Palette for Autumn

I found out last year that there are actually mums with my name! Therefore, I now have an annual trip to Canton to pick up these gorgeous “Jolly Cheryl” mums!!!!  I pay $14.95 per pot….and they are worth every penny!

     
And these cabbage plants are a “must” to get us through the freezing temperatures and cold North winds of winter  ~ which are bound to get here in the near future ~

Ready to enjoy this 3 month sprint (you know how fast it will come and go) of Holidays at Cottage Farm Villa !!!
Thanks for stopping by…… have fun with your Autumn traditions!
~Cheryl

focus

Add another line of lights.

Decorate another corner of the room.

Merry Christmas!

it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas …

 
From as far back as I can remember, I have always wanted different “themed” trees throughout my home.
That is a hard task to accomplish because you would have to have oodles and oodles of ornaments all in different themes.  Well, who can afford that?  Not me.  I have a great collection of Santa ornaments but that is about the only theme I have collected. This year I decided that I was going to start a “kitchen” themed tree.  So I set out to Garden Ridge to see what I could find on a budget.  They had a 6 ft artificial tree for $7.  I bought two! Then I wandered on over to the “sweets” ornament isle.  How cute!   Well, I got about 10 ornaments for $30 and thought that was a good start for my kitchen tree. 


I’m crazy for glittery ornaments




As much as I think I would like to try a white themed Christmas decor ~  I always get lured back to the “lime” green and red decor.  Lime Green being the Key Color  ~ I just can’t stay away from it ! 


 
  

 
Love those socks and shoes ~ 



this little reindeer is my tree topper.  i adore her “lime green” sexy little skirt with the lambs wool trim ~ 


Gotta add some Texas to the tree! 


The Glow of Candlelight ........
 

 
Now that the house is all trimmed, it is time to start shopping!  …..  It’s the 7th of December and I have yet to have one gift purchased.  I never have been an early shopper ~ I like to get all my decorating done first and I love the hustle and bustle of starting my shopping around the 10th of the month right up to the 23rd …. that gives me just about two weeks to exhaust myself !!  :-)  

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas!  ~ Cheryl

To revisit Christmas Decor 2009, click here

ready, set, go …..

What is so interesting about being in the blogging world (and I am only in it with one toe, so to speak), is that there is inspiration from all directions of life.  Intellectual, spiritual, artistic, marital/family ~  and the list goes on......  One of the things that I can never get over when I am visiting blogs is how so many young women, in this day and age, strive to raise a healthy family, be a loving wife, create a pride-filled lovely home and
actually use their personal God-given talents to create and share with other women. It is very comforting that the love of home and family is going strong in our younger generations!
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The kitchen is the center of everyone’s home ~ especially during the holidays (mine is actually IN the center of the house (lol) …. therefore, my kitchen is in many of my posts.  We finally put the knobs on our cabinets (only took 3 years).  That is SO not like me ~ but I have found that I am not in such a RUSH in my life anymore.  I was NEVER like this PRE –age 45 !!  And as each year has passed …. well, less and less of a rush.  I guess that is the gift we get for making it this far ~  :)

We had a wonderful, comfortable, Thanksgiving Day.  Brandon & Megan brought us the sweetest “Basket Full Of Gifts” !! And they spent two nights at the house with us !!! We love it when they are here.

 

my daughter-in-law to be already knows her mother-in-law to be’s taste.  ;-))))

everything was perfect.

There’s our cute “engaged couple” making deviled eggs and peeling potatoes.

Brandon has become quite the deviled egg pro! We didn’t have paprika – so we used cayenne.  It’s a keeper.

We love HOT. 

Megan and I had so much fun talking about the upcoming wedding!!!  So many ideas and thoughts.  Thank goodness they gave the engagement a little over a year!!!  Their current decision is the photographer.  Venue (check).  Caterer (check).  Wedding Party (check).  Cake (check).  Colors (check).  Honeymoon destination (check).

(You can click “colors” and “venue” to visit those posts)

We all know who was “under foot” while preparing the “BIRD” !!   Ms. Bella !!  She looks like a lady, but she acted like a hyper-active child!  It doesn’t matter how she acts,

WE LOVE HER and SHE IS

THE

CENTER OF ATTENTION ~ and she knows it! 

Hubby and I got the most beautiful card.  We have come to expect it –  because our son always picks the most wonderful cards with heartfelt words.  ALWAYS.     I also wanted to share the front of this card because it reminded me of the most adorable paintings that  Becky at Farmgirl Paints creates.  You can send her a photo of your home and she will paint it for you.  This looks so much like her style.

 Please visit her here, if you don’t ALREADY know her.  She is known for her honesty of everyday life, hence her huge dedicated following!  And this girl has the “biggest” heart!

And now …. off to get the Christmas stuff out!  Ready, set, go!

  You know how there are Christmas decorations you will just never part with?

This Candy Cane is one of them.  It is distressed wood ~ and a real favorite! 

Happy decorating!! 

Have a beautiful week dear ones ~ Cheryl xo

Merry Christmas: Happy Birthday Jesus!

Santa came………

and brought hubby and I the best presents EVER......

Our boy & his girl!!!!!

That's all we REALLY wanted.

Brandon & Megan

Wishing you all a merry day!!

xo

Cheryl

Blondes & Brunettes

Megan & Brandon

I have been looking for a frame for this picture of my boy & his girl.  Yesterday, I found this one at target and absolutely had to have it.  $4.99 !!! Are they the cutest couple EVER!!!!  xo  I am so happy – because they are so happy!!

 I ADORE VINCE VAUGHN.  Actually, if I were younger and single…..I would seek him out.  I love his expressions: he is manly and childlike all wrapped up in this large teddy bear frame.  YUMMY!!!!  This movie is HYSTERICAL.  

My sweet Aunt Winnie (click here to read about her in my Red Door Christmas post) sent me these pictures of my mom & dad from the 50’s.  My mom, a BEAUTIFUL platinum blonde and my dad – well, GORGEOUS!  and that baby in the picture …..me.  My mom was 18 and daddy was 19. Daddy passed in 1974 at the age of 38, mommy is 71 now.

And lastly, this blonde is me and the brunette, hubby.  This was a Christmas party we were attending, about 8 years ago. If only we could turn back time.

Hope you enjoyed my Blondes & Brunettes! 

Have a beautiful week! ~Cheryl

Christmas Decor Part 2

Since my last post, I have added to my “simplicity” Christmas decor.

Please come in for a tour.

I look forward to coming home at the end of the day and plugging in the Christmas lights and lighting the candles. They both add that special glow to these cold winter nights! …. and the scent of the holiday candles warm the soul (pumpkin, sugar cookie, apple & cinnamon ~ yum!) I found a cute little Santa towel and Christmas cookbook that I added to the vignette.

I also decided to add a couple of my “restaurant” Dickens Village houses to the mantle above the cook top and sat them in a cushion of “snow”.

The two restaurants are Wong’s Chinese and Italian Ristorante!

What I love about the Italian restaurant is the little side yard with the swing gate. Wouldn’t you love to sit there with a glass of Merlot?

At Wong’s, I picture myself living in the third story apartment. I have always had a fantasy of living above a restaurant in a big city! Always.

The fireplace mantle

First on the tour, are the Fire House, firemen and Spot! All knee deep in snow.

Ready for any emergency that may arise!

Fresh roasted chestnuts, anyone?

Auditions being held tonight!

This little lad is lighting the way to the Inn.

Come out of the cold.

The Innkeeper will get your bags for you!!

Another little touch that I added were these ribbons to the shades on the chandelier. It looks so lovely at night with the light on. So much so, that I am thinking of getting red shades!!

I want to thank all of you that gave your suggestions for decorating “my” vintage ice skates (from my last post). I appreciated all of your great ideas!! I decided to go with the red ribbon for the laces and add a pair of white & red fuzzy socks. Aren’t they just adorable??? LOVE THEM. I don’t know what took me so long to think of using them as my winter decor. But I just love them. I have so many wonderful memories involving my skates and now I can look at them throughout the cold months.

I am going to leave them propped on this bookstand sitting in one of the cubbies of our entertainment center right above the TV. I want to look at them ALL the time!!! Therefore, they will not be going on my front door ~ which some of you suggested. It was a great suggestion, but I want to be selfish and have them where I can see them!!

I thought I would also share the dining room. Simplicity at it’s best! A Christmas wall hanging and a sparkling tabletop tree. That’s it. Just a touch of Christmas.

And lastly, we got lucky because our neighbors across the street decorated like this ! The picture does not do it justice….but it is soooo pretty to look at! I zoomed in so you could get a better look!

Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed the little Christmas tour. Please take good care of yourself during this season of hustle and bustle!

Enjoy the day.

Don’t wear yourself out.

Give yourself a special treat each day!!

suggestions: a hot bath, a cup of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, buy a new lotion, sit in front of the fire, listen to Christmas music, buy a new warm scarf

~you get the idea~

be good to yourself

Have a beautiful week ~ Cheryl