A Christmas Kitchen "Reveal"

What better place to start the Christmas decorating

than in my "new" kitchen!

I feel like I'm in a totally new house.

And it's so bright in here that I need to wear sunglasses!

I'll have a post out soon with a few "before" photos

 and I'll be answering some of your "how-to" questions,

with some of the technical stuff

 and a "wish I knew then" list.

(ouch!)

But for now I just want to share a little of my Christmas fun. 

The splashes of red really say Christmas to me.

and for my Victoria Magazine Inspiration

the current Christmas issue inspired me

 to pack a little Christmas picnic basket

with hot cider and Walker shortbread.

(one of my favorite cookies)!

The kitchen re-do was every bit of the job that I knew it would be...

and then some!!

But I jumped right in to getting my Holiday decorating done

because I want to relax and enjoy these next few weeks

I hope that's possible!

I'm joining in with these great Holiday Parties

A Delightsome Life

Between Naps on the Porch

House in the Roses

A Stroll Thru Life

Coastal Charm

Bobbypins Boardwalk

Savvy Southern Style

All Things Heart and Home

Faded Charm

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Funky Junk Interiors

Hope you're having a wonderful week

full of Christmas fun!

Be sure and join in this Thursday-Sunday

love,

Debra

Vintage Inspiration Friday # 9: Setting a Fall Table

I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do this,

and how badly I've wanted to share these photos

since the day I had this fun little outing.

Each year Country Living and Country Home Magazines

would put together these fantastic outdoor table settings for Fall;

those magical tables and settings

have been my inspiration for these photos.

Our subdivision is adjacent to a lovely large lake and park,

with many acres of picnic facilities, gorgeous landscaped hills,

dense forests full of deer, and bike and running paths...

The perfect place for an impromptu sunset dinner for two.

(notice the old ceiling tiles that I used for placemats?)

Thanks so much for sharing my fantasy...

You should have seen us rushing across the field

 trying to catch the last of the gorgeous light.

My husband with a dolly loaded with a table

 and my two newly painted chairs...

and a trash bag full of leaves

pilfered from our neighbor's gorgeous maple tree!

And me with the picnic basket and a load of other "junk"

under each arm.

We were quite the team. LOL!

When we got there we were both out of breath

and to my horror they had just mowed and mulched,

so not a leaf to be found.

That is why the leaves are only in front. ha ha!

right where we dumped them.

oh well,

we had a lot of fun!

Thanks so much for coming by,

hope you'll join in for

Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Any Inspiration is welcomed.

I'd love for you to grab the button and share with others

where to come for the vintage fun

 by linking up within your post. : )

Next week I'll announce the winner of the Necklace Give Away.

You're automatically entered if you are a participant in VIF.

Edited on October 6, 2011 to link with

So Thank You in advance for participating!!

love,

Debra

www.thriftydecorchick.com

Show and Tell Friday: Enchanted Gardens

Over the Christmas holidays I was introduced

to the miniature world of Enchanted Gardens.

 I was reminded of being newly married and

being mesmerized with constructing terrariums.

At that time a large antique glass bottle

 was my playground filled with small plants,

 rocks, and nature's tiny objects.

 My older daughter who has always

 loved miniatures of any kind; dollhouses, toys,

 ephemera, etc. found these at one of our favorite shops

 and proceeded to build herself

 a tiny paradise in a clay pot.

Me too, me too, I thought,

 I'd have some fun in those cold and dreary days of winter.

Angel vine is my plant of choice of late,

so angel vine it was.

A wire bench, clay pots, tiny watering can,

 birdhouse, and an urn.

They all came home with me.

Let us not forget the trellis which

completes itself with a fairy size chandelier.

Within days I had seen an article

in one of my favorite magazines,

"Midwest Living", that added to my inspiration.

So my clay pot found a home

 in one of my metal lunchboxes;

this one in a hexagonal design.

It's found a home in my kitchen,
out of the way of the gray fur babies reach.

My friend Debra Moore,

who owns Inspirational Home, here in Springfield,

 carries an extensive line of Fairy Garden elements.

Shhhhhh......it even includes the fairies.

I'm linking up with Inspirational Home's Shop Blog

so that you can see all the fun over there!

And if you haven't entered my

 Royal Treatment GiveAway,

there's still time!

Click Here

to join in the fun.

Today, I'm participating with Cindy from

 My Romantic Home

for

 Show and Tell Friday

And I'm also linking with Laurie for her

My Favorite Things Saturday

 

 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Yard work and some flowers are on my agenda!

love,

Debra