Welcome to our Cottage Style Christmas home!
I am super excited to have been invited by Judy of 20 North Ora blog and Cathy of my 1929 Cottage Charmer blog to be part of their Tidings Holiday Housewalk Christmas tour, which started yesterday and ends today. I am the last stop but will list all of the ladies at the end of my post who participated in this years' tour.
Our little home is a Cape Cod style home located in the Central Valley of California. Over the years our Christmas decor has taken on many looks, but this year I pulled out only a few boxes of decorations for a "less is more" feel.
I will start off by sharing with you the guest bedroom. Earlier this year this room was featured in American Farmhouse Style Magazine and, at the time, was decorated in a palette of creamy whites, white and browns. For Christmas I added pops of red, layered the bed with cozy antique quilts and added a farmhouse bench at the end of the bed. Most everything used to decorate this room is vintage. There is something magical about using the older stuff that has a worn patina - and maybe a little story to go with it.
A simple boxwood wreath was hung over the bed. I bought the wreath at Lowe's and didn't realize at the time that it had a chalkboard in the center. A nice little surprise!
Instead of having a "Bat Phone" I have a red "Santa Phone" for those special orders on the family Christmas list.
On a side table cherished ornaments dangle from a Bethany Lowe music paper fringed feather tree. Next to the tree a bottle brush tree is tucked inside an English marmalade jar...
...and a vintage marching band uniform collar is used as a tree skirt. (I know..you are probably thinking, "Last year at band camp.")
I love the old twisted fringe of the collar and the creamy white stars against the red and that the stars match those on the ornaments.
The base of the tree is covered with sheet music paper. I didn't plan this out, but it ended up that the band collar was a perfect fit.
At the foot of the bed I wrapped a child's western belt around a pillow and tucked in vintage gasoline station sign numbers..of course "25" for Christmas.
One of my favorite things to collect are antique linens. I bought the redwork pillowcases years back and decided to use them on the bed for a pop of Christmas red. The pattern reminds me of red stars and snowflakes. A Santa burlap pillow and a grain sack pillow rest in front.
Across from the bed is a white dresser and primitive chair. On the chair I draped French monogrammed towels over the back and added a French grain sack pillow in front. MC..could be for "Mrs. Claus".
On the dresser rests a primitive cabinet that is filled with antique English Cream Crocks. On top is a small grouping of cows and next to it sits a Belsnickle Santa. I like to add small mirrors here and there for a pop of light. Santa sits on a sweet old shaving mirror.
Lets scoot back downstairs and here you will see our entry hall area. A fresh wreath is hung over the mirror and a grouping of bottle brush trees & old trophies, white Belsnickle Santas and a desk calendar mingle together on a silver plate tray.
Next stop is the dining room. This year I added a white flocked Christmas tree and filled it with my collection of vintage ornaments. The white glitter Santas are mixed in with the ironstone and brown transferware pieces in the old step-back hutch.
I like to group little things together on trays and below are some Santas and an antique trophy that sit inside a sweet old metal toleware tray that has the sweetest red flowers. A delicate garland of pip berries finish off the grouping. The smallest Santa is an antique cast metal bank. Tucked inside the trophy is red velvet heart, vintage millinery and a primitive wax candle. The candle is a flameless battery operated one and has a flickering light..so sweet.
Over in the other corner of the dining room is a chimney cabinet that holds favorite little bits and bobs. On the top shelf is a collection of red Santa boots that are vintage candy containers.
I draped a Sleigh Rides sign on the side of a horse weather because the horses look like each other. I just need to find a Santa to sit on the back.
On top of the metal dining room table is a grouping of pine boughs and pine cones grouped with wooden dough bowls and wicker covered bottles. On the wall behind them are cherished pastoral prints.
Next stop is the family room, where we spend a lot of our evenings hunkered down with our Scotties, Duhgall and Katie. It has an English cottage style feel to it with pops of red and floral prints hung on one wall, gallery style. Over the sofa is a favorite shelf that has old books and cheerful vintage pixies and Santas.
The mirror over the mantel has a fresh pine wreath layered on top of it and the mantel is draped with a simple garland, white lights and, of course, some more Belsnickle Santas. If you haven't figured it out by now, I collect them and really like their old-world European charm.
Plaid bows on the wreath & tree topper coordinate with the plaid stockings. Of course, Katie and Duhgall have their own Scottie stockings that Santa will add a little treat and toy to.
Each year I buy myself a Santa - and yes - a certain KIND of Santa - yes, you guessed it.
The red suited guy below is this years' find - a cast iron vintage bank. He was missing a tree, so I found a little white bottle brush one to add to him. And it's ok that his nose is skinned..perhaps Rudolph tripped him up on a toy run.
Years ago my mom was out junking on a Saturday morning and found the sweet German flask (below) with a Santa on it. I get it out each year in memory of my momma.
The Christmas tree is filled with family ornaments - those handmade, my children's Hallmark ornaments and others given to me from friends over the years. A tradition that I started when my boys were infants was to buy them an ornament each year that had a special meaning that pertained to each of them, something that had to do with what they did, liked, etc that year. When my youngest son moved out and got his own home, I gave him his box of ornaments for his tree. As a lot of you know, we lost our oldest son, Jordan, six years ago. Each year his ornaments are hung on our tree and each year I cry as I am doing so. (It just never gets easy.) The tradition of buying an ornament for my boys continues. I write a little note to go along with their ornament. Being as Jordan was a Fireman, his ornaments are relative to his job - or Star Wars.
In our house, we must have a Christmas Scottie pillow! This cute one was a find last year at Macy's.
A charming majolica pitcher with a cottage motif holds a bottle brush tree. An impish gnome toothpick holder reminds me of Santa's Elves. Little Belgium clogs from 1945 add a pop of red and the flowers match the fabric on the chair. Below the Christmas tree has an antique red and white quilt wrapped around the base. No presents yet..those come on Christmas Eve.
Another Majolica pitcher holds vintage Chenille Poinsettias, green mercury glass spikes and, as an unexpected element, a spun cotton bearded Santa peaks out. Santa has his deer friend and a tin, with deer and little red birds, adds to the motif.
Last stop on the tour is our laundry room. This year I added some pops of red by hanging a collection of vintage stockings, kind of like a little clothes line, if you will. Bottle brush trees are tucked inside some enameled pitchers and a favorite Merry Christmas sign is propped on the shelf.
A favorite little piece of mine is the 1930's Pure Milk toy truck. I had bought it with all intentions to sell it at the shop, but once I got it home it just kind of stayed there. Always fun to decorate around, on top and beside the truck. This year a group of mischievous merry-makers found their way to the truck. A bunch of party animals! I am betting there was some Egg-Nog on board.
I have shared this little stitched piece before and will share it again only because it reminds me of winter. A purchase from years ago, it was stitched in the 1930's and has the sweetest little cottage scene.
After an afternoon trek in the snow, Santa's suit is hung to dry.
I stitched the Woodland Santa many years ago and framed it in an antique walnut frame.
Thank you for the visit! Where ever your path takes you this season, we hope it is filled with love, happiness and fun! From my family to yours, A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and to all a good night!
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Here are the links to the other ladies participating in the Tidings Holiday House Tour. Please stop on by and visit them and see their lovely Christmas styled homes. Thank you, Cathy and Judy, for being instrumental in putting the tour together!
and me..Sweet Cottage Dreams.
