Christmas Gate

Brrr.... it has been so cold here

This weather has me in the Christmas spirit

Thoughts of

Hot Chocolate, Ice Skating, Mittens, Woolly Socks

I put the ice skates on the front gate this morning

♥

Isn't it fun unpacking all of the decorations one by one
Love all the memories
Our daughter actually wore these ice skates and now they are a Christmas tradition
Love putting them on display each year
The skates are a "where is waldo" thing at our house
The ice skates were even on the mantel as my daughters stocking one year
Thank goodness Santa knew whose skates they were

Where would you put the ice skates?

I am having so much fun decorating It takes me so long because I have to reminisce with every ornament this could take all month LOL

Happy Memories and Happy Tuesday

Blessings

Pam

Mantel Monday

*Mantels*

Here are some amazing fireplace mantels

The first one is my favorite it is white and wonderful

Love all of the details there are so many gorgeous things to look at

Love the mirrors, the flowers the enamelware bucket

even the white bucket with wood inside

What fun to have a birdbath table too This mantel is more traditional but still beautiful

Love the french linen stockings and the

white paper whites with cranberries around the base

this would smell wonderful too

This is easy and such a great idea
A Framed Chalk Board

I have my tree branches and candle holders

out working on my mantel design can't wait to

show you how it turns out, I may have to throw in a chalk board too

so many fabulous ideas

Which one is your favorite?

♥

Blessings

Pam

Christmas Tradition

When our daughter was a baby we lived next door

to a Danish couple who introduced our Family to the Danish tradition of

candles on the Christmas tree.

On Christmas eve before Church we were all invited

to come and have glogg and apple cider and cookies galore

and watch the

lighting of the candles on the tree

It was amazing how beautiful the tree was with all the candles lit

( there was always a fire extinguisher handy just in case)

It was fun to watch the faces of the children as the tree glowed and we all sang

Silent Night

I started collecting the european candle holders and now

I buy one every year to add to the collection

We don't light the candles on our tree but we still put them on and remember the glow

Some are new, some are old but they are special to me because of the memories
Making memories and celebrating family traditions is what makes
Christmas so special
What are your family traditions?
♥ Christmas
Blessings
Pam

Painted White

No Black Friday for me

I finally made a decision

and

decided to paint the pink shelf white.

I had been going back and forth for days

Of coarse if you know me the odds of this shelf

not being painted white were slim to none

It was cute pink

but

It is Classic White

♥

The caneing turned out beautiful

I am so glad I painted it

I am dangerous with a can of white spray paint in my hands LOL

Now to get the Christmas stuff down from the rafters

I am giddy

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

Blessings

Pam

Thanksgiving Table

I get so excited at Thanksgiving because I get to use all of my

White Ironstone platters and dishes.

Setting the table is so fun

This year I have been trying to figure out

the place cards.

I came up with this simple idea

♥
I used a tangerine, some florist wire (or a paper clip) and a tea light candle holder to set it in
Then a small tag for the name

I tried it with an apple first but it did not fit in the candle holder and it looked
too much like Christmas.
We are getting excited to have Family and Friends over to celebrate.
Today our daughter comes home from college
and it will really begin to feel like Thanksgiving
So Much to be Grateful For
Blessings
Pam

Mantel Monday

Hi Everyone 

♥ 

This is the picture I am using 

this year as inspiration for our mantel

below

I will start decorating my mantel after

Thanksgiving

I am so anxious to get started and see how it turns out this year

I was sent this picture from a wonderful friend it is from the December

issue of Country Living magazine

I Love how clean and pretty it looks.

The stockings are wooden sock forms

(don't get them too close to the fire?)

I love the big wooden star and the PEACE letters

Here is another amazing fireplace mantel I would love to decorate

Be sure and check out the amazing fireplaces and mantels at

My French Country Home

and Camilla at Home

and a big thanks to all of you who joined in the fun this week

Are You getting Inspired to try something new?

Blessings

Pam

Grateful Thanksgiving

♥

Grateful Abundance

a Home filled with Family, Friends

delicious food and all of

God's Blessings

When I spotted this amazing french enamelware bowl

with handles on the sides at

Magnolia Creek and Co Atelier I knew it would be the perfect centerpiece

for

Thanksgiving

It looks so pretty filled with fresh fruit

Here is our kitchen in the before Thanksgiving mode

in just a few days it will be bustling with excitement

This is definitely the

calm before the storm

So Much to be Grateful for

Have a wonderful weekend

I am resting up for the Big day ...

Blessings

Pam

Mantel Monday

I love posting on

White Wednesday and just recently discovered
Feature Friday

These 2 mantels are from coastal living and southern living magazine

just a little inspiration...

Happy Friday

Blessings

Pam

Wonderful White Wednesday

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas..

Every where I go..

Here is a picture I cut out of an

old Martha Stewart Magazine and

put on my inspiration board

I would love to have MY front door look like this for

Christmas

I love the white urns and the

gorgeous green wreath.

Love the greenery above the front door and the pretty ribbon too.

Here is my front door

♥

I always put twinkle lights on the trees by the door

and this weekend I will be painting the urns with some white paint

They look just a little too... rusty

I was trying to wait until after Thanksgiving to post this but I

was just too excited to share this idea with you

How are you decorating your front door this year?

*Your Home is your Canvas, make it something beautiful*

I would love to see your ideas

Have a wonderful Wednesday

Blessings

Pam

Thoughtful Gift

Wow I can't believe it is Monday already

How was your weekend?

It was a busy one for our Family filled

with school activities and

of coarse baseball

I received the most wonderful unexpected gift that I adore

It is White has a Crown

is a fabulous Canister

look at the top

*so pretty*

A sweet friend handed this

thoughtful gift to me filled with white roses!!!!

It was so unexpected

I love every little detail

Tami said she saw this canister and thought of me

What a thoughtful gift

I am so grateful

♥

It is so wonderful to give beautiful flowers but what a great

idea to give them in a reusable

container that can be used and adored after the flowers are gone

ILove...♥

I have a Grateful heart

This is a great time to let you all know that the votes are tallied and

the White header is the winner

Thank You all for voting

it was so fun

This will be a busy and fun filled week

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

I have so much to be grateful for

Have a great Monday

Blessings

Pam

Little Luxuries

I found this jewelry box a few years ago

and was so excited to bring it home and

give it some love and attention.

It was very tarnished but still pretty.

I was in awe of all the

details and design it had once I shined it up

such a timeless beauty to it.

It is fabulous with the top down but often

I like to leave the top open so I can see

what is inside too.

It is a little luxury that I adore. You would not believe what I paid for it

( it was in a junk box for $5 )and I remember wondering if I should buy it or not??

Hope you home is filled with treasures that bring you Joy.

Don't forget Sunday Nov 14th is

*Magnolia Creek and Co Atelier and M.O.M.*

open from 10 to 5 in Valley Center

http://magnoliacreekandco.blogspot.com/

Have a great weekend

Blessings

Pam

Childrens Chairs

I have 2 Wooden Children's chairs that I adore.

They have been part of our home ever since my teenagers were little.

My daughter (now in college) colored for hours

at the coffee table sitting on this chair.

♥

It is the most wonderful shade of green and I use it daily

as

a step stool

and

Now when friends and family come over and

we play cards in the living room or we

need extra chairs we still grab this old green and the blue chair below to sit on.

This Wooden Blue chair was the one my son (now 16)

used to sit at around the coffee table to eat, color or play cards

It is the first chair I bought and I still love the color

The Blue Chair is in the dining room holding baskets but both chairs will get used this

Thanksgiving

when we gather around the coffee table

to watch football games

and be closest to the artichoke dip !!

I love these chairs and the memories that go with them.

I am getting excited for Thanksgiving

Such a wonderful day to celebrate family, friends, food and all

of God's Love.

Blessings

Pam

White Wednesday Giveaway

Here is a great give away at

The Adventures of Stig and Lolo

http://www.stiglo.blogspot.com/

THIS WONDERFUL CANVAS TOTE

Lolo

I love it

But that's not all....
She is also giving away a beautiful
Jeanne d Arc
magazine

Lolo's blog is funny and pretty too.

Hurry the giveaway ends Nov 12th

Have a great
White Wednesday
Blessings
Pam

Boxwood

Lately I have had

Boxwood Fever

Here are the symptoms in case you think you might have it too.

You have this sudden urge to get in the car and drive to HOME DEPOT.

You grab a cart and fill it to the brim with boxwood plants

You drive home and begin planting boxwood and then

You have a sudden urge to get in the car and the cycle repeats itself.

Sound familiar?

Our backyard has a great Boxwood border

that really helps define the patio.

I think this is where I caught the fever

I am in awe of this idea.

Warning

Boxwood Fever is highly contagious
♥

This is our front yard birdbath with
Boxwood
surrounding the base.

Oh My...
This would look so cute in the side yard.. There are so many different ways to trim
boxwood.
I really like the rounded edges.

Here is the wreath I have on my inspiration board for Christmas.
I better get in the car and drive to.. well you know the rest.
I wonder if there is a cure?

Hope you are having a wonderful morning

Blessings
Pam

♥PaperWhite Bulbs♥

*Paper White Blossoms*

Because of the Weather here in Southern California, it was 90 degrees yesterday,

my paperwhite bulbs are blooming really early

They are beautiful blossoms

It always feels like the holiday season with the amazing smell of paper whites.

♥

It is so fun to plant the bulbs and watch everyday as the blossoms

start to appear and the flowers begin to emerge.

Then the glorious fragrance that engulfs the entire home

with natures beautiful perfume

I always try to have at least one or two vases filled with bulbs at

different blooming stages by the front door

so when guests walk in the first thing they see and smell are

the glorious paperwhites.

♥

This year the beauty has begun early

paper white bulbs are so easy to grow

to force them inside...

all you just need is

a vase about 3 to 4 inches tall

3 to 4 bulbs for each vase

stones or pebbles(you can use sand too)

fill the vase halfway with the pebbles

tuck in the bulbs pointy side up

cover with more marbles or pebbles (small stones)

add water to the base of the bulb

keep in a shady spot until the roots start to appear then

move to a sunny spot when the bulb starts to sprout

It is so fun

and such a wonderful way to bring the outside indoors

The planted paperwhites make great gifts for the holidays

so I am planting a few extra for friends.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend

Blessings

Pam