Santa Is In The House

My Fitz and Floyd Santa's are out of the boxes and in special places in my house.

I love having them on display for the holidays. Each is so special and many were gifts from my husband over the years. 

My china cabinet is always a great place to display them (safe and out of reach).

This Santa and a F&F vase sit on the buffet in the dining room.

Another F&F vignette sits in the corner on the kitchen counter. I love the detail in each and every piece.

Another kitchen vignette . . .

Our kitchen buffet holds a special group of F&F called Snowy Woods.

You'll see this Santa again soon, he is part of a centerpiece for the dining room table. 

Thanks for stopping in to see Santa is in the House - Judy.

Linking to these great parties:

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style on Tuesday evening
Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday
Fall into Fall@ DIY by Design on Wednesday morning

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson on Wed. evenings 

Share Your Style Link Party @ 21 Rosemary Lane on Wed. evenings
Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm on Thursday
Thoughts of Home on Thursday @ White Spray Paint

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life on Wednesday evening
Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Table It Link Party @ Life and Linda

Inspiration Monday @ Our Southern Home 

Dishing It and Digging It @ Rustic & Refined on Sundays

Can You Help Me Out

My sister-in-law recently received some of her grandmother's china. We have no clue on the name of the pattern or the producer as there are no markings on the back. I am hoping someone out there in blog land might have a clue. Hope you can help me out. Thanks.

Linking to:

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Fall into Fall@ DIY by Design on Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style on Tuesday evening
Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm
Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson on Wed. evenings 

Share Your Style Link Party @ 21 Rosemary Lane on Wed. evenings
Thoughts of Home on Thursday @ White Spray Paint

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life
Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Table It Link Party @ Life and Linda

Inspiration Monday @ Our Southern Home 

Dishing It and Digging It @ Rustic & Refined on Sundays

The Northern Cardinal

Doesn't matter how many northern cardinals I see at my feeders or around the yard, I never tire of spotting them. 

I'm sure I am not alone, how could anyone not love seeing these stunning red birds with their black masks.

The female does not having the beautiful red all over coloring as the male, but she is still striking with her warm reddish tinges in her wings, and tail. Plus check out the red in her crest and her reddish beak. 

Sometimes they visit my feeders together and sometimes alone.

Thanks for stopping in for a closer look at The Northern Cardinal - Judy.

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern on Tuesday evening

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday evening

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm on Thursday evening

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

A Christmas Mantel With An Antique Window and Lots of Ornaments

I wasn't going to decorate my mantel until after Thanksgiving this year but decided at the last minute to get it done before family members arrived.  

I was thinking that if the mantel was ready, our guests might want to take some family pics. I was right, they did take several pics with the mantel as a backdrop. 

The antique window was recently purchased at an antique mall then painted and the window panes sprayed with snow.  I made a swag for the window from fresh cedar, berry picks, sprayed pinecones plus a bow. 

Many of our glass ornaments are special and each has a story. I just can't hang them on the tree and risk them falling on our wood floors. I was happy too find the ornament hangers at Hobby Lobby to hold them. If you look close at Raggedy Andy, you can see most of his legs are missing. He had a little accident a few years back so "hanging out" works perfect for him. 

Two garlands were combined then swags were tied into the garland to fill it out. I used staircase lights in the garland plus ornaments and picks. A video from here was my inspiration for the garland. Nothing new was purchased for the garland, I just used what I had. 

I whitewashed the fireplace a few months ago, you can see that DIY here. I'm happy with our Christmas mantel against the whitewashed brick. 

Thanks for stopping by to see my Christmas Mantel - Judy. 

Linking to these great parties:

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Fall into Fall@ DIY by Design on Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style on Tuesday evening
Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm
Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson on Wed. evenings 

Share Your Style Link Party @ 21 Rosemary Lane on Wed. evenings
Thoughts of Home on Thursday @ White Spray Paint

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life
Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Table It Link Party @ Life and Linda

Inspiration Monday @ Our Southern Home 

Dishing It and Digging It @ Rustic & Refined on Sundays

Currier and Ives Blue for a Christmas Tablescape

I have developed a love for blue and white and was so thrilled to visit an antique store in my area of Kentucky and purchase this Currier and Ives blue set of antique china. The china was made by Royal China Company in the USA from 1950 to 1986. I felt just like a kid in a candy store as I looked at each piece. 

I find myself searching for blue and white tablescapes on blogs and Pinterest.

Setting a table for eight with this china is so much fun for me. I just love the look! The chargers are chop plates by Bordallo Pinheiro followed by dinner plates with "The Old Grist Mill" design and fruit bowls with "The Old Farm Gate" design.  

Six dark blue candles surrounded by fresh cut cedar lined the center of the table.

Blue glass ornaments filled a raised crystal bowl while mirrored glass ornaments nestled in the cedar cuttings. 

Blue beaded garland ran atop the cedar pieces. 

Cedar cuttings and blue glittered stem filled a crystal vase near the table. 

Flatware for the blue and white tablescape is 1847 Rogers Old Colony. The silver plated flatware was a gift from my husband's aunt years ago. 

Crisp white dinner napkins rolled inside antique silver napkin rings were placed at an angle to the top left side of the dinner plate. 

Blue goblets from my hutch were selected to finish the table setting. 

Magnolia leaf clusters were cut from a friend's tree and attached to wire wreaths. Blue ribbon bows were tied and fastened to each wreath before they were hung from each set of shutters.  The leaves last about 10 days so beware of making the wreaths too early. 

Gosh, I am ready for the guests to arrive and share some holiday laughter and fun around this Currier and Ives Blue Christmas tablescape. 

Thanks for stopping by for another day of Life in Kentucky - Judy.

Linking to these wonderful parties:

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Fall into Fall@ DIY by Design on Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style on Tuesday evening
Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm
Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday
My Thrift Store Addiction

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson on Wed. evenings 

Share Your Style Link Party @ 21 Rosemary Lane on Wed. evenings
Thoughts of Home on Thursday @ White Spray Paint

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life
Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Table It Link Party @ Life and Linda

Inspiration Monday @ Our Southern Home 

Dishing It and Digging It @ Rustic & Refined on Sundays