Vintage Christmas Monday at the Seed Box Open House

Joan at Anything Goes Here is starting a new party this Monday called

"Vintage Christmas Monday".

We are posting vintage Christmas items or anything "Christmas" made with vintage items. This gives me a good opportunity to show you a few photos from "The Seed Box" Christmas Open House that I attended last Friday evening.

Many of you are familiar with "The Seed Box"  that is Brian and Meloney Russell from Chadwick, Missouri. Brian and Meloney had a store in Ozark for several years and now attend as dealers, several of the shows in Texas. Theresa of Garden Antiques Vintage has showcased Brian and Mel many times in her blog. They live in a wonderful old homestead in the hills of southern Missouri. The following are just a few of the Christmas items that they had for sale and display at their Open House.

I fell in love with this very old concrete display of the nativity. Here are several photos of it, which was located on their front porch.

This is their fireplace mantle in the Living Room. Meloney used old bottles with letters wrapped with wire to spell out many Christmas words and phrases. This one is "JOY".

Christmas trees decorated with old paintbrushes

were located on the porch for a really fun touch.

Thank you Joan, for starting this great party.

I'm going to have to get busy, since I don't have any of my Christmas decor out. So by next week I should have a few things within reach.

I'm really looking forward to seeing all the "Vintage Christmas". Be sure and head over to Anything Goes Here and check out the others that are gathering their Vintage Christmas Goodies!

This was just a teaser...

Be sure and come back later today for more photos of

The Seed Box 

 Christmas Open House

Have a great Monday!

Debra

November 1974, Happy Birthday Erin

Long before the days of ultrasounds, trying to discover the gender of a baby was left up to the speed of the baby's heartbeat. The doctor had both of our girls figured as boys. Surprise in both cases. These were the days when Daddy had to wait outside in the "waiting room", with everyone else. So Richard James, named after both of our fathers, had really been Erin Elizabeth all along!

I had been 3 weeks overdue, and had tried all sorts of things to get her here. In a nutshell, I was miserable and so big I could hardly walk. Christmas was coming, and I hadn't done any shopping. I had dreams of an eternal pregnancy!

Erin and I in December 1974, visiting Grandma and Grandpa.

(My one and only time to have frosted hair)

Erin and Keith in October 1997,

one of their engagement photos.

She is one of the few people I have met

that looks good either as a blond or a brunette.

2009 on our recent trip to St. Louis.

Erin, myself, and Alyson, last Christmas.

Just a little trip down memory lane

 to wish my beautiful and loving daughter a

Happy, Happy Birthday, "Beanie"!

Love Mom

A "French-Kissed" Invitation

We have all met or know of people in life who just simply stand out in a crowd. They are the ones with quiet elegance. They exude class and graciousness. They have an innate attitude of charm and mystery. I received an honor and outstretched hand from one such lovely friend this week, Jermaine of French-Kissed.

The first time I set eyes on her blog, I fell in love. I spent an hour there retracing her posts, and lingering over all her breathtaking photos. She is the kind of person that inspires me to come up a little higher, to enjoy my life, and to dream. She will take you with her to far-away places, and then beckon you to join her at her table.

Jermaine has been setting a variety of lovely tablescapes for Thanksgiving, using her wonderful collection of dishes and silver. She decorates with "nature", so feathers, roses, pumpkins and assorted elements find their way to dress her individual place settings. Her table is a reflection of who she is; "distinctively individual"!

I was honored to have my name at her table this week.
What a blessing to be given this invitation.


Please drop by her French-Kissed home and life
and say "Hello".
You will never want to leave!


Thank you, dear Jermaine,
Debra

Vintage Black Friday, Mourning Attire

Vintage Black Friday is here.

What will I do when this party is over?

I have enjoyed it so much.

Thank you Jill, at Gypsy Brocante,

 for hostessing this wonderful opportunity

 to fulfill all my "vintage black" desires.

 

When Queen Victoria of England lost her precious husband Albert, in December of 1861 she went into deep mourning. She took the custom of wearing "mourning black" to a new level. All the Victorian ladies of that time followed her in the custom. It became an outward showing of grief when a loved one passed. Many women created a whole new wardrobe for the now fashionable black attire.

Queen Victoria and daughter

with bust of Albert

another image (unknown) from late 1800's

Two current replicas of mourning attire

Mary Todd Lincoln

Two mourning blouses found at a local flea market

When I was in High School, Gone With the Wind

 was re-released in theatres.

I had read the book twice by then

and fell in love with the movie.

These two images are from the movie scene where Scarlett is attending a ball shortly after the death of her husband. For you not familiar with the story, Scarlett married a man she did not love, trying to invoke jealousy from her beloved Ashley Wilkes. When her husband died in the Civil War, she found herself in a strict code of mourning, but her heart was not in it.

Please click on this

YouTube link to see Scarlett and Rhett

dance the Virginia Reel.

You will love it!!

Have a Wonderful Vintage Black Friday

Do a little dance today!

Debra