Things to share

Yesterday my BFF Gail and I met at Merchant Square. She had been rearranging her booth and I needed to tidy mine up since I am having a big 20% off sale through Sunday, the 4th of January.

As is our usual custom, we went out to dinner together and had some girlie time. Yesterday we took the time to also exchange our Christmas gifts to one another. Each of us searches all year long for Christmas and birthday gifts for each other that are just perfect. And Gail did it again!

Gail knows I love the china half dolls and lovely rosaries. And she found perfect ones this year along with that lovely pocket calendar that is the perfect size for my purse. She knows I love hats, too! Without a doubt, I collect! I didn't have any half dolls until this year. And you can see that the ladies have grown into a crowd now in the china closet. I acquired another half doll earlier this week from my friend, Sharon. That one is fifth from the left next to the one Gail gave me which is fourth from the left. Most are marked "Japan" and one is marked "Germany." This all started with an interest I had in Marie Antoinette earlier this year.

On the right behind the third from the right half doll is another one I found that actually is a pin cushion, dressed in 1920's fashion with legs attached. She sits in an old cup since she doesn't sit up alone. In the foreground are two thimbles which belonged to my grandmothers. In the background you can also see the handles of coin silver spoons and "state" plates which my beloved sister collected as a birthday present about 8 years ago. Each plate was for each state we have lived in. What a thoughtful gift! I miss my sister terribly sometimes.

Under the weather!

Last Thursday the throat started feeling scratchy and sore. Friday worse. By Saturday I was lying on the couch all day, fully dressed and covered with two blankets -- in 88 degree weather! I was freezing!! Yesterday the nose was so plugged that mouth breathing was the only way I was going to take any breath! Cold medicine, you say? It didn't help. Just plugged my breathing passages up totally and my nose still ran! AWFUL!!

I am better today. The nose is somewhat better -- at least at times I can breathe through it! LOL!! But I have been through a lot of tissues!!I found this picture on the blog of Vintage Bliss. I was taken by the turquoise crosses covered with shells. Had to make some of my own!! So off to a "big box" store I went and found the wood cross. You can see that I already had a bag of seashells and a jar of broken pearl necklaces. A little spray paint in Robin's Egg and I was good! I plan to do more!I love the tiny pearls in the center shell. And the limpet shells were so pretty and ruffly! A little glue and I was good to go!

Lately I have been collecting crosses of all kinds. Don't know why! Also am collecting rosaries to drape on the cross and my angel. They seem to be everywhere now! Just look!In the niche in my entry way. I plan to add more as I find them. Used to be a huge floral in the niche and I never really did like it -- not really me!In the corner of the great room stands my angel with a fancy cross on the wall behind her. On the wall to the left top is my only Wallace Nutting tinted photo and two pictures of Lake Tahoe that my sister gave me.Here is a close up of the angel with the rosaries and crosses around her neck. Her crowns (on her head and at the bottom) are from Rustic Stuff in Scottsdale. The angel is from the Scottsdale Marketplace at Lincoln and Scottsdale Blvd. These two crosses are on the walls in the guest bathroom along with lots of my treasures discovered while antiquing over the years.

Got my last issue of County Home. It is not going to be published any longer and the remainder of my subscription will go to Better Homes & Gardens. Well, drat!! If I wanted that I would subscribe, which I don't! I loved Country Home!! Better than Country Living which I thought had lost its original direction long ago and I dropped my subscription. I was a Country Living devotee from the get-go! Kept them for years until my hubby told me to get rid of them because they weighed too much and the AF had a weight limit. He didn't want to pay the extra!

Also got a post card from Somerset Memories letting me know that the backlash (they didn't say that, but we all know everyone complained!) made them change their minds about publishing annually only. They will now published it semi-annually.

My head is shaking. I know what to make of all this, but I don't like it! Not one bit!

My southwest Christmas tree

Dug through more boxes in the garage today. Brought out my southwest tree that I have had for years. I started this tree with the red and green chili lights when we lived in Virginia. It was one of 5 trees, all sizes, that I used to decorate with for Christmas. I haven't decorated for Christmas since my DDH got sick and then passed away. Haven't spent a Christmas at home since then. But this year is different. I feel like doing it. And I will be here with my oldest son for Christmas.

It's not a big tree. Tabletop size. But the chili pepper lights, the Mexican/Southwest ornaments, the painted tin star atop the tree, raffia bows, saltillo runner and the santo with her rosary of red beads all lends itself to a Southwestern style Christmas. I am happy with this.