ORNAMENTS, a few of my favorite things...

The best of Christmas?? On a recent trip to Hawai'i I discovered that decorating for Christmas must be something we learned from our mom. I know now that we didn't have much money while growing up. My dad worked 2 jobs to afford us the house on Kaliko Dr. and a private school education for most of us kids. My mom...she would be gearing up way before the holidays and although she wasn't one for the big show of outside lights, etc. she really put a lot of intense work towards Christmas...especially in the baking and tree decorating. Some years there would be a theme..I remember braiding colored tissue paper to make into circles that she laid on the branches. Sometimes the tree was a hodgepodge of things gotten through the years...red feather canary birds, 50's style glass ornaments, kid art and little framed school pictures; walnut ornaments from cub scouts, and some years everything was draped in the dreaded tinsel. The largest THEME I learned from her was "something from little or nothing".

And so, while I was in Hawaii around Thanksgiving time, I noticed my brother's preparations for the great holiday interior ambience! Dave builds shelving and other flat surfaces to use for the trees and topiaries and manger scene. The living room is on the small side but he manages to set everything up without that tacky, and "overcrowded with too much stuff" look that the holidays can bring on!

My Christmas this year has been as a tagalong...watching and helping in other people's holiday plans. My shopping has been limited and simple. But yesterday I came into my own when I stopped by the Clear Creek Nursery. I will call these newest additions to my ornament collecting "Simply Veronica". Veronica runs the nursery with her husband, and his family, the Olmsteds have been around for years providing Christmas trees in several lots around town. Now there is a huge nursery with a gift shop and landscape materials besides plants, shrubs, flowers and trees.

Yesterday I stopped in to find what's left from the Christmas ornaments Veronica brought in. They were 50% off and although many things are gone, there was still a lot of nice things there...I added to my chartreuse theme, my glass and white theme, and my blue period theme! I was thrilled to have some new FINDS!