putzing around the neighborhood

 

Happy December!  Time to deck the halls! Well at least it should be for me- I usually go all out by Thanksgiving weekend, but this year a combination of things is slowing down my tinsel flinging.  Guests, parties, shows, more parties, another show, and biggest of them all, a 2 year old fairy grand baby. I'm wondering if I even will decorate much at all this year.

We might not be decorating the house much yet, but Sugarwings and I have been dying bottle brush trees. She unwraps them and tosses them in the sink to soak, while we sing Christmas songs.  With her help, I have colored about 120 some trees. It almost seems more like Easter  than Christmas, with all the dipping and dying going on!

I've re listed a few on Etsy today,(5 minis for $11) and will have more to add soon.

 

There is a little bit of Christmas foof around the cottage. We had a dinner party on Saturday night, so I did a quickie holiday centerpiece for company. 

 When Beth and I used to share an antique mall booth, I noticed that any odd object she put under her "magic cloche" would sell right away.  Our theory was that ANYTHING looks more important under glass. Put something under a dome, cake cover, or a cloche and you have an instant display! So,  I put one of my decorated bottle brush trees, a $4 blue deer from a friends's shop (wearing some old rhinestone jewels, of course), and some ornaments under this one and then surrounded it with old ornaments.

 

More old ornaments are nested in glittery faux branches on the old chandelier I use as a candelabra (there are tea light candles in the sockets where the light bulbs should go).  A few more Shiny Brites spill over onto the runner, and next to them is a cast iron fairy that Sugarwings brought in from the garden.  There has to be a fairy somewhere in all my table scapes, of course!

After our party, I started feeling a bit "iffy"  and went to bed early. I stayed there from Saturday night till late Monday morning, ugh.  Some nasty bug got a hold of me, and I hear that our dinner party guest didn't go to work today, I think the same bug bit him too.   Yeah, he'll really have fond memories of coming to visit us in Kansas and eating dinner at Typhoid Karla's.

 

While I had the box of vintage balls out (and before I realized I was coming down with Typhoid) I stuck some in a few cabinets. 

It almost seems like cheating to just stick a few old Shiny Brites around for holiday decorating, but I like the simplicity of it.  After going whole hog last year and having a few hundred people over for an open house, it might be nice to scale back a bit. Or a lot. 

Plus Sugarwings has been in a redecorating mood lately. She loves to rearrange all of my stuff.  The other day, an old mermaid figurine was missing and in its place was a potato masher.  The figurine turned up in the bathroom, and the soap dish from the bathroom was in the living room on the coffee table.  Then,  I found my alarm clock (it doesn't really work, it just runs on "pretty time") on the kitchen counter.  I can just see what fun she'd have with my heirloom holiday treasures.  

 She and I will have to figure out something. Maybe she can have her own little tree that is mess-with-able?

When I was a kid, I fell in love with little putz houses, and sitting elf dolls. Maybe this year, I can unpack all the elves and let Sugarwings deck the halls with those.  In the meantime, I am having a blast of my own with a big box of putzes that I bought!

 

They seem to go so well with all my little Easter Egg colored trees!

 

There must have been about 15 or so houses in the box I bought, and most were pretty cute as is. But, it isn't like me to let well enough alone....

 

So I created a whole village of these houses on decorated boxes.

 

On most of the boxes, I covered the insides with coordinating wallpaper.  All the bottoms are covered in pretty papers.  And I have added extra trinkets and sweet little ornaments, and extra glitter to the scenes, even repainting some of the garish colors on a few of the houses.  Yes, I know they are vintage and probably worth more before I messed with them.  But I HAVE TO.

 

I just have to.

 

All of these little houses will come with me to Miss Frenchie's  sale.  As soon as the glitter and glue dry, I'm taggin and packin them up. I know I have too many for the sale, so will most likely be listing on Etsy when I get home this weekend.

If you are interested in coming to the sale, there will be some amazing vendors there! I'm impressed with the line up and have been pinching myself about being a part of the whole thing!  Here is the info, please go by and take a look.

 

And before I forget- did you want to know the winner of the November gift that I made as a Silver Bella souvenier?  It goes to Vicki. 

Thanks to all of you who left a comment and entered the drawing.  Don't forget, a new one has ALREADY started. Every comment all month counts towards the present I give out.  I don't know what it will be for December, but I have a feeling it will be something glittery....

Comments

[Kerryanne English]

Karla, I hope you can shake that nasty little bug real quick so you can get on with the joyof decorating for the holidays. It's already looking wonderful.
Hugs,
Kerryanne

[Susan M Hickam]

sorry to hear the bug bit you. Janette and I are planning on coming in Friday evening. I still have to figure out how to get there though. Looking forward to it. Take care of yourself Karla.
Susan

[Lori]

Karla, i have to say it looks pretty festive over there already for someone who says she doesn't have much decorating done...i have NOTHING done...send Sugarwings my way, will ya? apparently i need some help:) LOVE your little houses and trees, they are WONDERFUL!!!

[Jean Eakin]

Hope you are feeling a lot better. I love the blues you used on your table centerpiece and I love using the old Christmas balls all over the place. You are so busy as usual and you'll do great at he big to'do next week.The trees will be a sure hit. I wish Kansas was just a little closer to Roanoke, but alas its not and I don't beleive clicking my heels together would get me there so I will just have to be satisfied with seeing lots of photos. You have a great evening and I loved your Thanksgiving photos.
Jean in Virginia

[Gretchen Schaumann]

Hey Karla- Love the 1st photo showing your white cabinet in the background and all of your great architectural pcs. you've collected. Love the silver balls in the white pottery pcs. The centerpiece was very fun to see too. I love cloches and agree with you that anything can look good inside one of those.
Love your dyed & glittered trees too.
Hope you're feeling better-
Gretchen

[Debra Ganas]

So sorry to hear you were sick. I knew something was up when I kept checking your blog and there were no updates. So glad you are feeling better.
Love all the shiny brights. I was digging in my shiny bright stash too. I decided to hang all of my vintage ornaments on my silver tree I found at Goodwill. I like my siver tree better than my new 7.5 feet that I bought the end of last year. It is still naked. I like playing with the vintage stuff too much.
Enjoy every moment with that little fairy. She will always remember those Easter egg trees. I think I need to find some and bleach and dye them. They are so cute.

Do get out the sitting elves. I would love to see pics of Sugarwings with them.

[Barbara]

Hope you're feeling better and back to flinging tinsel. I really like that cloche theory.

[Shawn]

The weekend after we left silver bella my dad was really sick too. Whatever it is the stomach bug is going around. Glad you are feeling better I wondered what you were up too! See you on saturday :)

[Kelly Barney]

The little houses are a d o r a b l e !!! They so remind me of decorations my mother had when I was young. I love, love, love them! And, the bottle brush trees are to die for! Again, sweet memories of my childhood. Thank you so much for sharing!

[LindaSonia]

Love your holiday decor. Your home looks lovely. I cracked up when you called yourself 'Typhoid' Karla... LOL... too funnee!! LindaSonia

[Account Deleted]

Adorable! Hope you are feeling better!
xoxo, Tiffany

[Judy]

Wow you've been busy as usual. I love your trees and I bet your little assistant enjoys helping you. Glad you are feeling better.

[Lorilee]

Sorry to hear you were under the weather! I love the silver ball in the hutch! I have yet to invest in a Cloche. I agree, they make anything under them instantly "special".
Blessings,
Lorilee

[suzanne Harley]

Hi there typhoid Karla! You really crack me up! Glad you are feeling better and I love all your Christmas sweetness! Just gorgeous. Love Suzanne:)

[belinda]

oh karla.....your blog is always so "sparkley" good!!!

[MizSmoochie]

Aww! Your houses and cloched deer... so very Xmasy and so very Karla! :) Thanks for letting us savor Xmas the Karla way!

[Jessica Canham]

Congratulations, Vicki, you lucky girl! ;)

Karla, I love your table centerpiece. I've noticed the glass cloche effect, too, and I love them! I noticed your cute little deer and have been seeing deer popping up here and there in the craft industry. Maybe they're the next in "thing" (after this year's owls.)

[Ele at abitofpinkheaven]

Now that is super cute....Sugarwings rearranging. Love the potato masher. That's where it should be! She has learned from her grandmother. The vintage baubbles in the cupboard are adorable. You keep amazing me! Simple things, but you are the ONLY creative one who would think of them!

[Karen Young]

Karla, I just love those little houses. I only have one that a friend gave me last year.

Karen

[Nerissa]

Karla
I'm swooning over EVERYTHING in this post. Really, everything :) I'm in love ♥
Nerissa

[Marilyn]

When you hadn't posted for several days, I thought you were just extra busy with the sale. Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well--glad you're doing better:)

Your vintage ornaments in the cabinets are really lovely! Sugarwings rearranging things reminded me of one of my daughters. She started rearranging stuff at that age too...I guess it's just in their genes:)

By the way, I'm coming to Miss Frenchie's sale on Sat...can't wait! I'll see you there:)

[Ali Gripp]

I love all of your foofy sweet Easter colored trees!! Oh and I am adding mess-with-able to my vocab!! LOL
Counting down the days to craft day!!! Ali

[Elaine L.]

I'm relieved and happy to see you back. I was getting a little worried. I'm glad you're feeling better.

I love the cabinet filled with the white pottery and the silver balls.

I like the idea of the simplicity of tucking little things into your existing decorating, rather than having to put things away to add whole displays of things. I'm going simply this year, too.

The Holiday Brocante looks very exciting. I've seen posts on other blogs. I see that Elizabeth from The Adventures of Elizabeth Blog is going to be there. I'd love to meet her. She seems so sweet and genuine.

~elaine~

[linnea-maria]

Wonderful pictures of the house and the diningtable. Oh you listed them on etsy. I sure will jump over to the shop! Have a wonderful day /linnea-maria

[brandi]

your pictures are so magical and whimsical.. love each and everyone of them!

i adore those precious little trees! can i have them ALL please! :)

[Sheila R]

So sorry that you were under the weather! All your bottle brushes and small house are so cute!

[Kathy]

Youir home is naturally sparkly Karla, how much decorating can it need? Don't feel too bad about infecting your guests, the crud is going around everywhere, they probably didn't get it from you. I love the little houses and the sparkly old ornaments. The light hits them so beautifully:>)

[Kathy in Chicago]

Don't you just hate being sick this time of year? I do!! Love all the pretties you have strewn around the cottage. Just gorgeous. Can you tell me what that background paper is that you have been using with all the Christmas trees in different colors? Was it giftwrap? It looks SO familiar to me! I'm dragging out all of our old vintagy Christmas bits and bobs this week. You're an inspiration!! - Kathy in Chicago

[Miss Sandy]

I just love reading about your fairy baby adventures, a potato masher exchanged for a mermaid, too cute! My post is up with you as one of the feature artist if you care to take a peek. Thanks so much for letting me link to your tutorial. My tree is topped to perfection!

[beachy]

How sweet that you made those little bottle bruch trees with Sugarwings! You know, you should copyright that darling nickname of hers and start a line of craftiness goodness with it... move over, "Martha Stewart"... there's a new kid in town! "Sugarwings Originals"! heehee

Hope you feel better quickly!

[Cami]

I'm only adding accents of Christmas this year too & I'm loving it. Love the ease & the simplicity of it...& best of all, I won't have to spend days packing it all away after the holidays. ;o)

[karen]

Hey Typhoid Karla,
so sorry your sick! Yuck!
I love all your creations- the tablescape, the trees...you are even inspiring when you are dying from the gack!
hugs! karen....

[Angela Harris]

I just saw the pictures of your dream home on Heather's website. Just Gorgeous!

[mylulabelles]

you have such talent & knack for display!
I enjoy everything you do.
smiles,
sandy

[Karla]

I'm with you - we did our decorating (well I did while hubby kept promising he would help!) and I left a bunch of stuff in the attic this year. Some of it just doesn't fit my tastes this year but next year who knows?! Excellent point about the cloches - anything does look better under them.
Karla

[HeidiAnn]

Everything looks so beautiful! I love your cabinet with the ornaments popped in here and there. But my favorite is that cloche with the blue deer inside! I collect those deer, and I haven't found one in that pretty blue. If there would ever be ANY chance that you'd be willing to part with it after Christmas?? Just askin'.....

[Amy of Bunny Rose Cottage]

You bring back such good memories for me! You and Sugarwings are just like my grandma and i were when I was little. Those times at my grandparents house truly are my BEST childhood memories! My grandma and I are still so close. Crafting was one thing we always did together when I was little.

I love the bottlebrush trees and houses, so pretty!!!

Hugs,
Amy

[Miss Sandy]

Karla,

You are most welcome! I love my Christmas star!

[LuLu]

Hi Karla:

I just received my bottle brush trees today and LOVED them! Your packaging was so pretty! I loved the little bell on the top of the package.

Your home is SO beautiful. I just saw all the pictures that Heather took during her visit. How wonderful to live in such a magical nest :)

Happy Holidays,
LuLu~*
Coastal Sisters

[paige]

what a dreamy home!!
i love peeking into your beautiful world

[Terri]

You never seem to stop amazing me! Your putzs,trees,centerpieces and getting ready for a show. Glad to here your feeling better.Hope Sugarwings didn't get it. Good luck with your wares! Hugs, Terri

[Sharon]

I love your deer and tree under glass, a wonderful decorating tip.
This is my first visit to your blog, I will visit again. This is a beautiful place to visit.

[Carrie]

The colors are so gorgeous! Looking at all of that should bring you out of the fever ;)

[Vicki Chrisman]

How could I be SO LUCKY! Woo HOO! THANKS SO MUCH!
I love your little town.. every house ..just adorable.
Hope you are feeling better!

[Linda Lilly Cottage]

I love those trees and I love your life ( but I won't take the thyphoid though if you don't mind) You exhaust me just reading about what you do and I love every minute of being exhausted. I am sure you will come up with a Christmas Sugarwings plan. Hope you are feeling better, kiss noises Linda Lilly Cottage.

[Irish Cottage Dreams]

I love all the pretties! Makes me feel
festive! Looks like it will be a beautiful
holiday season in your home :)

Congrats to the Give away winner!
Btw, I am having a Give Away on my blog
too!

~kimme

[Kelly]

So amazingly beautiful. Heading over to your Etsy shop to look at trees.

[Julia @ Hooked on Houses]

Wow! All of your displays are so beautiful! And I loved your theory that "everything looks more important under glass." I never thought about it before, but you're right! :-)

[Natasha]

I came across your blog from http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
She has it listed as one of her favorite blogs to read. I really am enjoying your blog. Your christmas display is beautiful.
Natasha

[Deana]

Karla, I love the silver balls with the white urns. Deana

[Wanda]

120 trees??!!! Yikes! I can barely count that high! LOL

As always, your talents amaze me. And the centerpiece is to "dye" for. I love the idea of putting jewels on the deer and paring him with a tree. I might have thought of the dome top, but that's where it would have ended. And shame on you for messing with the Putz houses, but they sure are cute. ;-) I'm thinking some creative use of glue dots could solve my inability to really change the old things.

[Kari]

I love your little centerpiece with the blue deer, it's so pretty. I can never seem to find any of those little glass cloche domes. Are they mostly vintage finds, or can you buy them new? Thanks!

[Lee W.]

Wow Karla- you are in the creating mmod. My kids are 5 and almost 3- I totally get the "maybe I shouldn't decorate too much" thing. Last year, by the time Christmas arrived, the tree was bare from about 3 feet down- Adam's arm length!! I just bought a dozen pink mercury glass balls, and 2 dozen blue ones, and I SO want to put them out... ain't gonna happen.

PS- I find objects in weird places too. ;-)

[Cindy (Junque Art)]

Love your houses and trees! I hope you are feeling better and I am so thinking about scaling back the decor this year too!

[Kirsty Thomas]

Oh Karla, I LOVE your christmas decorating! I have a 1 year old boy, and all decorating in my house is at the top half of everything including the tree, which leaves a very bare bottom half.

[kana]

Karla,

I love all of the pretty bottle brush trees and maybe with your blog inspiration, I will try it myself. Happy Christmas!

Kana

[Cami @ Heart-Shaped Rock Cottage]

Typhoid Karla?!!! As usual, I'm laughing so hard tea is going all over the keyboard. Your home is lovely and some years less is more. I can't figure out which cat keeps dragging the quilt out from under my main tree. :SIGH: Hope you're feelin' bright and bushy-tailed by now. And thanks again for all the Bella goodies. Such treasures to me. Hugs to you TK!

[Jenny]

Wow! I wish I lived closer to you guys!! But, then again I would be broke so it is best that I don't!! hehehe! Have fun!!

[jeanie]

Hi, Karla -- finally back from Vegas and catching up. So, this comment is for the fabulous decorations in your space and the braccante posts, too!

I'm having a drawing this month, too -- blogaversary! Stop by when you have time!
j