Ending With A Buy

What better way to end the year than with a thrift store makeover?
If you don't know by now, there are certain groups of items that I have a hard time resisting when I thrift store shop. I love white plates and vases, bowls, old glassware, clocks, metalware, and baskets. So when I saw this little item it caught my eye.How could I pass up such an interesting metal basket? Look at those little details on the corners! I'm not sure what they were meant for, but I immediately had an idea for what I would do.As much as I loved the original galvanized metal finish, there were spots of rust that didn't look very pretty. So out came the black spray paint. Yes, I still manage to do a little spraying even with snow outside!
Next, I took a trip to a shop that sells chemistry supplies (another fun place to shop!) and I purchased some test tubes for fifty cents a piece. I was so excited when I found out they fit perfectly into those corner pockets.Now I have an unusual, yet very pretty way to serve dishes at my holiday buffet!

I wish you all
A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SAFE
NEW YEAR!!!
Thank you SO MUCH for your friendship!

A Little New Year Decor

Almost every year I like to decorate
a small New Year's tree.
It's a fun little tradition to help celebrate the new year.I make it as glitzy and sparkly as possible
with silver and mirrored ornaments and foil streamers.A few years ago I found some ornaments
that look like champagne bottles
(we prefer to think they're non-alcoholic)
with "Happy New Year" written on them.
I bought little glitter "cheers" words for 70% off.I top the tree with a metal horn, and add more horns
on the branches and tucked at the base.Won't this look great as the centerpiece
for the holiday buffet?

The Greatest Christmas Gift Ever Given

"Never has anyone offered so much to so many
in so few words as when

Jesus said, 'Here am I, send me.' "
---Neal Maxwell

Wishing You a Very
Merry Christmas!

It Takes A Village

The living room tree is known as "mom's tree" because, traditionally, I really enjoy decorating it by myself. I turn on Christmas music and wax nostalgic as I hang the real glass ornaments. Many remind me of the ones from my childhood. Usually I break at least one ornament every year, and if I don't, then our cat or a son does. I chalk it up as part of the Christmas tradition. Fortunately, most ornaments were purchased on clearance or at the thrift store, so I don't make a fuss. This year the tradition changed a bit. I was blessed to have my newly married daughter and son-in-law help decorate the tree. It's so fun to have them here visiting. And, I enjoyed EVERY minute of their help.
After the tree is decorated, the real fun begins. The village gets placed underneath the tree (which is why our tree is on stilts). It's a tradition to have my boys set up the train track before the houses get placed. If you look very closely (click the picture to enlarge) you'll notice lego men on the train track. That's a tradition too! Right after everything is finished, my boys have each enjoyed giving their toys train rides. . .or train crashes.My kids have all grown up with the village as part of our Christmas tradition. We like to lie on our tummies and tell stories about all of the village people. Every year there are certain villagers who have to go in the exact same place.
Santa and the elves are always high on the "mountain" so they can look to see who's been naughty or nice.The kissing couple, my daughter's favorite, always go in the gazebo. The "rich lady" is always leaving her large home to go on a trip for the holidays. The dog always chases the boy on the bike. . .except for the year that my third son decided he needed that little dog and would take it to his room to play. The family is always place by the nativity scene at the church as a reminder of our Christmas Eve tradition of going as a family to see the lights of the city and hear the story of the birth of Christ.I hand painted some of the villagers many years ago. None of the houses cost very much. Super glue is used to repair something almost every year. Our village isn't all that special, but the traditions and the memories associated with it are very, very special and dear to our family.

How Does Your Tree Stand?

The kitchen tree stands proudly in an old crock.It's decorated with fake gingerbread cookies,
cookie cutters, glass candy ornaments
and vintage pieces from a child's kitchen set.The tree in our stairwell sits in a burlap sack
with it's red ornaments and red bead garland.The tree in my daughter's/guest room
stands a top a pretty plant stand. It's decorated with all things girly and pastel.The orphan tree in the bathroom window
sits humbly in an old tin can.The family room tree is in a rusty metal garden urn. It's decorated with ornaments
made or given to us by family and friends,
as well as the cute toy kind.The tree in the computer room has been
plopped in a big basket.It's decorated with stuffed Christmas bears,
felt stockings & mittens and red wooden bead garland.The living room tree, the largest in our home,
stands on a stilt-like box. This helps it look taller and
also serves another purpose.
BUT. . . .
you'll have to come back tomorrow to see.

Dining Delights

I apologize for being so sporadic with my posts these last few weeks. While most people were Christmas decorating and shopping, I decided to make-over my daughter's room. Yes, I know I'm crazy, but look at it this way, I'll have posts to share during the long, cold days of January.I finally finished tweaking the decorations in the dining room. I hung little wreaths on the china cabinet, this time I used beads instead of ribbon. Actually the wreaths are hanging on those little stick-on hangers and the bead string is just taped to the backside of the door. In the kitchen, the wreaths are actually hanging by the ribbon that's tacked on the back of the cabinet.I placed some mirrors on the long shelf/mantle (I've been gathering mirrors to hang a wall of mirrors in the stairwell). I pulled together a bunch of apothecary jars and vases and placed them on the shelf. I poured "snow" into the jars, which is actually Epsom salt from the dollar store. I added strings of white lights along the shelf and trailing in and out of the jars and vases. Then I piled in vintage ornaments and strings of silver beads.
I love the finished look. It's even more beautiful at night.

Candice Olson-New Furniture Line

We love Candice Olson. She's quirky, funny and so down to earth. And don't you just love her show on HGTV? She is just SO good.

Recently she just launched a line of furniture for Revco International (a really small company out of Los Angeles). The stuff is very cute and affordable.

Here is a video of the showroom in High Point.

Also here are some representative products from the line...







We would say that the line is well-made and well-priced. It's really not "upscale" but it's very much Candy Olson-affordable approachable and user-friendly.

To see the complete collection, visit Revco International web site.

Best Swedish homes as cool house design

Sweden is the largest country in Scandinavia and the fourth largest in Europe, bordering Norway and Finland, within the Arctic Circle.
Sweden has large numbers of newly built properties, with over 50% of apartment homes being built since 1960 with the majority being mainly rented. Freehold individual properties are largely owner occupied.
Official language is Swedish with a minority understanding Finnish.English is widely spoken.
Capital gains should not be charged for the sale of privately owned property.

There are no restrictions on Foreign Ownership.

Property and Real Estate Prices in Sweden
Range Varies, for example:
From around £25,000 / $37,000 for a single family home
From around £25,000 / $37,000 for an apartment
From around £40,000 / $60,000 for a villa
From around £50,000 / $75,000 for a bungalow
From around £85,000 / $125,000 for city homes
Country homes vary from around £150,000 / $225,000

Locations to buy real estate and property in Sweden
Stockholm being Sweden's capital is popular and including the suburbs represents about 20% of Sweden's total population and with the growth of financial and technical companies around Stockholm this will likely grow. It is situated on the Baltic Sea, at the entrance to Lake Malaren and is built on 14 islands with many exceptional waterside buildings.

Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city on the West Coast of the country is a major port and industrial centre. Malmo, on the south coast is expected to grow significantly over the next few years following the completion of the 16 km bridge and tunnel linking to Copenhagen in Denmark.

Living Costs in Sweden
Sweden has enviable living standards supported by high tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits.

Buying property and real estate in Sweden
It is usual for a Real Estate Agent to be used for buying and selling of property in Sweden. They will handle the necessary paperwork and communicate buying and selling prices with all parties involved.
It is not contractual to have your property valued but fairly common for buyers to hire independent surveyors.
When you have satisfied any questions in respect of your purchase a completion date can be agreed through your Real Estate Agent.
It is the responsibility of the buyer to apply for deeds of title within three months of the sale transfer and submit for registration.

I found a couple of really great homes for sale on Stockholm real estate site Skeppsholmen. The first is a bit almost country/shabby chic, definitively Scandinavian and totally adorable.

This flat is definitively on the more rustic side. The exposed beams, height of the ceilings and that floating walkway are to die for.

Best architecture Australian house in streets of Fitzroy

What you see above is a 4 bedrooms home that packs an intelligent design by combining a living area with a truly amazing backyard garden. Located on the streets of Fitzroy, an inner city suburb of Melbourne, even though it’s not wide it promotes open space to make it look bigger, and packs some modern furniture to get your eyes with. May not be the home of my dreams, but it sure has lots of key elements to charm me with.

Today I'm stalking the streets of Fitzroy, an inner city suburb of Melbourne (and perhaps my favourite area in that city). This is the architect's own home. Which architect the real estate agent neglects to tell us but we are informed it has 4 bedrooms, open plan living, indoor outdoor living and intelligent design. I love the sense of continuity between the living areas and the garden so important in Australian houses. It's a normal working day here in Australia but I know that the States are celebrating Thanksgiving (not a holiday we have here). I hope you all have a wonderful time with your family today but if you're a Thanksgiving orphan or all "familied" out then pop on over and join me later for a virtual drink in this backyard.