2011 December

I May Have Been Too Hasty

I may have been too hasty.

After my last post, the family was in an uproar.

“Declare yourself the winner,” they snorted. “Oh….no….you didn’t!”

“Did you tell them?” my brother said? “Did you tell them about acorn Mary and acorn Joseph and baby Jesus in an acorn manger?”

“Did they see the acorn camel and the acorn sheep?”

I can see his point…..an acorn nativity does score high marks for creativity…..but in the overall competitiion…..

….some may feel that this pillow made by one of my sisters gave the nativity a run for its money.

Some might think burlap + tiny tea-stained cotton balls = mirror ball trophy.

After a second look, I thought to myself…..was I too hasty to claim victory….too overconfident in the fabulousness of my gift….too quick to decide and boldly declare myself the winner….

Really….

I don’t think so…

…..for you see….the other entries had their selling points….

…..but when the dust clears and the Christmas wrapping settles….we all know….

…..the flatware takes the cake.

Have a blessed and Happy New Year!

Filed Under: House Tour Tagged With: acorn project, nativity

Stamp By Me

29 Dec By admin 20 Comments

I love silver for collecting.

I love silver in a white urn.

I love silver with dinner…..but most of all….

I love silver for wearing.

Each year at Christmas we have a homemade gift exchange. This year I gave my family necklaces created from vintage silver spoons. We simply detached the spoon from the handle, sanded it down and stamped it.

There were many entries this year, including a burlap pillow adorned with tiny, tea-stained cottonballs and a nativity set created out of acorns.

It was a grueling and arduous contest, but in the end….

…..I declared myself the winner.

Seriously.

There was no contest.

Who could top a necklace that started out life as a piece of vintage flatware?

So when the tissue and ribbons and wrapping paper were cleared away….I just knew somewhere there would be a mirror ball trophy calling my name…..

….if I could only get the nativity set and the pillow to agree.

PS If you have any questions about how I made these, feel free to e-mail me at thistlewoodfarms@yahoo.com.

PPS Here’s the link to the pinterest inspiration.

PPPS I am partying at the Pinterest Party with Katie and Sherry and Erin and Cassie. We are pinning it up

Filed Under: House Tour Tagged With: jewelry, silver, stamped

Let’s Dish

28 Dec By admin 25 Comments

Some people collect stamps.

Some people collect insects.

Some people collect 1960′s Italian glass decanters.

As for me, I am an avid, undying fan of vintage silverware.

I collect it all….

….forks, spoons, soup ladles, servers, pickle forks, sugar spoons, iced teaspoons, meat forks, ice cream spoons and on and on.

Why?

I think each piece of silverware tells a story.

Stories of dinner parties and ladies in flapper outfits, tinkling bells for the next course.

Stories of dignitaries and newlyweds and special occasions.

And just like in days of old, I want my silver to tell its own stories…stories for my children and grandchildren.

And oh…..the stories my forks and spoons could tell….

….but enough about my silverware….

…..tell your spoons and forks to visit me and we’ll dish

PS What do you collect?

PSS Wishing you a ~~Merry Christmas~~ Happy New Year!

Filed Under: Inspirational Moments Tagged With: collection, silver

Ask and You Shall Receive

27 Dec By admin 21 Comments

So it has already been established…..

I’m not the best at adding arrows to my pictures. I can draw an imaginary arrow, but real arrows on pictures…..I leave that to the experts.

Enter Andrea from A Cottage Market …..

She is a creative genius, an incredibly positive fellow blogger, and a talented writer.

She can embellish bags.

She can make fabulous spinach bread.

She can make the cutest glitter bird ornament.

But most importantly she has offered to be the official arrow creator for this blog. Any time there is an arrow to be produced or created she is on the task.

I cannot emphasize enough, the importance of having an official arrow creator on staff.

Thank you Andrea.

You are a rockstar.

On behalf of arrowless blogs everywhere, I salute you.

Filed Under: Inspirational Moments Tagged With: kitchen

You’ve Come a Long Way Baby

26 Dec By admin 25 Comments

I wish I knew how to draw an arrow on a picture.

If I could draw an arrow, I would add an arrow to this picture of the kitchen to show you where the butler’s pantry is.

Can you imagine an arrow?

Look at the picture of the kitchen and then (with your mind, of course because I don’t know how to draw the aforementioned arrow) and draw a line pointing to the doorway between the hutch and the cabinet.

That’s it!

You are so brilliant.

You draw an arrow much better than I ever could anyway.

So now that we have gotten this arrow business straightened out….

I would like to introduce you to the butler’s pantry.

Let’s put it this way….

It’s come a long way.

Even without the arrow

Filed Under: Moments Called Now Tagged With: butler's pantry, dishes, white

Merry Christmas

25 Dec By admin 12 Comments

As I sit here in the early hours of Christmas morning thinking about the reason for the season, I could not let the sun rise without wishing each and every one of you, “Merry Christmas.”

Soon my “Silent Night” will become “Joy to the World” and the wonder of Christmas will fill the rooms and rooftops here.

Until then….I leave you with this Christmas blessing:

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace.

May the gladness of Christmas bring you hope.

May the warmth of Christmas grant you love.

~author unknown

Filed Under: Inspirational Moments Tagged With: Christmas

I Wish I Were Here

23 Dec By admin 17 Comments

I wish I were here.

I wish I were sitting here with my twin girls and a cup of hot chocolate.

If I were sitting here I might be inspired.

Inspired to read “A Christmas Carol” or make gingerbread cookies (which, if you know me, would be a great inspiration indeed).

Inspired to wrap packages with ribbons and bows.

Inspired to learn to play the guitar and start with “Jingle Bells.”

As I read blogs yesterday….all over blogland people were sitting by the fire and knitting and showing pictures of beautifully wrapped packages. There were pictures of delicious treats and tables that were ready for guests. It seemed like all of my fellow blog friends were calmly sitting down to a cup of tea.

Ready and waiting for Christmas to arrive.

Not me.

Not here.

You see, I’m so far behind and I’m worried I’m not going to catch up.

My list is too long and the time is too short.

But I’m going to try.

Even though, in my heart I’m wishing I was just sitting here.

Waiting for Christmas.

PS I just added a facebook page if you want to follow along. It’s listed as Thistlewood Farm.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: brown, pink, stripes

Top Five Things a Decorator Might Say

21 Dec By admin 38 Comments

I am many things.

I am a thrifter, a painter, a glitterer, a sander and a trash spotter.

I am a mother of four, a wife, a friend, a maid, a restaurant take-out orderer, and a chauffeur.

I am many things,

but I am not a professional decorator.

Not even close.

As a matter of fact, I shudder at what a professional decorator would say if they ever visited my home.

So, in honor of professional decorators everywhere, I decided to come up with a list….

A list of the top five things a decorator might say if they ever dropped by for a visit.

Drumroll please…..

5. Are those pumpkins next to your nativity scene?

4. Is that vinyl on those plates? Really. That is so 2010.

3. Last time I checked silver trays belong on the side table, not on trees.

2. Lowe’s called and they want their drop cloths back from your windows.

and the number one thing a decorator might say if they visited my house……

1. You got that bench out of the trash?

Seriously….what’s next….old windows you turn into chalkboards?

Professional decorators everywhere, I salute you.

Just please don’t stop by for a visit.

Filed Under: Inspirational Moments Tagged With: decorating

Full Disclosure

20 Dec By admin 28 Comments

Mirriam-Webster definition:

bur * lap noun

1: a coarse, heavy, plain-woven fabric usually of jute or hemp used for bagging and wrapping and in furniture and linoleum manufacture

2: a lightweight material resembling burlap used in interior decoration or for clothing

Blogworld definition:

bur * lap noun

1: fabric of the gods

I actually think I understated it a bit.

Burlap is a wonder fabric.

You can paint on it….like my sister does.

If painting’s not your thing, you can make labels that go on buckets from transfer paper…

(total aside here….I think a tutorial on this has been done at least 500,000 times….but please, if you have any questions about this, just e-mail me)

Not up for painting or transferring….why not create:

* favor bags

* seat covers

* ribbon pillows

* letters (as in the alphabet)

* flowers

* banners

Or you could just use burlap to….

….wish someone special a Merry Christmas!

P.S. For the purposes of full disclosure, I think it is important to reveal that I was not compensated by burlap in anyway for this overwhelming endorsement of its versatility and general fabulousness.

Filed Under: House Tour Tagged With: burlap, pillow