CHRISTMAS NOSTALGIA

My Latest Entry Room Doll House Decorated For Christmas

Well!  What can I say? How about the dog  and cat were playing while Mom was busy painting and she  didn't dust and tidy up before this picture was taken. How's that?

One of the grandkids favorite decorations. It's on the kitchen display shelf

12yr old Grandson Davey has adopted Grandma's philosophy, "I'm never too old for Santa"!

Another oops! What happen to the first floor? Oh well, this lighted Christmas House along with flocked trees sets on our Kitchen Table. MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!  Will be back after the first of the year.

SHABBY CHIC TAGS

THESE ARE MY SHABBY CHIC TAGS I RECEIVED IN MARILOU'S TRADE.  AREN'T THEY NEAT!

THESE ARE THE TAGS I MADE AND SENT OFF TO BE TRADED. IT WAS GREAT FUN!

PRECIOUS COTTAGE WAS OCCUPIED OVER THANKSGIVING WEEK BY OLDEST GRANDDAAUGHTER CASSIE AND HUSBAND STEVEN FROM REXBURG, IDAHO.

FAMILY QUILTS OLD AND NEW

This quilt was made by my Paternal Grandmother Mitchell in 1914, and just recently was given to me by my Cousin Janell.  I have a close feeling towards this grandmother even though  I never knew her. She died in 1934 before I was born in 1937.  But this grandmother was creative!  She  sewed decoratively as well  practically. And she also  did China Painting.

This Wall Hanging is my latest quilting project. It is for the newest addition in our extended family, our great-granddaughter Eleanore Rose, "Ellie" who lives in Montana.

Grandson  Davey was helping me try to get the best picture!

The package was taken to the post office this morning right after we voted. I'm anxious to see what Momma and Daddy think about it! I'm sure Ellie will think it's just fine!

MONOCROMATIC TRADE QUILTIES ARRIVED

I Decided to prop the Quilties on the Mantel for background interest this time! My porcelain doll was given to be years ago by my husbands aunt along with a precious wooden chest. The lamp and clock are both antiques I have gathered thru the years.

The yellow quiltie, "Arizona Sunshine" came from Candice Koch in Phoenix, Az. Such a neat & bright piece of handwork Yellow is one of my Favorite colors! Thank you Candice!  The beautiful Red "Fabric Postcard" with 4 different fabrics and 6 different trims came from Judy McCarthy in Oakden  SA in Australia. A beauty, Thank you Judy! The sweet Beige Floral quiltie with fabric roses and buttons came from Aussie Quilters Club in Australia. Love the stitching on it too! Next time the theme is  "Snowmen" I'm gathering fabrics and trims!

GREAT PLACE TO WINTERIZE THE PLANTS!

The sun comes thru the little front Cottage windows all morning and the plants love it here!  It helps with the over flow in the house, where I put the patio ferns and hanging foliage plants!

A perfect place to take a break and maybe a short nap in between the trips back and forth from the back garden

MONOCHROMATIC TRADE QUILTIES

The Monochromatic October Quilties were fun to make using cream, white and ecru material, lace, ribbon, pictures , fabric flowers and buttons. The picture was taken off of an advertisement brochure after we had. finished with it.

The gold ribbon was the back side  of an animal print. The picture was out of a magazine.

I collect snippets of lace, ribbons and miniatures from thrift stores to add to the quilties.

Layering of laces is fun! The little white satin flowers were in a small beat up bouquet at the thrift store for 50 cents.

The background fabric is actually the wrong side of a pink tapestry. We actually send 5 quilties to our leader Sandra Kaye Designs and she sends us 5 back each from a different person. But I make one for myself also, Great fun! I also belong to a Postcard Trade done the same only with paper.

ANOTHER LOOK INSIDE "' MOM'S COTTAGE"

"Go in Peace" above the back door shelf

I painted two paintings one of hollyhocks one roses for  the walls on each side of the table.

I have painted quotes such as "Seize The Moment"  all around the cottage above the high shelves which whole a collection of cottage memorabilia

The cozy sitting area. I escape up here some times and lay down on the sofa and read or nap.

 Have old photos of my childhood on display on the bedroom chest of drawers.

This wall hanging hold  special old calendars and cards. The large calendar is for 1937, my birth year. The medium size calendar ) above right is 1936 my husband Maurice's birth year. The smaller calendar  just above the large one is the year 1955. Our wedding year. I have kept each years calendar practically since we were married  and referred  back to them  ever so often.

My pink and white dinnerware which i collected from Antique Malls and Garage Sales. We took the cabinet doors off to make it look more like a china hutch.

A fellow Artist; Marcie Vogel ; surprised me with this painting of my self and presented to me for years of service to our Harrisonville fine art association. I had this old frame just waiting for something special so it was a perfect match.

Post settings

My Sorority/ Engagement picture of 1955 nestled among some pillows on the bed.

Some of my Cottage tea pots on a tiered shelf I found in Branson, The bottom one I noticed in a shop window while taking a  trolley tour in another state. I was able to find my way back walking!

Some of my treasures  on a little cabinet  in the bathroom.

Add look inside the "necessary room"

There are high shelves all around the walls in the cottage to display my collections. This in the bedroom.

 Twin beds with an old stair rail above the bed. Above the rail on the wall I  printed "Stairway To The Stars"

 I Received a Dremel one year for Christmas so used it to carve this on the lower kitchen cabinets. I also carved  "MHS  1976  MJS"  on our lower cabinets in our home.

HISTORIC HOTEL RECTOR

This old Hotel in our little town of Garden City, Missouri has this darling Florist which the town people use faithfully. There use to be a precious Tea Room  with antiques for sale, but times change and there is a real estate office in the other part of the building now.

SOME OF MY VINTAGE TREASURES

 I love the pretty soap boxes and containers! The Violet Soap was given to me for a birthday from Mother. She couldn't understand why I wanted that rather than a pretty blouse or something. But violets being my Feb. birthday flower, it just spoke to me! Mother has been gone for many years but I think of her often when I look at this box.

I found this set of old  books copyrighted in the late 1800's  when Mother and I stopped at a "Little Sister's of the Poor" Thrift Store yeas ago. I have read them all I believe. My favorites as I remember were" Little Miss Whirlwind"  and " Rose Mather"  Inside on  the  first page is an advertisement listing Popular Books by one of the authors  Mrs. George Shelton listing the price as 60 cents per volume

Here is my doll "Alma Jean" in a little feed sack dress Mother made for her when I was a little girl. I should say this doll is like my doll Alma Jean! The truth is Mother took care of children and somewhere along the way my doll disappeared! I said in later years if I ever saw one like my doll at an Antique Store I would have to get it. Well I did! I didn't have enough money at the time but they let me put her in lay-a-way until I got the money. So she is "My" doll as far as I'm concerned! The picture shows me with Alma Jean and my sister and her doll too along with two little friends.

MY OLD BRIDE & GROOM CAKE TOPPERS

The little Bride & Groom note cards are fun to put with the collection as well as old handkerchiefs

I've been collecting these old Bride & Groom Cake Toppers for years. Most have come from Thrift Stores. I'm still looking for Military Grooms or these days Bride or both.

SOME OF MY HANDWORK IN THE COTTAGE

This decoupaged suitcase was a project for us Sisters one time when Judy came down and spent a couple of days with me  in the Cottage. it makes a handy storage piece or just pretty accessory.

 I gathered  embroiderd dollies and lace pieces  and copied a picture of sister Judy and I  for both of us and then  we went to work designing our .pictures. We always have a handwork project for each little trip and this was one of them.

A couple of years ago I made this collage as an  entry for our Harrisonville Fine Art Show I called it "Marlynne Joy" It tells the story of my life in pictures.  It was great fun!

Little stuffed and decorated hearts are tucked in here and there thru out the cottage