Monogrammed Mirror

 

I’ve been meaning to show you the new monogram for my tall leaner mirror since October, when I applied it, but time just seemed to keep getting away from me.

I ordered this copper-colored vinyl monogram from blogging friends, Fern and Fran, who blog at Twice as Nice and operate a vinyl business on Etsy. I met the girls when Fern asked me to help design their blog button back in the summer. 

The monogram was easy to install. I made sure that it was level and I adhered it to the mirror with no trouble at all. I had intended it to be located at the top of the mirror and actually began installing it in that position. It was not until I had finished adhering it and stood back to admire my handiwork that I realized that I had put it on upside down!!  I mean, it’s an “S” and it looked like I had it on the right way.   If I had taken just a little more time to examine the letter, I would have seen that one end of the “S” has a larger curl and that there is a shadow inside the letter.  OOPS…

I panicked, but my little brain went to work, the synapses started firing, and voila- it came to me~ turn the mirror upside down and let the monogram be at the bottom of the mirror!

Now, if you think that turning a seven-foot tall mirror that weighs in at over 150 pounds is easy~ think again. But I’m a stubborn one and didn’t want to wait for for Mr. Sullivan to get home, so I did it myself. I think it all turned out well, and I think I actually like the monogram better at the bottom, anyway.

Note: There has been some concern that I moved this mirror recently, when in actuality, I did this before my fall and resulting concussion in November. There’s no way I’d try it now in a state of dizziness! 

If you’ve ever been at all interested in ordering a vinyl for your walls or mirrors, stop by to visit the twins to see what they have in their Etsy Shop. And if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for, they will be more than willing to work with you to design a custom piece, like I did for this item and for the two other vinyls that I ordered as gifts.

I have linked to Cindy’s Show and Tell Friday. Stop by for a visit to see what she and her participants are showing on this fine new day of 2010!

Merry Christmas To All

Four Frosty Snowmen Warm Up a Table

My kitchen table and hutch are now decorated with a snowman theme for the winter season. Everything is now bright and colorful and it makes me smile  every day to see the table so festively festooned. We really are using the dishes for our evening meals. After we’re done eating, I just wash and dry everything and then put it all back on the table. It keeps me on my toes!

 

While the dinner plates and cups and saucers are primarily dressed in green plaid, the salad plates feature four different snowman designs in this set of “Frosty Folks” dinnerware by Sakura. Although I didn’t show the bowls in this tablescape, I have twelve complete place settings.

 

               

                    I love the composition of design in the cup and saucer. 

 

 

 All of these snowmen look as if they are having loads of fun this winter!

 

 

     

I found these old napkin rings for a quarter apiece at an estate sale this summer. While I like the Christmas tree, Santa looks a little strange to me, since I am so used to seeing a portly old elf, instead of this skinny fellow! Maybe this was a popular look for the time?

 

A snowflake design on the water glasses completes the snow theme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Candlelight adds a warm glow to the table and makes even soup and sandwiches seem more elegant.

 

This is a view of the table showing the hutch. I inserted some berries into the twig tree to add color.

 

The top shelf of the hutch holds four each of the dinner plates, salad plates, and coffee mugs. The mugs looked kind of bare, so I topped them off with some apples.

 

A few random snowmen accent the dinnerware.

 

 

 

 This runner is so old…. I made it the first year that Mr. Sullivan and I were married. It reverses to a candy cane print. I filled the apothecary jars with yummy sweets. I’m not a big fan of peppermints, so these candies are fruit flavored.

 

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See the scarves on all three of these stuffed fabric snowmen? I bet those guys are toasty and warm up there on the shelves.

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I linked  up with Joan at Anything Goes Here  for her Monday party since I showed my vintage napkin rings.

I’m also linking to Susan’s Deck the Halls Party on Tuesday …

and Susan at Between Naps on the  Porch, who is hosting her 49th Metamorphosis Monday.

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Please visit all of these fine hostesses to see all the pretty holiday decorations and transformations that they and everyone else are posting.

 

 Thanks for stopping by today. I know it will be a busy week for most everyone and I hope you are having a very happy holiday season!! We got a light dusting of snow on Friday night and this is what I woke up to. There is something so serene to me about trees and bushes lightly covered with glistening snow.

 

 

Christmas Hugs from me to you,

Christmas Wreaths at Arlington

 

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Can you possibly imagine imagine seeing and experiencing this awesome sight?  Just think of the many rows of white headstones accented by the brilliant green color of evergreen wreaths and red bows. It makes you stop and think about all the American lives that have been lost over the years….

The laying of Christmas wreaths is an annual event that was begun by Maine businessman, Morrill Worcester in 1992. Volunteers from all over the U.S. and from all walks of life  turn out to help lay the wreaths. I found this these pictures and article after someone sent me an e-mail about this event. The article below was written by Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski for the Air Force Print News on December 19, 2005. 

Christmas wreaths adorn head stones at Arlington National Cemetery. The 14th annual wreath laying event is the result of Worcester Wreath Company's owner Morrill Worcester's childhood dream of doing something to honor those laid to rest in the national cemetery. More than 5,000 donated wreaths were placed by volunteers this year. (2005)

 

Hundreds of volunteers gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to place more than 5,000 donated Christmas wreaths on head stones. The 14th annual wreath laying event is the result of Worcester Wreath Company's owner Morrill Worcester's, childhood dream of doing something to honor those laid to rest in the national cemetery.

Despite the cold, wind and snow, about 75 people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery on December 15, 2005, to lay more than 5,000 wreaths on gravesites, including four at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Since 1992, members of the armed forces, civil air patrol, veterans of foreign wars and several civilians have gathered to take part in the project, a brainchild of Maine resident Morrill Worcester.

Mr. Worcester owns and operates a holiday decoration company. Thirteen years ago he had a holiday wreath surplus and thought back to his youth. At age 12, he’d won a trip to Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery was one of the most memorable places he visited. His first thought was to bring the extra 4,000 wreaths there.

“We couldn’t do anything in this country if it wasn’t for the people who gave their lives to protect us,” Mr. Worcester said. “It’s a great honor to be able to come here and pay our respects.”  In 1993, rather than bring leftover wreaths, he planned for the event. Since then, he’s driven to Arlington every year with volunteers and a truck full of decorations. Word got around to other agencies, such as the civil air patrol and the National Reconnaissance Office, and several people wanted to help.

“That first year, there were just a few of us, and it took us five or six hours to get them placed,” Mr. Worcester said. “This year, we had extra help and got done in about an hour.” This was the fourth year Tech. Sgt. Lisa Rodier helped honor those buried at Arlington. She described the event as “very emotional” and something everyone should do at least once. “You get a feeling you can’t get from anything else,” Sergeant Rodier said. “These people sacrificed their lives for me and my children, so why can’t I sacrifice a little time for them?”

 

Tech. Sgt. Scott Glassic places a wreath on a headstone. He was one of hundreds of volunteers who gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to place more than 5,000 donated Christmas wreaths. The 14th annual wreath laying event is the result of Worcester Wreath Company's owner Morrill Worcester's, childhood dream of doing something to honor those laid to rest in the national cemetery.

 

An Arlington Honor Guardsman walks his post past the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb was one of more than 5,000 headstones decorated by volunteers. The 14th annual wreath laying event is the result of Worcester Wreath Company's owner Morrill Worcester's, childhood
dream of doing something to honor those laid to rest in the national cemetery.

(All photos by Master Sgt. Jim Varhegyi)

Posted: 20 December 2005

A Surprise Welcome Home for Dan

 

It’s been a busy week for me trying to work on getting the house decorated before our son, Dan, returned from California for the holidays. When I told him that I didn’t think I’d feel well enough to get but one tree done, I could hear the disappointment in his voice. This boy loves the lights, the ornaments, and all the trimmings that go into Christmas decorating, but I know he understood.

But he got a big surprise when he walked into the house late last night and saw the glow of six trees greeting him. He broke into a smile and said, “You got the trees  and the decorating done! It looks great!”  Well, that made my day because I’d been rushing all day to complete the last of the trees and the finishing touches on the rest of the house.

“Welcome home, Dan!”

I’ll show you my entry and two more of my trees as I’m link up with Karen’s Some Days Are Diamonds Doors of Welcome Party and Susan’s Deck the Halls Party. You are invited to attend both soirees and see all the fun and wonderful Christmas decorating out there in Blog Land.

                                                                    

                                                        click on the pictures to visit Karen and Susan                                               

 

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Oops, I cut off part of the door, but you can see the two grapevine trees that I set on some greenery filled urns. I placed shepherd hooks along the sidewalk and hung colored jars filled with  cranberries and faux snow. 

 

 

The wreath is a simple one- juniper berries and sugared fruit.

 

 

 

The bench in the front courtyard area holds a basket filled with natural greens, logs, pinecones, and berries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In case you get lost, here’s a sign pointing the way to Santa at the North Pole!

 

As you enter the front door, you can see the great room from the long hall. This tree is decorated in a brown and gold ribbons and glass balls.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not a large tree, maybe only five feet tall.

 

This storage chest holds my overflow of glassware that I find at estate sales.

 

I hung three glass ornaments at every swag in the garland. I think it just adds a little more “frou frou” to it.

    

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A feathered bobeche circles the base of the candles and a small cloche houses a balding Santa.

 

Tall apothecary jar filled with gold and brown glass balls.

 

These pinecone candles rest on more of the faux snow that I mixed up. It glistens just like the real thing, don’t you think?

 

Looking upward, you can see my newest tree on the stair landing. It is decked out in the vibrant color combination of purple and lime green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the hall closet door frame, I’ve placed some Cat’s Meow houses that have a Christmas theme.

 

 

 

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Well, there you have my door and entryway. I kinda rushed this post tonight~ I spent the day catching up on things I’ve neglected since I bonked my head on the kitchen floor last month. I felt pretty good today. I’ll be posting the rest of the house shortly. Hope you’ll be back to see more of it soon!  Don’t forget to visit Karen and Susan.

And if you want to see a few more of my trees, please visit here.

Christmas Hugs,