Advent Blog Day 23: Some of My Favorite Decorations

So yesterday I posted my favorite ornaments, since I had the camera out, I thought I would take pictures of some of my other decorations. Hey, I know, this is not deep stuff, but I'm trying to come up with posts for every day of this month. So here we go... some more Christmas cheer!

This is a corner of my study. I'm not showing you my desk because it isn't as pretty as this. That stocking has matching ones in various homes. My father-in-law hired a woman to make a stocking for every member of his family. Both people are gone now, but someone is still making these stockings for new family members. The bears all held different things according to the person it was designed for - although mine was not very accurate. I was given a rolling pin which has since disappeared. I should put something else in Mama Bear's hand now. Perhaps a typewriter, or knitting needles, or a hoop with fabric, or the comedy and tragedy masks, or a book. See, lots of options for me. There used to be nine of these stockings in my home, but now it's just me. That is a real fireplace, however it's bricked up - due to safety reasons I suppose. The house is 110 years old. I can't even find the chimney on the roof. The chimney is on another part of the house with no corresponding fire place. I rent the house so I understand bricking up the fireplace to prevent tenants from starting a fire and burning the house down. That's an electric fireplace there. It does provide some heat.

I made this nativity. Well, sort of. I painted it and glazed it and someone else cooked it. Once upon a time it had 3 camels, horns on the cow, and ears on the donkey. But I also had 7 kids. As for the print - It's called "Mary and Star" by Judy Law. I met Judy one day at a conference at Brigham Young University. We spoke for a little bit and she signed it to me. Lovely! One day I'll frame it.

Oh, look, the signature! Every time I lost a camel, I would tell myself "as long as I have Jesus and Mary, then it's a nativity." And when the donkey lost its ears, I reminded myself that we are not damaged in God's eyes.

While I was a single mom, every Christmas there would be gifts on our front door from church members. We never knew who bestowed us with such bounty, but one Christmas there was this beautiful horse. He actually stays out all year because it's easier to display him than to store him.

This is a lovely reindeer that I couldn't resist when I was in a decor MLM. We won't talk about that. But I do love this reindeer.

It's odd that some pictures show off things beautifully, and other pictures don't. This Santa, like the reindeer, are prettier in real life.

I've always wanted a Christmas village. When I was working at a museum we had a display of one man's extensive Christmas village. It took him two days to set the whole thing up. I did a write up about it for the local paper. However, I do not have a village that. I only have two so that would make it a hamlet. A house and a book shop. What more do you need? Well, perhaps a yarn shop and a needlework shop and a bakery and a grocer.

Let's take a peek in the window.

Perhaps the apartment above the store where the owner lives?

And of course the dream house. I like to imagine who would be living there. There's a snowman so likely children live there or visit often.

Another angle.

Who's that on the front porch?

A couple on the front porch. Is it their home or are they just visiting?

And another visitor.

Another side of the house. Looks like everyone is up!

Another piece I painted. I belonged to a church where every year on a Saturday in November, the women would gather and make things for Christmas. One year I painted the white nativity. This one is from a different year. I don't remember actually doing this, but I must have. And I seriously doubt I drew the picture. It was likely pre-cut and if not pre-drawn then there must have been some kind of stencil. Honestly, I don't remember painting it but I must have because I'm sure I got it from one of the classes.

Hope you enjoyed that travel down memory lane.