Pinecone Crafts

Here are some crafty ideas for using pinecones in your Christmas decorating. All of these are from http://www.marthastewart.com. There are instructions for making them if you're that crafty kind of person.

Norway Spruce Pine Cone Wreath

Pinecone Penguins

Love these little penguins!

Pinecone Turkey

This is used as a place-card companion.

Pinecone Mouse

So cute and so clever!

Pinecone Cardinal

Love these!

Gilded Pinecones

Bleached Pinecones Basket

These are just a few ideas and there are more on her website, picture frames, place-cards, rosette garlands, etc. Wonderful ideas from Martha. 

Christmas Humor

Source: google.com via Dorothy on Pinterest

The Holidays Are Near!

Yes, the holidays must be here again!

Every year when she drags out all of the Christmas STUFF, she always seems to come across these ridiculous reindeer antlers and takes pictures of me wearing them!

Oh, I hope my buddies don't see me wearing these!

Finally, I'm free of these silly antlers! Maybe if I chew a nice hole in them, I won't have to go through this again next year!! Good grief!  :-)   You're a real sport Gino, I love you!

Fruit, Nut, Pine Cone & Pod Wreaths

There are many ways to make wreaths. The only limit is your imagination. They can be very simple or very elaborate. Here are some wreaths from Better Homes and Gardens made from fruits, nuts, pine cones and pods. I love the combination of these materials. So creative!

Apple Medallion Wreath   http://www.bhg.com

Diamond Boxwood and Fruit Wreath  http://www.bhg.com

Nut Star Wreath  http://www.bhg.com

Apple Heart Wreath  http://www.bhg.com/christmas

Lotus Pod Wreath  http://www.bhg.com

Pinecone Star Wreath  http://www.bhg.com

Fragrant Fruit Wreath  http://www.bhg.com

Christmas Decorating Photos, #3

Well, these are the last of the photos to share. I do have my tree up, but things have been hectic so far this week, and it's still not decorated. I'm going to try and get this done in the next few days. I also have a lot of cleaning to finish since I'm having my family over for Thanksgiving. It seems like things will never get done in time, but somehow it always works out! I have some shopping done, but no presents wrapped yet. This I will need to do soon and get them put under the tree before one of my cats decides to get under the tree and vomit on my tree skirt!! This way they won't be able to get under my tree! I know it's gross, but this is my life and my luck with animals. It's happened before. Also one year my dog thought his mommy actually brought in a tree from outside just so he could pee on it!! This kind of thing happens to me all the time. I could go on and on, but I won't. So, for the pictures......

There are 3 more Jim Shore pieces on this table, the front three, Santa (the small one) Rudolph & Clarice, and Sam the snowman & Rudolph.

The four little snow people are from Jim Shore.

This is a little shelf in the corner of my bathroom. Does anyone else decorate their bathroom for Christmas?

 A friend of mine bought this picture for me for Christmas one year. I love snowmen!!

My sister-in-law made this snowman face and the picture of the snowman above is hanging on the wall next to this. Their faces match somewhat!

 This is another beautiful box that I'll never part with!

Smiley faces....I LOVE THEM!!

This wall hanging was a gift from my brother and his wife.

I love this book! My sister-in-law had this and other things in a beautiful basket that she made for me one year.

This is my little Pepper peeking through the dining room window from the sunporch.

Well that's it! After my tree is done, I'll take pictures of it and post. Hope you all have a nice day!!

Christmas Decorating Photos, # 2

Well, I took out my Christmas tree today and of course it couldn't be as easy as putting it together and actually having it work! I go through this every year having light problems. There were four branches on the bottom that just would not work no matter what we tried to do to correct the problem. Nasty words just seemed to flow from my mouth that I'm not very proud of and didn't fix the problem!! I seemed to be plagued with this same problem year after year replacing 50 lights or so and having sections that don't light up. I bought a Light Keeper Pro repair tool that helps, really helps, with sections of lights that don't work to find the problem, but for some reason those four bottom branches just won't light. What to do?? Stuff the tree back in the box and take it to the nearest dumpster...hmmm...already did that a few years ago, buy a new one...hmmm...already did that too! It's been an exceptionally long day and I wasn't in the mood to do either, so I just turned the four unlit branches to the back of the wall and luckily I had a string of colored lights to wrap through those branches and it doesn't look to shabby. Actually when I get all of the decorations on, it won't be very noticeable. I'm ready to buy an LED Christmas tree next year!! Ugh!!

Here are more pictures. You know I can't believe that I've spent almost two weeks decorating. If I didn't have other things to do, I could have been done by now! Yikes!

Fitz and Floyd Santa cookie jar.

These sugared fruits came in the beautiful box above with the wreath on it. I leave it on top of my hutch all year round. I love decorative boxes.

My daughter bought Ziggy for me many years ago.

Dad and mom made these Santa Clauses for me. They used to enjoy doing wood crafts.

I made this wreath for my back door.

This tree is on my sun porch and is decorated with Thomas Pacconi glass ornaments.

Boyd Bear Santa.

Santa wooden egg my mother made.

My husband bought me the snow family (the one on the right) and the snow lady, above, while he was out Christmas shopping one year and gave it to me as an early surprise. The snowman with the red hat was from my daughter when she was visiting the Cayman Islands.

This snow globe was a gift from a good friend. It dates at "2008."

 Another surprise from my hubby. They were a set of two. The other one is one the opposite side of my TV.

Christopher Radko ornament.

Smaller music boxes.

Well, I have a few more left to show, but I see it's getting time for me to go downstairs and watch Boardwalk Empire on HBO. Love that series! Hope ya had a nice day!