MORE CHRISTMAS AROUND THE HOUSE ~ ~

A few more Christmas pix ~ I should be at the grocery but I'll go as soon as I'm done here!  This is a little kitchen table where we sit to read the mail and Sonny and the cat read the Sunday paper!  The handwoven mat under the candle was made by my friend Carol Rahall, who knows more about traditional crafts than anyone I know!

The fireplace looks well used ~ but actually not very often ~ although we have used it to cook our whole holiday meal in the past!  The wool applique piece over the mantel was stitched by Joyce Sherk ~ we did shows together many years ago and occasionally I run into her now at rug hooking events!  I've always loved that piece and every year it resides right there ~ wonder if Joyce reads my blog and remembers her little work of art?

This was Sonny's grandmother's dry sink ~ we bought it at her auction many years ago.  To the left there are two butter churns that also came from that same auction!  I love these lighted sticks in with the live pine ~ and the two little reproduction Santas in the tin salt box. 

 For many years, we would go to Yankee Peddler ~ a large folk art craft show here in Ohio.   We would buy a salt glaze Santa every year from a potter from Pennsylvania ~ they're still some of my favorites. 

 This is the back door area ~ antique blue homespun aprons and bonnets ~ a laundry bag with redwork stitching ~ and some painted pieces from Maude Chiardi.  We did shows with her for many years, too and I always bought a piece of her hand-painted Christmas.  The Santa in the middle is an old chimney flue cover ~ anybody remember those? 

Over the nearly 30 years that Sonny and I have been together, we've built a nice collection of antiques and folk art ~ I always wonder if any of our kids will value it and enjoy it as much as we do!  I hope you enjoy looking at it and if you're one of our friends who comes to visit, we love to share it with you all!   I have to tell you the other night, I made this fabulous pineapple upside down cake from the website smittenkitchen ~ it was scrumptious! By the way, don't type in smittenkitten like I just did as I was trying to find the link ~ you'll get more than you bargained for!!!!!  Anyway ~ I found it by Googling for the recipe and they have wonderful looking things there that are tested by the blog author.  We had friends in for dinner and it made a sweet ending to our meal!

Well,  I'm off now ~ busy day ahead ~ it's kind of cold and rainy here ~ not very Christmasy looking ~ but I'm finally getting in the spirit of things!!!  Woo hoo!!!!!!

Have a good day wherever you are! 
Alice