Hurricane lamps, that is. Didn’t want anyone to panic for me!
I don’t have a mantle, but I do have a lovely buffet that is the first thing you see when you come into my house…it’s my substitute mantel!
I had it all decorated, but I was feeling vaguely dissatisfied with it. It had a lovely vintage ceramic tree on it that is special to me, but I really didn’t care about/love the other pieces that I had displayed.
Then one Saturday I had to throw together a centerpiece for a family gathering, and I pulled out my three glass hurricane lamps.
The small center one I picked up at a garage sale this past summer, but the other two are very special—one came out of my paternal grandparents’ home, and the other out of my maternal grandparents’ home (where it was actually used). I put them together on a thrift-store tray I painted, and filled the bottom with some faux snow and some bits of greenery (real) and sparkly berries (not real). I loved the arrangement because I felt a real connection and sense of pride for these hurricanes…so I decided to ditch the original buffet décor and put my hurricanes up instead!
I placed an old cupboard door behind the lamps so they wouldn’t get lost against the beige wall. With a couple of my beloved poinsettias (you can see my others here) and some bead garland, I love the buffet’s new look.
Above the buffet hang my children’s stockings. I cross-stitched each one for each child’s first Christmas—tricky with two December babies, but I managed it (barely)!
I have told my children that the stockings never get to leave. They think I’m kidding. I’m really not!
I love my buffet so much more now that it includes things that are unique and special to me. I think I’m tired of decorating just for the sake of decorating!
How about you?
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24 comments:
those stockings are so special! and i did not realize you had 6 kids- i am now super impressed that you get anything at all done.
Those stockings are great, Korrie! I used to do quite a bit of cross-stitch myself and did our family stockings. Years ago Michaels had the green and red quilted stockings with the cross-stitch fabric on the cuff and I put all our names on them in cross-stitch. Those also are not leaving my house! Last year I got my daughter, son-in-law and granddaugther their own personalized stockings from Pottery Barn.
I Love the stockings and your Hurricane Lamps are Beautiful!
Simply gorgeous. I love how you hung your stockings with care...
Heather
I love how everything fits together for a festive holiday look!!! The stockings are awesome!!!!
Merry christmas!
holiday hugs!
grams1garden
Love the look!! I too love hurricane lamps. I have only two. My mother had several. You remember the power outages growing up? The wind would sneeze once and out would go the power!! We used them all of the time. Fun memories. Funny to me how the memories are fun. I am sure my mother trying to take care of things by just the light of hurricane lamps didn't think it all that fun. Oh to be a kid again! Well, in some ways.... other ways.... not so much.
Your stockings are amazing. I did a few and then let LL Bean finish the rest. :) You did far better than me!
Your lamps are priceless and that's why you love the arrangement so much...because you feel the connection to loved ones. It all looks just beautiful.
I really love your cute stocking holder, too. :)
I love that your decorations have so much meaning. I have a couple of those lamps, maybe it's time to bring them back out. I get a migraine just thinking about doing cross stitch, so very impressed with what you did on those stockings- wow! :)
Those stockings are gorgeous! I remember grandparents using those lamps. I agree with you about decorating with meaningful things...means so much more to me than just "stuff". I love all of it!
xo
Pat
I love the stockings. I used to cross stitch a lot, but haven't done any for awhile. Maybe I will take it back up this winter.
Laura
I have a picture of myself 17 years ago on Christmas Evehanging a just finished stocking for my son. I look silly with my tongue hanging to the side. I was so beat, I could barely see!!! lol
To answer your question...I have not unpacked half my decorations this year. I just want simplicity. I have only brought out the things that are truely meaningful to me. Somehow, I think it is nicer... So I agree. Stick with what is meaningful. :)
Oh my gosh that is so many cross-stitched stockings! I have thus far created one for my husband, and I am working on one for myself. I did a post about the recently. They are mega time consuming!!! Nice work doing all of those. I'm impressed.
Know what you mean, sometimes you just have to step back and let the things you really love do the talking when decorating. Your "faux" mantel looks great.
Love the stockings, do you really have 6 kids? Good for you!
I love hurricane lamps! I used to have a pretty milk glass one with roses handpainted on it but the movers shattered it when we moved here. :( I think it looks so cute! :)
I love your hurricane lamps! I have 4 that I inherited from my grandmothers...one was a wedding gift. One is red. You have inspired me to pull them out and incorporate them in my Christmas decor!
Hi Korrie,
what a wonderful blog you have! And what a wonderful things you create! So much inspiration. I started a blog recently together with my sister. We would love you to visit us there. You will see I made your bookpage birdhouses.
Wendy
Oh yes it is all lovely, but the stockings, wow!! Those are adorable, and what a bunch of work. They are such a treasure.
Just lovely and so special!
Holly
Your stockings are such a treasure! I don't blame you a bit - keep 'em! :) You've put together a very warm and Christmasy area on your buffet.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
amazing stockings, forget it YOU are amazing! how special for each of them and what a labor of love!
Hi Korrie, I also cross stitch, so I know how much time those take. You did a beautiful job. I put up my five cones this year (I'll probably switch to stockings on Christmas eve, because the kids like them better.), I put up all five, but I'm kind of sad that I really only need four, unless I make it a couple's stocking. I love bigger families!
I love it! The whole thing! Those lamps are great~I have
one that is identical to yours on the right. And those stockings are beautiful! How many hundreds of hours did those take?!?
Your stockings are each one a work of art! Gorgeous!!! ♥
What a beautiful blog you have just love your post your stockings are just lovely. I'm new to your blog and have enjoyed looking around, I'm now following you so I can visit you often if you find a spare minute hope you visit me sometime you can follow back if you like so nice to find new friends. I look forward to keeping in touch in 2012, Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family.
Always Wendy
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