Home for Christmas 2010 - Lounge Room

Want to know the best place to buy

good quality Christmas decorations,

nowadays??

Answer is : the Pharmacy.

Yes, you read it right.

Terry White's Pharmacy.

They must have a person with some definite talent,

in charge of buying the goodies to sell in their chemists at Christmas.

Each year I am happy to discover what new delights they have in store.

This magnificent 'Angel' was bought a few years ago.

Again, very lightweight, and mostly made from paper and fabric,

with just a touch of plastic or resin for the face and hands.

The annoying fireplace.

Each year, I try to come up with some way of

making it invisible.

Or at least, not so noticable.

It's wonderful during Winter, but totally useless over Summer.

(Click here to view last years make-over of the fireplace!

and here for photos of our foyer, last Christmas)

The beautiful big red and gold trimmed boxes,

which were purchased from Lincraft a couple of years ago,

are used to store some Christmas ornaments in through the rest of the year,

but actually make a wonderful display...and they help to hide the fireplace.

'Olde Bears' charming neck ruff is simply

an inexpensive elastic and ribbon hair scrunchie.

..made to appear so much  more.

This little fellow in green and white

is a reminder of our wonderful

visit to the

Hunter Valley Gardens.

We found him in their gift shop.

Beside the fireplace, this Christmas,

I have a beautiful old metal firewood bucket,

given to me by a very special lady.

(thanks Desi!)

As can be seen, the bears have decided to hog it all to themselves

...pretending to be Santa's helpers.

Also sprouting out the top are two big glowing branches

of fibre optic flowers in red and white.

Below: This is a shot looking up the fireplace flue...or chimney.

This amazing little Christmas Elf was one of quite a few purchases

we made while travelling around Tasmania.

Bought from my all time favourite shop!!!...'Reliquaire'

which is in Gilbert Street, Latrobe.

 (delightfully fond memories ...*sigh*)  

The building that is now 'Reliquaire',

was built in 1870 and ran as a hotel

up until 1959 when it was made into flats.

The Christie family took it over in 1992,

transforming it into what it is today.

Now made over into a fantasy wonderland.

 So huge, that they hand you a mud-map

of the place upon entering, so you won't get lost!

...as well as some delicious chocolate fudge to nibble on as you explore

the vast rooms full of sensational delights.

Two inexpensive plastic beaded curtains were easy to fit

to the top of the large window...just a couple of nails hammered

into the very top of the wooden window frame (out of sight).

For extra 'bones' on which to flesh out my decorating,

this year I decided to add a long plank of wood.

Positioned on top of a cabinet and stretching over to the top

of two smaller pedestals that I had stood on top of each other.

After a couple of lengths off panne velvet  were

thrown around and about,

the plank became invisable and prestented itself nicely as

a perfect spot to sit some more Christmas goodies

as well as more of my collection of Jesters.

My Jesters are special.

'Fools' as some would have once called them.

I am always reminded of the beautiful song,

(one of my favourites) by Michael Card, called

'God's Own Fool'

(1 Corinthians 3:18)

Above: These two 'twins' were each found separately,

in two different opp shops.

I got them for a pittance.

I think they started life as display items for MYER or DJ's one year.

They both have slight blemishes from their ordeal...but then again, don't we all.

There are the 'usual suspects' (the Nutcrackers)

and teeny tiny elves,

as well as a few nice big teddy bears.

All mixed together with birdcages and holly leaves.

A new set of twinkling, warm white LED fairylights

were needed for this display,

as I didn't want too much heat so close to the fabrics.

The LEDs are cool to touch, unlike traditional bulbs.

A simple fabric wreath of gold hydrangea

makes our tablelamp look a little bit special

for Christmas.

This tiny, painted chest of drawers is a find

from one of our trips to Montville.

The shops up that way, always delight.

For anyone who has ever been to our home at Christmastime,

this years decorating may seem a little tame and a bit under par.

Not like the completely over the top decorating

of Christmas's past.

But I am not as young as I once was

and a lot of things are just too much bother now.

Still. Christmas will always be special for me,

and I want to make many wonderful memories

for our little granddaughters to cherish.

(And it still does delight the inner child in me!)

Next : the 'Dining Room'...