Jolly Old Saint Nicholas!

I heart Santa! I always have! So here are some of my many Santas and some other fun things around the house!





Santa and gingerbread mugs always available for when hot cocoa is a must!



Snowman tree, thought it would bring on the snow but no, none! Doesn't feel like Christmas without it!



Here is a vintage Santa suit I put on my mom's mannequin in the Living Room! I have a vintage hat to go along with it but I liked my silly whimsical one on top!

I love these pictures. I got them from an antique store. They aren't needlepoint but some embroidery technique.

The bottom one says:

"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble, there's no place like home"!

In our basement there isn't a shortage of Santas that's for sure. The large Santa lights up!



The stockings were hung by the chimney with care....in our case, they were hung on a ladder with ease!



Who needs a star on the top when you have a top hat!



Since my hubby didn't want me to "touch" his baby I got as close as I could with a big bow tucked under his neck and little Santa hats on the deer statues!



Well, we're all ready for the big guy to arrive on Sunday morning! Are you?

Curious Sofa's Subway art!

I'm sure by now everyone in the blog world knows about subway art and almost as equally knows about

Debbie from Curious Sofa Diaries!



Well she is Amazing with a capital "A"! She is so talented and quite frankly my idol! I recently bought myself an early Christmas gift that I had been searching for, for quite some time. I was tempted to make one but time stopped me from doing so. I happened to peruse the Internet and decided to check out
Debbie's shop and lo and behold, to what do my wandering eyes did appear...... but this magnificent subway roll with my favorite obsession...Paris and some of it's famous attractions scrolled all over it!!

I think I hung it in several spots around the house but was never completely satisfied. Then one day it hit me like a mack truck!
I had the perfect wall in my bedroom. It's like it was made for this exact piece! I just knew it would fit wonderfully!

Ok, isn't it fantastic? This was before I decorated for Christmas.



And now with a little twinkle and color!



Claire saw me snapping pictures and just had to get in on the action! She recently started taking piano lessons and had just learned "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas"!





I'm pretty sure I've never done a post on our bedroom so welcome!

I love our bed except when I was pregnant! It was so hard to climb up into it! I still don't know how I did it!



My reading area! Great place to curl up with a good book!



These are directly across from the bed! My all time favorite pictures of Claire for her first birthday!



I thought I'd hang some snowflakes for the two flakes that sleep below! Ha, I'm sure my husband will love that!



I have a thing for religious statues! My mother gave me my first Virgin Mary when I was 16 and the others I've found at garage sales and antique stores. I've never spent more than $8 on any of them.



I wonder if my collecting them will help me get into those pearly gates?



Well, I'm at least hoping my Mother is putting in a good word for me!





A bit of funny I enjoyed reading and thought you would too.....

“Humor is a spontaneous, wonderful bit of an outburst that just comes. It's unbridled, it's unplanned, it's full of surprises.”
― Erma Bombeck

My Shoe Tree!

I started collecting shoe ornaments 2 years ago and now I've collected so many that this year they get their own tree!

















I see that even Zeke enjoys my shoe tree! He found a cozy spot to rest while watching over the kiddos!

AN ACTUAL CRAIG’S LIST PERSONALS AD

I so want to believe this is true, it is truly fantastic!

This was an ad dated 2010-09-27, 1:43 a.m. E.S.T.

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I
hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend,
threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend’s purse and
earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important
message.

First, I’d like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn’t expect you to
actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket..
The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason..
my girlfriend was happy that I just returned safely from my 2nd tour as a
Combat Marine in Afghanistan .. She had just bought me that Kimber Custom
Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder
holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very
intimidating weapon when pointed at your head

... isn’t it?!

I know it probably wasn’t fun walking back to wherever you’d come from with
that brown sludge in your pants. I’m sure it was even worse walking
bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with
me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help
mug us again].

After I called your mother or “Momma” as you had her listed in your cell, I
explained the entire episode of what you’d done. Then I went and filled up
my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station,—on
your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 153 gallons and was
extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go’s, along with
all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink “pimp mobile” that was parked at
the curb …. after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the
entire driver’s side of the car.

Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell
just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little
over a day now, so what ’s going on with that? Earlier, I managed to get in
two threatening phone calls to the DA’s office and one to the FBI, while
mentioning President Obama as my possible target.

The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while
he traced your number etc.).

In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you … but I feel
this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your
threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these
rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the
opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you’ve
chosen to pursue in life. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.
Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours, Semper Fi,

Alex

Holiday Mantle!

I thought I would show you a few pics of my mantle from previous years and then show you my mantle today!

This was from 2 years ago. Pretty traditional with the reds and greens! Check out my gals apron! Naughty or Nice? You'll never know, lol!



This was last year's mantle. I was going for a mostly all white theme, but had to throw in a little color for some pop!



And this is my mantle this year! I found the Joy banner at the GW, brand new in box for $1.99. The blue curly Q's were from the Hobby Lobster at half off so I swiped them all up!

The wreath I just whipped up with some fluffy yarn wrapped a bazillion times around a straw wreath form. Then I added some felt flowers!



Threw in some mercury trees I had for some sparkle and there you have it! A pretty simple fun Holiday Mantle!

Peace on Earth!

I've been collecting globes for quite a while now and thought I would use them in my Christmas display! Here is my take on "Peace on Earth!" The three peace signs are ornaments I purchased last year from Pottery Barn.



Do you see our ELF Zeke ? He's hanging in the sleigh. I get the feeling he is going to be a camera snob this season!



Another elf favorite is the red guy! I found him at an antique store for $3.00. Now this guy my kids don't like. They say he has an almost gremlin look to him. Hmmm, it must be the ears. I guess that's why I like him!





I have also been collecting religious figures for a while and this Virgin Mary and Jesus planter are from a consignment store for $5.00!





This one is from a wonderful vintage shop I frequent and she was only $4.00! Sorry she is so blurry!



Vintage Santa and reindeer were from an antique store.



One of my favorite movies is "Elf" I swear my whole family could quote that movie and we often do. Here is a favorite!

"I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite!"

We've been Elfed!

Well, we're getting into the Holiday Spirit over here. After all our last name is famous at this time of year. You know the song 12 days of Christmas well we are the Partridge's in a Pear Tree!

I found these silly elf carolers at a little vintage shop for about $3.00. My kids are kinda creeped out by my little elves. They think the eyes are scary! I say the creepier the face the cuter they are!



This little blue guy is my absolute favorite! I love his face! Can you see who's peeking in over at the right? Yup that's our elf on the Shelf Zeke. He just flew in this morning! Claire was so excited she thought he needed to join the other elves!





This is puddin head the angel. I thought he needed to watch over the other elves and make sure they stayed out of trouble! Everyone needs an angel to watch over them!



Lots more decorating to show you, I'm on a roll here! October and November were crazy times over here. I feel like the Tasmanian devil with how much I've been coming and going! I kinda look like him lately too! I'm back though and excited to show you all some fun things around the Peartree!

Have a super day!