Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas in the Dining Room

Hello and Happy Christmas! I hope everyone had a blessed day today. We had a very small Christmas so that is why I have the time now on Christmas day to actually get this post going.

Before showing you the dining room table I wanted to share this vignette of my antique hand painted Christmas plate I got at one of the sales I worked at several weeks ago.


I don't really decorate the dining room much for Christmas, just a little on the step back cupboard, a small tree and greenery on my miniature Curiosity Shop (on the right side of photo) and then the dining room table. So to set the table I bring out some Victorian antiques from the cupboard and try to fancy it up a bit, it doesn't look very exciting but wait until you see some of the details up close.


We'll start at my son's end of the table...


where a parakeet napkin ring graces his plate and a salt cellar sets off to the side with its own little monogrammed spoon inside. Each place setting has their own napkin ring (which really were not used at formal dinners at that time, they were only used for everyday use), salt cellar and spoon and butter pat. The place setting is Pfaltzgraff Winter Berry pattern.


When looking up from his place setting you see this view...


and moving around to the right of the table is the butter dish...


my place setting and the centerpiece brides bowl upon a plateau mirror almost hidden by the ivy and holly.


A closer look at the enameled brides bowl and the gold enameled cranberry glass cruet bottle on the plateau mirror.


and then there is this zipper glass pickle castor and zipper glass celery vase...


moving on around past hubby's place setting is this water pitcher. I got it a couple of months ago from Richard at My Old Historic Home. That is the link that shows his booths at an antique mall near his home.


Below is a candle lit view with the gilt china cabinet in the background


and my daughter's place setting...


and then we are back around to where we started from, back to the banana pedestal bowl with wax fruit.


Now, let's fast forward to dessert and I'll show you my Buche de Noel cake...


And now for my miniature followers here is Christmas in the dolls house. Enjoy!






HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

I would like to thank the following ladies for featuring my Historic Rosyln Heights Home Tour post.
Cindy at AMAZE ME MONDAY and
Kathy at A RETURN TO LOVELINESS

I am linking up to the following parties, please come and join in the fun.
EVERY ROOM IN THE HOUSE with Nancy
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
A RETURN TO LOVELINESS with Kathy
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marty
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Jill
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Paula and Patti

Friday, December 19, 2014

Christmas in the Parlor

Hello everyone! After weeks of having boxes laying around, driving me crazy, I think I can finally say I'm done decorating. Or at least it's as done as it's going to get. I  don't really do a ton of decorating but most of it seems to be in what I call the Parlor so that is the room I will show you in this post. Year after year I always seem to decorate the very same way so this year I changed it up a bit, but just a little!

As you walk in the front door and are standing in the foyer you get a glimpse of the fireplace and mantel.


I did not have a fire burning for these pictures but I do have some soft white lights on the mantel.


Adding an elegant sparkle to what I'm calling my Manger Mantel.


A great company of heavenly host are hanging from the mirror, gracing the top of the mirror and if you'll look closely through the mirror you'll see the painted cherubs on my ceiling.


To the left of the clock are the three wisemen and a camel (above) and to the right (below) is the Holy family, a donkey and a bull.


Here is a more detailed view of the Holy Family. I got this vintage manger set at an Antiques Mall a couple of years ago marked down after Christmas.


A more detailed view of the Wisemen and the camel,


and nearby are the shepherds who were living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks at night.


Moving on around the room on a parlor table are some early 1900's Christmas postcards. I bought the basket sleigh after being inspired by Janice's over at Curtains in My Tree. I added a doily to soften up the look a bit. The gold Santa is also a new purchase for this years decorating. It and the basket came from Michael's Arts and Crafts.


I also added to my postcard collection, I got these Christmas cards at the sales I work at.
I really liked this one with the postman, isn't he cute?


And I have these 3 too. When collecting postcards Santa's and toys are always a good thing. I just love the greeting Happy Christmas, it reminds me of the Night Before Christmas book.


Next to the parlor table is this secretary bookcase where I added a miniature sleigh and a little glass dome with a miniature Christmas tree inside. Behind the dome is last years Christmas gift that my 14 year old daughter picked out for me. I just love what it says..."We may not have it all together, but together we have it all."And when you have teenagers that is so true don't you think?
Up a shelf by Queen Victoria is a little egg in a brass Christmas napkin ring, sorry you can't see it.


On this far end of the parlor is my Victorian feather tree. This is the tree that was featured in Victorian Homes magazine a couple of years ago. If you want to see that post click here.


Over on my pier table I created this vignette on my silver plated tray. I was inspired to use the tray from Judy over at Gold Country Cottage. She did a cute vignette on her tray for Halloween.


On the tray I have 3 little book boxes in which I embellished with some miniatures and string beads, a silver plated chocolate pot, a Johnson Bros. Friendly Village cup and saucer and another gold Santa.


I bought the below white peacock ornaments and stands for my mother for Christmas this year. She has a wonderful peacock collection but mostly blue peacocks not white ones so when I saw these I knew she had to have them. And I had to have them too, so I bought 2 of each!  The pictures don't show how sparkly they really are, they're just gorgeous. I bought them at JCPenney.


Over the sofa is this mirror decked out with a little Christmas greenery and in its reflection is the family tree that you see when you first walk in the room. The star flashes on and off so I was lucky enough to have caught it lit up! I placed the tree in front of my recently acquired Pier mirror that I showed on this post. It worked out perfect there I thought.


Outside you'll find more Heavenly Host all lit up.


And one of my three new outdoor light fixtures. I thought they were kind of Victorian looking, they remind me of carriage or street light lamps.


As always, thank you for your visit. I really appreciate your visits and especially your nice comments.
I am planning on doing a Christmas dining room post early next week, so I hope you will visit again for that one.

I am joining the following parties, please come and join us.
EVERY ROOM IN THE HOUSE with Nancy
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
TEATIME TUESDAY with Sandi
A RETURN TO LOVELINESS with Kathy
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marty
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria Elena
LET'S TALK VINTAGE with Bella
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Roslyn Heights Christmas Tour


Hello everyone! I have a Victorian Home Christmas tour to take you on today! My friend and fellow blogger, whom I will introduce you to in a little bit, set out on our first little outing (we met through blogging and just happened to live in the same town!) this past Saturday to a little river town to get in some antiquing and take a home tour. The home is called Roslyn Heights and is the Missouri Daughters of the American Revolution State Headquarters in Boonville. 
The Queen Ann house was built in 1895. It has 13 rooms and 8 beautiful fireplaces. Each room has a decorated Christmas tree by a different chapter of the DAR. So be prepared to see LOTS of Christmas trees!




And with that being said, let's head on in! But first I have to tell you a little secret. There was to be no photo taking in the house BUT I asked them if I could take photos of the trees for my blog. So I was a little sneaky and snuck in a few interior shots as well. Sorry I couldn't get more for you to see.


So upon entering the house you'll find the foyer and the first tree all nestled in the turret room. It was decorated in an owl theme. I tried to get a little detail of the house in each photo too. So notice the gorgeous fretwork at the top of the photo.




This is the ladies parlor...


with colors of pearly white, silver, and splashes of blue along with several birds.



AND NOW back to my friend and fellow blogger! Who is she? She is the lovely and talented Janice (on the left) from Curtains in my Tree. If you have not ever visited her blog you will want to! She can always put a smile on your face.



Moving on into the next room, which the docent called a gentleman's parlor or smoking room but it actually seems to be more of a music room. But anyway here is another owl themed tree done in reds and golds and silver, well actually it's kind of a patriotic tree. I see it now that I'm actually looking at it and trying to figure it out! And am I seeing things or is that a ladies hat on top of that tree?!




In the dining room is a bluebird and angel themed tree,



just check out that bluebird mobile. Pretty cute! There were lots of pretty sterling silver and different shadow boxes in this room but I couldn't sneak a picture of those!



BUT, as I reached the top of the stairs I turned around and took a quick photo of the beautiful stained glass windows and more gorgeous fretwork.



The first bedroom has the tree in the turret room and I assume it is an angel tree wearing a halo? I'm not sure what it is, I don't remember.
See that pink vase on the right, well that is waht I remember! It was one of a pair and very lovely!



And surprise, here we are again! My camera just didn't like the lighting in this house. This is a different bedroom.



with a woodland type theme and more bluebirds. Maybe I should mention that Missouri's state bird is the bluebird. How about that?!
I did get the top of the antique sofa in this picture! Yay!



Here is what I would call the "master bedroom" which had a bed to die for but I could not sneak a photo of it either! But anyway it has a little room/big closet adjoining it(to the right).



And it was Janice's favorite! So Janice this photo is for you my friend!



Below is a closer look at the tree in the bedroom,


and yes, more bluebirds!




This tree is in the boys bedroom. Red, white and blue AND snowmen and icicles!



And here is this little snowman themed tree but I didn't care much for it I was just trying to get the dresser! I do like the reflection of the other tree in the mirror though. :-)



And the last bedroom on the second floor is the servants bedroom with a woodland snow theme. A cute Teddy on top...



and not bluebirds, but Cardinals on this tree!!




Coming out of the bedroom, heading into the bathroom I took this photo. The stairwell with all the stained glass is off to the left before the chair.




Here is the bathroom. I did not get a good shot of the walls though. You can see a little bit of the mural in the photo, but it went all around the room and it is original to the house! So pretty!




And then we headed upstairs to the third floor attic which is the ballroom. The docent said this is where the family celebrated Christmas morning.


Right here gathered around the fireplace!


On the other side of the ballroom is the turret room and Janice's favorite decorated tree all tucked in nice and pretty.


It was decorated with dried hydrangeas and guess what else?! Yep, you guessed it...bluebirds!!
It was named the "And Heaven and Nature Sing" tree.



After that we headed back downstairs to the basement, had a soup lunch that they were providing for $5,



needed to use the ladies room before leaving. And it even had Christmas trees in there! But no bluebirds!



I absolutely loved this bathroom and it has inspired with me my own bathroom!



Below is the Historic Hotel Frederick. I thought the entrance was so pretty all decked out for Christmas that I wanted to share a glimpse of it with you.



And then it was off to check out some antique furniture! This store is so fun to look in, so many pretty pieces!


And it is so huge! Love it!


Thank you for coming along on our little outing with us. I hope you enjoyed it. I will be posting on my own Christmas decorations in the next couple of days so be watching for that.



I wanted to thank Nancy over at A Joyful Cottage. She had a Dining Room party, called Every Room in the House Party, for the month of November and she featured my dining room transformation post. If you have not visited Nancy you will want to check out her wonderful post.
http://www.ajoyfulcottage.com/2014/12/every-room-in-house-party-12.html


I am joining the following parties with this post, please come and check out these parties.
HOME SWEET HOME with Sherry
SHOW AND TELL FRIDAY with Cindy
AMAZE ME MONDAY with Cindy
INSPIRE ME TUESDAY with Marty
TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME with Maria
A RETURN TO LOVELINESS with Kathy
WHAT'S IT WEDNESDAY with Patti
HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY with Kathy