Decorating with nature

I was assigned nature for this week's post. Um, my first thought was outhouses but I don't think that is what was meant. I'm supposed to be decorating with nature, so here it goes!

(Please click on photos to be taken to the shops! Each photo is a different store!)

One of the most beautiful things to me is what nature can do to flowers! Always boggles my mind.

From Teleflora comes this beautiful Christmas cactus:

One of my all time favorites, holly! Check out this web site I found that has some great items made from holly, Mill Creek Holly Farm:

There's nothing like fresh evergreens, can't you just smell them now?

I love live evergreen ropes for railings!

Along those same lines is a twig swag from Jeffrey Alans:

And here is a wonderful holiday swag for your mailbox!

I've always enjoyed paperwhites at Christmas! I force bulbs starting on Thanksgiving Day and have them for Christmas!

Here is an arrangement using Paperwhites from Martha Stewart:

Stop by Barbotts to see all the amazing poinsettias! I have a hard time picking out a favorite but I do like the painted ones I've seen around!

Can't leave out Amaryllis! This is a favorite gift from my Mom each year but then never look like this one! 

 This one comes from Jackson & Perkins:

From Black Forrest Decor, check out these birch candles!

Take a look at the snow currant collection from Pottery Barn!

Let's not forget our fine, feathered friends:

Enjoy your holiday season!

VS

Time To Decorate the Christmas Tree!

This week we will each be taking a turn adding to our Christmas Tree..But before we start decorating here is a link to some history about the Christmas Tree.

                  The Christmas Archives

I found some wonderful tree toppers to share with you, but a word of warning...if you see something you love...buy it now!  Many of the ones I found sold before I could use them in this article...they are a hot item this time of year!

Our family tree is topped with a felt angel I made several years ago...but if you need a new one, let me show you what I found.

If the traditional is what you want look at this vintage mercury glass topper from Aunt Sues Vintage...

   Mercury Glass Vintage Tree topper

         Hallmark Angel Tree Topper

The most popular toppers are Angels....like the one above from designer2.... and stars....I found this wonderful hand crafted star in cnash12's shop.

                Star Tree Topper

If the rustic nature looks works best for you, how about this bird on twigs that lintandlavender has in their shop?

Hand sewn Wool Felt Bird and Tree Topper


I love this whimsical red nose reindeer I found in millercampbell...wouldn't this be the perfect topper on a tree?

           Folk Art Red Nose Reindeer

For those of you who are nostalgic for the mid-century period and remember the aluminum trees...look what I found!  This would be perfect on your tree, it is waiting for you at Ormolou....

   Vintage Flashing Christmas Star Topper

I have not neglected those who like a modern, trendy look....dwarfstardesign is the shop you want to look in!

   Iridescent Acrylic Sunburst topper

I hope these suggestions get you started...just click on the name under each photo to be taken to the shop :)  Have fun and find something wonderful that will start a tradition at your house!
 
                                         VE

Bad hair day

                                       

Did you ever have one of those days and you know you should just crawl back into bed and hide? Doesn’t it seem that sometimes those days actually stretch into a week or longer?

This week has been ones of “those days”. If something could go wrong it did, but I have gotten out of bed each day and muddled through.

ORphotography

Yesterday as I was taking my daughter to work as the sun was starting to set. There was one wispy cloud in the sky that really caught our attention. This little cloud lit up brilliantly on one side, the colors and brightness were just amazing.  It was so unusual my daughter even asked me if that was normal. I had never seen anything like it before and was really glad that I had gotten out of bed that day.

Sometimes the simplest things in life can make your day...

marcinkro

                       

                                         

make you smile…

mystuff2

         

                                           

make you look….

fastwinn

                     

                                   

make you glad you got out of bed.

kclarkphotography

                 

                        

Hope you all have a bright and enjoyable day.

(jj)

ONLY GOOD NEWS

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have been so tired of hearing bad news that I have stopped watching the news, reading the paper and started not feeling bad when I hang up on solicitors that won't listen to me.

By no means do I bury my head in the sand. I own a business and know how bad it is right now, but I figure if it's meant to be heard by my ears it will find it's way to me ~ and it does.  

Some days I can feel it dragging me down mentally and physically ~ I get lethargic, stand there in confusion with what to do first, end up not getting much done and then getting angry at myself for not getting things done. It's a vicious circle. 

 SO, I have decided to start an ONLY GOOD NEWS series.  Stories that give you hope, will ease the mind and forget what's wrong in the world for a moment. Stories that inspire and warm the heart. No matter how big or small the story...

The oil spill and the sea turtle story.

The turtles population at the gulf of Mexico is slowly recovering after the oil spill, according to researchers, during the time after the spill most turtles were covered with oil, and today only few moderately or heavily oiled.  For the Gulf Coast fauna, at least, things are looking up. The seaweed where turtles normally spend most of their early lives is showing much less sign of oil from the spill, where previously the oil was "thick enough to wrinkle," according to Witherington. Small crabs and birds have also returned to the habitat.

The turtles themselves seem to have survived relatively unscathed. Researchers had feared that the crude would cause them skin problems and organ toxicity. Since that doesn't seem to have happened, researchers are no longer capturing turtles that actively seek to avoid them.

"We're confident these animals are doing fine on their own," Stacy of the fisheries service said.


  Today, if someone starts talking negative stop them and mention the sea turtles and tell me what they say.

Peggy ~ GG ~ Goodgosh