By Candlelight

Sometimes when it's dusk, I love to have a candle burning out here on the porch. There's something about the candle glow that warms the space and my heart. And especially at Christmas, with all the cuddly blankets and quilts, the sunporch becomes a little "nest".

This is my wire carrier that I have used for my Halloween Candy Corn candleholders for the last few years. I think the candy corn was at least 2 years old, so it was time to say good-bye! I wanted to try something new for Christmas.

I have a fixation on peat pots,

(like many of you arty gals in blogland)

and they were beggin' for some holly and boxwood.

I used a small plastic "baggy" and put a little water in it to keep the greens moist, then smooshed it into the bottom of the peat pot. I only had two matching candles, and that turned out to be "a good thing". Then I added a couple of itty bitty Shiny Brites for some sparkle. But...this post comes with a disclaimer, as I found the hard way that polyester Christmas ribbon is not fireproof !

If you look closely you can see some charred edges of ribbon.

...a quick save by scrunching up the ribbon toward the middle.

This is my little green chair that was part of a set of table and chairs

that my mom and dad bought for my second birthday.

(yep, it's beyond vintage, and just plain old!)

and since it was getting dark, I tried the carrier out on my dad's old dresser,

which holds my conservatory here in the sunroom.

The old painted concrete lambs are part of my garden collection.

so now I've learned to enjoy the candlelight,

but if I get too fancy, I need to have a fire extinguisher close by!

Nothing like a little excitement!

I'll be joining in for these parties:

No Minimalist Here for Open House Party

My French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

2805 for Potpourri Friday

At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday

LaurieAnnas Farmhouse Fridays

Stuff and Nonsense for Fridays Unfolded

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell

Funky Junk for Saturday Night Special

Shabby Art Boutique for Simply Christmas

See ya tomorrow for 

lots of Christmas hugs,

Christmas on the Sunporch

You didn't think you'd get by this Christmas Season

 without an invitation to the sunporch now did you?

Come on out, it may be a little chilly,

but the sunshine is warm!

This is my "partial cats" pic.

Do you see the "disappearing" one toward the bottom left?

My Baker's rack is loaded with paperwhites in my white pottery.

and a fun Christmas find at Leola's Christmas Open House this year,

was the great vintage red plaid umbrella!

My camera has been returned, and actually because it was still under warranty, I think I received a new one. I don't know if you can tell, but I have a new lens for Christmas and I'm lovin' the detail!

Miss Jenkins on lookout.

Vintage Santa Noel Bells door hanger.

I've loved using a gifted seed box from my pals Brian and Meloney

filled with old kitchen utensils and cookbooks.

Welcome to my Shiny Brite obsession...

Are you pacing yourself this week?

Wrapping is done,

grocery shopping tonight

last minute errands tomorrow.

Kids will be here Thursday!

Don't know if you've noticed it, but there's been more "color" this Christmas in blogland. After a few years of just neutrals and white, many of us really wanted a touch of the traditional red and green this year. I've really loved seeing all your homes and decorations. Don't forget this is our last week for Vintage Christmas, so be sure and join in for the party.

I'm joining these Christmas Parties:

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

xoxo,

Sideboard Inspiration

We're counting down the days now  and I have a few more things that I want to share. I made a quick stop here at the sideboard on the  Christmas House Tour, but I wanted to show a little more detail.

This lantern is one of two matching that I bought this year.

and it was the inspiration for my sideboard.

I wanted a serene "Jeanne D'Arc" feel to the entry and Living Room.

This little bottle brush wreath

 and the bubble print portrait of Mary are separate,

they just happened to fit together beautifully.

 (sorry for the glare of the overhead spots)

I also found these wonderful moss covered pinecones 

and a battery operated candle to add to the lantern

with my Mary and Baby Jesus statue.

A few of my favorite vintage postcards and an ex voto in flower frogs.

I found this wonderful Madonna of the Goldfinch print 

in this chippy frame a few years ago.

Here's a little information about the painting:

Madonna of the Goldfinch by Raphael or Raffaello

Renaissance Art by Raphael Sanzio or Raffaello

Madonna of the Goldfinch, Madonna del Cardellino (1505). Artist: Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) or simply Raphael or Raffaello. Madonna of the Goldfinch is a vintage Renaissance fine art religious portrait painting. The Virgin Mary is holding a book, with identifies her as Sedes Sapientiae ("Seat of Wisdom"). The goldfinch is a symbol of Christ's future violent death. The young Saint John the Baptist offers the goldfinch to Christ in warning of his future.

This captured the feeling I wanted this year,

serene and spiritual.

Just a few more days...

hope you have a wonderful week!

xoxo,

Tuesday Treasures at My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia

Primp your Stuff at Primp 

House Party at No Minimalist Here

Milk Carrier Paperwhites

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

A little more with Paperwhites...

For me, Paperwhites are just the embodiment of a natural theme for Christmas. I usually buy about 75 to 100 each year of the Ziva variety and have them planted in containers between Thanksgiving and Easter. This year I was behind schedule in getting them ordered, so they didn't arrive until the week after Thanksgiving.

I love using vintage containers for them, from soup tureens to just stacking the bulbs in peat pots. However you do it, there's an instant feeling of Christmas.

I love candles, and have one burning almost every day, but the thrifty part of me hates throwing away a perfectly wonderful glass jar. I saved them for awhile, not knowing for sure what I wanted to do with them, but after a "clean out" of my stash this summer, I just had 3 from this season to use.

I like using pea gravel and a little potting mix with my bulbs. I just like the way it looks rather than seeing the roots...just me. Then I cover them with some moss to hold in the moisture. I Didn't get that far with these.

The main thing is just to cover the bottom third, otherwise the bulb will rot. So into the candle jars with a little burlap ribbon on the outside, and then into the milk carrier. 

Keep in a bright window. In order to keep the stems from getting too long and falling over, you can water with a mix of rubbing alcohol and water in a 10/ 1 mixture. Not too much alcohol, just enough to stunt it's growth. (so many jokes for this...but I'll refrain)

I wish I'd been saving my candle jars earlier, in order to make a full carrier of them. A lttlle faux greenery will have to do for this round. I imagine I'll do another set in January. (I'm saving my candle jars now!)

Here they are this morning, after my camera made it back.

here's a link to using an alcohol solution to keep them manageable.

A super easy little project, you can use any jar, or jars and put them in a grouping, no carrier needed, just have fun with them. I buy mine from Blooming Bulb, but you have to order early. They also have a huge variety of Fall Bulbs and lot's of gorgeous "green" Christmas ideas.

I'll be linking up with:

Between Naps on the Porch

A Stroll thru Life

Coastal Charm

A Time to Create

Cherished Treasures

Dittle Dattle

Savvy Southern Style

Faded Charm

www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

xoxo,

Christmas Kitchen Kitsch

What better place to be "kitschy" than in the kitchen?

I found this little stack of drawers this year...

and it was just the right fit...

for a few little homeless reindeer and trees...

How's you're Saturday going,

Are you getting a lot of Christmas-y "things" done?

Hope this put a little smile on your face...

xoxo,