I have lots of different things to chat about today, so I am very happy you're hear to talk with me! Grab a cup of coffee or tea and let's get to it!
I brought my Johnson Brothers The Friendly Village Plates out for the fall/winter seasons. These plates just feel right at this time of year. My Pioneer Woman Cottage style plates are now stored until spring.
I bought my plates at Christmas Tree Shops when they carried them several years ago. $4.99 a plate. I know these are the ones now made in China, and not England, but they are affordable for me, and so I don't feel badly. After all this is where Johnson Brothers is having their china made these days.
I tend to do greenery and ribbons, natural things like oranges with cloves, and lights. So I don't think my decor will look out of place at Thanksgiving. I may leave the red plaid ribbons off, until after though.
What about you? Those of you in the US who, like me, have Thanksgiving coming up, do you decorate for Christmas before or after this holiday?
Oh, also, how many of you do a real tree and how many do artificial? The artificial trees have improved so much over the years, and the real trees are getting very expensive in our area. For the first time I am seriously considering an artificial tree. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions!
I've been working on a few knitting projects. I think this hat is coming along nicely, but I'm going to run out of yarn before its finished. I may run to Hobby Lobby today and get another skein.
This yarn has slight variations in color and is lovely. Its thinner and soft and will be a beautiful cowl when finished. I like the yarn thinner when I am planning to wear the cowl as part of my outfit and keep it on indoors. I love the thick ones for warmth too, but I take those off inside the house.
I have some fun family news for later this week. That's all I can say until I know I have permission!
I have a prayer request for a friend. I am respecting her privacy, so I won't give much information. She is medically fragile and has a serious surgery coming up soon. Will you pray with me? God knows the details. Thanks.
12 comments:
Hi Deanna. I have a few pieces of the Friendly Village. All but the teapot and creamer came from an antique store. I got a really good deal on the vintage ones as an ice cream shop had taken over the antique shop and wanted to get rid of all the china. So I got several pieces for a very good price. Love the pattern and it is perfect for this time of year!
We have always had an artificial tree. We had real trees when I was growing up but one year many years ago, Hubby and I were staying at my parents over Christmas, waiting for our house to be completed. They still had a real tree at that time. Well, the spruce bud worm was bad that year and they had those horrible little creatures all over the house. Just from that one tree! It rather turned me off on a real tree being in the house. They got an artificial after that. I have a problem with real trees being cut down just for the holiday too. It just seems a shame even though in many places, the discarded tree is used for paper products and other constructive ways after the holidays. I love trees! No, I'm not a tree hugger per se, it just bothers me to see trees cut down for a two week holiday. A tree farm of course is the place to get a real one if one insists on a real tree. Anyway, this is why I have an artificial.
Prayers for your friend! Blessings...Sandi
Question: Those of you in the US who, like me, have Thanksgiving coming up, do you decorate for Christmas before or after this holiday?
It varies. This year, I will decorate before Thanksgiving because I am not hosting Thanksgiving. Decorating will go slow and easy because I am no ball of fire these days.
My mother once decorated completely for Christmas before Thanksgiving because we had a walloping three-day snowstorm and it just seemed right. It was a very festive holiday.
When I am invited away to Thanksgiving, I often take a bouquet of flowers that I request can go from Thanksgiving to Christmas on a ted hot dime. The hostess is usually very pleased.
Q: Oh, also, how many of you do a real tree and how many do artificial?
I gave up real trees long decades ago. I can’t handle the mess. What I like about going with an artificial tree is that Christmas can be extended as long as one wants. My tree is often up for a minimum of six weeks.
Yes, I have said a prayer for your friend. May all go very well for her.
Fun family news is some of my favorite kind... a new baby, an engagement ring...hmmm...what could it be?
I feel as if I have written a book!
I had never seen the Friendly Village pattern before, until visiting Sandi's Rose Chintz Cottage earlier this week. It is gorgeous, and, definitely perfect for this time of year.
I am one of those oddballs who will not decorate for Christmas until December. I devote the entire month of November to fall (September and October too). My Christmas decorations will stay up until the end of January, although I stopped putting up a tree a few years ago.
Praying for your friend.
Blessings,
Patti
Prayed for your friend.
I love the plates. They remind of a painting by grandma had of a snowy scene and red barn. Christmasy!
Ohhhh, I enjoyed this post. Your knitting projects always look so warm and cozy, snuggly. Love that fuchsia colour. And I love your Friendly Village dishes. Perfect for this time of year's festivities.
I tend not to decorate actual Christmas decorations until December, but I do have twinkle lights and some autumnal things that will soon ease into wintry themes. For years, we used artificial trees so I could decorate early, but the last few years, we've started doing live trees. Hubby was most enthusiastic. Last year we went out into the countryside to a tree farm and cut our own to bring home. Which was a lovely outing that day. We didn't decorate the tree until Dec 20 or 21 (didn't want needles falling out too early) which felt so much like our childhood. At which point, all the excitement would tumble out all at once.
Wee prayers for your friend that she will truly sense His presence in her life at this time. Peace and comfort and hope to her.
Wishing you a beautiful November...
Brenda xox
I do love the scent of a 'real' tree, but nowadays we just have a small artificial one. It still looks pretty and there are no needles to clear!
I love Friendly Village dishes! My set came from an antique store, but I think they are newer ones too. It doesn't matter to me either. I am leaning towards using them at Thanksgiving this year, but I could go with Blue Willow. I am torn!
We don't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I still feel fall-ish through Thanksgiving! 😉
Artificial or real Christmas tree? We loved having a real tree until the year our tree lost gazillions of needles and we finally had to surrender and take it down four days before Christmas. (I am not talking a normal shedding of needles, or even an I-forgot-to-water-and-killed-my-tree loss of needles. No. I am talking some kind of blight/disease and great gobs of needles falling when you even walked into the room. And we had cut it ourselves, so we knew it was fresh. When we dragged it out the front door, our hardwood floors looked like the forest floor.) Anyway, we went out and bought an artificial tree on December 21st and we were never brave enough to try again.
Ooooo . . . so excited to hear your family news!! (I have a guess!!)
well....How I envy your set of Johsnon Brothers...my all time favorite which is what my Mother and Grandmother had....just lovely for the holidays.....I do not decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving which is our favorite holiday...it's about family and being grateful...I hang on to the Autumn season as long as possible....we have had an artifical tree for years because our real trees dried out before Christmas arrived...always.....it's not about material gifts to us...it's about celebrating the birth of Jesus and being happy and being together as a family....I love the natural items you plan to use in your cottage home Deanna...warm hugs for this post today!
We have always decorated the day after Thanksgiving...except last year when we put the tree up on Thanksgiving day. Our family was alone for the first time ever and it was a nice relaxing way to spend the day. We also have an artificial tree. Great for my allergies and it never drops a needle. ;) We've had the same one since we were married. Love it. Wouldn't have it any other way! Can't wait to see what you decide and your decor!
This is such a fun post and does feel as if we are all sitting around chatting over coffee or tea!
I love Friendly Village and would love to own a set one day. Even $4.99 a plate might be out of my price range, but I know that is a great price. I will need to keep a lookout at thrift stores. I do have several pieces.
Question: Those of you in the US who, like me, have Thanksgiving coming up, do you decorate for Christmas before or after this holiday?
I nearly always decorate for Christmas after Thanksgiving. As you note, it is cutting it very close this year. But I will probably still wait and do it after Thanksgiving. I love harvest-y hues for that holiday. Your greenery, pomanders and lights sound like they will fit in perfectly and make Thanksgiving all the more warm and festive. Do you own, or have you ever seen, Gooseberry Patch Christmas book 1? These are the ones from Leisure Arts. Book 1 is filled with inspiring photos and ideas for the sort of decorating you described.
Question: Oh, also, how many of you do a real tree and how many do artificial?
We had real trees for years until we finally depleted all of the good Christmas tree possibilities on our property. (They weren't always great trees, but the price was right.) For a few years we bought fresh trees at a local Christmas tree farm. Then friends gave us an old, but very real-looking artificial tree. It lasted only a few seasons because it was very old indeed, but it certainly showed us the benefits of an artificial tree. One of the main ones being, as Vee said above, that we can leave the tree up for as long as we like. Which is usually well into January, if not later. Of late, we've bought clearance trees at Walmart after Christmas, and have become spoiled by the pre-lit ones. My hubby and I have very different ideas as to how to put lights on a Christmas tree, so the pre-lit ones have been very helpful. Except it seems that the lights tend to give out in one section at a time and we end up adding strings of lights to fill in the gap.
I've just said a prayer for your friend. Asking God to guide the surgeon's hands and to comfort and encourage your friend and meet whatever spiritual need she might have.
Fun family news! I wonder ... Engagement or new baby is my first thought.
Deanna, the Johnson Bros Friendly Village dishes are lovely, especially for autumn. I have a Johnson Bros plain white swirl pattern, can't think of the name of it just now. I used one of the small plates in my current post. Your knitting projects look beautiful! I hope your friend's surgery goes well and makes her life easier.
Well Hello my friend! I love this post. I have enjoyed our little chat and catching up. I love your knitting. I enjoy crochet. I am currently working on some infant hats to donate. Your dishes are beautiful. Enjoy preparing for the holidays. I drop back by soon!
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