Zetta and her Apron
It's a New Year!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Please Stand By!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Christmas Village Houses!
I love finding those little Japanese carboard, snowflocked houses. These became increasingly popular after WWII, but were not as fancy as the German ones. My Christmas collector guide book shows several different styles, but most had mica snow, cellophane windows and little bottle brush trees. Many included a round opening on the back to insert a Christmas light to illuminate the windows. The little house on the left was an orphan that I "refurbished" for Rick-Rack and Gingham's ornament swap. It's only 2 1/2" tall. I love rescuing the less-than-perfect houses because I can get them for a dollar or two. If perfect, that same little house would be worth $15-$25, according to the guide.
Decorating with Village Houses...
Hanging from a garland
A village on a shelf in the hallway.
The church is recent. The houses are larger than most and I needed a bigger church.
Shelf Detail.
Mantel Christmas Village.
Mantel detail.
The houses are new, but I used vintage pinecone and spun cotton people...and Rudolph.
Used in a shadow box.
This house looked like it was made of logs...perfect for a rustic look.
Two More Shadow Boxes...
Rudolph's New Home.
(Sorry about the lighting)
Modern German-style wooden buildings and game piece letters.
I have a real German set of small village buildings that I plan to put in a shadow box at some future date.
When I went through my tubs this year, I couldn't believe how many little orphan houses I had "adopted" over the years. Some new snow and a few little trees and toys and they could brighten Christmases for many years to come. So come on, dear friends...open your hearts and your homes to these sweet little houses.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
My Christmas Secret!
When I was growing up. I had a Christmas secret that always made me smile. Not the I-can't-wait grin of anticipation, but the cat-with-whiskers-full-of-cream variety. You see...I believed I had an "in" with the Big Guy Up North...a connection no other child possessed. My very own grandmother was an official North Pole employee with the title "Santa's Helper." Her name was Patta Gray.
Patta and Richard Gray on their 50th Anniversary
Santa's Helper at Work...
She confided this to me when I was very young, and I believed her. Why wouldn't I? Her house was filled with dolls and toys all year long! Not to mention she excelled in making gingerbread cakes and cookies with brown sugar topping. And she was soft and pink and smelled delicious...just like Mrs. Santa Claus must.
Shirley, Mike and little sister Patti on a visit to Grandma Patta's.
Sometimes I got to visit for a few days. Grandma Patta and I spent the time up to our elbows in fabric scraps and patterns. The bodice of grandma's dress was studded with straight pins in lieu of a pincushion, keeping her hands free to cut and stitch the tiny clothes for all of Santa's dolls. With my awkward "help" she made designer outfits for Barbie, chic Chanel-style suits with real mink collars...just like Jackie Kennedy wore. Ruffled dresses for Chatty Cathy were next on the list, adorned with yards and yards of lace trimming. Even G.I. Joe got a new uniform or two! (Grandma hated Joe's big floppy feet...it made him hard to dress.)
Chatty Cathy...I didn't like her for some reason...she looked kind of bratty.
In the evenings, Grandpa Rich would get out his tools and work on the Barbie-size furniture he designed. He made four-poster beds and pink vanities with little gold knobs. The closet had sliding doors and rods filled with little pink hangers. With a hammer and wee brass tacks, he patiently upholstered miniature sofas and chairs. I was lucky enough to receive some of his furniture for Christmas one year.
My first Barbie looked like this one.
My first Ken had this fuzzy hair that came off if he got wet.
A Test of Faith...
I felt so special being let in on such an important secret. There were times I was tempted to brag about Grandma's unique job. But the kids I played with were starting to say awful things about Santa...that he didn't exist! Grandma had a saying...something about pearls before swine. Her secret was too precious to waste on non-believers.
As the years went by, it became more difficult to keep the faith. The pressure was on from friends and siblings to admit that Santa Claus was a hoax. But I stubbornly clung to the hope that they were wrong. One Christmas Eve I lined my dolls up on the couch so Santa could see that I took good care of my toys. My brother Mike teased me for being such a baby. "There's no such thing as Santa," he snickered.
Patti Play Pal.
I found out the hard way one Christmas morning that Grandma Zetta's lipstick is forever!
Poor Patti Play Pal!
A few minutes later, Mom came into the room and told us to get ready to go to Grandma's. It was almost time for Santa to come and pick up the doll clothes and take them back to the North Pole. He was a bit behind schedule and the elves needed to get the dolls dressed. I smirked when I saw the startled expression on Mike's face. He'd see!
Still...something deep inside nagged at me all the way to Lehi, where my grandparents lived. "He's not coming," the voice of doubt informed me. "He's not real." I remembered everything my friends had told me. They said it was all a big lie...our parents bought the toys and pretended to be Santa.
Miss Revlon had pierced ears!
Waiting and Waiting...
While the adults visited at Grandma's, I squirmed on the sofa. Anticipation and dread played tag in my stomach and I couldn't eat the cookies grandma had made. When you are a child, minutes seem like hours, and waiting is torture. He's not coming.
As I squeezed my eyes shut and focused all my faith into a wish...I heard the silver tinkle of sleigh bells. I knew that if I opened my eyes, the magic wouldn't work. But the sound of boots on the front porch stamping off the snow seemed real enough. Grandma hurried to the door.
How I remember Santa...so many years ago.
"Merry Christmas!" a hearty voice boomed. When I opened my eyes, a man in red stood in the doorway shaking snow off his whiskers. I watched in awe as Santa reached into his sack and pulled out a candy cane for each of us. My little sisters danced about with excitement and forgot to say thank you. But I remembered! He winked at me, restoring my faith for another year.
Grandma made doll clothes for many years after that, taking orders from neighbors and friends. Even when I was finally too old to believe in Santa Claus, she still personified the Spirit of Christmas. I wish my own children could have known her.
Cute little brother Tommy and sister Lisa came along some years after this story.
Look at their sweet little faces. I miss these little kids.
"May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white..."
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Happy Discovery...Grandma Patta's Christmas Card!
I found it quite by happenstance in an old scrapbook that belonged to Grandma Patta. It's just a small and simple card...but I was thrilled to find it tucked inside with a belated birthday card that had come to her from Grandma Zetta.
It's so much fun to scan these cards...and use them over and over again in my crafting. I have enjoyed the many cards and graphics that some of the other bloggers have shared. Please feel free to use this little card if you like.
The sweet little boys inside the card.
Some New Tags...
Finding the card made me want to make tags today!
After all the tag swaps...I thought the well had run dry.
How cute the little choir boys look!
This is a different color palette for me.
I will be using a lot of cream and aqua for my daughter Amber's wedding decor.
It will be a Valentine's wedding...so a cheery cherry red will be used (sparingly) as an accent.
I can't wait to share some of my ideas.
Have a cozy evening,
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Pink and Silver Bedroom tree...and a Tag Swap!
Pink and Silver...
Although I love my vintage Christmas to be as Red and White as possible...there is just something about vintage Pink and Silver. There is a kind of 60's elegance about the color combination that is hard to resist. So a few years ago I began decorating my bedroom with pink and silver decorations.
My bigger tree.
Most of the glass ornaments are vintage, but I used a lot of sparkly Wal*mart snowflakes...
And a few aqua Shiny-Brites as accent.
What started the whole pink and silver thing...
...Two pretty pink and silver corsages.
I use these for the tree toppers.
Half of my dresser. I love birds and nests.
The little nest is in a top hat
Second half of dresser.
I added blue birds and painted a sparkly blue house to accent the pink.
My night stand is a little blurry.
I used 3 boxes of tiny Shiny-Brite balls on the two-foot silver tree.
The downside of trees in your bedroom...falling asleep with the lights on...
then fumbling for the plugs at 2:00 a.m. =D
A Very Cherry Tag Swap...
This year I participated in the Christmas Tag swap at It's A Very Cherry World!
My swap partner was Toni from Blue Mountain Rise .
Side one of the tag I made for Toni.
It's hanging on my kitchen Candy Tree...
next to my favorite ornie...a sparkly Diet Coke can.
Side two.
The cute and yummy goodies I received from Toni!
(Some of the hand-wrapped chocolate didn't make it until the picture...lol!)
This has been such a fun experience.
I've really enjoyed meeting new bloggers this way.
Thanks again, Sue, for the opportunity to participate and meet Toni.
It's a crispy blue morning on the Wasatch Front.
Enjoy your morning where ever you may be.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Christmas at Disneyland...the Parade!
Every other year our children desert our nest at Thanksgiving to fly to the in-laws. We worked it that way so we could all be together when it is our year. On the off-year George and I have made it our tradition to take a trip to Disneyland. I love Disneyland at Christmas! I bring my shopping list for the Granddaughters along. There are no Black Friday sales but my annual pass nets me 20% off all my purchases...which to me is as good as a sale.
The weather was perfect...warm and sunny. Since we missed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...here are some pics from the "Christmas Fantasy" parade.
The Parade...
A parade needs a marching band.
We snagged a pretty good spot for photos this time.
Mrs. Claus reads the Children's letters to Santa
Tigger and Pooh!
This Tigger is for McKenzie...who loves him.
Dancing Snowflakes
Gingerbread Men always make me happy!
Building a Gingerbread House
Still Striving for Attention
Isn't she pretty?
I only count six dwarves...who's missing?
Who else...Dopey!
Building the Toys!
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen....Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen
Oops! Didn't get them all in the shot.
This shot should be Santa. Just as we went to take his picture...the camera said "Memory Card Full."
I know...a Christmas Parade without Santa is like Thanksgiving dinner without pumpkin pie...
Merry Christmas anyway!
I hope your holiday was filled with love and laughter,
.
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