash.

It's THAT good !

Here are a couple pins you might find helpful.

How to peel/slice squash.

For me it usually involves a large , dangerouss knife , this might be safer.

Helpful chart of types of squash.

Personally , I like them all.

This came up when I did a Pinterest search for SQUASH !

Too funny !

Anyhoo, if you try it , let me know what you think,

vegetable or dessert ?

Linking to :

http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/2011/11/amaze-me-monday-50.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DittleDattle+%28Dittle+Dattle%29

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2011/11/kitchen-tweak-welcome-to-148th.html#more

http://www.bystephanielynn.com/

Wine Love

I have started a new Pinterest board.

Wine Love.

Cause you know, I L*O*V*E wine !

For those of you still not on Pinterest ~

Really ???

 WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

I know it's a time waster , but what a fun way to waste time !

Not sure what Pinterest is ?

Wikepedia says:

Pinterest (Pin-tũr-ĕst) is a vision board-styled social photo sharing website and app where users can create and manage theme-based image collections. The mission statement of Pinterest is to connect everyone in the world through shared tastes and the “things” they find interesting.

If you need ideas or inspiration for ANYTHING ,you can find it on Pinterest.

Especially helpful for holiday decorating , if you're wanting some new ideas.

There are also recipes , fashion inspiration, and crafts.

You do need an invitation to join but they respond right away.

OR

 just leave me a comment and I will invite you !

 Anyway.....

I'm sharing some of my WineLove board.

Only some ,cause there is a LOT !

Some inspiration for reusing wine bottles~

Love this chandelier!

Perfect vases for a single stem of flowers

Wine bottle tiki torches !

I am SO doing this next summer at the river !

And this is what I have been stock piling my empty bottles for ~

What a great way to border a new flower bed!

I always wanted a wine cellar.

My friend Carl said I could never have one,

he says I drink it too fast.

He's probably right.

But I find this one , fun, inspiring and doable.

and an excellent use for pallets.

I love wine quotes.

There are so many...

True...

Beautiful and true....

Absolutely true !

I raise my glass and toast Pinterest!

Linking this post to this Pinterest party:

5 Minutes Just for Me

http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/2011/11/pinning-singing-on-weekend-pinterest_18.html

One last fall dispaly

Ok , so I was whining the other day about how lazy I had been...

well, I finished one last fall display , and got a couple arrangements made.

I thought I would share.

I had this inspiration from Pinterest

I particularly liked the vase filled with birdseed and the pheasant feathers.

This arrangement also has wheat and hypercium berries.

I didn't have those on hand.

So...of course, I improvised.

I still used the birdseed and pheasant feathers.

Instead of the wheat , I used twigs and stick lights leftover from one of my Halloween displays.

Then I filled the vase with wild birdseed to hold everything in place,

added the pheasant feathers, and

 some "pod- like" stems I found at the thrift store.

I added  this arrangement to by table display.

A wooden tray,  antlers , leaf and acorn garland, a  mache pumpkin and faux acorns.

I had an extra bunch of Silver dollar Eucalyptus left over from the wedding.

I added a little bit of Seeded Eucalyptus, so I decided to stick it in a crock in the entry .

Right now I have it in water, but it should dry and hold it's shape and color and even scent just fine.

I don't really care for the scent of eucalyptus but a lot of people do like it.

I just don't happen to be one of them.

I got these done in between coloring and dancing and marching with this little person~

I love Wednesdays with my silly Addie

Although the "terrible twos" rear their heads once in a while.

 One more week and the Christmas decorating will begin.

It is supposed to be in the 50's tomorrow so I might work on some outside displays.

We will see how cooperative Miss Addie is , she spends Friday afternoons with me too.

I'm a very lucky Grandma.

I'll let you know what we accomplish.

Linking up to these fun blogs, please check them out,

The Creative Paige

Between Naps on the Porch

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-tablescape-for-kids-table.htmlh